Why should I believe?

   It seems fewer and fewer people want to believe in a God much less the Christian God.  I often hear that God isn't real, that it doesn't make sense that millions and millions of people should go to hell just because they never heard of Christ, that Christianity is a crutch, that many Biblically characters like Moses, Paul and even Jesus never existed,  and one man even thought it was funny that Christians pray for healing from some disease, illness, or injury, that was given to them by God and who seems unable to either prevent the situation or to provide a solution.
  It seems that many church going people don't act like they believe God and many that profess to believe aren't faithful to their faith or to their church.  So based on the opposition and the lack of commitment to a God that demands obedience, why should one continue in the faith and why should a non-believer convert over to Christianity?
   Even some Biblical characters have questioned Gods motives and His existence.  Even those men who walked closed to Jesus denied Him and one even betrayed Him.   So if those men who saw the miracles didn't understand Jesus, even after spending three years with Him, how am I supposed to accept Him as real?
  first of all, let me make something very clear.  Man is given free will so God does not make one believe or disbelieve.  Faith is entirely voluntary.  When people ask why does God allow bad things to happen then you have your answer.  Man has free will and is not controlled by God. That is the very reason one cannot prove the existence of God.  If we could prove He is real then belief in Him would no longer be by faith.  He is not going to provide an eternal home to those that deny him.  Who would after all?
   Those who believe can see the hand of God working in events while those that do not believe can't see that.  A good example would be an uprooted tree following a blast of wind and rain.  Some will claim that the wind, which we cannot see, blew the tree over, while others will claim that the tree had a weal root system.  Same event, same result, but a different belief as to the cause of the tree falling.
  I have seen many Christians suffer from heart wrenching diseases and have watched as they suffered and died.  Which did God allow them to get sick and why did He fail to heal them even though many believers asked Him in prayer for healing?
   First of all, we must realize that God doesn't exist to do our bidding but we exist to do His.  I know you don't like that explanation and that's your right.  You are a non believer and have the right to accept or reject the truth but that doesn't change a thing.  Scripture tells us that the rain will fall on the just and the unjust.  In other words, we are all human and being a Christian doesn't give us special privilege's.  We take our chances just like everyone else.  God offers us support and encouragement but promises nothing beyond that.
    There is a saying "no pain, no gain" which means that in order to improve ones physical     conditioning, one has to put forth some extra effort.  Sometimes bad things happen to Christians just because we are human, sometimes because is preparing us for a special task and He knows that we haven't reached the point of being able to handle the challenge yet so He has to strengthen us.  Sometimes Christians die of their illness or injury.  "It is appointed unto men once to die."  Everyone will die, sooner or later.  Sometimes babies die.  If you don't believe in God then you know it isn't His fault.  Some have a basic knowledge of God and choose to blame Him.
   I do know that for every argument you can offer to explain your disbelief and I offer an equally valid reason for believing.  I haver also learned that the deeper ones faith the closer the relationship.
Faith isn't a blind belief in the unknown but the evidence of things unseen.  Just as you may deny the wind and believe the tree was just too big and heavy to stand anymore I can see evidence that wind exists although it can't be seen.  
  I do know that one of two things are true:  either there is or there isn't a God.  If there is believer's get to go to heaven and non believers will spend eternity in Hell.  If there isn't we all break even.
  The Holy Bible teaches that there is no other name given among men through which a man may be saved and that the only way to heaven is through Christ.  Even so, Christ came to live on earth just 2,000 years ago yet we know that many people worshipped God and were believer's before Christ,
The bible also says that In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  Scripture also reminds us that nature itself testifies to the existence of God.  Acceptance of the evidence God has provided to all men of all times is counted as acceptance of Christ.  It says so in the book of Hebrews.
  We are separated from God not because we are bad people but because we were born "human nature" No one has to teach a child to be selfish, to steal, or to tell a lie.  That comes natural and this natural, or human nature, is what separates us from God.  We must be reconciled to God  and the way to do that is to accept what Christ did on the cross.
     

Baby's Birthday

  I call my wife Baby because she's 5 years younger than me.  We started the day with Doctor's appointments:  mine in Winston-Salem and her's in Greensboro.  Mine was short so I drove to Greensboro to be with her then took her shopping and then out for a nice lunch.  It was a very good day.

