Life Spans...Why are they all different?

Why do you suppose an oak tree's typical life span is three hundred years?  A butterfly's life is typically only two weeks long. The average human lives about seventy-five years .

A live oak tree grows for one hundred years to maturity. During it's second hundred years it lives as an adult. After it's two hundredth birthday it begins the dying process. The limbs begin to grow heavy causing them to droop. As the three hundredth year approaches the limbs touch and finally begin to grow into the ground. After it has burired some of it's own limbs in the soil, new Live Oak shoots appear. Once the new trees begin it is time for the old tree to die.

Human beings mature to the stage of adulthood usually around the age of twenty. Somewhere between the ages of twenty to forty-two they typically produce children. By the time we reach our fifties aging bodies begin the struggle of survival. Generally some form of disease begins in the mid fifty to late sixty year mark. Finally, the diseased human scums to death.

Then there's the beautiful butterfly. After it emerges from it's cocoon, it only lives about two glorious weeks.But in it's short life it soars over plants and trees, as if to say," Look at me; I'm as beautiful as I can be!" How boring our lives would be in the summertime without God's added beauty, grace and freedom we gleen from the butterflies.

 Why does God give all creatures different life spans? There must be a purpose, what is it?

"To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:" Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV)

⁹ What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? ¹⁰ I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied. ¹¹ He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

¹² I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, ¹³ and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God.

¹⁴ I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,And nothing taken from it.
God does it, that men should fear before Him.
¹⁵ That which is has already been,
And what is to be has already been;And God requires an account of what is past.     Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 (NKJV)²

^" He has made the earth by His power,
He has established the world by His wisdom,
And has stretched out the heavens at His discretion.¹³ When He utters His voice,
There is a multitude of waters in the heavens:
“And He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth.
He makes lightning for the rain,He brings the wind out of His treasuries.”      ^{Jeremiah 10:12-13 (NKJV)}

 ^{I would love to know your thoughts. Leave me a comment, Thank you.}

Just in case your're wondering....

Just in case you're wondering....Mark ordered an ice cream cake on Wednesday.  :) Can you guess what kind it is? Butterfingers, it'll be hear tomorrow. So if any of you are in need of a sweet treat-come to my house and I'll share my, "I'm sorry cake" from Mark with you.

Several of my friends have expressed their concerns about the direction our nation is heading. I agree, we are in some very serious situations that have the potential of turning even uglier. Please understand that leaders of our nation can only do so much. The People themselves must follow God's promises and warnings. God will never bless any nation who can not follow His simple but necessary commands.

Joshua chapter 23 is very clear about what God expects from a nation.  Verse 6 warns:"Be very firm, then, to keep and do all that is written in the book of Moses, so that you may not turn aside from it to the right hand or the left," Joshua chapter 23:6 NASB...."So take diligent heed to yourselves to love the Lord your God. For if you ever go back and cling to the rest of these nations, these which remain among you and intermarry with them, so that you associate with them and they with you, know with certainty that the Lord your God will not continue to drive these nations out from before you; but they will be a snare and trap you, ....Joshua 24:11-13









If you've read the book of Joshua you know how God gave Israel many victories over several nations as Joshua lead them into battle. The Angels of the Lord went before them, they conquered many nations because the followed God's directions and loved Him with all their hearts. God still asks the same of us today.

¹¹ When Solomon had finished the temple of the Lord and the royal palace, and had succeeded in carrying out all he had in mind to do in the temple of the Lord and in his own palace, ¹² the Lord appeared to him at night and said:

“I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a temple for sacrifices.
¹³ “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, ¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. ¹⁵ Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. ¹⁶ I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
¹⁷ “As for you, if you walk before me faithfully as David your father did, and do all I command, and observe my decrees and laws, ¹⁸ I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father when I said, ‘You shall never fail to have a successor to rule over Israel.’
¹⁹ “But if you^[a] turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you^[b] and go off to serve other gods and worship them, ²⁰ then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples. ²¹ This temple will become a heap of rubble. All^[c] who pass by will be appalled and say, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’ ²² People will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them —that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’” 2nd Chronicles chapter 7:11-22 NIV

As God's people we must always take to heart that He is a very Jealous God. He freely gives us so much, but in return He demands our love and devotion. Never take His Blessings lightly.

I encourage you to read the book of Joshua. Please read 2nd Chronicles chapter 7. Take in this passage with your mind and heart wide open to God. The Bible is still the only book with all the answers to life! Enjoy it, read it and apply it to your life.

It's been one of those days...

This has been one of those days it will be better to just forgive and forget it. While going to one of our normal spots for a walk Mark and I walked the main trail on bad terms with each other. After four and a half miles we finally started talking a little. Roscoe was thirsty so we drove to another spot in that area to let him get a drink and cool off in the creek.

