Home is where the 5th Wheel is: February 2019

CLOSER THAN FAMILY

MUSINGS - February 26, 2019

CLOSER THAN FAMILY

Matthew 12:46-50

While Jesus was still talking to the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside. They wanted to talk to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and your brothers are standing outside. They want to talk to you." He replied to the man speaking to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing with his hand at his disciples, he said, "Look, here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother and sister and mother."

Throughout this chapter Jesus had been responding to the Pharisees. Now, however, he is talking to the crowd. And while he was still talking, still teaching, still preaching he was interrupted with news that his mother and brothers wanted to talk to him.

I have some trouble imaging what that interruption would be like, to be in the middle of delivering a sermon and be told that my family wanted to talk to me. Can you imagine this happening in your church, with your pastor being interrupted by family members who have cone to visit? How disrespectful that was to Jesus and the to the crowd! It would be as if what his family had to say was more important than his teachings.

Jesus made use of the interruption as he turned it into a teaching moment. "Whoever does what my Father in heaven wants is my brother and sister and mother."

Who is your family? Are they the ones who share the same DNA? Or are they those who share the same beliefs, hopes, and convictions? Are these closer than family?

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

2019 February 27 Wednesday

2019 February 27 Wednesday in Liberty Hill, Texas

48°and foggier than yesterday. It reached 80°!

That is a lot of fog!

It had been a while since we had berry to the laundromat.

Look at who was in the local newspaper.

There are a lot of happy honey bees in our little tree.

How nice to just sit and watch the sun set.

G'night and God bless.

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

2019 February 26 Tuesday

2019 February 26 Tuesday in Liberty Hill, and Georgetown, Texas

53°and foggy. The warmer weather is welcome even if it causes causes fog. It reached 71° under partly cloudy skies. Next Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday have predicted highs in the 40s and lows below freezeing.

The first stop on today's journey was the local physician's office for Ella's annual (Medicare mandated) wellness test. We will get results on her blood test later, but every other thing tested normal for a person of her age.

Do you see how crooked that picture in the exam room is? I did, and my OCD couldn't take it any more. I opened a bubble level app on my phone, and straightened the frame.

We arrived early enough at the Georgetown senior center to play five games of Fast Track. Ella won one. For lunch we had chicken Alfredo, spinach salad, and apple crisp. Some people also had cooked carrots. The severs failed to remove the foil from the top over one pan until latter. Because of that the first ones through the line received no carrots. I don't carrotall for cooked carrots so I did not go back when they were offered.

After lunch we returned home for a short while before Ella's therapy session in town.

Once the therapy was over, we returned home once more where Ella mixed some laundry detergent using felsnapa, borax, baking soda, and OxiClean.

Our last trip into town was to Cross Tracks Church for a prayer service. On a normalTuesday night we gather to pray for various healings of body, mind, and soul. We pray for our leaders from local to international. But this was not a typical Tuesday night. Today the United Methodist Church became United no longer. It has split 51 to 49 over the inclusion or exclusion of homosexuals in the church. No matter how you stand on the issue, it is sad to see the passing of an era in church history.

Another beautiful sunset. However, as soon as the sun had set, the clouds and fog rolled in.

G'night and God bless.

GO AND SIN NO MORE

MUSINGS - February 25, 2019
GO AND SIN NO MORE

Matthew 12:43-45
"When an evil spirit comes out of a person, it goes through dry places looking for a place to rest. But it doesn't find any. Then it says, 'I'll go back to the home I left.' When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean, and in order. Then it goes and brings along seven other spirits more evil than itself. They enter and take up permanent residence there. In the end the condition of that person is worse than it was before. That is what will happen to the evil people of this day."

Jesus was still speaking to the Pharisees, who had come asking for Jesus to do a miracle. He now explains what happens when the soul had been cleansed. He then warned that the freshly cleaned "house", if left empty, was like having a welcome mat and an unlocked door.

