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| Yes, they are blue, a bit halfclosed when the sun has gone. Soon this little spot will also be covered in white and I'm not talking snow here!!!! |
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| When we take our walk after sunset, the toads and froggies go walking too. This one had in his mind to be disguised, so he covered up with some nice pine needles. We had no difficulties spotting him any way and it really annoyed him. |
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| This is Baa, eventually renamed Charlie, because that is a name for both genders and Baa had no intention of letting us look under the skirt. He/she was born with a dry mother, no milk today so the father decided to make an end of him. Our neighbours couldn't stand the thought so now he lives in the kitchen until he is strong enough to join the other sheep again. He has the cutest "baaaaaaaa!!" |
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| A field full of croci, that is really something!!! In my last post I gave you cows as well. There is something challenging about springtime. Life as it turns out right now, through the news, is really dark and gruesome. There seem to be no end of the suffering, the death, the destruction and the famish. And also I never could understand the unbelievable rate of injustice and corruption that lives on in so called civilized countries. The valuation of human lifes is fearfully low and I don't speak only of IS and other terrorist groups. I also speak of trafficking, childabuse, underpayed workers to benefit our lifestyle, I speak of undermining natures resources to optain ever higher standards in the richer world. So much we take for granted and have no idea of the cost for others. Heron arose the topic on the darker side of mobile and computer industries. We can't prevent progress but we can redirect it so that more can benefit in a smaller scale, to make the impact on people and nature more sustainable. In all this, life plunges in. Easter will remind us of the strenght that lies in the resurrection, there is no way we can turn everything right on our own. Mankind is strong, yes, love is a strong power, yes, but our efforts through time has not been very successful. Why do we fail? Why don't we learn? Well, because mankind is not the highest standard, the values we hold high are good and grand, but they can't fight the core of the darkness and evil. For some time yes, and we must keep fighting, but in us all lies darkness, and given free spin, it will do us harm. I am a christian, and I believe that I can only be free to fight for love and kindness if I can myself be forgiven, loved and saved. If I know that life is stronger than death because God wants it, if I believe Evil can and will be totally defeated because God acted, if I am certain that I never walk alone and that someone knows my name and will keep my soul safe, then I can cope with the pain and struggle my life is right now causing me. I won't stop crying and I won't stop caring. I will be scared and downhearted, I will try to fend for those who lack strenght. I will fail, I will fall, but I will never totally loose hope. All because of everything that Easter and the glowing, burning and promising spring will tell me!! I believe that God loves all people and so I can't be the judge of anyone. The pain of a loss or an injury or an injustice or famine or abuse is the same whether you are sikh, jew, muslim, buddhist, christian, hindhu or non believer. Mistakes and great acts of kindness takes place in us all. And we have to take our responsibility. We often do. Evil is no physiological thing, nothing that can be blamed on mental illness or handicap, nothing to do with origin, race, gender or religious beliefs. Anyone can suddenly step right into it, acting in a way that hurts someone else. It's simply human, yes, but it keeps the inbalance going. Easter tells me that it's not hopeless, if we had to turn it away by our own force, we would not succeed but we are not alone, that is my belief. You don't have to agree, this is my faith, what I live for, hope for, rest in, take comfort and strenght from and rely on. When people now and then start to mock and abuse my faith, I tell them that they may think it silly, oldfashioned and of no interest to anyone, but its still the foundation of my life. but hasn't always been. I gave God an opening, and he plunged in. One day, I will tell you the entire story, but not today. I wish you all a very blessed, bright and lovely spring, as far as it goes right now!!!! Tomorrow I will meet up with some colleagues for a retreat, right now I really need it!!! |
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| A walk when the sun is setting and the air is still clear and almost warm! The beloved child leads the way through the forest!! Our glorious 14-year old!! |
Hope your retreat goes well.
SvaraRaderaOnce when I was aged about 6 or 7 and did something naughty my mother asked me why I'd done it and I thought about her question and found I couldn't give her an answer. After a while I said: I think the devil made me do it. It was the only answer that any kind of sense to me at that age. My mother said: If he comes again just say: Get thee behind me Satan and you will find he will go away. And so it proved to be. Well, for a couple of years at any rate. At least I like to think so.
What's happening in the world now is devils work. One at least is always present. He tempts the stray sheep with false promises and prophecies. People forget their history and continually fall into the same traps. Today the blind goats are leading the blind sheep in ever increasing numbers.
Example: Egypt jails 56 over immigrant boat sinking. BBC News. Looks like a good bit of police work to me. Why aren't we in Europe doing the same? Why are we being soft on these criminal?
RaderaBless my soul, Gwil, we actually agree! I do believe that the Devils absolutely strongest trick is to, as you say, tempt us with false prophecies. Everyone today is looking for a quick way out, and there are several options conveniently at hand. Your mothers advice was a good one, the wise elderly women in my parish still use it, I think it scares him stiff.
