Spring Forward!

This is the one Sunday I dread more than any each year!  Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. tomorrow.  This is the 100th anniversary of the tradition and I found some interesting tidbits:

In 1895, George Hudson, an entomologist from New Zealand, came up with the modern concept of daylight saving time. He proposed a two-hour time shift so he’d have more after-work hours of sunshine to go bug hunting in the summer.
 

In 1916, two years into World War I, the German government started brainstorming ways to save energy.  Soon, England and almost every other country that fought in World War I followed suit. So did the United States: On March 9, 1918, Congress enacted its first daylight saving law—and it was a two-fer: In addition to saving daylight, the Standard Time Act defined time zones in the U.S.

This article "Daylight saving time: Spring ahead? Not this year, not this guy," takes a funny look at the whole idea.  He says, "Daylight saving time might have made sense a century ago, when the nation was on a war footing. Back then, somebody in the government thought it would be an awfully good idea to give everybody jet leg … even though jets had not even been invented yet.  Farmers especially hate daylight saving time, because if you think jetlagged people are trouble, try milking a jetlagged cow."

Les and I face our own set of challenges since Hawaii does not spring forward.  This puts Hawaii three hours behind California for eight months of the years and only two hours behind for the other four months.

Do your Sunday School teacher a favor - be on time tomorrow!

Repost: Samson, Success or Failure?

I'm wrapping up "We Fall Down, We Get Up" for now...

I taught our youth Sunday school class about Samson a few months ago. I learned quite a few things as I prepared the lesson. Some of the commentaries I read made me question my opinion of Samson.

The story of Samson is found in Judges, chapters 13-16. I'll admit, I usually think of Samson as a failure. Although he did many great things, defeating the Philistines repeatedly, he certainly didn't live up to his potential and he loved Philistine women! I've wondered what they looked like compared the Jewish girls he knew. I think it was a lot like what happens in local church - the girls are godly and beautiful, but some boy thinks a worldly girl is much better.

We do not know how old Samson was when he began to judge Israel, but it was at the end of his 20 years of judging that he ran into the harlot of Gaza and Delilah. In other words, he was old enough to know better.

What made Samson so strong was the Spirit of the Lord. Several times the phrase "the Spirit of the Lord came upon him" is found. It is in each of those instances that Samson did a great thing.

So why, when Delilah asked "Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith thou mightest be bound to afflict thee" did Samson finally reply "There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man."
His strength came from God – his hair was an outward sign of the Spirit of God and his devotion to God. If he had told Delilah, "There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother's womb, but my strength comes from God almighty and no man can take it away,” the Philistines could not have defeated him. As soon as Samson believed his strength came from his hair and not his God, it became true. Somewhere along the way Samson forgot where his strength came from.

But that is not the end of Samson. After the Philistines put his eyes out, he spent time grinding in the prison house. We don't know how long this went on, but Samson must have had plenty of time to think. Think about the prophecy before he was born. Think about the many victories. The Philistine women. His failures.

"Let's call for Samson to celebrate how our god, Dagon, delivered him into our hand!" What a mistake those Philistines made that day. Samson, broken and humbled, did what he should have done all along "And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O Lord God, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes. And Samson took hold of the two middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. And Samson said, Let me die with the Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. " (Judges 16:28-30)

The final assessment of Samson's life is found in one of the greatest chapters in the Bible. Hebrews chapter 11, that great chapter of faith. After Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and others, we find verse 32: "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:"

Samson, mentioned in the same sentence as David and Samuel. Samson, who got it right in the end, found the strength to get back up by calling on the Lord. Not such a failure after all.

Repost: Demas, Fellow Laborer, Departed

Continuing my theme of "We Fall Down, We Get Up..."

We know very little about Paul's fellow laborer, Demas. He is mentioned in only three verses:

Colossians 4:14 "Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you."

Philemon 1:24 "Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas, my fellowlabourers."

2 Timothy 4:10 "For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia."

Can you imagine going on Paul's missionary journeys? Being a fellow laborer with Luke, the beloved physician. With Timothy, Titus and Mark?

So what happened to Demas?

"Having loved this present world," conjures up images of parties, drinking, women. Perhaps the pull of wealth was too strong. The Roman empire was going strong. Wealth and prestige were available for a price. Persecution of Christians was high.

Several commentaries said that Demas may have left because he didn't want to go to prison with Paul. He was concerned only for his health and safety. Did he get discouraged? Was the cross too heavy?

I don't know which is the correct interpretation, only that Demas forsook Paul. I feel sure he was prayed for and given the opportunity to stay if he would. But he departed.

I do know that many people leave the church "having loved this present world." They may say the pastor preaches it too hard, or people haven't treated them right, or no one appreciates them, or a multitude of other excuses. But the truth is they love the world more than they love the things of God. 1 John 2:15 says, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

I've known many young people, who have been raised by godly parents, who just want to "see what's out there." "I'll be back when I'm older." Sadly, some never make it back. They fall and don't rise again.

