“The RoseBouquet”

My business hours are having to flex and bounce with the other things happening. Sometimes they just have to lie down and let me walk over them with other activities. This is the “Home Business” advantage. If you’re the boss, you can re-arrange your agenda.

I did plan last week to give up the weekend for serious, pushing to bring three the work of three clients to a plateau where I could set them aside for a while, and also to catch up on emails. I didn’t get quite to that goal, but much closer. Now one site is back in the hands of the owner who thinks she can do it now after a long tutorial, another one needs two more pages, which I’ll finish tonight, yet another one - just needs a well-written tutorial and it can go back into the owner’s hands too. I am hoping that can happen today as well. Then I’ll go back to my schedule for 2007 and get back some time for my own business ventures again.

I’m including another article on the topic of sisters. I hope you are not weary of that yet. I have a feeling though, that with what we are going through on the home front, my topics may soon shift to caregiving themes. It’s just easier to write about whatever your mind is full of.

Any time I take off an afternoon to go to the city, I fall behind on three hours of email-answering and I have to squeeze in time elsewhere until I get that caught up once more. I’m counting on my friends to be understanding if I seem to neglect them a few days. Fortunately, I have many good friends who are just that - understanding.

Look, they send wonderful emails like this;

“I’m praying for your Dad and for you…..asking for strength and peace of mind through this period. I’ll look forward to reading your Ezine and staying in touch. No need to reply to this unless the spirit moves you to do that. I know you are dealing with a lot of mixed feelings right now and I know you are surrounded by the prayers of many who benefit from your wisdom exactly the way I do!”
Hugs,
Gerry

“A big WHOOPS… I tried to check out the pictures in this weeks email and could not do so… it is written in html. See below… So I clicked on your address but instead hit the wrong address and unsubscribed myself Then I resubscribed myself!! I hope I’m still on your list and get to see the pictures of the snow.. I did read about the lump in your Dad’s larynx… Keep positive thoughts about this, and when he gets his operation it will be that the lump is negative. I’ll be doing a lot of praying for you and your Dad.” Tess

I do have a positive joy in the knowledge that our loving Heavenly Father is in charge and is going to work everything out for our good and for His glory and praise! However, I agree with our doctor B. that the specialist is not likely to operate in Dad’s case. He’s a diabetic and less than a month from 91 - he probably would not recover. Besides Dad is very squeamish about pain. When he hurts, he wants to die.

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I can recall being left to babysit my younger siblings when I was only six or seven. My first memory like that goes back to when we were on the farm and had no electricity. Instead there was a kerosene lamp on the table, and although I could turn it down dimmer when we were all in bed, I remember the shadows the whiffs of smoke made on the ceiling and that they played a part in my nightmares.

I’m told that although I had two younger brothers and a sister, when I was eleven I had prayed for a new baby sister. When she arrived, shortly after we had moved into town, Mom put her into my arms, and said, “Here’s the baby sister you prayed for.” I was ecstatic. I would get to love her and play with her, and have a bosom buddy. Oh, we’d do so much together!

Erma became my responsibility most of the time from then on. I cooed to her, rocked and sang to her, changed her diapers, and almost 100% of the time, adored my baby sister. However the romance of it all did wear off, and mainly I learn to be mature and to see danger like an adult mom, to scold and to insist it had to be thus and so, or we’d be in trouble with Mom and Dad. I suppose the impact was greater because I was often left to babysit, not just Erma, but also my two brothers, Ernie and Tommy, and my sister Elsie who was five years younger than I.

There were moments when I ground my teeth and wished I could go out to play with the neighbourhood kids on the vacant lot across the back alley. If I thought she’d fallen asleep and laid her in her crib, and dashed off to play, I could soon expect to hear Mom calling from the door, to come back. Erma was awake.

Wholeheartedly, I looked forward to being all grown up. Still, there were moments when I wondered why I couldn’t remember being a baby or a little girl carried around on someone’s arm.

Now in later years, especially as I’ve dug into family history, I’ve made a discovery. I come from a long, l-o-n-g line of oldest sisters. It’s true. I’ve got “Big Sister” blood flowing in my veins.

Mom had an older brother, but was the oldest girl in a family of eleven children. When she was ten her parents had their seventh, another baby boy. She had to stay home from school to kneed the dough for the family’s weekly bread supply. She cried into the dough while her Dad stood over her to make sure she stayed until the dough was the right texture and ready to set for proofing.

Another time she also had to help hold down her six year old brother Jacob when he had a Grand Mal Seizure and died. There are many other stories of being the responsible one.

