Category Archives: Day to Day

Once upon a time, I was content with grabbing my camera and snapping a photo of the birds that came to our feeder. Then, because we live in a fallen world, the Grackles and Starlings showed up and chased all the photogenic birds away. Fine, I thought, we will leave up the nectar feeders and watch the Orioles and Hummingbirds and be content with that. However, the ants showed up in such great numbers, they irritated the Orioles so much that they found less ant plagued feeders in the neighborhood and rarely come now. And I brooded…

I recalled living in a Southern land and having mastery over the skies.

I also recalled getting bit by tiny voracious bugs known as chiggers, as I stood in the grass, piloting my flying machine. I amended my memories of that time, and have relabeled them as bittersweet rather than halcion like.

Not everything is what it once was. While I could stride the land and do many wonderful things back then, I was not at peace, even with all I could do. Little did I know that the good Lord had plans for me, and through the mystery of undeserved grace, (Romans 5:15-17) allowed me to finish remodeling our house and have it be sold the first day on the market, for cash and more than we were asking, and just like that, we ended up back in Minnesota, where we had started, some 19 years ago. Looking back and knowing what I know now, it can only be providence as the way home was smoothed before us.

And then the Lord grabbed me by the scruff of the neck and made it very clear, I was now His. As I said, the mystery of undeserved grace. The last 5 years here have been one of reduction and addition. He took from me the skills of my body, I found out I had ALS about 6 months after we arrived home. He left me the knowledge I had acquired and kept my mind sharp and questing. He added to me a living heart and one that loved His word. I was allowed to learn about charismatic ministries and found them to be a false gospel and a false hope. Our only hope is Christ. (John 4:13-14) He led me to teach bible study and to disciple believers hungry for the word. As of last month, He allowed me to preach in our church when our pastor was on vacation. All of it a mystery to me as to why He pulled me from Hell’s grasp and blessed me with life.

Back to the brooding. I was not displeased with life and how it had turned out. The peace (Romans 5:1) granted to me, completely undeserved, but available to all believers, was a blessing beyond all understanding. Even though I have very little feeling in my feet or hands, and am pretty much housebound, I do not feel disabled. People are taken aback at this, expecting a tale of woe. I am at peace and serving the Lord, what’s to woe about?

I had a thought that I could fly a bit as quite a few people have mentioned to me that they would like to fly a drone too, so maybe this could stir up a conversation that includes the Lord. Since I don’t get out much, I have been amazed as people have been directed to me who need to hear about Jesus or maybe their faith needs a bit of stirring up. I don’t know how it works, but God’s got the details all worked out.

My fingers are a fair bit less responsive than the last time I was flying a drone, but somebody built an app (Litchi) to automate most of what you have to do with flying a drone and taking pictures. And since I have Photoshop, I can do a series of photos and let Photoshop stitch them together. That’s what we have here, from my first flight. Since Photoshop uses an algorithm that dictates how it should stitch photos together, it could care less if you have an odd perspective or shaky fingers or any of that stuff. Thankfully, it also lets you warp images just fine, hence the image you see here is a wee bit bent in areas. Ignore reality and run with it.

You should be able to enlarge the image to see all the details in their warped glory, at least I can on my Mac, I just spread my fingers apart on the touchpad. Your mileage may vary on whatever platform you use.

“There is nothing wrong with your Computer. Do not attempt to adjust the picture. We are now controlling the transmission. We control the horizontal and the vertical.”

We had a chance to spend some time at the Cordes family cabin last month, and sister-in-law Julie with her friend Alicia, came up from Kansas. We had all gathered together to celebrate Julie’s birthday. It is a beautiful place on a nice quiet lake in the woods of Wisconsin. The cabin will sleep about 20 with ease, so the 10 of us had plenty of room.

Got there in the afternoon and by the time all the hugs and handshakes and what not had gone on, it was evening and what happens in this family is the games come out. I am not a game player, but I hung around, whispering clues to my wife and listening to all the laughter.

