Strength

This poem is for my daughter, my mother and myself

Young wife and mother in pain
Father's out having fun again
Heart's in love, but hands are full
Little ones have taken their toll
How does she find the strength

Middle aged and husband's sick
Feels like life has pulled some trick
Exhausted, not much left to give
Wonders why she even lives
Where does she find the strength

Old woman in her easy chair
Talks out loud though no one's there
marking off each passing day
Longs to join her mate some way
Lord help her find the strength

A daughter, a mother, a wife
All they crave is a good life
All are feeling truly lost
But for them, He paid the cost

Put it in His hands, young mother
Put it in His hands, your cares He'll take
Put it in His hands, old woman
Put it in His hands, for your life's sake
Put it in His hands, women
Put it in His hands

Mom's German Burrito

lyricoc@yahoo.com

I held it in my hand, examining it.  I turned it over once, not enough to look suspicious.  It smelled a bit different. “Okay,” I said to myself, it’s just like mom’s.”

I was in grade school.  Most kids would have eaten dinner away from home many times by this age, but I didn’t have that pleasure.  I was old enough to spend the night at my friend, Carol’s house, but not old enough to know a true burrito, how sad.

I took a bite, “no, this was not going to show on my face!”  I told myself.  But the memory of getting a mouth full of, I wasn’t sure what it was, but it is permanently embedded in my brain.  I couldn’t spit the mouthful of burrito out, Carol’s parents and brother were right there, looking at me.  

I chewed, I chewed, I swallowed, I liked!  Not the kind of burrito, that I was used to, but it was interesting!

After spending the night, I ran home the next morning to confront my mom.  When I told her what we had eaten, she looked as surprised as I looked at Carol’s the night before.  I still giggle when I hear the memory of my mom’s voice in my head, saying in her German accent, “It’s not made from pork and beans and Velveta cheese?”  Wow, she was so close, but so far away! 

My mom used flour tortillas, Carol’s mom used flour tortillas.  My mom used beans and cheese, just like Carol’s mom did, but inside my mom’s burrito was velveta cheese and pork and beans, those small changes made all the difference.


What makes a man unclean?  Mark 7:21, says that what makes a man unclean is what is in his heart, and those things are, “Evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance, and folly”  All of these evils come from inside and make a man unclean.

Matthew 7:15 and 16 says, “Watch out for false prophets.  They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves, by their fruit you will recognize them.

Being unclean comes from the inside, it’s from the heart.  And if you let the Holy Spirit live within you, ultimately what will come about will be good fruit.

Galatians 5:22 tells us what those good fruit are so that we can recognize those fruit in others and in ourselves.  “But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control, against such things there is no law.”

So whether it be beans and cheese wrapped up nicely in a tortilla or your neighbor.  Maybe your best friend or yourself, look for the good fruit in everyone.  If you don’t see good fruit, pray for the love of the Lord, pray that this person excepts the Holy Spirit in their soul, and pray for salvation.  

Rapture

Rapture

The dictionary definition of rapture is: the state of being carried away with joy, love etc.. ecstasy.
The dictionary definition of tribulation is: Great misery or distress as from oppression.

I want you to know that what I’m writing is just my opinion from reading and studying that I’ve done.  I’m open to hearing other opinions.  
     
This is what I believe;  2 peter 2:5 says, “If He did not spare the ancient world when He brought the flood on it, ungodly people, but protected Noah, a preacher of righteousness and seven others; if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly;  and if He rescued Lot a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by lawless deeds he saw and heard)”  Peter went on to say, “IF this is so then the Lord knows how to rescue Godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment while continuing their punishment.”
     
Out of that scripture I got that God protected or, in other words, guarded, Noah; that is He took care of Noah  and his family while they went through the flood.  
     
On the other hand, He rescued Lot or delivered Lot (To set free or save from evil) out of the city before he burned them down.
     
Peter goes on to say, “God will rescue us from the coming wrath.”  Not protect us through it, but rescue us from it.  Wrath also means punishment.  
     
Paul also confirms this in 1 Thessalonians 1:10, “And to wait for His son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead- Jesus who rescues us from the coming wrath.”  Again, Jesus will rescue us, not protect us through the wrath.  
     
Now 2 peter also talks about trials and in Revelations 3: 10, Jesus says, “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.”
     
We are to be taken out, or rescued from the wrath, or trial that will be coming, which is the tribulation.