What a chilly, damp day outside. Yea!! I heard the rain hitting my window last night after I went to bed. What a wonderful sound. It has been so dry and we would have had to get some water out to our surviving lilacs and the little tree that came up despite getting sprayed with Roundup! The Lilies also haven't had water. This is so perfect! This will give Brandie's lawn a little time to soak in the water and turn green again before winter hits, also.
With Fall being right around the corner, it is time to get a bale of straw for the dog houses. We have to be careful not to get it too early, as Sammy (the Black Lab/Boxer mix) will have fun pulling it out of the dog house, jumping and playing in it, and scattering it to the winds. She is such a big baby!!
My pickup broke down in town last Sunday. I had it pulled up to Mike's house, which was quite a feat. The tow trucks were all busy that night, so it took about an hour to get one, (through my insurance) and then the dispatcher sent out the new guy in the broken truck. The kid worked so hard, but didn't have experience with the back wheel dollies, so after three calls to his co-worker, the co-worker came and helped to get it loaded on the dolly. Then the lights went out on the tow truck and then the tow truck died. The other tow truck was on the scene, so they switched over to the other tow truck. It was a long night for them. The dispatcher was unaware that the truck was in for repair. But all ended well and the truck is in Mike's hands to figure out what is wrong. Since he is leaving the end of the month, it is good that this happened before the cold came in. Now the pickup will be ready for winter!
Now to go make a nice warm dish for the cats and dogs so that they can get the chill of the day off from them. Also, ran out of cat food, and no vehicle yet to get it....so treats for the cats! They will be happy!!!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Ministering Spirits
Summer is almost gone. Today is suppose to be the last hot day of summer. A cold front is suppose to blow in tonight bringing cooler temperatures and rain next tues & weds. I hope we still have some very nice days after the front moves through!! The sun just feels so very good.
Autumn has always been so neat, though, with all those colors!!! Why did the Lord make them so colorful? Why not just have them turn grey, then black and drop off? His creative designs are beyond anything we can imagine. We can spend a bundle of money figuring out how the Lord produced such colors. However scientists cannot take credit for the colors, nor the design, they all are the Lords.
Life, too, has its mysteries. We keep our free will and freedom to do as we choose, yet the Lord is ahead of us, keeping us and opening doors for us.
Have you read the Bible? Well, I read parts of it here and there over my life time. I would get to the stories in the old testament and would be overwhelmed by all the names and just stop there. I knew the commandments and the stories of Jesus and the old testament stories that all children read. I had an illustrated Bible and I did read all that. However, I did not think the Bible applied to us now, except for the promises of the end of time prophecies and of course what Jesus taught. I was wrong.
When we were living in Colorado Springs, we lived in a beautiful house, with almost all our windows overlooking the mountains. They were beautiful. The storms that passed through were breathtaking, especially when there was lightening. It just lite up everything. Tim was on a detail there for a year. During that time he was sent back to Montana to visit a number of different operations in different towns. He did a lot of these tours when we were in Montana -- he was very good at it.
I called him to find out when he was coming home and he said he was coming home that night. He had just finished up on a shift in Kalispell and was heading out. Before that, he had been at one (or two) other towns where he had completed his inspections (no sleep). He wanted to come home and was trying to get everything done so he could make it home today. I told him to stop and sleep somewhere first...it was too long of a drive to go without having any sleep, especially after working all those shifts. Of course, he did not listen, he wanted to come home.
Tim was driving down and it was now night time. I called him every once in awhile to make sure he was still awake. It was now getting late and I hadn't heard from Tim. I didn't know where he was. Knowing him he had a cup of coffee, a cigarette and a talk show host updating him on the latest political action going on. It was late but I couldn't sleep, I got a book and waited. I kept my ear open for the sound of his pickup coming down the street. Suddenly something was STANDING DIRECTLY AT THE SIDE OF MY BED! It was like an invisible huge ball of fire! Waves of relief, excitement and the feeling of being home were coming from it! I stared and stared at it. I didn't know what to do - I was stunned! I looked and looked to see if I could see something and maybe I saw something faintly like those wavey lines on a highway on a hot day. It stayed there. I just sat in bed and we waited. It seemed like a long time, although it wasn't. Then I heard it. A pickup was turning onto the street and moments later into our drive. As my attention was diverted to Tim and the pickup, the being disappeared. Soon Tim unlocked the front door and came upstairs. He had made it home safely.
