Category: Personal Interest

Recently I heard about preparing for our planet’s three days of darkness. I find this all quite interesting, especially now with the scientists even admitting they’re being baffled by our sun’s weirdness twice within days. Personally, beyond that, I feel Loretta and I are about to enter 37 days of darkness. Understand, my best friend and wife of nearly 50 years is at this moment, 3 AM February 18, 2023 at the CLE airport later departing for Honduras for her annual Central America Medical Outreach (CAMO) mission trip for two weeks. After that, she’ll be exploring Panama with our eldest son Ben and his wife Jill, who moved there last year when they recently retired.

Less than three months ago none of these 37 days of darkness for us were anywhere on our horizon. Then, Loretta got a phone call from the CAMO founder pleading she join the dental team once more as she did I believe 23 times prior the three years off for Covid. Sensing this was Spirit’s nudge to reconsider her earlier decision to discontinue any more such adventures, we began processing the possibility and it wasn’t long that a series of confirmations were provided to us, even including the three weeks in Panama.

We both know now our earlier confirmations for these 37 days are empowering us to fearlessly move forward in their implementation and fully trust His leading; both to empower us for the tasks at hand, as well as to protect us while in the palm of his hand, as we are being the obedient, forgiven, transformed, empowered, discipling Bond Servants of Jesus Christ serving as His ambassadors until death permits our retirement. And, only three months ago neither of us possessed the confidence or the peace of mind to even consider this adventure. Amazing.  

Understand, I am omitting many details but fast forward to this morning as I awoke at 12:45 AM and I first scanned my daily reading for February 18 from My Utmost For His Highest, titled “Taking the Initiative Against Despair,” an extremely positive encouragement. “Rise, let us be going,” from Matt. 26:46. Recently, I’ve been consistently awakening 5-10 minutes before the alarm goes off (not this morning though), and I’m increasingly being aware that it’s His confirmation for me that I’m not only in the presence of God, but that it’s time to “rise and let us be going…” Also, I do not recall ever speaking as candidly from my heart as I will now and am not at all sure the path my words may take me, except, that I am to write as prompted.

Now I’ll try to explain the reality of living in real time in synch with Jesus from my infinitesimal understanding of “Taking the initiative against despair” as Ozzie lays it out for us today so simply. Understand I would be ecstatic if all I’d done amiss in my life was having gone to sleep three times, but I did, even more, and events were tragic for me. Yes, I know it is our Lord’s request we pray, that we are diligent with whatever, wherever, however, whenever, whoever…. Folks, my other shoe just dropped. Suddenly I recall this pervading thought of the coming three days of darkness. How many times will He return to summon me to “Rise, and let us be going….” Am I even living in His presence so I can hear “Rise, and let us be going…” May we become, if we’re not, the obedient, forgiven, transformed, empowered, discipling Bond Servants of Jesus Christ serving as His ambassadors until death permits our retirement.

Simply being aware that we’ve been asleep and oblivious to what is really, or about to really happen about us, as with Rip Van Winkle and historically, as I believe the institutional church is today, being “without a clue”. Simply being aware God “IS” begins  Restoration Step 1. Aware God IS.

Next, as I see it, my potential for future despair (since my past despair is forgiven) has a taproot more tenacious than a dandelion. I offer you apostle Peter as an example of dealing with his despair from his disobedience as such usually occurs in public while avoiding embarrassment from our peers, friends, and family, etc. I suggest the root cause is perhaps because we doubt our identity in Christ. Listen to Getting your identity from God –  Jamie Winship – 04/07/2019 youtu.be  for a great introduction to our deception.

The solution for us after failing our identity test, is to do as Peter demonstrated, get real, recognize your sin, be obedient, forgiven, transformed, (let’s just call it  OFTEDA) Ok, you got the routine. Understanding our complicity and complacency to deny our Savior is Restoration Step 2. or Denying Our Identity in Christ.

 Next, comes the quantum leap. I just happen to believe now folks, and am living by and practicing that God’s Son Jesus never wastes ANY of our sins. No, I do not have a specific scripture for this deduction or conclusion on my part, nor have I ever taken time to really research it out, though I’ve shared it with those I’ve mentored or coached recently as a strengthening exercise to live in spiritual victory.

Though hidden from God’s sight because of Jesus’s blood, we as humans with yet functioning coherent memories, can and will recall our sinful acts of hatred against God and humanity as deplorable, despicable, and atrocious acts as they indeed were. Our huge step of faith occurs when we are able to rejoice in the fact of God’s provision for our “complete forgiveness removing them as far as the east is from the west!”

