Tend Your Garden: Post #8

Thistle
Photo By: Chandra Brown

"As is the garden, such is the gardener. A man's nature runs either to herbs or weeds." -Francis Bacon

I made a goal for my winter garden, eliminate a five gallon bucket full of weeds a day until the over growth was under control. I started in the East corner of the yard and worked slowly, inch by inch, towards the West corner.  By day three the weed problem was under control. The work wasn't tedious by any means, the soil was soft so the roots came out with ease as I dug deep in the soil. The sun shining on my face was welcomed as I methodically performed the task at hand with a mind set of constancy.  This pace lead to a quiet, pleasant state of solitude.

I found myself thinking about how much growth took place during a season when plants usually rest. The warmth and moisture we've experienced in these winter months have tricked plants into early propagation.  Winter's cruelty was soon felt; frost came not too long after the deceptive incubating environment. Weeds seemed impervious to this blight but more delicate plants like my hyacinth would die at frosts' first snap.

It was almost as if the weeds growing in healthy abundance were taunting the more delicate, seasonal plants to reveal themselves too early as an iniquitous jest, knowing all too well their final fate. I looked closely at the weeds in my bucket, they were large, green and plump; they stayed that way days after I pulled them. The hyacinth, still in the safe haven of the ground, were wilted with deaths' black mark on the edges of the flower petals.

A fleeting sadness was lifted as I studied the make up of the hyacinth. It may have suffered a few battle wounds but deep down, nestled snugly in the soil was its hidden glory. The energy reserves held in the bulb would come back to fight another day by sending another flower in the proper time.

It is true, "as is the garden, such is the gardener." I've had a recent bout with tending to those nasty, unwanted weeds that want to take root and sneer at you. A deceptive environment was letting them grow quickly, but thank goodness, I have a Master Gardner in my corner. He warned me to what was happening and told me what was required before the ground was lay waste.

Sure, a few petals have been frayed, wounds have left their mark but deep down and because of God's faithfulness, I know His plans will triumph.

Psalms 130: 3,4
Ephesians 4:32

Emerging Hyacinth
Photo By: Chandra Brown

Let's Be Clear About Fresh Water

Have you ever had a moment when reading articles on a subject, something just doesn't sit right with you, so you read them again and stop to think about why they rubbed you the wrong way. Most of the time you can let it go and move on but this particular statement keeps nudging me in the side. It will even creep into my thoughts in order to spur me on in researching why I don't like it. So here goes my little rant on why the statement, 'fresh water is finite' irritated me enough to write about it.

First, I must clarify a few things to help give context to my reasoning on this issue. Let's start with the definition of finite.

Finite: Having limits or bounds. Synonyms: limited, determinate, fixed, restricted. "There is a finite amount of water in the system."

On the surface, the statement, 'fresh water is finite' is true. So why did these articles irritate me when they were discussing this fact.  After researching the water cycle and other science related facts about water, it hit me, it wasn't the actual statement that irritated me it was the context the statement was being used in.

Many articles subtly discussed the issue as if the last drop of fresh water was literally at the end of the barrel and mankind was on the brink of extinction. Some even vaguely mentioned population control as being a solution to our water problem. Others were a little less dramatic but used an emotional based slant for their argument to save the world. I smelled an agenda at hand by using a surface truth to manipulate an outcome.  See this article for reference. Note: I do not reject the problem solving needed in order for civilization to be responsible users of natural resources, I can just do without the fear mongering and half-truths which make you feel bad about using what God created for our benefit. I like to remind readers that God made it very clear He RENEWS (this word connotes an ongoing process) the earth, something we should rejoice in and give due respect to.

Setting agendas and politics aside, let me explain why I call it a surface truth. I call it a surface truth because there is more to the story that goes beyond finite boundaries and shows a miraculous truth so encompassing we should sit in awe of it. It's simple in it's beauty, complex in its' vast details, it is observable and plain to see, so reliable yet we can easily loose our focus on the entire truth and just focus on the surface truth which tends to lead to stagnation.

Fresh water is limited but God made a water cycle so intricate it is renewed daily, monthly, yearly. In fact, it has kept decades and centuries of populations going despite its' mis-use and abuse. I always take a stance towards being responsible and smart with what God has given us, we should always be mindful of the errors finite humans tend to succumb to concerning the natural resources God provides without fail.

Notice how I said finite humans. Water may have finite attributes but God designed and provided the water system to produce exactly what is needed in the past, present and future. An infinite God made this 'finite' system work the way He did with precision and as God tends to do, with an element of need, so the finite humans will learn to trust and follow His ways. It really is a beautiful picture of His amazing love and mercy for humankind.

I have to go off on a tangent here. When I observe the many ways in which God's system delivers fresh water to the earth I am awed by the beauty He made sure to work into His plan. Look at the many ways he shows His glory; vapor, mist, rain, sleet, snow and ice through the processes of evaporation, condensation, precipitation and transpiration where the water goes through a filtration process and comes out clean every time.  I also think of Romans 1:19-20, which states God's truth is plain for all to see through what He made, yet this is suppressed and ignored (my translation). In our day and age of Science and Nature worship, the water cycle has been one of those truths that has begun to be mishandled for ulterior purposes.

Since propaganda has its' grip on the definition of water I'd like to extend what I think of as a less muddled, closer to the whole truth definition of water.  I hope this makes things clear.

Fresh water in its pre-determined quota is infinitely renewable (despite the plethora of variances it experiences through its cycle). Fresh water is a miracle.

The definition of the word miracle according to the WWW is, "an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs." Maybe it's a stretch to some people to call fresh water a miracle but I'll let you be the judge of that. Read this well written description of the water cycle by Jeannette Walls from her book Half Broke Horses, a memoir of her families life as Ranchers (Ranchers tend to know how nature works) and you make the call.

