My Ongoing Thoughts

SPRINGING FORTH!

3/20/2023

As I write this, it is precisely 7:35 pm Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, March 20, 2023. This means that for the last 2 hours and 11 minutes, it has officially been springtime! This is because, for those of us here in the Northern Hemisphere, 5:24 p.m. EDT marked the arrival of the Vernal Equinox, heralding the formal advent of spring.

Let me just say that I, for one, am very glad to see spring’s arrival! After all, spring represents many changes. Among them are cold weather giving way to warm weather, shorter days giving way to longer days, less darkness and more light, and largely as a result of all these, going from being cooped up inside to being let loose outside.

I find all these things especially significant this year. Long before John Steinbeck did so, William Shakespeare wrote of “the winter of our discontent”. Irrespective of its origins, my family and I can relate to that meaningful phrase.

In November, as cold weather, shorter days, and winter itself were all preparing to unfold, we buried my beloved sister. Four months to the day after her death, after a long and debilitating decline, my wife’s father also passed away.

In the intervening months, we lost more than one friend as well. Thus, to say that it was our own personal winter of discontent is to say the least. Little wonder that spring means so much to us this year.

After the great flood (in Genesis, chapter 8, verse 22), God gave a promise to all of us through the one He made to Noah and his descendants: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.”

In fulfilling this promise, God ever shows His goodness to us. For as winter annually gives way to spring, something far greater than a change of seasons is symbolized. For life springs forth; and death is forced to give way.

As it does, hope wins out over despair, joy defeats sadness, strength overthrows weakness, and victory ultimately routs defeat! And all of this affirms the truth of Psalm 30, verse 5, which tells us that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”.

For all these reasons, my family and I are very glad that spring has finally sprung!

CONTENT SOURCES:

https://www.farmersalmanac.com/spring-equinox-first-day-spring;

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_of_Discontent_(disambiguation).

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/genesis/8-22.htm;

https://biblehub.com/psalms/30-5.htm.

GOOD QUESTIONS!

3/17/2023

Paul Powell once told a humorous story about three friends from the local congregation who were asked, “When you’re in your casket, and friends and congregation members are mourning over you, what would you like them to say?”

The first, Artie, said, “I would like them to say I was a wonderful husband, a fine spiritual leader, and a great family man.” The second, Eugene, commented, “I would like them to say I was a wonderful teacher and servant of God who make a huge difference in people’s lives.” The third, Al, said, “I’d like them to say, ‘Look, he’s moving!’”

I share this humorous story in light of what happened recently at my father-in-law’s funeral. Present and accounted for were four of my seven young grandsons. And among these was the one I lovingly refer to as “The Inquisitor”. He is all of three years old, and has, as they say, an inquiring mind.

Ensconced in my wife’s lap on the front row while I delivered the eulogy, he had much to say. Only rather than statements, he produced a plethora of questions, and these in staccato format… “Why is Papaw in that box? Who put him there?” “Why is he asleep?” “Why does he have a flag?” “Why are there flowers?” “Why is Granddaddy talking?”

To be sure, once “The Inquisitor” is older, he will likely begin to sort all these things out and make sense of them. In the meantime, I can offer him some helpful insights…

1. “Why is Papaw in that box? Who put him there?” Since time immemorial, people have recognized that once the spirit has departed, the physical body is uninhabited. We practice burial of the body because the Bible affirms (in Genesis 3:19) that “for (from) dust thou art and to dust thou shalt return”.

2. “Why is Papaw asleep?” Papaw is asleep because the Bible repeatedly affirms (cf. Acts 7:20; 1 Corinthians 15:6, 18; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-16) that sleep is a euphemism for the mortal remains of deceased believers as they await the coming resurrection of the dead in the final days.

3. “Why does Papaw have a flag?” He has a flag draped upon his coffin because he proudly served his country when he was a younger man. Specifically, he served in the U. S. Army with distinction before being honorably discharged, and was decorated with several medals in the process.

5. “Why are there flowers?” Because people feel compelled to express their sympathy to the family, and have historically chosen to give flowers as a symbol of the beauty of life in the midst of death. After all, flowers bloom at the end of the darkness of wintertime and show forth their glory in the springtime, reminding us that “weeping may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning”, as life ultimately wins out over death!

