Holiness

So much on my mind today. I unloaded an entire pickup load of setups after sleeping in terribly late. Working late is taking it's toll on me. Last night I had lots of help, but still worked very hard. I loaded, on my supper break, all of the setups my little truck would carry. Setups are boards, treated and untreated, typically 2X4 to 4X4 in size, 40" to 48" in length, that have a square groove down one side. That groove accepts a steel or plastic band that secures the load of lumber to the setups. The secondary reason for the setups, is so forklift forks can slid beneath the "hack" of lumber and move the lumber.

As you can imagine, we accumulate setups at a steady rate. I took a full bed of them and only got about half of what we currently have. What am I going to do with them? My plans are to make a picket fence out of the pressure treated ones, and no idea what I'll do with the untreated ones. Unless Georgiann wins her case for a painted fence, and than I'll use both treated and untreated.

I am supposed to be working in my office, but wanted to get this off my heart before I muddied the thought process.

Two things came to me via email. The third, via a magazine. My sister's husband, my brother-in-law, brother in Christ, and true friend, is battling cancer. Like the man of principle and righteousness that he his, he is being very practical about setting things in order and talking openly, Frankly actually, no pun intended, about passing from time into eternity.

It is easy for me to talk about that sort of thing for me, but somehow harder to think about it in a loved one or friend. Especially one so close to me in age.

He is on my heart.

The second thing via email was a note about the new coin dollars being released. They do not have the inscription "In God We Trust" on them, apparently (I have not seen one). The email was an encouragement to make our voices known that we didn't appreciate the turn from an open statement on our money about trust in God to no statement.

I don't fault those that would like to fight that, however I would refer them to Jesus words in Mark 12:17 "...render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar's, and unto God the things which be God's. " This country long ago gave up trust in God, especially in money matters. It has become a nation of self worth and self sufficiency. So I really don't care what the money says on it, as long as it will buy me the necessary things I need. I understand the bigger picture of the government taking more and more of our Christian identity away, but I also know who the government is. It is us. WE are the government. Of the people, by the people and for the people. I learned that in Jr. high civics. I think. I KNOW I learned it in civics, just no idea whether it was Jr. High or Elementary.

The third thing on my mind today is from an article in the January 2007 issue of Christianity Today. The title is "Reviewing the Fundamentals" and is a short look into issues surrounding Ted Haggard's recent problems. The quote in the article that really has my mind going is this: "The life of holiness is more arduous than the war on terror." Powerful stuff. And right on the mark. Holiness, is something much of the so called Christian world, and evangelical world is struggling to define and live.

I am convinced that Christ called us to Him, to be forgiven, to be purified, and to be secured in holiness. But it is up to us to stay there.

Blessings.