What does that teaching mean tho us? Do you remember the story of the woman caught in adultry? (John 8:2-11) The last thing Jesus said to her was, "Go and sin no more." Once we are freed from sin, we are to go and sin no more. But the reality is, it is humanly impossible to sin no more. Sin happens anytime that we choose our own will instead of following the will of God.

Sin literally means to miss the mark or wander from the path. Once we have been set back pin the correct path we need to stay on it. Fortunately, we have the Holy Spirit as our guide. And by having the Spirit indwelling we don't need to worry that our "house" had been left empty.

Monday, February 25, 2019

2019 February 25 Monday

2019 February 25 Monday in Liberty Hill, and Georgetown, Texas

37°and mostly cloudy.

Had lunch at the Georgetown senior center. 18 people for lunch today.

Sunset tonight, if the forecast is correct, it may be the last time we see the sun for a few day

Good night and God bless.

2019 February 24 Sunday

2019 February 24 Sunday in Liberty Hill, Cedar Park, and Georgetown, Texas

38°and cloudy then rose to 60 with a cold wings that Corolla the bones.

Church then Sunday school

https://youtu.be/gESFmLztwYg

Lunch and nap.

Visit woot Adam and Leigha

Then Tate's flag football game

That's all of the adventures for today.

G'night and God bless.

PRODUCE INSPECTOR

MUSINGS - February 24, 2019
PRODUCE INSPECTOR

Matthew 12:33-37
"Make a tree good, and then its fruit will be good. Or make a tree rotten, and then its fruit will be rotten. A person can recognize a tree by its fruit. You poisonous snakes! How can you evil people say anything good? Your mouth says what comes from inside you. Good people do the good things that are in them. But evil people do the evil things that are in them. "I can guarantee that on judgment day people will have to give an account of every careless word they say. By your words you will be declared innocent, or by your words you will be declared guilty." Jesus is here still speaking to the Pharisees who had claimed that he was casting out demons by the power of Beelzebul. He now tells them that you can tell what kind of tree it is by the fruit it produces.

Jesus, the tree of life, produces only good fruit. His fruit was that blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News. (Luke 7:22)

Jesus then accuses the Pharisees of producing rotten fruit and being poisones snakes that cause only harm to the people. "You burden people with loads that are hard to carry. But you won't lift a finger to carry any of these loads." (Luke 11:46)

I warn you, before you start judging other people's fruit, check your own produce. Are you helpful or harmful? Do you liftup or put down? Do you lighten the load or increase the burden? Are you a servant to others or a slaver? Only once you have honestly checked your own fruit for rot, can you begin to judge the fruit of others.

Saturday, February 23, 2019

2019 February 23 Saturday

2019 February 23 Saturday in Liberty Hill, Texas

40°and cloudy then rose to 72° under nearly cloudless skies. Very windy until nearly sundown.

I thought we were going to have a quite day at home with nothing to do and no where to go. I was only half right. Ella spent time this morning sorting and preparing her medications for the next several weeks. She called for refills and a short time later received a text saying that her meds were ready.

After coming home from our shopping trip yesterday, we realized that we had not purchased bread.

Since we were going back for the meds, we were going to get the bread also. $116 later (not including the meds) we left the store. Oh yes we bought the bread.

G'night and God bless.

UNFORGIVABLE SIN

MUSINGS - February 23, 2019 UNFORGIVABLE SIN

Matthew 12:30-32
"Whoever isn't with me is against me. Whoever doesn't gather with me scatters. So I can guarantee that people will be forgiven for any sin or cursing. However, cursing the Spirit will not be forgiven. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven in this world or the next.

There is a sin that will never be forgiven, not in this age (the world) nor the next (heaven). That is bad news. That is VERY BAD NEWS! God doesn't want to destroy anyone but wants all people to have an opportunity to turn to him and change the way they think and act. (2 Peter 3:9) However, Jesus makes it very clear that in this one instance there is NO forgiveness.

