Saddest Verses in The New Testament

We are still not able to go to traditional (as in at a building with hundreds of other people) church services due to DH's immune issues. We watch and are blessed by the teachings of some preachers (both on television and internet) but sit in jaw-dropped amazement at the total lack of scriptural authenticity in others. Today in our devotionals we read a section in Matthew which struck me as the saddest verses in the NT - now don't come at me saying verses around the crucifixion are sadder - we know Christ's sacrifice was for a purposeful plan the Father had to give us a way back to Him.

The Narrow and Wide Gates NIV Matthew 7:13"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

I've read these verses at least a hundred times in my 6 decades of life- but this morning those words "only a few find it" hit me so hard. Jesus taught clearly to thousands a truth which the world wants to ignore. MOST will choose the easy road and be led to destruction. Following the teachings of some spiritual leaders will not get you to that narrow gate.

Just a few verses later it is clear how the end will be for those who deliberately misconstrue His words and teachings- (the Message paraphrase)Matthew 7:21-23"Knowing the correct password—saying 'Master, Master,' for instance— isn't going to get you anywhere with me. What is required is serious obedience—doing what my Father wills. I can see it now—at the Final Judgment thousands strutting up to me and saying, 'Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' And do you know what I am going to say? 'You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.' "

I realize, dear readers, we are all at different stages in understanding. If you haven't been reading the Bible regularly I highly recommend it as a daily activity. We believe the Holy Spirit reveals to us when we are ready - when we have "ears to hear". Apparently I am at a point where I need to realize not everyone we love is going to choose the narrow road - we'll continue to pray for opening their eyes to the truth , for their hearts not to be hardened - but it isn't up to us. So it is good on Buhlaland - we have the blessing of scriptures to read and eyes to see and ears to hear - even when those eyes are shedding tears.

As an editorial note - I'll enable comment moderation for this post - seems to be a number of folks out there with particular demons to exorcise in their minds who like to post comments.

Some Rain and a song I needed to hear

Philippians 4: 6-7

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Leaning on the everlasting arms - really hard leaning here on Buhlaland - some rain and storms but nothing we can't weather with our Father and each other. It is good on Buhlaland - hard sometimes but the goodness is still there.

You know how things can totally blindside you?

I was hammered emotionally Monday- am better today but still dealing with sadness and not a little anger. Our sweet new dog, Zoe, has been diagnosed with heartworm disease, a parasitism of the heart. She will begin treatment on Friday and I'm trusting the Lord we will continue to have sufficient additional income as we go along with her series of hospitalizations and medications.

Pictures of Zoe all matted and dirty to recent "shaved down" look. Third picture is Zoe and her constant companion - our dear little Conan - teaming up to terrorize the goat kids. If you live in an area where heartworm is a possibility,please keep your dogs on heartworm preventative and don't adopt a pet who is not tested. I'm upset with the Weatherford/Parker County Animal Shelter - they place dogs and microchip as well as neuter/spay but do NOT test for heartworm. Through their practices they actually increase the heartworm problem - a heartLESS practice. Our options were to take her back (to be euthanized or placed with another unsuspecting family), go through a costly and painful treatment series, or do nothing and allow her to be sick and probably infect other animals (through mosquito bites - the only way the disease is spread). So our joy with sweet little (chewer of everything she finds) Zoe has been tempered a bit with the diagnosis. Anyhow - that's how it is on Buhlaland today and we'll be OK. We're believing Zoe will survive treatments (we have an excellent if sometimes grouchy veterinarian) and hoping I'll finally learn not to fall in love with something/someone without full disclosure on their side huh? It is springtime, overcast and a turkey in the roaster here on Buhlaland and it is good. I hate to be gloomy on my blog - we all have challenges and most readers have bigger issues than sick dogs, but once again I have to say - it's my blog and I'll cry if I want to (remember Leslie Gore?) Not crying today, working and best get back at it - there are strange things accumulating in my closet and they are about to be exposed to the light of day!

Corazon

Squirrels in heaven - you'd better watch out. The rat terrorist of squirrel (and bird) chasers is coming. Had to say goodbye to our dear Corey yesterday - the struggle had become about medications keeping her heart beating and trying to reach a balance of drugs to avoid seizures while still breathing. In other words- it wasn't her life any more. So now it is much quieter in our household, the other little dog, Conan the Destroyer, is very confused and still looking for his pal. But a page has turned and that story ended. It's my blog and this is self indulgence at it's peak - I wanted someplace to acknowledge my 4 legged friend - she loved us, guarded us and made us laugh. Thank you little heart - and we miss you.

Snapshots of a life well lived

My mother in law, Ethel, was born April 4, 1919 - an identical twin. She loved being a twin - although a few years ago the three of us (DH, MIL and me) had studio pictures made and she didn't like any of the proofs. We got a little exasperated with her and asked WHY? they were all good shots - she made a little disgusted face and said "I look like Elsie". We both cracked up - well yes Mom - you DO look like your identical twin! We told her we'd buy the pictures anyhow and tell people it was really Elsie.
They grew up on a farm in Michigan and she often shared stories about the cooking and animals and family gatherings. I think she liked living with us because we have animals and live outside town. One picture is the twins when they were young women and the other was taken about five years ago. The feisty hula girl was Ethel in 1944.


