How close can you be?

  I was in a room and it was dark. I was in a cave and it was really dark.  The other morning I was listening to a local radio station, they had a optometrist as a guest, she said "If the eye is in total darkness for too long, you will go blind, because the eye needs light to keep working."  How important is light? Who is the true light?
  In the last three blogs, I told about how The Lord used people to shed some light on my life, (one was an old friend, and two were strangers).  Writing this blog has been a eye opener for me, I always said that the sermon needs to preach to the preacher, if it doesn't it is of the flesh.   If it does,  it is of the Holy Spirit.  We don't want anything that gives instruction to be of the flesh!  And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matthew 15:14(KJV)
  If the sun didn't shine on the earth, it would take only a short time and all life would cease.  Light is as important  as water and air, on the natural side of life.  On the spiritual side of life it is also necessary.  Remember when I wrote that God had shown me that I had little compassion?  In writing the blogs, He is ministering to us, and we feel a closeness to Him, the closer we get, the brighter the light, the brighter the light, the more sin is revealed.  When we are closest to God, we realize how undone we are of ourselves.
  When the Pharisees brought the adulteress woman to Jesus, and He started to write in the sand, He was shedding light on their sin, and they all left. (read John12: 1-11) After they were gone He said to her "Go and sin no more".  Light from The Son has power to reveal sin, and to heal and forgive!  I need to make myself more available to "His Light Through His Word!"  The very next verse after the adulteress woman account He declares, " I Am the Light of the world: he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life." John 8: 12(KJV)
  The closer you get to God, the brighter the light, and sin will be revealed!! It's a good thing!                 

The Plan.

  God's plan for our lives starts before our birth. He knows who will play a part in it, and how it will end.  As I wrote the last two blogs, God started to show me the importance of what we call the little things.
  We have relationships for a far bigger place in our lives than we will ever know on this side of Glory.  The Parents we have, our brothers, sisters, children, and grandchildren, everyone that we know are players in our journey.  It doesn't matter if they are high profile or are homeless, they all play a part in our development.  As Christians we need every experience that God gives us. He knows what He wants us to learn from each personal contact we make.
  I want to talk about three people. The first is a young girl that was our neighbor, the Church Basement Lady, and Arnold.
  The girl now is a young woman with children of her own, a stay-at-home mom, and a dear friend to our ministry.  Sharron, you are a great encouragement to Pat and me, sometimes when I am writing our blog, I think of all the things that God has helped you through in life.  I won't mention them but God has been good to you, and we want to encourage you to continue growing in The Lord.
  The Church Basement Lady.  I don't know how many times you have performed your part, but when you were in Watertown, South Dakota, your part made me aware of a void that I had in my life.  If  I would have missed the show, I would not have the compassionate heart I have today.  May God richly bless you in your endeavors
  To my friend Arnold.  If I would have known when you allowed me to take your picture, that it was going to have such a impact on my life, I would have been kinder and more loving.  You don't even know me, but I will always call you my friend.  I feel very close to you even though I don't know where you are,  or even if you are still alive.  But I ask for God's richest blessings on you.  I pray for you and know that you were used by God to give me a richer life.
  When it's all said, and done, you three people have been used of God to build His Kingdom.   "Well done thou good and faithful servants!!"
      
   

The Lady in the Basement , and Arnold.

   Have you ever wondered;  "Why do I have problems with certain sins"?  Hebrews 12:1, says "The sin which does so easily beset us".(KJV) (partial quote) In my journey through life I believe, there are certain Sins, that I have a bent towards, maybe you are different, but we don't have to be slaves to thous sins. 'There Is a Answer"!!
  When I went to The Ladies In The Church Basement Christmas, (I suggest you see) I didn't know that it would start the Sanctifying process in my heart.  And when I chose the picture of my friend Arnold, the process would continue.  Does God care about us?
   I want to give a few examples that are a part of my personal testimony.  As a man, I have had a wandering eye; I liked looking at the ladies too much.  I am blessed with a wonderful wife.   Most would have left me, but she fought for me (with closed eyes and folded hands).  I have walked down the aisle of marriage four times; my sin took me much farther then I wanted to go.   But I had a bent toward that sin, (notice I had), but don't be deceived, Satan knows my weakness, and always has a pretty girl standing by to tempt me.  It's time to respond, not to react.   In the past reacting has cost more than I wanted to pay.  Is it simple? Not always, because sin is complex, but the resolve is simple.
   Remember when I said tears filled my eyes while relating the story of Arnold?  To me that is a indication of the presence of God.  I was looking for a certain Scripture, and opened to this one.  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14(KJV) The quicker I respond to the Spirit, the closer I am to God.
   When God shows us a fault that is a road block, the Sanctifying process begins again, and when we respond, the road block is removed.  This process will go on the rest of my life.  It will end when Glorification happens, the end of my human life.
  Some might ask; "Was he saved?"   Yes!  There is a way to deal with sin, it's simple, but not easy.  In searching the Bible the only solution that I have found, is to deny self, and place my faith in what Christ did for me on the Cross.  It's easy to say, "He did it all for me,"  but hard to place our faith above self.
   If God didn't touch my heart in the area of compassion, (the story of Arnold) and instead, self took over,  I would just give everyone with a hand out, a five dollar bill.  But true compassion is a heart- felt love for all mankind,  no matter what they have done,  or where they are in life.  If our example of compassion, The Lord Jesus Christ, would have come to take care of our needs, where would that leave us?  We would still be lost!  He came to take away the Sin of the world, and if we place our faith in that finished work we are Saved.  If we place our faith,  in that same work when sin arises, Sanctification will begin.  Sin is the problem! A Crucified Christ is the only solution!    

Black Friday Outing, and Arnold.

