What's In a Year?

What's in a year? Well if one would be able to recall all the events of 2008 you would be able to answer that question. The problem is that I can't remember everything, and that's probably a good thing. But I can remember a lot that took place in 2008. A lot of things happened in my personal life and that of mine and Clara's. In a discussion we had this morning it is apparent that we don't remember everything the same. That's why we need to write things down better than we do. And a lot of things have happened in our world, our church, our family, etc., things that have affected our lives in many ways.

Speaking of family, it was certainly good to be able to spend Christmas with at least a part of our family. Donald came to pick us up last week and take us to their place where we were able to spend time with Carol and her growing family. Their three girls were all there as were our three great grandsons. Donald left on Christmas day for a trip far far away from home, to visit his brother in Singapore and then with him and his wife to New Guinea to visit their cousin who is in mission work there. Their trip includes time in the jungle away from all contact with the outside world, something that not a lot of people want to do, including me. Anyway, that was a highlight of our time there, wishing him well, praying for his safety and safe return.

Carol brought us home yesterday and returned again today. That's a lot of driving to see that we were able to be with them, a sign to us that we were wanted there very much. It was sort of hard to accept that kind of generosity, but it was very much appreciated. And we enjoyed our time there very much, receiving much more than we gave, it seems.

That's a small part of what's in a year. It seems that I am able to remember for a short time those kind of good times, and also some of the more difficult times that came our way. But all in all I can say that the Lord is good, His love endures forever. He is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He is my King and my Lord, and I will serve Him as long as I live, no matter what. For me that's what counts in thinking about what's in a year. And so for 2009, if the Lord allows me to see that time in a few hours, I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Christmas Is What You Make It

It was hard for me to come to the conclusion stated in the title of this post. Like many other people I wanted everyone to celebrate Christmas like I do, and most of my friends as well. And I believe that a lot of people are, were that way, hence the oft quoted phrase, "put Christ back into Christmas."

But I finally came to the conclusion that Christmas is what you make it out to be. For most if not all of my readers its what we know Christmas is about from the traditional standpoint, the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. In theological terms, the incarnation, God become human flesh, "God with us." But many other people in the nation, and around the world, celebrate Christmas only as a festive holiday, making gift giving and receiving and being with family the basis of the celebration, whatever form it may take. And may I add, drinking it up and getting tanked is widely tauted as part of any celebration, especially Christmas and New Year's parties.

I trust that each of you who may read this will have a Christmas season that will be filled with the love of the Jesus whose birth we celebrate this season of the year, and with the peace that He came to bring to "those with whom He is pleased." We are still planning at this point in time to be with part of our family in Missouri. Our spirits will be with the rest of our family in Cleveland, OH and Gilbert, AZ. Our prayer is for safe traveling, good health for all, and joyous times of being together as family.

I leave with you this ecard as my greeting this year. Enjoy. And I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Families and Holidays

Those of you who are familiar with the Advent season will recognize the image on the left as an Advent wreath. The church we attend is following the Advent season in our worship services, as have all the churches we have attended in the past for a long time. Advent is the season of the church year when we seek to prepare for the coming of the long awaited Messiah, whom we know was Jesus the Christ. In our time it is also a time for rekindling our hope for the return of Christ. And it is also a time for us to anticipate coming together as families to celebrate - for some to remember the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, as well as thinking anew about being prepared to meet Jesus when He returns. For others it is simply to celebrate a holiday season filled with the joys of gift giving and giving holiday parties of one sort or another.

Personally I enjoy all of the above, especially getting together with family and loved ones. Those always seem to create memories that last a long time. Since we do not live near any of our children and grandchildren, getting with them creates increasing difficulty. For one thing winter weather is always so unpredictable making plans to drive somewhere, either way, somewhat difficult. And taking the airways over any holiday season is becoming more and more difficult for us older folks.

This year is a good example of what I'm talking about. Our closest ones live near St. Louis, a good seven hour drive under ideal conditions. And even thinking about a trip to the Cleveland, OH area this time of year is totally out of the question. Flying to Arizona would be a better option except for the time of year traveling difficulties and expense. It has been expressed to us by our family in Missouri that they want very, very much for us to come there. And we would very much like to go there again this year (we were there last year too). How to get there the best possible way has been the question.

The issues are that our adult kids think that we, my wife and I, should not drive there and back by ourselves. This is based on my health and my wife's inexperience in driving in heavy traffic areas (she does fine on the interstate otherwise). And so the solution coming from them is that our son in law would drive here and pick us up and our daughter would bring us home. I really didn't want them to do that much driving, but I finally gave in to their reasoning. I guess that's what older parents are supposed to do in situations like this, right?

Anyway, we are now planning to spend Christmas with the Erions at their place and enjoy seeing all of their family, including our three great grandsons and our granddaughter who is carrying our fourth in her womb. I'm sure we'll have a great time there and that there will be lots of love shared by all. All of this is conditional on the weather permitting as well as my health permitting it. We'll be praying for that to happen, and I'm inviting you to join us in that prayer. I believe that God is interested in such things and that He seeks our peace and joy. However we are committed to listen to Him first of all for the direction we should take.

I'll no doubt post another blog or two before we leave this weekend, but due to the content of this post I want to wish all of you readers a very blessed and happy Christmas season as you celebrate again the birth of Jesus. May all your celebrations be filled with the peace, joy and happiness that knowing Jesus as Savior and Lord brings.

Pilgrim on the way

Cars

I've always liked cars. Too much at times I think. I can remember a trip I took with my parents in our family car, a Model A Ford, way back in 1937. We drove from our farm near Harper, KS to a Ford dealer in Anthony, KS to see about getting another car. While my parents were talking to a salesman I was looking at a brand new 1937 Ford sitting in the showroom. Wow, I thought, would it ever be neat to have this car! And as it turned out, we drove that brand new car back home.

I also have the notorious reputation of having traded cars twice when my wife was in the hospital after giving birth to one of our children. I've been chided about that many times. And I'm not exactly proud about having done that. As a matter of fact I traded cars quite a bit it seems. One trade I made stands out as being quite a deal. I had ordered a new 1967 Ford station wagon from the Ford dealer in Roanoke, IL, but when I finally got it I wasn't happy with it all - it was a dog, no pep and no power steering (I guess I forgot to order that). Anyway I went back to the dealer and made a trade with the "new" car for a 1964 Ford sedan, and a 1965 Ford sedan. Not a bad deal, huh? Both of those cars were in good shape and lasted us for some time.

As I stated above, I traded cars quite often since my first one, a 1940 Ford sedan. But now my car trading days seem to be over. In spite of the fact that all of the above mentioned cars are Fords and the one I'm now driving is a Ford, I've never really liked Ford that much. My favorite was the GM line of cars, Olds, Buick, Chevy, etc. But now its Ford again, even though I said before this one I would never drive a Ford again. From all appearances this may be our last car.

