WALKING - It's good for you. Helps you to lose weight. I haven't seen that part yet, but it probably is keeping me from gaining weight. It's also good for your dogs (if you have any). It's sad, however, to walk by other dogs, chained up in their yards, wrapped round and round, so that they don't have more than a couple of feet to move in, on a freezing day. I hope God has something special in store for irresponsible pet owners.

RETIREMENT - One year ago today I said "so long" to the man. Actually, I'm still working for the man part time, but things are so different now. I can charge a consultant fee, work my own hours and get paid mileage. But the greatest benefit is that there is absolutely NO STRESS. Lois's retirement check is coming regularly now, and I can walk away from the part time job at the first sign of stress. Sweet!

JAIL BUDDY GONE - No more trips to the county jail. My felonious friend has been transferred to the other end of the state. The location is too far for me to negotiate a visit, so I will try to be more diligent in writing. Regardless of the crime, he's still a human being and God's child. And this next part of his journey has to be both intimidating and depressing. I realize that, given his medical condition, I will never see him again in this life.

VETERAN BENEFITS - I have finally been approved to become a patient at the local veteran's center medical complex. Boy, do I have a shopping list for them! On the other hand, I'm not looking forward to the battery of medical tests that they may want to perform. I've come to realize that not knowing what might be wrong with you isn't so bad. When the doc listens to your heart, then goes "H-m-m," you begin to plan your funeral. Been there, done that. Maybe I should just lie low.

BIBLE STUDY - Two things that I've learned about the Methodists: they love announcements; and they're not big on discussion. While we absolutely adore our lady pastor, the Wednesday night "studies" are 80% fluff and 20% stuff, with 0% serious interaction. And this is with a small group --- eight people total. We have prayer requests, combined with praise items (called joys), then announcements, then the actual prayer, followed by reciting the Lord's Prayer. In the time remaining she reads from a book about the Bible passage; we rarely open our Bibles. Most of the others don't even bring Bibles! The same thing happens in Sunday school (different teacher). Even when you answer a question with a comment that might prompt further discussion, you get "Uh-huh. Thank You," then on we go to the next paragraph. Makes me miss some of the fundamentalist Bible studies. But if I had shared then what I know now, they would have invited me to leave.

We took the dogs to the vet today. They are so different from each other. Jasper started shaking as soon as he saw the building. Jada immediately made friends with all the dogs and cat, as well as their owners. And she couldn't wait for her turn to see the doc. Even after he gave her two shots, she was still okay with him. We took Jasper for Dr. P to look at his joint problem. He recommended an anti-inflammatory, starting with a shot, followed by pills.

Dogs are great companions, so much better than cats. Someone once said, "Dogs have owners, cats have staff." So true. Dogs are sensitive to your moods and always ready to please. However, I do believe that Jasper needs some anger management. He doesn't play well with others.

_____

Boy, you sure can accumulate a lot of paperwork over a short period of time. I thought that I was all set to do my 2010 taxes, but I couldn't find the previous year's return and the online ID/password. I also wanted to see if the VA would accept me as a patient this year, but I couldn't find the criteria paperwork. Over the past several months I have been on a paperwork reduction campaign. I used to keep every receipt that was generated. Now I've streamlined my life --- sort of. I document transactions, reminders, retirement and VA analyses, etc. on the computer and saved the files to a flash drive, which I remove (safely) each night when I shut the thing down. All receipts, after they have been recorded, are pitched. Any receipts, pay stubs, or paperwork (old) that had account numbers or personal info gets burned. But it seems that every time I peek in a closet, more paperwork!

_____

We just received a flower arrangement from our neighbors, along with a condolence card. Earlier today Lois received a phone call from her best friend in high school, also a call of sympathy. It feels good to have people who care.

What to write about? I know this is supposed to be a daily journal, but some days are just not journal-worthy. Eat, go to work (part-time), eat, watch TV, write Framed By Faith, read, etc..

Speaking of reading, I just finished a good book. Not The Good Book. I read a little of that one almost every day. This book is called Honor In The Dust, by Gilbert Morris. I generally select new books from the library because they're not so nasty. I have read older books, particularly if I like the author's style, but, seriously, I have no clue what some people put in their mouths, because it is totally unrecognizable by the time they have dripped or smeared it on the pages they were reading. Yuck!

