Thursday, December 27, 2007
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Winter has arrived!
Winter finally arrived here, wet, cold and stormy. We have had a lot of rain this past week and more to come. It has been dark and gloomy outside. We are chilled to the bone. We don't even think of going anywhere because the road is so muddy.
Does all this gloom and dreariness depress us? Not at all! In our part of the country rain is a blessing, especially a soft, steady rain that soaks the earth like the one that has been falling here. We know that putting up with a few days of rain now will result in a delightful Spring and Summer with green fields full of beautiful wildflowers, plenty of food for birds and wildlife, and most of all, replenished reservoirs and lakes. We are thankful to have a nice, warm home and plenty of warm clothes. We have enough food on hands to last until the rains stop and we can get to the store again.
This seems to be a central theme in life itself:
Unpleasant times need to be endured with patience and hope. We endure unpleasant medicines and medical treatments when we are ill in order to enjoy better health later on. Mothers endure childbirth for the joy of having children. Economic sacrifices are made today so that we will have savings for a home, a car, or our own retirement later on in life. We sacrifice to give our children a good home and education so that they will grow up to be healthy, productive citizens and not a drain on society.
Our patient endurance will eventually bear fruit.
This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it....
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For his mercy endures forever.
Psalm 118:24, 29 NKJV
Does all this gloom and dreariness depress us? Not at all! In our part of the country rain is a blessing, especially a soft, steady rain that soaks the earth like the one that has been falling here. We know that putting up with a few days of rain now will result in a delightful Spring and Summer with green fields full of beautiful wildflowers, plenty of food for birds and wildlife, and most of all, replenished reservoirs and lakes. We are thankful to have a nice, warm home and plenty of warm clothes. We have enough food on hands to last until the rains stop and we can get to the store again.
This seems to be a central theme in life itself:
Unpleasant times need to be endured with patience and hope. We endure unpleasant medicines and medical treatments when we are ill in order to enjoy better health later on. Mothers endure childbirth for the joy of having children. Economic sacrifices are made today so that we will have savings for a home, a car, or our own retirement later on in life. We sacrifice to give our children a good home and education so that they will grow up to be healthy, productive citizens and not a drain on society.
Our patient endurance will eventually bear fruit.
This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it....
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For his mercy endures forever.
Psalm 118:24, 29 NKJV
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
The Curse of Latin America
While disenchanted people in many countries are fed up with and rejecting failed socialism such as all of eastern Europe, Canada, Germany, and even France, to name some, the people in many countries in Latin America, a blessed continent, rich and beautiful, dream and insist in wanting to be governed by socialist demagogues and individuals whose only merits are either to have been terrorists in the past or belong to uneducated popular masses, or both. People live under anarchy, corruption and violence, insisting in blaming others for their bad decisions, their situation and their short-sightedness. It is really sad.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Stewardship
Well, Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas Season has started. We had a nice Thanksgiving with our children and grandchildren. We have a lot to be thankful for this year: good health, a nice home, enough food and clothing, feeling safe here in our new country, a wonderful church family, new friends and a different perspective that allows us to appreciate what many U.S. citizens seem to take for granted.
The other day we saw a home that was being sold by the owner. He had bought the house for an investment and the renters had trashed it. Filthy rugs, filthy walls, and weedy yard. Appliances ripped out of the walls. What a shame! Once a very nice home in a good neighborhood and now completely ransacked. It reminds me of the fact that God has put us on this earth to have dominion over it and to be good stewards.
God has leased his creation to us and what are we doing to it? Are we good tenants? Are we being good stewards? Are we going to hand back His creation in better shape than we received it? Or are we trashing God's creation just like those bad tenant have trashed that nice home?
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.....And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:28, 31 KJV
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many devices. Ecclesiastes 7:29
The other day we saw a home that was being sold by the owner. He had bought the house for an investment and the renters had trashed it. Filthy rugs, filthy walls, and weedy yard. Appliances ripped out of the walls. What a shame! Once a very nice home in a good neighborhood and now completely ransacked. It reminds me of the fact that God has put us on this earth to have dominion over it and to be good stewards.
