Better

I think I would do a better job if I didn't try to write something each day. But part of this exercise is to be in the word each day and to think about it. I am still in Proverbs, I am spending a lot of time in Proverbs. I initially thought I would try to read 4 chapters a day.  But I have been in Proverbs since about June 24th. If Id kept to my pace I would have finished it in early July. I don't feel like being in a hurry, I am trying to learn something about God. Sometimes something on the news or in life distracts me and I go off on a rabbit trail. Sometimes my blogs are about what I am dealing with in my personal life.  Some of the things I write has come off harsh, probably part of my personality. Like Trump I can't help it, but I thought by rereading and rewriting 5 or more times I would do better. Some one I respect was talking about Lincoln and how he would rewrite letters 5 times and his outcome was always better after the fifth time. I thought it good advice and that is slowing me down even more. Sometimes by rereading and rewriting, I am rereading the same scripture over and over again. My pray life is under change, I saw a video in a sermon I listen to by Bill Wolfson in Hemet, CA. I thought this is my prayer life and it needs to change. I was tempted to tear up my list that day. I really began to wonder about my motivation  for some things on my prayer list. Some names have been on there for decades. But I don't want to take them off, I don't want to throw away my prayer list.  Then I thought about a young lady in Texas that was bedridden for years. She spent the majority of her waking moments praying for others, that was her ministry. She had a calendar with 1/2 hour slots marked off as to what or whom to pray for.  It was much more purposeful than what I am doing. Some times we become so rote in our relationship with God. I want God and I need him but I don't want it to become a religious thing that I do. I want it to be more of an interactive thing that I do with God each day than showing up in the coffee shop with Jesus and I do all the talking and just about the time Jesus wants to say something, my time is up. I posted it on face book recently, and you can google it,  "coffee with Jesus" and you can find the video. Bill Wolfson's  sermon and the video really made me think about my prayer life. Bill Wolfson's sermon was from the 21st of July I think. You can find that on face book. Ephesians 5:26 26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,  That is what this process is meant to do to change us, to transform us as we pray to God and read his word.  It is a lifetime process, and don't be discouraged if it doesn't happen as fast as we like. It is not where we have started from but where we end up that is important. Job went through major difficulties, Jonah spent three days in the belly of a Whale. Moses did not make it to the promised land ( Israel / Canaan )  but I believe we will see him in Heaven. David failed. And so many others through Biblical history. Moses murdered a man, David murdered a man. Paul witness the deaths of many Christians. This list can go on and on. The New Testament tells us if we say we have not sinned we are liars and the truth is not in us. Christian circles are made up of flawed individuals, but it is where they end up in eternity that is important. This life is like a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. It is soon over.  In my failures I have sought to draw closer to God,  not away. It is kind of like the ancestors of our nation, to form a more perfect union. This country is not perfect, but it is better than any other nation on earth. Christians are not perfect but in the same way strive to be a more perfect person.   We are God's children, when  we accept Jesus as our savior and that is everything when it comes to eternity. God will see Jesus not our imperfect imitations of him. God bless, LVZ.

To Much Or To Little

7“Two things I ask of you, Lord;

do not refuse me before I die:

8Keep falsehood and lies far from me;

give me neither poverty nor riches,

but give me only my daily bread.

9Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you

and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’

Or I may become poor and steal,

      and so dishonor the name of my God. Proverbs 30:7-9
God knows us and he can bless. He does bless, there are always those that have more than us. There are always the poor among us. Scripture says; we will always have the poor among us.
You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me." John 12:8

Can having too much destroy us? I remember when I first worked for a major manufacturer. I loved my job and God allowed me to prosper. I became self sufficient and I stopped going to church. I got laid off and after a difficult time in my life, I sought God again. There were some years when my kids were little we were poor. I lost a good job and it was a struggle. This scripture put me in mind of those times.  I know some rich people, I know some poor. This prosperity doctrine where God wants us to be blessed and have wealth, where they take certain scriptures to say that God wants us to be prosperous, and if we are not we are doing something wrong. It's not true. Sometimes for our own good God will just give us enough. Give me neither poverty or riches, God can bless, but I remember that time when I walked away from God. God used that difficult time in my life to bring me back to him.  I remember when I got a call to come back to work. Man I was so glad to get that call. I was in a Nurse's office to see if she would clear me for work. During my laid off years and even before the layoff, I had eczema on my hands. It had gotten worse during my last job. I didn't think the nurse was going to allow me to return to work because of the skin condition. I felt disappointed. I prayed silently, God your will be done. I thought to my self, as much as I wanted this job there are millions in this world that don't work for this particular company. As long as I am in God's hands I will be alright.  And just as I had silently given it to God, I heard the words, you'll start Tuesday. I returned to work on a job that I loved. I remember that I never wanted to become self sufficient again. God blessed me once again on that job and I tried to be ever grateful and not take it for granted again. When I was poor times were hard. It was difficult, there we were living on 5 acres in a run down trailer house and no running water. We finally had gotten electricity to the place. I believe God had allowed that difficult time to bring me back to him. Some times we don't appreciate the good until after we have experienced the bad.  During those difficult years we would carry empty containers for drinking water and go to a relatives house or to the rest stop along the freeway to fill up our drinking water. O how nice it was to have running water and indoor plumbing. I remember when I returned to my good job, I have got to do something about this or my kids will grow up thinking this is all there is.  We built a new house and I was content. I really loved that place and that house, it meant a lot to me. I envisioned living there the rest of my days. I remember one time praying, God I don't want this to mean too much to me. I don't want this nice home to come between me and thee. I don't want to become self sufficient again. It wasn't all that long when I went through a different trial and through divorce, I had to give up the home that I loved. God once again brought me through difficult times.  I first lived in the back of my truck, then a rented room, then a studio apartment with a shared bathroom, and finally a small apartment with my own bathroom.  And it wasn't long long before I was in a house again. Help me lord to be content in what you have given me. Neither too much or too little. I am not self sufficient and rich nor am I poor and destitute. Help me to be content with what you have given me.  But godliness with contentment is great gain.1 Timothy 6:6
I am thankful for where I am at and what I have today. It is enough, I have been blessed of God to have been born in the best country on earth. I am actually rich when you compare to the majority of the people on earth. Yes, there are a lot of people in this country that have more. There are also those that have less. I am content and thank God for what he has given me. Not too much and not to little. God bless. LVZ. 