"Sometimes over supper, when Jim got home after a storm, the kids would describe their escapades in the water and mud, and Jim would recount his vast store of water lore and water history. Once the world was nothing but water, he explained, and you wouldn't think it to look at us, but human beings were mostly water. The miraculous thing about water, he said, was that it never came to an end. All the water on the earth had been here since the beginning of time, it had just moved around rivers and lakes and oceans to clouds and rain and puddles and then sunk through the soil to underground streams, to springs, and wells, where it got drunk by people and animals and went back to rivers and lakes and oceans.

The water you kids were playing in, he said, had probably been to Africa and the North Pole. Genghis khan or Saint Peter or even Jesus himself might have drunk it. Cleopatra might have bathed in it. Crazy Horse might have watered his pony with it. Sometimes water was liquid. Sometimes it was rock hard-ice. Sometimes it was soft-snow. Sometimes it was visible but weightless- clouds. And sometimes it was completely invisible-vapor- floating up into the sky like the souls of dead people. There was nothing like water in the world, Jim said. It made the desert bloom but also turned rich bottom land into swamp. Without it we'd die, but it could also kill us, and that was why we loved it, even craved it, but also feared it. Never take water for granted, Jim said. Always cherish it. Always beware of it."

Further Reading on Water

Green Builders Journal, Water-An Infinite Or Finite Resource? by Herb Gardner

Science in the Bible: The Water Cycle by Cheri Fields

Psalms 135:7

Ecclesiastes 1:7

Ecclesiastes 11:3a

Amos 9:6b

Jeremiah 10:13

Isaiah 55:8-11

Job 36:27-28

Job 37: 16

Job 38:16

Genesis 1:1

Remember how I mentioned humans were finite? Take this into consideration, our infinite God who designed the water cycle for beneficial purposes also designed humans for a purpose. Can you guess what that purpose is? If you read my blog, the word relationship may be a clue, a relationship with eternal benefits.

THIS IS AWESOME. GOD'S PEOPLE (ISRAEL) USING HIS RESOURCE WISELY!
Must Read: Let There Be Water

Backwards Comet

My daughter and I have been reading Inspired Evidence, Only One Reality by Julie Von Vett and Bruce Malone for our morning jump start for school. It is written in the form of a daily devotional and it's main focus is Science.

September 10th's entry really got our 'geek' going. The subject matter is Cosmology and the topic was evidence for the formation of the Universe by our Creator God.

The widely accepted theory for the beginning of the Universe is the Big Bang Theory; The Nebula Hypothesis is the widely accepted theory for the formation of the Solar System and Planetary Bodies, both are heavily set in the evolutionary belief system.

The Nebula Theory in a nutshell
"In this model, a giant cloud in space made up of mainly spinning, ionized gas with a magnetic field is believed to have pulled together by gravity into the sun, planets and other objects in our solar system." 

In order for this model to work, the results should show the planetary objects orbiting in the same direction. 

The discovery of a comet defying the Nebular Hypothesis gave astrophysicists a puzzling dilemma. This iconoclast is called 'Dracula' (2008 KV42) and it was orbiting backwards around the sun, something that should not be possible according to the widely held theory. At first the scientists thought they were mistaken but another backwards orbiting comet was showing supportive evidence that what they were seeing was not a single anomaly, it's name is 2002- XU93. 

Photo By: Elsie esq.
Halley at Perihelion

This information (although old in the science world, but new to me) makes this science nerd really excited.  First, there are holes in the Nebula Theory that when scrutinized only helps point towards a creation model; one of which is, The Law of Conservation of Angular Momentum. The law can be described by the movement of spinning.  When a dancer or ice skater begins to spin with open arms (the birth of a spin) it is a slow movement, as they keep turning (youth) they bring their arms closer into their body causing the spin to speed up and the radius of the circle to become smaller. If the formation of the Solar System began with a large cloud of dust spinning and using gravity to create planetary bodies the result should be fast spinning bodies. For general information, scientists believe the Sun to be a slow rotating body and the planets faster rotating bodies in a Universe thought to be very old; in order for that statement to be fact according to the Nebula Theory, the Sun should be on a faster rotation schedule.  (For further detailed explanation on this matter click here)

All this information just makes my head swim, thoughts are pinging off my brain at an amazing speed, there is so much to write about concerning the realm of Science, but I'll refrain and save that for another post. 

If you clicked on all the links and read the material, I hope you can see the evidence points strongly towards the honesty found in Hebrews 11:3- " BY FAITH, we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." 

I am rejoicing in Psalms 33:9 - "for He SPOKE, and it came to be; He commanded and it stood firm."

Pagan Nation

Our family just got back from a wonderful vacation at Disney World and now my daughter is on Spring Break from school. We've been filling recent time with a little fun I would say.

These back to back fun filled excursions have broken us from the normal routine. We are somewhat sheltered from what goes on in the world, some of this is intentional. We just don't like the rat race and the keeping up with the Joneses and the constant go, go, go. I always joke I'm going to be the grandma that doesn't know how to work the newest techno gadget and I can't wait to call whatever it is "that darn new fangled thing." 

By: HikingArtist.com

This post is titled Pagan Nation. Pagan means country dweller or heathen, and the word usually conjures up scenes of ancient civilizations harvesting crops and their seasonal festivals and feasts celebrated by sacrifice to their gods. America has its own form of Pagan worship through the guise of taking care of the Earth and depicting humans as thoughtless inhabitors who abuse it but can save it if they change and make the effort to make a difference. The worship doesn't have to be in the form of witches, spells and Hollywood antics. It is an I'm alright your alright everything goes mentality with a focus on nature. (Just look up paganism on google and there's a wealth of information) it doesn't take much anymore to show the Pagan slant our country takes.

