IT'S NOT OVER YET!

 I often write notes to myself so that I don't forget memorable moments. Today is 01/23/26. This note dates back to 05/13/21 (?). I forgot about it?!   😏🙄 But, as I reread it, I can remember the waiting room and his face and soft demeanor...

Today I met an old man in a waiting room at the doctor's office. He must have been eighty something. As I set down near him I looked at him briefly and he smiled. He asked me, "how are you doing?". I told him that I was doing fine, but that we had brought my wife to the doctor today to check her eyes.

Then it began! He smiled and said, "my wife and I were married for 50 years and 3 months.". I asked him, "what was her name?". "Louise" he warmly, but softly replied.

We talked of how they had met on a blind date. He told me that he knew that she was "the one" on their first date because they sat together and his shoulder touched her shoulder and it was on fire! We talked of how they were married four months later! We talked of camping trips that he had made with his family. He told me that Louise and he had gone on cruises together many times.

I told him that I was sorry that he had lost her. And he smiled and quickly replied, "Its not over yet!". He knew that he would see her again.

From the next few minutes, before the nurse called him back, we talked of Heaven and how we surely would know our loved ones! We talked of the movie, "Heaven" (2020) and how "it's not over yet" was a recurring quote!

We shook hands and exchanged names before he went back to his appointment room.

Sadly, I didn't write down his name when I originally wrote down this note. But, we'll meet again. He'll be sitting with "Louise"! 

It's not over yet!

❤️❤️

"Heaven" 2020

trailer below:

https://youtu.be/g782ccLa2FI?si=-WBeE3YK3ZLTX9qu

TAKING HIM TO THE STREETS

 Melanie and I sat in yet another waiting room as we awaited her turn for her appointment. Across the room was an elderly gentleman, a little large, a little loud, charming and friendly. 

I could not help overhearing, okay I was eavesdropping, how he told the fellow sitting nearby how that he doesn't like to talk about anything but the Lord! He said I don't talk about sports. I don't talk about anything else but the Lord. It was really interesting to listen to their dialogue. Two old black men having Church! 

Soon, he was called back for his appointment, and Melanie was soon after called back for her appointment. 

When he came out he had taken off his jacket, and I could read the back of his shirt. It said,"Jesus, taking Him to the streets" I wish that I had taken out my phone and gotten a picture of it! But, I did get up and walk across the room to where he was signing out. I told him that I really like the shirt. And, I mentioned that I was not buying sports teams shirts much anymore, just "Jesus shirts"! The receptionist was a bit annoyed with the two of us as we started the second service of church! In fact, another nurse came out and asked me, "are you here waiting on somebody..." 😏😂 I said "yes, my wife's in the back somewhere if y'all have not lost her!" She just grinned and walked back into the treatment rooms area. 

I motioned to the old man to finish his receptionist business. After he finished, we exchanged names, and he smiled and left. Scarborough was his name. Jesus is his game! 

We'll meet again one day!

Of course, I found myself humming the old Doobie Brothers song for another hour, much to my wife's irritation! 😏😂

Dear Lord and Father of mankind, forgive our foolish ways.  

Let us "take Him to the streets!"🙏

Matthew 28:19-20 ESV

[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 25:32-40 ESV

[32] Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. [33] And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. [34] Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. [35] For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, [36] I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ [37] Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? [38] And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? [39] And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ [40] And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

 Taking Him To The Streets! 😇

JESUS BLOOD TRANSFUSION

 

And the demons began to scream at the Great Physician, as he helped the sinner, "no, stupid, that's the wrong blood for a transfusion. 

Another demon sneered, "You are giving him the wrong blood type! That's YOUR blood type?!" 

Yet another demon snarled, "... that's YOUR blood type, not his?! What's that going to do to him? 

An arch-demon squealed, "Agh ... worse ... Jesus, it's YOUR blood?? You're the actual donor?!  

Then, a din of hellish voices squeaked defeatedly, "No! It's changing him from the inside out... Jesus, what in Hell's name are you doing?!" 

And Jesus just smiled and whispered, "the Blood, the Blood!"

😇

GOD IS ETERNAL AND OUTSIDE OF TIME

GOD IS ETERNAL AND OUTSIDE OF TIME

God has always been. God always will be. 

We, mankind, earthlings, had a beginning. And I quote, " in the beginning God created..."

When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, does anyone think that that means He was not everywhere else?! For an hour, God was on that mountain and every where else, enthroned in Heaven.