6. “Why is Granddaddy talking?” I was talking because it is right and fitting that we gather and extol our loved ones in their passing. An ancient Jewish sage once said: “Let us now gather and praise great men, and our fathers that begat us.” I was attempting to do that very thing, both to honor Papaw, and to glorify His Creator and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Kudos to my little grandson for his insightful questions! Kudos as well to the man who lived his life in such a fashion that his passing prompted those very questions in the mind of his great grandson! For the questions prompted are essential to who he was as a person. And their answers are essential to the legacy and influence he left behind.

I thank God for the man my father-in-law was. I also thank God for the man that his great-grandson will one day become! May the latter, in his time, go on to accomplish and inspire just as much, if not more, as the former did in his time!

If he does, then he too will one day intrigue and inspire his own descendants, even as he himself was once intrigued and inspired by his forebears. No doubt, this is just as God intends!

JOKE SOURCE:

https://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/66830.pdf; p. 73.

QUOTE SOURCE:

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Sirach%2044&version=RSV.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com.

CLOCK WATCHIN’!

3/13/2023

An article on www.Newser.com titled “It May Not Be What Time You Think It Is” caught my attention yesterday. Of course, it was only after I clicked on it that I realized I had been duped. For it proved to be merely yet another article about how the current generation eschews the semi-annual ritual of time change and would like to see it done away with altogether.

Now, for my part, I do not necessarily look forward to time change. It always takes a day or two (or three) to adjust, especially when I lose an hour’s sleep in the morning each spring. And yet, I like the extra hour’s sleep in the fall. Still, I grew up with it; and I happen to like an extra hour of sunlight. So, for this reasons as much as any other, I have come to accept it as an inevitable and normal part of life.

Still, it seems that millennials don’t seem to share my acceptance of fate. And for this reason, they perpetually raise a hue and cry each spring and fall. Hence, the article read, somewhat predictably, as follows…

“Standard time came to an end in most parts of the United States on Sunday. The transition to daylight saving time became official at 2am local time, meaning almost everyone lost an hour of sleep. Until daylight saving time ends in the wee hours of Nov. 5, the sun will rise later in the morning than it has during standard time but it will stay light for longer until the evening. No time change is observed in Hawaii, most of Arizona, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Marianas, per the AP.

A 2021 poll found that most people in the United States want to avoid switching between daylight saving and standard time, though there is no consensus behind which should be used all year. The poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found only 25% of those questioned said they preferred to switch back and forth between standard and daylight saving time. Forty-three percent said they would like to see standard time used during the entire year, while 32% preferred that daylight saving time be used all year. Some lawmakers are on the case.”

Enough said? Yes, enough said (at least about the insufferable generational divide over something as simple as time change)! For now, at least, I want to return to what intrigued me in the first place – the title of the article: “It May Not Be What Time You Think It Is”.

Forget the tracking of hour to hour, day to day, week to week, month to month, year to year, decade to decade, and/or even century to century. In fact, forget the regulation of temporal things altogether. What I have in mind here is the notion of an eternal clock. That being said, could it be that it is even now later than I, or you, or anyone else actually realizes it is?!

After all, in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24, verses 32 and 33, we read: “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its branches become tender and sprout leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you will know that He is near, right at the door.”

The same Jesus Who said this also spent many another discourse expounding on just what He meant by “all these things”. As Matthew 24:3 records, “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” To this, our Lord’s answer was manifold…

To begin with, He told us that men posing as Him will try to deceive people in the last days. Matthew 24:23-24 states: “At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There He is!’ do not believe it. For false Christ's and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect - if that were possible.”

Next, He said there would be wars and rumors of wars. In Matthew 24:6, He states: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

Beyond this, He went on to tell us that there would be earthquakes and famines. Matthew 24:7-8, says: “There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” Add to these earthly signs those in the heavens above us… Luke 21:25-26 says: “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken.”

