Winter: Then Onward, Slowly

2/4/25 A slightly longer blog

Coming to the end of the first month of 2025 has happened to fast. Well, too fast for getting things done, but not too fast for getting rid of Southern Winter. Tomorrow (30th) will be the last of days wherein we have under freezing temperature , at least for the foreseeable future—probably not any in February which will be nice. I need many days straight of not being too cold to walk my 1+ miles per day. I need to lose about 12-15 pounds and walking is the best exercise for me to facilitate that. Looking forward to getting that done. 

Well, it’s now February, we’ve seen the sorry Groundhog, and Spring seems well on it’s way here in North Alabama. (Who knows how long we will say that—-might be crying about the cold in a week or so.)

To start, yesterday Barb and I went to Gadsden and after breakfast at the downtown spot known as The Coffee Cup, who make a big thing about actually making Pancakes on Saturdays (they were good!), then we walked through the two closed-to-traffic blocks in downtown talking with people who were there to make their own chili for a “best chili” trophy. We didn’t stay long enough to taste or see who won, having just eaten breakfast, but she looked at some stores and I talked with some of the booths and learned some things about how this contest boosts downtown. Maybe 2 dozen booths total.

Some booths were restaurants who regularly sell chili and were just there to brag and boost sales—why not?! Some others, though were booths sponsored by some company to get their name out and the person or persons making the chili were just friends with good chili. I think that was a terrific public relations gimmick. One company doing that was a new Title company in town not trying to sell, but to tell people how they can serve them when buying or selling or just serve them on lost titles, etc. A very vibrant and friendly staff, probably worth much in PR over a sort of hidden amount of time. 

Another was sponsored (I think) by a law firm whose contestants were two neighbors who’ve collaborated on chili till their whole neighborhood tells them it’s the best they’ve ever tasted! I now wish I knew who won.

One booth on each side of the street was serving all sorts of drinks, from coffee all the way to Bloody Mary’s and Mimosa’s — it was the city staff, especially the mayor’s office. Drinks were made and no charge except a donation of your choice where they had a “donation” box with all proceeds going to the downtown business organization! What a super idea! I don’t know how often they do something like this, but that’s a good idea! 

Started on Feb. 1, a plan about walking as an exercise, increasing a little each day thru the 27th day, and morning of the 28th I will weigh to see if there is a good loss for the 4 weeks. Let’s just say this will be a bellwether for the rest of the year. The hopeful good effect on my body is easier achieved this way for a standard than any other way. Can’t think of any interferences in this except my own laziness, which needs a lot of work, anyway.

In January on the Wednesday night bible class (6PM Central time) on Facebook page and on Zoom, and about 8pm it is recorded on YouTube channel, Brother Jerry Lockhart, I started what I think will be a year or more study about everything which biblically pertains to obeying the Apostle Paul’s strong admonition concerning Scripture: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Tim.2:15

You see, to study the word of God is imperative to knowing Him. Subsequently, studying various parts of the bible shows many things about God’s will for mankind to get to know Him more as time passes. Yet, for purposes of using God’s word as an holy text for the lives of each of us we must come to realize, times to the Lord are not our times, they are His!  

Most of what churches teach as most important is found in the life of Christ upon the Earth. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all teach us who He was, how He taught the 12 Apostles, how He used the first 39 books of the Bible to admonish those to whom IT had been written to, for and about—and that was those who had become the nation of Israel.

In fact, Jesus Christ was very emphatic about this very thing: “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto thelostsheepofthehouseof Israel.” -Matt.15:24, (and story repeated in Mark 7:24-29)   saying this also to the 12 when He sent them out: These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. -Matt,10:5,6.

Christ began His concluding statements to these people (the lost sheep) in Matt.21:23. It is a long read, but if you read from there till the end of Matt.25, you will see His dismissal of the old nation and the promise of the new nation (as is found in Matt.21:33 thru 43) and how they are brought into a new position called “kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world..”-25:34. Of course, then He was crucified, buried, then arose from the dead.

But, He never left the world without witness. He did, indeed, send the 12 Apostles out to do what He had taught them to do throughout this whole book of Matthew and concluded after His resurrection with the famous words in chapter 28:19, 20—“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto  the end of the world. Amen.”

As the 12 went forth in Acts 2 through 7, thousands of Israelites believed. Then came horrible blasphemy against the Holy Ghost filled peoples, and the perpetrator of these blasphemies must be stopped—his name was Saul, you can count about 5 times he blasphemed the Holy Ghost filled people and the Lord stopped him and called him to a different place than what he was headed toward in Acts 9.

Looking back into the middle of Matthew and seeing what the Lord said about that blasphemy in ch.12:31,32, it is easy to see that this fiend Saul, whom the Lord called to something in Acts 9, could not become an added one of the number up to that point. If you don’t see that, take another look remembering that God cannot lie…..So, Saul was called to another place, another peoples, with another method of telling people how to be saved eternally.

wow. I mean, WOW!!, Yep, and now for the rest of the intentions of God.  (A few paragraphs at a time.)

Thanks for reading, the Elder