It's truly a sad statement "Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed." I want my departure to be when the Lord calls me home! So I'll keeping getting up when I fall.

Repost: David, A Man After God's Own Heart

What a life that David lived. A shepherd boy. Giant killer. Man on the run from King Saul. The great Psalmist. Finally, King of Israel. He brought the Ark of God back to Israel, rejoicing every step of the way.

But David was not immune to sin and its pull. When he should have gone forth to battle with his army, David stayed in Jerusalem. 2 Samuel 11 records David's adultery, his effort to cover it up, and finally his hand in the murder of Uriah. What a spectacular fall. The final verse of that chapter says, "But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD."

The very next chapter brings the man of God to David. "Thou art the man," Nathan rebukes David.

2 Samuel 12:13 shows us exactly why David was a man after God's heart. When he was confronted with his sin, he didn't deny, he didn't point fingers at anyone else. David said, "I have sinned against the Lord."

A fallen man has a choice. He can stay down, denying he is even fallen, or he can confess. Because "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

One of David's most beautiful Psalms was written "To the chief Musician. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba."

Psalm 51

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
18 Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.

David's affair with Bathsheba was not the end of his reign, the best timeline I could find has it right in the middle of his 40 year reign. But he repented, God forgave him, and David got back up again.

Repost: We Get Up

Part 2 from 2010...

Last week's "We Fall Down" post generated more comments than usual. And Bob Carlisle's song has been on continual play in my head. So I decided to spend some time on the second half of falling - Getting Up. I had worked on this post, but it was still a draft when we went to a Fellowship Meeting in Thousand Oaks on Saturday night. Elder Morton was the speaker and I wish y'all could have heard him! It was outstanding as usual, but it also went right along with this theme.

His text was I John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." His title was "A Spirit of Repentance." The first step to getting back up is true repentance. Not crocodile tears, not being sorry because we were caught, but true repentance.

While he was preaching, Elder Morton said, "Calvary is enough! It doesn't matter what you've done! Calvary is enough! God doesn't want anyone to be lost."

I had those same thoughts last week. When we say, "I can't get back up," "I can't go on," or "I can't be forgiven." What we're really saying is, "The blood of Jesus isn't powerful enough for what I've done." We may not say it out loud, but that is what is being said. Because if we truly understood the power of the Cross, we would never doubt again. Yes, we will still fall, but we would grasp the nail-scarred hand that was reaching down to us and allow it to pull us back up again.

I remember praying with a young lady a few years ago. After praying for a while I told her, "You can make it. You can live for God." Her response haunts me still. I can still hear the anguish as she replied, "I hope so." She was so full of doubt, afraid of her own weak flesh.

I believe getting back up is a decision. It takes faith, but it can be done. The next time you're tempted to stay down, look yourself in the eye and say, "The blood of Jesus isn't powerful enough for what I've done." If you can say that, you can stay down. But if you want to get back up, shout it in the face of your despair, "The blood of Jesus IS powerful enough, no matter what I've done!"

HE is faithful and just. He WILL forgive us and cleanse us.

I'm not done with this topic, there are a few people in the Bible I hope to write about in the next few days. Some who fell and got back up. Others who stayed down.

Repost: We Fall Down

This week I decided to re-post a mini-series I wrote in 2010.  Look for more in the days ahead...

Last week Les uttered a prophetic statement. We had just finished a ride on Las Llayas. We had made great time going downhill. He said, "You know, one of these days one of us is going down on this."

Uh oh... Yeah, that was me yesterday. We had done our ride to the "Y" together. Les had continued on. I had turned around. Less than half a mile from the "Y" I hit a patch of sand, going faster than I should have been. You cannot brake in the sand. Before I knew what was happening, I was out of control, going faster, and heading for a tree! Before I hit the tree, I went up a small embankment that slowed me down.



Whew!

I stood there, checking my bike and my legs. Minor scratches on my legs, but no blood gushing anywhere. I was okay, just a bit shaken up.

Hmm... what to do now?

I knew it would be 30-40 minutes before Les was back to the "Y". So I got back on my bike, went down the two miles to the cattle crossing and turned around and went back up to the "Y".

I got back up.


Bro. Weeks preached an amazing message at our church Sunday night. His title - "What Nickname Would the Church Give You?" His text was Acts 4:36, "And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,"

If I asked you about Joses, you might have to think a while. But Barnabas (Joses' nickname) is known for many things in the New Testament church. He is the one who reached out to Saul after his conversion while others were afraid of him. He ministered in Antioch and later traveled on some of Paul's missionary journeys.

We are all known for something. In can be positive or negative. But we are known for it. Church gossip? Preserver of unity? Prayer Warrior or Tale Barer? Quitter or Fighter?

As I was thinking of my fall and Bro. Weeks' message, I thought of the song by Bob Carlisle, "We Fall Down."

We Fall Down

We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
We fall down, we get up
And the saints are just the sinners
Who fall down and get up

It's not a matter of IF we will fall, but what we do WHEN we fall. Proverbs 24:26 says, "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief."
Fall down, but don't stay there!