Disney World is family oriented and has a rhythm of its own. You do feel time has its own beat and you do not focus too much on what is outside the property line when you are there. My daughter, husband and I were walking along the lake at Epcot leisurely licking the caramel, ginger ice cream we found from the Japanese pagoda nestled among the various restaurants depicting countries of the world. It was dark and that nights fireworks show was about to begin. We parked our tushes under a large fire lit lantern and began to watch the show unfold. It was an amazing show with fireworks reflecting on the lake. Something told me to pay attention to what the announcer said as the details of the show unraveled. I was just happy seeing all the amazing pyrotechnics and wasn't really interested in the narration but I was glad I payed attention. The announcer mentioned how communities around the world gathered around the bonfire and a large barge in the middle of the lake burst into flames and all the lanterns along the lake shot out their fire high into the sky. The announcer proceeded to talk about the earth as a big ball glided into the center of the lake and opened up to reveal more fire and fireworks. The announcer mentioned healing the earth and a few other things that give everyone a feel good message about our duty to come together through community to take care of the earth. Frankly, it was a big production that sickened me. My dad was standing next to me and I leaned over to his ear and told him, "I'm sick of all this Earth worship I see everywhere."  The ice cream just wasn't enjoyable after that.

I just got home from taking my daughter to see The Lorax. We laughed and giggled and had a great time, but I found myself warning her of the messages of indoctrination throughout the film. The overall message was a decent one but the anti-capitalist, humans destroy everything message was loud and sung clearly throughout the show. I remember warning her about the same 'humans stink' message in Wall-E, another annoying film depicting the human race as fat, lazy, stupid idiots who destroy earth.

And to think our kids are bombarded day in and day out with this message. Ive seen this collective minded 'save the world' message in various forms and degrees in schools, businesses, ads, games etc. I know this is why people so blindly shrug it off because it is blanketed within every aspect of our life. Some may not care and go on with girders on, some still don't care and can't even see the spiritual deception of it all and some do know and teach their children as I do.

I am smiling right now as God brings to memory what he showed me a few weeks back in Psalms 104. (I blogged about it) Do you see the wonderful teaching hand of God as I do? He made something I knew (the fact He is in control and is the sustainer of the Earth and all that is in it) so real through the teaching experiences at Epcot and The Lorax. If I wasn't paying attention at those moments, I wouldn't be praising God right now for all He is and does. This gave me an opportunity to worship HIM and to praise HIM for the glorious handiwork I live in and enjoy. If only the world would get it right and worship the one who Created the Earth instead of the Earth itself, what a difference that would make!

What are some every day examples you've noticed of Pagan worship?

 

Juicing: The Fountain of Youth

Throughout history, quests for the fountain of youth have intrigued civilization. The Greek "Father of History" Herodotus gave mention to a life giving spring thought to be located in Ethiopia. Alexander the Great was mythically associated with discovering the waters after an arduous journey over the Land of Darkness. India lays their claim at the foot of a mountain in Pollombe. The tale I usually relate to the fountain of youth is Conquistador Juan Ponce De Leon's travels to the Caribbean. He ended up landing in Florida and the legend grew.

The fountain of youth is a picture of human striving to live the life of Eden. It is not only a picture of being forever young but to live forever feeling like we are young.

So how does all this talk about the Fountain of Youth have anything to do with juicing? These are two totally different liquids so what is the correlation?

First, let's talk about the typical American diet, it consists of mainly cooked and over-cooked, preservative filled, manufactured food that our body sees as a foreign substance. According to Max Planck and Francis Pottinger a human being should eat at the MINIMUM 51% of every meal RAW for health. They found that eating less than 51% triggers leukocytosis, a function the body implements when it senses an invader or imbalance.  This function stock piles white blood cells and the outcome is to attack, but in the case of improper diet the attack is on healthy tissue. This causes inflammation and if left unchanged long enough spirals into disease. This explains the degenerate diet of America and why there is a disease list a mile long in a nut shell.

When we take the time to juice, it condenses the nutrient rich vitamin, minerals and enzymes from the RAW organic vegetables into a powerful liquid that when consumed  is immediately absorbed through the stomach lining and sent through the blood stream healing, repairing and boosting the cells that support organs and systems within the body.

Juicing brings balance and restoration to hungry cells. Plant based minerals, enzymes, proteins and vitamins react beautifully within the body almost as if they were links in a chain that when attached to each other make a strong unbreakable barrier from disease. I also have to give a huge nod to properly bred and fed Animal based products and by products as well. I never advocate extremes, there is balance in all God given food sources that when utilized in moderation should produce health.

So here it comes, the correlation between the fountain of youth and juicing is this; God has given us the tools from the very beginning for health, for longevity, for energy. He even says it in Genesis 1: 29 " Behold, (this word is meant to grab your attention) I have given you every herb bearings seed, which is on the face of the earth, and every tree, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat...(verse 30) wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat." Verse 31 and God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good."

NOTE: Humans and every living animal were meant to eat PLANTS. It wasn't until the Fall of man (Genesis 3) that meat entered the diet. I believe meat and animal by products are God's provision to sustain man during this time of Grace and when the Restoration of the Earth is complete we will revert back to a full plant based diet.

My point is this, and it's a simple one. One doesn't have to search far and wide for the legendary fountain of youth, it may be as close as your back yard garden or a drive to your local organic farmer's market.

Note of Interest: I love the fact there was a literal pool of healing mentioned in the Bible. The reference is found in John 5:1-5. The Pool of Bethesda was stirred by an angel and the first person to touch the water was healed of their malady. (No legend here, just fact!) Christ also healed a lame man at this location.