  This year we decided that we would share our Christmas gift early, so while other's were shopping we enjoyed our gift to  each other.
  There we were in the basement of the church, and with us were four women, and the pastor.  Upstairs the children were practicing for the annual Christmas program.  We weren't sure how it would go this year;  Pastors wife had passed away, and she always had been in charge of the program.  As the day went on we found out that our older widow friend was having a male dinner guest over for Christmas.  Well,  we all thought that she had intentions of a relationship.  After she had talked a while, we found out that wasn't the case.  As she continued talking we found out that her guest was her late husband's brother.  He had come to their house for Christmas many years, and he usually smelled like booze.
  At that part of our Christmas gift, she started to sing a song, a few of the words moved me to tears.   "As you do it to the least of these".
  I am always amazed where, and when the Holy Spirit shows up wanting my attention.  We are spending the evening at The Church Basement Ladies Christmas and nine words of a chorus move upon my spirit.  When saw we You a stranger, and took You in? or naked, and clothed You?  Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came unto You?  And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me. MATTHEW 25: 38-40(KJV).

  This brings two thoughts to mind I'll address one today. I have a critical attitude, when I see someone standing at the exit of a interstate hi-way, or a retail store with the sign, telling of the hard times  they are having.  We call it panhandling, but we don't know, maybe that person has a real need, or not?  What makes a difference is, do I respond, or do I react?

  The photograph that was posted, is a homeless person that was in Watertown, Arnold.  When I first met Arnold, and made a effort to get to know him, he was 42, had a child, and chose the way he was living.  He was a likable man.  One day I was telling Pat about my new friend, and wanted to find him to introduce them to each other.  As I was driving along looking for Arnold we prayed, "Lord help us find Arnold!"  Just a few minutes went by and Pat said "He's there under that tree."   Well The Lord directed us to him now what?  I introduced Pat to Arnold!  She started to ask just normal questions like where do you come from?  Do you have family?  How did you come to Watertown?  Treated him like a human-being, kind, and loving. I looked at Arnold more like a project, when in reality I am the project.  As soon as I started to have a relationship with Arnold, he became my neighbor, someone that is closer to me than before.  After we had a time of conversation, "Pat got the look",  and I knew what was coming.  We had stopped at the bank, and taken twenty dollars out to buy lunch. I knew that wasn't going to happen!  She said "Arnold here's twenty dollars.  Buy yourself something that you need."  He thanked her.

  This blog is doing what The Lord intended way back then!  If I were writing this on paper you wouldn't be able to read it because my tears are flowing!  The Lord has shown me that a heart full of compassion is a great asset. "Fill my heart to overflowing"!!!!         

  OUR GOD is KIND,  and LOVING, but only as kind and loving as we let Him make us. Arnold, I miss you, and when you're in town come to our house, and have dinner at our table.  Little did you know, how The Lord would use you in my life.

                                                        

Who do you work for!!!

   The last 15 years of my full time employment, I worked in retail.  There are some points that I want to make about the work place.  First point it is the work place, should you work there?  The second point should you witness at your work?  What is a true witness?
   As I stated I worked in retail, Prior to working in retail, I worked in transportation, and the freight industry, now we work in this ministry.
  My wife and I have a combined time of 104 years of work experience.  In retail I was a support manager in the receiving area, I was in charge of the company truck unloading.  I had a person that was new, and she had been saved recently, a zeal for God.  The only problem was she would talk so much about God, and didn't work much.  As a fellow believer I felt that I could help her, "Jean if you worked it would be more of a witness", it was the wrong thing to say as far as she was concerned!  Working in the work place is what we are hired to do! So the answer to the first question is "WORK"!!!
   I believe that we should witness wherever we are, do we always? "NO" Should we? "YES".  As Christians, we should at least work as hard as the person that we stand next to, if we want to be a real witness, we should work harder.  Not to look better then the other person, but to please God.  Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the Glory of God. I Corinthians 10: 31 (KJV)
   I believe that a true witness, are those who do all things as unto The Lord.  Pat and I went into the retail store that I worked at to buy our glasses.  I had some conversations with the associate that waited on us.  She was getting married, I asked her what church?  She told me. (I'll leave it at that) The Lord prompted me to give her a quarter, and I did.  I said "I'm giving you this quarter as a gift, the same as God gives us salvation through faith."  She replied "and works".  I said "no then you earned it, and it's not a gift".  That was the end of our conversation. I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised that some of the times when she has a quarter in her hand that she remembers that time and place.  A witness of the goodness of God.

  What we do or say has a impact on His Kingdom.  I said that Pat and I are ministers of The Gospel  through this blog.  If it has helped you in some way, it could be a tool to reach someone that you know, and minister to them.  As simple as a quarter.   Nothing big in our sight, but we don't see the big picture as God does, To God Be The Glory.
 

Thanksgiving Day, 1971

    I was just 19, full of myself, ridiculously naive, newly married and pregnant!  After eating a huge dinner of goose and all the trimmings, prepared by my mother-in-law, we settled in the living room to watch a little tv.  A popular show that year was "All in the Family", and while we were watching a particularly funny episode (the one where Meathead suffers from impotence) I felt a peculiar sensation.  I jumped up quickly, to protect my mother-in-law's couch, and rushed to the bathroom.
     Well, guess what!  That night just before midnight I gave birth to my first baby, 6# 11oz of beautiful baby girl, whom we named Kerry Ellen Phillips.  A few days later, we brought her home to our tiny one bedroom apartment with a crib in our bedroom.  I was definitely underprepared, as far as   what it took to be a parent.  We didn't have much as far as baby clothes, and furniture, however, back in those days, babies required about a tenth of what they require these days! :)  I also was quite short in the area of wisdom and common sense!  Thank The Lord for my mother-in-law!  She definitely made up for what I lacked in the area of mothering skills.
   But we all loved this little girl!  She was perfect in every way.  She deserved much better than what we were able to give her.  A few years later, while she was still little, her dad and I ended up getting divorced, and because of my own lack of self-esteem,  I thought she would be better off with her grandma and her dad, a decision I have regretted ever since.  Both of her paternal grandparents died while she was still little.  What she was left with was an absent mother and a father with a fatal flaw.
    But God is God, and despite all this, my Kerry grew up to be a smart, compassionate , hard-working, loving young woman, and an amazing mother to her own two girls.  I am so proud of her and grateful for the relationship we share!
     Happy birthday, dear Kerry!  I love you so much!