All of this is prompted by the current news that the attempts to "bail out" the American car manufacturers has all but fallen by the wayside. What will happen now is anyone's guess. I can't quite imagine not having Ford, GM and Chrysler not producing vehicles anymore. Some in my family have driven foreign cars a lot, and I even drove a Subaru, which by the way was a pretty good car. Many of my friends, now and previously, drive foreign cars. So I suppose we will somehow survive if the U.S. car makers go under, but then maybe no one will be able to buy a car for awhile.

We live in a mobile society and are very dependent on our cars. What the future will bring in the car industry will be quite interesting. I'll not be around for much of that as I'm on my way to a place where cars will no longer be needed. With that I've said enough about cars, and I simply remain

Pilgrim on the way

Pets

Inspiration for this post came from the blog of my niece who has adopted the stray she named Lydia. I wondered at the time about the wisdom of spending considerable money to try and salvage the life of such an animal. But then my mind went to my effort at the same thing several years ago.

During my last pastoral assignment I decided I wanted a lap dog. I went to an animal shelter (we used to call them dog pounds) and found a very small, very dirty, scrubby, yet cute little dog, which I proceeded to rescue for the redemptive fee of $35. Before I went to pick up the dog a few days later I made arrangements to have her cleaned up at a dog groomer, so after getting her in the car and making sure I kept her on the towels I brought along, I dropped her off at the groomer and did some other errands before going to pick her up. Wow, what a change a little soap & water, dog perfume, and a cute little bow can make!

What I found out about this cute little dog we named Mitzi was that she was a runner. Thirty minutes after getting her home from the vet someone came to our door and immediately after I opened the door Mitzi zoomed out and was gone down the street. I chased after her, but of course couldn't find her so I went home and gave her up for lost. In about 30 minutes I heard a bark outside and opened the door to find her across the street. My call was answered by a fast dash to our door where I received her gladly.

This pattern continued with Mitzi for, I'm not sure, a year or so. One day a neighbor about two blocks away came to our house carrying Mitzi saying she had found her in her yard and she easily had allowed the lady to pick her up. The lady said that they had lost a dog and had been praying for another one. I said, Lady the Lord has just answered your prayers - the dog is yours. So ended the saga of Mitzi the stray for me. Not surprisingly, the neighbor had the same problem with Mitzi, but they managed to keep her until she finally died of old age.

Pets were something we always had in our home when we grew up, starting with Old Wren, a German Shepherd we had on the farm just outside of Harper, KS when I was just a small boy, a dog I truly hated to leave when we moved to Illinois. My Mother raised registered dogs about three times to my knowledge, ranging from Rat Terriers to Boston Terriers, to Cocker Spaniels. Since my marriage we have owned a few pets from cats to a registered Miniature Pincher (which ran away or was stolen) to a quite large, black English Mountain Shepherd, to the afore mentioned Mitzi. Actually none of the pets we have had have made me wish for another at this stage of my life.

So there you have my pets story. I'm quite content to visit the pets in our children's homes, although I could do without some of them and not miss them at all.

One final question: Will there be pets in heaven? What do you think?

Pilgrim on the way

Grandkids

I like to think and talk about our grandkids, just like all good grandparents do. Now our grandkids are no longer the little kind that snuggle up on your lap, or come around wanting you to play with them. Ours are the kind that get bigger than even their dad, who is already bigger than his dad. Ours have their own lives that they are pursuing with varied enthusiasm. Regardless of where each one is in life we follow their lives the best we can through conversations with their parents, their blogs, or sometimes by their direct communications. We are interested in what life is bringing them and what direction their lives are going. Ours range in ages from 14 to 27, I think.

Grandkids don't always acknowledge our interest in them, if they know of it, but we believe that they care about their grandparents. I respect their way of life even if it is much different than ours, including their interests, pursuits, activities, friends, etc. The one hard thing for me to deal with is the speed with which they talk. I told someone recently that the youth of this age speak fast and I listen slow. I don't know if that's a good explanation of what I feel or not, but you can get the point. I don't expect to be able to speed up my listening ear much anymore, so I do what I can to get what I can, knowing that quite a bit sometimes gets past me.

Our grandkids all make their parents proud. That's quite commendable. Some may have given their parents a hard time, but that seems to be par for the course. We didn't have too much of a problem with our kids during their teen years. Oh yes, we did have some problems to be sure, but for the most part we enjoyed the teen years of our kids, and I think that was, and is, the case for our kids.

We love our family, all the members. They all are special in their own right. We want to hear about their struggles as well as their successes. We are very pleased also to have three great grandsons, with another one on the way, set for delivery early next year. God has blessed us richly and we are very grateful.

And so I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Links, etc.

Taking a clue from one of my nieces, I decided to add some hyperlinks to my blog site. Hopefully they will be of interest to some of you readers. At least I find them to be of interest to me.

I begin with Mennonite Church USA, the denomination I belong to. I have been a Mennonite all my life, partly by being born into a Mennonite family, and partly by my own choice. I regret that the "Mennonite culture" has often gotten in the way of the true essence of what it means to be Anabaptist. One can be an Anabaptist without being a Mennonite -- one can also be a Mennonite without being Anabaptist. Anyway, this web site provides many other links that can also be informative for those seeking to know more about this denomination.

Two links I have included are for periodicals that are produced by our denomination. One is for the official paper of MCUSA, The Mennonite. The other is the Mennonite Weekly Review, one that probably reaches far more homes than The Mennonite. I check these sites to read articles that keep me up to date on the thinking of people across the conservative/liberal (I cringe at the use of those terms) spectrum of our church. There are also the births, deaths, and letters from churches across the country that are of interest to those who are, or were, Mennos.

I have included the link supplied by Linda on the Amish. This is only for information and interest and does not represent in any way a full picture of Amish life as I'm acquainted with it. I lived among them for a good many years, worked with and for them, hauled them around in my vehicles, and am married to a wonderful lady whose parents were born and raised as Amish. The report you can read on this web site is from an Amish man who would stand far and above the average Amish person in terms of knowledge and literacy. But nevertheless an interesting site.

And I have included the link for a man who is a very deep theological thinker and writer. Some of his blogs I like a lot, some I just can't get into. If you want to read this kind of stuff Greg Boyd will certainly provide a stimulating challenge.

And finally I did decide to include one political link. I like to go here to get the "straight stuff" so to speak about the transition from one president to another. So much of what one gets on the regular news channels on TV include "frills" that may or may not be true, and a lot of guessing w/o solid information on what just might be about to happen. So for what its worth, this may be worth your checking out.

There you have it. I will go on to other things in my next post. Perhaps I can get a bit more interesting with the next one(s). Until then I remain

Pilgrim on the way

The Woodshop

Since moving here to Schowalter Villa in 2004 I have spent considerable time working in the Villa shop at my favorite hobby, woodworking. I have been able to make a considerable number of wood projects, some for outside, some for inside, some furniture, some ornaments, etc. For these projects I have purchased some wood from the local lumber yard, but for the most part I have been able to find used, quality wood in the shop for what I wanted to do.

Over the last few weeks we who have been working in the Villa shop have been informed that the Villa is facing the need to reduce or eliminate the liability risk of two wood shops. The executives who met with us wouldn't say that they are planning to close the shop in the main building, but to me it is obvious that it is their plan to do so. That would mean, among other things, that the only wood shop available would be the one located in the Wellness Center, a nice shop, but a small one.

