That is the first riddle I wrote 5 years ago. It doesn’t seem that long, but it is. I look back and see the many things that has happened to me. The major things were my grandson in 2015, the flood in 2016 and in 2017 we bought a new house. There were many other things that happen, but I not talking about them. Hopefully, I am moving forward. Sometimes, it feels like I am in retreat, more than charging forward. But I am accomplishing the goals set out for me. My life is complicated. It is never all good or all bad. I don’t like the bad, but it is there to help me. Yes, I said to help me. Trials are there to test what you believe. They aren’t there to destroy you. The only way to test your metal is under fire. It’s not fun and sometimes it hurts like hell. But when you come out at the end of the trial, you will know what you believe is true or not. If you don’t come out at the end of the trial, it is one more time around the mountain. I would rather remove the mountain than keep walking around it. What am I saying and why am I talking in metaphors? The metaphors are examples without getting personal. What I am talking about is the answer to the riddle. What remains the same and is constantly changing? The answer is man. The constant or same is change.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

What is it that we owe God? Why do we even owe Him? Why can’t we just do what we want? Don’t we have freedom to live our lives like we want? I have asked all those questions and more. I searched for the answers for years. All I could see was my circumstances. But that isn’t the whole truth. I couldn’t see through the pain. I wanted to, but I never had the power to. It wasn’t until I was showed to way out. Then I began to see the truth of my life. All I had was the misery of this world. I wanted more and found that way out. God showed He could turn my life around, when I gave up my old life for His. And I did. I have never regretted giving up the old life. It doesn’t mean I am perfect. It means I am forgiven and have a power to help in times of need. God, our Father, wants us to return home and be with Him. All this is to get us there. So, what is our reasonable service? It is in the giving of our life to God. Then we live the life God has promised us. This is reasonable service. So, what is the proof? The proof is when God reached out to us with His love and touched our hearts. And we responded.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

How do I fill my life? I have a wife and 4 grown sons, 2 daughter in laws, 2 grandsons. I have a job that I work at, 5 days a week. Plus, I have the blog. But this isn’t how I count my days. It is true my days are going by faster than in my younger days. Back then, I thought that time dragged by. Now, weeks are a blur. Months go by to fast. Years occur like months. It is one of things that are a constant worry for older people. It is that time will run out for them. There is always work that needs to be done. And if can’t do it today, it may never get done. As I have said before, that God only guarantees today. As He has said, now is the time, today is the day of salvation. It is what God gives to us. We are to live as if it is our last day. Then we can accomplish what we were sent to do. I do it all with the peace of God. Otherwise, I would have gone crazy or have died. Time goes by just like the wind, that turns around and come back again. It is ever constant in our lives and finite. So, live your life as if it is the last day. Then you will do what you need to do for yourself, your family and for God.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

Solomon, a child born from a checked past, became one of the best kings of Israel. He was the son of King David and the wife of Uriah, Bathsheba. David had committed adultery with Bathsheba and had her husband killed in battle. God would have destroyed David for those sins. David repented, but the consequence of his sins were far reaching. Their first child was stillborn. David married Bathsheba. Their second child was Solomon. Solomon loved the Lord. His heart was for God. When he became king of Israel, all that he asked God for was wisdom to rule over Israel. God gave him the wisdom and the wealth of the world. Solomon became the wisest and richest man in the world. He was the only man to rule the world, besides Jesus. Kings of other countries would come to Jerusalem to see the wealth of Israel. Solomon kept the gold inside the city walls, but the silver he dumped on the ground outside the walls. He wrote the book of Proverbs in one day. The book of Ecclesiastes was written at the end of his life. It is also a book of proverbs. It seems that he had become jaded with all that God had given. But it was written as matter of fact book. And one of his proverbs that rings true is from Ecclesiastes 4:6 “Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.” This from a man who ruled the world.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

What about the Prodigal son? Well, this man had 2 sons. They lived on a farm. They were successful. The younger son didn’t like being a farmer. He wanted to live in the city and have a good time. He asked his father for his share of the farm. I’m sure the father didn’t want his son to leave. But he decided to give his younger son his share. The son took it and left. He began to spend his money on, as they say, wine, women and song. The only problem was that he ran out of money. And his so called friends left. Hard times came to that area and the son had nothing. He began working with a farmer feeding pigs. He eat what the pigs eat. Finally, the son realized what he had done. He thought about his father’s servants and how they had food and clothing. He said I will go and ask my father to forgive me. I will become one of his servants. As he approached the farm, his father saw him and ran to him. His father hugged and kissed him. The son asked for forgiveness. His father said, you were dead and now you are alive. His father forgave him and accepted him back in the house. We are all prodigal sons. There is none righteous, no not one. We have all sinned and fallen short of God. Do as the Prodigal son, ask for forgiveness and return home.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
Www.joseph1637.com