My life is an echo of Mom’s, although I’ve not experienced the severe pioneering times of that era. I’m beginning to understand that there is a special role for strong-character, sensible, mature and loving older sisters. But what exactly is our role? Where is that fine line between being the wonderful glue that holds a fragile family together, and being the bossy, manipulative ogre that some big sisters become?

My maternal grandmother, Elisabeth, was also an oldest sibling, and her mother, Anna, was third-born, but the first sister died as an infant, so she and her next older sister were very close and shared responsibilities when their mother died, and a step-mother came in. My paternal grandmother, Maria,was the oldest sister in the Spenst family (and my Dad their first-born), and her mother, Elizabeth was a first-born too, with her mother being the only sister to three brothers. You see, I come from a long line of these older sisters. I’ve only given you a small sampling.

Now I’m asking myself; does this mean I have inherited a dominant gene or are there just little skills and character traits that is handed down from one generation to another?

Looking around at the friends I have, including the ones I’ve populated my novel with, I see that I hit it off best with people who are also first-borns, particularly the oldest sister. We have similar family values. We understand the importance of the rules and making everyone toe the line. When we start something we finish it.

You know what? I’m proud to be an older sister! It has it’s challenges, but the role suits me now, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

……….
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The same day Jesus’ mother and brothers couldn’t get close to Him, He went down to the lake to teach. The crowd kept growing, so He got into a boat. The water provided a great acoustic effect. The people probably stood or sat on the slope of a hill, making it an ampi-theatre. All could see and hear him. No electronic sound system was necessary.

Another reason to admire Jesus’ wisdom. His sermons weren’t dry. He used parables, or stories with meaning. Those who missed the meaning, would enjoy it and likely would ponder it later.

They could all identify with the farmer and his sowing method. But broadcasting in wide arcs from the hand, did not guarantee that all the seed would produce. What fell on hardened paths was exposed to the birds, who ate those seeds. What fell on rocky soil might be out of sight of the birds, but didn’t have the depth of soil to put down roots. Although those seeds might sprout, they soon withered and died in the sunshine. Other seeds feel among the weeds, and again, they might start, but were crowded and choked out by those more powerful weeds.

Still, a good portion of that broadcast seed would fall on good soil, it would sprout, take root, and each seed become a new plant that could produce 100 or 60 or just 30 times as many new seeds.

Jesus said this was for those who have ears to ear, or understand. Do you see the spiritual meaning in this illustration? Do I?

PRAYER: Lord, I see several. The seed is the Word of God, the farmer is like those of us who believe in Your Son, and are eager to spread this gospel. However, not everyone we share the good news with, is receptive the same way. Lord, some ignore it outright, and Satan snatches it away. What a shame!

Some are so absorbed in their difficulties, the Word of God doesn’t take root in them. Some try to trust You, but Your Word is crowded out by evil things. Happily, a lot of seed falls on fertile souls. It takes root and bears a wonderful harvest. Keep us sowing!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Oh, how sweet to have a friend who’d drop everything and come when you need her. Ruthe, the heroine of this novel, dashes away from her own grad when her friend Muriel calls. Don’t you wish you had a loyal, caring friend like that? Buy and READ Ruthe’s Secret Roses! e-Book edition Softcover edition.

There was this small incident with Jesus. Matthew saw it and recorded it in his gospel, and many people have pointed to it for its profound meaning.

While Jesus was teaching or speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood on the outside edges wanting to speak to Him. Whether a chain reaction of nudging was set off by His brothers perhaps, as I have seen in a crowded place, I don’t know. But someone did eventually point out to Jesus that His family was waiting to see Him.

Jesus took this for a teaching moment. Without losing a beat, He asked those around him a question; “who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to His disciples He said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in Heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”

It doesn’t take a lot of wits to understand the point he was making. Jesus thinks of anyone who chooses to follow Him and obey His teaching as His family members.

So. Have you decided to trust Jesus to be your Christ, your Saviour? Do you desire to follow Him, and obey His teaching? Then you are a member of Jesus’ personal family.

If you are a woman, Jesus loves and cares for you as He did and does, for His own mother. If you are a young man or woman, Jesus thinks of you as His brother or sister.

We need to look at the implications of this. What is my role as Jesus’ sister? Does this give me better access to Him for intimacy and help? Do we have certain responsibilities to our family name?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I know I have claimed You for a dear Friend and Confidante, but I don’t think I’ve paid much attention being a member of Your family. You say that whoever does the will of the Father in Heaven is a family member. I desire to please and be in fellowship with both You, Jesus, and the Father.