The Blessing.

  Thanksgiving the Holiday is over, but the spirit of thanksgiving, is  everyday. We have much to be thankful for.  As the morning progressed. the question came to mind.  What to do? go hunting, write a blog, watch some tv.  Well, I see write the blog won. My grandpa Tschtteter was a pastor and I love to preach as much as he did.   It's a blessing to me that his passion was  also placed in my heart.  The title of this blog is "The Blessing."  Where does the true Blessing come from?
   Some of you celebrated  Black Friday.  Pat and Rachel, and the kids went to Sioux Falls, not to shop, but to visit Grandpa Barkley, and Irene,  who has been in hospital since Sat.  Black Friday is considered a day when we choose how we will bless family and friends materially. But some don't have enough material to do that the way they would like to.  How can we be generous, and survive?
   Being generous?  It's something that we all want to do, but the way that we have learned generosity,  isn't always possible.  The only way we can be truly generous, is to tell others this.  There was a man named Jesus, and "He said he was God".   Some took offense to what he said, and they thought that if they had Him, stripped of all His clothes, beaten, bloodied, and crucified, it would put a end to His testimony.  Well it didn't!!  He is still God and it was the greatest act of love in history.  That one horrible, humiliating act of love, is the answer to all of the world's problems.  It may seem too graphic, but, I am feeling it in my spirit.  His word says!!  I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly JOHN; 10-10 (KJV).  Love can't be bought!!!  When God became Man He did it for one reason:  To become the blessing!
  We can be part of the blessing, but we can never be the blessing.  Through Christ Jesus is how we can be truly blessed, every blessing that we have, is because of His act of Love. I know that gifts will be given this Christmas, and I, too,  will give and receive them.   But I want to encourage you.  If it is hard to tell others this truth, share this sermon, forward it, tell others.  If one soul comes to Christ because of your effort, you will receive a portion of the reward.  I can't give you silver or gold, but what I have I give you freely, for freely I have received, so freely I give.  The Blessing "Jesus Christ" pass it on, it is the greatest act of love that you and I can do.

P. S. I still have time to go hunting.              

A Bertsch Thanksgiving.

  It was the 24th of November and no snow.   We only have two more days till Thanksgiving, and no snow?  How can it be, no snow in November, impossible, it has to snow!!!
  Every year that it was our turn to go to Grandpa and Grandma Bertsch's for Thanksgiving, snow was more important than anything else!  Good food, there would be plenty. Cousins, more than enough, uncles,  that could sled with us,enough of them, too,  but what good did it do if we had no snow!!
   The trip to Grandma's house started at about 11:30 Thanksgiving morning.  Some of my cousins would be there by the time we arrived, and some were always late. Usually there would be four or five of my uncles and aunts and their families at the feast.  So many that we ate in three shifts, first the men, then the children, and finally the women.  The women were really thankful if there was some left. The meal that was prepared for us was always goose, mashed potatoes, gravy, relishes (pickled beets and cucumbers) cranberries, and Grandma's sage dressing.  
   When the men started to eat, it started to rain a little.  They were getting concerned that it might snow.  When we sat down to eat it was snowing pretty good, by the time the women sat down to eat, it was really coming down!
   When the men got done eating they would go upstairs to the sitting room and visit in German;  I could enter into the conversation because I grew up speaking German.  I never thought about it before: what did the men who married into the Bertsch family think?  They couldn't understand a word of the conversation!  Grandpa always took a nap, then when he came into the room and started to visit, he would say something funny, and laugh at his own comments and we smiled respectfully.  The women visited in the kitchen dining area while cleaning up.  The kids and the young uncles couldn't wait until it was time for some fun!
   Up to the granary we headed, to get out the homemade sleds.  My grandparents lived in a creek bottom, and had the longest hills in the world, in the eyes of a 8 year old boy.  While we were eating the goose, it snowed about 4 inches of wet snow.  It came straight down and covered everything; so were  that  it packed under the rudders, making for a great ride.  Did I mention that the sled was homemade?  Well, you couldn't steer the sled, and the older cousins and Uncle LeRoy would like to do daring things.  When the younger cousins rode down the hill, the older boys would set us on a straight course.  It was a highlight of my youth: cousins, uncles, sleds, and snow.  The only thing that was missing were the cousins that lived too far away to join in the merry glee that we enjoyed.  To those of you that read this I wish that we could live those days over, and that you could come to the best Thanksgiving ever.
     Hoping you have a Thanksgiving almost as good as this one!  And don't forget to be thankful!          

Tschetter Thanksgiving.

  Saturday, and all the chores are done, lunch is over, and it's time to go get the turkey.  To all my cousins, on mom's side of the family.  Did you ever wonder,  where did that bird come from?

    Saturday chores at Grandma's always consisted of waxing those beautiful oak floors.  First the paste polish, then the two wheel buffing .   I can still smell the wax, and hear the conversation of busy women, and two little boys.  Hurry up we have to go get the turkey!  Well,  in today's world that would be simple! Right?  Not in those days!  Grandma would get the car, and come into the house, grab a small sack of orange slice, and circus peanut candy, and give the command. " Fartich soo gaen"(ready to go) in hutterish, the unwritten language of the Hutterite people.

   In 1874 my Great grandfather, Paul Tschetter emigrated to the United States from Russia, and they were Hutterites, of the party of 1200 people that came to the US. 400 colonized, and 800 lived on homesteads ( a little history lesson).   We lived on a homestead.  But Grandma had a cousin that was married to the Boss of the Maxwell colony, and they raised turkeys, and that's where we were headed.  Every year some turkey was going to face "Black Saturday" (we didn't have black Friday).  I always enjoyed that trip with Grandma. It took a long time to get there, and all the old people would talk about the year's happenings, over a cup of coffee and a sviboke (biscuits still baked every Saturday at Hutterite colonies).  Then it was time for black Saturday.  We would walk down to the turkey yard, and out off 1000 bird's Grandma would point her cane, and he would be the one.  Every time she picked the bird.  Huska would ask; are you sure that's the one Anna?  She would nod her head "Yes"! After she pointed her cane,  five young boys would run through the flock of birds and grab a turkey, invariably two would get caught.  Huska had to ask "Which one Anna"?  she would point left or right with her cane and identify the bird.  After the 20 minute ordeal we would go to her other cousins house, and have coffee, and sviboke, and go to the broom house and Grandma would buy a yea'rs supply of brooms. (her cousins husband was the preacher and broom maker).  The whole ritual finally comes to a end about three and a half hours later.