So what exactly is Jesus speaking about? We have to go back a few verses to Matthew 12:22-24. Jesus cured a demon possessed man who could neither see nor speak. When the Pharisees heard this, they accused Jesus of working through the power of an evil spirit. They at that point, spoke against (blasphemed) the Holy Spirit at work through Jesus. And that is the sin for which there it's no forgiveness.

2019 February 22 Friday

2019 February 22 Friday in Liberty Hill, Cedar Park, and Leander, Texas

46°and FOG instead of a sunrise.

And several hours later ...

At breakfast I peeled a tangerine and then realized how much it looked like a flower.

Driving into town for Ella's therapy at 11 and out was still foggy.

Strangely, with the same camera on video, there didn't appear to be as much fog.

After Ella's therapy we went to the Leander UMC for the monthly 50+ game day. We arrived early and the two of us played a game out Rummikube until more people arrived. Bill and Karen Linder to play Fast Track. We switched tho Fast Track and left others use our Rummikube game. The games got other around three o'clock.

I had one item to purchase at Costco. My VA doctor had recommended the Diabetes Health Pack from Costco for me. I

The dollar is just so you can judge the size

wanted to use our Costco rebate check for the purchase because we have decided to not renew our membership. Over the past year we have purchased very little, other than vitamins and supplements, at Costco. It no longer seems coast effective for us to renew the membership. Since we had not eaten lunch, I also purchased a pizza.

We also had a few grocery items that we needed that I didn't want to buy in bulk, so our next stop was Wal-Mart.

It was between 5:30 & 6:00 when we arrived home.

If there was a sunset photo opportunity, I missed it.

G'night and God bless.

Friday, February 22, 2019

BLIND AND MUTE

MUSINGS - February 22, 2019
BLIND AND MUTE

Matthew 12:22-29
Then some people brought Jesus a man possessed by a demon. The demon made the man blind and unable to talk. Jesus cured him so that he could talk and see. The crowds were all amazed and said, "Can this man be the Son of David?" When the Pharisees heard this, they said, "This man can force demons out of people only with the help of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons." Since Jesus knew what they were thinking, he said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself is ruined. And every city or household divided against itself will not last. If Satan forces Satan out, he is divided against himself. How, then, can his kingdom last? If I force demons out of people with the help of Beelzebul, who helps your followers force them out? That's why they will be your judges. But if I force demons out with the help of God's Spirit, then the kingdom of God has come to you. How can anyone go into a strong man's house and steal his property? First he must tie up the strong man. Then he can go through his house and steal his property.

What a poor man this was that was brought before our Lord. He could neither see nor speak and demon possessed as well. What a true example of the lost in every generation. The unsaved are blind to the glory of God and speak no praise to His name, all the while held in bondage by the evil one's deceits.

Jesus came to save all of us from the devil's grip. He opens the eyes of the spiritually and physically blind and loosens the tongue physically and spiritually so that we may sing praises to God.

BE CAREFUL HOW YOU JUDGE

MUSINGS - February 21, 2019

BE CAREFUL HOW YOU JUDGE

Matthew 12:14-21
The Pharisees left and plotted to kill Jesus. He knew about this, so he left that place. Many people followed him, and he cured all of them. He also ordered them not to tell people who he was. So what the prophet Isaiah had said came true: "Here is my servant whom I have chosen, whom I love, and in whom I delight. I will put my Spirit on him, and he will announce justice to the nations. He will not quarrel or shout, and no one will hear his voice in the streets. He will not break off a damaged cattail. He will not even put out a smoking wick until he has made justice victorious. The nations will have hope because of him."

As we read yesterday, Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, breaking the rabbinical law, which was punishable by death. He had also, in their eyes, committed blasphemy by claiming that he was Lord of the Sabbath. They wanted to kill him so he left the synagogue and many people followed him. Imagine if a person came into your church, did something they you consider sacrilegious, and then left, taking most of the congregation with him. Do you now understand how the synagogue leaders felt? You would, most likely, be outraged and filled with hate towards that person who was leading so many people away from what you believe to be the true and righteous path.