Am I Racist?

  There is so much animosity between racist.  Few lay claim to being racist yet what happens in the world and what goes on behind closed doors    shows that racism is more alive than most will admit.  Sometimes we do things that can be deemed racist that we really don't think are but in reality are.  Sometimes we are perceived to have committed a racist act when indeed we did not.  
   I find the same attitudes are prevalent in other areas of life as well.  Most people consider themselves good and yet they regularly practice what the bible labels as sin yet they deny that they are sinners.  Yet the bible says that we all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.
  As long as we live in denial we can never drawn near to God and as long as we live in denial we can never solve the race issue.
  The truth is I am a racist.  It is not always a bad thing and it is a good thing that I admit the truth.  Knowing what I am my nature helps me to take steps to fight my natural instincts and make better decisions.  I am also a sinner.  Recognizing the truth  about myself helps me deal with my sin problem.  I find the best way to deal with both issues is to immerse myself in God's word and put God's word into me.
  By becoming a follower of God I learn how to resist temptations and also how to love my fellow man.  But until we recognize the truth about ourselves, we can never be whom we should be.

Discouragement

   I just finished reading Ezra and Nehemiah and currently reading Zachariah.  In case you didn't know, these are books of the Bible describing events just after Israel returned to the Promised land after 70 years of captivity.  In Ezra they returned to the land, in Nehemiah they rebuilt the wall and heard the Bible read for the first time and it Zachariah they are admonished because they have fallen back into the lifestyle that God punished them for in the first place.
  I have learned that God wanted to prevent the mixing of Jews with other peoples, not because other people were inferior but because other people would bring in different beliefs and corrupt the Jews.  In the New Testament we are told "Don't be unequally yoked together."
   Even so, we still see many Christians married to non-Christians.  Christians are supposed to keep ourselves separate from the world.  Even though we have to live in the world, we are not to adapt worldly values.  Just like the Jews in the Old Testament books I've been reading, it seems living a separated life is a difficult thing to do.  It seems Christians want enough religion to make themselves feel good about themselves but not enough to stand out from the crowd.  As long as they don't practice illegal activities, then they feel they are being "good " Christians.
  One I know had pictures of him and his family celebrating "National Beer Week."  The Bible tells us that what ever we put into our bodies is what is going to come out.  It is not talking about food but about our values.  The Bible also teaches us that we are to be witnesses for Christ and although all things are lawful not all things are needful.  If what we do offends our weaker brothers then we should refrain from that activity.
  Christianity isn't about being good.  It's about serving Christ.  We aren't good sevants when our lives reflect more of the world's values then the values of God.    

Medicare and Nursing homes

  It is a mistaken belief that Medicare pays for nursing home care for the long time.  It may cover some of the costs if one is sent to a nursing home for a short stay, to convalesce for   a week or two but once one is placed in a nursing home for long term care the patient is responsible for his/her own care.  If the cost is more than the patient can afford (probably around $8,000.00 plus cost of medicine) then the patient can apply for Medicaid.
  When my Mom was placed in a facility, she was allowed to keep $2000 plus her $70.00 a month widows benefit from the VA, plus prepaid funereal expenses.  She retained ownership of her home as long as it was her intension of moving back into it.  I believe that the amounts have been changed but it has been a couple of years ago so one would have to check with their county agent to be sure of the current law.
   To be sure you understand, the $2,000.00 is the total amount she is allowed to retain at the time she is approved which must be accomplished in a 60 day period of time.  It is not two thousand a month nor can the money be replenished once it is spent.   The $70.00 a month is only for the spouse of a veteran and can only be used for the patients personal expenses.  One cannot pay bills with that money.
  If the patient lives a short period of time, then the family heirs can keep the house if they satisfy the nursing home bill.  For example, if the patient lives 3 months and Medicaid has paid those three months bills, then the $24,000.00 will have to be paid out of the proceeds  of the sale of the house or out of the funds of the heirs.  If the heirs can't or don't want to keep the house, they can sell the house, repay the $24,000.00 and divide the rest.
  If, like in my Mom's case, she lived for 18 months while collecting Medicaid totaling 144,000.00 and owned a house worth much less, the house was sold and all the proceeds turned over to Medicaid and the debt was satisfied.  
   The good news is that if the patient has lots of assets then one can use the assets to repair and improve the home. or one can use the assets to prepaid the nursing home. Any unused prepayment will be returned to the estate.
  The problems I encountered in taking care of Mom was home owners insurance and property taxes, all of which had to be paid out of the $2,000.00.  We kept the water and power on at the house which were small but recurring expenses.
  While it is true that the patient gets a Social Security check, all the patient receives of that check is just enough to pay the premiums on a health insurance.
   For the reasons I have stated it is best to be rich enough to pay the costs out of pocket or poor enough to have no or little assets.  For most people, it is a fact that they will encounter s situation like Mom did.  The only was she could have insured being able to keep her house was to have sold it or given it away at least three years before applying for Medicaid.   If she had transferred any assets, including money and/or property within the three year period of time, then the recipient will most likely have to give the assets back to the estate.
  It seems unfair to most people but the state is actually loaning the patient the money for a nursing facility.  The reason why the patient can only keep a small amount of money is that it is much easier to turn over assets to the long-care nursing facility or fix up the home than it is to try and recover assets illegally spent by the relative or friend care giver.  
   If the patient turns over her/his home to heirs, they run the risk of being forced out of their home.
Unfortunately that happens much more often than one would believe it would.
 