Gifts From God

Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. Proverbs 19:14
Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3
Do I really appreciate what God has given me?  Our families can sometimes be the source of a lot of pain. I went through divorce and often when I look back had I persevered through them would I have grown the character God meant for me to have sooner. Not that I have now made it. I still go through trials. In my current trial, it seems to have brought me and Barbara closer together. Sometimes we try to avoid pain at all cost. Some of my past marriages were painful. Some times with my children has been painful. But it has caused me to look inside. I am reading a book Happiness is a Serious Problem. One mistake we sometimes make in trying to find happiness is to avoid all pain.  Pain is natural, in fact if we didn't feel the bad ever, how would we recognize the good?  I had a knee that didn't have cartilage left on one side of the joint and it was painful. I had a knee replacement surgery and that was painful.  Imagine cutting an eight inch slit through the skin and the muscle of your leg at the knee joint and shaving both sides of the bone away to be able to put a metal joint in its place. Then it hurts and you have to take pain medicine to be able to cope. You bend that knee as far as you can bend it with scar tissues building at the incision, you walk on it and force yourself to bend it as far as you can even when towards the end of six months when they could no longer give you the good pain meds.  Now over four years later I walk good with no pain. I have a happiness that I could not have achieved had I not gone through the surgery and rehabilitation.  If I had tried to live with the pain of a bad knee and not go through the even more painful surgery and rehab, I would still be experiencing the pain from bone on bone in my knee. Children are a gift from God and sometimes they too are painful. A spouse is a gift from God and sometimes there can be pain between us. It is more of an emotional pain when relationships are broken. But perhaps in God's plan is something better down the road. Blessed is the man that has a quiver full of them.
 3Children are a heritage from the Lord,

offspring a reward from him.

4Like arrows in the hands of a warrior

are children born in one’s youth.

5Blessed is the man

whose quiver is full of them. Psalm 127
But I remember a brother that had more children (I think it is 5 or 6)  when many today that stop at one or two. He quoted the scripture above and asked someone that was discussing his many children. If someone blessed you with collector cars and they offered you many, how many would you take before you stopped receiving the blessing they were giving to you. Would you stop at one or two?  I think we need to stop and take a biblical view of children and our spouse. They are blessings from God and we need to view them as such.  They are not cookie cutters of me, they are autonomous human beings with a mind and will of their own, with God's special purposes for each of them. God does not make mistakes. They are unique and no two alike. They have a special purpose from God. Yes families can be a source of emotional pain because we love them and want the best for them. Sometimes just like the knee surgery, we need to step back and allow the surgeon (God) to do his own unique surgery on their hearts and the rehab that is needed in our broken bone on bone world. God does not waste a trial. Years down the road it too will be better. If not here, then in eternity, it is not over until God says it is over.  God bless. LVZ.
Proverbs 18:22
He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.
Proverbs 31:10
Who can find a wife of noble character? She is far more precious than rubies.

13For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

14I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

15My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

16Your eyes saw my unformed body;

all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:13-16

30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;

but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

31Honor her for all that her hands have done,

and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:30-31

God puts families together for his purposes. 

Gentleness

15Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,

and a gentle tongue can break a bone.   Proverbs 25:15
Patience and gentleness are both part of the fruit of the spirit. Some may think Christians are weak because of the trait of gentleness, but that is not true. God's ways work. God is sovereign and he always has the last word.  A gentle tongue can break a bone, to me that shows strength. Do you ever watch someone that is soft spoken, people have to slow down and listen. Sometimes that is the best way to gets someones attention, to speak softly and they have to strain to hear your words.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 
Galatians 5:22-23.  
The fruit of the spirit is singular, this is not fruits where you can pick one and leave the others alone. Both patience and gentleness and kindness are part of this list in Galatians. The love chapter in 1 Corinthians 13  lists patience and kindness  as attributes of love. This is what this world needs more of, love, gentleness kindness, patience. We need more love, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, self control and truth. Do the words we write show love or hate? God's way is better, God's way works. I believe the anger in this nation today is really at a sovereign God. I don't understand, how people can be so angry with a God that sent his son to die on a cross for our sins. Why would I or anyone want to be part of an angry mob that lies, distorts, disrespects authority, attacks people only because they disagree with you. We see examples of it with Antifa and almost every leftest utterance daily, anger and destruction.  This world needs more of God's ways, and healing for our country. It is through God's precepts, gentleness, kindness, patience, and of course Love for even those that disagree with us. Our country is sick and we do indeed need more of God's love.  Except for the grace of God go I. Christians are not perfect, only saved by grace. Why would you try and tear down the best government in the world? No one has said the United States is perfect.  We have issues. But no other country in the world has so many people trying to get in. We are the best there is, not perfect but able to correct issues like slavery as we did in the past. Able to give women equality. It is this great because our fore fathers sought God's guidance when setting up this great nation.  We need more of God and his direction, not less. Those that tear down this country do not love it. The Jews are  a God loving people and if you look at the conflict in their area of the world. The Jews want peace, the other side wants only to kill every last one of them. They have a small country about the size of our state of New Jersey. But the hatred towards them is at their God. We are probably the only nation that helps them. We are under attack also. It is directed at God.  A God that loved mankind so much, that he sent his son Jesus to die for our sins. We see the attacks of Antifa upon innocent people, defenseless, their only wrong is to disagree with them. Antifa hides their faces because they know they are wrong and don't want to be identified and sent to jail. These are not tactics to right a wrong to beat up on old and innocent who's only wrong is to disagree. We see the daily attacks against President Trump, yes he fights back. But the waste of an investigation for more than two years to try and take him out for doing good for this country. Employment at record levels. Our harmful emissions are the lowest in the world of any industrialized nation. He has taken us out of meaningless agreements that in spite of spending billions would only affect the temperature like one degree over the next few decades. We meet those goals already, it is the rest of the world that is behind.  People cannot see it is a battle for control of the people. Not for the good of this world, but for control. If it was for the good of our nation, why not celebrate the good that has been done? It is a hatred for the man himself,  President Trump.  I thank God for him, he has fought back. I am not saying our President is a saint, he is not , but could we focus on the good that he has done, and support him instead of fighting at every move. Look at this dumping buckets of water on our heroes in some of our larger cities. The very men that go in when others run away from danger. This is evil, pure evil. No one says there are no bad cops, but bad cops are a minority in their ranks. What other profession do we treat this way when one or two bad ones  are found.  Do we attack teachers or Ministers in this way when we find a bad one?  This is a spiritual warfare we are in. Good and Evil. God and Satan.  This world needs more love, more gentleness, more kindness.  We don't need more riots. more destruction of businesses, more taking of innocent lives as abortion does. We need more love. IS taking an innocent life about convenience or selfishness, I am not ready for a baby, it will disrupt my life. How many of us would be alive today if this evil was so prevalent in our day?  I was not planned, I am pretty sure I came at an inconvenient time, but I have had a good life in spite of being brought up in a dysfunctional home. So would these that are denied life, because they come at an inconvenient time. 997 of a thousand abortions are not because of rape or incest but simply a matter of convenience. It is not the child's fault. Late term abortion is not a gentle act. It is brutal and inhumane. We need more of God's ways, not less. God gives life, we have no right to take it, and Ill bet someone will mention capitol punishment. We are for the sanctity of life if it is for a person that committed an evil act like burning someone alive, but not when it is in the womb. We care more for abused and helpless animals  then defenseless babies in the womb. God bless, LVZ. 

