Why My Backyard Fence?

When I was a child, neighbors would visit with one another over their backyard fences. There would be a fence on either side and one in the back. These fences were not barriers to keep others out, but rather a means to define one's property. Sharing with a neighbor a smile or perhaps a story, or even a piece of pie was not uncommon. I love people and hope to bring joy and encouragement to my Friends and Neighbors over "MyBackyardFence." And, yes, I now live in the Oregon Outback. Beautiful place.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

THIS MORNING'S DREAM

Early this morning, I had one of the most vivid dreams I have had in a long time. It wasn’t necessarily a nightmare but was definitely unsettling. As in a lot of dreams, upon wakening, you can relate some of the incidences to real life experiences; some you recently went through or were facing in the future. Somehow, they were present in your mind. You tell yourself that is the reason for the dream. Or, perhaps it was something you ate before you went to bed that night. Whatever the reason, you did in fact have the dream. In mine, I found myself in a dark, musty environment. I was surrounded by strangers, some of them evil. There were rats and everything was wet. It was an old city, mostly brick with dim lighting in every building I entered. I knew I had a doctor’s appointment mid morning. It was still dark outside and I needed to get home. I was carrying my little dog, Rusty because I didn’t have his leash and harness. For some reason my cell phone would not work after turning it off and back on again. I needed to call Albert, my husband because something horrible was happening to me. I couldn’t remember my address or where my street was located or what street I lived on. I couldn’t remember Albert’s number. Panic began to set in. I tried to keep my mind under control. I asked a man to help but soon realized his intentions would not be such. As I walked up dark, muddy streets searching through my mind for answers, I dropped Rusty. He started to drink from the water that was running through the street. As I looked down I saw the dead rats floating in the water and grabbed him up into my arms. I was so afraid and there was no way out. I had completely lost all sense of direction and even if I had had it, I would not have known how to follow it. My mind was blank to anything that would help me. At my most desperate moment, a ray of hope… some numbers began to enter my psyche. It was our home phone number. Then I realized that Albert was not at home. I searched my memory for his cell number. Again, the nothingness returned. There I remained, groping around in the darkness for any sign of help. There was none. And then I awoke. I wish I could have told you that my dream had a happy ending, but it didn’t. Earlier that morning I had been interceding for people who have rejected Jesus as their Savior. I was meditating on the second Greatest Commandment in the Bible which is to “love your neighbor as yourself”. As I was awakened from my dream, I was reminded of the Rich Man and Lazarus that Jesus spoke of in Luke Chapter 16.The Rich Man had died and was in a place of forever torment. When he begged to have Lazarus even to cool the tip of his tongue with water from the heat of the flames, Father Abraham told him in essence, it is impossible. Lazarus is in comfort from his suffering and you are in torment. See, both men had died. One had received all he had desired in “this life” but rejected God. The other was poor in “this life” but had walked with the Lord. After the Rich Man had begged and begged to no avail, he pleaded with the Father of our Faith, Abraham, to send Lazarus to his five brothers and WARN them so that they would not enter this place of torment. Abraham told him basically speaking, that his brothers had been taught the truth from the beginning but did not believe so they were not going to believe even if a dead man came to them. How sad! How tragic! My dream has given me a chilling feel of what is in store for those who reject the Cross of Christ! The Cross has been spoken of through that Crimson Thread through the entire Old and New Testament and spoken through the Servants of God for generation upon generation and yet there are those who reject the Faith. Hebrews 3:12&13 tells us: “Take care, brothers (family of God), lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” None of us should take pride and think we will stand. Even Jesus, when he was walking as a man knew his weakness. Hebrews 5:7, “In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his REVERENCE.” We are to humble ourselves before God and REVERENCE HIM above ALL. “Love the Lord your God with ALL your HEART, SOUL, MIND AND STRENGTH and LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Christ’s love COMPELLS me to write this to you all as a warning and as a plea to warn others. Jesus IS coming soon. What will be our HEART condition when he shows up? “But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep (stay, remain, abide stand firm) yourselves in the LOVE of GOD, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to ETERNAL LIFE.” Jude 25:20&21.  I love you all with the Love of the Lord and write to you as the Holy Spirit leads to the Glory of God.