In addition to the above, my health has not been such that I am able to do much physical work for any extended time. This has created some frustration for me and has left me without much to do for physical exercise. Also in the plans for the wood shop, the Villa wants to create a woodworkers club, with dues where the club would own and maintain the equipment and basically be responsible for their own shop, the Villa providing the space, etc. I informed the execs that I wasn't interested in that arrangement.

And so, I'm in the process of converting my wee, tiny storage area in front of our carport into a place where I can do a few things, with a few small tools. So far I have enjoyed salvaging some insulation from the dumpsters that has come from the remodeling project in the main building, and have purchased a few things to make a nice place to work. This has given me something to think about and do for the last few weeks (it takes me a long time to do anything) and to develop a vision for what I want to do in Wayne's Wood Shop. There is a place online where one can buy or sell homemade products that looks like something I might like to try.

I need a couple of shop tools now which I will need to purchase. I have some in view but will need to find the funds to purchase them. Hopefully that can happen before too long so that I can continue to keep my mind and body occupied.

Thanks for reading this boring post, but that's just where I am right now. The medical people are still working on my case and hopefully will find some answers one way or another before too long. My next Dr. appointment isn't until Jan. 13, so it will be awhile after that before I hear anything more. In the meantime I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Miscellaneous Restart

Well, I'm here to try my hand at blogging again. I note that my last post is dated 9/19/08. That seems like a long time ago, and I guess it is for those of us who's time seems to go slower than it used to. I don't offer any big reasons, although my health and accompanying circumstances certainly fit in there somewhere. I have been through many tests again since my last post, and still cannot report any significant findings. More are on the way at some point soon, but I don't know that yet either. I'm pretty much resigned to needing to use a walker most of the time and a cane at times. I still try to walk around the house w/o either sometimes, but am not very sure of myself that way.

We had planned to be in Brunswick, OH right now, but due to the above mentioned health conditions we decided not to go. That meant several things - canceling our flight reservations, adjusting our emotions, and most of all missing out on seeing part of our family. Gordon and Chris' five grown-ups were all there, including Lisa who's attending Cornell University Medical School, Stephen who's attending Akron University, Laura who's attending Ohio University in Athens, OH, and the two still at home, Dan a high school senior and Becca a high school freshman. It may be awhile before we are able to see some of them any time soon. In addition we were to be at Carol & Donald's going to and coming from Ohio. That would have meant seeing them plus their two daughters and one son-in-law and two of our 3, (four to be) great grandsons. It seems like a lot to give up, but things since our trip would have started have verified our decision. Besides the health issues at stake, they have had many, many inches of snow in Ohio, including about 10-12 inches the day we would have arrived. I'm sure the Lord had a hand in keeping us at home. Little did we know what was in our path for those days. Anyway, I'm quite glad to be at home, safe and warm in our comfy duplex.

I don't want to get too long with this first again post, so I'll just conclude that I appreciate reading the blogs I check on most every day. Some of you readers will get an email to let you know I'm back at it again, since I assume that you have decided it wasn't worth checking my site anymore. So I'm still

Pilgrim on the way

Checking our foundations

I read a neat poem this morning. In the light of the political and economic cloudiness of these days in this country, these words help to bring me back to those things that matter most to me - my faith in God that transcends all the events, thoughts, and confusion that clutters our newscasts and newspapers each day. I submit the following for your thoughts as well.

Biblical text: Revelation 22:6-12

"Are you really the Alpha and Omega
the first and the last
the beginning and the end?

The world's clouds disillusion us
our limitations depress us
weakness disappoints us

our souls groan with finite fickleness
we do not know where the mire and maze
begin and end.

We do not know how to begin to end
the confusion, the chaos, the lies
how to complete the healing;

the evil are still evil
the filthy are still filthy
the righteous still seek to do right.

The winds chill us to the bone
we long for the fire of your love
burning like sun above heavy hearts

we search skies for your return
a trustworthy and true promise
you are coming soon;

even as winter storms blow, your sun
breaks open our pain to unveil
a blue-skied forever of wholeness and worship.

Yes! You are the Alpha and Omega
the first and the last,
the beginning and the end.

-Laurie Oswald Robinson

(Reprinted by permission from Now It Springs Up by Carol Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, and Laurie Oswald Robinson. Published by WillowSpring Downs, email willowspringdowns@juno.com)

True Believers

I'm taking a clue from our granddaughter's blog, which is to not preach politics. But there is another blog that I identify with very much. I'll let the author of the book here, Greg Boyd, do my preaching for me. His blog dated September 6 is an "on-track sermon." His book, The Myth of a Christian Nation, speaks of the place political involvement might have in the lives of God's people. Good reading. His ideas help me to keep my focus where it should be during these very interesting, yet sometimes troubling times.

77 and still going

After several weeks of vacation from blogging I decided to come back. Maybe its just because this happens to be my 77th birthday. Maybe not. But just doing this again seems like the right thing to do.

It was supposed to be a nice, warm and sunny morning, at least according to my weather wishes. But now it is a cloudy, rainy and a bit chilly day. Not that I had that much on the slate to do today, but a little different weather might have given a few more options.

Most birthdays at my age aren't too special anymore. Now we look for those special birthdays, like 70, 75, 80, etc. This is sort of an in-between birthday, not too special. However, if I would have thought about it a year ago I might have said that this year should be my "lucky" year - two big sevens? But the 77th year is now past, and I'm beginning the 78th. And in some respects the 77th wasn't all that "lucky" (I put lucky in quotes because I really don't believe in luck per se). There were some difficult times, for sure, but again there were some good times.

What will the next year bring my way? Who knows except the Lord, who knows all things. I'm very happy that I can say with the Psalmist, "My times are in your hand." When I view all the political gobeldegook that's been going on (yeh I watched most of it the last two weeks) I'm happy to know that the Lord of all is still the God of all the earth - that to Him the nations are as a drop in the bucket - and that no matter what happens here in the USA, or elsewhere, He will bring all things to His intended end in His determined time. I find it important after listening to the political speaches etc. to tune in to the eternal themes through inspiring music. I think I'm wearing out a couple of our CD's which especially help me keep my spiritual focus.

"This is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice and be glad in it." I plan to enjoy this day, even if I don't know for sure what it is that I want to do. I do have plans for a couple of things - eating a piece of gooseberry pie (which I ordered up) and watching the Cubbies try to get back on the winning track - that would be a good birthday present. Those are the peripheral things in my plan for the day. Right now I need to check out the daily readings I do and open my heart to what the Lord has for me, and all of us who seek Him. And so I remain a

Pilgrim on the way

Eschaton IV - How Shall We Then Live?