The next day, after breakfast and a second helping of coffee, most of us headed down to the dock and Patti, Julie and Alicia wanted to take the paddleboards out before the breeze picked up on the lake.

Leighton wandered down to the dock, and the next thing you know, he noticed the dock frame had broken from the paddleboard rack. And he proceeds to get in the water and starts to fix it. My job is not falling off the dock and taking pictures, so I stuck to my job.

It was a beautifully mild June day and not many mosquitoes, so sitting by the fire pit and listening to Julie sing was a treat. That evening we went out to eat and listen to one of the locals sing, who happens to be a retired cardiac doctor and a fanboy of Bob Dylan. Mr Dylan and I are not on speaking terms and probably have been that way since 1969 or so. Everybody had some salad thing to eat, but I stuck to bread and water and called it good.

More games after we got home and they went way late into the night. About 1 am I heard guitars and singing from the basement, where Julie and Alicia were staying and I think it was Bob Dylan stuff to boot. It eventually petered out around 2 am-ish and a guy could sleep.

The next day was damp with sprinkles, and the ladies all went into Hayward for some shopping. Us men decided to drive the backwood roads in search of an Elk or maybe a Bear. We saw neither, but did happen upon 2 separate snapping turtles laying eggs on the side of the road. On the way home we came upon something a bit out of the ordinary. This is Ojibwe country and there is a reservation of theirs very near here. What we drove past was a cemetery of theirs.

Little wooden huts in which their relatives come and put things into these huts of their dead. Cigarettes, candy, jerky, and other things are placed in these huts. We got home about the same time the ladies did and the evening proceeded with more music, games and laughter.

Church Service with family, at the cabin.

The next day was Sunday and after breakfast, we arranged ourselves about the main floor and sang several songs of praise unto our Lord and Savior and I gave the sermon. It was the one written for next Sunday at our church, so it gave me a good chance to practice it with my family. That afternoon, we took the pontoon out and had a great time. Much singing, love and laughter.

We cruised right past a Loon and got sprinkled upon on the way home.

That evening, we went to a fish fry place, Pine Ridge on Sissabagama Lake, which lake, from the air, looks like an old man running, sort of. This is a popular place to eat and it is first come, first served.

We put our name in and ended up waiting outside the restaurant under the covered porch attached to the building. There we sat with another family waiting to eat. It was Alicia and Julie along with myself and my wife on our side. We also had the family that was waiting to eat in our grouping. The rest of us, that would be Randy, Patti, Carol, Ronda and Leighton, were on the other side, and the people entering and leaving the restaurant walked in between us. Alicia turns to Julie and says “I have a rap song I am working on and would like to try it now, and you need to sing the chorus, you know the one…”

And then she points to me and tells me I need to thump my feet to the beat, and I think to myself oh yeah, back home I’m known as Mr. Rhythm. She starts out rapping the tune, I start thumping my beat erratically as it’s the way my people, and Julie starts singing the chorus at the appropriate time. The people sitting next to us, who we do not know, are just smiling and starting to make mouth noises like they’re trying to sing along. Pretty soon we’re thumping the whole porch. People walking past and into the restaurant are smiling and bobbing their heads and it goes on like this for the next 30 minutes, one song after another. Those people sitting next to us, who’d been smiling and singing along with us, were called in to eat and then we were next, and entered the building. It is a large place divided into two sections, with two long tables in our section, we filled 1 table and the party who was sitting next to us singing outside, filled the other table. We place our orders, and it’s basically all you can eat chicken strips, fried fish or broiled fish if you prefer. You get a glass of wine and coleslaw, fry bread and eat as much as you want.

Julie gets up and heads to the ladies room. When she was out of ear shot, Alicia tells everyone in our group to sing Happy Birthday when she comes back to the table. And so we do, and so does the entire other table across the room. It was a great time and I ate too much. More games when we got home and more singing.