What is your favorite juicing combination? How has juicing helped your health?

Have A Blessed Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!

I have done a lot of reading about Christmas and its history this year. It has been quite a trip down timeline lane. The details are fascinating regarding how we got to our mixed, modern celebration; some things represent Christ and others are taken from pagan rituals, it is an interesting mix of world wide traditions. During my reading I came across an article that discussed how the word "Merry" has changed over the centuries in meaning. The author of the article, Sharon, writes "the word merry does not refer an excess of seasonal good cheer, nor yet to drunkenness. Those meanings date from the 14th century onwards. However, the original meaning of merry was pleasing or agreeable." Since I like words and how they are used (and I've been liberal with a few myself) I thought this was something to take notice of.

I sat down to begin reading the true account of why we celebrate Christmas. I started in Luke chapter 1 and got to verse 48 and stopped on the word 'blessed'. It was underlined meaning there was some more to learn about that word, so I read the text note and was pleasantly surprised that the meaning of this word had a profound effect on what Mary meant when she said, "from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed." It was not as I always assumed that word to mean, when I think of the word 'blessed' I think of happiness, material blessing, favor (even the dictionary says that) but the way Mary used the word showed she wasn't talking about how we would look back on her with a view of luckiness or happiness but that she was obedient and submissive to the will of God in her life and she endured in peaceful satisfaction . Her FAITH was what she was talking about. She knew she was going to go down in Biblical history just like Abraham, Isaac, David, the Prophets because she was willing to do whatever God had planned for her life. The neat thing is we can be called 'blessed' too if we choose to do the same.

Since the description of the word  'blessed' in the Hebrew Greek Study Bible is too good to not share I am copying the entire lesson for reference. Note the highlighted red parts are important.

"This verse contains one of the most misunderstood words of the N.T. It is the word makarios, used repeatedly in the Beatitudes. The verb of the adjectival noun makarios, "blessed," is used here. The translation says, "all generations shall call me blessed, " but the Greek says makariousi, the Attic future of makarizo, which in reality means "they shall bless me." But since the meaning of makarios is to be indwelt by God and thereby to be fully satisfied, the Virgin Mary was declaring that because she was indwelt by God, this fact was going to be recognized and declared by generations to come. In connection with the meaning of the word makarios, note that in verse 45 it states, "And blessed is she that believed." Makaria (feminine) is what Elizabeth called her cousin Mary when she saw her and realized she was indwelt by God. If you go, however, to vs. 42, you will find that the word translated "blessed" there is not makaria, but is a totally different word, eulogemene, which in its literal meaning is "eulogized, well spoken of." The verb eulogeo is the more commonly used verb in the N.T. of the two verbs: makarizo, "to be declared as indwelt by God and therefore fully satisfied," and eulogeo, "to speak well of" When we bless (eulogeo) God we are speaking well of Him which is equal to praising or thanking Him. When, however, we ask God to bless us or speak well of us, we are asking Him not merely to approve our plans but to interfere in our lives. God's words are God's actions. Therefore, there is a very definite distinction between these two words. The verb makarizo occurs only in Luke 1:48 and Js. 5:11 in which it is totally mistranslated as "we count them happy which endure." Happiness has absolutely nothing to do with makariotes, 'blessedness," an inner quality granted by God. The word "happiness" in its equivalent on Greek and as used in the Classics, eudaimon and eutuches, "lucky" never occurs in the N.T. The Lord never promised happiness, good luck, or favorable circumstances to the believer but makariotes, "blessedness". This means His indwelling and the consequent peace and satisfaction to the believer no matter what the circumstances may be. Js. 5:11 should be translated, "Behold, we recognize those who endured as blessed," that is to say, having been indwelt by God and in Him finding their full satisfaction in spite of their suffering."

With that I leave you with a 'new' salutation: Have a pleasant Christmas and may many opportunities present themselves through circumstances to humble and submit yourself to God so he may be active in transforming you in the New Year!

In Praise Of Good Teachers

In light of all my posts containing the negative aspect of Americas' vast education system, I felt it was necessary to add some balance and highlight some of the qualities within the system; good teachers.

Clara Barton by: Umbricht

Think of your school years and I'm sure the teachers who made an impact on you are the ones that pop in your mind first. I'd love to hear stories of those teachers that made a difference in your life or in your children's lives. You know I'm gonna tell you a few of mine.

Mrs. Kurtz, The Curt

Elementary teachers deserve " Blown Out Nerve But Still Kickin" awards. Dealing with 18 or more students with wiggles and pent-up energy for 6-8 hours a day and trying to pass important foundational knowledge that will be retained is a skill I marvel at. Mrs. Kurtz was my third and fourth grade English teacher. I laugh at her humor now but as a kid we just didn't get it at first. She was going to help us learn proper usage, grammar and manners come hell or high water. She wouldn't let anything slip by her, not even when we were asking to use the bathroom. Every day without fail a kid would raise their hand and ask, "Can I go to the bathroom?" and without fail she would respond, "I don't know, can you?" The kid would look bewildered and she would then tell them the correct way to ask, "MAY I go to the restroom?"   After about a semester of correcting, the kids finally understood that proper usage of words makes the sentence change. I learned from Mrs. Kurtz, words and how you use them make a difference.
She also made her class fun by bringing in Ads from the local newspaper that had grammatical or spelling mistakes. If we could point them out we got extra credit. It was also a good lesson that even professionals and adults make mistakes.