Married Men Are Better

July 20, 23, 24, 26, 27  / 2019

22He who finds a wife finds what is good

and receives favor from the Lord.   Proverbs 18:22
This is an opinion, at least the title of this blog is. I know when I first got married when I was twenty, I was selfish and self centered as I think most young men are. There are always exceptions to any rule. As I read this scripture this morning I thought of something Dennis Prager said, I think it was in one of his fireside chats. I listen to his fire side chats and even now am reading his book "Happiness Is A Serious Problem".  Dennis made a comment about married men being better than single men even if they are divorced on his radio show. He had a short exchange with a woman that called in and disagreed with him. He asked her the question, if you were to start dating again and had to choose between a divorced man and a single man who has never been married and all other qualities are comparable,  which one would you choose?  She thought about it for a minute or so and said I see what your saying and that was the end of discussion. In a marriage, even if you failed , you probably at some point had to learn to compromise.  I believe I am a better man today than I was after each marriage. I think I learned something valuable from each failed marriage. I think I am a better man today having failed. I know that each woman was a blessing to me in some way especially my last.  Maybe I seem to be making it good, this time because of things I learned in the failed marriages. I am not advocating for divorce in any way. It happened, it is over, and I have moved on. God's perfect plan is one man / one woman married for life, until death do us part..  Humans have been failing God's perfect ways for us since the Garden of Eden.  We should try and make that first marriage work and many do. I recently read on face book where a cousin is celebrating 40 years of marriage to their first. They have made it thus far and I think they are doing good. Men and woman are different. Our brains are wired different. We seemed to have known this forever until the recent politically correct idiocy. Men and women are equal in the sight of God, and should be treated fairly, but they are different even in the way they think.  I have been blessed to have found someone willing to marry me  and to put up with me. It has changed me over the years, and I am still learning.  A wife is a good thing, and learning to live with her is a blessing. I think God intended it that way. We men think and live better being married or having been married, especially if we follow God's plans for us.  An unfaithful spouse is not wise on either side of the relationship.  We receive favor from the Lord, I believe his plan in marriage was to alter us and make us better, both men and women by being married.  I remember a man I worked with had pictures of beautiful woman posted up by his desk, and had a statement printed up with them, "because I deserve the best". He came off to me as very selfish. My thought was, and so do they deserve the best and you are not it.  Some of this does amount to my opinion but God's word does tell us, he that finds a wife, finds a good thing. Think about it. As  we join forces from opposites, don't we become wiser, don't we become stronger as we live together in unity?  Unity does not mean we think exactly alike, but we are united in purpose. I think that also is what made this country great when both political parties would work together and respect each other and unite in purpose to do what is good for the country. Not expect to change the other side to think exactly like we think.  I think it makes us better when we can hear the opposing side and consider what they have to say. Listen to the other side. Listen to your spouse, they too were made in the image of God.There is wisdom in God's plans for mankind. In the multitude of counselors, there is safety.  One side doesn't know everything.   God bless. LVZ.

Foolishness *

July 18, 19, 23. 25 / 2019
People ruin their lives by their own foolishness and then are angry at the LORD. Proverbs 19:3
It was a pretty car. It was Barbara's favorite color, it wasn't a need. It is gone now and I wish I had never bought it in the first place. It was my decision and perhaps my motive was wrong.  I am learning to lean on God. The Caliber was a good car and it is still running for the person that bought it from me. The Buick that I traded for the orange car is probably still running.  It was a decision I made that didn't turn out good.  I can't be mad at God, he didn't tell me to trade a perfectly good car for a desire.  Often we make choices that are foolish, and sometimes people are made at God and it was their own foolishness that got them into their troubles.  Sometimes I think God just stands back and shakes his head, I wish they would listen to me. There is a lot of wisdom in the Bible for everyone that is alive. God created us and his word tells us the best way to live. Back on the subject of cars, if we do timely maintenance they will last longer and serve us better. The problem with the orange car is one of maintenance. The car could still be running today if a timing belt had been replaced in time. But the recommendation  was for 150K and it should have been sooner. But God is not like the manufacturer of that automobile, God does not make mistakes.  We will run better if we follow God's plan. He made us and knows us better than we know ourselves.  God's plan is the best but he does not force his way on us. People do not have to follow the maintenance plan for their equipment, but will suffer the consequences if they don't. The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice. Proverbs 12:15
A wise man listens to instruction and avoids calamity. After I posted on face book about the orange car hoping to warn others to replace their timing belt before it was too late, a friend thought about it and checked the serpentine belt on  his 15 year old vehicle, even though the miles were low.  The belt was showing it age, and he replaced it, probably avoiding a breakdown on a future trip. We can in the same way avoid trouble and heart ache in life by listening to God's word and following his plan. Don't be mad at God or someone else for choices you made, learn from your mistakes and do better. God is not up there zapping us every time we make a mistake. I envision him shaking his head and saying I wish they would listen to me.  Sometimes those older then us have seen some things and will advise us, we would be wise to listen and not have to pay for every lesson in life. It is good to learn from other mistakes. We all make them. Guess what this world is full of imperfect people, they are all around you.  The Bible's wisdom will work for anyone that uses it, not just Christians. God bless, LVZ.