Just before crossing a little bridge I saw a pink flamingo hanging on the bridge. "That's just great," now I get to encounter a group of Realtors who decided not to accept me into their group. (Actually, I never wanted to be a part of their group any way. One of my friends who was part of their group wanted me to join. I told her I didn't care about being part of an "exclusive group."

Sure enough it was the group I feared it was. There they sat, out in the middle of the woods under a dark pavilion, dressed to the hilt but they sure didn't appear to be having much fun. I think the bugs and frogs were more chatty than they were. I refused to look directly at any of them and of course, no one jumped up and said, "Hey Kathy."

Sure, it hurts. But we all feel rejection from time to time right? 

We left and Mark asked if I'd like Dairy Queen. "Well sure, I would," after all Dairy Queen has always been my cure for anything that hurts emotionally since I was a kid. In fact, I refuse to live in any town that doesn't have one.

We stoped in Clarksville GA. I ordered a vanilla cone dipped in chocolate- one of my favorites. I asked Mark, "Do you mind if I run to the rest room?"

"No, go a head I'll be outside."

I finished in the rest room. Mark and Roscoe were out at a picnic table. Almost half my cone sat on a dirty cement picnic table. The other half to two thirds lay on the ground and Roscoe was licking it up as fast as he could. He was eating so fast he was suffering from a brain freeze. Every once in a while he'd look up at me like, "Oh Mom, this is killing my head but it tastes so good."

Mark sat quietly devouring his cone. "What happened to my cone?"

"Most of it is on the ground."

"Okay" Obviously he wasn't gonna say anymore so I picked up the remainder of my cone and started to eat it. The first lick, of  what was left I thought of chocolate turned out to be GA. Mud Fudge-not the Dairy Queen kind either. So I spit it out.

I ate the good parts, which wasn't much and Roscoe appears as full as a fat tick.

Currently, well I'm just trying to be nice. I am not going to fix Mark any supper until he apologizes. By golly, I think he owes me an ice cream cake besides, don't you? It's gonna be a long, long night. If I had the money I think I'd go sleep somewhere else. The back porch swing sounds good to me.

I'd appreciate your prayers. This is one of those days that the only reason I'm still here is because of those vows I took for better or worse, richer or poorer in sickness and in health til death do us part.
Don't worry-I know God said, "Thou shalt not kill."

Maybe I'll go back and read all the 10 commandments.

The Darkness will close in

  Just after 8:30 tonight Roscoe and I were heading out for our daily walk around the neighborhood. Darkness was settling in. When we were less than half a block from home sharp lightening bolts began to light up the sky just ahead of us. Then sharp jolts jabbed just to the east and west of us. Carrying a radio controlled stimulator for Roscoe's collar, house keys and the remote for the garage was a little scary. All of those items attract and conduct electricity.

  This summer has had more severe storm cells than I can ever remember. Many people have been hit and even killed by lightening Last week four family members gathered around a table outside when a lightening strike from the clear sky hit all four people. The mother was holding a cell phone. They all were burnt badly and had to be treated at a local hospital. Times like these it is so important to know who controls the elements of nature. God controls the atmosphere-not "Mother Nature."

   God is always in control. We shouldn't be stupid and temp fate. Yet, I realize that no matter how prepared we are in this life eventually the darkness closes in and the storms arise. We all must pass through these times to make it home to heaven. Just as there was no way to get to my house without walking through the lightening, one day I'll face final war with pain.

  "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For your rod and your staff they comfort me. You preparest a table in the presence of my enemies. I will dwell in the house of my Lord forever." Another one of those ever present parts of scripture that has become in grained in my very body and soul. (Part of The 23rd Psalm)

  What a privilege to have secure words backed up by an awesome powerful Savior.

  For an extra special blessing read and take to heart the 23rd Psalm. Since God holds our future,  let us proceed with confidence and courage to face anything our days may hold.  Jesus goes before and with us every step of the way. He will deliver us safely Home :)

 

We all fail sometimes

  Anyone who has been a Christian for very long can recall a time when they just didn't stand up for God when they should have.  Your palms and brow sweat. "You wimpy coward!" screams out from your very innards making you feel like you could literally curl up and die. Guess what? We have all been there.

  Imagine Peter as he denied Jesus for the third time as that old cock crowed. Just as Jesus told him he would do. As brave and courageous as Peter was he almost gave everything about his life with Christ. Peter feared for his own life as he watched the angry crowd beat and tourer our sinless Savior. Jesus was God but also a sinless man.

  God knows we will fail, that is why we need a Savior. No one, not even a "saint" will ever be "good enough" to make it to heaven on their merits. Jesus accepts us where we are. He ask us to call on Him when we need a helping hand. He's the most understanding friend we will ever know. Jesus is the only helpful constant companion we will ever have .