We are also told that there would also be lots of scoffers. II Peter 3:3-4 tells us: “First, I want to remind you that in the last days there will come scoffers who will do every wrong they can think of, and laugh at the truth. This will be their line of argument: ‘So Jesus promised to come back, did He? Then where is He? He'll never come! Why, as far back as anyone can remember everything has remained exactly as it was since the first day of creation.’”

And of course, there will also be the coming of the Antichrist. This will certainly be a sign of the end. I John 2:18, tells us: “Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.”

Add to all of this the moral conditions that will also be characteristic of society in the last days. II Timothy 3:1-5 tells us: “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God - having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

Incessant talk of peace and safety are also signs of the last days. I Thessalonians 5:2-3 states: “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,' destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.”

Lastly, the Bible tells us that the Gospel will be proclaimed to the whole world before the end will come. Matthew 24:14 records: “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Given the advent of the internet and satellite communications and all these entail, I will ask you to judge as to whether or not this has now been fulfilled.

Little wonder, in light of all of this, that in Matthew 24:42-44, Jesus also admonished us to “… be prepared, for you don't know what day your Lord is coming. Just as a man can prevent trouble from thieves by keeping watch for them, so you can avoid trouble by always being ready for My unannounced return.”

It’s that time of year when most of us focus our attention on the clock. Clearly, however, whatever time it is, it’s later than most people think!

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.newser.com/story/332624/it-may-not-be-what-time-you-think-it-is.html.

PROPHECY SOURCES:

https://www.bibleinfo.com/en/topics/signs-jesus-coming.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/.

GONE, BUT NOT FORGOTTEN...

3/6/2023

My wonderful father-in-law, John Bruce Brackin, affectionately known to our family as “Papaw”, went home to Heaven to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, March 5, 2023.

Born October 20, 1932, he was blessed with a long life of 90 plus years, which he chose to live to the fullest. A native of Blount County, Tennessee, he grew up one of eleven children in a home without electricity, running water, or indoor facilities, but quite full of love.

After finishing high school, he served in the United Sates Army, receiving three medals, before coming home to marry his high school sweetheart, Eva Lee Russell, following her own graduation from the University of Tennessee. Together, they created a happy home and raised a beautiful daughter, Vickie Denisha Brackin. Later, she married yours truly, and, together, we blessed them with three grandchildren and, eventually, seven great-grandsons.

Bruce worked for over thirty years at the Ford Motor Company assembly plant in Hapeville, Georgia, before retiring and moving back to east Tennessee. He enjoyed sports, especially football, basketball, and stock car racing, as well as gardening, bee-keeping, working in his yard, and walking. His favorite pastime, though, was coon hunting, which he undertook as long as he was able, raising and training multiple coon dogs along the way.

Mostly, he loved getting together with his family and friends and celebrating the simple blessings of life. A faithful participant as long as he was able to attend, Bruce was a member of Lenoir City First Baptist Church and the David Davis Sunday School Class.

He was preceded in death by his father, John McKinley Brackin, his mother, Freddie Estella Wilson Brackin, and nine of his ten siblings: Myrtle Pauline Brackin (Tipton), Bobby Ralph Brackin, Johnnie Elizabeth Brackin, Addie June Brackin (Oliver), Jimmy Ray Brackin, Carolyn Virginia Brackin (Nichols), Sammy Darrell Brackin, Terry Kenneth Brackin, and Gary Brackin. He has now been reunited with these loved ones, as well as a great-grandbaby, who also awaited him in Heaven.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 63 years, Eva Lee Russell Brackin; his daughter, Vickie Denisha Brackin Jackson, and me, her husband, Cleo Eugene Jackson, III; granddaughter Andrea Danile Jackson Whisman, her husband, Billy, and their three sons, Will, Wally, and Wes; grandson John Caleb Jackson, his wife, Whitney, and their two sons, Rhett and Callahan; and grandson Micah Paul Jackson, his wife, Jordan, and their two sons, Grey and Finn; as well as by his brother, Dennis Lynn Brackin, and numerous in-laws, nieces, and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 12 noon until 2pm on Thursday, March, 9, 2023 in the Miller Funeral Home Chapel in Maryville, Tennessee, who is in charge of arrangements. A Service of Celebration for Bruce’s life will then be held at 3pm, with Rev. Greg Brackin and me, Dr. Cleo E. Jackson, III, officiating. Interment will follow at Grandview Cemetery in Maryville, Tennessee.

