A Blessed Women

The Metro bus can be a microcosm of God's Love at work. Last Friday on the 372 a women with two small children got on the bus. She had one of the children in one of those carriers that straps unto her shoulders and puts the child in front of her. The child looks toward the front, as does the mother. The other child held onto one hand of the mother. The other hand of the mom held onto a light weight stroller. She sat down, with one child in front of her and the other beside her. The mother's eyes looked tired.

I said, "You sure have your hands full."

She replied, "Not really."

The bus went along and soon the younger child tried to put her hat on. She succeeded, but backwards. The mother said, "Good job, backwards, but good job. High five." The mom stuck her hand out. The little one slapped it. Then the older one wanted to high five mom too. But the little one knew she was the one who earned it and wanted more high fives. soon the little one gave up and the mom stuck her hand on the side so the little one wouldn't see the older sister give a high five.

Next the older daughter showed the wet toe part of her shoes to her mother. Mom pointed out that it was from the rainy wet sidewalks outside. I pointed to mine and showed the girl that mine were wet, too. As did the mom. soon they got off as we reached their stop.

As they went past me, I said, "You are blessed."

The mom said, "Yes, I am."

Later that evening, my wife and I were sharing the events of our day. After I finished telling her about the blessed women, she asked me what the Biblical Significance of the encounter was. Off the top of my head I couldn't form the thought, except that the kids are blessing and that the interaction between the mom and her kids was precious.

Children are blessing to parents. In today's society, we ofter get the message that they are a burden not a blessing. We are told that they get in our way. That they will use up our money, after all on average it costs a quarter million dollars to raise a child, and even more if they get a top notch education. That children will keep us from doing the fun things! But proverbs says that they are like arrows in a man's quiver. That they are a blessing.

What are the roots that have changed the view of children being a burden instead of a blessing? One could say that it is a different world view. One that no longer sees the need to have children. But one that lets us take care of ourselves, or counts on social security for the needs of our later years. Also the advent of sophisticated Birth control, that put the me in the me generation.

But what is hugh is the doublethink that has been foisted upon us. Doublethink is a term that George Orwell coined in his book 1984, published in 1949. It is "To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which canceled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it."

One of our daughters is about to give birth. It might even be today. What is interesting is how early on she referred to the child as a baby not as a fetus. My daughter wants this baby. Often when a baby is not wanted it is referred to as a fetus, or just a lump of tissue, thinking not that there is a beating heart inside that baby. Months ago, early in the pregnancy, my daughter and her husband played music for and talked to the baby, well before the babies third trimester. She understood that the baby was in his early developmental stage.

Even in days of old, the baby was understood to be unique while in the mothers womb. Luke, a physician, in the days of Jesus recorded how John leaped in his mothers womb. What is interesting is not so much that John was active in his womb, but that the word that John used for the baby in Elizabeth was the same word that he used when he described the baby Jesus when He was wrapped in swaddling clothes. So it is obvious that the physician John saw the unborn baby and the born baby in the same light, both as living humans.

What makes the lady on the bus really blessed is that she survived the pressure to murder her own babies, not after they were born but before they were out of the womb. Much of the pressure today comes in the form of an economic reason. I need more money for the things that I want to do. Or an entertainment argument, I need more time to go sking or fishing or to go dancing. The best blessing is that of loving life. How much richer when that life comes from oneself? although it is sometimes difficult, tiring and resource consuming giving of oneself is always a blessing that fills us up and doesn't let us down.

Mark and the Goblet of Fire

Today I went to the Seattle Center to check it out. Not much was happening there. So I tried to find where I could catch the 372 Metro Bus. The map I had was not very detailed so I walked many extra blocks. Finally I went back to Seattle Center and asked directions. I got on the bus and began the first stage of my return home.

Soon a young man got on the bus and sat to my right in the seats that faced forward. I was seating in the seats that face across the bus. As he sat there I notices that he was reading a Harry Potter book, something about a goblet of fire. When I strike up a conversation, I like to start with something that is of interest to the other party.

so I said to him, "You know that magic doesn't happen like that." Pointing to the book. "It doesn't come in flames and whooseing sounds, like in the book."

I established that miracles still happen, but not like magic in Harry Potter.