Francis A. Schaeffer wrote a book entitled, "How Should We Then Live," which raises the question of the purpose of the study of eschatology. In my manuscript, "Biblical Prophecy, a Look at God's Redemptive Plan for the World," I state the following: "The study of Biblical prophecy should not be undertaken merely for the purpose of satisfying our curiosity or for trying to learn details about the future. God has revealed Himself and His plan for the ages through His Word in order that we might shape our lives according to His Word. A study of eschatoloty is beneficial only if we can find in it some clues as to how we should live in the present day. Any study of eschatology that looks only to the future for significance is not in tune with the spirit of Biblical prophecy" (p.60).

We are called in the Scriptures to be alert and live holy lives as we await the parousia. Paul says in Romans 13:11-14, "The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now then when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature." Need I say more?

I could say much more, as there are many more scriptures that tell us how we are to live as we await the appearing of our Lord Jesus. We are to be patient, as James 5:7-9 tells us. We are to pray as Peter says in 1 Peter 4:7-10. We are to encourage one another to do good deeds, and not forget to meet together, Hebrews 10:24-25. And perhaps most importantly, we are to live holy lives, 2 Peter 3:10-12a, 14. (The reader may look up the above scriptures at your leisure).

With this post I conclude this short series on the eschaton. I have enjoyed getting back into the subject a bit again, but I no longer feel the need to dig deeply into it as I once did. Perhaps if these posts have done anything for me it has given me a new sense of urgency to further shape my life to the life of Jesus. For that I need the discipline and encouragement from a daily reading of God's Word and listening for God's promptings to a deeper life of holiness. How about you?

Maranatha. Even so come Lord Jesus.

Pilgrim on the way

End Time Predictions

I'm including these comments only a bit reluctantly, but with the feeling that somehow dealing with this subject would not be quite complete without them. But for the reader, you will not find here any attempt to enter into the debate about end time predictions. That for me is a futile and endless discussion that almost always includes some separation between those who participate. I choose not to be a part of that.

End time predictions have been given since the time of Jesus. He certainly did some of it, as well as the early believers. In early church history Irenaeus suggested that the world would last 6000 years, that antichrist would appear, that Christ would return and reign on earth for 1000 years, followed by the final judgment and the new creation.

There were two men who carried these ideas further and developed a much more complex system of end time predictions. These two, John Darby (1800-1882) and C.I. Scofield (1843-1921), developed the system known as dispensational premillennialism. Moody Bible Institute in Chicago used their magazine, Moody Monthly, and many prophecy conferences in various places to promote this complicated system. It no doubt was not these people's intent to bring division to the body of Christ, but that is certainly what has happened as a result of these teachings.

Much of the controversy that has arisen over this subject has its roots in the interpretation of Revelation 20. Revelation has proved to be a difficult book for many to understand and teach, and therefore, dare I say most, bible scholars do not bother to do that. They simply ignore this book of the Bible. The controversy comes mostly from the verses in chapter 20 that refer to a 1000 year period in which Satan will be bound with a chain for 1000 years, v. 2, and Christ will reign with the saints for 1000 years, vs.4,6. Various events are tied to the beginning and end of this period of time. Whatever interpretation we human beings give to this passage, and many, many other passages, will certainly not portray a true picture of the final events that will usher in eternity. How sad that we think we must align ourselves with one or the other at the expense of the unity our Lord prayed for so earnestly before he left this earth.

I have studied this subject and read quite widely on the subject of end time prophecy. I have written a manuscript in which I share some my personal beliefs on the subject, for what they may be worth. I will only affirm here that I stongly believe in the reality of the parousia (appearance) of Jesus to conclude this age. That much seems quite clear in the Scriptures. I choose to leave all the details of that up to our all-knowing Father Who will bring things about in His own time and way, because that's what He will do anyway. My goal is to live in anticipation and readiness for that to happen, or to live in faithfulness until He calls me home. To that end I remain

Pilgrim on the way

The Eschaton III

THE LAST DAYS

The phrase "The Last Days" brings about a multitude of ideas for those who give it much thought. Many words are used to portray these thoughts. I've been using "eschaton," which is from the Greek and literally means simply "the end," or "the consumation." A more popular term may be "the apocalypse," which can have a variety of meanings or uses. Sometimes apocalypse is connected to the Biblical term "Armageddon" found in the Book of Revelation.

Eschatology is the term that is used for the doctrine of last things, or the study thereof. However the most commonly used term found in the New Testament is "the last days." The questions surrounding this term usually have to do with the "when" of this thing, whatever one wants to call it. Humanity seems to be more concerned with "when will these things take place?" as were Jesus' disciples. The disciples also wanted to know what the signs of the end would be. Of course if the world is going to come to an end, wouldn't it be nice to know that that was going to happen?

There are problems that arise when we focus on the signs of the times and the when of the "end of the world" will happen. That focus has led many to ignore the statement of Jesus, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Matthew 24:36). What a pity that so many have attempted to set the date of Christ's coming, often going to great means to prepare themselves. Such was the case of those Mennonites who made the Great Trek way back in 1880-1884. Or an advertisement in Charisma and Chistian Life magazine entitled, "88 Reasons Why the Rapture could take place in the 3-day period from September 11-13, 1988." And there were many more, none of which have been correct. No one knows! Mark it down.

Are we living in the last days? I can boldly say "yes." How do I know? Because the Bible tells me so. According to the Scripture the last days began when Jesus came the first time. "In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son" (Hebrews 1:1,2). Another passage in 1Peter 1:20 says it also: "He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." One more passage will suffice. "But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Hebrews 9:26b).

Is there then no "last days" as we humans think of it? Are there no indications that surely we are living near the end of the age, or the end of the world as we know it? I guess we just need to be reminded again that with God time is irrelevant, that with Him one day is like a thousand. We can pursue these thoughts in a later blog, and perhaps note some of the things the Scripture says concerning "signs of the times."

Should the parousia, or my death, take place before another blog is written, I will be Pilgrim at Home. If not I will remain

Pilgrim on the way

The Eschaton II

This edition of The Eschaton will center on the promises of Christ's return. Thinking about the end times, or eschaton, should always be centered on the return of Jesus, not on all the peripheral things that are usually attached to end times discussions.

One further point to be made in the beginning of this discussion is that while the coming of Christ is most generally thought of as an event, a better way to refer to it is presented in the Greek word that refers to it as the "parousia," which means "presence," with the Latin translation, "advent" being the more familiar term. This term also means "arrival" rather than "return," which helps us see this as the arrival, or appearance of the presence of Christ.

Before His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus spoke often to His disciples about leaving them and returning again. As Jesus prepared the disciples for His death and ensuing events, He said this in John 14:1-3: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am."

Another instance of Jesus' words to His disciples is found in Matthew 24:30: "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory." While the disciples seem to have forgotten Jesus' words of promise during His trial and crucifixion, they did provide something that gave them hope after His resurrection and ascension had taken place, and these words have been preserved for us that we too may have hope in His appearing some day.

Luke records some of the events following Jesus' resurrection in the Book of Acts. Included in Luke's account is the promise to the disciples who were present at Jesus' ascension into heaven. This promise was given by a heavenly angel and is recorded in Acts 1:11: "Men of Galilee . . .why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

One final statement from the Bible that confirms the promise of the parousia of Jesus. That is found in Revelation 1:7: "Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen."

