Tuesday, 31 October 2017

It's Halloween, in America at least.

I think the official title is All Hallows Eve...

It stopped being important for me as I grew in my faith.

As a child, as a parent, there was the thrill of candy... FREE candy.

It seems that free can be challenging to our values... drug pushers use free to get you hooked, advertisers use free to get you to try something, new businesses use free to grab your attention... lots of free things in this world... well, in America anyway.

My budget says free is a bonus, something I won't have to pay for... food, mostly.

Credit offers are never really free.  They just sound like a great deal, but I heard that most people end up paying the interest because they don't pay their purchase off in time.  I am talking about the furniture that has no interest for 500 months (exaggeration).  I think cars come like that, too.

Credit cards are only free in the beginning, then the high costs show up.  I hear some people transfer balances at this point to stave off the big payments.  I suspect it all catches up to them eventually. 

Free is a big word.  I love free shipping.  It is like going to the store and getting it... no added costs.  It takes longer, but if that is not an issue then the purchase is good for me... It gets delivered to my door.  That solves a lot of problems for me.

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Today was a nice day.  Lots of raking leaves today.  I got a lot of household things done.  Got my crafting supplies better organized but wasn't able to get anything new done.  Now I am too tired.  I will probably be up in the night and find something to start.

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I heard about another truck attack in New York.  People using the bike lanes, walking path, something like that.  The young man had fake guns when he was caught... I assume he was trying to be martyred.   I have always thought it was an irrational definition of martyrdom... a true martyr dies because of their faith... because they won't deny it... because others don't like their faith, they don't kill others and call it an act of worship.  It really makes me wonder what they believe... what they have faith in.

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It's time to go.

In Christ,
Deborah Martin

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May GOD find a way to be truth to those who believe the lies of Satan.
May our world not become fear-ruled.
May life be good.
May our dreams be filled with only kind and loving acts.
May this year end with great happiness, and next year start with great expectations.
May GOD make Himself real to those who are looking for Him.
May all those we love meet us in heaven one day.
Amen.

Monday, 30 October 2017

So many times, over the weekend, I think of things I would like to share "with the world," but when I get here, I can't remember them.

Things I read about, things I see.  The world is so big, so filled with differing opinions... I feel the need to share my view of them.

The internet is changing the way we connect with each other.  If there were no "bad guys" we wouldn't have to worry about it... our innocent efforts at friendship would be met with equal innocence... interest and discovery, wonder, contemplation... these are such good things.  This blog is like a letter to the world, for me.  I wonder who is reading about my life, how different we are, what would we think about the other's life...  we can't always trust what we find on the internet, but it would be nice to live in a kind and honest and friendly world.

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The leaves from a big tree in the yard have been blowing all over the place this weekend... longer, I think.  I rake them up when I go outside with the dogs on their potty break.  The next time I look out there, the piles are back.  :-)  That's what happens.  I love the colors of the leaves, their crispness.  I hope to find a way to preserve them better.  One of these days, I will... God willing I live that long!

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I think a lot about what Faith is... how it looks in "real" life.  We all have a strange picture of what faith should look like... I'm not sure they are biblical ideas.  I am still trying to find a definition that I can live with.

I think the big problems come when we don't get what we want, when GOD is slow to answer, when we suffer, when we lose, when we really want GOD to do something N.O.W!  but He doesn't.  Some like to say that we don't have faith when we don't get what we want because the Bible says to ask and we will receive.  We also don't "get" because we ask amiss... we don't ask for the right things, or for the right reasons.  Is faith about getting, only?

Faith is about believing Jesus died so we could have a way into heaven without having to sacrifice cattle.  I guess it sounds strange, but the sacrifice was required.  There is no other way to get into heaven.  By believing in Christ, He becomes our cattle offering for our sin, the blood sacrifice.  I guess we believe Jesus died for our sins... OUR sins... and then we are saved. 

I find that GOD is very exacting... so this definite transaction is very real to me.  It seems a bit clinical, but that is what happens.  Jesus becomes our sacrifice, at a personal level.

I am so glad I don't have to go by the Old Testament requirements.
I am so glad I am saved.

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I hope you are saved by Christ, too.

Deborah Martin

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May God reach into the hearts of those who have not been saved and lead them to Him.
May our lives become better than we ever thought they could be.
May God bless the ones He loves, and help us to meet the needs of a lost and hurting world.

May God protect and provide for His followers.
Amen.

Thursday, 26 October 2017

The day is almost done, another race to beat the clock!

What happened today?  I hate to make a list, so I will just share a few things.

My son burned the big pile of debris today... it's a scary endeavor in my mind... fire is very unpredictable.  It was interesting to watch.  If I ever get some property, burning debris will be part of the process, so I wanted to see what happened.  The flames went up so high, and a small garden hose was not equal to the task of stopping it.  I was very glad nothing bad happened.  I kept thinking of the fires in California, whole neighborhoods gone... completely gone.  I hadn't seen anything like it before.  Even the photos I have seen of the San Francisco earthquake and fires wasn't as "level" as the houses in northern California.  I think it was a wake-up call for a lot of people, myself included.

I washed my new purchases today.  The blanket washed in cold water still looks quite a bit smaller, like the threads tightened up.  It is a nice size, but I decided to "dry it flat" like the tag instructed.  No way I would have washed that thing by hand!  I will have to see what happens later on when it needs another wash.  I may end up with a doll blanket.  (It is still a great blanket... I love the colors and pattern.)

Medicare has risen on my list.  I really have to remember to make my phone calls and find out what happens to people like me at this stage of life.  Government dependence has always been a pain.  When you get older, it is even worse.

More leaves are changing color, the wind has been blowing them all over the back yard where I live... it is fun to watch.

In making more revisions to my goal forms, I decided to change my hours to eat solid foods.  It was 4am to 6pm, but now I have figured out meals and snacks between 5am and 7pm.  This will work out better for me, I think.  Since I want to try to fit into size 14 pants next month when I go searching at the thrift store, I am getting back into my routine and trying to improve my food choices even more.  I am working on my shopping list to make sure I have all the food supplies I need to keep more veggies available to eat.

Well... time to get to bed for the night... so tired.  I have some tentative plans for tomorrow, and need to read a lot tomorrow... maybe do some online searching.  I may let you know what happens.  :-)

In Christ,
Deborah Martin

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May God watch over us this weekend and help us to do something good for the world.
May our hearts find joy, peace, contentment, love, happiness, and time to discover  (enjoy)  them.
May we think of our importance in this world and help it to be a better place.
May those who have no one, find someone... and love that will change them forever.
May we have the things we need, and like what we have.
May we all find truth is better than lying, and build our lives on the solid foundations that truth provides.
May time be kind to all of us.
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May GOD finally provide my financial blessings!!!!!!!!   Amen!  :-)