Before we judge the religious leaders of that day, maybe we should take a look at our own prejudices toward other denominations and sects. Remove the log from our own eyes. (Matthew 7:5)

WHEN IS IT RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT?

MUSINGS - February 20, 2019
WHEN IS IT RIGHT TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT?

Matthew 12:1-13
Then on a day of worship Jesus walked through the grainfields. His disciples were hungry and began to pick the heads of grain to eat. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, "Look! Your disciples are doing something that is not right to do on the day of worship." Jesus asked them, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his men were hungry? Haven't you read how he went into the house of God and ate the bread of the presence? He and his men had no right to eat those loaves. Only the priests have that right. Or haven't you read in Moses' Teachings that on the day of worship the priests in the temple do things they shouldn't on the day of worship yet remain innocent? I can guarantee that something greater than the temple is here. If you had known what 'I want mercy, not sacrifices' means, you would not have condemned innocent people. "The Son of Man has authority over the day of worship."

Jesus moved on from there and went into a synagogue. A man with a paralyzed hand was there. The people asked Jesus whether it was right to heal on a day of worship so that they could accuse him of doing something wrong. Jesus said to them, "Suppose one of you has a sheep. If it falls into a pit on a day of worship, wouldn't you take hold of it and lift it out? Certainly, a human is more valuable than a sheep! So it is right to do good on the day of worship." Then he said to the man, "Hold out your hand." The man held it out, and it became normal again, as healthy as the other.

To help with understanding why the religious leaders were upset with Jesus and his disciples you need to know that, historically, there are thirty nine categories of work that are forbidden on the Sabbath. These regulations of labor have something in common – they prohibit any activity that is creative or that exercises control or dominion over one's environment. I had a rabbi explain it by giving an example. If I were to move a chair around within the room in which it is located, I would not have worked, because I created nothing new. However, if I were to move the chair to another room, I would have changed the environment of both rooms, creating something new and that would be considered work.

By removing the grain from the plant the disciples had "created something new." And when Jesus healed on the Sabbath he had broken the rabbinical law, which was punishable by death.

And when he proclaimed, "The Son of Man has authority over the day of worship." He was claiming a divine right, that it's to do what only God can do. In essence he was saying that It always right to do that which is merciful, even if it goes against the Law.

Many centuries before, the prophet Micah declared, "You mortals, the LORD has told you what is good. This is what the LORD requires from you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to live humbly with your God." This it's exactly what Jesus was doing, showing mercy.

NO UNEMPLOYED

MUSINGS - February 19, 2019
NO UNEMPLOYED

Matthew 11:25-30
At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for hiding these things from wise and intelligent people and revealing them to little children. Yes, Father, this is what pleased you. "My Father has turned everything over to me. Only the Father knows the Son. And no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son is willing to reveal him. "Come to me, all who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest. Place my yoke over your shoulders, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble. Then you will find rest for yourselves because my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

I read this scripture, before I accepted the forgiveness of God's gift of love and restoration, and it frightened me. I didn't understand the truth of "Place my yoke over your shoulders." I imagined a heavy wooden yoke placed upon my shoulders eggs then being forced to pull a plow or a wagon with a huge load in it. Now, having accepted the gift off salvation, I realize that I previously had my own yoke on my shoulders and was pulling that load alone. With Jesus's yoke, we are sharing the load and he is doing nearly all of the work.

Make no mistake, in the kingdom of God there are no unemployed. Every Christian had a duty to perform. However, Christ is with us doing all of the heavy lifting.