Five years later Tim died from cancer. He had it for a long time, but his symtoms were attributed to his diabetes. When we learned of his cancer I told him about the event in Colorado Springs. I thought perhaps that was a vision of his going to heaven. Well, only recently did I run accross a passage in the Bible that dealt with what happened. It would have been a lot of comfort to Tim if I had know of it at the time and I had shared it with him. The following Bible verses calls angels "a flame of fire" that are sent forth to "minister for those who will inherit salavation". The Bible verses are below:
(regarding Jesus and the angels)
Hebrews 1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
10 And: "You LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail."
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make your enemies Your footstool"?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
Autumn has always been so neat, though, with all those colors!!! Why did the Lord make them so colorful? Why not just have them turn grey, then black and drop off? His creative designs are beyond anything we can imagine. We can spend a bundle of money figuring out how the Lord produced such colors. However scientists cannot take credit for the colors, nor the design, they all are the Lords.
Life, too, has its mysteries. We keep our free will and freedom to do as we choose, yet the Lord is ahead of us, keeping us and opening doors for us.
Have you read the Bible? Well, I read parts of it here and there over my life time. I would get to the stories in the old testament and would be overwhelmed by all the names and just stop there. I knew the commandments and the stories of Jesus and the old testament stories that all children read. I had an illustrated Bible and I did read all that. However, I did not think the Bible applied to us now, except for the promises of the end of time prophecies and of course what Jesus taught. I was wrong.
When we were living in Colorado Springs, we lived in a beautiful house, with almost all our windows overlooking the mountains. They were beautiful. The storms that passed through were breathtaking, especially when there was lightening. It just lite up everything. Tim was on a detail there for a year. During that time he was sent back to Montana to visit a number of different operations in different towns. He did a lot of these tours when we were in Montana -- he was very good at it.
I called him to find out when he was coming home and he said he was coming home that night. He had just finished up on a shift in Kalispell and was heading out. Before that, he had been at one (or two) other towns where he had completed his inspections (no sleep). He wanted to come home and was trying to get everything done so he could make it home today. I told him to stop and sleep somewhere first...it was too long of a drive to go without having any sleep, especially after working all those shifts. Of course, he did not listen, he wanted to come home.
Tim was driving down and it was now night time. I called him every once in awhile to make sure he was still awake. It was now getting late and I hadn't heard from Tim. I didn't know where he was. Knowing him he had a cup of coffee, a cigarette and a talk show host updating him on the latest political action going on. It was late but I couldn't sleep, I got a book and waited. I kept my ear open for the sound of his pickup coming down the street. Suddenly something was STANDING DIRECTLY AT THE SIDE OF MY BED! It was like an invisible huge ball of fire! Waves of relief, excitement and the feeling of being home were coming from it! I stared and stared at it. I didn't know what to do - I was stunned! I looked and looked to see if I could see something and maybe I saw something faintly like those wavey lines on a highway on a hot day. It stayed there. I just sat in bed and we waited. It seemed like a long time, although it wasn't. Then I heard it. A pickup was turning onto the street and moments later into our drive. As my attention was diverted to Tim and the pickup, the being disappeared. Soon Tim unlocked the front door and came upstairs. He had made it home safely.
Five years later Tim died from cancer. He had it for a long time, but his symtoms were attributed to his diabetes. When we learned of his cancer I told him about the event in Colorado Springs. I thought perhaps that was a vision of his going to heaven. Well, only recently did I run accross a passage in the Bible that dealt with what happened. It would have been a lot of comfort to Tim if I had know of it at the time and I had shared it with him. The following Bible verses calls angels "a flame of fire" that are sent forth to "minister for those who will inherit salavation". The Bible verses are below:
(regarding Jesus and the angels)
Hebrews 1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
8 But to the Son He says: "Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom. 9 You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than Your companions."
10 And: "You LORD, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. 11 They will perish, but You remain; And they will all grow old like a garment; 12 Like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail."
13 But to which of the angels has He ever said: "Sit at My right hand, Till I make your enemies Your footstool"?
14 Are they not all ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation?
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Are we headed to the Pit??
Today was so beautiful. Almost hot with a slight breeeze. A day made to be enjoyed outside!!