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. What high school grad would skip her banquet to dash away to help a friend in a crisis? Would you? Ruthe does this right at the beginning of this story. She can be quite daring for a shy, small town girl, when it is for others’ sakes. You’ll like her spunk! Get “Ruthe’s Secret Roses.” the softcover at Booklocker.com

The Pharisees and teachers of their law wanted a miraculous sign from Jesus. He understood their motives in that He called them a wicked and adulterous generation. He said they already had a sign, the only one they would get, and it was Jonah’s three days and nights in the belly of a great fish.

With the benefit of history we can see now how that was a fore-shadow of Jesus’ own three days and nights in the grave, but they will not have caught on just then.

Jesus went on though, to add that the people of Nineveh, who repented when they heard God’s verdict on their sin through Jonah, will be able to point to these people and criticize them for rejecting one who is greater than Jonah.

Furthermore, the Queen of the South (from Sheba, or Ethiopia) will be able to condemn this generation, because they have one greater than Solomon here, and don’t recognize His greatness.

Next Jesus adds a lesson in how spirits operate. When an evil spirit is evicted out of a man, it goes seeking another human body to dwell in. If it returns and finds that the man he left has not been filled with the good, Holy Spirit, that he is spiritually empty yet, it will move in, and other evil cronies to join it. That man’s state will be worse than it was before with just one evil spirit - or bad habit.

Do you see the extreme danger of not filling yourself with good things, and not inviting the Holy Spirit to abide in you?

PRAYER: Oh Lord God, with all haste I want to ask that You cleanse me of any and all evil spirits that may be lurking in me, and fill me right to the brim with Your own precious Holy Spirit. May the fruit of Your Spirit fill every nook, and every moment of my life, so that there is no room for evil spirits to sneak in and find a lodging place in me!

Grant discernment to recognize the influences and activity of evil spirits. I want to be on guard!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. How can you be sure you would like an e-book before you pay for it? In a store you’d stand and read a couple of chapters first, right? Sit down, take your time; READ eight chapters of Ruthe’s Secret Roses for free!

First Jesus pointed out a principle from nature. If you make a tree to be good, its fruit will be good. If you make a tree to be bad in its very essence, the fruit is guaranteed to be bad. Trees are defined by the fruit they bear. It’s as simple as that.

Then He takes us from something we know to something we may not know yet. The very same principle applies in our own lives. It’s just that instead of fruit hanging from physical appendages, our fruit is the words we speak. It’s our words that show others what we really are inside, good, or bad.

Do you really, really understand that? So often the words flow from us like water when we’re washing our hands. The second they are out of our mouth we forget what we’ve said, and don’t consider their intrinsic value at all. Or for that matter all the words that pass through our minds!

Jesus is saying that people will be able to tell if we are good or bad on the inside, by the words that come out of us. Not only that, but He adds that some day we’ll have to give an account before God for every careless or casual word we’ve ever said.

Quite a few people think that it is their deeds, good or bad, that will determine their spiritual future after this life. But Jesus says it’s our words that make or break our destiny.

How does this affect our salvation? Well, the Bible is still true when it says we must personally believe that Jesus died for us, to take away our sins. But how is anyone to know that we believe and receive Christ as our eternal substitute if we never say so?

Speaking about our faith confirms it, and strengthens our faith so it grows stronger.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to have a better grasp of my words as fruit. I admit that I need to be changed on the inside, so good words will come out naturally. Please, Lord Jesus, transform the essence of me from the inside out to be like You!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. Do you eat novels like chocolates? Here’s one with both weight and excellent flavour! For a satisfying treat, read Ruthe’s Secret Roses

This is the famous unpardonable sin passage that has been a stumbling block to so many. I don’t think we should avoid it, but let’s proceed carefully.

Jesus continues (from the previous passage), “And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.”

Blaspheme; to reproach or to bring railing accusation against anyone is bad enough; to speak lightly or carelessly of God is a mortal sin. (Jewish definition). The Jews for centuries were so afraid of doing that, they avoided speaking the name of God, so now the correct pronunciation has been lost. They made a sacred teragrammaton, YHWH, by leaving out the vowels. This appears 6,000 times in their scriptures. Jehovah appears only half a dozen times in the King James version and all the others use LORD.

Jesus defines blasphemy more clearly; any sin is forgivable, even saying bad things about Him, but constantly resisting and rejecting the Holy Spirit (who is to convict us and bring us to repentance) - that sin will never be forgiven. Not now, and not in the after life.

