Monday, January 28, 2013

Benefits Have Costs

So often we want the good times without any upset or effort. I'm not one of those that believes we wouldn't know good without bad, but the books of Job and Ecclesiastes, as well as many others, do tell us we will experience both in a lifetime. I'm not really going to address good vs. bad, but rather the fact that we as a society tend to have redefined and categorized "work" or effort in the negative column. It doesn't belong there. Work is not the consequence of sin, thorns are. Man was created to tend the creation on earth. Tending is work, we just got away from the concept.
Even though I love my life off the beaten path, I do try to remain apprised of the goings on of the beaten path, and the beaten path has been taking quite a beating as of late. As a matter of fact, it would appear the those on that path don't really know what's next, but that seems the path of bad, not only in destination, but in the journey itself.
When I think of the time I spend doing chores, as opposed to driving to work, about the same difference, except the animals are good til evening, and when the drive reached the destination, the work was only beginning. When I think of the time in the garden verses time on "the clock," and consider the cost of groceries, I'm not sure I could afford to have a "real job." I do know I wouldn't eat as well or be able to share as much.
When I consider the work I do from home on the computer, verses working on a computer at a place of employment, I am reminded that I can also have dinner simmering on the stove or baking in the oven, and hear the washer going through it's cycles to produce clean clothes at the end of the day, rather than coming home to a pile of dirty laundry.
I hear many people discussing "manna" as the end of days seem to be upon us, and I know YHWH can do that, but considering the demographics of this nation, I don't expect it. According to census data and geography, there are over 5 acres of land per person in this country. Granted, it's not all row crop ready, but it doesn't require a fraction of an acre to produce a garden large enough to feed a family, so I'm thinking a sustainable, renewable food supply is a better choice than doing nothing and expect G-d to produce when I've ignored the Instruction of His Son, to "be ready."
I've had the privilege of seeing women who married men who were either hard working or large earning enough, to not have to work. I realized years ago, I simply could not live a life that purposeless. I am not talking about the stay at home moms that home school, garden, and sew; that is very much purposeful and planned by our Creator. I'm talking about the women who send their man off to work, kids off to school and settle in to talk radio, TV, or computer time. I simply could not call that living. I like the benefits of work, and it's not just what the work produces. I like feeling accomplished and even tired at the end of the day. I believe it gives me a better attitude for the next day.
I believe the benefits far outweigh the cost of living simply and walking with my Creator. The cost of purposeless leisure seems to be too large a price to pay for a benefit I can't appreciate or respect.
I truly do want the benefit of the work involved in being a Proverbs 31 woman. To just be that accomplished, I would count a great benefit and in considering the cost, it would be time well spent.
Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. a Proverb of Holy Scripture

Sunday, January 20, 2013

We All Want the Promise, but . . .

We need to read the full contract. I've postponed this blog for a few days as I sought clarity, but the pondering has led to posting. YHWH G-d is very clear in His covenant offer. Unlike banks, lending institutions, and people in general, He has no fine print, no hidden clauses, and He doesn't change His mind, so all those facts are awesome, and yet we still act surprised when we face our end of the deal. What are we thinking? As we seek to walk in covenant with our Creator, there are two things we must come to grips with. First of all, there is no room for extras on board who do not agree with the terms of the covenant in place, because second of all, the covenant has two sides. That has not been an easy acceptance for me, but it's a factual one. I know what G-d spoke to me several years ago, and to be honest, I'm dense enough without dealing with others who simply prefer a different choice. For years I've dealt with people who are "going to do this and going to do that . . ." but the only promises I can always count, are the ones when something stupid is declared. That promise, they'll keep. In retrospect, the foolishness of others is not my responsibility, so there's no need to associate or align myself with the consequences of decisions for which I have no respect and wouldn't make, myself. As the end of days continue to unfold, and the inevitable prophecies are fulfilled, being sold out by the whim of someone else would be horribly irresponsible on my part.
I've realized also, as more and more people say the world goes in cycles and "people have been thinking it's the end of days" for centuries . . . well right or wrong, these are approaching the end of my days, and they need to be numbered wisely. Tolerating foolishness to increase the numbers is never going to bring a five fold ministry; actually it will be the barrier to that. Which brings me to the second point of the covenant, my side of the deal.
I refer to the beliefs of this preservation as those of the Abrahamic covenant. I know what I heard years ago about the promise of Abraham. Unfortunately, up until recently, I hadn't considered his errors and his end of that deal that was offered. I'm so glad he was obedient. Where would we be now, if he hadn't sent Ishmael on his way and faithfully dedicated Isaac as the son to carry the promise? Now, I'm not suggesting we should dismiss everyone from our presence, not at all. What I'm saying is we must bear in mind the covenant we have made with our Creator supersedes any other covenant, and if there is a conflict, wisdom chooses the covenant with YHWH. Three accounts of the gospel Y'hshuwah was recorded to say, his followers must be willing to make the same covenant as the one between Abraham and YHWH.
ABRAHAM'S Call: Now YHWH had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee: Torah of Holy Scripture
Y'HSHUWAH's Call: And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life. Gospel of the New Testament

