2 p.m. Sunday January 29, 2023. 42F/6C.
Readiness. It does no good to discard meats in the composting barrel. It only brings stronger animals to dump the barrel over. So the bowl behind the barrel is filled with chicken soup. Some shivering possum or raccoon or turkey vulture will finish it off before the sleet hits, never questioning the green color. What chunks they peck around will go on into the barrel. It is a day of oddities. The air that drifts down from the sky contains an odd odor, like diesel fuel, but few jet planes have been flying over. Even the porch had the scent of pipe tobacco early this morning. It is colder than the temperature on the thermometer. The sky is a menacing gray tone. Roaring sounds from the creek are so loud, it is hard to hear anything else. Insulating sheets will be re-installed around the cabin tonight, near the collapsed greenhouse. Better get ready, in case another storm hits.
The Gospel of Matthew, chapter seven
Heavenly Father, please be in our reading of the sermon of Yeshua Jesus. Please guide and reveal your truths. Fill us with your words, preparing us for the storm at hand. Amen.
Here are the next verses from an older manuscript:
Yeshua Mashiach said unto his talmidim, “Enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the way that leads man to destruction, and many are entering by it. But the gate and the way that lead to life, it is exceedingly narrow; and few are they who find it.
The Sepharadic gospel of Matityahu, chapter seven, translated by Justin van Rensburg
He never said “eternal destruction”, although the word he used, avadon, meant a place of destruction and ruin, which we MIGHT associate with eternal separation from God. Will the majority of humans destroy their own lives? Or will the majority of humans march happily off to eternal damnation?
There is a great difference. I choose to believe the first scenario. I have no reason to believe such, other than the fact that our heavenly Father is so loving, that he would never desire the loss of one person to eternal destruction.
Each person must pray and seek discernment for themselves. As for me, I read Yeshua warning his disciples that the people have the choice to make their lives a burden or a blessing. But most, will choose the burden because it is the well-trodden way.
Life in the hollow, Sunday
The golden feral cat is currently sleeping in my easy chair. Every few days of the storm, he yowls to be let in. When I open the door, he darts in between my feet and takes over. But he is frivolous. It is sometimes as long as a week or two between his visits.
Before the last storm, I was re-thinking all my visions and imaginings of heavenly beings and, well, kind of determining that I am a lonely and disabled old person with a vivid imagination. I spent a half of a day just enjoying reality while heavy snow fell on the hollow.
Then the white bear popped into my field of vision, just as soon as I decided he, of all things, had to be fiction.
“Me see problem here. Me find new house for kitty.”
Was Spirit Bear taking the cat away from me?
“Cat still here. Me find new house for kitty.”
I didn’t understand until about twelve minutes later, when a loud boom and clattering came from just outside the cabin door. Upon opening the door, I saw that the entire plastic greenhouse had collapsed under the weight of new-fallen snow on its roof.
Apparently, the cats got out of their warm corner in plenty of time. No possum, no raccoon, no bird, and no cat was hurt in the collapse.
I gave up the need to write off my visions as imagination. They are a gift, whether I understand the reason or not. I was about to remove the greenhouse anyway, but I was stalling, because I couldn’t figure out the best way to get started on demolition. Problem solved!
And.
I understand how the majority of people miss the “narrow gate” of Matthew 7. They cannot comprehend God. Our God is the most unusual character in the whole Bible. Nothing I have ever been taught prepared me for his playfulness, his precious forgiveness, or his powerful love.
Life can be a burden or a blessing. The difference is in our acceptance of Yeshua Jesus as messiah, redeemer, and gatekeeper.
Enter by the narrow way. Enter by speaking faith in Yeshua. All else leads to ruin of our own plans.
Enter My Peace 