Back to Honor In The Dust. It was set in the 16th century, when William Tyndale was going underground in order to translate (and print) the Latin Bible into English. While this was going on, King Henry VIII was hanging and burning those who aided the translation, as well as those who smuggled or owned the newly-translated books. The reason, of course, was that the Church had proclaimed that only the priests could translate a verse or passage at a time, because only they were ordained by God to know what it said or meant.

This book tells the story of two brothers, set against each other by the greed of the elder brother, who wants to inherit the estate. The gospel of Christ is presented about 2/3 of the way through, and you see the determination of those who are willing to risk their lives in order to have a first-hand look at the Bible in their own language. The title was taken from Psalm 7:5 (KJV). It was a good read, and would make an equally good movie.

For any that are wondering, I haven't stopped praying. I am just experimenting on how to construct this journal, and I'm giving the prayer-at-the-end a break. Thank You, Lord, that I'm still praying in my head.

On the fourth Sunday of each month our pastor leads a combined Sunday school class. Yesterday morning she shared what the Methodists are all about, in the brief time that she had. She emphasized the openness of the Methodist church, which often draws criticism of the Methodists being middle of the road, or too liberal.

She also introduced the Wesleyan Quadrilateral. While John Wesley himself did not name it, or categorize it, the four squares contain references to sources (Scripture, Tradition, Reason and Experience) that he drew from for his teaching. I sent Rev. Barbara an email after church about how we liked the lesson. She wrote back that she was pleased and added that Wesley did not give all four sources equal weight; he put Scripture at the top, with the others working in relation to interpretation of Scripture.

I think the Bible is an amazing collection of writings, but I am not able to put it on a pedestal, as many Christian denominations do. I fully realize that all I know about God, Jesus, etc. comes from the Bible and that those who have taught me over the years also use the Good Book as their source. Still, I'm interested to see just how open this church is, and Barbara in particular. She focuses on the love of Christ, demonstrated in our service to others, and I like that.

Jill (my daughter) put a profile picture of me on my Facebook page, and it's already gotten a positive comment. It looks like a newborn shot of my 5th grandson. Fat grandpas make great baby beds. :)

*****

I learned an interesting thing on our walk yesterday. We have two dogs, Jasper and Jada [they gave me permission to use their names], mixed labs. We walk them using 16-ft extended leashes. I had noticed this before, but I paid more attention this time from the start. When they circle each other, they always circle counter-clockwise. In other words, whenever I had to untangle the leashes from crossovers, it always followed this pattern. They may begin a clockwise routine and reverse it, but they never completed a clockwise move. This pattern remained throughout the 2 mile walk. Interesting. I'll have to test this some more, but not call out each time they complete a circle (like I did yesterday), because it may annoy Lois. I'll get back to you. Like you care :)

*****

Lois and I had a stimulating 3-way phone conversation with Jill yesterday morning, regarding my recent article on an "alternative salvation plan." What made it interesting was that it wasn't a debate. A debate is a system in which one side attempts to win the argument. None of us were in it for that. We three have different takes on the Bible and Biblical doctrines (Lois and I are more in line with each other), and it was enjoyable discussing the reasoning that we each have on various spiritual matters. Of course, all of this is prompted by our (Lois and me) sudden exit from Christian fundamentalism and my pithy ramblings on framedbyfaith.com. I particularly like to have my thoughts challenged, and Jill makes a good sparring partner.

A large part of the discussion centered on the reliability of the Bible. How much of it is God-breathed? Is it dangerous to pick and choose some verses, yet hold out other verses for closer scrutiny? Can some verses be lost in translation, or were God's words interpreted incorrectly? How much can be taken literally, and what should be regarded as symbolic? Good stuff. It's in this interchange of ideas that I have come to realize that I was unable to discuss calmly spiritual matters when I was a Christian fundamentalist. I'm learning so much more now, and I am eager to continue in this fascinating dialogue.

Another thing I've learned over the years is that, in order to make the dialogue effective, both parties must keep their answers or comments short. I don't mean just one or two words, nor do I mean just one or two sentences. But some people (not you, Jill) can go on and on, re-stating the same position. That could be due to the fact that, while you were talking, they were forming a lengthy response in their mind, not really hearing what you said. Another is that they believe that an overwhelming response gives credibility to the perceived truth embedded in that response. Also with lengthy comments, the speaker will often hit several points that you need to respond to, but, by the time you get your turn, you've either forgotten some of them, or you wish that you had taken notes. I am willing to accept the fact that I have a simple mind, and I need to process things in small bites.

_______________________________________________________

Lord, thank You for days off, dogs and discussions. All things are beautiful when received in love.

