I hear people talk about the real deal.  It is something that they suppose is authentic. Or let’s get real is another saying. What they are talking about is reality. So many people have adjusted their reality to make it what they want. You have to ask yourself what is reality? How to you define real? Well I know that the earth is real. The sun, moon and the stars are real. Then if they are real, then all of creation is real. Yet the bible says that the earth and stars will disappear just like a curtain being rolled up. This earth and all on it are temporary. Then what is real? What is truly real? You have to ask yourself what will not disappear at the end of the earth. Then you have to believe that someone or something is in control of our future. I don’t believe it is a rock or crystal or someone doped up and chanting. Your perspective is what you believe is the right and real way, almost. What we believe does alter our destiny, but it doesn’t change the outcome of the world. The real plan has been put into play and we can’t change it. All we can do is believe and follow along. We aren’t smarter or stronger than God Himself. We can’t change His plan in any way or aspect. The only thing we can do is to accept or reject His offer of eternal life. We are eternal being and will live forever. But where you live is up to you. When you die there are only 2 places to go, heaven or hell. And if you don’t live God’s way here on this earth, you will not live in heaven with God. It is a very simple choice to make. And all you have to do is ask God and help will arrive.

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Why does honor and integrity cost us everything? There is nothing more precious to us than our life. Yet we become willing to risk it all for honor. These human values are most precious and valued above all things. We see it in the animal kingdom, where a mother will defend her children to the death. Where the parents give all that they have for their offspring. Honor, courage, and integrity are strong values in our lives. People who don’t follow them consider themselves worthless. What is it about those values that would make us want to do whatever is necessary? How many people do you know that follow that way of life? Probably just a few people come to mind. One of the most honorable person I know was an uneducated woman from south Louisiana. She spoke fluent French. She was a maid and very poor. She saw a need in Haiti and went an opened an orphanage. For 20 years, she worked with the poor people and helped young people get an education. She didn’t asked for things for herself. Every so often she would come back to raise money for the orphanage. She worked in Haiti until she couldn’t physically do it anymore. This woman had honor and integrity far above most people I know. What is your life about? Is it just to a acquire things in this world? Or do you have a purpose or plan to accomplish something honorable in this life? Honorable doesn’t mean that you have to go to Africa or have to give everything you have to the poor. It means being true to yourself and God. There are many wrongs that need to be righted here just outside your door. All you need is to open your eyes and see what needs are around you. There is no greater love than this, to lay down your life for another.

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We decorated the front porch of our new house. It is the first Christmas in our new home. My wife took great pains to find just the right decorations for the house. Now I am going to electrify it with lights. But this year I am not feeling the joy or exuberance of Christmas cheer. Everything seems to be in place, but the joy of Christmas has avoided me. As I get older, I think about my mortality. I also think about the things I want to accomplish on this earth. it just seems that time is running out. I am also thinking about my parents and younger brother, who died 2 years ago. I am not trying to be the Grinch that stole Christmas. I want my joy back. I do understand that people get nostalgic at this time of year. But It shouldn’t take my joy away. I am mortal and immortal. Both parts reside in me. When my mortality ends, my immortality will continue. The other night I rode around looking at the Christmas lights. Some were just beautiful. I do enjoy it so. I just feel a lose right now. I also know it will subside into the joy of the season. You see the joy of the season is the reason for it. And the reason for the season is Jesus the Christ.

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Growing up we have dreams of great things. We want to succeed at everything we do. We want to be a hero to our family and friends. It is the desire of our heart. When we grow up, it seems to turn out differently. Even though we accomplish our goals, there seems to be a let down at the end. We don’t turn out to be heroes we saw as a child. Everyone’s life falls into the ordinary category. And extraordinary seems to happen once in a while. Our lives are based upon the ordinary. There are basic things that we do. Everyone grows up, works, marries and has children. However you live your life, the extraordinary comes in when you live your life for others. There are people, who are extraordinary having given their lives ordinarily. And you will never know their names. Extraordinary lives aren’t just the heroes on the battlefield or the fireman or policeman. They are the ordinary people who love so much, that they are willing to give their lives helping others. My mother, a special education teacher of the hard of hearing and hearing impaired, work with twins, who couldn’t speak in the 1^st grade. She worked with them until they graduated from high school and went on to college. Committing your life is an Godly attribute. God puts into our hearts the love we need to live the life. And this is what is extraordinary.