The next day was a travel day for our group of Leighton, Ronda, myself and my wife. We were headed back home. Carol, who had ridden up with us, was staying another week and Julie and Alicia were headed to South Dakota to visit Jessica and family, Leighton and Ronda’s daughter. The whole trip we saw 2 snapping turtles and one Loon, no Elk or Bears. We were about 7 miles out from the cabin on State Road 70 and Ronda was whining that she hadn’t seen any Bears. As she was saying this, I observed a Mamma Bear, 2 cubs of this year and a yearling bear with them. Mamma was sniffing a cabin porch, and her little ones were gathered around her. Leighton wheels the car around and Ronda takes a few pictures and I got a video of them. We could then go home satisfied and at peace. A good time was had by all.

Continuing in John 8, Jesus has been confronting the Pharisees in their unbelief. They, the Pharisees, had just asked Jesus, “Where is your Father?” (v. 19) These guys, who had been taught in the ways of their people, in the temple and knew the scripture, were always asking something of Jesus, as to proof of He was who He said He was. And the proof was all around them in the supernatural acts of healings, casting out demons and raising the dead that Christ performed. They saw these things, yet they did not believe. Their idea of a messiah was everything that they desired in a leader. Basically a military leader that would kick the Romans out of their lives and see the Pharisees and the righteous ones that they truly believed themselves to be. Christ came to save the lost, and they were lost but unrepentant in lostness. Comfortable in how they saw themselves. Cold and unforgiving to all who were less than themselves. 

Jesus answered them “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” This they refuted and it angered them just to hear it. Blasphemy is what they heard. This should also cause us the wonder what filters we employ when we hear the word of God. If you have been reading the bible, praying and repenting to God, going to a church that preaches from the full counsel of the Holy Word, those blocks or filters on your ears should have fallen away. For some, their eyes and ears are open immediately and it stuns them to see and hear so clearly. For others, the change is gradual but the day will come when you realize that you are not the same. Have faith and trust in He who created you.

Jesus was speaking to these lost men in the temple treasury and while His words were objectionable to them, no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come. (v. 20) He continued teaching, with the stark message that He is going away, they would seek him, but would die in their sin. Where He is going, they cannot come. (v. 21) Which of course, they started to ask if He was going to kill Himself. (v. 22) Ears to hear, but do not. (Isaiah 6:10, Jeremiah 5:21, Ezekiel 12:2, Matthew 13:15, Acts 28:27, Romans 11:8)

He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am He you will die in your sins.” (vv. 23-24) Hard words to hear for people who thought they were blameless. At this, they ask Him, “Who are you?” Their hearts were dead, their God and Creator was before them, and they asked “Who are you?”

And again, Christ tells them that which they would not hear: “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” (vv. 25-26) The scripture helpfully tells us what is obvious to all but them: They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. (v. 27) 

So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him. A couple of things here, “When you have lifted me up” From Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers: Both the Crucifixion and Ascension are implied here. Now, for the first time, they are marked out as the instruments of the Crucifixion (comp. Acts 3:15), and therefore the means by which He will return to His Father’s throne.

Then from Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary: 8:21-29 Those that live in unbelief, are forever undone, if they die in unbelief. The Jews belonged to this present evil world, but Jesus was of a heavenly and Divine nature, so that His doctrine, kingdom, and blessings, would not suit their taste. But the curse of the law is done away to all that submit to the grace of the gospel. Nothing but the doctrine of Christ’s grace will be an argument powerful enough, and none but the Spirit of Christ’s grace will be an agent powerful enough, to turn us from sin to God; and that Spirit is given, and that doctrine is given, to work upon those only who believe in Christ. Some say, Who is this Jesus? They allow him to have been a Prophet, an excellent Teacher, and even more than a creature; but cannot acknowledge Him as over all, God blessed for evermore. Will not this suffice? Jesus here answers the question. Is this to honour him as the Father? Does this admit his being the Light of the world, and the Life of men, one with the Father? All shall know by their conversion, or in their condemnation, that he always spake and did what pleased the Father, even when he claimed the highest honours to himself.