Mr. Waco Einstein's Red Haired Twin

Mr. Waco was my third and fourth grade Math and Science teacher. He literally was the spitting image of Einstein but with flaming red hair instead of white. Since he was pegged "Einstein" by the kids, he told us the famous equation his likeness miraculously figured out; E=MC2. Not that we really understood the Special Theory of Relativity, but we felt awesome being exposed to it by someone that looked just like him. He made Science and Math fun and I remember him taking extra effort with me in Math. He was real; one time a kid pushed his buttons a little to far and he put the kid in his place; eyes were big and round that day but we still respected him and knew his class was a class for learning, not goofing around.

The Polyester Pant Suit Pedagogue

I went to Dennison For Junior High where Dr. Carlton, an ex- Navy Captain was the principal. The kids feared his military background and thought the campus would be run in tight-ship fashion, salutes and all. Dr. Carlton was a wonderful man who ran his school with efficiency and tight control but the kids learned they need not fear him; he conveyed friendliness but with a take action, no- mess around attitude.  He certainly did something right because I remember most of my teachers from these years as wonderful ones. The one that made the most impression on me and I thank to this day for his teaching abilities is Mr. Mummert.

Mr. Mummert was a relic from the seventies; large lapelled shirts, thick suit jackets that matched bell-bottom pants and a tie so huge it should have been a clowns made him an easy target for distraction. Kids being able to pinpoint oddities like a K-9 dog sniffed out Mr. Mummert's fashion choice as a topic of relentless goading. I was guilty of recording his daily ensemble as a fashion report so those who were not in his class could see the outfit of choice and giggle at lunchtime.

Despite the shallowness of junior high minds, Mr. Mummert stuck to his guns and whipped his class into shape. He first taught us how to take proper notes from a lecture, pulling out important points for study through the A,B,C and 1,2,3 style. As the year progressed his passion for Social Studies and History started to outshine his hideous outfits. I started to put my portraiture aside and really listen as he made geographical places come alive when he taught the History behind the location on the map. He even got us so involved in wanting to learn he taught us a game called Diplomacy that takes weeks to play and involved strategy and an ongoing thought process from day to day. I remember wanting to impress him with my required end of year project, so I had my Dad help me display a wondrous re-enactment of The Battle of Midway, with small wooden Japanese and American Bombers strung with fishing wire in battle flight over the Carriers in the Pacific Ocean with a written report to explain the battle. He was very impressed and told me he was giving me a 'B+'. I asked why not an 'A'? He told me it was in every way an 'A' project but the fact I had my Dad help me when I was capable of doing it entirely on my own made the credit not totally mine. Mr. Mummert had my respect and I was happy to accept a B+ from him.
I think he may have learned a bit from the students too, at the end of the year he was sporting a nice pull over cardigan with kacky pants every now and then.

Mrs. Cheese, Economics and American History



Mrs. Cheese let her kids ask questions and discussed both sides of a topic. She also allowed for debate as we read items from the textbook.

She told me at the end of the year, "Chandra, you should really look into Political Science when you go to college." Of course I didn't take that route but I look back on her as a teacher that knew her students. I look back now and think I really should have taken her advice, I have always been passionate about what is going on in our country. She saw something in me before I even did.

Mr. Coons English

Mr. Coons helped me choose college courses I could take during the high school day at the local Community College. He even let me leave his English class early so I could make it to the college class on time. 

I remember one assignment for his class was to choose a topic from any literary source and write your thoughts about it and back it up with facts. I chose the Bible. I wanted to write about the prophetic handwriting on the wall in Daniel 5. He wasn't a believer but he was gracious and read my assignment thoroughly and marked on the paper how it made him think about the truth of the Bible. I find it funny he also found a mistake of mine regarding the term 'mene, mene, tekel upharsin." I wrote something incorrect about it and he took the time to research it himself and showed me where I made the error. Instead of throwing this by the wayside because it was "Christian biased" in a public school curriculum, he let me do what I felt was important.

I also found out he had a hand in helping me receive a scholarship to the community college. It was a surprise to me as my name was called off at graduation for scholarship awards. He took the extra effort that he did not have to do.

Literature in College

I am racking my brain trying to remember this professors name, but I can remember her long, narrow face and pixy style haircut and her PASSION for her subject. She made the Iliad and the Odyssey come off the page at you as she explained the meaning and background and what a 'hero' meant in Greek culture. She was so inspiring in her understanding of the text that it made the actual reading enjoyable. It wasn't just some old book written by some old dude, she gave the piece context and the meaning came out loud and clear.


I have taken for granted many of the great teachers in the course of my life, I write this post in honor of them. They keep the institution of learning alive and something you want to retain and not just get through for credit and a piece of paper. I must mention that my parents and in-laws have been wonderful teachers too. The generation before you has much experience that we should glean and learn from. I am blessed that I have tutelage under some amazing people, it only makes me think in pure joy that God puts them in my life for enrichment and pleasure!

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. ~William Arthur Ward

Walking the Tightrope

I am finding lately, I seem to relate more and more to some of the Old Testament figures, especially the ones who were living to witness their nations decline and/or exile. (I am by no means saying I am like them but that I can empathize.) I see America headed toward the landfill and there are so many ripple effects of this decline that I often wonder how these men of old lived through watching such a sad state of affairs. Reliance on God certainly was no doubt a survival tip and their laments don't go unnoticed as an outlet for their emotions.

Sometime I wonder how "they got a grip" as they saw their people reject, ignore and downright rebel against God. There have been times I get downright angry and depressed and want to shout at the top of my lungs at the path of absurdity our society has embraced. (and I do sometimes as I rant to the world wide web) I sometimes wonder about how small of a margin one has when trying to follow God's will in such situations. It can be tough to balance emotions and be Christlike. He makes you filter things through Him to make sure you are acting instead of reacting.