As a disciple in the twenty-first century I can still claim these promises. Being able to live in the hope of the fulfillment of these promises helps keep me from living a life of fear or dread of what may be in store. I know that whatever happens, now or in the future, that God is in control and somehow in His time and in His way these promises will indeed come to pass.

Are you puzzled by the passing of time since these promises were made to the first disciples? I want to discuss the time element and how that affects our thinking on this subject. Stay tuned.
I remain

Pilgrim on the way

The Eschaton

The questions of when "the end of the world" will happen, and those other questions surrounding it, have been asked for centuries. And so these few blogs from me will obviously not answer those questions. In fact, the when, how, etc. of the "last days" will not be discussed here.

My interest in this subject started when I was just a lad. My father, Henry J. King, was a preacher who preached many sermons on "The Second Coming of Christ." I also listened to men like C. F. Derstine and others who gave very vivid and often charted sermons on how everything would be before, during, and after the return of Christ. During the second world war this subject received very much attention by preachers across the country, for it was thought by many to be the beginning of the last times. My father became convinced during that time that he would live to see the second coming and he spoke that from the pulpit many times. But as time went on following the close of WWII many needed to change their views on the subject. Before my father died in 1981 he realized that his long-felt conviction was probably not going to come to pass. He told me one day near the end of his life, "Wayne, the most important thing is to be ready to meet the Lord."

My interest in this subject continued through the years. Before I went to Goshen College Biblical Seminary my father expressed the concern that I would learn things there about the second coming that were different from his teaching, and the things I had heard from little up. And so it was. I heard that there was another way to look at this subject and I continued to seek to learn more. I finally decided that I needed to study the Bible for myself to seek to discover what I understood it to teach about the end times and the coming of Christ.

I worked hard on my study off and on for many years. Finally in 1988 I completed a manuscript which I entitled "Eschatology and the Redemptive Purposes of God." I sought to have this manuscript published but was unable to find a publisher who wanted to do it. I proceeded to reproduce some copies myself and bound them into booklets, giving away a few to friends and family. Later I revised this edition a bit and renamed it "Biblical Eschatology," made some copies and bound them with a plastic binding, and retained just a few copies.

While that manuscript is quite theological, I prefer not to be too theological on this subject in these blogs. Not that I wouldn't enjoy doing that - theology was my forte in my preaching as well as in informal discussions. But it is much more helpful to look at things from a more practical standpoint. That's what I'll attempt to do here.

I'm not sure where these blogs will take us, but hopefully it will make a bit of sense to the readers. And I'll try not to get too long as that gets boring. So, I invite you back to the coming blogs on this subject, and I also invite your comments.

Maranatha (even so come Lord Jesus)

Pilgrim on the way

I'm back!

I offer no apologies for not being here on this blog for three weeks. I simply didn't have anything I wanted to blog about. Now that I'm back I guess that means that I must have something to blog about - maybe.

First of all I have to share that I followed our President's "order" and used some of the economic stimulus money I received to helped stimulate our economy. I purchased a new Dell 20" monitor for my computer. Wow, what a difference! I can now sit back and relax in my nice chair and see my screen without having it as close to me as I could and peering at it through my bifocals. That's a plus for me, and I'm still saying "wow" when I look at my screen.

I'm beginning again with a quotation from a Father's Day card I received from one of my family members. After receiving it and looking at it for several days on our table I cut out the "verse" and taped it to my computer desk where I could readily read it. It pretty much says what I want for myself without getting theological. I do not know the author or the publisher of the card, so for whoever the author and publisher are, I give you due credit. It is as follows:

I want to treat people
with kindness, to be giving
and to put others first. . .
+ + +
I want to be strong in the face
of difficult circumstances,
to allow my trust in God to
keep my heart at peace. . .
+ + +
I want to be loving and gentle,
to make the world a better place
by letting Jesus shine through
the things I do.

And finally it is my hope to share on this site some of my convictions about a rather sensitive subject - sensitive only because there are many opinions on this subject out there by people like me who believe what they believe quite deeply. That subject is "eschatology," or as some refer to it, the "end times." Is the sun about to set on our world? Is the world about to turn, as one of my favorite songs says? Stay tuned - you may be surprised at what you will read!

Without getting further into it, I hope to be back soon, and I conclude with my continuing identity as

Pilgrim on the way

SUNDAY TIMES

Title: "Praying For Our Enemies"
Scripture Passage: Psalm 43
Meditation: by Michele Herschberger

"Psalm 43, at least verse 1, is not a psalm quoted much in my congregation. As a member of a peace church, I belong to a people who don't feel right about calling down lightning on personal enemies or even national enemies. It doesn't sound WWJD enough.

"On one hand, that's a good reaction. Jesus wouldn't and didn't cry out with the anger displayed in many psalms. His words were, 'Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing.'

"Upon closer inspection, however, maybe verse 1 isn't so bad. I do have enemies, from the people who just irritate me to the more malignant evildoers who really threaten me. Shouldn't I be honest about my fear and my anger with the God who knows every corner of my soul already? I do want vindication sometimes, and I can't get past those feelings until I admit they exist.

"And who's doing the vindication anyway? In this psalm and in every other psalm that speaks of vengeance, the psalmists, every time without exception, call on God, and only God, to repay the oppressor. Only God is to decide when and how -- and who -- is to be repaid and receive their fair due.

"Only God is wise enough. Only God is holy enough.

"Only God loves enough.

"We have enemies. We are angry. That's the truth.

"But we aren't wise enough, pure enough, to vindicate ourselves. That's not our job. We can never see the whole picture clearly enough.

"But God can. Tell him. Tell him now."

Reprinted by permission from Now It Springs Up by Carol Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, and Laurie Oswald Robinson. Published by WillowSpring Downs, email willowspringdowns@juno.com

We're back - again

Yeh, I know its been a long time since I've written but, you see, we were gone and blogging wasn't in my schedule then. But now we're home.

We visited our daughter and family over the 4th. What a great time! Three great grandsons, one new one, three granddaughters, two husbands, one daughter and her husband, and one son. The little new one is only 7 weeks old, the other two greats are 16-1/2 and 18 months. A lot of noise at times, lots of laughing, telling stories, and just plain visitin'. Of course there was eating out, swatting mosquitos, watching some backyard fireworks, and all that stuff that goes along with that kind of get-together.

But its good to be home. Some concerns with the car - gotta get them checked out soon. But other than quivering when filling up the gas tank, all went pretty well. It always rains when we travel across Missouri on I-70, and this time no failing with that. Wet pavement and a little rain, enough of both to make the wipers run most of the way in MO going out, and coming home, yes, one small cloud dropped enough wet stuff to get our windshield wet, but I was determined not to run the wipers, and I got by with that.

The weather was so nice there - until yesterday (Sunday). Then it got hot and oh so muggy. And being only a few miles from the flood waters, many, many bugs. Mosquitos and little green bugs everywhere. And sure enough it was hot when we got back to Kansas. And the wind was blowing briskly. What else would you expect?