  Thanksgiving day was always special, one of the days we got to see our cousins from the big city.  Uncle Bennie and his kids would come to Ma and Pas house and the two things that I remember are, Pepsi, and Coke.  They would get a 6 pack of each every week( I was told by Sharon) and when they came to Grandma's,  they always shared them with us.  It's where I acquired a taste for Pepsi which I still have today.

  There are many more memories I could share from a child's point of view, but your time, and mine are limited. So many fond memories, and it would be fun to do them again.   The people that made them have passed, but are still alive in my heart.  I love you all, and have a blessed Thanksgiving with your families..  Wish we could get together one more time.  Oh, by the way, now you know where the turkey came from,  and there is a black Saturday!

Joy to the World!

     Christmas is coming, and, wonderful, Godly Christian that I am (:>)), I hate to admit that I am dreading it.  There's so much expectation, so much expense, and so much exertion (I mean work--but I had to stick with my exes).  I want the holidays to mean something more this year!!
     I wish my grandchildren were more from my generation.  Yeah, I know it doesn't work that way.  But when I was a kid, I loved to get books, dolls, pretty much anything.  It didn't have to be electronic; it didn't have to have a brand name.  Come to think of it, I don't think they had brand names back them.  We certainly didn't have electronics.  I would love to give each of my grandchildren a book and something like, say, pajamas, and that be it.  It would be less stressful and expensive for me.  Unfortunately, they don't like books as well as I did back then--and still do.  And I'm sure something as utilitarian as pajamas would not be all that appealing for them.  (Sigh)
     I did cut back on decorating when we moved into this tiny home.  I have a tiny tree, and decorate it with things I really love--like pictures of my family, bird ornaments, and stuff that bring me happy memories.  I saw some animal ornaments at Walmart that I liked.  Maybe I will pick up a couple.
     The thing is, I want to honor the season by doing things that are meaningful.  I want my Lord to know that my heart is in the right place--that I appreciate that tiny baby boy who grew up to be my savior.  I want to show that by loving and honoring others, by spending time in such pursuits as going to the beautiful choir and orchestra concert at the high school, baking cookies and giving them away, spending time with my grandkids watching Christmas movies, or working on a craft, talking about stuff that is important, and maybe even not-so-important.
      So, for that purpose, I took one of my granddaughters to the Ladies' Christmas Tea at Joy Ranch yesterday--where the young lady who was speaking,  literally wept as she spoke of Jesus' birth and sacrifice, and where we were serenaded by sacred Christmas songs.  It was beautiful.
     And I think I will plan a craft day for the younger kids to make something cool for their parents, involving paint, of course, and quite possibly, glitter.  We'll leave the tv off, and put on some Christmas music.  I'll make sure Papa is there to share the fun!
     Next week I will have a date with my husband, where we will attend the play, "Away in the Basement: a Church Ladies play.  We will relax and have some good laughs!
     Of course, I will buy some presents, because I love to give gifts--hey, I love to GET gifts!  I consider them as a representation of God's gift to us.  But in the midst of all these activities, I will purpose, with the help of the Holy Spirit,  to experience God's presence, to worship my Savior, and to convey this meaning to my family.
   And if you're looking for a gift idea for me--I really love books!  And pajamas!

Look at all the lonely people.

 Have you ever walked down the street, and wondered how many that you have met are redeemed?  Or as you are driving along, how many lost souls have you gone by?
  One day I was sitting in front of the house, and two men approached me, and asked if I would take a ten question survey.  I agreed, at the end of the last question was; between 1-10 ten being the most sure; how sure are you that you will go to heaven?  I answered 10.  Then I asked them:  what kind of answers do you get to that question?  They replied, "We hardly ever get 10 for a answer.  Some say, I'm a good person oh at least a 50-50 chance.  I thought that is so sad.  Then I asked "Well do they go to church?" I was surprised when they said most of them had claimed to belong to a church.
  I had a nursing home ministry, and one day the nurses asked Jimmy if he would like to go to church.   They were surprised that he said yes. The nurse told me "He never wants to go to church!"  As the service went along I said, "If you ask Jesus into your heart, when you die you will go to heaven."  Jimmy had been in a accident 25 years earlier, and was brain damaged.  As soon as I said those words, Jimmy threw up his hands and started to say Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, as tears were streaming down his cheeks.  Even though, after a short time he went back into his former state,  I expect to see Jimmy in heaven.  I believe he accepted Jesus as his savior that day!
  Another time, Marge a lady we knew, was also in a service.  When the I asked the question, " Do you want Jesus in your heart?", she responded with raisied hands, and tear filled cheeks.  Shortly after that time, Marge passed, and I expect to see her in heaven.
     Jimmy and Marge each had an appointment to know Jesus.
 
     In the first situation, with the survey takers, the people who thought they had a 50-50 chance of going to heaven, and had gone to church, SHOULD have known whether or not they were going to heaven.
     Jimmy, the man who was brain-damaged, most people would think that he COULDN'T know.
     Marge, because of the life she had lived, and her age, most would assume she didn't WANT
to know.
     So , the next time you come across one of these lonely people, don't be afraid to share The Lord with them--ask them if they want to know Jesus.  It could be their appointed time!

Four Generations.

