visit chelowens.com for the monthly terrible poetry contest.
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visit chelowens.com for the monthly terrible poetry contest.
Potatoes 2022
Today is the 25th of September. It was a lovely day with the afternoon in the mid seventies. A stiff breeze was making a rustling noise in the fields of drying Iowa corn. I decided to dig my red-skinned potatoes. The vines had given their last hurrah mid month.
Some had asked me about storage through the winter. I have knocked together a rack (on casters) in the basement that uses large restaurant bus tubs for shelves.
I have found potatoes keep better if one doesn’t wash them before storage. I just rub off the excess soil when I dig them. I Sort them for size and (some for condition). I throw a mover’s blanket over the rack to minimize light. I have the rack in a basement room where the lights can be kept off most of the time. There is a small east-facing window, but we keep a heavy drape over it.
Lest you think they all look like they came from the supermarket in a bag…
The box contains small potatoes that will probably go in stews or the crock pot without being peeled. The dozen or so in the foreground were damaged by marauding thirteen-line ground squirrels. They will probably be used first as mashed potatoes after paring away the damage.
Think he looks innocent? Think again!
Government’s View of Citizen Intelligence
Make a Difference: Move the Mountain
33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. [John 16]
3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: 5 To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. [Galatians 1]
1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; [1 Timothy 2]
14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: [1 John 5]
22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. [Mark 11]
Reading: Declaration of Independence
- Third annual reading by various local public servants, Oskaloosa Iowa
- Patriotic Music
- Fun for all!
Foolish Arrogance
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man holds it in check. Proverbs 29:11
Me: Hello Father!
Abba: Good afternoon, Jon!
Me: Father, what is the relationship between being foolish and being arrogant?
Abba: The scripture points out that “the fear of the Lord” is the beginning of Wisdom. (Wisdom is an antonym of foolishness.)
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 1:7
5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
Proverbs 3
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
7 Be not wise in thine own eyes (arrogant): fear the Lord and depart from evil.
8 It shall be health to thy navel [1], and marrow [2] to thy bones.
Even as the umbilical sustained you in the womb, your connection to Me will sustain you in life. You did not create the umbilical connection before your birth. That is of My wisdom. You will not sustain yourself in life as I intend if you persist in your own strength.
Me: Thank You Father! I love You!
Abba: You are welcome! I love you!
[1] Literally, umbilical. Figuratively, the center of strength
[2] Marrow produces blood cells (health and life)
Upheld
I am grateful for the revelation that You love us; that You ARE love. This is direction in Deuteronomy, is only right.
Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deuteronomy 6:4-5
Me: Good evening, Jesus!
Jesus: Good evening, Jon!
Me: Please forgive my frequent inattention and my various distractions from being consciously in Your presence. I am grateful to be in Your presence even if sometimes unconsciously.
Jesus: When I said that I would never leave you nor forsake you, I told you an eternal fact.
Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. John 14:17-19
For the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people. 1 Samuel 12:22
And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel. 1 Kings 6:13
And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee. Psalm 9:10
For the Lord loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off. Psalm 37:28
For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance. Psalm 94:14
It has ever been thus: I Am Faithful and True.
And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. Isaiah 41:10
Me: Thank You Jesus! I love you! Thank You for holding Your own so securely!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you!
No Murmuring
I am grateful for the recent rejection of the OSHA “vaccine” mandate by Iowa and by the Supreme Court for employees of larger businesses.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.
Philippians 2:14-16
Me: Good evening Jesus!
Jesus: Good evening Jon!
Me: The phrase “all things” covers a lot of territory!
Jesus: Yes it does. What do you think murmurings are?
Me: Expressing anger under one’s breath?
Jesus: Secret anger. It assumes grudging compliance. Disputings are doubting questions about what ought to be done.
Back up a couple of verses and see the context of these things.
Me:
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
Philippians 2:12-13
Jesus: So you see, the “all things” that are to be done cheerfully with a willing heart are those things that I Am working in you to further your growth in salvation (sanctification). How will these actions be done with that kind of attitude, for discipline is not enjoyable in the moment?
Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Hebrews 12:11
These instances of exercise (discipline) will only be embraced as you see them as from Me for your perfection. You will be cheerful about them in as much as you delight in your relationship with Me.
Me: I pray health-care workers will find protection from vaccine mandates, as they have been treated differently under the law than other citizens. Please let them find equal protection!
Jesus: Had you not come to the conviction that you would not “practice taking the mark”, no matter the outcome of decisions about the mandate?
Me: Yes, without doubt.
Jesus: And you were trusting Me for the outcome, not the decisions of courts?
Me: With full conviction!
Jesus: Then pray, also, that healthcare workers will be strengthened in their relationship with Me. I will uphold. My promises are true. My plan is steadfast.
For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
2 Corinthians 1:20
Me: I will. Thank You, Jesus! I love You!
Jesus: You are welcome! I love you!
Are We…
The story of the arrival of Covid the Cat. He was starving when he came in June of 2020. This morning he weighed in at 12.0#
Late this summer, Vander (below) showed up in the barn. We are nearly sure he is a sibling of Covid due the the apparent age and the similarity of facial markings and exactly matching colors. We don’t know if he had been fending for himself all this time, or was recently put out. He was pretty skinny. This morning, I weighed him at 12.6#.
You can’t tell in this right-side picture, but Vander has some tan tabby splotches on his back.
Mansions Above are not Real Estate
I am grateful, Jesus, for the place prepared!
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
John 14
Me: Good morning, Jesus!
Jesus: Good morning, Jon!
Me: I thank you for Your prompting to investigate the Greek behind “mansions” in John 14:2! I have never lived in a mansion, and frankly, this passage has never resonated much with me, until now.
Jesus: Yes, many have not felt the desire to seek after a fancy place to call home. But as you found out, I was talking about the marvelous and unmatched privilege of you personally, permanently abiding in relationship with the Father, and with Me, and with the Holy Spirit; all the fullness of God. The culmination of my preparation occurred at the cross, as I told Thomas:
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
John 14
In fact, all the rest of John 14 consists of my efforts to get the disciples to look past the impending terror of the cross to the fullness of the abiding life that I Am making possible.
You should look upon the translators with grace. Words fail any effort to describe the majestic panorama of the union I Am promising and is growing even now.
Me: Thank You Jesus! Thank You! I love You!
Jesus: You are welcome! Welcome home! I love you!
Missionary Sojourn 