WHAT LIES UNDERNEATH...

3/2/2023

As the month of March unfolds, so do the various National Collegiate Athletic Association Conference Basketball tournaments. These will all be followed by the annual National Invitational Tournament and also the NCAA National Championship Tournament, culminating in the famed Final Four Weekend, which results in the crowing of a National Championship for some College or University.

For my part, I enjoy watching a little basketball on occasion. Back in the day, I even played on a team or two. But my mother in law dearly loved basketball. She played in high school and in college, and to this day, faithfully follows her favorite teams.

All the “hoop-la” about basketball this time of year reminded me of an article I came across a few years ago. The piece appeared in “The Guardian” back on April 5, 2017 and was titled: “Hard Maple: Why Basketball's Perfect Surface Has Lasted More Than a Century”.

The subtitle was equally intriguing: “Since It Was Invented In 1891, Almost Everything about Basketball Has Changed. But One Constant Is the Maple Flooring – Hard, Durable and Beautiful To Look At”.

It seems that the one thing about basketball that hasn't changed since James Naismith invented the game way back in 1891 is the floor of a basketball court. Even the first game was played on a floor of hard maple. Why was maple selected? Well, it seems that maple flooring is harder than red oak, black walnut, or cherry flooring, and its tight grain made it easier to clean and maintain.

The icing on the cake was the discovery that maple flooring also turned out to be the perfect surface for dribbling a basketball. Thus, it should come as no surprise that the NCAA said the official courts for both the men's and women's Final Fours were made of “500 trees of northern maple carefully harvested from the Two-Hearted River Forest Reserve in Michigan's Upper Peninsula”.

Later on, professional teams followed suit. The courts of all but one National Basketball Association team are composed of hard maple. The Boston Celtics alone play on a red-oak parquet floor. Still, hard maple offers the most consistent playing surface, and also provides “bounce-back”, or shock resistance, which helps to lessen fatigue on players’ knees and ankles.

As I read this article, I was reminded of the importance of a good foundation. It really does matter what the floor of a basketball court consists of. The same is true for football fields, baseball fields, and soccer fields. And if what is underneath matters in sports, how much more does it matter in life itself?!

Little wonder that Jesus reminded us of the importance of a good foundation in life. In the conclusion to His famed Sermon on the Mount (as recorded in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verses 24-27), He states:

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Basketball players need and appreciate a good solid floor beneath them as they pursue their sport. In much the same manner, you and I need a solid foundation underneath us as we go about the pursuits of life.

There is no better foundation for this than the one provided for us by the Lord Himself! I myself have chosen to walk there. I hope you have as well.

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/apr/05/hard-maple-basketball-surface-nba.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/7.htm.

THREADBARE!

2/26/2023

I have a confession to make. Having grown up on a farm where I learned to be a “Jack of All Trades and Master of None”, I still fancy myself quite good at certain tasks. Among them is construction – at least the form of construction I was taught.

And what form of construction was that? To build most anything necessary out of most anything handy! We’ve all heard the old adage about all that is needed on a farm is a pair of plyers, a roll of duct tape, a can of WD-40, and some bailing twine. For my part, I lived that!

But back in the day, we did more than repair things; we also built things. Things like hay barns and livestock corrals and cattle chutes and horse stalls and chicken coops and hog pens. And along the way, I became quite skilled at the use of things like tape measures and skill saws and hammers and nails, not to mention vice grips, plyers, wrenches, and screwdrivers.

Thus it is that these days, I find myself unafraid to tackle various projects around the house and barn where we live. There is one thing that has changed though. My sons keep charge of the tools. And they are now more modern. So, when I construct things, I now use cordless power tools, such as drills and saws. I also utilize screws far more than nails.

Hence, it was with some alacrity that I plunged ahead with a recent project, wherein I constructed some small wooden supports in order to add a short concrete walkway that would provide all weather access to a side door of the barn. After measuring and cutting the boards, I placed them in position and prepared to drill them into the previously placed supports.