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When Moses went back to Egypt as a prophet of God, He told Pharaoh that God would bring plagues upon Egypt if he didn’t let Israel go. Pharaoh laughed at Moses and told him to go away. After Moses prayed, the Nile River turned to blood and all the fish died. Pharaoh called Moses and asked him to turn the Nile back to water. He said he would let Israel go. When Moses did, Pharaoh hardened his heart and wouldn’t let Israel go. Moses prayed again, and frogs came up from the Nile and covered Egypt. Frogs were one of Egypt’s gods. Pharaoh called Moses again. He asked Moses to pray and remove the frogs. He would let Israel go. Moses asked Pharaoh when he wanted the frogs gone. Pharaoh answered and said tomorrow. He was going to spend one more night with the frogs. It was because he didn’t want to give up. He knew that the frogs were a disaster. And he knew that his life was a disaster, but he was unwilling to surrender to God. Do you recognize your life? I do. I was unwilling to give up my disaster. Until it became so unbearable. At that point I didn’t know what to do. Thank God, He sent someone into my life. Even then, it took 3 months of talking to me to convince me. But I surrendered. God opened heaven for me. My life has been blessed. God goes before to make the way. Oh yes, all of my gods fell away and disappeared. That place where you spend one more night with the frogs, is being caught between the rock and the hard place.

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Isn’t it funny how your life revolves around the sun? We rise up from sleep and go to bed with the sun. Benjamin Franklin said, early to bed, early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise. But much of our life depends on the sun. We say it is a beautiful day when the sun is shining. Then we say it is a dreary day when it is raining. What makes the day any different when the sun shines or it’s raining? It is a perception. It is what our brain tells us from past experience. We can do more when the sun shines. Make hay while the sun shines. Then when it rains, we are limited to indoor activities. I don’t like to get wet either. I am like a cat. But once I am wet them it’s alright. If it is cold and wet, which happens often, it is miserable. But there is something to be said for a rainy day. It seems to be quieter than most. Or is it that our mind is quieter. We choose the quiet or slower activities. Unless you want to run around your house and break things. I love to listen to the rain on a tin roof. I always felt sorry for the workmen who work in the open and especially on rainy days. It is all about perception. What you see or think you see will determine what you do. In reality a sunny day and a rainy day are the same. There is no real difference between the two. You can do the same thing you want on each day. I like to choose the rainy day to stop and reflect on what is going on in my life or read a book, or do an activities that quieted my mind. You see all days are the same. God said, He makes it rain on the just and the unjust. God also said, this is the day the Lord has made, so rejoice and be glad in it.

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It is a theory in quantum mechanics that states if you observe anything, it will change the variables of the observed object. Thus changing the end results of the observed. It’s a theory that kind of loops in on itself. It is also about the uncertainty of people. There are so many variables that affect our lives. Some of these variables are simple and some difficult. It is certain that we are changing every day and every minute. We don’t know what the end result will be even if we observe the changing effect. A meteor about a foot width hit the earth and created Crater Lake. A grain of sand in space can hit an asteroid and move it out of it orbit. Let alone the Wall Street stock market falls and all hell breaks loose. Or our country loses industries because they are going to overseas locations. And 13 million people are out of work. There are 35% of the American population on welfare. 53% of Americans are working and paying taxes. The American population has declined in the past 60 years by 20%. There are 76 million people who are baby boomers. These are people born between 1946 and 1964. They will all reach retirement age in 14 years. This is the majority of American people in the US. This is the uncertainty principle. What will happen to America? When the majority of people working retire from working and paying taxes. Economic collapse comes to mind. The Federal Government is spending money like there is no tomorrow. Guess what if they continue there is no tomorrow. It is time for a revolution in this country and I am afraid it is going to be violent. I personally think that the uncertainty principle needs to be applied to all elected officials everywhere, local, state and national. What are you going to do to change this world today?