I have been finding a little release in Nehemiah lately. I think if I happened to live in his time we would have made fast friends. He wrote his own account of what he was called to accomplish. He had an uphill struggle if there was one! Here's a quick overview; he was in charge of re-building Jerusalem's wall while defending it at the same time, enemies slandered his name to stop his work, he went head to head legally for the usury of the people who were sacrificing to make the project work. He administered the affairs for proper teaching of  God's ways only to go away and have the people slip back into their old wayward ways. Pretty frustrating wouldn't you say?

I can relate to his grief for his people...1:4 'Now it came about when I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days...." I surely feel like weeping and mourning for the state of American affairs..

He points out the problem for exile and the distress and reproach of the people as sin and repents. 1:7 "We have acted very corruptly against Thee and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the ordinances which Thou did command thy servant Moses." I certainly have sinned and there is no doubt America has done these same things too.

He makes a stand ("he makes a severe, uncompromising position against foreign marriages that steps on the toes of the high priest, his son married the daughter of Sanballat) and he suffers for it as he tries to go forward in building the wall, an idea he attributes to God putting in his mind (1:12). Sanballat along with a very large chip on his shoulder brings some friends to taunt Nehemiah (2:19-20, 4:1,3,7,8,11)

Not only did he have to worry about builder's working double time, he had to rally these workers to think militarily in order to defend what they were building (4:13-23).
To make matters worse the people were being used and taken to the cleaners by scoundrels. So Nehemiah had to intervene and clean out the rabble. (5:1-19)
Of course, the enemy doesn't rest and Sanballat kept up his vigil to railroad the rebuilding of the wall by getting his cronies to sign a 'petition' stating false information (6:8)
Nehemiah new his enemies tactics and I love his moxy, 6:11 "But I said, why should a man like me flee? And could one such as I go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in."

He overcomes the first hurdle and the wall is built, the people rejoice and the Laws are read by Ezra the scribe, bringing a refreshed knowledge of God's ways and repentance of the people. (6:15, 7,8,9). This causes the people to be re-dedicated to the Lord and the priesthood is re-established to help uphold the way's of God so the people won't slip back into bondage. I could only hope for this to happen in America.

The people had some trouble keeping to the laws and Nehemiah found himself doing a lot of correcting (13:8,11,17,21,23)

Now I have to point this part out as I relish it, although I probably shouldn't and I find much satisfaction that Nehemiah was a normal human being with emotions that may have got the best of him. He had just had it, he was boiling over and just wasn't having anymore, enough was enough! It goes back to the same issue he dealt with regarding the shunning of intermarriage and Sanballat (13:28). He visited Jerusalem and noticed the intermarrying going on and that the children couldn't speak the language of Judah, so he got physical. If you don't chuckle just a bit at the imagery of his actions then where is your sense of humor? He contended with them and cursed them and struck some of them and pulled out their hair and made them swear by God to not intermarry anymore (my own wording for the last part) 13:25.

I'm sure some of those younger than Nehemiah that didn't grow up through the wall building probably thought, "What is this old geezer doing beating up the young folk. Old age must make you lose your patience."

I also love how he asks God to remember him and to have compassion on him for all he does, and it almost seems like he is talking to God as a close friend does. Kind of like, "These youngens are just so hard-headed, won't they ever learn? Even after I teach them and do all the stuff I do for them, please let there be a reward for me in heaven to make all this worth it." BIG SIGH!  (My perspective)

I dedicate this post to two of the most wonderful teachers in my life Ken Brown and John Debee. They are well-seasoned pros and know truth and have the strength to stand for the purity of God's Word. If I didn't have these straight as arrow compasses to learn from I fear I would end up like those clueless people in exile...There is a right way and a wrong way and upholding the right takes courage, will power, strength and walking a tightrope at the guidance of the Almighty!

Note: Clarification, the intermarriage aspects Nehemiah was so angry at was over the pagan ideologies entering into families because of the entangling of cultures. The Israelites were losing their language. It wasn't over skin color as most Western minded churches like to believe. 

Growth Requires Pruning

After the Rain By: Loneangel

I was reading O Pioneers, by Willa Cather, a book about the Swedish land settlers of Nebraska. The main character, Alexandra, is a strong-minded, resourceful woman. She stoically takes over the family farm after her father passes away and creates a successful , thriving business that expands through risk, hard-labor and sacrifice but with a price of loneliness.  She is nearing middle age when a past love interest returns to the homestead. Before she can even begin to think about the possibility of settling into happiness, Oscar and Lou her brothers, make their case against any companionship for Alexandra. They site many selfish reasons for her to withhold going forward in a 'foolish' decision to get married; her love interest is a loafer and wants to be taken care of, he wants to take the property from the family, she is too old for thinking of marriage and should have done that when she was young and they finally get to the crux of their real concern; they worked harder for the land then she did. They disregarded her wit, slighted her ingenuity and her strength to make hard decisions against the grain of the town and come out on top. They essentially wanted more even when they had plenty and at the cost of someone else's happiness.

They went as far as accusing her of being hard on them...
                            "Hard on you? I never meant to be hard. Conditions were hard.
                             I didn't choose to be the kind of girl I was. If you take even a
                             vine and cut it back again and again, it grows hard, like a tree."


Her last sentence stuck with me and shouted out the goodness behind God's pruning sheers on my life.

I have two rose bushes in my backyard that the previous owner planted. One Fall day I was looking at the gangly things and not exactly knowing what to do and not caring too much I whacked them down to the ground. I figured, I don't really care for rose bushes anyway and not having to look at the mess of unorganized leaves was better then trying to shape them. When I was finished I looked at the nubs poking out of the ground and thought I did them in for sure. I even chuckled at the bad haircut I gave them thinking some avid rose gardener would scold me intensely. Not a thought entered my head about those rose bushes until the next Spring when I had a mass of red flowers blooming that were breathtaking to view from my kitchen window. The beautifully mounded bush had every inch covered in color, and I began to like the rose bushes against my fence. They brought birds and bees to the backyard to watch and enjoy.  My harsh pruning brought forth a beautiful display.