Don't Quit

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than,
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up,
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

- Author unknown

I finished this post last night and scheduled it to post today. Then I received this quote in my daily email from Runner's World that I had to add:

"A man can fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame somebody else." - Steve Prefontaine, American middle and long-distance runner

Valentine's Day Date ~ How We Roll

Les had to go to Texas last week for business.  This is the first time in our almost 27 years of marriage that we weren't together on Valentine's Day.  I had a sweet text really early that morning (he was two hours ahead) and he was home Thursday night.  Since he had yesterday off for President's Day we decided to celebrate then. I'm pretty sure this will not come as a surprise to many - our activity of choice was a bike ride!

Les loaded up the bikes and we drove to Ventura where we headed towards Santa Barbara.  It was cool with a very strong headwind.  It was a really tough slog, but I kept telling myself, "It's going to be fun on the way back."  After about 9 1/2 miles of straight into the wind, I was ready to turn around.  We stopped for a few pictures.  The ocean was really choppy!

We also saw lots of burned areas from last December's Thomas Fire.

Heading back to the car we had a fun tailwind and averaged about 17 mph (compared to about 9.5 mph on the way out.)  Total distance - 19.3 miles, number of laughs - too many to count!

Friday Foodie

This was a week for good eats around here.  I cooked the best spaghetti and meatballs I have ever made!  Everything was from scratch but so worth it.  I tweaked a couple of recipes to get what I wanted.  The meatballs were originally posted here and the marinara sauce was originally posted here.

Marinara Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, juice included
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 cup homemade or low-sodium canned chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
4 - 5 tablespoons tomato paste, for thickening
few parsley leaves

Pour olive oil in large saucepan and sauté onions and garlic about 5 minutes, until lightly golden.
Add diced tomatoes to onion/garlic mixture. Over medium heat begin to simmer sauce. Add the sugar, dried basil leaves, chicken broth, crushed red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper. Continue to simmer 5 to 6 minutes.
Add the tomato sauce, paste, and a few parsley leaves. With the lid on, turn the heat to low and simmer about 15 minutes.  While the sauce was simmering, I prepared the meatballs.

Italian Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup plain bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3 tablespoons fresh curly parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Mix all ingredients together in large bowl, form 2-inch round balls. Brown lightly in olive oil in skillet and add to sauce.

Because I wanted all the flavors to really blend, I made the sauce and meatballs in the morning and put everything in the Crock-Pot.  The delicious smells had us counting the hours until dinner time!

I wanted to take this meal completely over the top, so I also made Homemade Pasta:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Water
1 Egg
3/4 cups Semolina Pasta Flour
1 tsp salt

1.  Combine semolina and salt, add beaten eggs, water and oil. Mix to make a stiff dough.
2.  Knead 10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Wrap dough in towel or place in plastic bag and let rest for 20 minutes.
3.   Pass the dough through the flat rollers of the pasta machine until you reach 5 on the regulating knob.  The dough should be flexible, not stiff.

4.  Place the Fettuccine attachment on the pasta machine.  Roll pasta through, cutting strips.
5. Boil pasta in an 4-quart pot of boiling water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt added.6.  Drain pasta and top with sauce and meatballs.  Enjoy!!

We have eaten this twice so far and plan on having it again tonight, so there are at least six servings in the sauce (possibly 8.)  I made fresh pasta for our second meal and we have enough left over for tonight.  If you want to make this for a family or large group, double or triple the pasta recipe.  I've said it before, but nothing compares to fresh pasta!

The Alabaster Box

My Bible reading today included the verses in Matthew chapter 26 that talk about the woman with the alabaster box.  When I studied Women in the Bible in 2015 I was surprised to learn that there were two women who anointed Jesus with oil from an alabaster box.  I posted my original thoughts here.

I've spent quite a bit of time thinking about and studying this subject since then.  Last year I taught a lesson to the ladies at New Life Pentecostal in Honolulu about this.  I wanted to share those thoughts here today.

These accounts are recorded in Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 7 and John 12.  The story in Luke is quite different from the accounts found in Matthew, Mark, and John. Only in Luke chapter 7 is the woman called a sinner. Her sins, according to Jesus, were many. There are interesting differences and similarities to these stories:

In both cases, Jesus is in the home of one named Simon. In Luke he is called a Pharisee. In Matthew and Mark, he is called "Simon the leper." Simon was a common name - there was Simon Peter, Simon the Cyrenian who carried Jesus' cross, and Judas Iscariot was the son of Simon - so it wouldn't be strange that Jesus visited the homes of two men with that same name.

In Matthew, Mark and John this takes place in Bethany, the city of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. In Luke they are in Nain, which was approximately 60 miles from Bethany.

There are other similarities in the stories as well. In both cases there were those who criticized. “Why was this waste made?” In Luke it was said “This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. “

The beauty in both cases is what Jesus did. Jesus accepted the sacrifice! The sacrifice from the heart of a worshiper. Jesus never rebuked the woman who was a sinner but told the parable of the two debtors, concluding with "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.“ He said “Thy sins are forgiven.” He never spoke to the woman in the other accounts but said to those who criticized, “I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.”