 "What a friend we have in Jesus-All our sins and griefs to carry, take it to the Lord in Prayer!" Remember that wonderful old song? :)

  When you fail, just remember Jesus stands with open arms waiting to pick you back up. He still loves you and so do many brothers and sisters in Christ that understand forgiveness because of three spikes, the only sinless loving Savior, and His love that says, "You were worth dying for; I Love You."

"For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that He might be the Lord of both the dead and the living. You then, why do you judge your brother? Or why do you look down on your brother? For we will stand before God's judgement seat. It is written:

'As surely as I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God."

So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God."              Romans 14:9-12 NIV

Thank God for those who care enough to make a Differance

  As you think about your life do you ever feel especially grateful for those who made the most positive impacts in your life? While I was cleaning my house today I was especially remembering and thanking God for some adults who took the time to lead me in positive ways of life. They could have done other things with their time but choose to serve God and mankind instead.

  I am so thankful for people like the Yager family who took me in like family and showed me the true meaning of God's love. Bonnie Yager's mother ironically was the first Sunday school teacher I ever had. God often passes His goodness, mercy and love through generations. I am so thankful that just as God is the same from generation to generation-His people often pass their love for God from generation to generation.

  Imagine how pitiful and lost our world would be if the church dies because we become too busy to serve or love. That being said, I have shirked my responsibilities in church. I haven't taught Sunday School since I lived in Louisiana. I miss the blessings of teaching very much. :(

  More importantly, I am thankful for the wonderful examples so many people lived outside the church. People who lived God's love out so well in their daily lives. This privilege I am happy to be able to share in our little neighborhood. Although I do not have grandchildren, their are a few families where I live that have been so kind to share their sweet children with me. I love them and their parents. :)

  When I think back I am so grateful for people like Geraldine Christensen who taught my husband and my children in Sunday School. Although she is ninety-one yrs. young she truly is one of my very best treasured friends. She still teaches me so many wonderful lessons in life.

  Mr. Thalison, who guided me through so many of Paul's adventures. He taught so well, he made me feel like I was on some of those journeys to Damascus, Tarsus and Thesalinica. Different verses rang out in my head as situations came up, which kept me from getting into trouble. "What-Know ye not that your body is the temple of God? Present it therefore holy and acceptable to God!"
                                                                                               Romans 12:1 KJV ..as I memorized it! That verse still saves my bacon from blunders today. What's my point?  I hope we never forget the importance of standing up for what is right. Living and Loving in our lives for God and the good of mankind. In general living a life that God is proud to say that's my child and he or she is passing my way of life on to others who they come in contact with.

 Finally..."Do not think yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you."
                                                                                                                             Romans 12:3 NIV 
"So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others." Romans 12:5 NIV

 We all have different gifts are you using what God gave you? Maybe that's where our happiness lies-doing what we were called to do.

Happiness comes from Fulfillment

"Nehemiah said,"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks,and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

That's a great description of how I feel today. I thank God for all the blessings of  today. Michael, (my son made it to Germany safely this morning.) I appreciate your prayers for him and his safety. He was suppose to fly over there Sunday night. The plane he was going on was grounded for repairs. He boarded another plane, but that too was grounded for repair problems. I'm thankful the airlines were smart enough to keep the flight until it was safe to fly all the way to Germany.

Ironically, he will be working for an engineering firm located about 3o miles S.E. of where I was born almost 51 years ago. Isn't that funny? It is a small world after all!

Both of my children have seen Germany and can tell you more about it than I can. How ironic, our lives have become.

Heidi received mail at my address about different kinds of flowers today. Anyone who knows me very well knows how much I love gardening. Just a few years ago I remember her saying, "When you die-I will go out there in that back yard and tear out every blasted rose bush you've planted!" She was mad because I've tore a few hernias digging in the dirt.

I'm glad she now loves the dirt and flowers at least a little like I do. I hope she'll always remember how much I loved playing in the dirt. It's just wonderful to dig and plant and see how God makes the flowers grow. The extra treasure comes from cutting them and giving them away. flowers are so much like love. The best ones are the ones we grow and give away. Planting, babying, and watching flowers grow reminds me of parenting too. The time and love we spend on our family is never wasted. How awesome when they give themselves back to God and others!

My children have become two of my greatest joys in this life! God certainly has nurtured them extremely well. Michael is married to an absolute jewel. Neva has become my third treasured child. On June 23rd, this year I'll have another son, Andrew Huesing. I always wanted at least four children. God has blessed me with four wonderful kids!

"Be imitators of God, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
                                                                                                          Ephesians 5:1 & 2 (NIV)

Isn't it wonderful the way God reminds us of His love even in creation? Like Him we can give ourselves away in love.