Last night I saw something amazing. I saw a young couple who have considered the cost and went to Africa anyway. They met in Africa. They married and had their first child there, Charlene. It’s Charlie, for short. For all the time that I have walked with God, I have always been looking for people who, for lack of a better word, sold out to God. This young couple are walking in faith, healing, deliverance, miracles and the love of God. Their work in Africa is to rescue children. They call it to rescue, restore and reunite them back into Life itself. People talk a good game, but not many will follow through. But when you see it, you know it’s true. What came to our little church was the presence and power of God. He presented Himself through this young couple. My momma always said, the proof is in the pudding. O taste and see that the Lord is good. The young couple are JT and Kasey Strong.

http://www.StrongPointMinistries.com

Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

If you want to get emotional at all, you just have to look at the evening news. The circus on TV is really a bad joke. There is enough trash in this world to divide us over anything. The enemy of our souls, #1 tool against us is to divide and conquer. So, what are you going to do about it? Is it to talk to everyone about your anger or is it to where you know that you can get an answer. If you get angry about anything, you have lost the battle. The real purpose is to frustrate the enemy. How can you do this? This is how I overcame the world. First, I gave my life to God, for Him to clean it up. Then I follow after Him and began to read and study the bible. When I learned a truth, I could stand against the lie. With this my faith became stronger and stronger. And my relationship with God became closer. I am not perfect. I am forgiven. Now, I can see the truth and recognize a lie. This is how God’s plan works in us. There is very little that I don’t recognize as a lie and can do something about it. Everyone has needs, but now I can do something about it. I know that this is one of your needs. it isn’t by sticks and stone we overcome. It is my faith and trust that we can overcome the world.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

I am looking at my cat and seeing her needs. She is an inside cat and has needs because of it. She needs food, exercise and a bathroom. But more than that, she needs my attention. She will go to great lengths to get my attention. She will sit on the back of my big chair with me in it and sleep. If I don’t give her enough attention, she will run back and forth from room to room. It is just like she is crazy, but she is getting her daily exercise. Cats and dogs need to be engaged on a daily basis. They are social animals and need. As for man, we have needs that are as important on a daily basis. We need food, lodging and clothing. But we need attention also. We are social beings. Although, we may not be a sociably acceptable, we still have needs. Our interaction with people is a basic need. As they say, no man is an island. Yet our need can cause great pain. But we still have the need. It is interesting how we were designed. If everything in our lives works correctly, we are an example to the world. But if everything goes wrong, we are an outcast. But there is someone who can correct and mistakes that we make. Even if the mistakes are on an ongoing basis. If you are willing to change, there is hope for us. God will accept us as we are and bring us home. As long as you are willing, God will change our hearts and meet our needs.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

What is the difference between faith and feeling? Your feeling are your senses. There are 5 senses, seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. We use these senses to gather information about this world. Right now, I am listening to some of my favorite music. It helps me focus on writing and block out the world. It becomes real as the song is memorized by heart. And the feelings flood by into me. But we have to remember that this world is temporary. In the end, this world and all things of it will disappear. So, where will all those feelings go? Now on the other hand, faith isn’t about feelings. Faith is belief. What we trust and believe can’t be touched with our feelings. It is great to be in the presence of God and feel His glory. But that isn’t what I believe. What I believe is the there is only one true God, The Father, The Son, Jesus and The Holy Spirit. They are the Godhead. I believe that Jesus came to earth and died for our sins. God raised Him from the dead and made Him King of kings and Lord of lords. I believe that when I die, I will go to heaven and live with God forever. Feelings are great, but faith is best. What do you believe?
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
http://www.joseph1637.com

How many times do we ask that question in a day’s time? If we don’t have a watch on, we have multiple clocks in our home. Our phones always have a display of time and temperature. So, why is time so important to us? Why do we have to be reminded? Did you know that clocks have been around since the 5th century BC. Most people would just look at the sun. Then they would put a stick in the ground to measure time. It’s called a sundial. The Chinese discovered a water clock in the 5th century BC. Clocks are based on 60 minutes an hour and 60 seconds a minute. Ever wonder where they got that? It’s your heartbeat, the rhythm of your body. Do you know why the oceans are so soothing? Because it’s the rhythm of your heart. It’s interesting how God put all this together. Why did God give us time? It’s to measure seasons and years. Back to the question. What time is it? Now is the time and today is the day of salvation.
Crain Blanchard.
Crainb52@juno.com
Www.joseph1637.com