Problem Cat

  I have two cats.  One is a Maine Coon who is a runt but the sweetest cat I've ever taken care of.  The other is a short-haired domestic tortoise shell who is strange my anyone's standard.  Besides the quirkiness of the breed, this cat was raised with a ferret which I think may have made this cat even stranger.
  She has been in my household for about eight years now.  Up until recently her quirkiness has provided us with plenty of laughs.    (She sneaks up on everything, drinks water my dipping her paws in the water then licking her paw, and will not let anyone pick her up)  Recently she has developed a bad habit I'm at a loss over how to fix.
  She will pee in the liter box then get out and take a dump on a rug and then fold the rug over to cover her poop.  I have three litter boxes and they are cleaned twice a day at least and they are filled with the same litter that I have always used.
  Can anyone tell me why and what to do to correct this behavior?

Daylilly Club

The Daylily Club of Greensboro will have another meeting October 6, 2019 at 2965 Battleground Ave. from 2 to 4.  I never really thought much about Daylilies until I saw a display at the triad Regional Airport and was awed at the variety and beauty of these plants.
  There will be a meeting in February min which I will be presenting a slide series on my yard with Iris as the focal point.  Come join us for either or both of these meetings.

Spectacular September Conclusion

  Academy Street Baptist Church concluded it's Spectacular September  last night and I must said it was Spectacular.  Last year it was very good and this year it was even better.  I'm sorry you missed it but there are many good things to come.  Join us any service any time.  Academy Street Baptist Church in Randleman, NC wants you to come visit us and hopefully make us your church home.

Book of Jasher

The book of Jasher is quoted several times in the Bible.  I know it is referenced in II Samuel.  I looked it up and it is basically a copy of Genesis.  Most of it lines up perfectly with Genesis with a few noteworthy exceptions.  It begins with the creation of Adam and Eve, moves quickly through the flood and soon retells the story of Abram.  More detail is given about Nimrod and Abrams father.  It tells of Abram being throw into a furnace by Nimrod and spending three days there.
 There is more detail about the problems between Cain and Able, Esau and Jacob and the priest/king of Jerusalem that Abraham gave a tithe to has a different name.  But the basic stories all remain the same and honestly, most people would never know they are reading Jasher instead of Genesis.  It's a shame but it's also true that many Christians  never read the Bible and if they were told the stories as recorded in Jasher versus the stories from Genesis, they would have no idea.  