But its good to be home. And my bed will feel good again - (well, it already has because I took a late afternoon nap after we got home). Not that we didn't have a good bed while away. The kids always make us sleep in their great big king size bed with adjustable air mattresses. That's always great, but one wonders sometimes at night if you're the only one in bed.

So much for all that. I'll try to do better next time. Still, I remain

Pilgrim on the way

Personal Views on Peace

I'm concluding this short series on "peace" with some of my personal views on the subject. I suppose I have already indicated that by my previous blogs, but I want to be a bit more specific about that in this one.

The bottom line for me is the traditional Anabaptist view expressed in the four-word statement, "Follow Christ in life." For me that is the sum and total of what it means to be a Christian, and specifically, to be a person of peace.

I recall when I was a lad of about 10 years, which puts the calendar during the second world war, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor. My brother was working at a local manufacturing plant as a welder, making tanks for gas and oil trucks. After the war started the U.S. Navy came and converted that manufacturing plant into a plant to produce large, steel flotation balls to be used in the war. This put my brother and others like him in a position of having to contribute to a war they didn't want to participate in in any way, a position he made known to his employers. As a result, one day after work, he found his bicycle covered with yellow paint. During this time our church building was also painted with yellow swastikas.

I still recall these incidents quite vividly. Even though I was only a young lad, I was identified with the COs (conscientious objectors) and called name such as "yellow belly," "chicken," "traitor," and "CO." I was intimidated and afraid to go to school at times. I often wondered why our church and our people took that stand, but as the war went on and I heard much more about what it meant to be a CO I too came to believe that war, and killing of any kind, was wrong for a Christian.

Of course those early childhood experiences had a lot of bearing on what my belief system included as far as being a person of peace was concerned. But I also learned in life that it includes much more than "not going to war." For me following Christ in life has come to mean simply following the way of Jesus when facing times of personal testing and opposition from other people.

One of my concerns for all of God's people today is that perhaps we have forgotten that our main responsibility and loyalty is to Jesus and His kingdom. It is easy to get caught up in the nationalism and patriotism of our day and our society and lose the focus we need to have on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. At least that's the way it has been for me. I found that I needed to work through on a personal level what the bottom line was for me in my faith walk. That old Anabaptist line, "follow Christ in life," was what finally grabbed me and caused me to understand that Jesus meant it when he said, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23. It sounds so simple, but in reality it isn't that easy. It takes a lot of commitment and determination to "stay the course" when life brings difficult situations our way.

Anyway, I could say much more on this subject, but that will suffice for the here and now. I trust that perhaps my sharing of these few blogs has created in someone a desire to know Jesus better and to follow Him more closely in your life. I remain -

Pilgrim on the way

Jesus on Peace

Jesus had much to say about "peace." His teachings on this subject were not limited to the Sermon on the Mount, but that is where we find the most concentrated discussions about peace.

I want to note several passages from the Sermon on the Mount and some from other passages as Jesus' teachings on peace. These words are often referred to as the "hard sayings of Jesus," because they are just that, teachings that are often difficult for us to understand, and even more, to put into practice.

WDJS - What did Jesus say?

Matthew 5:6 - "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called (children) of God."

Matthew 5:11,12 - "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven. . . ."

Matthew 5:38,39 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Matthew 5:43-45 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be (children) of your Father in heaven. . . ."

John 14:27 - "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

John 18:36 - "My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place."

Luke 23:34 - "Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

These words are indeed quite compelling and prove to be quite difficult to live out in life as well. They speak of our relationship with each other, and with God. They speak only briefly about how to relate to those who would do us harm. What one is to do with these words of Jesus is up to each reader, and follower of Jesus. However, we are prompted to follow the example of Jesus by those who wrote the epistles, passages that enlarge on the Christian faith and lay the groundwork for all Christians to build their faith upon. Note some of these words of the Apostle Peter, as he answers the question, WDJD, What did Jesus do?

1 Peter 2:21-23 - "To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.' When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him Who judges justly."

Obeying the hard teachings of Jesus and following the example He has left us is no small task. It is my perception that the teachings Jesus gave to His followers were not meant for some far off millennium unforeseen by either Jesus or His followers. They perceived that it was meant for them. And that is how I now perceive His teachings to be - for me, for us, to hear and obey to the best of our knowledge and ability. That's why I remain -

Pilgrim on the way

Menno on Peace

I want to share just a couple of quotations from Menno Simons on the subject of "peace." Menno had a lot to say about a lot of subjects and what I share here is only a brief glimpse of his total view on this subject.

Just a warning if you've never read Menno Simons -- he doesn't always use the best terminology to say what he wants to say, at least from a more "refined" perspective. At times he was rather blunt, to say the least. You can judge what I've included here for yourself.

I'm quoting Menno because he, of course, was supposedly the founder of the church to which I belong, the Mennonite Church. Menno's followers were called Mennoites at first, but to make it easier to pronounce, it was changed to Mennonites. Or so I have been told. So, I will leave you with Menno and with the following quotations this post will conclude.

• "The regenerated do not go to war, nor engage in strife. They are children of peace who have 'beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning forks, and know no war' (Isaiah 2:4, Micah 4:3). ... Our weapons are not weapons with which cities and countries may be destroyed, walls and gates broken down, and human blood shed in torrents like water. But they are weapons with which the spiritual kingdom of the devil is destroyed. ... Christ is our fortress; patience our weapon of defense; the Word of God our sword. ... Iron and metal spears and swords we leave to those who, alas, regard human blood and swine’s blood of well-nigh equal value."

• "We who were formerly no people at all, and who knew of no peace, are now called to be ... a church ... of peace. True Christians do not know vengeance. They are the children of peace. Their hearts overflow with peace. Their mouths speak peace, and they walk in the way of peace."

"True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant. It clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry, it comforts the sorrowful, it shelters the destitute, it serves those that harm it, it binds up that which is wounded, it has become all things to all people."

So be it -- I remain

Pilgrim on the way

The Peaceable Kingdom

This week I'm looking again at the subject of "peace," peace as referenced in Hebrew as "shalom." It is the peace that involves our relationship with God and with other human beings wherever we meet them. It is a way of life taught and lived by Jesus when he lived among us.

The painting here was done by a Quaker named Edward Hicks. He actually painted many different versions of the peaceable kingdom, but this particular one is the one that most people like best.

This painting, and the concept of a peaceable kingdom, is taken from the writings of Isaiah, who gave us perhaps the closest picture of what the Messiah, the Christ, would be like when he came. It was Isaiah to whom Jesus referred the most when he quoted the Old Testament to point out His mission.

The biblical text for the peaceable kingdom is found is Isaiah 11:6-9: "The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. The infant will play near the hole of the cobra, and the young child will put his hand into the viper's nest. They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea."(NIV)

Interpreting this text and finding applications for its meaning have always resulted in differences of opinion. When was the time to come that the prophet spoke of? Reading the verses preceding the above quotation gives one a picture of what the coming Messiah was to be like. Perhaps one could find some clues there as to when this vision would become reality.