Some say this sin cannot be committed by Christians. It assumes once people have repented and accepted Christ as their Saviour, they never have a change of mind or attitude. I say they do!

It isn’t as common for a believer to turn away the Holy Spirit once they’ve tasted the blessed life with Him, but I know of those who have. God would not be just if He ignored their change of heart or apostasy.

PRAYER: Oh Lord, I can’t imagine myself turning away from You after all You’ve done for me. Help me to always stay close to You, and to hear and obey Your voice promptly. Let me never commit this awful sin!

+++++Jesus is my King+++++Jesus is my King+++++

Blessings on you Today!
Ruth Marlene Friesen

P.S. You’ve heard of power naps at work, right? You rise refreshed, bright and alert. Take a break to refresh your spirit with a good inspirational story.

Today it is a month since Dad lost his voice. He does speak, but as a hoarse whisper, which costs him about as much effort as if he were trying to shout. Yesterday we finally got to see the specialist we were being referred to. That’s a long story, but I’ll spare you the details. Enough that I was sure it was an answer to prayer when Dr. Spafford’s office called on Monday afternoon and asked if we could come in to see him at St. Paul’s Hospital in Saskatoon Tuesday afternoon at 2:30. That suited me perfectly as we were already planning to go into the city for a bit of shopping, and in the evening I had my Board meeting to attend at WTM, which comes once every other month. We could do it all in one trip!

It didn’t take Dr. Spafford long to get a little camera down Dad’s nostril and he had a good look at his larynx. He did not find the mass or growth that Dr. Bishop had seen on the 5th, but he said Dad’s left vocal cord is paralyzed. No nut down there, and he didn’t believe the chocolate Dad ate had anything to do with this. Mere coincidence.

However he couldn’t tell what caused this, or what to do next until he had the results of two other tests. He sent us to a lab on Wall St. hoping we could get in without an appointment. Happens they like to accommodate Dr. Spafford whenever they can, so we got in and were done in half an hour! One was an ultra-sound of Dad’s throat and I was allowed to watch. The other was an x-ray and I had to stay out of that room - naturally.

So I’ll call Dr. Spafford’s office this afternoon and see if he’s got the results and when we should come in again. Meantime I had some keen interest in the pictures of our storm last week - the worst in 51 years! Unfortunately, not everyone on the ezine edition mailing list saw my apology email the next day in which I gave the link to the pictures on the blog site, so I’ll give that here again, Watching Last Week’s Storm

Now here’s a link to see the pictures I took last Thursday, the day after the Big Storm of 2007. In my hurry yesterday I was only able to pick a few. The temperatures got so bitterly cold (i.e. -29 C) that it was hard to handle the camera outside. Yesterday and today we’re at -5 C which is much MUCH more comfortable, but of course so much snow removal has taken place, that the landscape has changed since the storm aftermath. After the Storm of 2007

I’ve been plodding along at listing the URLs, with descriptions and keywords, of all my sites, and those I look after for others, and also my affiliate links and so forth. So far I’m still just listing at BigDaddyFriends.net. I haven’t got to all the others, but I keep telling myself that it will be much easier then, because I’m putting all these URLs, descriptions and keywords in one plain text file as I produce them. So when I go to list them at the other social bookmarking sites (as I described last week), it will be merely a matter of copying and pasting over and over.

Article-writing is high on my priorities. Last week I started one on Big Sisters, or as some prefer to say, older sisters. After a couple of days I realized it was going in too many directions. I took another look at it. What d’you know?! There’s material for three or four articles in this! Today I’ll share the first one with you in Ruthe’s Roses.

I’ve also been busy trying to fit in time for all these new ministry/clients I’ve gained recently. If it weren’t for the peace of the Lord, I could get quite overwhelmed by it all. Fortunately, I can pause any time to discuss it with Him, and I really feel that I’m doing this work WITH Him instead of on my own.

Of course, my clients deserve some privacy, and so I will not discuss their situations here. Just take my word for it, I have a very interesting life! Sometimes I have a ring-side, front-row seat to some miracles too!

In the bathroom I’m reading a book on the Hallelujah Factor, (by Jack R. Taylor) and I’m discovering that there is real value in praising God about every little thing. It just seems that more good things start happening.

My goal in 2007 is to test out the promise in Luke 6:38. Look it up and ask yourself, what would it look or feel like to have blessings poured into your lap like that? I already know I can’t outgive God, but now I want to see what’s it’s like to fully experience that promise.