Keeping a Diary.

     I’ve kept a diary for years, and I must say that it has been the means of solving many an argument! Dates and events are often otherwise forgotten. I’ve got several different styles of diaries, and one I often refer to is my diary of events. These are just the headlines of different things that happen in the month and the family often refer to it as well. Then there is my normal diary which has more detail of day to day happenings, conversations and weather etc.

     Another one that is useful is the garden diary….this one is laid out four pages to a month labelled Week One, Week Two etc, and divided into sections down the page…each one corresponding to a year. This means that you can see at a glance how various plants have been doing from year to year at the same time.

    Then there is the Diary of Items Bought. How often do we remember exactly how long we’ve had that appliance that has suddenly given trouble, and wondered if it is out of its guarantee or not! Or how many years we’ve had a certain machine and what we paid for it?

   Finally there is a Spiritual Journal. Here is where you write precious thoughts that have come to you during the day and times of reflection. Things you have thought of as you have read devotional writings, and perhaps things that puzzle you, the whys of life and eternity. Don’t let these thoughts slip away, but write them down. As you read them later, jot down further thoughts you have had on similar topics. As you do a daily reading of the Bible, write down the thoughts and questions that come to you and ponder them further. Never be too busy to make time for this, even if it is only fifteen minutes a day….what is that out of twenty-four hours? Surely we can make that much time to deal with this, the most important side of our being!

The Big Dry!

For some weeks now we have been experiencing wonderful summer weather….hot sunny days that holiday makers have been rejoicing in. Not so, farmers and gardeners! Where possible watering and irrigation have been turned on, and it is some small comfort to see the plants revive and survive!

    But in some countries, this dry weather has resulted in massive bush fires with loss of crops, animals and in some cases even human life. We sometimes wonder why these extreme weather patterns occur, and people put it down to global warming and such like, but we know they have been happening since time began.

   We read in the Bible of famines and droughts occurring at different times, and often it is put down to a nation’s disobedience to God’s rules. It seems that people will only turn to God when they are in dire straits, and often then they still refuse to acknowledge that He has any part in the weather patterns! We read of the time that there was a severe drought with no rain for three years, and the nation of Israel attributed this to the idol they were worshipping at the time, Baal. They gathered together with their king and priests of the idol, and called out “Oh Baal, save us!” but there was no reply. The heavens still remained as brass. They began to dance around, cutting themselves and crying out, but still nothing happened.

   God’s prophet Elijah, began to mock them saying their god must have gone on a journey. At last, they were worn out, and Elijah took barrels of water and poured it over the animal sacrifice and  altar that he had built to the God of Heaven. He began to pray and for a while nothing happened. Then the sky grew dark, with lightning flickering around, and he told the king he had better get going to the city before the rain stopped him.

   He called out to the crowd watching and asked who they thought was the real God now? The people finally acknowledged that the God of Heaven was the one true God as the rain came pelting down.

   Let’s hope we don’t remain as stubborn as the people in that day, and keep attributing our weather patterns to the god of Global Warming!!

What a Start to the New Year!

Have you ever noticed that soon after you’ve had a great time somewhere, maybe on a holiday or an uplifting weekend, that some bad news strikes, Bump! The wind gets knocked out of you and you wonder what you are meant to learn out of this experience!

   Such was our case recently. We had been attending a summer Christian camp, and met a lot of new people as well as enjoyed the ministry meetings that were held. We had an excellent song leader that could get the most out of those there to sing lustily. We felt as though the weekend had been very worthwhile.

   We began the trip home in our motorhome, going to a friend’s place for a chat and to pick up our car and trailer load of wood. I left ahead of the motorhome in he car, and had a smooth and uneventful trip home. But when the motorhome failed to arrive close behind me I began to wonder if something had gone wrong….should I go back and see? More time went by and my daughter called in so we  unhitched the trailer and headed back the way I had just come from. Then a phone call came through saying the motorhome had been involved in an accident. A lady had come straight out of a side road without looking and the motorhome had rammed into her! Fortunately my husband hadn’t been hurt but she was pretty bad and had been airlifted to hospital.

   By the time we got there, most of the drama of police, ambulances and fire-truck was all over….all that was left was a motorhome with a sad looking front all stowed in and a tow truck waiting to take her away. So we did a hasty cleanout of our gear, and saw her being taken away down the road. There went the rest of our summer holiday that had barely started!  A minute earlier or later would have seen the motorhome safely past the side road and that crash would never have happened. It was no use asking “Why?”  These things happen all the time.

    But there was so much to be thankful for….the weather was fine, there were witnesses to what had happened who were happy to give their names, and only one person was hurt.

   I have noticed other times when things have gone particularly well and great time was had, then suddenly and without warning, a great thump will come. Perhaps the memory of the good times will buoy us up through all the drama that ensues. Whatever happens we have that verse in the Bible that says “ALL THINGS work together for good to them who love God”; it doesn’t say “ONLY good things happen to those who love God!” We know that whatever happens to us, that something good will come out of it in the end! The old saying that every cloud has a “silver lining” is very true!

At least we were able to sleep in our own bed that night instead of being in a hospital bed!