  The picture that was posted are four Bertschs, Emanuel, Gideon, Delmar, and Paul.  A lot of history, and many traditions.  Are traditions always good?  Do they fit all areas of life?  Are they always true?
   It was Thanksgiving and the family was gathered at mom's house.  The women were busy in the kitchen. Sue was making the ham that year, and she said, "I wish that I could make ham like grandma.  Did she have a special recipe? Her mom said, " I don't know. Ask her-- she is in the living room."  Sue went to her grandma and asked, "Your ham was always so much better than mine.  Is it because you cut off the ends when you bake it?"  "Well" grandma said, "When grandpa and I got married we didn't have much money.  we received a roaster as a wedding gift,  and it was so  small that  I cut the end off of the ham so it would fit." "Tradition".
  Pat and I grew up with a lot of religious tradition; certain things were done at certain times, almost  ritualistic and it had been done that way for centuries.  "Tradition"!
  This brings up the point.  What is the harm of tradition?  In Pats blog (homecoming) I said, "she is the most Godly person I know."  Pat didn't agree totally with that.  As I was asking The Lord about my statement He started to show me how committed she is.  When tradition becomes our way of spiritual life we do things because our father's father did it that way, and so will we.  When we become committed  to the ways of The Father it's a different situation.  Pat is committed to The Father's ways.  Pat became committed upon receiving Christ;  I was raised in a church where it became a tradition.  I am learning commitment, and she is living commitment.  Her commitment to God, family, church, and work, in that order make her Godly, because of the order.  My commitment didn't have the right order, and almost cost me everything.  Because the order makes it work, my commitment was to a church, not to God.  When we say that we are committed,  God knows how committed we are, and when we start to fail,  we find out how committed we are or are not.  The apostle Paul was committed to The Lord, I like this Scripture. " I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the Faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness, which The Lord , the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also who love His appearing." II TIMOTHY 4:7-8 ((KJV)   

The Homecoming.

  It was about 8:30 AM on the 7th of August 1977.  Our friend Jack was standing in our office and talking about The Lord.  I could see that Pat was interested about the conversation.  After it went on for a while she made this statement.  "I'm scared to die!"  What should I do? Who can help?
  I knew The Lord as a child, didn't live that way, but when push came to shove, I always defended The Lord.  When I first met Pat (blog How I met their mother), I was afraid to share The Lord, because Satan had given me the spirit of fear, he told me that I would lose her if I got religious, so I didn't talk about Jesus directly.  I remember going past the old radio station south of town, and I was talking about the Bible, and she said "You sure know about the Bible".  That was some time before the happenings of Aug. 7th. I decided to go to the back office and pray, " Lord what can I do?"  I decided to call Jack's Pastor and invited him to our house.  Pastor Slater arrived that evening and shared the gospel, and Pat responded.

  I want to make a statement about my wife: Pat is the most Godly women that I know. She is a prayer warrior, a student of the Word, full of mercy, and tenacious about Jesus. After that day I had a different, and better wife, she was a new creation in Christ Jesus.  I'll ask her to tell her side of the story.
     As I have said before on this blog, I attended Catholic school through 8th grade.  Looking back, I can see how valuable it was to my life--and I can see how even back then I wanted to be close to God.  However, I never seemed able to achieve that.  Then came some wild years, when I figured that the "rules" by which I was raised no longer applied to me!  By 1977, I had been married, divorced, and remarried.  I did not want to live the way I had been living.  This friend of ours that Del referred to, Jack, had been quite a wild guy, in a whole family of wild boys.  To hear him talking about God, as though he "knew" him did interest me.  I had friends in high school who were quite devout, and I respected that about them.  I wanted to know peace and freedom from fear.  I wanted a fresh start.
     One day we were riding in the car, with our newborn baby girl in the front seat between us.  (Back in the old days, we could do that!)  I don't know what we were talking about, but I remember Del saying, "She (our baby) is one of God's most favorite people."  Wow!  That struck a nerve in me because that meant that God was interested in us!  This eventually led to the visit from Chuck Slater, where I asked Jesus into my heart--which did indeed change my life for the better.
     I want you to know that I am certainly not the most Godly woman in the world.  I have sins in my life that I struggle with.  But I know when I prayed that prayer back in 1977, Jesus saved me, and forgave my sin.  And he sent the Holy Spirit to me, who makes me aware of my sin.  Nowadays, I like to keep a short account with The Lord--that is, asking forgiveness and praying for his help in dealing with sin and temptation.  He doesn't expect or want us to do it alone!  Thank God for that!
    Well, that is my salvation story--not very exciting compared to others I have heard, but as I said, it was and IS life changing!  

What in "HELL" is going on???

  This is a question that needs to be answered.  Have you ever heard someone say,"I want to go to hell because all my friends will be there."  They say it in jest, but can't possibly mean it.  Hell isn't talked about much; it's too negative. It's not positive, but it's real. I have a saying "If the hereafter, isn't what your here after, what are you here after?"  The problem, some are here after the wrong hereafter.
   I believe that when a soul goes to hell, immediately he or she will be a believer, but too late.  The word says every knee shall bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus is The Lord.
  I want to go to the book of Luke chapter 16: 19-31.  This is the account that Jesus gave of the rich man, and Lazarus.  There was a rich man, and Lazarus (a beggar) was laid at his door every day, wanting crumbs from his table.  Lazarus was also sick, the dogs licked his wounds.  And it came to pass, that Lazarus died, "and was carried by the Angels into Abraham's bosom:" the rich man died, and was buried, (notice that he was not carried away by Angels).  And in hell he(the rich man) lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeing Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his (Abraham's) bosom, cried and said, "Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to me with a drop of water on his finger to cool my lips!"  Doesn't sound like a party to me.  Who's the beggar now?
  It's true God is loving, and kind, but he is also just. If you live by the law, you die by the law. If you accept Jesus, then you live by His Grace and Mercy.  God didn't leave us hopeless;  He sent Jesus,  who died in our place.  As negative as hell is, we can be saved by His Shed Blood.  If this blog has spoken to you, there is the solution. That if you shall confess with your mouth The Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto Righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation. Romans 10; 9-10 (KJV).  A true step of Faith.         

Abram to Abraham.

