I thought today I would write about my favorite subject (that’s sarcasm, it is my least favorite subject.), me.

I can see people clicking my blog off right now.

I was brought up to believe there was a god. A god of some sort, most likely the God that Christians pray to. Both of my parents believed there was a god, and most likely they each went to some church or Sunday school at various times in their youth. They were a result of what their parents believed.

I have mentioned here that I went sporadically to a Lutheran church to Sunday school, and on rare occasions to services. I also went for a short time to two Sunday schools that were within walking distance of my home, one in a church that was closed, and the other in an abandon two room house. I have no idea if there was or was not, a denominational aspect to those classes.

I am sure that my well-meaning parents thought that some education of some sort in religion, was better than none. Today I do not agree with that phylopshy. Some religeous teaching can be harmful. A fair amount of the “real deal”, could be helpful for a lifetime.

All of that “church stuff” combined, caused me to suspect there is indeed some sort of god. Might be the one that has Jesus as a spokesman or something. You know, the guy they talk about at Christmas and Easter. It seems that He must hibernate or something in between those two holidays.

I knew I got presents at Christmas, and we colored eggs and ate chocolate bunnies at Easter. That was the case with all of my friends as well.

I lived with that being my reality for many years. My only change during that time, was I seemed to become better and better at sinning. If they gave out awards, I would surely win something. Sometimes people seem to think that is cute when we are little. Not so much as we grow.

I had friends who were somewhat religious. Some but not all seemed to like that Jesus fellow. Of all the churches or religions if you will, that were around, it always seemed that either Catholics or Baptists were the most dedicated. I had no idea how far apart (early in my life) Catholics and Baptists were. The differences only served to confuse me. They did not seem to believe the same things. I suspected that the long list of other Chrsitian based religions also had their own beliefs as well.

As life went on, I continued to believe there was some sort of god, and he was likely to fall somewhere between all those religions.

Or maybe nowhere, I was not sure.

As I lived my life and grew older, I made it a practice to violate many of the rules and commandments that Christians believed in. I still had a belief in a God, but I was confused about all the disagreements within Christianity, much less Judaism, Hindu, Islam, atheism (no god) , Satanism (the devil is god) and everything else.

Somewhere in my teens, I was driving my car one day and I believe I was listening to the radio, and I may of heard about how the war was doing, or about a crime, a murder perhaps, and I came to the conclusion that god was made up. I decided, there is no god.

It was much better now because when I committed an act that was akin to sin, I did not have to feel guilty.

I did not have to feel guilty, but oddly, I still did. That was the Holy Spirit of God, but at that time, I knew not.

Almost exactly one year later I was driving a different car that I now owned, only a few blocks from where I was the other time, and came to the conclusion that there were too many wonders in nature, and in the world, and too many miracles happen, for there not to be a god. I in fact, was on my journey to discovering the one true God. Many years later and too many sins for anyone except God to count, I began to realize that “the way” I believed in God mattered. Also, the way I lived matters. I was living a life headed directly to hell. I lived that life for many years despite my then realization of a true and genuine God.

Decades later, I became “almost” too old to sin so much, and I began to understand things better. Nothing I did personally was the reason for that understanding. As I began to age, when given the opportunity to “enjoy some sin” still I took it. Then finally, it was time to fish or cut bate. With many failures. Although sometimes I still sinned, God began to organize my thoughts and open up my heart. He began sending me in the right direction. My prayer life became a thousand times bigger, better, and stronger. My prayers were being answered when they were appropriate. I sinned less and less, although I still commit sins today and will always need forgiveness directly from God for them.

When I need that forgiveness, I do not turn to intermediaries, I turn to God and I do so with the righteousness, strength and compassion of the Son, as I pray in His name. Daily, I “confess” my sins to God. Directly to God. In the name of Jesus Christ.

Every day, even as the world around all of us decays like the smell of dead fish, I confess not only my sins to God, but my love, trust and wonder for God. I thank God for the son Christ Jesus who died beaten and humiliated on a Cross, just so I and you can join Him in Heaven.

We each have to travel the journey. It is not about either manmade religion or the haters of God, it is about what His Son did for us on the Cross, and what we do about that. It is an offer made to us from the one true God.

We are always free to accept or reject.

I’d like to clear up one thing right now. I am not and do not claim to be a Biblical scholar. If you asked me to give the meaning to a randonly selected verse right now, I might not be able to do it. I said might not. My personal Bible, and yes this matters, is a modern era but not the lastest version, of the King James Bible. There are other good ones, and other bad ones. I stay away from Bibles that are claimed specifically for one religion or denomination. There seems to always be a “religeous” point of view rather than a Godly one in those Bibles.

When you begin to grasp the meaning of the words by undertsanding the totalness if you will, of the book, understanding becomes easier. Finally the one thing we can all do to grasp it better, is pray. None better to set us in the right direction than Almightly God.

It is His book written by people He ordained to write it.

---

I want now to clear up a few misunderstandings about my belief system as to freedom of speech, freedom of artistic expression, and so on.

I believe an artist can make any statement they wish, and use any subject that pleases them, to create what they believe to be a work of art. Of course they have no right to harm others in the process. I believe that where that art is shown, or where that artist is welcomed, is the domain of those who welcome or show it. Nobody however, has to show a photograph or even welcome an artist, if anything they feel is hateful, and not in keeping with the purpose of that location where he/she is being welcomed. In other words, the decency or lack there of, rests on the shoulders of the one who displays the “art”, or welcomes the artist.

When an artist/photographer makes a vulgar statement about the beliefs of others, the question is not whether has he the right to do so, he does, but whether it is the right thing to do.

There is a difference in “having a right,”‘ and doing the right thing.

Those who celebrate him, and increase his platform if you will, carry that same baggage upon their shoulders if not more so, than the so-called artist. If you nivite him into your home, not to set him straight but to honor him, you are just like him.

Art is an act of making a statement. I can accept a vulgar piece of art as that which belongs to the artist, without cheering for him by honoring his presence.

I certainly understand that some people might be offended by my religious writings. I do not write religious articles to offend. Politics or social issues maybe, but not religion. This is the most important subject there is. I do it because I love and care. There are those who know more than I do for sure. I can only bring to the table what is possible for me. I trust that God will let me know if I stray into something that need not be told, or is wrong. He has in the past. I have changed some of this post, because the Lord put in my heart, that I was going to far.Too much anger, and not enough love. I would however feel bad if I did not share my discoveries, or better said, share what God has put into my heart. Some things just need to be said.

---

Below I will share with you below the most intimate truth I have ever revealed on this blog.

I have stated before in other articles that I was married for about 15 years. A courtship of maybe, 6 months. We remained friendly after our divorce and saw each other alone on two or three occasions. During all of those years together, either completely or partially together, I never once told her I loved her. I did, love her, but I chose that one thing and only that thing, to never share.

All that was a long time ago and I am now in what is actually a more important time of my life.

I have recently promised myself to not allow anything that needs to be said, be left unsaid again. Time, at least my time here, is too short. Be as gentle as you can, but say it. If I (or you?) do not, we will regret it for eternity. That, is what this post and other recent posts are about.

May God richly Bless each of you.

A verse from the1/2 brother (same mother, very different father) of Jesus Christ

James 4:10
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.

Finally, in an attempt to bring a smile to your faces. Three young Red Fox Kits