Only in John is the woman called Mary. I believe the woman in Matthew, Mark and John was Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.  Jesus had been in their home, she sat at His feet and He raised her brother from the dead. The woman in Luke was only known as a woman of the city who was a sinner. This may have been her very first encounter with the Master.

I think this makes the example of the alabaster ointment even more powerful. We all have an alabaster box. It’s our worship, our time, our talent, our finances. We’ve seen a brand new soul walk into a service and be deeply touched as they are in the presence of the Lord for the very first time. And we've watched “seasoned” saints worship beside them.

Just like what happened to those women, there will be those who will criticize and say, “What a waste! Why are you wasting so much time at the church?” Or there will be others who will look at your past and tell you that you aren’t worthy to touch Him.

No matter where we are in our spiritual journey, we always have an alabaster box to pour at His feet. And Jesus will always respond. He will grant forgiveness and healing. He won’t turn away from our worship.  May we have a fresh touch of the wonder of being in His presence. May we kneel at His feet again and pour out our thanks and praise from a thankful heart.

Repost: I Deserve It!

I was searching my blog for something yesterday and found this post.  It was originally posted on August 7, 2014, but I felt it needed to be posted again. 

Les and I had a wonderful conversation last night with Jose and Maylee Munoz.  They are teaching their first home Bible study and had some questions.  We taught them a home Bible study a few years ago and it is great to see them stepping out.  One of the questions their students had was about how "unfair" it is that we as humanity have to suffer for Adam and Eve's sin.  Of course we really aren't suffering for their sin - we suffer for our own sins.  Adam and Eve were the first sinners, but there has only been One born Who had no sin.

On the way home Les and I were talking about how our world has made us think we "deserve" better things.  It is the job of every advertiser to make you feel unhappy.  If you're unhappy with your car, home, clothes, face, or body, you'll buy their stuff!

I've seen several blogs that posted "Pictures that Make Me Feel Beautiful."  Why beautiful?  Why not pictures that bring me joy or remind me of one of the greatest days of my life?  Because we're convinced if we look beautiful then we deserve compliments.  If we don't live up to today's standard of beauty we aren't deserving of good things.

None of us get what we deserve.  We might work hard and be able to enjoy nice things.  But we don't deserve them.

Several years ago I read "Demon: A Memoir" by Tosca Lee.  The one thing that really stuck with me is just how merciful God is to humanity.  One third of the demons rebelled one time and that was it.  There was no repentance, no forgiveness, no grace for them.  We don't get what we deserve.  Our rebellious ways, our unforgiving spirits, our hateful tongues deserve eternal damnation and separation from our Creator. But God shows us mercy over and over and over.

The word deserve is found one time in the Bible, Ezra 9:13.  The entire chapter shows us what Israel has done, what they deserve, and what God gave them:

6 And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens.  7 Since the days of our fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day. 8 And now for a little space grace hath been shewed from the Lord our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in his holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage. 9 For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath extended mercy unto us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem. 10 And now, O our God, what shall we say after this? for we have forsaken thy commandments, 11 Which thou hast commanded by thy servants the prophets, saying, The land, unto which ye go to possess it, is an unclean land with the filthiness of the people of the lands, with their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their uncleanness. 12 Now therefore give not your daughters unto their sons, neither take their daughters unto your sons, nor seek their peace or their wealth for ever: that ye may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever. 13 And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this; 14 Should we again break thy commandments, and join in affinity with the people of these abominations? wouldest not thou be angry with us till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant nor escaping? 15 O Lord God of Israel, thou art righteous: for we remain yet escaped, as it is this day: behold, we are before thee in our trespasses: for we cannot stand before thee because of this.

I'm thankful that God has punished me less than my iniquities deserve.  I pray I never get what I deserve.

1968: Spiritual Outpouring

I couldn't find any details about my life in 1967.  I'm sure it included siblings and puppies!  I'm going to fast forward to 1968 for this week's post.

USAToday had a feature on 1968 - The Year That Transformed the Nation.  "History will have the final word, but if you consider the 1960s as a chaotic, tumultuous period of change, the year 1968 rises from that decade as the one of the most transformative and challenging. There are countless moments, some earth-shattering and groundbreaking, others subtle and nuanced, that define that year."

There was a lot of turmoil in our world - Both Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy were assassinated.  North Koreans seized USS Pueblo, a Navy intelligence ship, in the Sea of Japan. Its crew was held captive under harsh conditions for 11 months.  The North Vietnamese launched the Tet Offensive, a massive military push into South Vietnam.  African-American sanitation workers went on strike in Memphis for better working conditions after two workers were killed while sitting in the compactor area of a garbage truck.  The Democratic National Convention in Chicago was marred by massive protests by demonstrators and violence by police and National Guardsmen.