Paying Evil

July 17, 19, 20, 22, 24 / 2019
13Evil will never leave the house

of one who pays back evil for good.  Proverbs 17:13

When I read this verse I immediately thought of King David.
Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.' 2 Samuel 12:10 
I think the story of King David and Bathsheba is well known.  It is the time of the year when kings go to battle. King David sends his army but he stays home. From his palace, he sees a beautiful woman bathing on a roof top and inquires about her. The woman is the wife of Uriah the Hittite one of King Davids soldiers. King David sends for her and has an affair with her and she ends up pregnant. Uriah is a faithful soldier and David sends for him to inquire of the battle. King David gets him drunk and sends him home to be with his wife. In reality he is trying to cover up his sin. Uriah will not go home, he sleeps at the door of the palace with other servants but did not go home. Uriah was a faithful soldier. David tried again to get him drunk and send him home on the second night, but once again Uriah will not go home while his fellow soldiers are on the battle field.  David goes to plan b and send Uriah back to the battle with a letter for the commander of the army. In the letter he tells his commander to put Uriah in the hottest part of the battle at the front and then withdraw the other soldiers. He was having Uriah killed to cover up his sin of adultery. Uriah is killed and Bathsheba goes through the required period of mourning and then becomes a wife of King David.  Nathan the prophet visits King David and gives him a message from God. Those words in 2 Samuel 12, verse 10 are from God to King David. He had a very good man killed, a man that was very faithful to King David, an honorable man. David payed back evil for all the good this man did to cover his sin with Bathsheba.  And the sword did not depart from King Davids house. His son Absalom kills Amnon one of his half brothers. Amnon falls in love with his half sister Tamar,  the sister of Absalom and rapes her, then sends her away in disgrace.  Absalom is furious and takes Tamar into his house and cares for her.  A few years go by and Absalom sets up a trap for Amnon and has him killed because of what he did to his sister.  Absalom flees and does later return to Jerusalem and then tried to take the kingdom from King David. There was much turmoil in the household of King David as God promised because of his sins of adultery and murder. Eventually Absalom is killed and David remains in control of his kingdom. He paid consequences for his sins many times over. The Bible tells us to render good for evil, to leave vengeance up to God. God will take care of things in his own time. “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, Luke 6:27.  If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, Proverbs 25:21 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine; I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.” Hebrews 10:30
King David was  not allowed to build the temple for God because of the blood shed during his reign. We will suffer consequences for our sins if not in this lifetime than in the judgment. The only way to avoid eternal judgment to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Even sometimes after becoming a Christ follower, we may suffer consequences on this side of eternity for our sins. King David repented of his sins and God called him a man after Gods heart.  When we repent of our sins they are remembered no more. They are removed from us as far as the east is from the west. But sometimes the consequences of those bad decisions follow us on this side of eternity.  This life is but a vapor compared to eternity. Following God is to trust him and live by his commandments. One of those precepts is to not render evil for good. Leave vengeance to God. Do good even to those that do you evil.  God is a sovereign God and sees all. There is no sin hid from God. But God sent Jesus to pay for our sins on Calvary's cross, if we believe in him.  God bless, LVZ 

Seek God In Our Plans

July 21,22, 23 / 2019

30There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the Lord.   Proverbs 21:30

God is sovereign, we are not smarter than God. There is no way to out smart God.  It cannot be done.

The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he guides it wherever he pleases. Proverbs 21:1

I see where 15 states have changed their laws that whoever wins the popular vote in the national election gets the states electoral vote. My thought when I read this wouldn't it be funny if in the next election another candidate would win the electoral votes if they had not changed the rules in those states and  Trump wins again because of the rule change.  I believe God is in control, and I wonder if that happened if people would then acknowledge God is sovereign?  I don't know what will happen, this is not a prophecy. I just believe God is a sovereign God. I didn't like Clinton or Obama because of some of there political objectives. But If I believe God gave us Trump and I do, I also need to accept that God gave us Obama and Clinton even though I may not understand. Barbara and I are learning to pray about decisions we make. Believe it when I tell you we made some bad decisions. I have made some good decisions. One of the good decisions that has blessed us is when we decided to marry and join forces.  One other decision that I feel was very good was when we decided to attend Hope Church Tupelo. I am thankful for the work God has done in my heart. I am not the same person I was even 10 years ago much less 20 or 30 or even 40 years ago. I believe God has done a good work in my life. When we find God's will and live in it,  we will live successful lives. I believe these scriptures above tell us God is at work in the lives of his children. He is at work in this world. What ever happens in this next election, I will still believe God is sovereign. I may not understand, I have been there before. I don't understand every trial I go through, but I believe God is still on his throne. He is outside of time. We measure time in years, days, months, hours, decades and even centuries. God is and always has been and is eternal. I don't know if our man made time measurements mean any thing to God. God is and always was. I have not reviewed this  5 times but I wanted to get back on schedule and post something today. God bless. LVZ.

Coffee With Jesus

In a sermon I was listening to I saw a video clip of a man meeting with Jesus at a coffee shop. I do some similar things. I meet with an accountability partner weekly and we sit across the table from each other and this reminded me of that. So use your imagination for a minute. Hi Jesus, so glad to see you. The traffic was bad this morning but I made it almost on time. In the video Jesus, this long hair bearded fellow is sitting at the table waiting with his cup of coffee.  The man that would be representing you or me comes to the table and sits down. I reach into my brief case and pull out my prayer list. I go over my prayer list, Jesus will you touch so and so, bless my church, my Children and Grandchildren.  In my actual prayer time I actually recite each of their names. I have a long list, and I repeat it day after day. I hear this man speak our father, bla bla bla , which art in heaven, bla bla bla.  And just about that time Jesus leans forward with his elbows on the table like he is going to speak and my time is up, I am busy and I need to leave. Thank you Jesus, and I get up and walk. Jesus turns and looks after me, he didn't get in a word edgewise. This made me think of so many of my prayers. I reached for my list and actually thought about ripping it or burning it. I have not posted in a few days, I have written posts and rewritten and don't feel comfortable posting any of them. If you read this picture the scene above, That feels like my prayer life. No scripture today, no rewritten post, just this thought, picture it if you can, Coffee with Jesus.  I think Jesus actually spoke to me through this very short video. God bless, LVZ.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XeEXF25JWc

Am I Blind?