  I was reading the account of Abram, ("exalted father")  when his name was changed to Abraham,("father of the multitudes").  The question that I asked; why did it take so long?
   I am much like Abram, The Lord shows me something, and I want it like fast food, now, and my way.  Abram remained Abram for 99 years, when Abram was at the end of his rope, and couldn't produce the promises that God had given him. The Lord appeared to him and told him that he and  Sarai ("my princes"), would have a son within a year, and to call her Sarah ("princes").  When Abraham and Sarah knew that it was impossible because of their age, God gave them the promise, Isaac ("laughter"). Why so long?
  Let's move ahead 4000 years, have you ever made a plan for something that you were going to do for one of your children, and told them about it before it was going to happen?  What were the results?  All kinds off questions, trying to make it happen, almost to the point that you didn't want to do it, sorry that you told them, their lack of faith.
   When God makes a promise, He always keeps it, and all we have to do is have faith, the same as Abraham and Sarah.  But much like Abraham we find ourselves, in the wrong place, at the wrong time, failing the test.  Until we get to the place, that we are out of the way, God won't produce the  promise.  Why?
  As it was revealed to me who will take the glory, and will we pass the test?  Time is how God tests us,  just as we test our children, He tests us.  Our realm is time, His is  eternity.  What takes a life-time for us, is a breath for Him.  He knows what He has promised, and is able to bring it to pass, we know what he has promised, and think we can make it happen.  His only requirement of us, is faith, the same as it was for Abraham.
  But without Faith, it is impossible to please Him: for he who come to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.  Hebrews 11:6 (KJV).

     

 
 

Give honor where honor is due.

   Today is a day of honor, for those who gave their lives, and those that served for our freedom.
   Freedom is a word too often taken for granted.  Any freedom that we have was bought at a high price.  My dad, for example, served 40 months in Europe before coming home on furlough.  While on his way home, the Bomb was dropped, so he ended up not going back.  He and hundreds of thousands, including Del's uncles, Bennie and Ephraim, gave up months and years of their lives.
     In more recent years, our son-in-law, Dana, served in Iraq and was seriously injured when a RPG hit the truck that he was driving.  His co-driver stopping the bleeding and saved his life.
     We've all heard the expression, "All gave some:  some gave all."  How true.
      So we say Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to these people who served in the military:

      Marvin Barkley, Paul Inden, Benny Tschetter, Ephraim Bertsch, Sherman Clark, Wallace Antijunti, Jon Heemeyer, Elmer Bertsch, Leroy Bertsch, Ewald Bertsch, Geoff Caron, Dana Bindert, Marv Heins--these are family members.  But to all of you veterans, thank you!!!
   
 Special thanks to Lieutenant Commander Casandra Koistinen USN, serving in Afghanistan.  Take care Casandra!!
      

Happy Birthday Rachel.

  The title says it all:  its our baby's birthday.  Rachel was born on the 11th of November, I will not say the year, that's for her to disclose.  Rachel is one of the blessings, that The Lord has given to us.  She is a great daughter, wife, mother, and aunt.  When her niece Emma was born, she acquired the name Chach, and has has been called that for 12 years.
  After Rachel was born, I asked Pat if she wanted more children; she said no.  Little Rachel was close to ten pounds, and a labor of love for Mom.
  Her sisters were born with lots of hair, Rachel not so much.  That brings up a story about the girl. In the third grade we had teacher conferences, Mrs. Webb said, "My you sure spend a lots of time fixing her hair."  Pat: "oh no she does that all by herself!"  The picture that is posted was all by herself:  she takes her hair serious.  Another time she wanted a Pontiac Fiero.  She wasn't sure how to ask Mom and Dad.  Pat woke up and noticed a note under our door.  The note read " By the time you read this I will be far,far away... in dream land".  Pat read the rest of the note:  ten convincing reasons to buy the Fiero.  The one that still sticks in our mind is."I'll look so cute in it".  The parents weren't too sure that the car was in her best interests, the note convinced them and she became the owner of the Fiero!
      This is Pat writing now:
     This child brought many adventures into our lives.  One in particular was sort of embarrassing to me .  Across the alley from our garage, a crew of young men were painting the water tower.  There they were up on the scaffold, and they had a bullhorn which they utilized if any cute girls were around.  One day I pulled up, driving Rachel's car.  The bullhorn starting sounding.  I must admit I was a little pleased, but  when I got out of the car, one of the guys hollered, "False alarm!"
   We chose her name because it means "God's Little Lamb."  But her name is a little misleading.  She not exactly a meek little lamb.  She is feisty, and not afraid to stick up for what she believes.  She is unfailingly loyal to those she loves.  She has a wicked sense of humor!  She has a heart of gold.
   We love you, dear Rachel.  Have a wonderful, birthday, and a wonderful year!

The arrow.

