For years now the struggle against authority has been raging. I can’t say that rebellion began in the 1960’s, but it came of age in America. I grew up in a conservative home. My parents tried to teach me self-constraint. It was like water on a duck’s back. It didn’t really take effect until my rebellion started to cost me. I will tell you the truth, it cost me a lot. I wouldn’t listen until I was almost 30 years old. That is because I was so close to death. I had burned down everything that was good and true in my life. I finally figured out that my parents weren’t as dumb as I thought they were. Each person has to come to that reality or they will lose their life, literally. Authority is portrayed as something useless. You don’t have to go far in America to see people who have lost the constraint of authority. All you have to look at the mess that was in Missouri and Maryland. Then you can look at people who believe in authority in South Carolina after the church shooting. In the 2015 there were 9 police officers killed in the line of duty in America. If you don’t recognize what this whole plan is I will tell you. It is a plan to discredit God Himself. Without God in charge, who will fix the problems of man? You can see for yourself the failed plans of our government to fix anything. Every great civilization has fallen because of the lack of God in their lives. Soon Christianity will be outlawed in America. What will happen is the fall of America. The church will have to go underground just like the 1st century Christians did. There was a Roman Centurion who went to Jesus to ask for help. His servant was sick. As the soldier approached Jesus, he began to ask for help. Jesus said I would go to his house. The soldier said, I am a man under authority. All I have to say is to do this or that and it is done. He ask Jesus just to speak the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus said, I haven’t found so great a faith in all of Israel. You can’t be in authority without being under authority.

Crain Blanchard
joseph1637@juno.com

joseph1637.com

I have been listening to music of my youth. I like ballads more than anything else. As I listened I remember my youth and wasted time I spent. I can see all the opportunities that I had. I am listening to Jim Croce’s “Time in a Bottle”. We all want our lives to count for something. We don’t want to be irrelevant. This is where our family comes into play. The support they give encourages us to go on. Sometimes you can get lost in the world. The saddest thing is to be lonely in midst of people. This is where we need to seek help to live the way we are suppose to. As I watch programs on TV that talk about getting needed help for depression, I think about how lonely they are. We were never made to be alone. We are social beings and need each other. Jesus walk around doing good so that people would not feel alone. God’s word always talks about how much that He loves us and wants to share His life with us. That hole in your heart can only be filled with Jesus. There is no other thing in this world that will satisfy your heart. We can block off the world and people from our lives, but we can never live alone.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

This is the song “Time in a Bottle” by Jim Croce.

What are your limits? How far will you go to achieve your goals? Do you know what you want to do with your life? Can you see yourself doing what you dream about? Have you achieved your goals yet? These are important questions in your life. And what you do with them will make the difference in reaching your goals or not. Do you ever think about your life and whether you are accomplishing anything? You can ask anyone if your dream is real and achievable. Most will say no. But there will be a few people that will encourage you to go on. Listen carefully to what is being said, then choose the right way to accomplish your dream. Everything depends on you and your choices. Do I dare to pursue my dreams, even if no one agrees with you? You cannot let your fears stop you. What will happen if you pursue your dream and it fails? Edison tried 2000 ways to make a light bulb, before he discovered the right way. Do you know what Edison said about his light bulb? He said, I found 2000 ways how not to make a light bulb. Edison invented the light bulb in 1879. In his home, that is a museum today, the light bulbs he invented 143 years ago are still burning bright. So, what are your limitations? Do your limitations make any sense? Then what is stopping you from your dreams?

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com

In the military, there is an expression. Soldiers that are causalities but can still walk around are called the walking wounded. I served in the military and have dealt with wounded soldiers. When my sons served in the military, my wife and I were in the Family Readiness Group. We helped soldiers and their families. The wounds that war creates are sometimes deep and hard to overcome. One of my sons suffers from survivor’s guilt. It shows itself in PTSD. It is hard sometimes just to live normally. But he is not the only person to suffer because of it. The family of wounded soldiers suffers along with their soldier. God never said that life would be easy. He said that it would be simple. There is nothing more devastating than a wounded heart. And sometimes it is a long process to overcome that wounded heart. You become vulnerable and try to protect yourself from everyone. There are trust issues. When I came to know the Lord, it took time for me to see what God was offering and to accept it. My life was in a death spiral. I needed help greater that anyone could offer. That is when God intervened. There are many walking wounded in this country and they never serve a day in the military. If you look around with your heart, you will see these people and have compassion. That is the only way to reach the walking wounded with compassion. Just as God had compassion on us, when He sent His son Jesus to die for our sins.

Crain Blanchard.

Joseph1637@juno.com

Joseph1637.com