Back in the Saddle

  I had gotten into the stock market via my 401k in the waning days of George Bush and was making a little money until the big stock market crash.  Even though I watched my saving diminish daily I actually increased the percentage of my paycheck that I purchased stocks with.  I saw my investment fall from $21,000.00 to just over $12,000.00.  After Obama took office the stock market started to recovery and when it was all said and done, I had $51,000.00.
  Truth be told, only about $6,000.00 of that was actually my money.  About $15,000.00 was company match and the remainder was market increase.  When I retired I spent some of the money to pay all  my debts and some to update my home.  Of course there was the mandatory withdrawals and some extra spending money to enjoy life with.  I didn't invest any in the stock market since I retired and now all that is left of my 401k is a few bonds.  Old people don't get stocks through their retirement account.
  Well, I decided to invest back in the stock market in stocks, not bonds.  My profit in the bond market is zero which means I am losing money at the rate of inflation.  I invested 10,000.00  or actually $2500.00 in each of 4 diverse accounts.  So far I have made $427,00 in 9 days.  I was hoping for $700.00 for the year  which I will still be happy with.  At the current rate I will make double my original investment.
  oddest thing is this is supposed to be a bad time of invest.  And it may very well turn out to be that way.

AGT Judges

  Heidi Klum and Mel B were much better judges then the pair that replaced them even if their lifestyle choices were suspect.

Spectaucular september

 September 3 (that's a Tuesday) Academy Street will have the second annual Spectacular September.  Services will be held on Tuesday nights instead of Wednesday.

Church Yard Sale

September 7, 2019 Academy Street Baptist Church is having it's annual yard sale.

Last weekend was busy

  Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I was in the mountains of Tennessee on a couples retreat.  I taught Sunday School, then my regular Tuesday night at the Commons Bible Class, then I had to prepare to lead the Wednesday night service, then the following Sunday School plus the Sunday Morning and Sunday Night Services.  I enjoyed every minute of it but there was a lot of study involved a some nervousness, especially on Sunday morning.

Couples Retreat

  Elijah's harbor in Greenville, Tennessee is a remote place which only claim to fame is a Dollar General Super store and Elijah's harbor, a 200 acre estate a mile from anywhere.  They had their first ever "couple's retreat" Aug 15-18 and I was privileged to be part of that experience.  I stayed in the mansion, a 22.000 square foot house.  My quarters were almost as big as my house with a spectacular view of the mountains.  White deer, peacocks, and miniature horses  were viewable also.
  We enjoyed a heated outdoor pool. smores by the fire, and an ice cream social.  Also available were workout room, walking trails, 4 wheelers, a game room, and great dinning, all included in the price.  The hosts went above and beyond anything one could ever hope for, and only on two occasions did we encounter anyone that was not in our group.
  We had plenty of free time and we also had a couple of "sessions" which helped all the couples strengthen their marriage.  It was a fabulous weekend and I can't wait to do it again.  

No help from police

  Had one neighbor use a paper tag on his car for over a year, another neighbor has set at least a dozen fires (once setting  an outbuilding on fire).  Another neighbor rides a four wheeler on the street with no helmet while popping wheelies and another neighbor rides a dirt bike on the street without a helmet either.   One would think the police department would be interested just to keep people safe but they have failed to respond.
  A driver of a four wheeler doing a wheelie has no real control of his bike and one of the kids on a bicycle may ride out if front of him and one of the two is going to be in serious trouble.  

stealing bases in baseball

A recent poll asked the question "is it ok if a team continues to steal bases when they are 7 or more runs ahead?".  Sixty percent of the respondents agreed with me that it was okay.  Football has a time limit and if a team is7 touchdowns ahead it is almost impossible for the losing team to catch up and the closer to the end of the game the harder the task.  Basketball is played with a time limit as is soccer and most other sports.  Golf , tennis, and badminton don't have time limits.
  Now one would not expect a golfer to quit playing quality golf once he gets a 7 stroke lead nor would they expect a tennis player who has won the first two matches of a best of 5 match play, even if he is up 30 - love and one more point wins it all to not give it his best.
  Yogi Berra said it best "It ain't over until it's over."    Baseball is probably the most unpredictable game their is .  I once played a softball game with a 10 run rule in place and we were down 9 to 0 after the first  inning.  We won the game 13 to 12.  One just can't afford to quit in baseball.  I've seen teams score 4,5,6 and even more runs with two out in the inning.  So yes, keep trying to steal those bases.