Amen

ALTERNATIVE SALVATION PLAN DISCOVERED! "Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for." (Proverbs 16:6) This is so much better than having to kill an animal, or even the innocent Son of God. It's in the Bible, right? So, doesn't it have to be true? Am I picking and choosing which verses I like? Maybe. But, let me be clear. I am choosing based upon rational thought and understanding. I believe the Holy Spirit is leading me in that. Am I rejecting verses that don't make sense? No. I'm merely holding them up in question, in the hope that one day they will make sense. By not choosing the obscure verses, am I rejecting Christ? Absolutely not. I am open to His leading. I am not prepared to accept any teaching that doesn't make sense. Perhaps that is based upon my sinful condition, because of my lack of "faith," but I don't think so. Again, I have asked God to show me the way. I honestly don't think that I will get the vacation to Hell prize for wrong answers. Discipline? Yes. Hell? No, at least not the burning torture for ever and ever thing, with no hope.

*****

Here's a pet peeve. I like to read books from the new book section at the library, both fiction and non-fiction. I would say that only 10% of the books are free of grammatical errors. Don't they pay people to edit these things? If they can't get qualified staff, why don't they contract it out to someone --- like me? I could do what I love and get paid for it. I never cared much for English studies in school, but somehow it stuck with me. Maybe I'll contact some publishers and offer my services.

*****

I just heard a local talk radio host ask a listener, "If you meet someone who is not a Christian, don't you still consider them a brother or sister?" The man replied, "Not in a spiritual sense." Say what? Then how do you consider them? Were they created by God? Of course. Does He love them? He says so. Hate the sin, love the sinner, my fundy Christian friends would say. Love the sinner, but don't bring them close unless they undergo a spiritual change. Is that it? No can do. They will ALWAYS be my brother and sister.

______________________________________________________

Lord, help me to understand the truth, even if it's not what I'm currently advocating. Above all, spur me on to love, no matter what the spiritual persuasion of my neighbor.

Amen

Back to the road trip. Lois, my daughter and I had a great discussion about relationships and commitment. J--l cited two occasions where we left church groups and appeared to never look back. She said that we were able to easily disengage ourselves from people that we had grown close to. I can't speak for Lois, but it has given me cause to examine myself.

There were actually three times when we left church groups that we were close to. That is, we up and left, without a mandatory reason, like a job move, etc.. All three are addressed in this blog/journal. But for the purpose of exploring J--l's assessment, I must revisit and rethink our leaving.

The first was Rev. R's church; he was the Dallas Seminary graduate. This was the second church that we attended after moving to Bristol. There were two conditions that made it difficult to continue there: 1) we were starting to get more Reformed theology teaching, which we disagreed with; 2) Lois was uncomfortable with one particular family, and neither of us can remember what the issue was with them. The pastor was kind-hearted, gentle and generous. I should have met with him to discuss the things that made us uncomfortable. I didn't want Lois to have to continue in a church where she didn't want to attend. But these people were our friends, as well as fellow believers, and I must confess a lack of maturity on my part in being open and honest with them.

We left Rev. N's church because of a disagreement that I had with him and the elders regarding church discipline on a personal level. Again, we could have stayed because of the people we cared about, and I could have removed myself from church politics. And again, Lois had been ready to leave long before the time we actually left. She was frustrated also with church politics, controlling leadership issues and seeing families leave because of the pastor. But it seems that our love and concern for the families there should have overridden our need to leave. We did maintain contact with the families that left when we left, but that only served to hurt the church more. Wisdom on my part was sorely called for.

The departure from house church was a lot more difficult to sort out. The greatest stress in the group was knowing that there were serious marital difficulties in two of the families, and it became very uncomfortable to meet each week and pretend that things were okay. We had just begun to open our eyes to doctrinal issues, but that was not what pulled us away, as far as I can tell. Like both Rev. R's and Rev. N's churches, I never went to any church leaders to seriously discuss why we were leaving. In this case I sent an email to the male leader of one family. I reported to him that we felt that the Lord was calling us away from the group, perhaps to teach us on a different level.

While I really believed in my heart that God had spoken to me, I will allow that my mind could have sought an easy way out. I wanted to keep the lines of communication open, but, by just leaving suddenly, we had hurt and frustrated those who were left. Two families had already left, and another was talking of leaving (aside to us). When we left, a single man and the family that had talked to us left also. Matters were made worse when we were asked by the people that left if we were going to continue house church. They wanted to come to our house. We said that we had no intention of starting another house church, but we said that they were welcome to have a meal with us on Sundays. Big mistake. Now, there's nothing wrong with having two house churches close together, but the timing was terrible. While we didn't have singing, prayer time, etc., we were most certainly gathering in the name of the Lord with those who had left the other families.