There were also a lot of major steps forward - Apollo 8 astronauts became the first humans to orbit the moon. The crew shot photos of Earth from lunar orbit and, on television, read passages from the Book of Genesis.  Boeing unveiled the 747, the distinctive wide-body passenger and cargo jet. It started flying commercially in 1970.  Semiconductor manufacturer Intel was founded in Santa Clara, Calif. The company built the first microprocessor chip in 1971 and became a computer industry leader.

Under the good and evil category - McDonald's introduced its signature hamburger, the Big Mac, nationally after its first appearance in Pittsburgh.

But for a four year old girl in Fresno, California, the impact of 1968 can be found in Mom's Bible:

Kim - baptized in Jesus name by Bro. Murray Layne on Dec. 1, 1968;
received the Holy Ghost Dec. 2, 1968, Bro. Treadway preaching.

It has been almost fifty years, but I will never forget the night that my older sister received the Holy Ghost. She was 9 1/2 and I was 4 1/2. We were in the old sanctuary (currently the school cafeteria). A group of faithful ladies, including Mom, were gathered around her. God's Spirit was falling. She began speaking in a heavenly language.

Why do I remember this so clearly? I was standing in the middle of that circle and could not stop crying! I remember ladies comforting me, telling me it was okay. It wasn't until many years later that I understood my tears. I was truly feeling God for the first time. He was pouring out His Spirit and it was falling on ME - I just didn't understand what I felt.

So if you see tears well up in my eyes as I watch a child pray, now you know why. Joel 2:28 says, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh..." I'm glad that promise includes four year olds!

I'm thankful for the outpouring of God's Spirit in 1968 and I'm thankful that He's still pouring it out today!

Hawaii Five-O

We are packing up to head home to California today.   We have been staying at the Ilikai Marina, room 382.  Our room overlooks the Ala Wai Boat Harbor with lots of amazing sunsets.  Take last night's, for instance:

 

Our final evening on the island was different than any we've experienced here.   On the street directly below us a set was being put up for filming.  We weren't sure at first, but eventually learned that it was for the TV show Hawaii Five-O.  I've never seen it, but according to Wikipedia it is about "an elite task force whose mission is to eliminate crime on the beaches of the Aloha State."  The original series was on from 1968-1980 and this one was been going since 2010.

Last night's scene (a confrontation between good and evil) took place outside of a disco.  They had transformed the Chart House restaurant into a disco.  The cars and clothes of the actors and extras were definitely a throw back!

We were able to watch from our balcony and the director (or whoever the guy that calls "action" is) had a bull horn and would occasionally explain what was going to happen next. I can't say that I have any interest in the show itself, but the process of filming was interesting to watch.

Filming didn't actually start until after dark so I thought it was funny that people gathered to watch the crew setting up and had their backs to an amazing sunset!  This:

versus this:

Not really a contest in my book!

Trusting God's Plan

I've been enjoying rereading the story of Joseph in Genesis for the past few days.  He was a remarkable man.  The only fault (if you can call it that) we read about is when he told his brothers about his dreams.  When he forgave his brothers, he truly forgave.  I think he also forgave Potiphar's wife.  He certainly could have gotten revenge, but he chose not to.

There is a long dry spell that Joseph lives through before his dreams come to pass, but we never see him complaining or losing his trust in God.  Two quotes from Saturday's devotional stuck with me:

"God was preparing Joseph for something great. It probably did not feel like that at the time. By feeding fellow prisoners in a jail, God prepared Joseph to feed the nations from a palace."

"Great faith is a product of great fights. Great testimonies are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs can only come out of great trials. We see this exemplified in the life of Joseph."

Multiple times, Joseph tells his brothers that it was God working through the hard times:

Genesis 45:5,7-8 "Now therefore be not grieved, nor angry with yourselves, that ye sold me hither: for God did send me before you to preserve life. 
And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
So now it was not you that sent me hither, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt."
Genesis 50:20 "But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

Five years ago this week Les started working for his current employer.  We moved, temporarily, to Oahu.  We were going to live here part time for six months before resuming our regularly scheduled life in California.  If you've been reading this blog for the past five years you know our "temporary" time on Oahu continues.  I wrote about the Will of God a few days after we arrived on Oahu five years ago.  I concluded that post with this:

We know that God doesn't change, but His plans for us are more than we can know all at once.  We can trust that He knows where we need to be, who we need to meet, how long we need to stay, and when it's time for a change.  Follow His path, "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Proverbs 3:5-6.  While you're praying and seeking counsel, while you're waiting in the hallway, and while you're sitting still, remember this:

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18

1966: Sister Celebration

My sister, Kim, is the oldest of the Fultz Four.  She was born on April 23, 1959 (hopefully she's not reading my blog and isn't ready to strangle me for revealing this fact!)  I was born five years, four days and two brothers later!

When I turned 2, Mom wrote in my baby book, "I guess we'll always celebrate with Kim.  This year we went to Storyland.  On the date we had cake and ice cream.  Grandma Luella, Marie and Esther came to help us have fun."