Old Employer now in Trouble

  My first job was for a small grocery store which is no longer in business.  My second job was for an industrial supply company which is no longer in business.  My next job was for a drug store that was the third largest in the nation at that time.  It is no longer in business.  In high school I worked for a box making company that in now defunct as well as two different newspapers which are no longer in business.
  I once got a job for a department store and was filling out my paperwork when the announcement was made that the company had been sold and the store where I was to begin work was to be closed.  I then took a job in a car dealership which no longer exist.  I worked for one grocery chain that doesn't exist anymore as well as another big pharmacy which went out of business also.  My last employer, while still operating under the name it used when I worked for them has been sold to another company.
  Another company I once worked for is now listed as companies that may soon cease to exist.  I was shocked when I read that it was because they were so deeply into debt and the amount of interest they paid on that debt was staggering.  The reason I was shocked was because when I worked for them they had no debt and didn't believe in debt.  They could buy a hundred or more competitors at a time and pay cash and be turning a profit within a year, recouping all their remodeling costs, even while cutting sales in half because they operated so efficiently.  I have no idea why or when they started borrowing money.  I suppose it was when the company ridded itself of the  founders and original management team that made the company so successful.
  Sometimes it just isn't profitable to mess with success.

Crazy Days at Work

  Sorry, but I haven't worked in eight years and I am enjoying retirement very  much, thank you.  But I still do remember things that happened while I was working and an article I recently looked at recounting moments when customers were mistaken for employees reminded me of one particular incident.
   I had temporarily been assigned to cover another department and it was during the slowest part of the day on the slowest day of the week when a fellow I knew came into the store. He stopped to chat with me and I had the luxury of time this day so we were standing on the sales floor chatting away when  a man walked up to my friend and started yelling at him for being a bigot and accusing him of watching him as if he was a thief.  One could tell from the look on my friends face that he was shocked and left speechless.  Seeing that he wasn't sure how to handle this situation I calmly informed the customer that my friend had no interest   in watching his movements as he was a customer and not an employee.
  When the man realized his mistaken the look on his face was priceless.
  As an employee I have been accused of watching people's movements and usually they are correct.  The first time this happened to me it was a women and she took me to task for my constant observation of her.  She claimed she was an honest shopper and I had no right to be following her with my eyes.  I just told her I was curious if she intended to pay for the two pairs of sunglasses  she had stuffed in her socks.
  The funniest thing that ever happened was in that same store.  A tall, skinny women was in the cosmetic section and Mavis Taylor, a small little old lady  who had been employed there like forever was watching her.  Since the women was so thin and had short hair and Mavis was old, or maybe it was just a Freudian slip, but Mavis asked the women "may I help you Sir? "  The women turned to look at Mavis, grabbed the bottom of her shirt and yanked it over her head exposing her breasts for all to see, exclaiming "Do I look like a Sir to you?"  

Enjoying my yard: Garden News for 2019

  No pictures to share but just an update on my yard, version 2019.  Last year I removed my blackberry and grape vines and cut down all but two of my apple trees to make my yard care chores much easier.  It is harder to mow around thing than one might at first imagine so removing some obstacles has greatly reduced the amount of time I spend mowing each week.
   I have added some things to the yard though.  I planted three more peach trees and a cherry tree but these were planted so as not to interfere with mowing,  I needed the cherry tree as my big one needs a pollinator.  I also planted a daylily garden but I did this by digging a trench on the outside of my central flower bed (my rock garden)    so it actually makes mowing easier.  My wild flower garden is gorgeous this year with the wide variety of flowers and colors.  My tomato garden really looks good this year.
   I added some English Ivy and a hummingbird vine to my privacy fence to give it more privacy and some character.  Hopefully it will add some shade to my pond to help reduce algae growth.  I succeeded in propagating a new butterfly bush and a new hibiscus bush and I had a grape vine come up on it's own right beside my privacy fence where I needed a vine to grow.
  Now that the flowers have filled in the spaces and structures that added to my work load have been removed and soil conditions have vastly improved due to diligence and hard work, I am relaxing more and really enjoying my yard this year more than ever.  Blooming started in December and it has been like a wave of colors from the back yard to the front, back and forth.  At the moment, Daisey's and Cone flowers and wild flowers are carrying the colors in my yard forth into the summer months.
  Planting season is over so now I can sit back, relax and enjoy.