I grabbed a handful of screws and began assembling the assortment of lumber into a recognizable concrete support brace when, about halfway through the process, one of the screws was anything but cooperative. I slapped the head of the screw, configured as a Phillips Head, into the bit on the drill and drilled away. Only, unlike what had happened with the previous ten or so screws, this time nothing happened.

Drill as I might, with as much pressure as I could apply, the screw would simply not bite into the wood. More perturbed than puzzled, I paused to investigate. The problem was soon evident enough. What had purported to be a screw was in fact more of a nail than a screw. Sure it was long and cylindrical. And sure, it had the standard Phillips Head configuration on its head. But that is where the similarities ended!

To begin with, its long sleek sides were quite smooth. It lacked any threads. What is more, the bottom of the so-called screw was as flat as the proverbial fiddle. It had no point. The long cylindrical sides ended abruptly in a flat, round bottom. As such, it could not bite the wood. Nor could it ever hope to penetrate if it did. In short, it was a nail in screw’s clothing. And not even a good one at that!

And what do you suppose it did with it? That’s right! In the heat of the moment, I cast it aside and went on with the task at hand, quickly replacing it with another, more fitting and suitable screw in order to get the job done!

But later, I retrieved it. And I’m sure glad that I did. For it will forever remind me of the difference between the real thing and a pretender!

Jesus spoke often about such things. Not so much in terms of construction (although He was carpenter). Instead, he talked about the difference between sheep and goats and between wheat and tares. His point in all of this is that not everything that purports to be something else is in fact what it claims to be!

And the same is true of people. To quote Him exactly (from His famed “Sermon on the Mount” in the New Testament Gospel of Matthew, chapter 7, verse 21-23):

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Ouch! Talk about threadbare! If we purport to be followers of Jesus, then we had very well better be authentic and genuine with regard to both our calling and our character! Otherwise, we are mere pretenders whose deception is destined to be revealed in the Lord’s own time and way!

Given all of this, I pray I am found to be a genuine and authentic follower and servant of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Do you?

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/7.htm.

PICTURE SOURCE:

https://www.reddit.com/r/mildlyinteresting/comments/fb5cdv/this_screw_didnt_come_with_threads/. Apparently, I am not the only one to encounter this problem.

SEE ALSO:

Jesus on Sheep and Goats: https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/25.htm;

Jesus on Wheat and Tares: https://biblehub.com/niv/matthew/13.htm.

ABOUT THE SIZE OF IT!

2/21/2023

Years ago, I once heard a preacher use an illustration about a billiard ball that I have never forgotten. He made the point that most of us consider a cue ball to be one of the smoothest objects known to mankind. Most of them are made of either ivory or some form of polymer plastic that has then been polished to an incredible state of smoothness.

However, if someone were to blow that cue ball up to the size of Planet Earth, the question becomes: "Which would be smoother, the earth or the pool ball?" He then asserted that, surprisingly, the Earth would be far smoother than the pool ball.

We tend to think of the earth as anything but smooth. After all, the distance between the top of the nearly six mile tall Mount Everest to the bottom of the nearly seven mile deep Mariana Trench is around thirteen miles! And yet, while we cannot see them with the naked eye, the microscopic variations on a pool ball would prove far greater if it could indeed be magnified up to the size of the earth.

Should this happen, one might see mountains on its surface that were twenty, thirty, or even fifty or more miles high, as well as trenches and/or canyons that were fifty or sixty miles in depth.

His point in all of this was that we often view the problems others are facing as negligible. We do this because, from our perspective, they appear miniscule. And yet, from the perspective of the person actually addressing them, they are seen as tremendous!

It behooves us, therefore, neither to discount nor to downplay the issues faced by others. Indeed, until we have walked a mile in their shoes, we should never even presume to assess, let alone to dismiss, the difficulty of their circumstances.

Instead, the Apostle Peter tells us to be sensitive to the circumstances of others. In fact, in the eight verse of the third chapter of his First New Testament Letter, he encourages us to be sympathetic and compassionate toward others. The Apostle Paul echoes this sentiment when he tells us (in chapter 12, verse 16 of his New Testament Letter to the Romans) to “be sensitive to each other's needs”.

