THE HEIRS OF NOSERA: A Legacy of a Different Kind.

 

What do we leave our kids and grandkids? All kinds of things most of all good memories and a Godly heritage. We might also like to leave them some love of things we appreciate. For me, some of those things, outside of God who is most important, are books and imagination. 

So what crazy thing have I done? 

I am writing a short story which I'm self-publishing about gifts King Charles and his queen are giving to their grandkids tools, so they can rule the magical (imaginary) land of NoSera. Our grandkids will actually be given these items. 

Crowns, Keys, along with a scepter, standard, and a shield are the item in the story and in reality, will be given to them.   

Even if they don't make the impact I hope, I will say this it has been fun and who knows maybe this might be a cool job in the future (creating books and toys for people and their kids). 

It will be unique and I don't know of anyone else who has done it. If you have please share I would love to hear.

Idle Words(posts)

 

The Bible warns us about not using idle words. I was considering this when I was tempted to put a comment on a devotional blog site. My words weren't going to change the writer of the devotional he's dead. I'm not a person with authority in with those that read this blog, so as to correct them. Truth be told the point in question has nothing to do with Christian doctrine or salvation issues. 

So why do I need to post?  

Ego, self-importance, the desire to make things just right,?

Ultimately I realized my words would just be idle words. I looked up the definition and what I thought was confirmed. When I saw the opposite of idol words, talking, I realized that much of what happens on social media is just idle words. We aren't trying to have a conversation. We are giving empty rhetoric or talk that leads to pride.

idle words - empty rhetoric or insincere or exaggerated talk; "that's a lot of wind"; "don't give me any of that jazz" jazz, malarkey, malarky, nothingness, wind talk, talking - an exchange of ideas via conversation;

I believe there is a place for discussion on social media, but I'm convinced that a lot of it is just idol words. Now is the time for me to reconsider how often I really need to respond. I need to realize that silence in the social media world isn't a sign of agreement, especially if you are not being asked to respond to someone who is willing to hear. Responding often does no more good than sticking a yard sign for your political candidate facing the other guys. 

I don't believe that yelling back and forth on Twitter, Facebook... is the answer to "all it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing."

Photo by Martin Shreder on Unsplash

Prepared?

 

Proverbs 21:31 

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD.

This scripture reminds me again of the duality of the Christian life. We have work to do and things we need to do to prepare but ultimately it is all in God's hands. 

God wants us to prepare and I happen to believe that God may not give us a victory we don't prepare for but, as they say when push comes to shove it isn't our work that gives us the victory. There may be victories we may win on our own but those aren't the ones that count. This is why we and non-Christians can have victories but they don't win us the war (figuratively speaking).

So are you doing what you can?

Are you trusting God with the rest?

Photo by Kayla Koss on Unsplash

Just try not to fall.

 

"Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore,..."

Long ago I heard a preacher take this portion of scripture and make a point that I had never considered. When you do everything you know to do to stand then keep standing. I know the scripture in question talks about having the whole armor of God but this preacher pointed out that often just standing in God is all we can do. 

After years of living, I have to agree. There are times when just staying in the faith is all we have the strength to do. I'm not saying that we should sit back and take it easy. Far from it, but we need to realize that Jesus took time to rest. God commanded his people to rest, feast (yes, party), and enjoy life. 

Sometimes, we need to stop because we don't have the strength. Sometimes we need just to catch our breath before we go at it again. There are times we need longer rest. This isn't forsaking the faith or giving up. I would say it's just standing. We hold on to the faith but right now isn't the time to try and charge forward. Perhaps even it's time just to try not to fall. 

Don't feel guilty if you aren't charging forward on someone else's command. If God gives it keep pushing, but maybe he's saying just stand in me and watch me do the work.

The next step

I try to remind myself it isn't the last step (or fall) that sets your destiny but the next step. It is where you go from here. Sometimes it is very clear sometimes it isn't. Sometimes it's easy but there are times it isn't. At times the best you can do is just move forward a little or just stand up after you fell. The truth is if you're going the right way or I should say God's way then it is going to be okay. The scriptures talk of the righteous man getting up after falling again and again. It speaks of walking faithfully. Scriptures never speak of quitting, complacency, or even retiring.  Yes, we might retire from a profession but never from life. We are might not be able to do what we did, but we can still do what we can. Be that in our nineties and feeble or in our twenties and beat down by life. We can and need to get up and take the next step.  

Photo by dylan nolte on Unsplash

Let Them Go

 Back when Trump was first elected there were some who called for states to succeed from the Union. I suspect that with Biden's win there will be others calling for other states to leave. 

Perhaps it is time to let them go. 

The divide in this country perhaps needs to be settled not with one side forcing the other to submit but one side letting others leave. Perhaps we need for good fences to make good neighbors is approaching. 

The problem is the extremist on both sides have gone so far in their rhetoric that letting one side or the other go would be the equivalent of giving power to Hitler or Stalin. The future of the planet is at stake or of personal liberties. I doubt one, two, or even a dozen states are going to change the destiny of the planet. 

If we respect people let them go. The other option may be war and I believe we can be better than that. I would hope that we can be without division but that isn't always an option. I realize this could be considered unpatriotic but you can love two people but realize them staying together isn't a good thing. I love my country, but I also fear for what may come from the extremist on both sides.

Rest is important

 Yes, we all know this but often don't do it. I'm supposed to be on vacation so I'm going to do it. Now I challenge you to do the same; rest when you are supposed to. 

No excuses.