Anyway, we talked about the Lord for the duration of the bus ride. He told me about how his deceased parents had been Christians. And that he had spent some time looking at various religions, but had not made up his mind.

At one point I felt that I was being baited into saying that Jesus is the only way. I really felt that if I had said this a wall would have been thrown up that would have been insurmountable at this time. What I said was that I only know one God. A little later was able to point out that the work that Jesus had done on the cross is unique in all the religions that I had studied. And that His work freed me from sin, and allowed me to go forward in my walk with the Lord. Much more was said in the twenty minutes of sharing. When I had to get of the bus Mark thanked me, and said that it had been a long time since he had talked about God.

Although Mark, not his real name, has not made up his mind on following the Lord, he is still hungry for spiritual things. There are two things that need to be remembered from this conversation. The first is be ready to listen to the other person. If we are just announcing, then we are only doing another commercial, and the DVR of the listeners mind will skip right through the message. Then no information will be shared. The second is that is important to focus on the essential points. whether or not the Gospel is the only way is not as important as establishing the points of the atoning death of Jesus on the cross. Long before understanding the uniqueness of the work on the cross, it is possible accept and believe in the salvation that Jesus did for us. So it was good to focus on the work that Jesus did. There definitely are times when it is necessary to focus on the uniqueness of the work of cross, and there on times when it is best to just focus on the work itself.

SE Spokane County Fair

Sept 25, 26, and 27 were a Friday, Saturday and Sunday this year. They were warm and Sunny. Perfect weather for a small county fair. Actually Spokane County is not a small county, but this fair is a small affair. Most of the participants were from Rockford and Fairfield, two very small towns. Spokane is only about 25 miles away and has an overly large fair. It is as though the local people wanted to keep a small town feel and a small town fair. The small town atmosphere that may be almost lost in our world of fast cars, instant messaging and on demand cell phones. My cell phone and most other carriers phones quit working about a mile and a half out of town as we dropped down into the valley that houses Rockford.

About four weeks prior to the fair, my heart was burdened to tell people about walking with God. As I looked for venues where I could get peoples attention, many required much money or had a long lead time to reserve a spot. Then I came across the SE Spokane County Fair. I went for it. The booth organizer, Charlie Salt alloted us a 10' by 10' space in the show. But we did not have a canopy that we needed. Kimberly mentioned our need on a Facebook post. Sangeeta, a friend of ours, and of a different religion, offered her brand new canopy. Thank you Lord for people with generous hearts. Thank you, Sangeeta for allowing your heart to be generous.

Thursday evening was the set-up time. After setting up the canopy, I set up a tent for sleeping in near the barns. I am afraid that I am not a country boy. It seems that one of the show cows mooed all night long. It was a tough time sleeping. But the first day of the show was worth a poor nights sleep. The presentation was titled, "From Tragedy to Triumph." I told about our RV burning and how that was a tragedy, but it was turned into a triumph. I then told a little about our book, "Stories of a Salvation." Many people bought copies of the book. Some saw the title, scoffed and walked away. Others, said that they did not want to read the book, but thanked me for the stories that I told on the spot. That night I went to Spokane and rented a motel room. The next day was much the same as Friday, except I was able to pray with some people, too.

One interesting encounter, that has kept me praying and meditating on God's Word, occurred on the way to the restroom on Saturday. I stopped at a table where the people were trying to get others to sign a petition. It turns out that the two men were Gay. One of them told me that he is a Christian and that he has been rejected from churches. But that he believes that God loves him as he loves God. He pointed out that Jesus never condemned homosexuality. Later, a couple came by my booth and told me how they hated homosexuals. Their words were not kind words. I have been pondering how God loves all and sent His Son to the cross that ALL might be saved. He loves both the hater and the hated.

Maybe I am sensitive to those who are rejected because I remember a time when I went to a church and no one sat in the same pew that I did, even though every other pew was full, and no one even said, "Hi" to me. Jesus loved me even then, even though I had very long hair and was wearing an old army jacket that a friend had given me on a cold night in Southern California.

Sunday morning there was a worship service on the grounds. They sang the old hymns, and a lot of them. It was an anointed time of worship. Gods presence was there. Two Gay guys were singing on stage in the choir, and yet I could feel the blessing of God on the song service.

I feel that I must post his part and work on a post about my meditations on the Fair in Light of the Word.

Spread the Love!