I was vehemently accused by a leader of the former house church (via emails) of plotting to form another house church all along. He went on to charge me with being controlling and manipulative over the years. None of this was true, and I responded that I was sorry that he felt that way. A phone call later with his wife confirmed that they both saw me as a liar, with the intention to hurt them. I know my heart, and I can assure anyone that I had no such plot or intentions. But the damage was done. Several attempts were made on our part to reconcile with them, but they have cut us off completely.

Again, I can't speak for Lois, but all three experiences have taught me that relationships are precious. And while spiritual differences are bound to come, some of which may cause some to not be comfortable meeting together, the more important position is honesty and love.

We have a new church now and are beginning to get to know the pastor and congregation. God is big on second chances. And third chances, or as many as it takes. I look forward to the day when old wounds will heal and love prevails.

______________________________________________________

Lord, even though hindsight is supposed to be 20/20, why is it that, when we look forward again, the way can still be foggy? I want to love, and be loved. Give me the strength, honesty and courage to be open with people. And please give me the wisdom to know when to speak and what to say. There is a time for every purpose under Heaven. Show me the times.

Amen

One more thing about the funeral. The "full time worker" (pastor) in his message said that believers who die must exist with disembodied spirits until the Rapture, when Jesus comes back to collect His own and raise the dead. He said that when we are reunited with the Lord, then we get new bodies. It could be my age, but I don't ever remember that teaching. I had heard that either you immediately go to be with the Lord and get your new body or you had an eternal sleep until the final judgement. This prompted a discussion in the car about God reassembling the molecules of even those who have been vaporized in a bomb blast or those who had been cremated and their ashes scattered to the winds. Now, I certainly agree that God has the power to do such a thing, but I'm more inclined to think that the spirit just gets a new body. It may have enough of the same appearance as the person we remembered, but without the imperfections. But I'm okay with floating around if that's what He wants.

*****

I went to visit jail buddy yesterday. A Bible verse comes to mind. It's the one about remembering those in prison. (Hebrews 13:3) I wonder if it meant remembering any who are in prison, or only those who are in there for professing or proclaiming Christ. This fellow is a confessed sex offender, who also happens to claim Christ as his Savior. Am I called to visit him because he is a Christian, or simply because God still loves him? In church today the pastor said that while we are praying for recovery of the shooting victims in Arizona, we should also pray for family members of those that died in that rampage. Then she added that we really should pray for the young man who did the shooting. While I know that it must be extremely difficult for any of those related to the victims to care for the shooter, can any of us reach a point at which we have true compassion for an individual with a troubled mind, who unleashes the rage within him?

My jail friend seems truly repentant, but only God knows the heart. He's looking at 20 years and is fighting the feeling that this is the end of his life. I have tried to encourage him in the fact that God has not abandoned him and will be with him through this part of his journey. This is my first experience of visiting someone regularly who has been incarcerated. For several years in my younger days I participated in jail ministries, but this is totally different. I can't imagine what it would be like to face 20 years with less-than-reputable company for one serious, but stupid mistake. I also reminded him that while he is alive, he still has the potential to influence lives by being a man of peace and an encouragement to those around him, to prison officials, as well as inmates.

______________________________________________________

Father, I don't know for sure what form we will take after death, but I am sure that we will be in Your loving care. /// Please bring peace and comfort to those victims in Arizona who are in the process of healing, as well as for those who will need to recover from the loss of their loved ones. /// I pray for those who are in prison. Many are in jail around the world because of their belief. Others have failed society by whatever processes made them into who they are. Please let my friend know that he is still loved by You and that the ministry of reconciliation will ultimately bring all into your inner circle.

Amen

It's interesting how funerals can tend to be more like reunions. You get to see old friends and family from near and far. I wriggled into my tie (ugh-h) and joined the family for receiving at the church. Aside from a few indecisions (does the family go out and come back in; should the casket be closed for the funeral?), it was a very nice service. Memories were shared by a son, a daughter, her husband and my daughter (who also sang). A grandson read a scripture passage, and a granddaughter had designed and prepared the bulletin.