They both do an excellent job of explaining what is going on. Christ has told these Jews that He is I AM as seen so far in this book, John 4:26, John 6:35, John 8:23. They, the Jews, were too lost in their religion of works and rituals, too busy looking down their noses at all who were not born of Abraham, to believe what was plainly before their eyes. Christ tells them they will die in their sins. They are wondering what sin? Are we not sacrificing, are we not following the rituals of purification, are we not righteous in all that we do? (1 Peter 3:12)

Then we find out that as He was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” (vv. 31-33) Conveniently forgetting the golden calf, (Exodus 32-34) idol worship (2 Kings 17:41) and Babylon (Jeremiah 32:28) and kind of missing the point.

Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (vv. 34-38)

This obsession with belonging to the line of Abraham (v. 39) and thinking because of that, they were set up as a people and primed for entry into heaven and then being told, no, you are slaves to sin. The wages of sin is death. They are experiencing what Nicodemus did when rocked by Christ by being told that all he knew was wrong. Are you, who are content to sit in a pew and merely listen to the Word, or maybe have even decided that you are so good with God, you can forgo going to church, with the exception of maybe Christmas and Easter, are you thinking that you are going to heaven? In light of what Christ said, just before He ascended to heaven: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19–20) This was an action statement. He did not say “Go forth and sit quietly in a pew, only listening, and it’s OK fine to not attend church most of the time. You are good to go.” 

We are told to believe and obey and repentance is the first order of business. All of which is in the Bible. Know God by reading the scripture, and find out how we are supposed to honor and give glory to Him. The bible was never meant to entertain you. That is a major issue with just about everybody these days, they have to be constantly entertained or they won’t do it. I was like that too. God said be Holy for I am Holy. (1 Peter 1:16) How you even understand what Holy is, is to pick up that book, or go online or on your phone and see what it says. It will change your life. The Truth will set you Free!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23

Last Sunday we sang our tradition Christmas Hymns. I love these old songs and thought I would share them with you. As you listen to these hymns, please remember the reason for them. To give praise, honor and glory to Christ Jesus, our Savior, Lord and King. Merry Christmas!

Joy To The World

Hark The Herald Angels Sing

Angels We Have Heard On High

Good Christian Men Rejoice

We have much to be thankful for this year. Many might disagree with all that is going on, however, in James 1 vv. 2 and 3, we find advice from this Apostle to consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Do you find it hard when trouble finds you, to be joyful? Consider this story from Bestie ten Boom, sister to Corrie.
https://deeprootsathome.com/betsie-and-the-fleas/

I believe that faith is the issue here. As mentioned in my last Bible Study post, everything you have comes from above. This pearl of truth comes from John the Baptist in John 3:27. The ruling class of that day rejected that truth, just as our own ruling class has rejected it today. Solomon absolutely nailed it when he said there is nothing new under the sun. (Ecc 1:9) So, 2000 years later, or in the case of Solomon, almost 3000 years later, we as God’s creatures have not changed one bit. Still not wanting to believe or even be thankful to the One who has given us our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11) Our local Caesar has outright banned Thanksgiving this year, for anyone outside your home.

Saturday, Nov. 21 through Friday, Dec. 18, Executive Order 20-99 requires all Minnesotans to:

* Limit social gatherings to one household.
* Not gather outside of your household.
* Postpone all celebrations, events, receptions, and parties, including any social gatherings for weddings and funerals.

He doesn’t seem very thankful to me. As I said, faith is the issue. Do you have faith in Man or God? Much of this beleaguered land seems to have chosen poorly.

