I gotta robe, you gotta robe, alluh God's Children gotta robe!!

This morning as I was reading I found this wonderful encouragement about "putting on Christ".

(9-14)Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.  So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. (Colossians 3, The Message)

Lord, help me be more loving.

Braggin' Rights

Braggadocio has never appealed to me much.  Not as a tool and certainly not as an observer.  I find that most bragging is a bandaid covering some insecurity.  But as I was reading this morning I found a direction about bragging that I can follow:

Jeremiah 9:23-24 God's Message: "Don't let the wise brag of their wisdom.  Don't let heroes brag of their exploits.  Don't let the rich brag of their riches.  If you brag, brag of this and this only: That you understand and know me.  I'm God, and I act in loyal love.  I do what's right and set things right and fair, and delight in those who do the same things.  These are my trademarks."  God's Decree. (The Message)

Clean House

(The following was originally posted as a comment to the Baltimore Sun Newspaper in response to their column Governors Debate Fact Check.)

The basic fact is that governors, as they go, like presidents don't do anything they take the credit or blame for.  The Legislative branch runs the government with the support or opposition of the sitting Governor.  The point of this election is; will we end up with a Governor who enables the Busch/Miller machine or tries to slow the juggernaut down.  The Democratic Legislature has grown the Maryland budget to more than 10 times the rate of inflation since 1972 when I moved to Maryland.  The 1973 budget, adjusted for inflation, would be 2 Billion dollars, not 25 billion.  I say, CLEAN HOUSE!!  LITERALLY!!

on the road again - part 2

Part 2 – When I left you I was on the shoulder of Rt 50 waiting on my brother Paul to bail me out of my situation.  (Paul is one of those “brother from another mother” brothers.)

• He arrived quicker than he said.
• He arrived with the ever present smile that he is known for.
• He arrived with questions about my well being.
• And he arrived with what I needed, a full gas can.

That’s a pretty complete picture of our Father and Paul looks more like Him every day.

Gas into the tank.  Key into the switch.  Foot onto the peddle and I was on my way to the gasoline station a mile ahead.  While filling the tank there, we stood and talked to each other about the situation, our children, grandchildren, churches and never once did he let on that he had been inconvenienced in any way.  As we engaged in our parting hug I told him “Paul, I can’t thank you enough.” To which he responded “What else could I do?  You’re my brother.”  We hugged again and each climbed into our trucks to head opposite directions.

The road was wide open and except for the monsoon that I was almost immediately in the ride was uneventful.  Well, except for the wipers stopping when they got tired.  Except for the leaks in the old truck alternately dripping on my leg and arm.  Except for the occasional standing water puddle to surprise without warning.  But through it all I knew that my Father was watching over me and had every “special problem” in control just as He had earlier when I was sitting on the side of the road. 

BTW, when I came out at 5:45am to go to dialysis I flipped the switch to the forward tank, just as I had repeatedly done on that shoulder in Salisbury, started the truck and drove to the clinic with the gasoline that had been there all along.  I guess I didn’t REALLY need gas last night.  I just needed a little ‘family reunion’.