Storyland is a fun little place found at Roeding Park in Fresno.  It opened in 1962 and admission today is still only $5 for adults and $3.50 for children.  "At Storyland, fairy tales come to life. Follow the path through the Park and find Humpty Dumpty, “three little pigs,” Mother Goose, Alice in Wonderland, witches, pirates, a castle and much more. Use your magic key to unlock our talking boxes and listen to stories of adventure and danger, fantastic worlds and heroic journeys."

Jack and Jill falling down the hill while Krysten and Lauren fetch a pail of water

I don't remember celebrating my 2nd birthday at Storyland, but I certainly remember going there many times as a child and later taking my nieces, Krysten and Lauren.  There's something special about seeing a book come to life!

We've definitely had our share of sister spats and ups and downs but I'm so thankful to have a sister to celebrate life with!

Repost: Dinah ~ Woman of the Week

My Bible reading this morning included Genesis chapter 34.  Dinah's story is so sad to me.  She made the decision to go "out to see the daughters of the land" and it was the greatest mistake of her life.  It brought rape, then murder.  I believe it is in our Bibles as a warning - going out to see what the world has to offer is a dangerous gamble we can't afford to take.

This is one of the hard to read stories in the Bible.  The Genesis Record, along with other commentaries, gave much insight.

Verses:  Genesis 30:21, Genesis 34:1-31, Genesis 46:15

Background – parents, husband, children, siblings
Dinah was the daughter of Jacob and Leah, she had eleven older brothers and one younger brother, Benjamin.  She and Joseph were probably born around the same time.

What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?
There is very little known about Dinah.  One incident in her life is all we read about.  Most commentaries agree that she was between 12 and 15 years old at this time.  Genesis 34:1 seems to start out innocently enough, "And Dinah the daughter of Leah, which she bare unto Jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land."  As the only girl in the family, it seemed she was looking for female companionship.  Unfortunately there were no godly young women for her to spend time with so she turned her eyes to the daughters of the land.

Her pretense was to see the daughters of the land, to see how they dressed, and how they danced, and what was fashionable among them. She went to see, yet that was not all, she went to be seen too; she went to see the daughters of the land, but, it may be, with some thoughts of the sons of the land too.  (Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible)  It's a dangerous thing when we start looking to the world (fashion magazines, models, celebrities) to help us decide how to act and dress.

The Genesis Record explains how it was in that time:
Unattached young women were considered fair game in cities of the time, in which promiscuity was not only common but, in fact, a part of the very religious system itself. It seems likely that Dinah must have been warned about such dangers by her parents, but perhaps she felt she could look out for herself and resented their overprotective attitude. 

Verse 2 says, "And when Shechem the son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the country, saw her, he took her, and lay with her, and defiled her."  A trip to the city to make friends had turned her life upside down.
 
To what extent she may actually have encouraged Shechem, who must have seemed a rather glamorous figure to a young girl like Dinah, is not stated. In any case, it was only a matter of time until she had been seduced by Shechem while she was visiting some of her girl friends in the city. Shechem may or may not have actually forced her, but in view of her age it was at least a case of what today would be called “statutory” rape. (The Genesis Record)

Things went from bad to worse in the event.  Shechem "spake kindly" to her and wanted to marry her.  Dinah seems to have no say in the matter and she is kept in Shechem's house until after her brother's take their revenge.  The Genesis Record says:

Word quickly reached Jacob concerning what had happened to Dinah, probably by way of some of her girl friends in the town. Jacob no doubt was grief-stricken and angry, but decided not to do anything without first consulting Dinah’s brothers, who were still out in the field with the cattle.

While Jacob was waiting for his sons to come home, Hamor appeared at his house, with the proposal that Dinah be given as Shechem’s wife. No word of apology or sympathy was offered, nor any suggestion that his son be punished in any way. He merely suggested a proposition of marriage. As this interchange between Jacob and Hamor was taking place, the sons of Jacob came bursting into the room. They also had heard the story by now, and were grieved and bitterly angry. Dinah had been the only and beloved sister in a large family of boys, and they had all been taught the sacredness of the marriage relation. Even though they had been raised in a polygamous household, at least Jacob had not sought women other than his wives, and his wives had been faithful to him. They all knew of God’s purpose to raise up a holy nation through their family, and that the maintenance of national integrity and purity was essential to assure God’s continued blessing on them. Not only did they resent the affair for Dinah’s sake, but because Shechem had “wrought folly in Israel,” disrupting that national purity which they had regarded as so vital. Their use of the generic name of Israel in this connection indicates that they must have had a substantial comprehension and recognition of the deeper values and implications of this event.