That miracle having occurred, so that none of our evil horrid sorry past will ever be seen by God, is basic to our living a life of joy, which is quantum levels above the happiness our culture is seeking.

Now, if I am so bold to conclude that none of this evil horrid sorry past will be wasted, I must explain further. First understand, when we’ve been forgiven, God can’t even see our sin; therefore, he will never be plagued with his memory reminding Him of our sin.

Second, even though we’ve been OFTEDA, we will on occasion be reminded of past sins. And when that occurs, I simply choose to “Rise, let us be going…. by: 

First, commanding Satan that I am by the blood of Jesus and OFTEDA, a new creature in Christ and beyond his reach.

Second, I realize my prior discretions that led to my evil horrid sorry past are no longer temptations on the table since the joy of living with Jesus has removed them.

Third, as I intersect daily in my spheres of influence as His ambassador, I draw tremendous strength in my empathy from Christ to relate to individuals tempted to stumble on the road of life as I had fallen victim to earlier.

These three points indeed provide me the vital spark needed in Step 3 to ignite my spiritual initiative against any future despair the devil in his sly and cunning ways may be preparing for me by having me recall in living color and surround sound my prior sin. Without a doubt, it took most of my life to understand this and I’m just now verbalizing this illusive truth, at least for me, in Restoration Step 3. I pray you can power through to victory much sooner than I.

The word empathy as I used it above again comes to mind. I believe God desires to endow all of his children with His empathy and that it would be readily visible to others who are sorely in need of His OFTEDA rooted empathy. Unfortunately, I chose at times to use empathy selfishly and Satan quickly and effectively deceived me destroying both my spiritual intimacies with Jesus and humanity. I’m not at all sure why I felt the need to share that; perhaps you do.

FYI, in conclusion, I just noticed Ozzie identified the 4 D’s for which we need inspiration, after he introduces “The Inspiration of Spiritual Initiative,” on February 16 in the four days following, those being “taking the initiative against depression, despair, drudgery, and daydreaming.”

So, what’s the key word for Restoration Step 3.? I’m struggling with that. I was first reminded of “Waste Not, Want Not” but that from the century past is out of view for today’s movers and shakers, even though perhaps, being remotely applicable here. Ozzies last line today states “Never let the sense of past failure defeat your next step.” So very true! For now, I’ll just deem Step 3 is Choose Victory.

In summary, Restoration Step 1.) Be Aware God IS; Step 2.) Know & Practice your Identity in Christ; & Step 3.) Choose Victory

Another note, I keep waiting to be invited somewhere locally to “a spark service being fanned into a consuming flame” from the Ashbury University Chapel. As of yet, I have not found it being livestreamed. Yesterday’s chapel from Friday Day 9 is being played now at 8:10 AM Saturday. Mark is speaking now of the Deep Spiritual Hunger being exhibited everywhere. And to simply Come as invited in Matt.11:28-30, to give away our “fake and fleeting” in exchange for His “real and permanent,” to indeed, experience the Abundant Life. Their chapel services are online anytime.

We indeed are experiencing such historic days on so many fronts. Like trying to get a drink from a fire hose. Are we awake, alert, and aware? And above all else, are we in prayer? Both individually and in our spiritual communities?

Click the link below to read what Ozzie wrote that inspired this document. Experience the power of his wisdom succinctly spoken. That is not me. This though is only my first draft.

Also, I’d be remiss not to solicit your prayers for Loretta and I during our 37 days of darkness until we’re reunited. Thank You.

https://click.messages.odb.org/?qs=98db396c0ab1a98937c549d2204473d99947016ff28852ba61b8692d1dd9c4c039f87775f6b057e5b27d8379d6197db9b99a46af875cd9ac511ae63b148c8bd1

A 2000 Word Prayer Request to my blog’s readers for an 8 year old son to simply experience his mother’s love be ‘reawakened’ and that the courts understand their role…

“Where do I begin to share the burdens of my heart for the well-being of my son Andrew, a victim now of circumstances of my earlier doings, and now far beyond either his or even my control?” By Andrew’s father who penned the following words to explain to the courts his pain.

Andrew had a counseling appointment last Tuesday February 7th. When I got there Andrew and his mother were sitting in the waiting room and Andrew was looking at her phone. I brought a book for Andrew with me like I have been doing.  I try to get him interested in reading and I point out the big words in the books to see if he knows them.

I’m so glad now that Andrew is finally doing better in school after a rough start last fall. He did very well at the Asheville school so I find it very difficult to understand why he had to be taken away from his friends and the community where he has been since birth.  And I also don’t understand how I can only have him every other week during summers and no overnights during school? 