This afternoon I went out and picked some rocks and unloaded them until it was time to get ready to go to town. Since little sister was busy giving aerobic classes, I went and visited Mom until it was time for church. Church is nice. Pastor preached on the Garden of Eden and sin. Stressing that the devil "didn't make us do it", that we make our own choice to sin.
I was just reading a story of a man who was a pastor in a communist country. He worked at a radio station. He was told to stop preaching about Jesus, stop playing Christian music and follow the communist way and he could continue on at the radio station. He refused. They put his son and wife against a wall and told them to renounce Jesus Christ and they could live. The young son immediately said "Never" and they shot him in the head. They put the gun to the wife's head and she replied, "Never" and they killed her. Since the man was able-bodied they took him to a labor camp. This child and woman died for their faith and the man lost everything he had, and yet most people in the United States don't even have the courage to say that there is one true God - the Almighty Creator of all together with His son, Jesus Christ - our Savior - who died in our place as a sacrifice, to save us!
A little over ten years ago I was standing before a group getting an award. Now I don't remember why the other person in my story was up there. I think he was getting an award also. Standing in front of this group, with all eyes on us, I looked the other person in the eye. In that instant I was immediately pulled into darkness. I was lying in the prone position, arms close to my side and head up and facing forward. I could not move a single muscle. It was as though I had been wrapped in an invisible cocoon. I could see, more with my mind's eye, than with my eyes, which were staring straight forward. There was nothing but darkness, but yet I could see into the eternal darkness. I knew that there was no way to get out. I was filled with a feeling of hopelessness and despair. It seemed as though I was there a very long time. Suddenly a light from above encompassed me. It was as though a lid had been removed from this vast darkness. Instantly I was pulled up through a hole above me to where the light was pouring in. The next thing I knew I was back! I was standing in front of the person who was up front with me. There was laughter from the on-lookers, so I am sure we were staring at each other for a little bit. Now that so many years have passed, I probably described it better then, than I do now.
The Bible does describe the above. It took me quite sometime before I understood where it was that I was at. I hoped it wasn't a vision of MY eternal status, after-all I am a sinner and I am bombarded at times with the fear that I am not good enough. I know it is a vision of something to come. However, I am putting my trust in the Lord that He is indeed our Deliverer. Christ died for our sins to save each one of us. Those that have a heart for Him, He will go after. Once you know the Lord, doesn't sin change? Doesn't it become bitter when you partake of it. And the more you don't let go, the more distasteful it is? I grieve at times because I know I am not holy. I grieve for the times I could have taught my children more of the Lord, and did not. But the Lord is with us now, and we go forward from this day on. He mends the past and gives us a future. I won't describe the below Bible verses, as you will know and understand. What the vision means, I don't know, but it will come.
2 Peter 2: "1But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. 2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. 3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.
"4 For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly; 6 and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly; 7 and delivered righteous Lot, who was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked 8 (for that righteous man, dwelling among them, tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds) -- 9 then the Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who walk according to the flesh in the lust of uncleanness and despise authority. They are presumptuous, self-willed. They are not afraid to speak evil of dignitaries, 11 whereas angels, who are greater in power and might, do not bring a reviling accustation against them before the Lord.
"12 But these, like natural brute beasts made to be caught and destroyed, speak evil of the things they do not understand, and will utterly perish in their own corruption, 13 and will receive the wages of unrighteousness, as those who count it pleasure to carouse in the daytime. They are spots and blemishes, carousing in their own deceptions while they feast with you, 14 having eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children. 15 They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 16 But he was rebuked for his iniquity: a dumb donkey speaking with a man's voice restrained the madness of the prophet. 17 These are wells without water, clouds carried by a tempest, for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever."
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Number 16: "27 So they got away from around the tents of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the door of their tents, with their wives, their sons, and their little children.
"28 And Moses said: "By this you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works, for I have not done them of my own will. 29 If these men die naturally like all men, or if they are visited by the common fate of all men, then the LORD has not sent me. 30 But if the LORD creates a new thing, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them up with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the pit, then you will understand that these men have rejected the LORD."
"31 Now it came to pass, as he finished speaking all these words, that the ground split apart under them, 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, with their households and all the men with Korah, with all their goods. 33 So they and all those with them went down alive into the pit; the earth closed over them, and they perished from among the assembly."
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