When and God showed his presence in a fiery cloudy pillar, leading the sons of Israel, for forty years, does anyone think that means He was not everywhere else?  It's not like prayerful men and women out of earshot of the pillar were not heard by God in heaven!

When God appeared on Mount Sinai, does anyone think that he was not everywhere else? Surely the rest of the world was not put on hold?!

In the same way, and when God appeared to us, at a stable in Bethlehem, he was there, but he was also everywhere else! 

For three decades, from our perspective, God walked around in the area we now call the holy lands. But, does anyone think that he was not everywhere else?!

God is everywhere. But, he has created a black hole where he is not. That's what makes Hades what it is.

Charlie the Cat

May the 23rd, 2025. Yesterday evening was high school graduation night for our oldest grandson! We came home, all exhausted, a snack and went to bed. Jonathan, our grandson, was out all night with some of his Christian friends celebrating their lives' milestone. 

The next morning I woke up and crawled out of bed in our camper, and went inside my daughter's house to get a cup of coffee.  They have four cats, and my wife is very allergic to cat dander. So, we bring our cat free camper! The younger kids, teenagers, we're stirring around. Their parents were asleep. So I got my coffee went out in the backyard.  I was enjoying the Morning by myself, listening to the birds. Sarah had said there was a wren's nest under their gazebo. Then I saw three wrens. Odd! Why would there be three instead of just two? Then I saw four and then five then six and I said. aha! The little ones! The mature pair had lengthy tail feathers. They flitted about like acrobats. The little ones hop and fly and crash and fly a few feet. They were clumsy, awkward, untrained ... Today, of all days possible, was leave the nest day?!  And I was sitting there witnessing it. The mother and father were flitting about yelling it's time to go it's time to go!

Then, out of the corner of my left eye, he appeared. It's breakfast time. He watched for a couple of seconds and then he ran in. He caught one of the clumsy ones who managed to get into a fern looking for safety. And Charlie came back my direction with a mouthful of feathers. He disappeared behind the firewood pile and into the shrubbery. 

My thoughts turned to the 10. One by one they'll be leaving the nest. Yesterday, number one began his departure from the nest.  His parents have prepared him well. I pray for him and the other nine regularly. But, how many Charlies are there out there?! Fresh meat, they must think. Something new to steal kill and destroy. 

Three of the four immature wrens escaped to the woods!

No Invocation at the graduation. Everything except that?! Presentation of Colors. National Anthem. Awards. Nearly 500 diplomas giving out individually as the students' names were called. At least, the salutatorian, second smartest kid, gave credit to her heavenly Father, at some length! I guess it was okay for her to say what was on her heart and her salutatorian speech.

Pray for the little ones. Lord, send angels and surround them! And I don't mean the birds. Well, maybe a little bit, the birds too.

KNOW-IT-ALL

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV)

Limitless ocean of knowledge to be explored?!

Read Colliers Encyclopedia as child.

B.A. M.Th. ... A.A. ... multiple disciplines.

Only recently gave up this quest.

Bible book outlines?

Greek, Hebrew, Latin ...

Spiritual disciplines?

Mystical meandering?

Hallelujah hymns?

Quiet "free association"

Prayerful contemplation.

Books never read ...

Insights never known ...

Skills never mastered ...

Places never explored ...

Horizons never reached ...

Dishes never savored ...

Thoughts never pondered ...

Thrills never experienced ...

Troubles never endured ...

Sorrows never absorbed ...

Eternal opportunity?!

Forever young!

Know everything always?!

"Mind meld" with God?!

Near "nirvana"?

Will curiosity cease?

Will wonder wane?

Worship will awaken, as never before!

Eden restored.

God will smile...

Fill the Vacuum

 If one perceives no purpose in life, nor meaning for existence, then one can choose to fill the vacuum, or one can drift, or one can checkout...

With nor worthy purpose, one can fill his mind and time with seemingly important causes, but they only distract from the real meaning and purpose.

But, too often, seemingly harmless hobbies and pleasures are substitutions for true desire.

Or, one can fill the void with darkness, numbing and pointless, even destructive and enraging...

Finally, a purposeless life tailspins into the void.

Or, one can soar on eagle wings!

Choose REAL life!

Jesus said, ‭John 10:10 ESV‬

[10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

‭John 6:66-69 ESV‬

[66] After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. [67] So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” [68] Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, [69] and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”