Alturas, CA

I grew up camping every summer with my parents, two brothers, and two sisters. Our favorite place to "level the trailer" and "pitch the pup tent" was Yosemite. We'd usually spend a week camping in the valley and then head up to the high country for the second week. A favorite childhood camping memory is laying in a bed of needles with my eyes looking up towards the top of Glacier Point, watching the fire falls. All onlookers would "ooooooo" and "awwwwwww" as the burning embers were pushed off the top of that huge granite slab and make its descent to the valley floor, leaving a trail of sparks and flames. I guess you could call it Yosemite's version of a fireworks show. It is my understanding the fire falls have been stopped due to the outcry of the environmentalists. Such a shame. I guess they thought they were hurting the environment in some way. (The Lord's fireworks during the day of the Lord are going to be so much more spectacular and destructive. There will be absolutely no comparison to what man thinks he's doing to the earth as compared to what the Lord will do.)

Last night my sister, my mom, and I pulled into Alturas, CA. We are on our way to Mammoth Lakes and a family reunion. Alturas is a sleepy town in Northern California where the sidewalks are rolled up at 5 pm and the restaurants play country music and some of the waitresses take three syllables to say a one syllable word. It is north of Yosemite by approximately 300 miles. As I write this it is Friday. On Sunday the family is scheduled to make a trip up into the high country of Yosemite for the day. We've a picnic lunch planned at Tenaya Lake where you will see some of the world's bluest water. It's rather cold as well.

I'm looking forward to Sunday as I treasure memories of family picnics at Tenaya Lake in my youth...however this time it will be a huge gathering which will include my grandchildren as well!

I'll post some pictures when I get home...

The Prewrath Position, Simplified

Read Matthew 24:1-31. You are the elect, right? You are a disciple of Christ. Listen to His instruction. Heed His warnings. Then you will know what to expect and what to do before He returns to gather you. Go to Matthew 28:19,20. There we learn that all His disciples from all nations are to teach and observe all that He taught and commanded the twelve. This would include what He taught and commanded in Matthew 24. He told us He would be with us until the end of the age. From Matthew 24, we learn when the end of the age falls, after the great tribulation is cut short.

That is the prewrath position, simplified.

Obedience...

...settles the heart and gives stability, peace, and joy. Disobedience creates chaos and anxiety.

I've decided...

...to come out of my blogging hiatus, at least for now. A nugget has been burning inside of me and I just have to get it out. Here it is...

Getting our minds off ourselves and our circumstances and placing them on the Lord is one of the spiritual disciplines that has wonderful dividends - peace! What do we do when we realize we are being anxious and worrisome? Determine what we have turned into an idol then confess it as sin, put on a thankful heart, and start thinking about the faithfulness, goodness, and trustworthiness of God. The dividend? God’s peace will stand as a sentry between us and the world’s commotion!