God has leased his creation to us and what are we doing to it? Are we good tenants? Are we being good stewards? Are we going to hand back His creation in better shape than we received it? Or are we trashing God's creation just like those bad tenant have trashed that nice home?
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.....And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good. Genesis 1:28, 31 KJV
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright: but they have sought out many devices. Ecclesiastes 7:29
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving
November is a wonderful time of the year in the United States. Much of the U.S is enjoying brisk, cold weather and possibly even snow by now. One of the biggest holidays is in this month, Thanksgiving. On this national holiday the families get together on the 4th Thursday of the month to give thanks to God for all the blessings received during the past year.
Traditionally, it is "turkey day." The main menu will consist of roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberry sauce, candied yams, and of course, pumpkin pie. The children will be in front of the TV early to watch Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. After that comes NFL football and after the game, the Thanksgiving dinner, generally served in the early afternoon. This is definitely not a day to be on a diet!
So, if you are new to the U.S., be sure to take part in this wonderful holiday. It is a good way to become part of your new country's traditions.
Monday, October 15, 2007
NEWS SUMMARY
Summary of some striking news reports from the 10th to the 15th of October, 2007 in a small, third world country:
+ Woman aprehended with two stolen little girls that she was going to sell.
+ Three well known banks and an investment company swindle the savings of hundreds of people.
+Woman warden for 20 years found to direct extensive ring of corruption, prostitution and crime in women's jails. At this time she continues with her job, while her husband is in jail with a 65 year sentence for major crimes.
+ Very dirty and violent campaign between the two presidential candidates with the most votes in first election. as they campaign for the final election, filthy and slanderous accusations back and forth between party members.
+ More than 34000 cellular phones reported stolen from January to September 2007.
+ More than 5885 violent deaths reported in 2006. Only 5% went to trial, only 4% of the 5% received sentences.
+ Horrible repraisals, linchings and vigilante executions on the increase.
+ Corruption and delinquency common among police force.
+Rampant and flagrant child pornography without punishment as it is not penalized by law.
+Fake, blank ID documents available for sale in the main square of the capital.
+ Extorsion and life threats by phone from within jails to people in neighboring countries.
+ International arm traffikers purchased weapons and ammunition from the country's arm forces.
Conclussion: "THE FINAL RESULT OF CONTINUOUS SIN IS ALWAYS TOTAL COLLAPSE".
THE LORD DEMANDS TOTAL REPENTANCE, BUT HE NEVER SHUTS THE DOOR, NOR HE ABANDONS PEOPLE, THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. WHILE WE ARE STILL ALIVE.
+ Woman aprehended with two stolen little girls that she was going to sell.
+ Three well known banks and an investment company swindle the savings of hundreds of people.
+Woman warden for 20 years found to direct extensive ring of corruption, prostitution and crime in women's jails. At this time she continues with her job, while her husband is in jail with a 65 year sentence for major crimes.
+ Very dirty and violent campaign between the two presidential candidates with the most votes in first election. as they campaign for the final election, filthy and slanderous accusations back and forth between party members.
+ More than 34000 cellular phones reported stolen from January to September 2007.
+ More than 5885 violent deaths reported in 2006. Only 5% went to trial, only 4% of the 5% received sentences.
+ Horrible repraisals, linchings and vigilante executions on the increase.
+ Corruption and delinquency common among police force.
+Rampant and flagrant child pornography without punishment as it is not penalized by law.
+Fake, blank ID documents available for sale in the main square of the capital.
+ Extorsion and life threats by phone from within jails to people in neighboring countries.
+ International arm traffikers purchased weapons and ammunition from the country's arm forces.
Conclussion: "THE FINAL RESULT OF CONTINUOUS SIN IS ALWAYS TOTAL COLLAPSE".
THE LORD DEMANDS TOTAL REPENTANCE, BUT HE NEVER SHUTS THE DOOR, NOR HE ABANDONS PEOPLE, THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE. WHILE WE ARE STILL ALIVE.
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