His mother text me today (Feb 14) to say Andrew awoke at 4:30 puking with a tummy ache so he will be spending another day in his dysfunctional grandparent’s house that in earlier years produced three daughters, all today with major drug and relationship problems. He’ll receive only minimal interaction, spending most of the day likely on his tablet or watching tv. His mother implies this upset tummy happens frequently. Stranger still, I’ve not heard the complaint or witnessed a tummy ache once yet.

His mother says Andrew suffered from depression and anxiety while attending Asheville the last 3 years. In all the reading I have done about depression and anxiety in kids his age, the literature emphasizes that depression or anxiety in children will prevent them from thriving academically and socially in school. Andrew grades and school life socially at Asheville were exemplary and he totally enjoyed extracurricular activities like baseball and kickball. Considering all the obstacles encountered in transitioning to the Central City school and its surrounding negative environment, Andrew has proven I believe that he has adjusted well, matured, and is capable of rising above undesirable circumstances including a school change, even with his aversion to now spending more time at his mother’s house because that’s what the court decided.

I believe it is no secret to the intimate observers of Andrew’s demeanor that the biggest thing Andrew has trouble adjusting to is staying at his mother’s house. Before the change, I observed he often did not want to go back to her house. Several times he didn’t want to go to school because he knew he had to go to back to his mom’s house after school. And now he is exactly where he didn’t want to be, every single day! From my observations, it seems that his mother’s house is the only place he struggles with or exhibits dissatisfaction, perhaps even depression or anxiety, to the point of causing tummy aches.

And to be professionally concerned as a parent, I understand that his mother seldom if ever plays with Andrew and actually, spends the majority of her time looking at her phone. And I’m told her excuse for using marijuana so frequently includes such as being too hot at work, having to deal with the multiple idiosyncrasies of her dysfunctional parents, driving her grandma around, dealing with a fleeting motivation to exercise, and any other reason she can come up with. Her medical marijuana card now frees her from having to be discreet or hide her usage any longer. And believe me, after I heard about Sam Quinones 2015 landmark book titled “Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic,” I better understand both the drug usage hierarchies and the ever-present threat of usage and addiction, so that I now pray even harder that Andrew will be spared the effects of such exposures in the Central City environments.

But perhaps even more damaging to Andrew’s social and mental development from what I read in the literature, is that his mother tends to yell at Andrew about anything; from being dirty to not doing things fast enough, etc.  Continual exposure to an atmosphere of negative yelling really, really concerns me. Read the literature. And while I’m just being honest, his mother in the past always possessed a gun that I understand at one time, at least was not allowed with a medical marijuana card. Do understand I am not knowledgeable of her present status in these areas.

Also, please understand I am being told these things by Andrew totally without any provocation or “fishing” from me; he is just sharing from his heart, and certainly not out of spite or to hurt his mother. I am sure a skilled child interviewer or counselor could easily verify this and much more if over time, a proven relationship of trust for Andrew’s well-being is established with him and the value of this relationship is recognized as such by Andrew himself, and not just a passing momentary manipulation as needed for whatever the pressing issue or narrative.

I certainly am not a perfect parent but I am devoted 100% to being a positive role model to Andrew.  I do concentrate all my efforts to demonstrate confidence and leadership in Andrew’s presence. Andrew sees how knowledgeable I am about farming and is better understanding its accompanying work ethic. I’m not afraid to be unique and Andrew sees and understands already that I don’t pretend to be someone I’m not and that I always tell the truth. I enjoy communicating and interacting with everyone and Andrew sees how positive and rewarding it is to be socially engaged as opposed to being addicted to phones, tablets, and tv’s. Andrew needs to be engaged socially and enjoying satisfying long term relationships.

I also try to learn new things to share with Andrew and then challenge him to learn and do his best at everything he has the opportunity to experience. As Andrew shares his goals with me, I try to help him accomplish them.  I’m certainly not perfect though I’ll readily admit it when I make mistakes. I don’t use drugs, alcohol or tobacco products. I eat healthy, exercise and volunteer to help coach baseball, soccer or anything else I can help out with in Andrew’s life.

Sadly, for Andrew’s sake, it appears too often his mother looks to capitalize on my mistakes and keep Andrew away from me. She says I’m alienating Andrew from her. I am not doing that at all; truth be told, his mother by her actions is doing that to herself. I make it a point to never put her down or degrade her to anyone, publicly or privately; therefore, Andrew hears nothing derogatory from me about his mother. I am dedicated to encouraging every positive bond possible between Andrew and his mother so there will a lifetime of warm mutuality and appreciation for her. Realize though, none of this is ever verbalized to anyone except the professionals in my life, as I’m very concerned that their mother son bond be nurtured and flourish long term, as I believe his mother may someday reap what she has sown during these adolescent years.