FISH IN AN AQUARIUM

MUSINGS - February 18, 2019
FISH IN AN AQUARIUM

Matthew 11:16-24

"How can I describe the people who are living now? They are like children who sit in the marketplaces and shout to other children, 'We played music for you, but you didn't dance. We sang a funeral song, but you didn't show any sadness.' "John came neither eating nor drinking, and people say, 'There's a demon in him!' The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, 'Look at him! He's a glutton and a drunk, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' "Yet, wisdom is proved right by its actions."

Then Jesus denounced the cities where he had worked most of his miracles because they had not changed the way they thought and acted. "How horrible it will be for you, Chorazin! How horrible it will be for you, Bethsaida! If the miracles worked in you had been worked in Tyre and Sidon, they would have changed the way they thought and acted long ago in sackcloth and ashes. I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to heaven? No, you will go down to hell! If the miracles that had been worked in you had been worked in Sodom, it would still be there today. I can guarantee that judgment day will be better for Sodom than for you."

Jesus came tho seek the sinners and did what the "religious" people would not, he went to where the sinners were. Our only makes sense. If you were going to catch fish you wouldn't build an aquarium and expect the fish to come to you, would you? No. You would get in your boat and cast your line or your net, right?

Then why do so many Christians think that, if we construct a church building, that the lost will come flooding in? Are we afraid to be seen associating with "tax collectors"?

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son listens to his father's discipline, but a mocker does not listen to reprimands.

Be wise.

WHAT DID YOU GO TO SEE?

MUSINGS - February 17, 2019

WHAT DID YOU GO TO SEE?

Matthew 11:7-15

As they were leaving, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. "What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind? Really, what did you go to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Those who wear fine clothes are in royal palaces. "Really, what did you go to see? A prophet? Let me tell you that he is far more than a prophet. John is the one about whom Scripture says, 'I'm sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way in front of you.' "I can guarantee this truth: Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John. From the time of John the Baptizer until now, the kingdom of heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful people have been seizing it. All the Prophets and Moses' Teachings prophesied up to the time of John. If you are willing to accept their message, John is the Elijah who was to come. Let the person who has ears listen!

Jesus asked the crowd why they took the time and trouble to go all the way into the wilderness. It was not for the scenery. They went to see John. They didn't go to him because he dressed like a rich man or a ruler. They didn't go to see a confused man who changed his mind and his message. He was not like a reed blowing in the wind. His message remained the same. That message was to make themselves ready for the Kingdom of God.

When Jesus said, "Let the person who has ears listen!" he was telling them to really think deeply about what he was saying. If they would understand that John was Elijah, then Jesus was the Messiah and the King in that Kingdom of God.

I will ask, why do people go to church? Do they go for the spectacle, to be entertained? Do they go to be seen by other people as religious people? Do they go to raise their status in the community? Do they go to listen and learn? Do they go expecting an encounter with God?

Now I ask, why do you go to church?

DOUBT AND VERIFICSTION

MUSINGS - February 16, 2019
DOUBT AND VERIFICATION

Matthew 11:1-6

After Jesus finished giving his twelve disciples these instructions, he moved on from there to teach his message in their cities. When John was in prison, he heard about the things Christ had done. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the one who is coming, or should we look for someone else?" Jesus answered John's disciples, "Go back, and tell John what you hear and see: Blind people see again, lame people are walking, those with skin diseases are made clean, deaf people hear again, dead people are brought back to life, and poor people hear the Good News. Whoever doesn't lose his faith in me is indeed blessed."

Read John 1:29-36 and you'll find John's revelation that Jesus is the Son of God. He even spread the news that he had seen the proof with his own eyes. And Jesus will testify that, "Of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John the Baptizer." (Matthew 11:11) Yet this great man, from his prison cell asked, "Are you the one?"

As strange as it may seem, John's doubt gives me faith. If a great man like John the Baptizer had questioned his own belief, then lesser people, like myself, who have doubts and questions, are free to question Jesus. Jesus didn't condemn him for his questioning. He sent him proof. Jesus will do the same for us.
Lord, I believe. Forgive my unbelief. Amen.