Of course we didn't get away without a thorough dousing with the gospel message, given by the full time worker (they don't call them pastors or preachers in the Plymouth Brethren church) and sprinkled in the comments of one of the relatives who shared. My father-in-law was buried in the Resurrection Section of Woodlawn Cemetery in Orlando. It was a beautiful, sunny day (70 deg), with a gentle breeze. Another round of gospel message was presented, in case we didn't get it back at the church.

*****

Aside from my wife, Lois, I have not given any family names of my daughters, sons-in-laws or grandsons. This is to protect and respect their privacy. But if any of you are reading this and want to give me permission to use your first name, you know my number. I love you all.

*****

The trip back was safe and joyful. We encountered significant icing on the roadways in Atlanta, including witnessing the aftermath (by sheer moments) of a pile-up on the interstate due to the icy roads. It was in the opposite lanes, with a barrier separating us from them. Traffic was heavy, and emergency vehicles were having difficulty in reaching them. The rest of the trip went well, and we arrived in Fairview (outside of Nashville) after dark. My 11-month-old grandson won Cutest and Most Cooperative Traveling Baby award, and the two-year-old grandson won the Best Traveler EVER award. They both were amazing and a lot of fun.

Lois and I got back to Bristol safely (no thanks to my tire dealer) the next day. I went to have the front wheels balanced in Nashville (actually nearby Dickson) and found that something had been rolling around in my new tire, chewing up the inside wall. It was one of those infernal tire pressure monitoring system devices. I truly dislike them; they have caused several leaky and flat tires since we have owned the car. And to make matters worse, the idiot who worked on my tires last had duct-taped the device to the wheel! So, on Monday I'm off to the dealer to try to get him to make good on his inefficient staff error.

_________________________________________________________

Father, a big thank You for traveling mercies, and for somehow working it so that we didn't take my car to Florida, because we could easily have been in serious danger. I pray for those who were injured in the icy road crash in Atlanta. And I pray for those who will be helping my mother-in-law in this time of loss. Finally, I pray for any who might think that Lois and I have lost our salvation. Salvation is from the Lord. And since I'm praying to You now, obviously I couldn't have lost it.

Amen

We got in late last night, at least too late to try to keep up with a daily journal. The trip was great, and we even made it through Atlanta before the big ice storm. As we were traveling on down I-75, we encountered a large convoy heading north toward Atlanta. It consisted of some 60 to 100 power utility trucks, along with at least 30 tree service trucks. Very impressive. Hope all of this is cleared up by the time we head back.

Lois and I slept in the room that her dad had died in just three days before. Her noise machine (white noise) starting acting mysteriously, with the sound going up and down, or cutting out altogether. Haunted? I checked it out in another room today, and it still doesn't want to cooperate. Silence was not golden last night for Lois; she needs that background noise. She originally got the device to counter my thunderous snoring. But now that I use a cpap mask, I don't snore. The ensuing silence is too much for her, now that she is conditioned to the noise.

Today was quite busy, chasing grandkids, receiving visitors and taking phone calls. Lois's mom also appears to be at a loss. She was used to the daily routine of caring for her spouse, and we were all helping her with her normal chores. So she is trying to cope with not only the change in routine, but the loneliness that will surely come when friends and relatives have gone away.

The funeral is set for tomorrow, starting at 9:30 AM at the church to begin receiving guests at 10:00. The funeral will follow at 11:00, with the interment several miles down the road at the cemetery. Family then will return to the church for a meal, prepared by the ladies of the church. So tonight's much-needed sleep should come easily.

_________________________________________________________

Father, I never tire of thanking you for keeping my family safe. And I pray for your watchful care over those who are being adversely affected by these winter storms. Please give everyone here strength for tomorrow as they remember their loved one who is now in your care, having left this earthly home.

Amen

Have you ever tried to use those road condition helpers, like dialing a 3-digit number or going to your state web site? Don't be surprised if you find that the roads are better than they indicate. We left in a blowing snow, headed for Nashville. The road conditions were supposed to be treacherous for 3/4 of the way. One hour into the trip, no snow falling, blue skies. Two hours, no snow on the ground and sunshine.

We completed the journey in six hours, without listening to radio or CD. How could we do that? Well, when you're traveling with your best friend, you have plenty to talk about. You can even have quiet moments, when speaking isn't necessary. Then there's phone calls from the daughters, texting with a friend (I didn't do any of that, honest, I was driving!) and several stops to keep you occupied.

