All posts by Gwenyth

I live on the outskirts of Whangarei, the northernmost city in New Zealand. I enjoy many things, ( writing amongst them), have been married to Keith for sixty-one years, have three married daughters, nine grandchildren and seventeen great- grandchildren who are scattered in various countries. No cats and no dogs as they would cramp our life-style.. We are obviously retired, but were farming further north before moving to the town over thirty-five years ago. We attend one of the local churches across the same side of town that we live.
Life Lessons

Tracking.

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     Tracking ? We are now being expected to keep a track of everywhere we’ve been, the date and the time, what shop we’ve been into and how much we spent there, and on what! What next? We shouldn’t be surprised as these things have been predicted in the Bible for a couple of thousand years, but we could never see before how it would be possible. This is the stuff  that science fiction wrote about, and we all knew that is what it was…fiction. But is it? Not any more.

   Now there is the technology out there that is not only possible, but which we are being advised to put on our phones. See how easy it is, we are told. Merely having to swipe our phone under the scanner as we enter a shop, and all our transactions will be recorded. Short of our thoughts and intentions.

   But wait, as the advertisements say, there’s more! Soon, this will not merely be an advised action, but a compulsory one, one that will prevent us from buying or selling anything  without it going through our data base! Is that a scary thought, or just a sensible and easy course of action like using a credit card is today?

    Listen to this and see what it sounds like….  “woe, woe, O great city, for in a single hour your doom has come ! The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no-one buys their cargo any longer …..in a single hour such great wealth has been destroyed! All who make their living from the sea ….were shouting with weeping and mourning, woe, woe, O great city in which all who had ships in the sea got rich from her wealth, because in a single hour she has been destroyed!”  (this is found in the Bible in Revelation 18:10-20). We can see this happening under our very eyes with markets around the world closing down, and people losing their incomes.

   Never in living memory has a disease travelled so quickly or so far as the covid-19 has! Or with such far reaching effects which we have not yet seen the end of, only the beginning! Businesses have been closed down, factories are shutting as there are no more markets for their goods, refineries are closing down because there is no more call for their fuel with air lines stopping and  the world wide shut down. People are becoming unemployed more and more as these things happen.

    We may get on top of the covid-19 virus, but we haven’t seen the end of its effects  yet, and who knows whether it will not come back in an even more virulent form? Let’s take heed to the invitation that is given by Jesus Christ Himself….Come to Me, all you who are heavy laden (or afraid) and I will give you rest (peace of mind) Matthew 11:28.

Morning Musings

Beginnings and Endings.

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The End and the Beginning….

    Just as surely as every experience  has a beginning and an end, so we can be sure that nothing will go on for ever in the same way.

    When we entered this period of lockdown, we didn’t really know what it would entail until we were in the middle of it.  After the initial novelty of it had worn off, then there came a period of restlessness hoping it would hurry and come to an end as we wanted  the freedom of going and doing what WE wanted and not what we were told to do!

   Now that time has come to pass in part, and we are once more able to get out and about in our cars and visit with our friends with certain stipulations. But there are still regulations to abide by, and we are beginning to wonder how long these will last for, and how long the enforced closure of all businesses will take to get over financially. With so many losing their jobs due to closures, especially in the tourist industry, it will take months and years to get over it all.

    If we had been told at the beginning of the year, what was going to happen we wouldn’t have believed it possible. In just the same way, the things that the Bible foretells that are going to happen seemed  just as impossible, but now we can see that what God decrees,  WILL come to pass in the most extraordinary ways! Some might ask if God sent this corona virus to sweep through the world, but He has certainly allowed however it started, to proceed with vicious speed until every county in the world has felt its cold fingers scratching at their door. Perhaps He wants people to look up to Him, and this is one way of getting this to happen.

    But instead of asking Him to bring it all to an end, man is feverishly trying to find the cure for it. This will only happen as God decrees, as all cures for ills and diseases come from Him in the first place.

More than ever before, God wants us to ask that His “will, will be done on earth as it is in Heaven”. 

Adult Testimonies

God’s Patience.

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The Lord said…..  “My Spirit will not always strive with man…”  (Genesis 6:3a)  The following  story illustrates this point very clearly.

“Hi Ozzie”, Keith sang out as he drove up to the house, “Are you coming out with me tonight to the church service?”

“Aw, I can’t make it tonight”, Ozzie said, “We’ve got a visitor coming for tea, so that cramps my style a bit. Maybe next Sunday.”

“OK, That’s a pity”, Keith  said as he swung the car around.

   He went down the road in a thoughtful mood. He had been taking his cousin Ozzie to the church services for nearly twelve months, and he had noticed a big difference in him in that time. His language had cleaned up, and he seemed to be more cheerful and not so complaining.

    Keith hoped that Ozzie had been really listening to the different preachers as they spoke each Sunday night, and not just been enjoying the singing and company of the other people there. After all, that was only part of it all. He thought of those verses in the New Testament where Jesus frequently said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear”.

    He knew it was one thing to hear what is being said, but quite another to let the words sink into one’s mind and then down to the heart and put them into practice .