We have in our home many visible reminders of the peaceable kingdom. About 10 years ago or so Clara finished an applique about three feet square which hangs on our living room wall. Atop our entertainment center we currently have six small porcelain or metal figures of the lion and lamb together. Granted, in the biblical text it is the wolf and lamb that are pictured together, but the long-standing concept is lion and lamb, so that's what we use. (There may be other reasons the lion and lamb are used together). Also on the wall we have two pictures of the lion/lamb combination.

We happen to believe that the time for fulfillment is now rather than later. We as God's people are to live lives of peace with all other people, regardless of their belief system, color, race, political orientation, or whatever. This belief system is based solely on the life and teachings of Jesus, Who has told us that if we want to be His disciples we must follow Him, even to the cross. The acrostic, WWJD, "what would Jesus do?" is often used when seeking to solve a question about how to conduct our lives. I rather prefer to use, WDJD, "what did Jesus do?" Looking for answers to how to live peaceful lives in a troubled, often violent world, comes best for me by looking anew at what Jesus said, and how He Himself lived.

How I long for more expressions of the peaceable kingdom in our world! We can catch a glimpse of that once in awhile, and it is truly amazing to see in real life. How wonderful it will be when it comes in its full expression! I have often failed to meet even my own expectations of how to live out the principles of the peaceable kingdom, let alone God's. But I continue to press on toward that goal.

I hope to write yet this week more specifically on Jesus and Peace, and perhaps on Menno and Peace. Until then I'm just

Pilgrim on the way

Sunday Times - Fifth Edition

The month of June has been designated as Peace Month. This blog is my "Ode to Peace," written by Laurie Oswald Robinson. The Biblical Text for this writing is Acts 10:24-48.
The title is "Lord of all."




"In this time of war, your creatures
declare you God of only their nation.
The 'chosen ones,' they send bombs
to fortify oil rights and to secure borders.
They profile those who do not look like them
as terrorists and as those 'unclean.'
Those who die in these devastations
are children and innocents,
whose mangled bodies and spilled blood
cry out to the Lord of all--have mercy
on this merciless killing."

Eons ago, your vision hits Peter
like a bombshell: he is to befriend the 'unclean,'
the Gentiles who are not safe or acceptable.
But the wreckage left by the vision's voice
brings Peter to his knees before an impartial God,
a God who though not punitive is to be feared
as the only One in the universe who dares
to speak peace in a time of war;
the only One who shows mercy
in the wreckage of mercilessness.

Today, Peter's story hits us unaware
like bombs shot between Lebanese and Israelis
because of bad blood and hostages held;
and like U.S. tanks gunning through Iraqi desert,
searching for ghosts of rumors that
weapons of mass destruction may exist.
In the midst of these ghost-like howls,
we hear a clear voice proclaiming:
'Jesus heals all who are oppressed."

That means me and you and
enemies and strangers in the Middle East--
all of us who cry for mercy
in this time of merciless war."

Reprinted by permission from Now It Springs Up by Carol Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, and Laurie Oswald Robinson. Published by WillowSpring Downs, email willowspringdowns@juno.com


Pilgrim on the way

The Psychology of Time

I recently heard someone waxing eloquently on "The Psychology of Time" and I decided to make some comments on that subject here. I'm not a psychologist, like some of my relatives, but I do understand a bit about "time." That's what I want to comment about here.

For me time is a relative thing. Perhaps that's what the speaker meant as he spoke about sporting events on the west coast being watched by fans on the east coast, and the frustration that brings because of the time difference. But at least it made me think a bit about "time."

The speaker referred to one's comparison of periods of time, such as an hour spent in a doctor's office compared to an hour spent doing something more enjoyable. I thought of the time spent waiting on a train at a crossing, perhaps 3 minutes or so, and how it seems much longer than that most times. Or perhaps comparing an hour driving on the interstate compared to an hour visiting with family after you get there. It's all relative for me.

From the Biblical perspective, time is also relative, especially when we compare time as we view it with time as God sees it. For instance, it says in 1 Peter 3:8, "For with the Lord a day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day." From that reference point, its only been a couple of days since Jesus ascended into heaven. And a word we often use that has an open ended time reference is "soon." God's view of this word is recorded in Revelation 22:20 when Jesus is quoted as saying, "Yes, I am coming soon." How soon in soon in this reference? Two thousand years, or however long, doesn't seem like "soon" to me, but to God "soon" may mean much more than we think.

I can remember when I thought it was a "waste of time" to take a nap after lunch. One's perspective of what "waste of time" means is conditioned by one's schedule and responsibilities. When one doesn't have much of a schedule or not many responsibilities "waste of time" takes on a different meaning than when the opposite is true. Other phrases ofter used that refer to the passing of time are "kill time" and "buy a little time." Actually one can do neither of those - we just think we can for some reason.

Well, I don't know if the "Cool School Psychologist" would consider these ramblings a conversation about the "psychology of time" or not. Perhaps she might comment on that. I know one thing, call it what you want, time is relevant - relevant to what one is doing or what one's outlook is on time. I recall on one occasion when I was a supervisor in a manufacturing plant that one of the employees under my supervision was "wasting time" riding around on the fork lift. When I confronted him about that he said, "I'm in no hurry, I'm getting paid by the hour." This man's idea of what to do with his time eventually cost him his job.

What is your view of time? Perhaps you will say that this post was a waste of your time when you read it. Perhaps it will cause you to think about how you use the time God has given you. Another phrase often used is "time is of the essence." As I have grown older, I think more and more that my time here on this earth grows shorter as each day comes and goes. That makes time precious for me. And so I continue as -

Pilgrim on the way

Our Home

We like our home, very much thank you. We feel that this is where the Lord has led us for this time in our lives. Our duplex apartment is just the right size and we like the location. It was practically new when we moved in almost four years ago, having been renovated from top to bottom, literally.

This year it seems especially nice to me. After what seemed like a long winter we have a number of blooming flowers to brighten both the front and back. Last fall the maintenance people tore up our lawn and reseeded it, and it has turned into a very nice lawn all around.
We like our patio in back. We have a small lighthouse and a dutch windmill, as well as two adirondack chairs, and a small table all which I have made, several pots of flowers and some planted ones, including three wonderful rose bushes, all blooming very nicely, all which make for a nice place to sit, watch people, drink coffee, visit with friends, etc.

On the larger home front we live in a place with lots of trees, which include many varieties. In the front of our house we have a chinese date tree which bears its fruit in abundance each fall. There's a large walnut tree nearby that seems to be tired of producing walnuts, but which still does on occasion. A large tree in back provides shade on those bright sunny summer mornings.

We live very near to the rear of the main building of the Villa, which allows us easy access which we use frequently. We enjoy interacting with the residents all around us, and many times with those in assisted living or health care.

Across the street is the Dyck Arboretum where we like to go to walk, or ride the scooter, around the 1/2 mile track. The picture on the right was taken in the fall. This time of year it is a beautiful place with many, many kinds of blooming flowers and trees, and so many kinds of natural grasses growing as well. There are often ducks and/or geese on the pond, and many, many fish and turtles. Fishing is off limits in this pond so they grow profusely.