As I have reflected on these matters, I have been reminded that the problems I face may well be considered by some as insignificant. And conversely, they may be seen by others as insurmountable. And yet, the important thing in all of this may well be that, from God’s perspective, they are neither. For He has promised to see me through whatever circumstances I face, irrespective of their size or ferocity.

More to the point, He has called me to be there for others as they face whatever circumstances come their way. And in truth, I am never more like Him than when I help others to do this, whatever the size or the amount of the difficulties they face.

In either situation, the size of the Lord’s response is intended to be, not just equal to, but superior to, the difficulty being faced.

And when all is said and done, isn't that about the size of it all?!

NOTE: The internet seems to be divided over the veracity and/or viability of this whole assertion. Below, I have cited examples of each side of the argument.

EXAMPLE OF SUPPORTING SOURCE:

https://www.worldatlas.com/space/how-smooth-is-planet-earth.html.

EXAMPLE OF DISPUTING SOURCES:

https://ourplnt.com/earth-smooth-billiard-ball/.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-8.htm;

https://www.biblestudytools.com/cjb/romans/passage/?q=romans+12:16-21.

“TALLY-HO!”

2/17/2023

The British have a cry: “Tally-ho!” We are told that it is the traditional cry made by the huntsman (in fox hunting) to tell others that the quarry has been sighted. It was later adapted by the Royal Navy in World War Two to signal when the enemy fleet was spotted. From there, it found its way into the Royal Air Force, and eventually even to NASA as a way for astronauts to announce that they had acquired visual contact of some desired objective.

Here in the States, most of us use the term tally to signify counting, adding up, and/or totaling an amount of something. Given this, perhaps it is fitting that NASA astronauts should have adopted “Tally-ho!” After all, what better perspective to sum things up from than their vantage point, which allows them to gaze down upon the length and breadth of the whole world.

I thought about all these things today after I came across an article in the news declaring that the nation of Japan actually has twice as many islands as it previously thought. It seems that a recent recount has now found more than 14,000 islands.

According to the article, sources tell Kyodo News that the newest official count will more than double the number of the country's islands, from 6,852 to 14,125. In the last count, about 35 years ago, the Japanese coast guard counted by hand all the islands shown on paper maps with a circumference greater than 100 meters (328 feet), and didn't include islands in lakes.

But in the latest count, the Geospatial Information Authority of Japan—GSI—used digitized maps to count islands automatically, as well as aerial photos to cross-reference the results. They actually found over 100,000 islands, but only the ones with a circumference of 328 feet or more are included on the official list.

I was struck by the summary observation made by the reporter: “For an island nation, Japan appears to have been very bad at counting islands for a very long time.” More than struck, I was convicted by a sudden realization. Like so many people, I tend to look at my life, my relationships, my accomplishments, my accumulations, etc… all from a single given perspective. But in truth, that perspective is inherently limited.

It did Japan good to look down upon herself from above. Once she did, she undertook a little reassessment and discovered that she had twice as much as she previously thought she had. Similarly, I am reminded that if I step back from my limited perspective and consider things from God’s viewpoint, I just might be surprised at what all I see differently about myself and my life.

Surely I am not alone here. If we would be honest, how many of us get caught up in seeing what all we do not have, what all we have not done, where all we have not been, who all we do not know, etc… when we should focus instead on what all we do have, what all we have done, where all we have been, and who all we have known?!

Back in the day, it was customary to sing an old hymn by Johnson Oatman titled “Count Your Blessings”. Do you remember these familiar lyrics?

When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev'ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by. [Refrain]

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. [Refrain]

So, amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey's end. [Refrain]

These words remind us that our Lord is a good and gracious and loving God. The Psalmist clearly understood how Mr. Oatman felt. In chapter 40, verses 5-6, he declared:

“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; there is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, they would be too numerous to count. Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired; my ears You have opened; burnt offering and sin offering You have not required.”