Starting in verse 13, the sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father deceitfully.  This is a great example of two wrongs not making a right.  No matter what was done to Dinah, the lying, the murder of every man in the city, the spoiling of all the goods was never justified.  "Simeon and Levi were most unrighteous. Those who act wickedly, under the pretext of religion, are the worst enemies of the truth, and harden the hearts of many to destruction. The crimes of others form no excuse for us. Alas! how one sin leads on to another, and, like flames of fire, spread desolation in every direction! Foolish pleasures lead to seduction; seduction produces wrath; wrath thirsts for revenge; the thirst of revenge has recourse to treachery; treachery issues in murder; and murder is followed by other lawless actions." (Matthew Henry)

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?
As far as we know, there was no reset for Dinah.  I'm left with more questions than answers as she is never mentioned again, other than her name as a daughter of Leah in chapter 46.  What happened to this young teenager?  Did she ever marry?  Was she shamed and scarred for life?  How did she feel about her brothers after they slew all the men of the city? It is a tragedy with more tragedy heaped upon it.

Dinah is certainly a story of warning that we should heed.  "For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" 2 Corinthians 6:14

False Evidence Appearing Real

After yesterday's post about fear, it's crazy that today we had a scare:

We are currently on Oahu.  This alert popped up on phones all over the islands.  Not exactly how I planned to spend my Saturday morning.

I'll admit, I was a little freaked out.  For about 10 minutes it appeared that the alert was legitimate.  I kept searching the internet and finally found out it was a false alarm.  About 40 minutes later it was officially confirmed.  This turned out to be false evidence, but it sure seemed real for a while!

Fear Not

My Bible reading today came from Proverbs chapter 1, Matthew chapter 10, and Genesis chapter 25.  These passages all talk about fear.  The devotional was about unhealthy fear.  The Greek word commonly used in the New Testament is phobos - from which we get the word phobia.  This is unhealthy fear.  They called it False Evidence Appearing Real.  Unhealthy fears can paralyze us in life. 

I wrote in December 2012 about the curse that came upon mankind as a result of sin.  In Genesis 3:16 the first use of the word "sorrow" is not the same as the second usage.  The second word "sorrow" in the Hebrew is as we would expect - "pain," but the first "sorrow" is actually "worrisomeness."  The curse was twofold - both physical and mental.  I believe as long as we are in this life, we will have to fight this battle of the mind.

In Matthew chapter 6, Jesus says repeatedly "take no thought."  Matthew Henry's commentary says this, "It is the repeated command of the Lord Jesus to his disciples, that they should not divide and pull in pieces their own minds with care about the world. The thought here forbidden is, 1. A disquieting, tormenting thought, which hurries the mind hither and thither, and hangs it in suspense; which disturbs our joy in God, and is a damp upon our hope in him; which breaks the sleep, and hinders our enjoyment of ourselves, of our friends, and of what God has given us. 2. A distrustful, unbelieving thought. God has promised to provide for those that are his all things needful for life."

Isaiah chapter 43:1-7 says:

But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.
When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth;
Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

We will all battle fear, but that is the key - battle!  Don't let fear win.  We have a Redeemer Who is with us.  We are precious in His sight and are greatly loved by Him.  Fear Not!

1965: Talking, Walking and My First Hero

My baby book was filled with tidbits from 1965:

Kathy is showing her personality - 11 months.  When she is having a fit she doesn't lay down and scream like most children, she sits down, kicks and screams "mad, mad, mad."  I heard about this my entire childhood and sometimes wondered if it was just a family myth.  When I found my baby book, this particular trait was recorded not once but twice in my baby book!  Does this little angel look capable of such an act?

Kathy took her first step on her ten month birthday.  She had been standing alone for about two weeks.  Now, at eleven months she walks fairly well.  We've stopped counting steps.  Rodney coaxes her, she is practically his shadow.  These two are really close, in every way.

Her walking worries us now - 14 months - she is quite bow legged. 

18 months - pigeon-toed quite badly.  Each foot is in a plaster cast.  The casts were only on for 2 1/2 weeks.  Didn't help at all.  Now she has a Denis-Brown splint which turn her feet out 60 degrees.  This is worn at night.

I don't remember the casts or splints for my legs, but we have an old home movie (reel to reel) of me in the splints.  The scene is pretty funny - Kim was "helping" me walk, then decided to let go.  I fell backwards and was left on the floor like a turtle on its back, unable to get up.  Siblings - can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em!

It's kind of amazing that in the middle of the page about my walking, Mom recorded my relationship with Rod.  She could not have known at that time just how close the two of us would grow up to be.  I've written dozens of posts about Rod, but my first post dedicated to him is still a favorite.  He wasn't perfect but he was my first hero, the one I wanted to follow everywhere.  I've got one more place to follow him - heaven!  He won that race in 1994 and I'm still chasing him.  I like to think that somewhere he is among the great cloud of witnesses cheering me on as I continue to run the race (Hebrews 12:1.)

I'm thankful that in 1965 I recognized a hero when I saw him.

1964: Secure in Love

A few highlights of the year in which I was born:

President: Lyndon B. Johnson who was quickly sworn in as President on Air Force One in Dallas on November 22, 1963, just 2 hours and 8 minutes after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, amid suspicions of a conspiracy against the government.  He was elected president in his own right on November 3, 1964.