  Pat and I were having coffee one Saturday morning, and she started to tell me about the Scripture that she read that day.   It was so good that I asked her to get the Bible and read it to me, and the question came to mind this morning: Does God have His way, and does He use people?
  Jehoshaphat, Ahab, 400 Prophets, Michiah, and the young warrior.  Four hundred and four and only one right? And one used by God?  The stage is set and I will tell a modified, but true account that The Lord showed us.
   Ahab, the king of Israel asked Jehosophat of Judah to ally with him against the enemy.  Jehosophat replied, "Of course!  But first, let's ask God."  So Ahab called his 400 heathen prophets and asked them if they should go to war.  They replied, "Go ahead.  God will give you a great victory!"
But Jehosaphat insisted on hearing from a prophet of The Lord, of which there was only one, Michiah.  The heathen prophets went to Michiah and told him what they had said and asked him to agree with them.  (Ahab hated Michiah because he always told him the truth,  not what Ahab wanted him to say.)  Michiah replied, "I vow by God that whatever God says is what I will say."  But when he went before the two kings he said, "Sure, go ahead!  It will be a glorious victory!"  Ahab said, "How many times do I have to tell you to speak only what The Lord tells you to?"
     This was Michaiah's answer:  "In my vision I saw all Israel scattered upon the mountain as sheep without a shepherd.  And The Lord said, 'Their master has been killed.  Send them home.'"  This, of course, really angered Ahab.  Then Michiah continued, "I saw him upon his throne surrounded by vast throngs of angels.  And The Lord said 'Who can get King Ahab to go to battle and be killed there?'  Finally, a spirit stepped forward and said 'I can do it! I will be a lying spirit in the mouths of the king's prophets!'  ' It will work,' The Lord said.  'Go and do it.'
     The king ordered Michiah to prison on bread and water until such time as he (Ahab) returned safely from battle.  Michaiah replied, "If you return safely, The Lord is not speaking through me."  Then, turning to the others around him,  remarked, "Take note of what I have said."
   So, Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, " I will disguise myself, but you put on your royal robes."
    Now the king of Syria had commanded his troops to ignore everyone except the king of Israel.  So when the Syrian charioteers saw King Jehoshaphat of Judah in his royal robes, they went for him, thinking he was Ahab.  But Jehoshaphat cried out for The Lord to save him and The Lord caused them to realize it was not Ahab, and they stopped chasing him.
    Here comes the hero of the story...
    One of the Syrian charioteers shot an arrow haphazardly and it struck King Ahab at the opening where the lower armor and the breastplate meet.  "Get me out of here'" he groaned to his chariot driver, "for I am badly wounded."  The battle grew hotter and hotter all that day, and King Ahab went back in, propped in his chariot, to fight.  But as the sun went down, he died.
    When Jehoshaphat returned home, uninjured, he was met by the prophet of God, Jehu.  Jehu asked, "Should you be helping the wicked, and loving those who hate The Lord?  Because of what you have done, God's wrath is upon you."
    What happened to Jehoshaphat?  You can read the rest in 2Chronicles chapter 19.

  

Grace.

  As I was having morning coffee,  the words to an old hymn came to mind: "Grace, grace,
God's grace; grace that is greater than all my sin!"

  Yesterday morning as the day started it became evident to me and Pat, that we are selfish people.  As the day progressed,  my heart was open  for the Lord to reveal to me how selfish I am. It started to unravel me, and show how lost I am.  When I come to the place where He can work  with me, it always seems that I am at a low point, and His grace reaches down to where I am.  

   Selfish people can be pretty judgmental people!  We certainly wouldn't have seen ourselves as judgmental--but we could certainly recognize it in other people!  Which brings up the question:  Why do things that others do bother us so much?  Because we see ourselves and don't like it.     God always extends Grace and Mercy.  He has an abundance of it;  we have little.  

  The worst thing that can happen to a Christian is becoming self-righteous.  It leaves no room for grace and mercy to work in our lives.  Judge not that you be judged.  For with what judgment you judge, you shall be judged: and with what measure you mete, it shall be measured to you again.  And why do you behold the mote that is in your brother's eye, but consider not the beam that is in your own eye? MATTHEW 7: 1-3 (KJV).  It's a lot of Scripture that says so much, and ministered to our need, God's Grace. 

   But where sin abounded, Grace did much more abound ROMANS 5: 20 (KJV).  When things aren't going right, ask God why.  He will tell you through His Word, or you might have a revelation through a conversation. Remember all things work for good, for those that love The Lord.  Where would we be without His Grace?
 

 

The day after

   The signs are down, the campaign is over, the winners have been declared.  I like what a friend of mine had to say. "I'm tired of people telling me that if my candidate doesn't win I'm moving to a different country.  I cast my vote and if the person I voted for doesn't win I will not  join the lynch mob".  Great saying.

   Today we have the privilege to voice our opinion, by voting, tomorrow we have the obligation, to hold our elected officials up in prayer.  They have been chosen for the promises they have made, but our source is God. If we find yourselves saying "god almighty!",  we should instead fall on our knees and say, "God Almighty!"
     Dear Father God,
         We come before you in the name of Jesus, and we pray that your spirit would be present in the halls of Congress, and the Oval Office, and at every meeting.  And we pray the same for each state and for our local government.  May God have his way in the days to come.  Amen

Pray for all who are in authority over you,  that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all Godliness and honesty.  1Tim. 2:2

       

An Open Book Test

     Wow!  I just woke up from a nightmare!  I was dreaming that I was taking a test, and had not studied.  I hadn't even opened the textbook.  I finally decided to turn in my test and try to do better next time.
     It made me think:  my life in many ways is a test.   So is yours.  And God has provided an open book.  It's there available for the reading.
     I was raised in a church that did not encourage reading from the Bible.  Later on, as an adult, my husband and I joined a church that did encourage Bible reading, and I did sometimes read it.  But for some reason, I never studied it I needed to.
     Then, some years back, as a New Year's resolution, I read the Bible through in a year.  I was amazed and surprised by what it said!  It was about that same time that my husband and I began a test and a challenge to our lives, our marriage, and our family.  I KNOW that the timing of my "discovering" the Bible was not accidental.  God's word has brought us both through the tests of the last 10 years--some of which are ongoing.
    It is now my practice to read the word most days.  I have read through the Bible several times, and learn something new each time.  I am certain that if you are reading this, there is a test or challenge that can be faced and overcome by study of our life's textbook--The Bible!  

The Bertsch side of the story.

   December 10th 1964 was my grand-parents Bertsch 50th wedding anniversary.  This couple had 15 children; my aunt Leona had passed by this time.  Fifteen kid's!  Wow! I like to do the math!  My grandma Henrietta was pregnant 11.25 of those 50 years.  Their wedding was at about 2:30 pm and my great grandpa Stoller, said to them, "stay the night, and go home in the morning".  Grandpa didn't want any part of that idea!  No,  he said my horse knows the way, and I have to do chores in the morning.  The same buggy that took them home, is still owned by the oldest cousin, Roland.
   I was thinking about my Grandparents, and all the fond memories.  Grandpa did the grocery shopping, one hundred pounds of flour, fifty pounds of sugar, salt, pepper, yeast, and spices (for all those canned goods).   Grandma did the cooking, and she was good, really good!  Everything I remember of the good old days was homemade: bread, butter, cheese, pies, cakes. You name it , she made it.
  Going to visit them was a treat:  making ice cream with my uncles, conversations spoken in German, and grandpa's laugh.  When it was time to go home grandma would  ask, "would you boys like some bread, with butter, and strawberry-rhubarb jam?"  What a question!  The answer was always the same, yes!
  Harvest time was a great time also my Dad (Gideon), and my uncle (Ephraim) owned grain harvest equipment, they harvested grandpa Bertschs grain crop.  Noon time came and we would stop and go for  dinner.  Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and sour cream gravy, like I said she was good, really good!  When the meal was getting done there would  sometimes be gravy left.  It was grandpa's! A slice of homemade bread with gravy.  Grandpa didn't say much, but if anyone tried to have that gravy and bread he spoke up Immediately!
    I wish I could go back and do it once again!  But that's impossible.  So I will cherish  the moments that I have now with my family; too soon they. too, will be just memories!