And there it is - having one’s ears opened to the testimony bespoken by blessings far too numerous to count! So, my friend, “Tally-ho!” Tally away, tally long, tally hard, tally well, and when you have tallied some things up, you too will soon hear and see just how good God has been to you!

STORY SOURCE:

https://www.newser.com/story/331672/report-new-count-doubles-the-number-of-japans-islands.html. Posted by Rob Quinn, February 16, 2023.

SEE ALSO:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tally-ho.

HYMN SOURCE:

https://hymnary.org/text/when_upon_lifes_billows_you_are_tempest.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:

https://biblehub.com/context/psalms/40-5.htm.

EYES IN THE SKY!

2/13/2023

As of late, a lot of attention has been drawn to and by the multiple objects recently shot down by the United States military after having been observed floating over North America. While it is reasonable to conclude that their purposes in being there were nefarious, China, who is known to have launched at least two of them, nonetheless continues to claim that these orbiting platforms were merely there for scientific research.

Time will tell as their remains are even now being collected and studied. This much is for certain – it will be hard to deny the evidence that the U.S. and Canadian authorities are sure to retrieve from these devices once they are thoroughly analyzed. Once this happens, as it very likely will, methinks someone is then likely to have a lot of explaining to do!

Intrigued by this entire state of affairs, I became a little curious about just who all might be looking down upon me from up above, as well as to what extent they are able to do so. Imagine my surprise when I looked up my address on Google Earth and saw an overhead image of my own vehicle parked in my own driveway! (The only consolation is that this was the address I lived at before I retired and relocated. Doubtless, though, it will soon be re-photographed, and updated to reflect the new owners’ presence.)

Further intrigued, I then did a little more research on what may be considered “eyes in the sky”. To my amazement, I found out that, as of 04/30/2022, there were a total of 5,465 operational satellites known to be orbiting earth. Of these, the U.S.A. had 3,433, China had 541, Russia had 172, and all other countries combined had 1,319. Given that these facts are nearly a year old, the number is almost certainly higher by now.

Of the 3,433 satellites being operated by the U.S.A. at that time, 31 were Civil, 2,992 were Commercial, 172 were Government, and 237 were Military. One can only presume that the number of those operated by China and Russia, being communist and not capitalist countries, wound have been slanted much more toward military than commercial.

The point of all of this is that there are clearly a great many “eyes in the sky” looking down on me (and you) even as I write this. It is apparent these can see my property. One can only hope that their designers have not yet developed and employed the ability to see through the roof of my dwelling and/or outbuildings.

After all, I do try to practice a little modesty. What is more, while I do not necessarily have all that much to hide, I do appreciate a little personal privacy. As does my family; and, I am sure, as do you and your family also.

Still, there is one more set of eyes up above looking down on me that I dare not try to hide from. To begin with, it is futile to do so. And secondly, it is ultimately in my best interest to be seen by them. I am referring, of course, to the eyes of the Lord.

The Bible tells us much about these eyes. Proverbs 15:3 tells us that “The LORD is watching everywhere, keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.” More than just watching us, the Lord is scrutinizing us. Proverbs 5:21 says: “For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the LORD, and the LORD examines all his paths.”

And why does the Lord do this? According to Scripture, He does this in order to hold us accountable. Psalm 11:4-6 says: “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” The word translated here as “try” comes from the Hebrew term “baw-khan'”. It comes from a root word meaning to examine the purity and/or adulteration of precious metals.

We live in a time of heightened awareness to the possibility (or should I say “probability”) of our being viewed and assessed by others from their vantage point high up above us. We might do well to be concerned about such things, as they could arguably be used to put us in a position of vulnerability.

But that other set of eyes – the ones belonging to our Heavenly Father – are not necessarily observing us with evil intent. In his First New Testament Letter (chapter 3, verse 12), the Apostle Peter tells us that “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their prayer.”

In other words, it is ultimately a good thing for our Heavenly Father to be observing us from above. If we have embraced Christ, then we are His children. As such, He looks down upon us as a loving, caring, and compassionate Heavenly Father. For this reason, the Word of God assures us that we can call Him, not just “Pater”, or “Father”, but also “Abba”, best translated as “Daddy”. Indeed, He careth for His own!