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When God set up the Promised Land for the Israelites, He set down rules and regulations for the people to follow. One of them had to do with the land itself. If you know about the Middle East, there isn’t much arable land to use for farming. It fact most of it is deserts. So land usage is an important part of life. When the Jewish people came back into the Promised Land, an almond grove from biblical times was discovered in the Negev desert. Each tree was surrounded on 3 sides by a small wall of stones to capture the rain. All the walls were facing one way. The Negev’s annual rain fall is about 8 inches. 8 inches of water a year isn’t enough to take a bath in. The almond crop in California uses 10% of all water used for crops and people. So water usage was of upmost important. The land in Israel was given as God inheritance. Not everybody is a farmer. Those that chose to sell their land could do so for 7 years. Then it was to be returned to the original owner. This way no one could lose their inheritance. On the same 7 year cycle, each person was to farm the land for 6 years and let the land rest on the 7th year. Most farmers do that today to allow the land to recuperate from farming. But people became greedy and wouldn’t give the land back after 7 years. Nor would they let the land rest on the 7^th year. The bible says that the land sprued the people out because of the sin of the people was heavy upon the land. For 490 years, the Israelites wouldn’t follow God’s word. So the Israelites went into captivity for 70 years. And no one farmed the Promised Land for 70 years. God gave the land rest. The bible says in Romans 8:22-23 “Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Have you ever seen the earth groan and travail? If you haven’t just look around. It is happening now.

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We always hope that our parents will leave us an inheritance. Something substantial, like land or money, but it is not always so. An inheritance can be something else. Some people are just not rich in their life, so they leave what they can like a good name, understanding or knowledge. Proverbs 22:1 “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Give a person a fish and you feed him for the day. Teach him to fish and you feed him for his lifetime. The Israelites are made up of 12 tribes. God promised them a Promise Land, flowing with milk and honey. All the tribes had an inheritance in the land, except the Levites. Moses and Aaron were Levites. When they were in Egypt, they were the teachers of God’s law to the Israelites. God gave them an inheritance in Him. God divided them into three families. Each one had a job in the temple and they were to share in all that was collected at the temple or Tent of Meeting. This is how they made their living. God provided for them. About the time that Jesus was born, the Levites were pushed out of the temple by Sadducees. The Levites formed monasteries to be able to live. This is where the Dead Sea Scrolls came from. God’s inheritance is not just food or shelter. An important part of His inheritance are our children. That is why children are so important in our lives. My parents left my brothers and I an inheritance of money. But more than that they left us the knowledge of God. What will you leave to your children?

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My son’s dog Olivia was raised in our home. While my son was in college, this was her home. Olivia came to identify our home as hers. No other animal could came into our home except Olivia approved. We have had cats in our home also. But as is Olivia’s right as head mistress, she decided if they could live here. The last animal in our home was a calico cat, named Calli. This cat was taken in as a kitten. It was a rescue cat that we found on the side of the road. She had been beaten up pretty badly. When Olivia first saw Calli, she knew that there was something wrong. Olivia began to clean the kitten as if it was her puppy. The kitten bonded to Olivia and followed her around. She became her mom. The kitten would sleep with Olivia. Calli also played with Olivia. The strangest thing happened, Olivia taught Calli how to be a cat. She taught the kitten how to hunt and pounce on prey. Olivia was always the prey. She didn’t mind and played with the cat and still does. My son has moved away and Olivia lives with him. Our beautiful calico cat Calli lives with us. She is now mistress of the house, until Olivia comes for a visit. Calli want us to pet and play with her, but still will not let us hold her. Calli takes all the best spots in the house unless Olivia is here. Her mom can have the best of everything. God showed us this relationship for a reason. The bond is strong between Olivia and Calli. It isn’t broken just because of time and distance. It will always be there for each other. Just as the bond God makes with us. No matter the road we travel, the bond between our Father and us will not be broken. The opportunity to build a relationship with God is open to anyone who will come. All you have to do is ask and you shall receive, seek and your will find, and knock and it shall be open to you. God is ready and present for you.

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