My Big Brother

     Every girl needs a big brother.  I was particularly blessed to have MY big brother, Mike.  We alone shared our particular world.  We were siblings in all ways:  we played together and we fought with each other.  All the time.
     I realize that he probably had different feelings for me than I had for him.  I was his little sister , and I whined and cried, and wanted to be with him.  I'm pretty sure he didn't really want to be with me most of the time.  But I sure wanted to be with him.
     We were both in the car the day of the accident.  We were thrown out of the car, but our mother was thrown through the windshield and suffered head injuries, which took her life nine weeks later.  Mike was 5 (almost 6), I was 3, and our mom was 40.  This produced a peculiar situation for me and Mike because our dad remarried quite soon after and it was not a happy thing for any of us.
     So Mike and I had something new to share:  we had to learn to navigate the waters of this new life.     And there were many rules, traps, and worries.  We had to learn when to lie, when to keep secrets, what to do to protect ourselves.  We pretty much had to forget we had ever had a mother.
      Anyway, we grew up.  We had many good times--swimming at our lake cabin,  riding in the boat,  playing games.  We loved/hated each other, as siblings usually do.  He teased me, tricked me, twisted my arm, sat on my head, called me names (his favorite was patti fatty stupid dummy buzzard sap and ignorant pig.  I retaliated with michael  fatty stupid dummy buzzard sap and ignorant pig--which never had the same effect!)  And I'm sure I had it coming, well, maybe sometimes...But at the same time, he was my protector, defender, my friend, and my ally.
     By the time we were teenagers, he was really my hero!  In the summer when we were at the lake, we and Dave, Doug, and Lois would go to the drive-in almost every weekend, frequently for a dusk-to-dawn movie.  That's where he introduced me to the joys of beer.  Also at the cabin, he tried to teach me to smoke, but I never quite got the hang of that, thank goodness!
     But, somewhere along the way,  after we were both adults with families of our own, we lost our way with each other.
     A while back I was visiting with my brother-in-law, Marv.  I, in my constant effort to learn more about my mom, was asking Marv what he remembered about when she died.  Here is our conversation:
"It was around Thanksgiving and we were sitting at the dinner table, when the phone rang.  Your dad answered it, and it was the hospital calling to tell him Mary Lou had died.  He headed up to the hospital first, and Barb and I stayed with you and Mike.  Then he came back, and Barb and I went up to the hospital.  In the meantime, he must have told you and Mike that she died.  When we came back, you greeted us at the door and said, 'My Mommy went to heaven in her jammies!' "
I asked, "What was Mike doing?"  Marv replied, "He was sitting on his dad's lap with his face buried in his dads's chest."  That's the moment I realized that Mike's experience was different from mine.
     Why is this important now, after all these years?  It's important from my perspective because I had always viewed my brother as bigger, stronger, smarter, funnier, more popular,  but I had never viewed him as a vulnerable person, who could be unhappy, or lonely or scared.  I wish I could have known him better.  :)
                                         *******************************
     So, Mike, if you happen to read this, remember the time we found the dead bat, buried it, and later dug it back up to show Grandma?  Good times!  (well, maybe not so much for Grandma!)  I love you, big brother.  Happy Birthday!

Found Guilty

  I have struggled with this blog, it's a skeleton in my closet, but it will bring glory to God.  I was 19 and had committed a crime that could have put me in prison  for 10 years.  I remember thinking it's my first offense, and I shouldn't get more than probation.  When the date of sentencing came the judge said "I'm giving you a lenient sentence: 1 year in the state prison".  My heart almost stopped.  I was sure that I had heard wrong, then reality started to set in.
   When I arrived in Sioux Falls and I was escorted into the correctional institute, the sound of that steal door closing is something I'll never forget.  This was my new home for the next 12 months. There I was a father, husband, son, grandson, and a Christian.  How could this happen to me? Sin.  The one thing that was the most interesting to me was that I was the only guilty person in the whole place.  Most were there because of being framed, or they were just driving the car when the crime was committed, not many accepted responsibility.  I accepted responsibility before I arrived.  If you tell yourself that someone else is to blame long enough,  you start to believe the lie.
  Twenty three years had gone by and I was hunting with my friend Chet.  We had gone into a field that I thought we had permission to hunt.  I could tell that Chet wasn't sure.   Are we on the right land?  When he told me he wasn't sure the Holy Spirit immediately convicted me.  I couldn't take the chance.  A convicted felon possessing a firearm is a felony, and I had lied to myself long enough.  I gave the gun to Chet and told him my story.
   A few days went by and I accepted responsibility for what I had done.  I called the parole office and asked if there was any way that I could ever own a firearm?  The parole officer asked "how long ago was the crime committed?"  I said "about twenty years".  He said that I could apply for a pardon exceptional. I did and was told that it would take about two years.  Within seven months I was granted a pardon.
  God is bigger then any problem we have.  He knows the right time to restore back to us the years that the locusts have eaten.  When we can admit, and take responsibility for what we have done He can and will move on our behalf.
  The state of South Dakota granted me a pardon, from one sin.  The Lord Jesus gave me a pardon from all sin.  When I start to give up hope, and we all do.  He reminds by this part of my history how big, loving, and gracious He is