This is also true of our walk with God. Many lessons can be learned from the harsh pruning God wants to administer to us in our walk. I happen to be going through one of those right now. Circumstances are sheers in which He prunes away the branches that don't bear fruit. He looks at the shaggy parts, even when we think they aren't that bad and artistically cuts a branch here, trims a leaf there or even knows that when harsh conditions are prevalent a total cut back of the plant will be a life saving  decision in the long run. The plant may look ugly or dead but it can do one of two things; it can wilt and die or it can rest in the Winter season so it can thrive and grow to produce a bountiful harvest in the following season.

I have had my share of tears, fears, worries, emotions and questions but it comes down to this...am I going to trust that He knows what is best for me even when the outside view seems foolish, ugly or unfair? He is the artist, the tender of our spiritual garden, the grafter of vines and branches, the master gardener along the narrow path. Unlike my unthoughtful onslaught on my rose bushes, He removes those branches tenderly at the right time and in the right way. All we have to do is be aware, willing to respond and be patient in waiting as the growth takes place for the next season where we can bear fruit and be a strong, beautiful testimony to His handiwork.

Alexandra made a great point when she said, "cut it back, again and again, it grows hard like a tree." There is something to being harshly pruned, stripped to nothing; it builds character and a resolve to keep growing into something unmovable. (James 1, Hebrews 10:32-39 and 11)

By the way, I've let those rose bushes grow on me, they now have a special place in the backyard where I'll let them be.

John 15

Jeremiah 18

Tend Your Garden - Post #4 - Growth

"Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there."

 Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia, 1732

It has become my daughter's and my daily ritual to examine the new growth in the garden. We log the details in our minds as we scan each plant, it only takes a moment but much data is recorded.

Things we noticed:

1. Some critter thought our garden was the perfect digging playground. We suspect a squirrel liked the soft, dark, rich soil to hide his winter stash of nuts in.
2. All the seeds sprouted except the basil.
3. The new growth was too tempting for bugs. A caterpillar was found guilty of chewing on the spinach, plucked off and flicked across the yard. One beet fell prey to another devouring bug.
4. The dog managed to upset the potted strawberry plant, leaving dirt clod trails as a "bread crumb" path to make sure I found the evidence of her discontent. Thankfully, she controlled her temper tantrum on the strawberry enough so I could salvage the plant and re-plant it. I wish I could get my points across as well as that dog!
5. A few nut grass weeds made their way in the bed.

The owl did a decent job keeping the birds away...so far!

The thing that irked us the most was the pesky insects. We couldn't see them having their banquet on our goods and we didn't want to spray pesticides to get rid of them so we are attempting to rid the garden of them by planting marigolds. If the bugs have to have a buffet I hope this distraction works long enough to let the new growth mature.

Needless to say, I always like to get back to the quotes I use in the post. Thomas Fuller's quote, "Many things grow in the garden that were never sown there," applies in our daily lives as well. We live with a sin nature, it is something we battle our entire lives. If we don't tend our spiritual garden on a regular basis those things that we don't like tend to take a little more of the bed then we intended and we know what happens when a garden is left alone for far too long, the weeds take over and choke the nourishing plants out or the pesky insects eat them to a nub. 

How important it is to take the time daily to scan our "spiritual" garden, assess what is lacking and ask the master gardner (The Holy Spirit) how to handle it. There are times He even tells you about a problem before you are even aware of the fullness of it. The beauty in this relationship is the trust that is built through active obedience and submission. When The Holy Spirit points out a weed (sin)  that needs pulling or even tells you to prune a healthy branch (restraint and shaping) on a maturing area in your life, you come to know that it is for your benefit. 

Spritual gardening "tools" to live by:

Hebrews 12: 11

James 1:2-26

Thank You Lord for helping me tend my spiritual garden!

Tend Your Garden- Post #1

"Peach Blossom" by Chandra Brown

It often happens to children - and sometimes to gardeners - that they are

given gifts of value of which they do not perceive until much later.

- Wayne Winterrowd

I'm looking out my daughter's bedroom window and can't take my eyes off the buds and flowers of the ornamental peach tree. The pink, delicate petals have a mesmerizing effect as your eyes rest on them gently swaying on the light Spring breeze. I see my daughter playing under the pink canopy, sun shining in her hair. She captures a flower in her hands as the breeze gently shakes it from its place on the branch and I watch as she studies its' detail.

I smile when I see her delight in the beauty she holds in her hands. She touches the silky petal and I wonder what she is thinking. Is she contemplating the cycle of nature? Does she see the picture of death and new life? Does she see God's laws at work as she studies the delicate features? 

Probably not yet, but she will. I see myself in the little girl holding the Peach blossom in the backyard. I too remember playing in my fathers garden observing the ways of nature. 

Now that I am grown, I smile at this mirror glimpse I am afforded because I have come to know the Creator behind the beauty and can see the seeds of truth being planted for harvest in her maturation.

The Lord using Nature to teach us:

Isaiah 41:17-20 ..."That they may see and recognize, and consider and gain insight as well, That the hand of the Lord has done this, And the Holy one of Israel has created it." 

"Daisy" By Alex Brown

Job 12:7-10 "...In whose hand is the life of every living thing.."

Psalms 19:1-8 "..The Law of The Lord is perfect, restoring the soul."

"Viola" by Alex Brown



The Earth Is Eternal

Photo Credit: Nasa, Apollo 13
"The Earth in the Age of Grace"

Here I go again bugging my friends and family with something that I’ve learned and just can’t keep to myself. Have you ever felt compelled to share some news that you’ve learned out of sheer excitement?