However, I do not believe his mother understands at all this future reaping. Again, the literature states and I firmly believe a long term professional skilled interviewing process would substantiate all of this. I personally can say from experience, that his mother is constantly trying to keep Andrew from me, even before we were divorced and very sadly, I’d be remiss not to say now that her actions towards Andrew’s well-being, (ignoring all her negative personal encounters towards me) as demonstrated in this case, is too often not for what will actually benefit Andrew, but for her vendetta to spite me.  There is absolutely nothing in my life now more precious to me than to see my son experience every privilege to which he is entitled and to thrive as he was endowed, designed and empowered.

I hesitate to say this but this whole scenario rather reminds me of King Solomon in the biblical account of dealing with the two prostitutes with a child as recorded in I Kings 3: 16-28 and I’ll take this liberty to share it.

[16] Two prostitutes showed up before the king. The one woman said, “My master, this woman and I live in the same house. While we were living together, I had a baby. Three days after I gave birth, this woman also had a baby. We were alone— there wasn’t anyone else in the house except for the two of us. The infant son of this woman died one night when she rolled over on him in her sleep. She got up in the middle of the night and took my son— I was sound asleep, mind you!— and put him at her breast and put her dead son at my breast. When I got up in the morning to nurse my son, here was this dead baby! But when I looked at him in the morning light, I saw immediately that he wasn’t my baby.” [22] “Not so!” said the other woman. “The living one’s mine; the dead one’s yours.” The first woman countered, “No! Your son’s the dead one; mine’s the living one.” They went back and forth this way in front of the king. [23] The king said, “What are we to do? This woman says, ‘The living son is mine and the dead one is yours,’ and this woman says, ‘No, the dead one’s yours and the living one’s mine.'” [24] After a moment the king said, “Bring me a sword.” They brought the sword to the king. [25] Then he said, “Cut the living baby in two-give half to one and half to the other.” [26] The real mother of the living baby was overcome with emotion for her son and said, “Oh no, master! Give her the whole baby alive; don’t kill him!” But the other one said, “If I can’t have him, you can’t have him-cut away!” [27] The king gave his decision: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Nobody is going to kill this baby. She is the real mother.” [28] The word got around— everyone in Israel heard of the king’s judgment. They were all in awe of the king, realizing that it was God’s wisdom that enabled him to judge truly.

We do all have numerous responsibilities to love and to protect those in our spheres of influence.

You as public servants have been given an awesome responsibility to administer justice in a distraught hurting and angry world. I not only pray for Andrew’s protection daily, but also for his mother in her God-given role as Andrew’s mother, which goes far beyond our now trivialized marriage vows, “’til death do us part,” referring to the permanent birth bond between mother and son for life; note time nor conditions are not specified. I also include prayers for you as public servants of the courts as you all are privileged to perform your tasks as assigned.

Substantiated by all the reasons detailed above, I am requesting that Andrew be transferred back to the Asheville school immediately reducing the travel time for all parties significantly and during winter months, reducing traveling in the dark. I’ve asked my attorney to submit the previous 50/50 shared parenting plan and that I be allowed to get Andrew from school every day and then meet his mother at the Cracker Barrel after she is done with work. Therefore, Andrew would be able to play spring baseball with his friends in Asheville that soon starts in March. Remember, it’s all about what’s best for Andrew; and not at all about the selfish wishes of his mother or I.

Thank you for listening.

And thanks to you for taking time to read this lengthy document by Andrew’s father to the guardian ad litem assigned this case. His father truly exhibits the patience and love of Christ in a gut wrenching situation. Will you join us in prayer for a favorable outcome during the court hearing scheduled now for February 27?  Thank you. merlin

More pertinent timely quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer February 4 1906 – April 9, 1945

“Silence in the face of evil is evil itself. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.”

“Christianity preaches the infinite worth of that which is seemingly worthless and the infinite worthlessness of that which is seemingly so valued.”

“May we be enabled to say ‘No’ to sin and ‘Yes’ to the sinner.”

“Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.”

“Seek God, not happiness – this is the fundamental rule of all meditation. If you seek God alone, you will gain happiness: that is the promise.”

“We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust us great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?”

“One act of obedience is worth a hundred sermons.”

“We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel itself.”

The community of the saints is not an ‘ideal’ community consisting of perfect and sinless men and women, where there is no need of further repentance. NO, it is a community which proves that it is worthy of the gospel of forgiveness by constantly and sincerely proclaiming God’s forgiveness.”

