REDEFINING RACIAL RECONCILIATION

       

               

Years ago we attended a church led by a pastor of Latino ancestry.  He didn't want to be considered Mexican American.  He said, "I'm just Mike."  So anyone who was born in America is just an American.  Today on World Magazine Darrell B. Harrison and Virgil Walker were interviewed.  To hear the truth about racial reconciliation watch the You Tube above or listen to this podcast.

ONLY 9 YEARS TO SAVE THE PLANET FROM CLIMATE CHANGE OR WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE— NOT

How to green the world's deserts and reverse climate change/ Allan Savory

My mom was the greatest recycler I've ever known.  I remember one time, during a visit to my parents place in Hornbrook, CA, that my mom had saved so many packing peanuts that the bed of the old Dodge truck was quite full of various containers of them.  My mom, dad, niece Jennifer, and son Jes drove miles and miles to take them to a recycler who wanted them.  Other family stories include these -My great aunt and great uncle, Aunty and Beanie, polished their teeth with a clean handkerchief instead of using a toothbrush and toothpaste.  My dad straightened used nails and saved them in saved tin cans.  My youngest brother, Wayne, carried a reusable water container before everyone started buying water in plastic bottles.  One time a child of some of our friends tossed a pop can into Coeur D'Alene Lake.  I told him he was a litterbug.  He grew up to work in water quality.  

As Biblical Christians we read in God's Word Genesis 1:28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” -- So we are to subdue the earth.  But that doesn't mean we worship "Mother Nature" or fear that God will allow us to destroy the earth.  We have no worries that the earth will be destroyed in 9 years and that we will die.  God has told us what he will do with the earth in His time ( Revelation 21:1-27.)  We have free will.  We can go along with God's plan or we can rebel against it.  Here is a link to a blog I found quite informative written by one of Jes's high school friends on this subject.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY

Heather and Jes 1978

For many years I have enjoyed watching Hallmark Christmas movies in July.  They bring out my good will and cheer.  And every year in July Chris remarks that when the Seahawks start training Christmas is here.  This year it doesn't seem like Christmas at all.  Yes, there are Hallmark Christmas movies showing all month, the Seahawks are attempting to figure out how to train--  but, and this time in our nation is more difficult than ever-- we are dealing with Covid 19, race riots, anarchy, and bad will to those who disagree with our beliefs.  

So how is a Christian to deal with all of this?  We opine as Longfellow wrote-- And in despair I bowed my head; "There is no peace on earth," I said; "For hate is strong, And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: "God is not dead, nor doth he sleep! The Wrong shall fail, the Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men.

So we put on our masks, (Heather is wearing a mask in the picture above as she had a cold), we go out and do good, and we pray.  God will prevail!

NOTHING IS WHAT IT SEEMS

Chris ready for his walk. Photo by Bobbi.

 My great grandmother, Janet or Jeannette, died in 1918.  I thought she may have contracted the 1918 Spanish flu.  Jennifer, my niece, found a death certificate for her.  She died of pneumonia.  I wondered if my grandmother had written a diary then.  I would like to know what she thought about that difficult time.  

My great uncle Ross also died in 1918.  He died of pneumonia with influenza with a contributing factor of symptoms of tuberculosis. Because of similar deaths and the conflicts we are going through in our present day, I decided to write a blog giving a few details about 2020.  Future generations may be interested.

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In 1918 the world was fighting World War I.  Suddenly a pandemic set in.  The war was ended as there were so many deaths there were not enough soldiers to fight. The Spanish flu was a blessing and a curse.

Now in 2020 we are in a double whammy difficult time again.  We have the coronavirus sweeping the world.  Because of this we are required to wear masks and to social distance.  Businesses are closed.  The economy is failing.  Unemployment has sky rocketed.  No one is able to have a salon haircut or a restaurant meal. 

To add to the chaos the peaceful protesters against racism have been replaced by anarchists.  They have turned their wrath loose on society.  There is rioting and looting.  Cities have been burned down.  Historical statues and monuments are defaced and torn down. Police and citizens are injured and killed. A six block area in downtown Seattle has been seized and turned in to a no police zone.  Explosions and gunshots are heard day and night.  Business owners are kicked out.  The mayor and city council are ineffective.  Many are crying out to God in prayer for help.

It looks like all is lost.  What does it all mean?  Do we know what is true? I believe the only place to look for answers is into God's word.

II Timothy 3:1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. 

Then after all of this when Jesus comes back -- Hebrews 9:28 So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

The times do not look hopeful now but in a little while Jesus will be here to set things right.

JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN

In Sunday school I learned this song: 

"Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world."

This is what my parents believed.  I did too.  We were never confronted with racism until we moved to Virginia when I was in 4th grade in 1952.  

I noticed some old city buses parked on a lot across the street from our house.  It looked like people were living in the buses.  (My brother Jay thought the life style great. He always wanted to be "self contained," and to "live on wheels.")  Later I found out that the kids were not allowed to go to the "white" schools.  The case was taken to court.  In 1961 our first black student enrolled in our high school.  Above is the interview of Rayfield Barber recorded at the 1996 reunion.

Galatians 3: 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[g] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise.

HOPE

Helpers offer water and prayer as they clean up after the riots.

Yesterday some offered water, prayer, and help cleaning up.  Watch video above. 

TO FIND JOY

Evil-- how do we deal with it?  In a cruel, unfeeling act, a policeman killed George Floyd in Minneapolis this week.  I'm praying that justice will be swift. But now looters, anarchists, thugs, and criminals are spreading the evil by burning down and annihilating several U.S. cities.  One person has been shot and killed.  Small business owners have lost everything.  What does this solve?  Nothing.  These evil acts are uncalled for and lead to more pain.

My first thought when I heard about all of this was to call for Christians to pray and seek God to move in combating this evil.  My second thought was that these people were created in God's image.  They all need Jesus.  They need to hear about His Kingdom, His righteousness, His Honor, and His glory, and most of all about His precious blood being shed for their sins.  The only way to joy is through Jesus.

Above is a You Tube previewing how C.S. Lewis came to faith.  It was preformed in 2019.  If it comes to a stage near you I recommend checking it out.  I pray that many will trust in Jesus before it is too late. This is the only way to combat evil and to find joy.