This is more of a journal, evaluating my thoughts. Am I so blind that I cannot see what my children accuse me of.  One child accused me of beating his mother daily, and said the other child agreed with him. So yes it hurt deeply.  I do not get birthday cards or fathersday cards and have not for as many years as I can remember. I remember  the weekend of January 3rd, 1993. It was the last Sunday of the Christmas to New Years day Holiday and the next day I returned to work. I do not remember hearing even the words Happy Birthday, no card, no cake, no nothing. I exploded verbally before I went to work that Monday morning. On the job that Monday morning I exploded verbally again the first confrontation I had. I then walked to medical, I knew something was wrong. the Doctor asked me to talk about my life what is going on in my personal life. I was there for an hour. When I left that office that morning the doctor said I was so emotionally drained that I did not have anything left to give to anyone.  I was at the very end of what had been a bad twenty year marriage. I had every thing going my way a year earlier, I was back in the house, had custody and I made the mistake of letting my children's mother back in the house, because when she got out of jail she had no place to go. I thought I'd give it one more try.  I told the doctor of her trying to burn down the house. The separations, the men I knew of that she had cheated on me with. My hands would literally shake as I was talking.  I have actually forgotten a lot as I write this today.  The doctor put me on medical leave for a month. The only condition was I had to see a doctor on a card he gave me once a week for that next month. I had to go directly from that office and leave the plant, I could not go back to my desk at all. This doctor would talk to my supervisor himself. The doctor said I can do this for now but what is happening at home only you can fix whatever that is.  I realized I needed to leave for good.  The words spoken recently reminded me of that weekend, and of that time of my life in particular. I left with my clothes and my truck. I didn't see how I was going to live. I don't know if I left the house immediately but when I went back to work I was living in my truck. I'd sleep in my truck and go into an exercise area and take a shower and go to work.  I'd park in the parking lot at night to sleep. I am not sure how long I did this before I got caught by security and they told me I couldn't do this I had to find a place to live. I didn't see how I could and still pay the house payment and the utilities at the house, where my kids lived.  But first I found a room to rent and I didn't stay there very long,  I just didn't feel comfortable. Then I found a studio apartment where I had a bedroom and a small kitchen but a shared bathroom and shower.  One day my landlord came to me and said you do not really fit in here, I have a tiny one bedroom apartment with its own bath, it is a little more money but I think it fits you better. and I moved again and I was happy. The divorce finalized that fall and the house sold in three days after it was listed.  I was relieved. I was taken to support enforcement even though I had been paying the house note the utilities and groceries for the house but I hadn't actually paid child support. They set my child support, it was a couple hundred dollars less than what I had been paying in bills at the house. But I would have lost it, because I could not pay the child support in addition to the house payment. It was on their mother to pay all that stuff with her job and the child support but she would not pay the house payment.  So when she agreed to sell I jumped at the chance. Like I said it sold for the full price in three days.   I thanked God.  I didn't have to pay any back child support because I had records of everything I paid and it was a couple hundred a month more than what they figured my support would be. Thank God for those records.  The sister of my ex-wife thanked me for what I did for her sister, she said she didn't know any man that would have gone as far as I did to help her sister.  I told my ex's father of the divorce settlement and of the cash she would get from the sale of the house. I got the Boeing retirement and the VIP and she got the majority of the house.  I was hoping her father could help her get another house before she blew the money.  Her father said, she will not listen to me, as far as I am concerned she threw away the best financial adviser she could have had. So I hear these kind words  from her family and I think how did they not see the nightly beatings I am accused of?  I moved on. I loved my children and still do. I don't think they know half of what I went through with their mother. It was a bad marriage. I do believe they have been tainted against me by the things she said. She had a restraining order against me, but she was the one that violated it by knocking on my bedroom window  in the middle of the night at the first place I was staying during our previous separation. (that too does not sound like there were nightly beatings). Any way I do not remember any nightly beatings.  I am either very blind or they are lying.   I do know my ex talked to people at a bar to pay them to have me beat up, it never happened. It was a very bad marriage, and I grew up thinking it was for life. The Church I grew up in taught like divorce was almost the unpardonable sin. I should have left a lot sooner. But my kids blame me and especially my son will not talk to me. I think they attribute to me a lot of the hurt caused by their mother. Even if I had been as bad as they describe, they would need to forgive me and move on also or it will mess up their lives . Actually it already has messed them up and they blame me. That is my story and I am sticking to it.  God bless, LVZ.  After this post you will not see much from me as I will be rewriting any post at least five days and five rewrites before I post anything. I am very hurt and I can't get what my children have said out of my head.  I have not done that to this post, it is what it is. If I did rewrite this again and again I'd probably end up deleting the whole thing. If what they say about me is true, I was a pretty bad person. I am thankful for grace and mercy. I am thankful that  God forgives even the vilest person.  I claim to be a Christian, disrespect and all, I stand on the word that God will forgive any sin. The story is the same for everyone, except for the grace of God where would I be?  If everything my kids say is true, God still forgives and makes us whole.  My children have absolutely no respect for me. The family dysfunction is firmly planted in  the next generation. Only God can fix through his grace (getting what we don't deserve) and mercy (not getting what we do deserve) , I have done all I know to do.  This story is out there, God is merciful and I thank him that I am what he says I am, not what others say or what my past says about me. I am a new creature in Christ. If what they said is true I can still be cleansed by God and spend an eternity with him when my time is up. God forgives, do we?