Ethel moved from Michigan to Florida with her husband who unfortunately passed away in 1980. In later years she lived there with her younger son and his family and still later her beloved youngest child and only daughter, Pat. She believed in staying busy and worked at KMart--keeping in touch with many gal pals from her KMart days. Ethel maintained a busy correspondence schedule - sending cards and notes to literally dozens of people. Since her death there will be a lot of folks with less in their mailboxes now - she never liked email but almost every day had a stack of notes and cards to mail. She was creative and a joyous participant in holidays - at Christmas she loved decorating - my Christmas pictures show some of her handiwork. One of her special joys was reading --often reading 4 or 5 books in a week. When she and I went into Fort Worth we made our shopping circuit -- DSW shoes, Mardel's Christian Bookstore - then to Costco. We'd trade books and have friends who also love reading and had the Linda, Ethel , Ella and Kathy exchange library around here! She also sent shoeboxes of paperbacks to Elsie and we got packages in the mail with Elsie's share of the book exchange.
Ethel left notes around her bedroom upstairs - reminders of doctor's appointments, eye exams, people's special events and bits of scripture or Christian fiction which caught her eye. Every morning she was up in her room after breakfast - reading Our Daily Bread and the scriptures related to those readings. She loved Christ as her Lord - deeply and with a personal faith.
The last picture is Ethel several years ago in DH's sporty red car - she was always willing to have fun and often teased by her devoted son - we'll miss you Ethel but definitely will see you again some sweet day.
"No eye has seen, no ear has hear, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him."Isaiah64:4

Personal note

July 11,2008

Mother in law passed on to Glory this afternoon - a few hours after DH arrived back in Texas. He'll return for her services next week - We'll be using the scripture she had by her bed in the memorial notes. She will never be afraid again - safe and whole and we'll see her when it is our time. Thank you all so very much for your prayers and thoughtful notes. I found some wonderful pictures of her and will post them in a few days - too tired tonight. DH seems to have come home bringing a bad bronchitis with him. It could have stayed in Michigan and we would have been just as happy here in Buhlaland. Life is good - death is a passage and tears are flowing. I love a verse from Revelation 22: 1-5 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun. for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.
Amen - it is just a little while - no believer ever says goodbye forever.



Wanted to post to let you know where things stand on Buhlaland right now. We are dealing with the inevitable - my DH's 89 year old mother had a stroke. Doctors are not giving any encouragement for improvement in the situation - so they will make decisions tomorrow after a consult. She is a busy, active and bright little lady who has never complained about the bumps in the road of her life. While looking for some paperwork in her bedroom upstairs - we found a scripture verse written out in one of her ever present little teeny notebooks - Mark 5:36 - Ignoring what they said, Jesus told the synagogue ruler, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
Amen to that - don't be afraid just believe.
I often wonder how "personal" to get on my blog -quite a bit of emotion around here and I wanted you to know if I don't post for a while - it isn't because I quit loving the blogosphere.

Promises

"Our troubles are slight and short-lived, and their outcome an eternal glory which outweighs them far. Meanwhile our eyes are fixed, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen" (2 Cor 4:17, 18 NEB).
A rosebud is the promise of a beautiful blossom. God's word is the promise of unending love. I'm going through a time of standing on those promises. Not much blogging going on, I continue to be astonished at how my prayers are answered. Instead of getting what I "want" I'm learning to want what I'm getting. I think this might be getting my heart's desire - once my heart wants what God has for me.
If you are an older rock fan you might recognize the lyric, it is bizarre to quote a Rolling Stones lyric when I'm learning fom God. Part of my recent comprehension is God uses absolutely everything, the ugly, broken, disappointing stuff I didn't want in my life, it is here because it has been part of my life. He makes use of it and I don't necessarily get to know WHY?
Looks like the Stones are right.:
You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

You can't always get what you want

But if you try sometimes you just might find

You just might find

You get what you need

A bit of light is gone

Last night a sweetly shining light passed from Montana to heaven. A young friend of ours lost her hard fought battle with cancer. I haven't introduced Ellie to this blog very often because she was far too special to trivialize with cliches. She was one of the children for whom we've sought prayer. Her beautiful family was with her and they are dealing with her passing with tremendous love, dignity and faith.

During the spring - Ellie the girl chose names for three does we planned to keep. One was Violet (daughter of Crybaby) and the second was Montana (daughter of Hannah) Pictured is the doe named by and for Ellie - officially in our herd registry as Ellie Skees (daughter of Nubiana). Our four legged Ellie is sweet, skittish and growing like crazy. Two days ago when we got the news that the girl Ellie was in her final hours, I went for comfort to the goat pens (I probably should mention that I'm not great with people -animals "get" me ). I picked up our Ellie, she was unusually calm about it and rewarded me by putting her head against my chest for a while. She didn't like the tears wetting her face so she began to squirm, wanting down. No big moral to this story .

I was aware before Ellie Skees and her family came into my life that God is faithful, sovereign and good. Knowing them deepened my faith in ways I am not articulate enough to explain. Her life affected literally hundreds of people - not only those who followed the story through her mother's blogging but people they met while at Sloan Kettering or while traveling .

See you later, Ellie Skees. I watched the video of you dancing this summer - all giggles and elbows and million watt smile. It will be wonderful to see you dance in glory.

Tears are shed in Buhlaland - I just have to avoid getting goats wet - they hate that.

Venting a bit

We've had such a wonderful Sunday -and came home to check our offices and make sure with the cold wave we'd left the heat on low. Some vandal minded soul had kicked in and destroyed our beautiful cedar front door and kind of dirtied up our offices. Didn't seem to steal anything - just did some nasty stuff. Added to that our house mail box was destroyed by random vandalism (or maybe not random) and it has been a day of assaults. Oh well - DH boarded up our front door over there and we'll order an ugly metal door to replace it - and install an alarm set up to wake the dead next time. Sheriff's office said there had been about 36 hours of juvenile crime all over the county and plenty of holiday domestic violence. All we know to do is clean up the mess and pray for the people who would do such a thing. Stinks though - really stinks!