RaderaYour example is one of many false promises of safety and good will, smugglers very seldom look back once their victims are off. Once the truth stands obvious, they should be confronted with the consequenses of their deeds, what else can prevent them from going on??? Truth is painful but neccessary, evil knows only of lies!!!
Jesus said: love your neighbour as yourself.
RaderaIf I did something evil I would hate myself. Therefore if my neighbour does something evil I will hate him too. I cannot love myself if I do evil and the same applies to my neighbour. In other words I cannot love my neighbour more than I myself.
I don't think Jesus meant we should love our neighbour regardless of his qualities I think he meant we should treat him as we would expect to be treated ourselves.
I may be wrong but it it's how I read it.
If it's not that then it's too complicated for me.
Hm, I think you have twisted this a bit. Jesus speaks of the value God applies on us, if God so loves us, we can't do anything but honor his choice. Everything starts with what God does, he is the root carrying the tree, he is the one lowering down to meet his children, he is the one that loves us first so that we can love. And, as a consequense, Jesus dies on the cross to cover for all our sins, he wouldn't have to do that if you without effort could love your evil doing neighbour ??? You think that evil doing deserves punishment, because that is what you would expect from others if you where the evil doer? God gave you your consience and ability to tell right from wrong. If that had been his entire intention, then to leave it all up to us, our freedom of choice, we would be doomed and wiped out in a jiffy. But God loves his children, hence the cross. It is complicated, Gwil, and still the easiest thing. God want's everyone to come to faith and be saved, he takes measures to make this possible. Believe in Christ and there will be no fatal judgement, he has already payed your penalty.
RaderaIf you find it hard to love yourself when you fail and your neighbour in similar event, you can rest in the gospel. Gods grace is far greater . Those rules are given because the Lord knows that the Devil fears unselfish love more than anything. It's a challenge, Gwil, but he is the only one that can manage the equation, that is what we rely on. Evil can't be beaten with evil, anger not with anger, hatred not with hatred. I hate myself when I hurt someone, but I trust my life in Jesus hands, knowing that his love for me brought him to the cross. And so I will plead to him to fill the gap. If you are unable to love yourself and your neighbour, love still has to be present otherwise the balance will halter and fall, and evil will score high.
Trust him, Gwil, and his love will fill the gaps you leave open like wounds. It's love. It's the gospel.
Devil hates it. So let him!!
I'll ask you a question; if there is someone you really despice and avoid because of his actions, would you turn your back on him if he turned to you in a time of need and despair?
Or this; you get involved accidently in a situation where your strenght and care is called for, do you then start by asking around if the person in need of help has done anything bad lately?
Jesus hates sin but not the sinner, there is the core of it!!
Sorry for the delay in replying. I think some people are beyond redemption. It doesn't mean I hate them. I consider the emotion of hate to be very negative and therefore I avoid it. That doesn't mean I have to befriend a mean spirited person or a person who disturbs my equilibrium. If I did that I'd end up being taken away by men in white coats.
RaderaHello again!
RaderaI was a bit concerned here and thought I had offended you!! You know, Gwil, we don't have to love everyone and we can't have it in us to forgive everyone either. Again, that is why Jesus have to die. On the other hand, hatred is such a negative emotion draining us of power, just as you say and as long as you don't give that emotion any nourishment, you are still giving evil a serious blow. And yes, from my point of view the chance of redemption seem very remote sometimes, but I leave it be. If I would try to figure it out , I would end up a real mess too. As I said n you latest post, hope you are out running in the sweet smelling forest . We went to Austria for Easter once, Salzburg and Wildschoenau. Very nice.
Have a blessed week!!
Thank you for this post. Very profound. I always can use a reminder that in the midst of the horrors of our world, there is hope, and I cling to that. I am in agreement with all you have written.
SvaraRaderaOh yes, Bonnie, we need to be reminded again and again. So nice to hear from you, hope you are doing alright! Blessings!!
RaderaI have come to the conclusion that people who have any type of religion, not necessarily just those who are Christians and who are evangelical have cold hearts.
SvaraRaderaI am sorry to hear that, Mel, for in that case that goes for most of those writing here. The cold heart doesn't come with religion, but it very well can and also has. Jesus saw it coming. And since that can be true of us all, we can't make judgements, only seek truth and try to understand each other and help out where we can. There will always be times when hands meet hands and times when backs are turned, that makes us sad to think of and guilty when we are the cause of it, but being a christian helps me try again, because I believe in one whose heart never grow cold. I wish you to meet many warmhearted people, and I think you will find both christian and others among them!!!
RaderaJust keep it simple and keep on loving. The photos are glorious and give us all the hope of spring. Blessings from Dalamory
SvaraRadera