Thats it for me. I am planning to go see Billy. But I have to get there before the 4th of August.
Billy is a childhood friend, and a very special person in my life. We played Axis & Allies, Billy also introduced me to Star Wars, including the books we read. I hope we will be able to catch up. I have not seen Billy in many years. Last time I did, Billy came down to Texas. Billy doesn’t like Texas. So, I am determined to visit him in Michigan.
we have so many school shootings. Ever since the shooting at Columbine, which is the first school shooting I remember happening. There were school shootings before this. But I definitely believe, from my own life experience, that learning the Bible in school, and while growing up is so important. My Mom homeschooled me K-12 and taught the Bible all the way through. She read the gospels, the Psalms, the creation, the Proverbs, so many other things. At one point, for my daily reading, Mom had me reading the book of Romans. My Mom also prayed.
Yet we had firearms in the house. I never once thought about bringing a gun to a school, and shooting other people. I knew, that life is precious, and it must be protected and cherished. Its interesting how so many people will be without the knowledge of the scriptures. This had a tremendous effect on my adult years. sometimes, when I came to a life decision, I was grateful for the Biblical instruction growing up, because I would consider what the Bible had to say. At times, I experienced God’s goodness- and I knew I had experienced God’s goodness, because of the scriptures. Sometimes, I think I have witnessed other people experience God’s goodness, but because they did not know the scriptures, they were not sure that this was the case. But I knew.
Consider this scripture: Genesis 1:1 In The Beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth. God provides the good things in this life. I believe God works both directly, and indirectly, within our lives, and around us. We have life, because that is how God wants it. This same expression is expressed elsewhere in the Bible. Look at John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God, and the Word was God. If we did not have Genesis, we would still have the truth of creation, and Genesis 1:1 in John 1:1. In the Beginning… is how they both begin. So, both the gospel and the creation start the same way. Coincidence? I think not.
I believe people have an innate desire to know God, and to know just who He is. So, when we receive this information when we are younger, we benefit from it much more. Also, when you are younger, you may have questions, and it is easier to get a better answer. So, I believe I was blessed by God, with a Mom who taught Biblical wisdom, and hence I was and am blessed throughout my life. In between Genesis 1:1 and John 1:1 we find Proverbs 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:.
From beginning to end, God has it set up how He wants us to do things. This includes honoring and obeying our parents, even when we do not want too. As best we can, even when we are older we still need to honor them. My friend Scott, is a great example of honoring his parents. Sometimes, even for me, I think he goes a bit far, letting them dictate when he comes home. But, maybe Scott just wants to make sure he helps his parents.
Even when I was a kid. I would always lose track of the time, while I played my computer game. One time, my parents had to go into Seattle for my Mom’s leg, which she had an operation on. I spent the whole time playing Command & Conquer, three hours. Thats just one example. When I first joined the NAVY, I was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. I was supposed to be in FCAC (N32) but I was in I Division doing maintenance and clean up. So, in my off time, I would spend a lot of time playing computer games, like Command and Conquer Generals, and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. I would listen to a Green Day disc while I sat on my bed, playing on my laptop. I miss those days. I was bored, but I found it easy to keep myself entertained. While I waited to deploy.
Haha, just kidding. Right now, the heat bothers me, though. I found out that its 101 degrees outside. So grateful for the invention of the AC.
My Mom sometimes calls me an authority on World War II. I read all the World War II books at the Everett Public Library and watched all the videos too. Most of the books they had were focused on the Pacific theatre of the war. But they had several on the European theatre that were pretty good too. Some of them were long, dry reads but they were about World War II. I also watched Why We Fight series by Frank Capra. The series explained the causes behind the war, and why we were fighting for freedom. In that series Frank Capra divided the world into two, and explained about the free world, and the enslaved world.
This is a sample, from YouTube of Why We Fight. You can see that Frank Capra goes into detail explaining about the causes of why America was fighting, in this video.
But it depends on the situation. I need to give my Dad his money for repairing the Honda Civic. So, thats a bit more than a “thanks”.
I had surgery to have an ingrown toenail removed. I also had my wisdom teeth removed when I joined the NAVY.
Like resting, taking a shower, I also take the same route to work. It helps me to just relax, because I know the route so well. Tonight I will be working, in fact. Happy Friday!
I remember the first time I had pepperoni pizza (and learned that is what it was called). My Mom liked feeding me Canadian Bacon pizza, which we would get in Washington. But as soon as I had my first slice of pepperoni, I asked what kind it was! “Pepperoni”, Mr. O’Connell said to me. That was that. The rest is history, as they say. From then on, I just had to have pepperoni on my pizza. We got the Pepperoni from Little Caeser’s I remember. It was so delicious. I savored every bite. I went and got more, I remember. During the Pandemic, I survived on Little Caeser’s pepperoni pizza.
Jesus said to the woman at the well to “Worship God in Spirit and in Truth”. Spirituality is a deception designed to make you feel secure with God- thats why its called Spirituality. The Oxford American Desk Dictionary & Thesaurus does not define spirituality separately from spiritual. But it does define spiritual adj. 1 Having to do with the human spirit as opposed to material or physical things 2. having to do with religion or religious beliefs. n. a religious song of a kind associated with black Christians of the southern United States.
I believe that the closest thing to a definition of the use of the word spirituality in the context of the writing prompt, is definition 2. Having to do with religion or religious beliefs. I do not consider myself religious. I am a Christian. In my time, I have come to understand that Christianity and being a Christian is NOT a religion- it is a covenant with God. A relationship, through Jesus with God the Father Almighty. It is said, there are 4200 different world religions- but only one empty tomb. Well, that is not entirely true, because there are two empty tombs- that of Lazarus, whom Jesus rose from the dead, before he was crucified.
John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”.
So, no I am not very spiritual, by that definition. I am just saying what is on my heart. Appealing to my readers, to understand that spirituality is a deception- and as we noticed, in the dictionary it was not defined as a separate word from “spiritual”. Being “spiritual” is only half of what God actually requires. We need Truth as well- and what is truth? Jesus said it himself. John 14:6 “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. So, there we have it. Deception is all around us, in this life. The only real truth, is Jesus. To approach God without truth (Jesus) would be fatal. God bless you for reading my daily prompt.
The Courier 