Thursday, January 10, 2013

The Rule of Misinformation

I was so sure this blog would not be political in nature, but the topic today covers everything from raising radishes to the assassination of a President, to understanding Scripture, and everything in between. Obviously I've used a pretty broad and dramatic spectrum to make my point, which is the point. When I was five years old, I had no serious clue about an Abrahamic covenant, the last days, or homesteading. I was five years old when President Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, TX. Although I was virtually clueless about life, I could see a few things that caused me to wonder. How did they know so many details when none of the witnesses saw anything or lived to tell it? It wasn't long until the Zapruder film made the news, but vanished into the secret archives of clandestine history. It all just happened so fast and so curiously "tied up" so to speak. Then the Warren Commission explained unbelievable information to the people of America, and here it is, nearly 50 years later and the only thing we are sure of, is we aren't sure of any of it. I've had the same feelings now, a half century older as the confusing reports just continue to unfold from the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre. Please bear with me as I attempt to connect these examples.
Of course, we know of the recent tragedy in Connecticut, but what we don't know is what information is actually accurate, as much of it conflicts; and conflicts in ways that do not reconcile. This brings me to my next concern, which is, as the reports are updated, the original information is somehow replaced or lost, but the question of which reports are actually factual remains unanswered.
There have been a number of questions raised about 9/11 in just a decade, and considering the fact we declared war in two countries, destroying property and leaders without any actual connection to the men who accomplished this atrocity still astounds some of us, while others just keep lapping up the "information" or misinformation that may or may not be connected or even accurate.
We continue to have episodic times of questioning the Kennedy assassination, while most of us know, the truth will never be known, at least in our lifetime. According to something I read, the details are locked away until the 75th anniversary, so I'll be eighty and I'm among the youngest who even has a memory of that event. So by the time, the "facts" are sorted and revealed, who will know if those are the facts?
Anyone who is conscious in America knows there is a religious debate going at all times on all topics, and the truth of Scripture becomes "irrelevant" to the focus as the aggressive debates escalate. I do know, some day the truth will be known, but . . . for now we are all simply "happy" to know, nobody has all the information correct and the heated disagreements will continue at least until the Second Coming . . .
Now, my radish parable. If someone gave you 50 radish seeds and told you to plant them in May, and it would take 4 months for them to develop and to water them every day, and wait til you see the flowers on the stems before pulling . . . then someone else said, No, No, that's not right, plant them in June, it only takes 3 months and they must be kept very dry, but the flowers on the stem sounds right . . . then another person came along and said, wait until August, then be sure to pull them before it freezes . . . What would you believe? Exactly! If you had no idea what to actually do, the "too much" conflicting information would be worse than "no information."
So, if a person simply stated, the explanation of President Kennedy's assassination didn't really answer all the questions and all the witnesses were dead in two years, and I don't really know what happened 9/11, but we saw the pictures over and over and over again. And as for Sandy Hook Elementary, all of the families were transplants into the area, and I didn't read about any of the bodies being viewed, and the reporters don't seem to be able to agree on the report . . . but as for radishes . . . Plant them early, and watch for the tops of the produce to barely show above the ground level. When they look "eating size" pull them.
We cannot "untell" misinformation, which causes me great consternation as to why there is so much of it reported.
Doesn't less misinformation make it clearer to at least try to see for ourselves? Do we need so much debated misinformation to exist?
And YHWH answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain . . . but at the end it shall speak, and not lie a Prophet of Holy Scripture

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Food and Capital

I'm struggling with a new awareness that has really put me in a pretty foul mood today. I don't really like to use this blog for the comments I'm about to make, but I believe what I have realized will truly affect everyone's way of life. I walk in covenant with the G-d of Abraham. I don't always get it right, but He does and that is my aim. As I have experienced some new revelations of things to come in this country, a thought has occurred to me.
I have read more than once about farmers in China "tampering" with the food supply. One was a dairy farmer and I can't remember what the other one was raising, but they added something to increase product and were found guilty. In China, tampering with the food supply means capital punishment. That's right, these guys found guilty were executed. Now, here in America, tampering with the food supply means capital gain, protected by the Supreme Court.
I'm not advocating for China, and their particular brand of government, but rather I'm questioning why our government, a world super power, would allow and protect a substandard food supply to "stretch' the product and increase the gains. Farmers here in the US, for the most part, will never have their land paid off, make the last payment on their equipment, or plant seed that belongs to them. That's what we've done with our food supply. Now the ones in control of our food supply, will also apparently be given favor with our Courts and do with the seed what they choose, because they own the seeds too! Farmers literally have to account of seeds, for their entire crop by documented success or failure.
We truly are coming to a time in which, if we want nutrition, we'll have to grow our own food or pray it is imported from a country that has higher standards than the USDA and FDA.
Be not deceived; G-d is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.