Gleamed from crosswalk.com Emily Maust Woods, Crosswalk Contributor 03/04/21

This simple and profound Truth inspired by Warren Wiersbe’s famous quote to succinctly focus we Christ-Followers was most appropriately shared with me during these uniquely historic times while I was speaking with my sister Verla this past Saturday. In fact, do understand, that this “if – then” was solely my idea, resulting no doubt from the quote rattling around in my brain the past 48 hours, and perhaps rather appropriately, since we’re visiting our first grandchild here in Northampton Massachusetts, the pre-revolutionary war bastion during the 1730’s and 40’s, for such as long time resident Jonathon Edwards, and later the visiting English evangelist George Whitfield, and more than a century later, even for D L Moody.

Back to Wiersbe first though, Wikipedia states Warren Wendell Wiersbe (do you suppose his parents possessed a sense of humor with the initials WWW, and not merely a World War Warrior either!) Born on May 16, 1929 and passing May 2, 2019, I have associated Wiersbe being birthed in Nebraska but it was actually in E Chicago. Now, Warren Buffet, my father, and I always thought Johnny Carson to have been birthed in NB also, but Carson was actually born in Iowa; though he was a Cornhusker grad. Dad and Carson were born in ’25, Wiersbe in ’29, and Buffet in ’30, and now, Buffet is the last man standing.

Wiersbe was an American Christian clergyman, Bible teacher, conference speaker, and a prolific writer of Christian literature and theological works. He is perhaps best known for his series of 50 books in the “BE” series: Be Real, Be Rich, Be Obedient, Be Mature, Be Joyful, et., and other theological works.

As a middle and high school students, my sister and I would watch from the utility room window to catch a glimpse of the orange bus crest a hill a half mile away enabling us to walk timely to the road to meet the bus without waiting too long in the MN sub-zero temps. During those years mother had the kitchen radio tuned to KFNW Fargo ND 1200 AM (the decade prior FM arrived) that featured then M-F 7:30-8:00 AM Theodore Epp in his “Back to the Bible” radio broadcast who was later succeeded by Wiersbe during 1980-1992.

Prior to that, Wiersbe pastored Calvary Baptist in Covington KE ’61-’71 and the historic Moody Church ’71-’78. It is also interesting for KMC readers, and especially the pre You-Tube crowd, familiar with the Detweiler family having birthed and maintained The Calvary Hour in NE OH for nearly 70 years, to note Wiersbe’s Calvary Baptist Sunday sermons were also broadcast as The Calvary Hour on a local Cincinnati radio station. More information is available in Warren’s autobiography “Be Myself: Memoirs of a Bridge-Builder.”

Back to the rich history here in Northampton area for the earlier giants, you may enjoy the following clip from christianity.com titled “Ten Things You Should know About Jonathan Edwards.” This clip rather de-bunks the negativity towards Edwards I’m hearing in some circles of late. Here is some of what I learned:

1.) Jonathan enrolled in what became Yale when 13 and graduated at the top of his class at 17

2.) After serving the Northampton Congregationalist Church nearly 30 years, they voted to remove him from pastoral service for barring “unconverted” people from partaking in communion. Having both married at 23 and beginning as a pastor scholar under his grandfather at this church, his grandfather died three years later and Jonathan then assumed the pastorate. Whereas his grandfather had welcomed all to participate in communion, believing the sacrament could become a “converting ordinance” helping bring the lost to Christ, Edwards disagreed and maintained that only believers should partake in the Lord’s Supper. Any of this sound familiar? But bear in mind, it took 30 years for the vote to materialize. And we don’t know either, when Jonathan became so convinced, but as he was a prolific writer, I’m sure it is well documented and not a spur of the moment whim or vote.

At 47 then, Edwards and his family (11 children) moved to the frontier in western MA known today as the Berkshires, where he pastored a small congregation of settlers and preached through an interpreter to Housatonic and Mohawk tribes people. Edwards genuinely loved and cared for the natives, frequently writing about the quality of their character and the culture. The two tribes showed reverence for Edwards, and his ministry bore lasting spiritual fruit.

3. At 54, Edwards reluctantly agreed to leave his writing retreat and effective ministry in the Berkshires for full time academia accepting the Presidency of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). Shortly after assuming his post, in Jan 1758, Edwards received a smallpox inoculation. Less than a month later, Jonathan Edwards died from the inoculation’s complications. Please, this occurrence is not necessarily to be associated with the events of today, though I’m sure this was well documented medically as well, being in an academic environment, but then again, assumptions do…

Read it without my editorializing by clicking the link below.

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/people/you-should-know-jonathan-edwards.html