Psalms, Isaiah and American politics

I have to admit, I get discouraged, disillusioned and sometimes even depressed when I spend any length of time reading current events. I want to stay informed and involved, so I keep up with what's going on. I form my opinions just like anyone else. Sometimes I know I get too emotional about it all. But that's when I am thankful for the hours that I've spent reading and studying Psalms and Isaiah. This morning as I read through the weekend comments of current candidates for American President I felt overwhelmed by the bickering, backstabbing and foolish ideas. Panic seized me. Then I remembered Psalm 2, here are verses 1-4:
1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the LORD
and against his Anointed One.
3 "Let us break their chains," they say,
"and throw off their fetters."
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.

Humanity wants to "break their chains" and "throw off their fetters". These chains and fetters are God's law, and they refuse to obey it, nor do they even want to be bound by it. Those chains and fetters of marriage, purity, compassion, protection for the weak. We are consumed by the desire for our own personal peace and affluence. But God is still in control and laughs at their attempts to throw off His rule over them. Later the Psalmist writes that "he will dash them in pieces".

I use the One Year Bible for my devotions. Every year at this time the OT readings are in Isaiah. And they are most encouraging when reading the news and thinking about current leaders and those who want to be the leaders. God raises up those who are His plan for our country and the world. None of it is pure chance. Isaiah 25, the reading for today says, "for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure. For you have made the city a heap..." In chapter 22 Isaiah tells the people that they laid all the plans for defending the city, put everything in place, YET "you did not look to him who did it, or see him who planned it long ago." Our current election results are not up for grabs. We plan and do our part, but as Isaiah said, God planned the results long ago. How reassuring that is! Nothing is out of control. Not George Bush, nor Putin, nor the Iranian guy whose name I can't spell, not anyone. "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases."(Prov. 21:1)

So if you're feeling overwhelmed, like me, at all that's going on in our world, take heart, God is on His throne. He has his plans and He directs hearts, even the hearts of Bush, Putin, and A...!

Porridge weather

It's 10:15 and not even 50 this morning. It was 39 when we woke up. Poor Den was pacing the floor knowing that he had to get out and do his run in that freezing cold. But I stayed in the house and enjoyed my Bob's Red Mill Scottish Oatmeal.
This is especially delicious because the house is 63 degrees and I don't want to turn on the heat! (BTW, the first mouse of the season just showed up! argh!)

When we first came back to America from Scotland in 1989, I brought oatmeal back with me. Then we visited in 1990, and I did the same. Every visit I'd bring it back. Then I found Bob's Red Mill when I was in Wild Oats. It's exactly like what we got in Scotland! It was expensive there, so I ordered a 20 pound bag online. When that was finished, I found it in Baker's grocery store. It isn't all that cheap, but I get a little at a time. We brown it and eat it like dressing with roast chicken. Most delicious. I have yet to make oatcakes, which I LOVE!

So grab a bag of porridge oats, make yourself a bowl of porridge and a pot of tea and welcome autumn!

Critters in my Garden

While watering and pulling weeds this morning, I came across this fine fellow! What a lovely praying mantis. Made me wish I had some little one around here that I could show him to. I got right down there and got his face, too. For some reason, not the fault of the photographer I'm sure, I didn't get him all focused in this shot. While I was admiring his beauty, another beauty slithered away through the bee balm, a garter snake. I saw him, or another like him, a couple of weeks ago in that front garden. He was about the size of a pencil then, now he's about the size of my middle finger. Must be getting some good things to eat. Hope it's the grasshoppers! They're terrible in there! One more shot of the mantis---enjoy!

My friend Elizabeth

Today is her birthday. She has been our/my friend for over 20 years now, all the way back to the year we moved to Scotland. She is one of those people that I don't ever remember being a stranger to or with. Her home was a warm, friendly, comfortable farmhouse in which we spent hours and yes, days. Hospitality is her first, middle and last name. She is one of the most loving and humble people I know, and I am so glad that we got to know her! She has been an encourager to me as I raised little boys who were not always the most well-behaved. When my boys were really small, Den would stay home with them for evening church service, and I would go. Then after church Elizabeth and I would go to our friend Janet's and have tea and biscuits. Our discussions were broad. They were two very knowledgeable women. I got to be a woman and a thinker as well as a young mother.
We don't correspond all that often, but when we do we just pick up where we left off. And conversation is just as good as ever. I look forward to the day when we will all be together, Elizabeth and all those great Scottish friends.

Happy Birthday, Elizabeth!

Meditation on the Sunday sermon

Probably most of us are thinking of something as we listen to the Sunday morning sermon. Some may think of the week ahead, some the week past, some of our cares, but hopefully, in spite of all this thinking we think something of the morning message. I'll admit, my mind does wander, but I do think about what the minister is saying, too. Today's message was on Psalm 1. A psalm our mother taught us, and one I taught my children, so it's very familiar--in more than one version, as well as the Scottish metrical psalms.

