Shining the light

Last night, being too lazy to turn on the light, I picked up my tooth brush and brushed my teeth, wondering when I did so, why there was hair in my toothbrush.

This morning, I went into the bathroom, turning on the light, I started to brush my teeth. There were two toothbrushes there, the same brand, the same shape, the same color. I picked up the closest one, and, in the light, saw that it was an old one I use as a scrub brush (I had used it yesterday afternoon to clean my puppy's little plastic finger toothbrush after I cleaned his teeth).

Having put some light on the situation, I picked up the newer, cleaner brush and proceded to brush my teeth.

A few weeks ago Priscilla asked the Sunday School class, why do you read your Bible. You already know how to be saved, you already know the things that are in it, you have read them before, so why do you read your Bible.

We just sat there and looked at her. I really didn't know how to express why.

Well, friends, when we read our Bible, we turn on the light.

There was light in my bathroom last night (a little night light) and there was a little light this morning; but I needed a brighter light to make the proper decision. Reading the Bible turns on the brighter light so we can see properly the old an familair things around us and make the right decisions.

Can't teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

Pepper is eleven, old for a dog.  He likes to stay in bed as long as he can in the morning - and still keep and eye on me.  I want to make the bed before I leave the room, but he stays right on it so I can't.  Yesterday morning, when the alarm went off and he snuggled down to keep his place.  I reached over, brought him to me, got out his grooming brush and gave him a good brushing.  He tolerated it. 

This morning when the alarm went off and I reached over to pet him - he wasn't there. At the sound of the alarm, he had immediately jumped off the bed and gone out to the hall to wait for me to get up. 

It only took one morning brushing session to teach him to get out of bed - and I got my bed made without any hassle.

Moses and the rock

In Exodus 17: 1-7 The people of Israel complained and Moses and Aaron turned to God for help.  At God's instruction, he struck "the rock at Horeb"  and water came forth.  We weren't told what he said to the people before striking the rock.

Later (my reference said 40 years later) in Numbers 20 the children of Israel are in the wilderness of Zin and again are complaining because of lack of water.  Moses and Aaron go before the lord and, again, are told to go to "the rock", only this time, Moses is told to speak to the rock.  But Moses struck the rock instead of speaking to it.  The water came forth, but the LORD chastised Moses and Aaron "Because you did not believe in me, to uphold me as holy in the eyes of the people of Israel" 

Everytime I have heard this spoken of, it was said that Moses was punished and not allowed to enter the Holy Land because he "struck" the rock instead of "speaking" to the rock.  This has always bothered me. Careful study has led to me believe that Moses was not punished for striking the rock.  By the way - the chastisment was for both Moses and Aaron and Aaron did not strike the rock.

Let's look at it again.  The LORD said "because you have not believed in me".  In order for Moses (and Aaron) to be so severly punished, it had to have something to do with what was in his heart.  I don't know what was in their hearts... but I know the actions taken.   Picture it - Moses and Aaron are standing beside the rock, before the Israelites and Moses  says "Hear now, you rebels: shall we bring water for you out of this rock?"   **Did you hear that - he said "we" shall bring water!!!!**

The only ones standing there - the only we - are Moses and Aaron - oh Moses could have meant "we" to be Moses and Aaron and God, but that doesn't matter, what does matter is  he said "we".  It appears to me that Moses and Aaron did not give God the glory for bringing forth the water.  The took the credit for themselves and, by the way, Aaron was punished as well as Moses.  "The LORD said to Moses and Aaron you did not believe in me . . . therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them. 

I have always believed that you shouldn't argue about religious matters


  But what really opened my eyes was Romans 1:28.  And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ougth not to be done.  They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.   They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.  They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, etc. 
Then verse 32  Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

As I understand it - we do not argue with these people, we do not join them either, we witness God's love and ways and let God handle the outcome.  Which Paul talks about in 2 Timothy says
2Tim 2: 23- 25 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.  And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone able to teach patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness.

Grandparent's Day

Read Sunday that it was grandparent's day. My great aunts , Mary and Maude Gowdy, and Uncle Raymond Gowdy were the only grandparents I knew.  I believed they loved me - that's makes them a success, for what better thing can a grandparent do than love their grandchildren?

Dogs are Smart

Pepper as in the back seat, we had been for our morning walk.  He pawed my arm and when I looked at him, he, very purposefully looked down where his water dish was stowed, along with a bottle of water.   Dogs are smart.