2 Timothy 3 ~ Training

2 Timothy 3

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4 treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.

 Avoid such people. 

6 For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. 

8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith. 9 But they will not get very far, for their folly will be plain to all, as was that of those two men.

10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted

13 While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 

14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Raise your hand if....we will ALL have last days on earth.  

Exactly.

This is one of those "last days Posts" willing to scoot back and forth like a needle in needlepoint, to make the point and thread the piece.

Lately, we have had a child teenager Opossum coming to the bird feeder about 9 to 10 p.m., and the Opossom child loves the seeds the birds toss from the bird feeder. I keep thinking if our Opossom becomes a regular, I will put out a peanut butter sandwich, as I did for the great-great grandmother of this Opossom when she was expecting and then brought around her baby for about a summer to winter season. Then we had the Opossum child.

This Opossom is different from the others and has a very dark grey coat. 

My grandfather was born in his home, Oak Square, and delivered by his father, who had gone to medical school at Tulane.  His father promptly fell in love with a new product called Coca-Cola and found it contained cocaine. It was the drug of happiness! And my great grandfather began to load the county with the new drug of happiness, it had no consequences and was only happiness. For a time. And then there was a secondary set of research. When my great-grandfather found the drug of happiness was left out of Cocaine Cola, then he had to talk everyone back to regular earth. Unfortunately, he was addicted. To overcome his addiction, he headed off with the Rough Riders of Teddy Roosevelt to be the Army Physician. The Doctor for the men who had lead bullets shoot off their arms and legs in the Spanish American War. His letters said he had no time to be addicted anymore in the horror.

Dr. Anderson met a General, from Colombia, who had volunteered on the American side and he had saved the life of his son.  And after the war was over, the General invited him to partner with him in a mahogany tree farm. A good sized one. This caused my great-grandmother to be in a very high management snit. Leaving her at home while he went out to explore the land, to have the carriage give way and the horse with Great-Grandfather, they all fell to their death.

Before this happened, there were beautiful photos of my grandfather with the cast iron horse ornaments. Grandfather held the reins, pretending to be his doctor father, going out at all hours to help the people of their county with medical needs.

The next chapter of Grandfather's life was to be led to Sewanee Military Academy before he turned 7 years old, as his widowed mother felt he needed to be around men. They would never be family again. My grandfather spent 3 days a week with the 50 men going to hunt, shoot, fish or fly an airplane. He never invited my own father because he was having his weekends. 

Grandfather also attended the University of the South, the grown-up part of Sewanee Military Academy for the youths. And there he became known as Poss. Short for opossum. His roommates were my great-uncle Bob and my step-grandfather Tate. My grandmother's 2nd husband, about 15 years after widowhood. These were the days of, "Lantern on the Levee." No one ever would say how Poss got the nickname. But he was part of the Volunteer Fire Department of Sewanee.  Everyone got a huge hoot out of it. My father said no one would ever tell him how it began, ever. And about then Daddy would go smoke a cigar and quit speaking.  Looking upset and morose. 

Tonight we went out to Celebrate and on the way home, a big white Opossom ran pell-mell into oncoming traffic. Flying to land in the center of the 2-lane road and wave its feet. In our childhood, you did not stop for this. Only blood and ugliness would occur. When I lived in Pennsylvania, you did not stop. It far and away exceeded 2 counties travel to the veterinarian. And there were no evening hours. No Saturday afternoon or Sunday hours. And besides, we were told in high school, lots of rednecks deliberately aim for what they call vermin or points.

And that has caused us pain, to think of preventable death. As just cruelty. 

Tonight, the Opossom needed help. Edward said no. And the car battery was dead. Words were spoken loudly. Finally, I agreed to take the other car and not stop to find the car had been hit at night. As I went back the 2 blocks, I found the Opossum had died in as much blood as the Opossum possessed. And the poor little white Opossum had made it to the shoulder of the road, with a look at the center, where life had changed forever. The death pose was familiar, looking like someone had swerved to the shoulder and crushed the Opossum. 

The silver lining is, the Opossom died, very swifty, from making the choice to bolt across the road for no apparent reason. And then to try to live, and yet, to look back as life ebbed, so very quickly, away.

No one had tried to harm the misunderstood Opossum. In fact, someone returned with a box and blankets, antibiotics, and a Hope of Life. Not run over by someone with harm. 

Social media does not matter all that much.

But we are now equipped and ready to help wildlife when needed. It's like Monty Python says, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life." And whistle like "The Sound of Music." For training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Abba, Father,

Who redeems your life 

from the pit

and 

crowns you 

with love and compassion

Father,

we ask for the Holy Spirit

to dwell first in our lives,

and 

ask Your mercy and grace

upon us who ask

for Your Love and Favor

in Jesus Christ's

Holy Spirit.

Dwell in me,

Dwell in us,

Dwell in those we Love,

Help us to seek You first.

And we will finish well, in Jesus Christ. 

With Your Help, 

evidence unseen, 

we believe Jesus walks on water.

Praying for the healing

of the entire Kirk Family,

both of Charlie's parents,

his wife Erika

and their 2 small children.

Charlie's sister,

his extended family.

And HIS Extended family

in

The God of All Salvation.

Healing, Lord Jesus.

God Bless you

and The Lord

Keep you.

HEAL OUR NATION

For Children in their Schools, all safety.

For those who protect and defend the USA,

protect us from evil.

Let evil and practicing evil

depart far from us

and our children.

And our families,

Thank You, Father,

for Your Good Will.

And hearing our prayers.

Those who protect

and defend

All The Word of God.

Freedom in our Churches.

Wholeness

Holy.

Goodness.

And the Nations of the world,

Your Good Creation,

Calling upon You.

Lord Jesus Christ,

Worldwide Peace

Prosperity and

Peace.

Oh Lord Jesus,

Our Father,

Holy Spirit

Amen and Amen and Amen

Thank YOU

We pray that as a Nation,

as a Community,

as a Church,

as a Neighborhood,

we share what You would have us share.

ADOPTION FOREVER
AND NOT FOR A CHRISTMAS SEASON.

A CHOICE TO LOVE.

A SENIOR FOR A SENIOR
WITH THEIR PERMISSION.

And in this communal sharing,

Your Good Creation would see

better weather.

Rain shared instead of flood.

Removing drought.

Texas is very dry recently.

More for us all, praying for rain! Father!

Warmth shared

instead of unusual cold

storms.

Thank You, Father.

Prayer does work,

Thank You, Lord

 for hearing us.

Bless this

Good Creation,

Father,

let the storms of

destruction

and drought

pass us all by.

And prayers

for my back

are greatly appreciated

Thank You.

Thank You, Father,

for Your Help, Helper,

Comfort, Comforter.

Lord Jesus Christ!

We ask in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Our Father!

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord

is the Spirit,

and

where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is Freedom.

And in Jesus - this Hope, 

Faith and Love - we will rise up believing Jesus. 

Amen.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Yes, The Lord Fulfills His Purpose

Thank You, Jesus

†