A Sovereign God

A sovereign God took home another brother. Brian Dimos was only 57, when I prayed for Brian, I prayed please God heal him, he is so young. Well he is Healed, everything is healed. Yet I would always end with thy will be done, almost like I knew this was a sickness unto death. We don't want to speak it out loud but I felt like his healing would be in heaven.  Brian said it himself, he would be healed, either right away through the prayers of all those praying. or through a long treatment process with doctors and nurses and others, or it would be in heaven. But he would be healed. It was brain cancer and it took him fairly quick. He helped us as a deacon just last  December I think,  and that was the last time. He was soon walking with a cane. And very soon after that with a walker, and next he was in a wheelchair. We prayed for him in Sunday School, please God heal that Sunday before God took him early Monday morning. Brian was quiet, but he loved people. He really didn't talk a lot. He was the chairman of the deacon board my first year as deacon. That is when I first got to know him. That was only 3 years and seven months ago. He was quiet, his family described him as shy from even a child. But he lived well, he was a servant in his heart and was willing to serve any chance he had. He was loved and respected. It was a sovereign God that took him home.We are sad because we really wanted him to be healed here below. We loved him. We know his family will miss him, and we will too.  God chose to take him at only 57. In some ways,  I envy him, he had his sight on heaven. I feel he learned early what I am only beginning to learn. He went downhill so fast.  I am thankful that God took him. I didn't want to see him in pain. I didn't want to see him with a cane or with a walker or a wheel chair. But we have that assurance that all is well. Brian loved God and knew God was sovereign, and that was expressed when he was asked how we could pray for him. He wasn't worried about his pain, but for his wife and daughters, how they would do with him leaving so early. It is just so comforting to know all is well. I sat behind him a month or so ago and saw the scab on his head where they cut into him, we found out later it wasn't a scab but brain fluid leaking. Actually in his weakened state it was the treatment that killed him.  From everyone that I heard from, he never complained, and he was always trying to encourage others. He was so quiet, I really don't have much to say. He was a Christian, he lived it every day, just a soft spoken Christian. I miss him already. I knew him for such a short time. He was another you could follow as he followed Christ. Brian, I want to see you on the other side. Heaven is made up of good people like Brian, that committed their life to Christ  and remained faithful to the end.  God bless, LVZ. 

A Sovereign God

We may throw the dice, but the LORD determines how they fall. Proverbs 16:33 (New Living Translation)

Many decisions were made by casting lots. The scripture above says the Lord determines how the dice fall. We are often wise in our own eyes, but God is still sovereign. Someone played a clip from our last election night. Dozens of people laughed and said never Trump. The political opponent that had the questions in the debates fed to her ahead of time. She had the media on her side. We have now learned the DOJ and the FBI were being used to help her and prevent Trump from winning.  The only collusion was from the other side, how they faked the reason for a warrant to spy on Trump's campaign. When you look back on this and see how everything in our corrupt society was planned against Trump, it was suppose to be Hillary all the way as she broke that glass ceiling. Wow what a night, and the reports came in and state after state, the electoral college went to Trump. The laughter, the scorn never Trump, but the God of the universe controls how the dice fall. The media was so against Trump, they gave him free publicity as they reported on him negatively night after night.  I think of an incident in my own life, how my parents has planned to enroll me in a computer school. I listened as they planned and talked with the man. I knew my plan was only to leave home when I was 18 and old enough to go.  And I did. I left with $25  in my pocket. When I look back on my life I spent the biggest part of my career using a computer to design wire bundle routing. How the wire would get from point a to point b.  I look at that and read this scripture,  the Lord determines how the dice fall. Man makes plans but God knows every one of our days before one of them happens. He is a sovereign God. Can we really know him?  He gave us our parents. How God must laugh when we plan.  God knows our path, he is outside of time. One day is as a thousand years, a thousand years as one day. He allows calamity in our life often to teach us. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalms 37:23 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28. (New Living Translation)   God has a purpose for each of us. When I was young I didn't understand  and yet as I look back on life, God was there  every step of the way. Through calamity, he often guided me. I remember vividly the day I was praying as I was driving and God answered the concern of my heart as I was still driving. I didn't know which way to turn, but still God directed me. Even in times of personal tragedy, when it seemed I did everything wrong. God was there. his ways are passed finding out. Often I prayed about things and his answer would not fit the pattern of the last time. Sometimes I feel like Job, ever wonder why no mother has ever named their child Job.  He didn't understand much of what he was going through. But his end was better than his beginning. And so it will be of us if we trust God as Job did in his moment of affliction. If we accept God and trust in him, our end will be better than the beginning. We make a lot of choices in life and suffer the consequences. Do we move towards God or do we move away from God in our journey through life?  God knows what our end will be. But he gives us free choice to move the direction we move.  God bless, LVZ

Proverbs 13

A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction.  Proverbs 13:1 
Those who spare the rod of discipline hate their children. Those who love their children care enough to discipline them. Proverbs 13:24

I was reminded recently of something I said when my children were young. I ought to tan your hide so you can't sit down for week. My children's mother said : "I brought you into this world and I can take you out."  A friend told his daughter: "I'll rip your arm off and beat you with it."  I looked on the internet and found a site that said 40 things parents said to their children.  Our children do not forget these words. Often it is in some form of discipline that these words are said.  These words from The Bible tell us to discipline our children. In fact it says if we love our children we will care enough to discipline them. The first scripture above says a wise child accepts a parent's discipline, a mocker refuses to listen to correction.  I come across these verses not searching for them, but find them in my daily reading as I am reading through the Bible from cover to cover. I am now in Proverbs 13.
The King James version uses the word rebuke instead of correction.
 Rebuke: express sharp disapproval or criticism of (someone) because of their behavior or actions.

"she had rebuked him for drinking too much"

synonyms:

reprimand, reproach, scold, admonish, reprove, remonstrate with, chastise, chide, upbraid, berate, take to task, pull up, castigate, lambaste, read someone the Riot Act, give someone a piece of one's mind, haul over the coals, criticize, censure;

As I think on these words spoken by me and other parents it is in some form of discipline that these words were said. Strong words no doubt but as we grow up although we remember these words, we realize they were meant to reform our behavior. Is it not effective if it is still remembered as an adult?  Not if a parents discipline is rejected. Then it just becomes hurtful words.   Discipline does not always have to be with a spanking, sometimes a parent will say things to stop a child from misbehaving with just words.  Maybe it is not the best tactic, but parents are not perfect.  Often we repeat what we were taught or had a parent use on us.  But the point is a parent that loves their child will discipline them. A parent that tries to be their child's friend is making a mistake. A parent is the first authority a child encounters. If they learn to respect that authority then they also learn how to respect other authority in life. It is important for a child's development. Bosses in life are not perfect either and they will make mistakes. If you hold a job for thirty years, I guarantee you will encounter imperfect people on the job. We live in a fallen world with imperfect parents and bosses. Look at the national stage, our politicians, seen any perfect ones yet?  Accept a parents discipline for what it is, even if it seemed harsh as a child, the parent loved you if they chose to discipline you.  God bless, LVZ.  