I am elated when a wrong doctrine I have held from previous religions teachings or a wrong thought from my own fleshly devices has been brought under the scrutiny of Jesus’ truth and revealed to me so I can submit and change to what He says is true. (Colossians 2:8)

I want to share this specific encounter with God’s truth because the thoughts I had seem to be a main theme talked about in current times in both religious circles and secular circles as well. It is a big topic; this phrase comes with a lot of emotion backed to it. People take this very seriously and many sermons and articles have had countless hours put into them about this subject, and it is one that can keep you from experiencing the full joy God has intended if it is not understood correctly.

The big topic on many minds and has been a recent subject many discuss especially with the current events in the Middle East is “The End Times”.

Let me tell you the wrong thinking I had about this subject and then you can decide if you relate and can read on. Maybe I am one of the few who thought this way and you’ll think, “Where did she get this concept, duh, Chandra how could you think that way”? But I have a feeling many people may have had the same problem I have, so I’ll just explain and go from there.

Anytime I heard or read or listened to preaching about “End Times” I would get this feeling of doom and gloom. It seemed so “final” and I would envision the hobo standing on Times Square in New York with his sign stating “the end of the world” is near. Somehow the phrase “end times” and “end of the world” inter-meshed to mean one in the same. When I heard anyone talk about this subject I would feel fear and hopelessness, wouldn’t you, when you thought the earth was going to be done and gone and void of human life? I would equate this with the end of the human race, the oblivion of the earth and any one who died just lived in heaven or hell, but there was still a nagging sadness at the thought that the earth was no more. I’ve always struggled with this and always thought something was missing.

I’ll throw a jab at myself here, a few brain cells must have been missing. Ha! I’ll blame my youth, it’s the easiest target, but something WAS missing and it was the full truth. The nagging feeling, I should have known was the Holy Spirit trying to get me to let Him show me what that full truth was. Ya know, He does have your best interest at heart.

Then during a discussion about this subject, a light bulb came on. Have you ever had a very slow computer, one that slowly loads information and then you call the Geek squad out and they get it going to full speed and you wonder how in the world did you get anything done on that old, slow version? Well, this is how the full truth finally hit me. I have been studying biblical passages, tweaking things along the way that the Lord has shown me needs changing. This discussion was like the Geek Squad because as I began to talk about what I was learning the thought hit me, “the end times is just that, the end of a time, the end of an age, it has nothing to do with the end of the big physical ball we call earth. In fact, the earth is eternal.”

This is where explanation is due, how can I say the earth is eternal when 2 Peter 3:10-13 talks about the heavens passing away and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat and the earth and its works will be burned up? (This is where a good teacher in the language of the Bible comes in really handy and I’m glad I have someone like that.) The more I study the Bible the more I understand the importance of context, history and original word study.

In order to fully grasp what Peter is talking about, one must also look at Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22-24. In the New American Standard verse 65:17 reads, “behold I create a new heavens and earth, 66:22 read, “which I make” verse 17 had a little mark at the top of the word create, so I looked it up in the Greek/ Hebrew lexicon. The word was ‘Asah’ the basic meaning is “to do” or “make”; in creations context ‘asah’ is a broad scope and deals with refinement. This word is used to define God’s creative activity. BINGO, did that explanation hit you between the eyes like it did me? It doesn’t mean a complete, new act of creating something from nothing, it means an act of refinement, taking something that is there and making it better.

Not only did this help me understand this intense heat that melts the elements isn’t going to annihilate the earth, just change it; the following verse solidified this notion, Isaiah 66:24 talks about man going forth to look on the corpses of the men who transgressed against The Lord after this intense heat is finished. If believers are able to see the corpses on earth the earth has to still be here.

Then a more complete picture comes into view as you read Revelation 21:1-8. Awhile ago I thought when we die or are raptured we go to heaven and stay there. The Holy Spirit dissolved this wrong thinking in verse 2- 3, in verse 2 The Holy City comes down out of heaven, and in verse 3 “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men and He shall dwell among them, and they shall be His people.” The earth is eternal because God changes it so the city can come down from heaven and He dwells with men here. There has to be something here for the city to come down to.

And then what about Hell, it is a place on Earth. If Earth is utterly gone, a void in space, hell would be gone too, but that is not what scripture says. Revelation 21 verse 8 describes hell as being still here as a warning and reminder.

Another word that helped me see the full truth was the word for “world” is kosmos. Kosmos is “social system” and is used to describe a culture or race. The end of the “world” is the end of all the man manipulated systems that involve our daily lives and have nothing to do with God’s social system. It will be a breathe of fresh air when all the systems that hinder us from knowing God will be burned away forever. And sadly, men will die and their soul’s sent to the Lake of Fire because they chose to rebel against God’s plan, now that is something to look at with doom and gloom. A believer’s perspective should be one of rejoicing.

Can you imagine the sigh of relief, the extreme weight lifted off my shoulders knowing that Jesus the author of history, planned time down to the last detail and it included changing Earth into a place where tears are wiped away, no mourning or pain, death is overcome and God resides among men. (Revelation 21:4-6)Yes, “heaven” (or at least its attributes) will be a place on Earth, a place I speculate is hard for us to truly imagine in our finite mind.

Maybe you read this and think, ‘Duh, why would you ever have been so confused?” Or maybe you can relate and can now rejoice that when you hear the all too familiar phrases, The End of the World is near or, The End of Days is upon us, you will understand that yes, a time is coming to a close so another can take its place. And the next age is always moving towards Restoration of God’s original plan.

I have been reveling in the Joy of this truth. Christ’s message is always one of hope for mankind.
Romans 8:28-39… “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose…For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”