My daily reading of the scripture has brought me to Psalm 139. David, the author of this Psalm and a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14) says something that I think most of us have forgotten or have just plain rejected. I think it is the absolute key Psalm for what ails the nation. Everything that is wrong with this country could be fixed with understanding and belief in this Psalm. Read it and bolster your faith and trust in God and truly be thankful. His arms are indeed not too short. (Isaiah 59:1)

Psalm 139
1 Lord, You have searched me and known me.
2 You know when I sit down and when I get up;
You understand my thought from far away.
3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down,
And are acquainted with all my ways.
4 Even before there is a word on my tongue,
Behold, Lord, You know it all.
5 You have encircled me behind and in front,
And placed Your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
It is too high, I cannot comprehend it.

7 Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
9 If I take up the wings of the dawn,
If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,
10 Even there Your hand will lead me,
And Your right hand will take hold of me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will overwhelm me,
And the light around me will be night,”
12 Even darkness is not dark to You,
And the night is as bright as the day.
Darkness and light are alike to You.

13 For You created my innermost parts;
You wove me in my mother’s womb.
14 I will give thanks to You, because I am awesomely and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from You
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully formed in the depths of the earth;
16 Your eyes have seen my formless substance;
And in Your book were written
All the days that were ordained for me,
When as yet there was not one of them.

17 How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God!
How vast is the sum of them!
18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.
When I awake, I am still with You.

19 If only You would put the wicked to death, God;
Leave me, you men of bloodshed.
20 For they speak against You wickedly,
And Your enemies take Your name in vain.
21 Do I not hate those who hate You, Lord?
And do I not loathe those who rise up against You?
22 I hate them with the utmost hatred;
They have become my enemies.

23 Search me, God, and know my heart;
Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts;
24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.

I received an email from my Sister in Law a few days ago. It was a rather poor quality audio recording of her granddaughter Rachel schooling her 3 sisters in the Trinity. I worked 2 days on cleaning up the audio and finally got it to the point of being able to understand what’s being said. In typical Rachel fashion, she’s got a pretty firm understanding of theology, for a 5 year old, and brooks no dissension from her siblings. Hyperbole and irony are used with reckless abandon. There are many adults with weaker understanding of the subject at hand.

And because it’s so darn cute, here’s Rachel a bit younger, singing the Doxology.

It was a beautiful day yesterday. 70 degrees and light wind, so I decided to take a stroll around town. The only fly in the punch bowl is my strolling capability has become less than desirable of late, so I used the drone to see the town. Took a whole 5 minutes from 300 feet up. Enjoy!

I was up early as is my usual habit. What is early you ask? Around 4:30am although of late 2:30am has been calling my name more often than not. When that happens, I come downstairs, fire up Grace Stream and let Johnny Mac lull me back to sleep with one of his 50 years of sermons. My wife thinks I am crazy because MacArthur gets a bit shouty at times, but I drift off anyway. 

Getting back to my story, I checked the weather forecast while sipping coffee and it looked good, real good. Along about 6:30am, after a rousing bowl of oatmeal, I glanced out the still dark window and went back to my computer, checking again at what time the sun rises. I started to get antsy and pace around; my pacing game has suffered a bit with the onset of ALS. I tend to shamble about instead of prancing smartly, from window to window, but it’s all good.

At 7am, I took the drone out of its travel pouch and got it set up. I am banned from the porch roof so the back step is now my launch pad. I sent the drone up and gave it orders to snap a photo every 15 seconds. Once it was at altitude, I went back in the house and sipped some more coffee. The drone can stay up there for about 30 minutes and that was good for one coffee and a chocolate bar my Mother in Law made. I stepped back outside and the sky was lit up and red.   

My Pi Camera was also doing its job. It gets everything from 0’dark thirty to sun up. Also got a shot of my drone coming back to earth. Looks like I missed a nice flush of color early, but that’s Ok, my ground team took care of that.

And since we are at peak color, I put a new battery in the drone and sent it up for a look at the town. Lots of nice color, but with all the wind we have been having, I don’t think it will last long. We’ve been blessed with a nice fall and remember to give thanks to the Father for all that you have.