Writing

When you talk person to person you can set your tone, your volume but how do you do that in written word.  All capitalized letters perhaps is shouting in the written word. Add to that bold print. When I am writing I do put scripture in bold text. I THINK IF I WAS TRYING TO SHOUT IT WOULD LOOK SOMETHING LIKE THIS.  But how do I convey a softer tone. Would Italic represent a softer tone?  Sometimes there is no substitute for speaking in person, when you can hear the tone and see the persons facial expressions. A lot of communication is not verbal. So one time I wrote good, bad or indifferent.  Indifferent: 1. having no particular interest or sympathy; unconcerned.  2. neither good nor bad; mediocre. If you look it up in Merriam-Webster there are actually 6 or 7 explanations for indifferent. As I wrote that comment years ago, I didn't look it up, I just wrote the thought, good, bad or indifferent. Someone said that indifferent meant I didn't care. But looking at the context of my comment, I use good and bad in front of indifferent, doesn't that fit the second definition above? Neither good nor bad, mediocre? The person chose to be hurt because they insisted on using the first definition even when  it didn't fit the context of what I said. When I was a lead, we would have other leads read our e-mails to try to prevent miscommunication. We would talk about the issue the e-mail was about, did my words cover the thought I was trying to convey adequately. Could it be misunderstood? Often another person reading an e-mail will see it differently than the person writing it and then corrections could be made. Even that caution did not prevent all miscommunication. When I was in grade school, I never realized how important writing correctly was. It wasn't until I became a lead for our team that I realized how important that writing became. We had one individual that would write a whole problem statement without punctuation. It would take us hours to understand that persons words. What can you do, explaining it as I have above did no good, the person wanted to feel hurt. Is that on me or is that on them?  Do we look for healing or more insult? That is a personal issue I can do nothing to fix. Out of the mouth comes what is in the heart. It is a heart issue.  A person with a forgiving  attitude would try to overlook an insult rather than choose to find even more reason to be hurt and angry. It is a personal issue in that person, something only they can fix. If we want to live the best life possible, we should seek to be forgiving and try to heal relationships.  A forgiving attitude in life is necessary. Actually it is not necessary, it does make life better. A forgiving attitude is necessary to be pleasing to God. I would like to be forgiven, I would like to have a good relationship. But it is not up to me, I have tried.   Sometimes it is not possible, it depends on both sides. If one side is unwilling, there is nothing the other side can do. This is me, I try to explain with words. My wife would  get in her son's face and she would not be nice. We all have different personalities. I was told by one step child that I came at him sideways. I would try and soften what I had to say with words. Yet it is taken harshly. Everyone is different. I cannot use another's approach, we are often victims of family patterns / family dynamics. Every family is different.  I had a hard time speaking when I was a very young adult, now when I write you can't shut me up. I try and write something every day. Just remember if you don't like my words, you are in my space. You have the option of removing yourself and moving on. Sometimes this blog is my soap box, or my journal, it is my thoughts. You don't have to agree with them. If you find yourself constantly disagreeing with me, perhaps it would be wise to read elsewhere. I have reread and revised this at least six times, six different days since I first wrote it to try and be less offensive. Sometimes the problem is in the reader.  Do you give as much time to trying to understand as I have trying to write? I really do not spend that much time every time I write something. But most times I do reread what I write and try to not be offensive. I wonder if praying and then rereading would help? If you read this and find more hurt, that is what you want to find.  I have changed words, taken out sentences, added sentences each time I reread this post, trying to not be offensive.  In reality the reader has a different mindset then mine, they are a different person, some of what they attribute to my words is just from what is already in their heart. Only God can heal a heart that is broken.  I'd be willing to bet a heart with a forgiving attitude would read something completely different from a heart that has an unforgiving attitude.   Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:  Matthew 15:18-19.     Sometimes it really is a heart issue.  God bless, LVZ.   

A Wife Of Noble Character

A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.  Proverbs 12:4  Here is another verse in chapter 12 that stands out. Usually I find one thing to write about and move on. What I wrote yesterday, I feel will be taken wrong and so it is not published.  Tomorrow I will move on to the next chapter. Unless I can revise yesterdays blog enough to feel good about it and not be offensive.
 I feel I have a wife that is my crown. She makes me look good.  Everyone that knows her seems to love her. She can stand her ground. As we talked about our past, she too has been through difficult relationships. She doesn't take crap from her kid. She will get in his face when there is a problem. Every family has its own dynamics and way of dealing with things. I am a walk away person. Have done it for years, so I don't understand my children's take on me. I can't say I have always been that way. I think I also was more hotheaded when young. I have had both, a disgraceful wife who is like decay in his bones. I had a wife that was constantly at odds with me. I had two that cheated on me from day one. A good woman makes her man look good. I can't say that about a man, if he is bad or good, his wife has her own reputation, it doesn't rest on what he does or doesn't do. But a good woman makes her man look good. A beautiful woman makes her husband look better. I do not think that works the other way around. I handsome husband does not make his wife look better nor does his bad looks take away from her beauty.  God made men and women different, equal but different. A rapper from England, Zuby, I think is his name did a short video where he identified as a woman and broke the woman's record for lifting dead weight. He is not a weight lifter, he just did it to prove a point. Men are identifying as women and competing in women's sports and wining with out even having to try hard. Men and women are different in the way God made us. Any one who thinks differently is trying to be politically correct and not thinking it through. A man competed in woman's boxing, once again identifying as a woman and just about killed his opponent. I don't know how far this will go in our country before women wake up. Men and woman are not the same and we do not get to choose our gender. It can be known even before birth with ultra sound. That is not to say there are not a small percentage of feminine men or perhaps tomboys in our society. We have seat belt laws and they save lives, but we have probably all heard about someone in an accident where the seat belt took their life. It happens but in the big picture seat belts saves lives and so we have laws requiring us to wear them when driving.  We can always find that small percentage that doesn't fit the norm. We make bad laws when we try to make a law to accommodate the small percentages.  A thought that came from a Dennis Prager video. A lot of politically correctness is actually crazy. But for this post lets just say a woman is her husbands crown as the Bible says and using common sense realize men and woman are different, equal in value and in God's sight, but created differently.  I think this one is safe to publish, but still may offend some politically correct individual.  We need to be Biblically correct and morally  correct and throw political correctness out the window. here are some more scriptures pertaining to wives. He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. Proverbs 18:12.  A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Proverbs 31:10 Actually read verses 10-25 of Proverbs 31.  Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD. Proverbs 19:14. 
 God bless, LVZ.