Three things you should check and/or fix before you go on a trip: 1) balance the tires -- unbalanced tires can wear your tread and make your hands fall asleep on the steering wheel; 2) address any strange noises -- what's that thump, thump when I turn left? -- my shade tree mechanics lesson via Google says it might be a cv joint going out, whatever a cv joint might be; and 3) windshield washers are a necessity on long trips, especially after heavy snows and heavier road salt --- of course, like me, you can always find the clearest spot on the windshield to see through while driving, or you could stop frequently and clean the windows.

The highlight of our one gas stop, though, was connecting with our old friend, Dunkin Donuts, and his little friends, Munchkins! The GERD (see previous blog or look it up) has eased up enough that I can tolerate a treat, as long as I keep the snack small. Which I did.

This was the first leg of our funeral road trip, and it went off without a hitch. No road rage (I never do), no slip-n-slide and no tickets (which I haven't done in a good while). And it was great to be with our daughter and her family again. She and our two grandchildren will join us on the next part of our journey to Florida tomorrow. Traveling mercies are always needed and appreciated.

________________________________________________________

Lord, what a beautiful day we had! Thanks for calming the riot in my esophagus; I can still feel the irritation some, but it is much more manageable. We also give You thanks for safe travel thus far, and pray for continued safety on our journey. Be especially close to Lois's mom, Lord, because, even though we praise you daily, it is so difficult when you lose your mate of over 60 years.

Amen

We got the call at 5:30 AM. Lois's father had died at around midnight. Following a bout with Alzheimer's disease that lasted ten years, he finally shook off his earthly garment. Lois is now one parent away from being an orphan like me. One person gets on the eternity bus, and the rest of us take one step forward in the line. That's life.

The day has been busy with phone calls and travel plans. Death has a way of altering all of our plans in a specific time window. And you're thinking all the while. You have mixed feelings about his passing. Lois said that he was now free from his earthly prison. And yet there is a finality to it. He would never have recovered. Nobody does from that disease.

As we grow older we begin to gradually discover that we can't do the same things that we could when we were young. Then, as we decline, we realize that we can't do them at all. But old people have two things going for them. They have plenty of fond memories. As children our minds would reel with anticipation that would only last until the moment was over. At this time of life, however, we have endless re-runs to enjoy. Sure, there were bad days. But when you become content in your current skin, the bad day re-runs don't seem to play as often.

The other thing we have going for us is a growing desire to see and be a part of the hereafter. We have become acutely aware that these few years on earth could not have been for nothing. We don't just believe in God; we can feel Him. We have amazingly energetic spirits in these now-defective bodies. And those spirits must have someplace to go.

______________________________________________________

Lord of Life, be with our loved one who has just joined You. Help him to embrace the truths that he may have been confused about in this life. Be with his spouse in her grief. Give her courage for her new journey. And show us how we can continue to convey love to the family. Keep us safe as we travel to the funeral. We will indeed be transporting precious cargo.

Amen

You know how after a few months into winter you start to get the "cold in your bones?" That means you're so ready for spring. Well, we started feeling the cold in our bones on December 23rd --- two days after the official start of winter! As I look out of my window at yet another snow, I can see a long winter ahead. Br-r-r-r.

Of course it's even more noticeable when you keep your thermostat at 63 degrees (thanks, Lois). She drops it to 62 deg when she can get away with it ;) And for a good reason: heating cost. We have an old house with 10-ft ceilings and a staircase. We also have gas heat; it heats quickly and well, but, even though prices have dropped some this year, the bill can jump up easily. So we bundle up and hunker down until we see the first buds on the trees.

Did I mention that I love being retired? The things I used to do outside of work I still do, but I don't have to rush around getting them done now. I get more exercise because I can take two 2-mile walks each day. I can volunteer more. And my part-time work hours are flexible, so I can accommodate wife or grandkids. On the downside I have more time to ponder my diseases, or suspected diseases. I wonder if something will progress before I can qualify for medical care. I'm what they call uninsurable. I think it has been about six years since I was kicked off state Medicaid --- even though I was paying a lot for it each month.

But, surprisingly, I'm still here. I was a dedicated patient. Whatever the doctor or specialist ordered, I would follow through. Endoscopy, colonoscopy, stress test, whatever. When they were taken away from me, I finally had to rely on God to see me through. That's a good thing. Next year I'll qualify for Medicare. I wonder if I'll go back to being a dutiful patient, or will I have the willpower to stay away unless it really hurts?