Keith knew what it had been like for himself….once he was faced with the facts, there was no turning back and now he couldn’t have been happier. Now he really wanted his cousin Ozzie to know the same peace of mind and heart that he had found in believing the things concerning Jesus Christ..

   But from that time on, Ozzie seemed to be making more and more excuses as to why he couldn’t make it on Sunday nights. The day came when he told Keith  that he wouldn’t be going any more….it just wasn’t convenient, he said.

   Keith was disappointed, but he knew that people have a free choice. He had made his mind up himself to continue going to the church services and as he did, his understanding grew. He wasn’t going to let Ozzie’s attitude change his mind.

   Over the intervening years, they met occasionally and still did certain jobs together (both were farming), but the old camaraderie was missing. More years went by, nearly twenty in fact.

    Keith was visiting his father one day. “You know, I had a visit from Ozzie the other day”, his father said. “He said a very strange thing. He told me that he’d had a very vivid dream one night recently…. He dreamed he saw a big blind coming down from the sky and he knew that it was between him and God. And then he said, ‘You know Unc, I couldn’t come to God now, even if I wanted to!’ I really didn’t know what to say to him”.

   Keith knew the verse in the Bible where God says He won’t strive with people for ever, that there comes a day when He will take people at their word, and leave them alone. He was very sad to hear that, and yet he himself had been unable to pray for Ozzie for some time, and felt that this was indeed a message from the Lord concerning him.

   We do well to take heed to the consequences of Ozzie’s choice and realise what a sad plight he was in. That was still his attitude when he eventually died.

Grandma's Stories, Stories for Teens

It’s Too Hard!

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“Oh, it’s too hard!” Sarah cried out in disgust, and threw her study book down. Uncle Jeff was there having a cup of tea with the grown-ups in the other room, and he came in just in time to hear Sarah say this. “Is that your study  for this week Sarah?” he asked, “What is it about, that you think is too hard?”

“Well, it’s that part that talks about doing what God wants us to do, and then we find we can’t manage it”, Sarah said, “And that’s exactly what I’m finding! I tell God I’m sorry for the mean things I’ve done and said, and promise I won’t do it again, and then by the time next week comes, I’m right back to square one!”

“What sort of things do you want to do, Sarah?” Uncle Jeff asked.

“Well, I want to do what God wants me to, but when someone does something mean to me then I fly off at them, and I know that’s not right and not pleasing God”.

“Well, you know”, Uncle Jeff said thoughtfully, “I used to be like that too. I always desperately wanted to do what God wanted me to and then I would fail and feel miserable. But one day I realised that I was putting things the wrong way around. I saw that it didn’t depend on me doing anything at all!”

“Really?” said Sarah, “Well, what DOES it depend on then?”

“I heard a preacher that said it is three “D”s …we have to DEPEND on God, DIE to   ourselves, and do it DAILY, and I realised that it isn’t what I do, it is what God does for me!”  

“Really?” Sarah said again, “What exactly does all that mean Uncle Jeff?”

“It’s not a question of US hanging onto God, it’s a question of us letting God hang onto us. It is HIS work IN us, not our work FOR Him that matters.”

“Does that mean we don’t do anything then?” asked Bobby who had been sitting there quietly all through this conversation and suddenly piped up, “That’s good, then I don’t have to try to be good!”

“It’s not quite like that”, Uncle Jeff said, “It means we have to ask God to help us because we can’t do it ourselves, and we have to ask that every day!”

“Oh, I see what you mean”, Sarah said, “It means that we die to things we want to do, and then depend on God to help us do this every single day!”

“Yes”, said Bobby with a grin, “That means you don’t grumble about doing the dishes and other things when Mum asks you to help!”

“Mmm yes,” said Sarah slowly, “And it isn’t going to be easy either but I’ll try my best!”

“That’s right, my girl!” said Uncle Jeff, “Remember, we have to let go, and let God do it in us!” (Romans 7:14-25)

Life Lessons

Opinions versus Facts.

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     We all have opinions about things….very strong opinions in some cases. But we have to make sure that our opinions are based on facts, and not just on our feelings! I’ve noticed that some journalists reporting on the radio, keep passing their opinions on certain news items….we aren’t interested in what they think or feel, we want to know the news! Facts, not opinions!

      Opinions can very easily become convictions, and if they aren’t based on the truth, and  are wrong, then all our talk is worth nothing.  People aren’t prepared to die for an opinion, but they WILL die for a conviction….we see this continually today in the people who become suicide bombers to promote their beliefs.

    So it is with all the talk about the current corona virus. There is so much being published and said about it, that one hardly knows what is fact and what is merely another’s  opinion. Such a thing of this magnitude has not been within living memory, nor has the speed with which it has travelled been seen before. We really have no idea whether it is under control yet or not. As we progress into level three of the control effort, we all want the time to go quickly as we are not used to restrictions such as have been in place for the last month. What seemed painless to begin with has quickly palled….doing puzzles and having unlimited time for reading has turned to boredom when the books have got filled and  finished.  