Average Cost of new house $13,050.00
Average Income per year $6,000.00
Gas per Gallon 30 cents
Average Cost of a new car $3,500.00
Loaf of bread 21 cents

The United States was engaged in the Vietnam War.  The Boston Strangler, Albert DeSalvo, was captured.  The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed into law by President Johnson. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr received the Nobel Peace Prize. The first Beatles US Album Release "Introducing the Beatles," was released on January 10th.  The first Ford Mustang from Ford Motor Company was made.  The most powerful earthquake in U.S. history at a magnitude of 9.2, struck South Central Alaska.  U.S. Surgeon General reported that smoking may lead to lung cancer (can you believe people still smoke 54 years later?)

As you can see, I arrived in a world full of turmoil.  I don't have my own memories of 1964, only what is recorded in my baby book.  There are quite a few sweet notes that Mom jotted down about me:

The smiles started showing before the end of the first month and laughing aloud was commonplace in another month.  Rodney is her idol, if she has one. 
Kathy's laugh is identical to Rodney's.  Real deep, like she really is tickled.
Kathy turned over from back to tummy today - May 11 - she is just 2 weeks old.  We want to keep her an infant but that is an impossibility.
She has started to notice people now - 5 months.  Anyone she's not sure of gets a mighty cold welcome - a stare.  If left alone she'll make friends in a few minutes.  As long as she's on Mama's lap, she loves everyone.
Kathy has the curls in the family.  Her hair looks like spun gold.

Dada is Kathy's first word.  This was said on October 15, age 5 1/2 months.  The others all said Mama first!  Wonder if she'll be a Daddy's girl - she's not now. (I was definitely a Daddy's girl.)
This has been a busy month.  6 months, 2 days, she pulled to a standing position in the crib.
Kathy has a walker - whoever invented this device should be shot.  It's not enough to crawl everywhere, now she can clear the end tables! (This is one of my favorites!)

The sweetest thing Mom wrote in my baby book was, "Kathy is the fulfillment of our fondest dreams, a family of two girls and two boys." Mom was 24 years old, the mother of four.  Rod was diagnosed with hemophilia after Mom was pregnant with me.  Life was uncertain and often difficult, but she was thrilled to have her baby girl.

My heart breaks when I hear of children raised in homes where they don't feel wanted.  No child is an accident.  When God forms the child in the womb, He is not making a mistake.  I don't take the love my parents had for me for granted, just like I never want to take God's love for me for granted.  "The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."  Jeremiah 31:3.

I'm thankful that in 1964 I was born into home where I was wanted and loved.

2018: Thankful

Happy New Year!  I've written before that I'm not a big New Years resolutions person.  However, I do love the idea of a fresh start.  As 2017 was winding down I started thinking about a focus for 2018.  One of the most enriching years of my life was in 2015 when I studied women of the Bible.  I didn't rush into it, but week by week, I studied women in the Word  - both good and bad.  I learned so much.  If you weren't following along back then you can read each entry on this page:  Women of the Word.  My word for the year was Reset and I loved learning about women in the Bible who reset and made a difference.

I tried to come up with another study I could do this year and kept drawing a blank.... until I went for a run this morning.  Many of my great ideas happen during a run.  I think of it as my meditation time.  This morning I asked the Lord to give me guidance.  About a mile from home my mind started spinning and I had my plan. 

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."  On the heels of those verses came a quote from my baby book regarding my first Christmas.  Rod was hospitalized, Mom wrote, "Kathy spent the day with Irene Wilkinson. We had planned a beautiful Christmas - spending the day at home with the children. Of course our plans were shattered by Rodney's sudden attack. Kim and Rickey spent Christmas with Grandpa Hogan and Grandma Luella. We spent the day running back and forth between the hospital and home. We've got a lot to be thankful for anyway."

I am going to spend this year remembering compassions that have never failed.  I want to be thankful for mercies that are new every morning.  I won't be studying anyone from the Bible - I'll be studying my own life.  I want to take time each week to think of one year of my life and find what was significant and what I'm most thankful for.  I plan to include a verse or passage that fits with the year as well.

I'm sure there are years that I'll have a ton to write about and others not as much, but I do know I have a lot to be thankful for.  There may be years that I write about an event in the life of someone close to me (perhaps that little boy in North Dakota who was healed of Muscular Dystrophy.)  There are ministers, Sunday school teachers, family members, and friends who have impacted my life.  I have a lot to be thankful for.

In case you're concerned, no, I am not ill in anyway.  I'm not working on a bucket list.  I just feel like I need to take some time each week to reflect on God's mercies and faithfulness.  It's easy to lump everything together in November and call ourselves thankful, but I have a lot to be thankful for.

I'll also be reading the Bible through this year.  I'm following YouVersion's Bible in One Year 2018 plan.  I've downloaded it to my new tablet and today's reading has been completed.  Each day the reading includes a Psalm or Proverb, chapters from the Old and New Testaments and a short devotional.

So here's to 2018 and being Thankful.

Do you have a word for 2018?  Any great resolutions, plans, or goals?   If you're feeling a little down about how 2017 turned out, I suggest you read The Ballestero Blog from yesterday and begin again!