A few responses/reactions went through my mind today. First of all, how easy it is for us and our children to listen to (walk in) the counsel of the ungodly. I mean the media, news and otherwise, are constantly bombarding us, unless we're living some kind of hermit existence. We hear their point of view all the time, so it's nearly impossible NOT to listen. So what does it mean? And then of course there's the progression. Once we start listening, we stand there, and then we get comfortable. Am I comfortable (Tolerance) with the viewpoint of those around me without the light of Christ? Does the conservative or liberal viewpoint make me comfortable? Can I support those whose viewpoint blatantly goes against what the Scripture teaches? Do I end up in the scoffer's seat scoffing at other believers?

The next verse led me to other thoughts. "His delight is in the law of the Lord". So many times since I was a child I've heard that this meant something about being really happy reading the Bible. I should be more ready to read my Bible than to do anything else. And of course it gets compared to sports, books, etc. But that doesn't really make sense to me. What kind of person just sits around reading his Bible? That's not what life is about. Life is about reading it and LIVING it. And that's where this verse fits in with the verses in the beginning. That "law of the Lord" where my delight is, is my lens, the window through which I see/hear everything around me. I am happy to know what pleases God because this will keep me from ending up as a scoffer. And I know my heart, I want to scoff, but this also shows me (thanks to that law of God) that my heart is proud, and I need to listen. Listen to the law of the Lord, not to the cacophony of voices around me.

The beginning and the end of the Psalm are positive and give me the reason for and result of delight. "blessed"-real happiness and contentment, and God's presence with me always. We all want to be truly happy. Then let the perfect law of the Lord permeate everything we do, whether it's watching football, reading Harry Potter or cleaning my house. All the while thanking God and praying without ceasing. Boy, THAT will make me happy!

Over the River and through the Woods

My title started out "Over the Riviera...." whoops, I didn't go THAT far, although that's not to say I didn't WISH to go that far!

Anyway, I'm back to real life, and it's good. The weather is cooler, friends are good, the house is tidy and I SHOULD be well rested. And I am. So a bit about the trip...Mom and I left on Tuesday and decided to stay off freeways and take "blue highways", secondary roads through Iowa and Minnesota. It was a VERY LOVELY trip! We left at six, an hour before sunrise, then watched the sun break the clear horizon over Iowa. We kept a little notebook (thanks for leaving it in the car Willy) of how long it took us to get places, trains we saw and other attractions. Lake Okoboji is beautiful on either side of Hwy 71 in northern Iowa. Another highlight was our hour long visit in New Ulm, Minnesota, a German settlement and the home of children's author Wanda Gag (remember Millions of Cats?) We found a little place to have lunch and walked a few blocks around the town. These are a couple of places that Den and I will have to return to some weekend...

We drank a lot of coffee, had good meals, breathed fresh woodsy air and read books. It was a very relaxing couple of days. See the Flickr for photos of various and sundry relatives. Every day was warm, well, hot, until the morning I left. I drove straight home via the freeway and Minneapolis this time using the route through "the cities" that Grace gave me. It was perfect! And I sped through.

The Midwest is really lovely at this time of the year!

Just a few moments

I'm at school today subbing for the high school English teacher. The morning was chock-a-block with one group after another filing in, but the afternoon has a study hall, a planning period and one class with five students. So here I am...and this study hall is empty because the three students in it went to work in other rooms.

So now for the rest of the "holiday". Pictures will get posted after I get home again.

I went to Mom's on Monday afternoon. We ran around the Quad Cities-out for big burgers where she treated me and for a quick visit to my sister Jenny. It was child #5's 4th birthday! Then we went to the chiropractor. Mom has a fantastic woman that she's been going to for years. I've been there when I go over, too. She's helping me figure out what to do for this thyroid nodule and also getting the kinks out of my back and neck. After I was there last time, I didn't get a headache for four months---and I usually have several a month. She also gave us some suggestions for vitamin supplements that are inexpensive and totally assimilated into the body. I need to find a chiro around here.

Tuesday was Mom's day to get everything taken care of before she left town for a few weeks. But first, we had to get up at 4:30 and watch the lunar eclipse. It was fantastic! We stayed up until the moon was so dark we could barely make it out in the sky. Later that morning we had breakfast with Jenny and all six of her children. (They don't start school until after Labor Day.) That was fun. We got to play "Memory" with Seth which ended up being with all the big kids. Lots of fun there....!!! Darling baby Caleb gets hugs and tickles all the while. Ran into town for some business and then fed Dad. He seemed to hear me and understand what I was telling him about our children. His reaction is to cry. So when I say something and he cries, I know he understood. Lunch and a tour of her garden at Mom's friend's house. Tuesday evening Jenny got the night out, so we took Mom to the Machine Shed for dinner. It's like Cracker Barrel. They came and sang some silly birthday song for her. On the way home we stopped at the Iowa welcome center for a view of the Mississippi River at dusk. The welcome center is really not high enough to get a good view of the river, but there is a nice panoramic view. Mom went to bed early after that, so Jenny and I had a good long visit--with NO INTERRUPTIONS. Thanks, Jen!

Wednesday was Mom's birthday. We left early for Ron's and had birthday brunch and lunch there. Nice to have that stopping place half way across. He called his place "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom"! We saw a doe with two fawns and a gaggle (?) of turkeys! Five of them, very big, too! They were right up in the yard. I got home in time to pick up Andrew at the car mechanic where he was leaving his car and run to church to teach my class. I was in bed by 8:30! And slept until morning! Whew! Nice to see the lovely state of Iowa from shore to shore.