    But let’s remember the blessings that have come with it, and concentrate on the positive side of it all, turning this time into a time of learning new skills and practicing patience. We need to look at the wider picture than at just our own annoyances, and ask ourselves if maybe God isn’t wanting to teach us to look upwards to Him for the answers instead of merely listening to other’s opinions and what is passed off on the news as facts!

Morning Musings

Fear Not!

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    Have you ever noticed how many times God says to people, “Fear not! Don’t be afraid!” In these days of the unknown future, fear has taken hold of many people. That is why the panic buying was going on in the supermarkets lately….something that was world wide and not just confined to our small corner. The speed with which the corona virus has spread to all corners of the world is unprecedented. Life as we have known it may never come back again. For many people their livelihood has gone, and their very homes are on shaky ground. Only time will tell how well the world can weather this storm.

   Yet there is some good that has come out of it. Families have found each other again. We have found that simple things like walking around our neighbourhood is still there and what is more, it is free for the taking! Fathers have time to play around in the kitchen with their children and mothers have the time to take up handcrafts again.

   All the crazy running around takes so much of our time and energy, and the small things at home tend to be pushed to one side until “there is more time!” That time is now there to be found and used constructively. Not just in doing chores around the house, but taking time to listen to one another, and to rediscover the things about each other that once attracted us but have somehow got lost in the high pressures of our modern life style.

    So for those who know their God, take some of this time that has been given to you to spend with Him, because who knows what lies ahead. And for those who have never found Him yet, take this time to think these things through and to find this One Whose love is beyond measure. His promise still stands of “Those who seek Me shall find Me.” Then nothing of what happens around us will be able make us afraid as He is our Strong Tower that we can run into and be safe.

Life Lessons

Lock Down!

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   At first it didn’t seem real! Lock down? Impossible! But as the days wore on, it became apparent that perhaps it was the only way to halt the spread of the deadly virus that was sweeping the world. Looking back, we wonder if it would have worked more efficiently if it had come into force a few weeks earlier! But it is, what it is, and now we have been shut down completely, and at what a cost to the whole country remains to be seen. We’ve heard it said that life as we have known it, will never return. Time alone will tell that story.

   There are some pluses. For instance, we see whole families out walking together up and down our road. Then again, we see neighbours who we’ve never met before as they go past our garden fence. Life on the whole has slowed down. There are no dead lines to meet; no meetings to attend; nothing that simply HAS to be done! There is time to get the garden back into order, and time to catch up on all those jobs that get pushed into the background waiting until “there is time”.

   The disadvantages are mostly in our minds. The children cry that they are “bored”! What is that, but simply a matter of attitude? We had a snippet come through the email box the other day that reminded us that the virus can’t take away our enjoyment of a brilliant sunrise;  it can’t take away a smile; it can’t stop an encouraging word, nor can it stop a phone call or email!  

    If we know the Lord, we realise that this thing is all part of God’s wider plan….the only trouble is that we can’t see the big picture yet! So let’s take heart and look upward, waiting for Him to work everything out, knowing that it will be for the best, even if we don’t particularly like the outcome.

Life Lessons

What Next?

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What Next?

Well, our preacher this morning said that we are living in unprecedented times……that simply means that we are living in a time such as has never been seen before! In case you are wondering, no, we weren’t at church, we were listening to him live streaming on the computer while we sat at home on our own!

   Perhaps there have been other times when there were world wide plagues, but it has never been so easy to keep track of how and where it has spread to,  as it is these days with all the TV coverage. I noticed yesterday on one of the maps they put up, that Africa hasn’t got as much of it as Europe and the Asian continent have. In the large cities, it would be very difficult to keep one’s distance, and for anyone who has travelled to the large cities and been on the underground trains where they literally shove you in with their foot or arm so they can shut the doors, it is impossible!!! So it is easy to see how the virus can spread so fast. I also seem to remember hearing that the virus doesn’t like the heat so perhaps that is another reason why Africa is relatively clear.

   Anyway, all our plans have been put on hold in this time of isolation as I guess all of yours have been. But at least we can still communicate by phone and emails…I think we’ve never had so many calls for a long time as we have since this isolation time began….people must be looking for something to do, so they ring up and have a talk!  Perhaps it just shows us that we have been too busy rushing here and rushing there to do that in the past!!

    I was thinking that as we have no control over the circumstances that overtake us at times such as this isolation time we are having now, but we certainly DO have control over how we are going to take it! Are we going to pout and complain about our plans put on hold, or are we going to take it cheerfully and look at all the blessings we DO have. Never have we had so much spare time to  put into all those little jobs we have promised to do when there is time! Nor have we had as much time to get the garden fully weeded and in tip top order as we have now. The only trouble is that we can’t show it off to our friends!!

   So let’s count our blessings rather than our problems, and be thankful that we are keeping well enough to get on top of all those jobs that have been put on the back burner for so long.

   Let’s remember to keep a cheerful attitude and that giving praise to our Father in Heaven will ensure that we will keep on top of all the annoyances that come our way! O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our  salvation. Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.   Psalm 95: 1-2