Inquisition

 Summer is a great time to be outdoors, but when it gets too hot, indoors is best.  Thank you Lord, for central air conditioning.  We are well provided for.
One of the things I like to do is read.  Wendell gave me a Nook for Christmas and I'm using it to the fullest I can.  I also have other books to read, but right now I'm reading 'Fox's Book of Martyrs' which I highly recommend to all Christians.. and non-Christians as well.  One word of warning- it's GORY and will make you  cry.
The one thing that stands out most to me is the willingness that the martyrs had to go to the gallows or to be murdered for the sake of Christ.   The book is about the inquisition, the papacy and what they did to pious non-offending populace.  The horrors are listed.. and they get worse and worse.   I pray that if I should have to endure the persecution for the sake of Christ- what I believe- the truth of the gospel, that I would be as brave as these folk were- even the youngest children who were martyred.   
My other thought is that I believed that we live in a day of the utmost evil, but I'm not so sure of that since reading this book.. or is it that I live in the comfort of the USA and am just not aware of the severe persecution of Christians around the globe.
I believe that what I consider my own persecution is nothing more than an irritation compared to what these people not so long ago had to endure..
So.. I do advise whole-heartedly that all would read this book and have your blinded eyes opened.
Do you know the details of the Inquisition?  Who were the main characters?  Why did they do what they did?  Who was the real author of the Inquisition?  Does it exist today?

How precious are the promises which the Bible contains for the use of those who love God! There is hardly any possible emergency or condition for which it does not have a word of hope and encouragement. And it tells people that God loves to be put in remembrance of these promises, and that if He has said He will do something, His promise will certainly be fulfilled. How blessed are the hopes which the Bible holds out to the believer in Christ Jesus! Peace in the hour of death—rest and happiness on the other side of the grave—a glorious body in the morning of the resurrection—a full and triumphant acquittal in the day of judgment—an everlasting reward in the kingdom of Christ—a joyful meeting with the Lord’s people in the day of gathering together—these, these are the future prospects of every true Christian. They are all written in the book—in the book which is all true.

~ J.C. Ryle

 June has been a wonderful month so far.. today is the 20th and is also the 14th Wedding anniversary of Cory and Wendy Valentine.  Tomorrow marks Wendell and my 43rd anniversary.. time flies when you're having fun.. 
Anyway.. here are the June photos.  The one above is a solitary wasp on my marigolds.. they are non aggressive and actually eat aphids, so they are welcome on my plants.

 Last week Amy,Annabelle, Amanda, Joyce,and I went shopping for Joyce's birthday.. She loaded up on some new duds.. and this week is off to summer camp.  This particular photo was taken at Eat N Park where we had lunch..

 Monday morning.. daybreak.. the sky was exceptionally beautiful at 6am...

 I'm having a seriously rough time with my flowers.. the deer ate this stargazer lily.. all the buds gone.. I have one remaining plant now and though I desire for it to bloom, I'm not going to sweat over it.. if the deer nip it.. so  be it.

 My little garden.. zucchini, tomato, and nasturtiums along the bricks

 An onion ball...

 I bought extra gladiolias this year.. and planted them along my little garden in the concrete blocks..

 Other than the field of potatoes, this is our garden so far.  It has tomatoes in the pools, herbs on another pool.. in the black plastic are more tomatoes and lots of zucchini and peppers.. as well as flowers.   I have no helpers with this project, so don't judge me too harshly..  :(  

 For days Wendell has been watching the hummingbirds.. and was certain he knew where the nest was.. Good eye, honey.. It was exactly where you said it would be.  I took the first picture zoomed in as far as I could.. that nest is golf ball size and quite high up in the tree.

 Here is the nest cropped as far as I could with my camera...

 One of our wrens on their way to the birdhouse and a nest full of baby wrens.  Thomas tried to 'meet' them a few days ago.. was reprimanded for his rude conduct.  He never got to the babies,  but truly, that was his intention.

I am trying hard to understand this today.  I normally make the coffee the night before and in the morning I push the 'on' button and in a few minutes, have my first cup.  Not so this morning.. I discovered a pot of hot water as I had forgotten to put the coffee in the basket last night.  Ugh.  So I dumped the hot water and replaced it with cold, put the coffee in and went to check my email.. 10 min later, no coffee.. I made a mental note to be sure to push the 'on' button for coffee.
Finally I got a cup, had devotions, went for the warmup cup and stepped on the front porch only to see that my nasturtiums have little white insect eggs on them.  I got the Seven and dusted the flowers carefully.. so far so good.. till I set the can down and a cloud of Seven dust rose up and over my coffee... back for cup number 3, but have only had 1 cup so far.
Praying there is reason for all this so far today.. must get washed and dressed.. looking to a beautiful day .. and ways to serve Him better.

Let me speak to those who have not come to Christ—but mean to some day. I marvel at your presumption. Who are you, that talk of some day? You may be dead in a week. Who are you that talk of some day? You may never have the will or opportunity, if not today. How long will you go on halting between two opinions? You must come to Christ some time—some day; why not now? The longer you stay away, the less chance there is of your coming at all; and the less happiness will you have in the world. "Take heed, therefore, lest, a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it" [Heb 4:1]. Many meant to have come in their old age—but put it off until too late.

~ J.C. Ryle

5 Marks of Repentance blog.. J C Ryle

J C Ryle.. one of my favorite Reformed teachers.. this being June 10th, it is the 112th anniversary of his death.
This is a site that discusses just that.

Hell, part 1

Hell, part 1 by Jared Olivetti This is the beginning of a few posts about the terrifying but Biblical truth of hell. Because few doctrines we hold are as volatile and dangerous and important as this, my hope is to cover some of the basics and encourage us to think about how to handle these truths well. How does the Bible picture hell? As Fire: His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. (Mt. 3:12) As Darkness: And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mt. 25:30) As Punishment: And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life. (Mt. 25:46) As Exclusion: They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from(1 )the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might... (2 Thess. 1:9) As Restlessness: And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name. (Rev. 14:11) As Second Death: Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power... (Rev. 20:6) As Weeping & Gnashing Teeth: In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mt. 8:12) Why does the Bible picture hell? The purpose of these pictures is not to give us a paint-by-numbers idea of hell, but rather to give us the sense of it. John Calvin wrote, "by such expressions the Holy Spirit certainly intended to confound all our senses with dread." Here then is our first lesson: we will never be able to handle well these truths if we don'tfeel them. Christians who have never meditated on the awfulness of hell ought to keep silent until they do. It's not that our gravity or sympathy will force the world around us to accept the Bible's teaching in this area--but a lack of gravity and sympathy will give the world around us one more reason to ignore God's Word in this area.

If it fits, it ships

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:3 (NKJV)

The world has such a diminished impression of God. He appears so insignificant to so many. Most people don't even take notice of him. This is why the world needs to see the true details about who God actually is. They need to see Jesus, in His love, His strength, His majesty, and His tender care. Ask the Lord this day to be magnified through your life -- in your joy, in your diligence, even in your setbacks and disappointments.

Lord, reveal Yourself to a watching world through me! As Your life radiates through me, may people catch a glimpse of how large and wondrous You truly are.

http://www.doomandbloom.net/2012/06/3599.html
Baking Soda has many more uses than just baking.  Take a look at this Prepper's blog to find out what more you can expect from this common kitchen article.