________________________________________________________

Lord, I thank You for the seasons --- the beauty of the snow, the freshness of spring, the warmth of summer and the pungent sweet smell of brilliantly-colored leaves. And thanks for keeping me around awhile. I've lived a glorious life, even though I was not a very obedient child. Sorry for that. But here I am, waiting to see what happens next. Your will be done.

Amen

I was excited to get a comment on one of my Framed By Faith articles (12/4/10). I don't usually get comments, but I was especially honored to hear from a respected writer by the name of Grace Fox. I confess that I know little about her, but I would like to get her book and read her thoughts on the subject of fear.

It's important to note that I haven't abandoned fundamentalist Christianity. I've always said that God's truth can be found anywhere, that there is a purpose for people believing things that may not make sense. At least they are keeping the communication lines open with God. The sincerity of that openness will determine how much the Holy Spirit will teach the true things of God. And I constantly pray that for myself.

I also left a comment today on an article on Beliefnet, in hopes that it might generate some traffic to my site, Framed By Faith. The article was on the commercialism of Advent juxtaposed against the less-celebrated Easter. I remarked that Advent was special to me in that Christ came to deliver God's real message: I love you. Now, live right! I see Easter as Jesus's great victory over death, giving us the courage to face, and not fear, death. I put my screen name as Framed_By_Faith, but when you click on it, you get a Beliefnet profile page that let's you set up your own home page. I didn't do the profile because it didn't appear to have any information that would link to Framed By Faith.

______________________________________________________

Father, thank You for believers everywhere, no matter the denomination. And I give You thanks for Your truths that are embedded in other religions outside of Christianity. I continue to ask for wisdom for both blogs, as I share what is on my heart. As one of Your children, I want so much for others to find the true warmth in You --- especially those who are holding to their doctrines rather than holding Your hand.

Amen

Lois shared with me an article that she had read in the Upper Room, a Methodist devotional. It was about a person who was confronted by the maintenance man in his building. The fellow had come to repair something in his apartment and remarked seeing several religious books there. He told the renter that he wanted to become a Christian, but didn't know how. The writer didn't give any details regarding how the man witnessed to the repairman, other than to say that he felt free to share Jesus with him.

Since our view (Lois and I) of the gospel is significantly different than it used to be, we discussed how we would handle a similar request. I think we both came to the same conclusion. Jesus went about giving the good news of God's love. The result was that He gained followers. So a Christian today could be anyone who follows Christ. To truly follow Christ is to understand and believe what He said about God. Of course this overlooks the atonement and its effect on the proper plan of salvation.

I have come to realize that I was so steeped in the fundamentalist Christian movement that I had taken its doctrines to be the eternal truth and that all who rejected, or even challenged, that truth would be tortured in Hell for all eternity. And because of my new approach to the gospel, I felt somewhat ostracized from those who call themselves Christian.

The wonderful thing that I have discovered, however, is that there are so many more who either don't dogmatically push the atonement, or who would rather focus on Christ's teaching and the love of God, manifested in our love for others. When I approach the subject with people, I don't tend to get the shock and awe that I would from a hardcore fundamentalist Christian. This is refreshing and makes me more comfortable in being myself.

Our church pastor mentioned on Sunday that she might be visiting us this week, so it will be interesting to see how deep we get in our conversations. I realize now that I don't have to wear my doctrinal positions on my sleeve, but it would be interesting to test my faith against those who hold firm to issues that I may now have reservations about.

________________________________________________________

Lord, I thank You for revealing Yourself to us, even though I have trouble sorting through a lot of the reported revelations. I feel in my heart that You are near, even when my mind struggles with answers to difficult questions. And thank You for giving me a wife, with whom I can openly discuss the deep issues of life.

Amen

I didn't make any New Year's resolutions. If I had, it would be to lose weight and keep my blogs going. My GERD is urging me to get my weight under control. As for my blogs, I think I'm doing fairly well. This one has become a daily journal, and articles are added to Framed By Faith three times a week. I enjoy writing, and I wish that I had taken it seriously very early in my life.

The worship leader at our church declared her New Year's resolution to the congregation, in that she wants to be a better Christian every day. I think that's a good one for all of us. There may be some differences, however, on what it means to be a better Christian. Some would say go to church more, or read your Bible more. Others would instruct us to be nicer to our neighbors, devoted to our family and be peacemakers. Many would say sharing the gospel daily. But, again, what does that mean?