More could be said but perhaps this is enough to say again, we like our home! We are here where we are assured a place to live for the rest of our lives, and have access to any kind of physical care we need. What more could one ask for? God is indeed good, and He has blessed us beyond our fondest expectations. Our goal is to live for His praise and glory as long as He gives us breath.

Pilgrim on the way

We're back!

Yes, we're back from the valley of the sun, and I'm back after what seems like quite a while. The last week has been quite "interesting," for lack of a better term I guess. Our time since coming home has been filled with some unexpected events.

After arriving home last week I experienced an "episode" that landed me in the hospital for a five day stay. After undergoing a plethora of tests no major problems were discovered. Medications needed to be altered, but will soon be back to where they were. One thing's for sure - I know where I don't have things wrong. There will be one more test sometime soon, but other than that I can get back to being at home and enjoying the beautiful world of nature around us.

I made a tour of the arboretum again this morning and just thanked the Lord for the beauty of His creation. A pair of Canadian geese and their two goslings were in my path at one point and they just moved enough for me to get by. What beautiful birds! They're also messy, leaving their droplets on the sidewalk for people to watch out for. And the flowering shrubs, roses, and blooming flowers all make this place quite special this time of year.

We enjoyed our time with our daughter and family very much. There was much activity, graduation reception, graduation party, visiting with friends, learning to know new people, etc. The graduation itself was lengthy of course, but not boring. Our granddaughter, Joanna, graduated from ASU honors college with a summa cum laud, and a number of outstanding awards. It was truly a special time for us, and of course for them.

Another significant family event last week was the birth of our third great grandson in Missouri. Tristan Daniel was born to our oldest daughter's daughter. They now have two sons, and are very happy parents. The grandparents also are quite happy with the latest addition to the family.

One final note on family. Our oldest, Carol, had her fifth surgery on her hip, and was recovered enough to be able to be with her newest grandchild. We're grateful for her continued healing and are expecting that she will soon be able to be about her life with some degree of normal activity.

I'm adding one final thing yet. We're expecting my niece from Oregon and her husband to stop and see us this weekend. I'm very happy about that, as I don't get to see my brother's family very much. It means a lot to me to know she wants to take time in their trip to come by for a brief visit.

Now I'm done for this time. I'm still traveling on, and remain

Pilgrim on the way

We're off!

Today we're off to the Land of the Sun, off to see family, off to be present for a granddaughter's graduation. We're anticipating having a great time and perhaps seeing sights like this one. We're off to a place where it's sunny and warm.

Of course we're taking to the airways since driving that far presents some problems it didn't used to present, not to even think about the cost, which would be more than traveling by plane. I don't relish going through the security check points but that's part of the game now, so we just do it and try not to complain. It's too bad that because of a few "kooks" out there we need to take such precautions as to how we package our personal things, etc., but again, that's the way it is so we just need to adjust schedules, etc. to do it.

It has become more difficult in our older age to leave the comforts of our "nest" here and sleep in someone else's bed, eat their food, follow their schedules, etc. but it's always worth it. I'm personally looking forward to getting a little natural vitamin D as I sit out by the pool in clothes that I don't wear around home. These will need to be brief times as my thin skin would rather burn than tan. Perhaps I'll be able to get enough color to hid just a bit the spots, etc. of an aging body.

Our granddaughter is graduating from ASU's honors college with very high honors. We're proud of all of our grandchildren, but the achievements of each one are always special when they are honored and recognized. College graduates these days are often times confused at graduation as they face the reality of making it out there in a very competitive and often cruel world of the work place. I have personally known of several who, upon graduating from college, didn't know what to do with their degree or didn't care to pursue employment in their chosen field of study. My prayers are with these people as they make many important, and often life changing, decisions.

I'm thankful for a wonderful day weather wise today, especially when I think about how it has been the last few days, and also in looking at the forcast for the next few days. Perhaps when we return in a week spring here will finally have sprung. Until then I remain -

Pilgrim on the way

In the dark

I see it's been awhile since I have posted on this blog. Oh well, I guess that means that not a whole lot has been happening here that's worth blogging about.

About the biggest thing this past week was a problem with our electrical service. Without any real evidence to prove this, it seems that we have about the poorest electrical service here in Hesston that we've had any place we have lived. Anyway it appears to me that our electricity goes off more here than I can remember anyplace else.

This past Thursday was an especially bad day for that. I was "working" in the wood shop when suddenly the lights went out. Now being in a place with no windows and the only door shut, it suddenly became very, very dark. Even though this was for only a second or two, it seemed like much longer than that. In the Villa the generator starts up as soon as there's a break in the electric service, so it soon was light again.

But this event occurred over and over again throughout the day. I know it was windy but after all, THIS IS KANSAS for pete sake! Aren't we prepared for such days as this? After assuming incorrectly that the problem had been solved, by mid afternoon, I rebooted the computer and reset all the electric clocks (we seem to have a clock on all appliances, plus telephone, etc. I hadn't any more than finished that until, guess what, it went off again. So be it, I thought. Let it go! Then a few hours went by and so again I thought I was safe in redoing all the clocks, etc.

However, you guessed it, it went off again, and this time I somehow surmised that it was going to be off for awhile. It was almost dark now and I was in the middle of watching a very important baseball game between the Cubs and Cardinals. After grumbling around a bit I noticed a utility truck in the street behind us, so I went out to see what the main problem was. I was told that something was wrong near by but that a repair crew (these guys looked like repairmen to me) was on the way, but they were in Sedgwick at this point. Oh "boy" (not my word here), that means that it will be awhile, right? That was about 8:30 or so, and finally by 10:05 our lights miraculously came back on.

While sitting in the almost dark, with just a few candles burning, one is made to think again of just how dependent we are on such a normal thing in our lives. There's nothing to do when one is in the dark! Just sit, and talk. That part was o.k. But here in our house we always have time for that. So we just wait, albeit quite impatiently at times. But finally since there's nothing else to do, one can learn to be patient in spite of the circumstances and wait for someone else to make it light again.

I guess that's the lesson to be learned here, for me at least. Patience is something I'm usually short on, so maybe in the end I can profit from such an episode in the dark.

Pilgrim on the way (walking in the Light)

Silly geese?

In the arboretum that's across the street from our home some wild Canadian geese make their home, at least sometimes. Yesterday I observed mother goose and her six goslings on the pond that's there. It's always interesting to watch wild life, especially as they're about their "family" things.

It looked like mother goose was trying to teach her offspring how to fly. The whole family (didn't see Mr. Gander) was swimming across the pond, with the goslings quite a ways ahead of mama goose. When they reached the side of the pond, the goslings began to fly just above the water back to meet their mama. When they were all together again the goslings rose and flew just above the water to the other side of the pond from whence they had come. So mama began her slow swim back to meet them.

Perhaps many of the problems we have in our society come from a lack of this simple kind of family relationships. If family is important among the birds (in this case geese), then perhaps many are missing a very important ingredient in their families among us humans. Geese are often referred to as "silly birds." Perhaps if they could name us as humans they would call us "silly people." And just maybe that's the way it should be!

Pilgrim on the way