Given all this, I echo the words of the hymn-writer of old who once said: “Have thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way! Search me and try me, Savior today!” Perhaps you should do so as well.

NEWS SOURCE:

https://www.foxnews.com/us/us-heightened-alert-increasing-scrutiny-airspace-downing-unidentified-object-lake-huron.

SATELITE TATISTICS SOURCE:

https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/satellite-database.

SCRIPTURE SOURCES:

https://biblehub.com/proverbs/15-3.htm;

https://biblehub.com/1_peter/3-12.htm;

https://biblehub.com/galatians/4-6.htm.

HEBREW EXEGESIS:

https://biblehub.com/text/psalms/11-4.htm;

https://biblehub.com/hebrew/yivchanu_974.htm;

https://biblehub.com/hebrew/974.htm.

HYMN SOURCE:

https://hymnary.org/text/have_thine_own_way_lord.

LIGHT ME UP!

2/9/2023

I recently went to the dentist to have some composite fillings replaced. The ones in question had been there for several years; but apparently the wear and tear of slicing and gnawing my way through tons of fried chicken had adversely impacted them to the point that they simply had to be replaced.

So, I resolved myself to the fact that I had to go under the drill and marched forth to meet my fate. Imagine my surprise to discover that the worse part of it was right up front. I received a shot or two in my gum line; and in short order, it was quite numb. Thereafter, about all I felt was a little tugging. I also managed to hear a lot of drilling and grinding; though I felt none of the effects.

Still, beyond what I felt and what I heard, there was what I saw. Every so often, a light blinked. At first, I thought the lights in the dental office had flickered. After the process repeated itself, and hearing no comment on that possibility from either the dentist or the technician, I pondered other explanations.

It eventually crossed my mind that the numbing agent might have perhaps affected a nerve; and that this was somehow causing me to see the proverbial stars, as it were. But I discarded this thought once I picked up on an unfolding repetitive parallel. Shortly before the light appeared, each and every time, the dentist would say the word “Cure”. Thereafter, the light would flash.

Now, anyone who has endured such a procedure knows that it can be hard to talk under the circumstances. My gums were numb; cotton or some such material had been packed into my mouth to hold my lips apart; and, along with two pairs of hands, an entire array of dental equipment was constantly entering and/or departing my mouth.

Nonetheless, inquiring minds want to know! And so, I raised my hand to indicate I needed a pause, and was given the opportunity to speak. I then inquired as to the origins and purpose of the mysteriously recurring flashes of light.

The explanation was simple and straightforward. Whatever substance the composite fillings were comprised of was “cured” by the ultraviolent light. In some way, the light stimulated the materiel at a molecular level, agitating the particles and causing them to bond in a way that they otherwise would not have been able to accomplish.

Who’d a thunk it?! Light cured! Light bonded! Light made whole that which was broken! Light made strong that which was weak!

As I sat there reclined within the confines of the dental chair, the words of the Apostle John (in chapter 1, verse 7, of his First New Testament Epistle) kept coming to my mind: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Amen! And amen! He Who claimed to be the light of the world came into the midst of darkness and made whole the brokenness we all suffer. He came also to make us strong, not in our own strength, but in and through the strength and power He alone possesses and provides.

Given all these things, my plea to my dentist was a simple one: “Light me up, Doc!” My weakened and broken teeth needed what he alone could do for them. Likewise, my plea to my Heavenly Father is exactly the same: “Light me up, Lord! As only You can do, come and fix my broken soul and make me strong!”

In the words of the hymn writer of old…

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.

I heard about His healing,
Of His cleansing pow'r revealing.
How He made the lame to walk again
And caused the blind to see;
And then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
Come and heal my broken spirit,"
And somehow Jesus came and bro't
To me the victory.

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.

Amen! And again I say, Amen!

SCRIPTURE SOURCE:
https://biblehub.com/1_john/1-7.htm.

SEE ALSO: Jesus’ words in the Gospel of John as found in John 8:12, John 9:5, John 12:46, all available at the same website.

HYMN LYRICS SOURCE:
https://hymnlyrics.org/mostpopularhymns/victory_in_jesus.html.

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