In Sunday school (Methodist) we discussed the concept of God as our Redeemer. When asked how we get redemption, there were several responses, from asking God to redeem us to giving our hearts and devotion to Him. Interestingly, no one brought up the name of Jesus. In our fundamental background it would be a blasphemy to not connect Jesus's death with our redemption.

Since Jesus spent His entire ministry turning many hearts to God, I feel right at home with fellow church-goers referring to God as our Redeemer. The only reason that Jesus called people to follow Him was because He was following God. He knew that if we became like Himself, then we would be in God's perfect will.

_________________________________________________________

Father, I pray that I might be a better person in this new year. I'm already a Christian because I follow your Son, Jesus. I know that I don't have the whole salvation/redeemer stuff completely figured out, but it is obvious that You care for me as a son. Because I am Your son.

Amen

This is the Lord's day. Also Epiphany, marking the last day of the Christmas season. Traditionally the day that the magi visited the baby Jesus. There are several versions on when these guys actually showed up. And the famous star apparently wasn't low enough to point directly at the nativity gathering because the wise men were asking around in Jerusalem about where the child was to be born. Today they would have just Googled it.

Epiphany is not just an event. It can be a light-bulb. I'm sure that I had an epiphany several years ago when I came to realize what I now believe to be the true meaning of the gospel. Amazingly, Lois was completely on board the minute I began to tell her. But epiphanies may not bring what you would expect. We were immediately thrust into the minority of the Christian belief system.

Of course, what is now found in the standard Christian doctrines includes a lot of stuff that has been added on (or re-interpreted) since the early church. So, it may be, perhaps, that we are in good company with the first believers. Unlike the standard gospel, which can be shared with all, this gospel can only be shared with those who haven't heard, or can't accept, the traditional gospel.

We shared it with one individual, who fully embraced it, then left it, and is now a Greek Orthodox follower. Another fellow came on board slowly, continued to take the best of both worlds, and is now serving time in prison. Two families totally rejected us and refuse to even discuss spiritual things because of the "false gospel" that we allegedly now have. Lois's sister doubts our salvation. A widow in our neighborhood accepted it with joy; and she had been well-founded in the traditional gospel. Not a very good track record so far. But didn't Jesus say that the road to eternal life would be narrow?

Of course, I don't mean that only a few of us will live forever, and the rest will burn in Hell. I believe that all are God's children and that He will eventually get them back onto the narrow path. Could we be wrong? It's possible. We're willing to accept that, because we love the Lord dearly, and we know that He will do the very best for us. What we are learning has drawn us much closer to Him, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We enjoy freedom and peace.

_______________________________________________________

Lord, with thankful hearts we have celebrated the birth (on earth) of Your Son, Jesus. And I know that You know our hearts. We love you, Father, and we believe that what we believe came from You. If we are wrong, please show us the right way. If we are right, please show us how to share the truly good news. Lord, we also believe that you have taught us that how we live our lives as loving servants is far greater than any doctrine. Your will be done.

Amen

1-1-11

Welcome to the positive new year. In binary code each "1" and "0" can mean True/False, Postive/Negative, On/Off, etc.. So all 1's on the first day of the year could mean "all systems go." But that's just my oversimplified computer logic. Some people look with trepidation at the new year. Will our government collapse? Who will live and who will die in my family? What disease will I or someone close to me contract this year? Will I win the lottery (based upon my investment into the Tennessee Department of Education, of course)? Who in this year will change their love for me to hate? Who will grow to love me? I think that we are to look forward with positive anticipation. There will be plenty of time to address problems when they appear.

NEW YEAR'S DAY MEAL

We had two daughters, one son-in-law and four grandsons over for another family gathering. Of the traditional menu items we had: black-eyed peas (coins or good luck), greens (folding money(Lois put them in the soup for her and Becki)), cabbage (more monetary prosperity(we used KFC cole slaw)), and peaches (I think my mother said they represented gold, but I can't find it anywhere else). No pork or corned beef; we had boiled shrimp and manicotti. I forgot to locate an online New Year's Day prayer, so I winged it, as I have for many, many years. It felt good. We followed it up with a rousing game of Sorry, and the youngest grandson on site won! What made it extra special is I got their noses out of their Ninentendos that they got for Christmas.

Long day, brief news.

_________________________________________________________

Father, I thank You for the New Year. Help us to improve in those areas that we failed during last year, and also help us to understand what living each day truly means, because 2012 will come soon enough. /// I don't think I can ever stop thanking you for my family. May they be richly blessed in this year.

Amen