Friendships*

I have moved so many times in my life. I went to eight different schools during my twelve years of public education. 5 different schools during my last three years of high school. I envy people that have known people all their lives from grade school and on. Friendships are so important. We need to choose friends wisely. They influence us as well as we influence them. I have prayed about this because here again in my life I have moved far away from people I have known. I miss having friends that I can just talk to. I need accountability in my life, I need a sounding board sometimes. I believe God is answering that prayer, at least I am hopeful. I think of friends from that past that I could visit with and confide in. Virgil and Wash are two that come immediately to my mind. A person that has a good base of friends is healthier. Jim Alexander is another name that comes to mind. Gary and Betty Judd, Hank Becker and his crazy self. People that really helped me in the past. I also want to be that kind of friend. As I am thinking about this subject, I think about the many places I have lived, Eureka SD farm, outside Bismark N.D., 16th Street in Bismark,  Mandan N.D., Hosmer SD, Mobridge SD (two places). Then there was WA, first Olympia at Grandma's house, then the green house for about a month. Everett WA, Snohomish WA, Arlington WA and then I was on my own. Aberdeen WA, Kennewick WA with Gary and Betty Judd. Even stayed with the Horton's for a short while. then my own place with Henry Thompson, then a place in Pasco WA all by myself. From there a short stint in Spokane WA with Uncle Joe. From there it was to Everett WA again with Reo and Cindy. Then on Rockefeller in Everett (married for the first time), Hiway Place in Everett. My first house in Marysville WA,  a trailer park in Arlington WA, the 5 acres in Sisco Heights. My first divorce and living in the back of my pickup. A couple of short times at Mom's trailer in Marysville. Renting a room in Lowell, then a studio on Lombard Ave. A small one-bedroom in North Everett, Living with Jean (second marriage), Buying a house with Jean. 2nd divorce and Casino Road. Dad's house in Tacoma after I transferred from Everett to Renton. My first apartment in Renton, and a month in Tom Bartlett's Garage. Then the Highlands east of Renton(my third marriage with Penny Jenkins). My eviction with Penny and my third divorce.  I stayed with Ranae for a while. Moved to Tacoma hilltop, then south 40th. Then the house on East 35th where I married and divorced Linda. Then a couple years later I met and married Barbara.  Then Tupelo, MS and now on to my second place just next door. Have I missed any? If I have counted correctly, I think it was 41 places in 60 years. Can I just settle down and get to know people? How do you keep friendships when you move so much? However, Jesus is the friend that moves with you thru life's ups and downs. I think it has been hard to keep friends for me just because I have moved so many times. Many of these moves were to new communities, new schools, new churches.  About the only constant in my life has been Jesus and Family. Even with family, I have moved so far away, but we keep in contact. It was difficult in high school, 5 different schools in my sophomore, junior and senior years.  I don't remember the names of classmates, I was always the new kid. I really do envy people that have had a friend all their life.  A Preacher once said that we are healthier mentally and emotionally when we have a good friend base.  I believe it and I do value friendships, it's just been hard to maintain them when you move so much. I have friends but what I really want is a friendship like I had with Virgil in my Arlington years, or with Wash when I was single and living in Everett. I have prayed about this and asked God to help me form a friendship like that down here. It's needful, and I wonder if I had so many difficult relationships with wives and girlfriends because that area was lacking so much of my life. A spouse can be a very good friend and Barbara is, but I also think men sometimes need a man to talk to and women need a woman to talk to. We can talk to God about any need we have in our lives and we should. I do have a relationship with God, but I still think we need a friend with skin on them. Hopefully, they also have a relationship with God and will give Godly advice when needed. Some of these friends were real support during times of turmoil when going thru a divorce. The family and church families, and friends that were there for me during those trying times. I would like to be a friend like Wash and Virgil were to me. Wash has gone on to his final home, and Virgil now lives in central WA State. I haven't always been as good a friend as the friendships I have received. This is an area that is lacking in my life right now and I am praying about it. I hope to be as good a friend as many of these were to me. I am truly thankful I have the wife I have, she also is my friend. God Bless, LVZ

being graceful and longsuffering*

Recently in the gifts of the spirit there was mention made of being longsuffering. I remember years ago a minister describing it this way. We humans are longsuffering, saying it as fast as he could, but God is lllllllllllllooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggggsssssssssssssssssssss uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuufffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnninnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg.
Love is long suffering, does not keep a record of wrongs etc. I was thinking about this in a conversation I had recently. I have really enjoyed some conversations I have had with the latest contractor working on the house. I can think of many instances where I have done the wrong thing - said the wrong thing. Don't we want grace when we mess up? I also think of the story Jesus told of the servant that owed much more than he could ever pay back and the Master forgave the debt. then the servant went out and found a fellow servant that owed him a mere 20 bucks in comparison, and would not forgive the debt but had his fellow servant thrown into a debtor's prison when he could not pay. I think being graceful needs to be practiced in families as well as church families. When I think of some things I have said, I am glad I received grace. Have I been as free in granting grace to others as I received? Sooner or latter we all mess up. When we forgive it does not mean we don't learn from a situation. I believe Jesus is teaching us to be as graceful in extending grace as we have received. I am also thankful that I haven't received everything I deserve. Sometimes I have been guilty of thinking out loud and believe me I can say things to upset others. I wish I would always think quietly before I speak. I think in families and relationships we sometimes need to extend grace, the same as we have received. Overlook some things, people have a bad day, they spoke before they thought, some times it just doesn't come out of my mouth the same way I thought it in my head. It sure is nice to receive grace especially from God. We should practice being graceful and long suffering in our lives. There is no way I can ever be as graceful as God has been to me, but I certainly can try to add it to my characteristics. God bless,  LVZ.

gifts again*

Ephesians 4:12 "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."  We have been studying the Gifts of the Spirit recently. Most of my devotional readings have also been in those same chapters recently. The gift of tongues is one of the gifts mentioned in those chapters. Today there seem to be some churches that feel you have to speak in tongues or other churches that totally stay away from tongues teaching it was a thing of the past. I believe it is like one person spoke that there is a demonic gift of tongues, an emotional gift of tongues, and the real gift of tongues. I believe 90% of what I have seen in my lifetime is the emotional variety. Tongues need to be biblical, or it is a counterfeit. If tongues are spoken in a congregation of three or more there needs to be an interpreter or it is not real. I think I have been somewhat afraid of tongues because the majority of what I have seen in my lifetime has been the emotional tongues and not the real thing. Not only with tongues, but also with the other gifts there are imitations. I think questions to ask regarding these gifts go back to the scripture above, does it edify or build up the body of Christ? Does it promote the individual involved or does it lift up Christ? Is it scriptural? I think back to the Nickle story, I think in its simplicity, a lot of gifts are not recognized when they are working because it does not promote the individual involved but blesses others. These gifts are given to build up believers, to bring us into unity, to bring us into maturity as believers. I do believe all the gifts are real and for today, they just need to be biblical and not the fake variety. God bless, LVZ.

Our Leaders*

I have been so busy with the house I've not had the time to blog much. I am trying to get the insulation finished so the sheetrockers can start. I have not finished painting the outside either. But this morning I wanted to comment on a brief article I read in the paper. I see the leaders of our country have bipartisan support to begin praying and asking God for direction. Even our President is supportive of this according to the article in the newspaper. This is a step in the right direction. I know I have noted II Chronicles 7:14 many times. We need God's help and God's direction if we are going to turn things around in this country. I hope this trend continues. This is a step in the right direction. God Bless, LVZ.