Self Control

A fool is quick-tempered, but a wise person stays calm when insulted. Proverbs 12:16
He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.  Proverbs 25:28
A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man holds it back. Proverbs 29:11
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23. 
Reading Proverbs 12 again and this verse stood out, verse 16.  Self control, and looking up reference scriptures we see it is part of fruit of the spirit. Something we want to strive for, or develop in our lives. Hot headed, sometimes we want to say that is part of our personality, and perhaps it is to some degree, but could it also be a case of immaturity. He that has no rule over his own spirit is like a city that broken down and without walls. Its defenses are gone. If we rule our spirit we can avoid saying things in retaliation. A wise person stays calm when insulted. A fool vents all his anger, but a wise man hold it back. Anger is a normal feeling. It is a secondary feeling. Usually when we become angry there is something before that, a primary feeling of hurt or betrayal. Anger is the result of the first feeling. I have seen in marriages when couples are having difficulty. One partner says something hurtful and the other partner retaliates with something else hurtful and the downward spiral gets out of control.  Someone can have a bad day and say something they shouldn't, if we can control our spirit, stay calm when insulted, we can help to heal a situation before it gets worse. It actually shows maturity when we can exhibit self control. Stay calm when insulted, hold it back and show some goodness, kindness gentleness and self control. Perhaps there are times when we need to speak up , with a measured response instead of just lashing out in anger. Anger is the red light on the control panel saying something is wrong here, check it out. The check engine light comes on in the car. Find out what it is before more damage is done.  That is self control and I believe that is what verse 16 in chapter twelve is telling us. We do not need to be a door mat, I don't think that is what is being said, but self control and perhaps a measured response. Perhaps if something needs to be said it can be said with kindness, thought through before we speak.  If we cannot handle correction from a loved one, will we be able to handle necessary correction from a boss? Sometimes we all need correction, Do we listen and try to understand or lash out? Someone once said that is why God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we can listen more than we speak. I believe self control is needed in our lives. I believe it will help us live better lives. There is a lot of instruction in Proverbs 12. Perhaps I will read it again, tomorrow.   God bless, LVZ.

Proverbs 12

I am in a time where I am afraid to write. After a word is spoken it cannot be taken back. It is out there. I am glad I am reading in Proverbs. Perhaps I can read and write about something that will not get me into trouble or offend someone. 28In the way of righteousness there is life;
along that path is immortality.  Proverbs 12:28   In the way of righteousness there is life. As I think about that living a Christian life is an attempt on our part to be in the way of righteousness. Right living, wanting to do the right thing. That is where I am at this morning, wanting to do the right thing, afraid of saying the wrong thing. We follow the path of righteousness we will find eternal life. The ten commandments were given to us to show us how to live the best life possible. Trying to follow those commandments to the best of our ability is the way of righteousness or right living. As I read this chapter there was advice from the very first verse to the last.  the first verse: 1Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge,  but whoever hates correction is stupid. Proverbs 12:1   I don't know what to say to that but the NIV is what I was reading, it uses the word stupid. I looked for a different version,  every version uses the word stupid until I get to the KJV. He that hateth reproof is brutish.  Brutish is the second most used word for this verse in about twenty different translations. I saw carnal a couple of times or fool or foolish a couple and dumb animal once.  Whoever loves discipline loves to learn, but whoever hates correction is a dumb animal. Proverbs 12:1 Gods Word Translation.  I was given advice a couple of times when I didn't listen. and I should have. I got myself into trouble. If I had listen to the advice, I would have saved my self a lot of trouble. I have been married  several times. A few were disasters. Those few times I was given advice, you might say warned that I was headed for trouble and didn't listen. You might say I was stupid for not listening. I certainly felt stupid afterwards.  It doesn't seem to matter which version I read it, if we hate correction we are headed for trouble. As I am thinking on this, one time I did listen and looking back I saved myself a lot of grief.  A well meaning person gives us advice to help us, not hinder us. Of the three times in mind when I did not listen twice and did listen once, I was given the advice from a Mother-in-law, a Deacon, and a Minister. They all had my best interest at heart when they gave me the advice. I should have listen all three times.  Twice I was stupid and didn't listen. For the one time I did listen, I thank God. The commandments are not advice, they are meant to be followed for the best life possible. I am not going to go into any one of them this morning, but every last one of them if followed will help us live a better life. They were given to us by our creator. If you knowingly choose to disobey them, I believe you are indeed stupid. I have proved that in my own life to my satisfaction. This is not directed at anyone. These words are my musing and thinking about what I just read and thinking back over my own life. There is a lot of wisdom in this chapter, I think I'll read it again tomorrow. If you read this, you have come into my space, you are reading my thoughts about life. I did not write this to attack anyone. I look back at my first line, I wrote that because I recently offended with my words, and I do not want to.  But this word is what it is, if you hate correction you are indeed stupid. I cannot change it, I am not sure brutish is any better or foolish, or a dumb animal.  but he who fails to find me (find God) harms himself; all who hate me love death." Proverbs 8:36.  God wants to help us, life apart from God leads to eternal damnation.   Harsh words it seems but I don't know what else to make of it. I am reading through the bible from one cover to the other, and this chapter (Proverbs 12)  is where I am at this morning. Each generation needs to find God for themselves. God bless, LVZ.