For the Ones Who Carry the Weight

Some carry memories. Some carry the home front. Some carry strength. Some carry the long waiting.

Wherever you stand — or sit, or remember, or hope — the Lord meets you now.

These four small readings are meant to be a quiet place for your heart to rest, breathe, and be met with mercy.

⭐ Mercy for Haunted Memories

by N C Carlson

If you are haunted by the face of someone young, know this:

Scripture draws a quiet line at twenty years old. Those younger are not counted among the adults, not allowed to go to war, and are spared from judgments meant only for the grown. God Himself calls them “those who do not yet know good and evil.” (Numbers 1:3; Numbers 14:29. Deuteronomy 1:39)

If the one you remember was younger than twenty, the Bible places them in the category of a child, and God’s posture toward children is always mercy. David says of his own child, “I shall go to him.” (2 Samuel 12:23)

The ones you remember are not lost. Not condemned. Not suffering. They are home.

God knows every soul, every future, every moment you wish you could change.

Let God's mercy re-write your memories.

A Personal Prayer Lord, You know the ones I hold in my heart. You know the ache, the questions, the years. Let Your mercy meet me now. Let Your peace settle where pain still lives. Amen.

⭐ Help for the Ones Who Stayed

by N C Carlson

Some people serve by going. Others serve by staying. The ones who stay carry their own kind of weight — the waiting, the worry, the long nights, the quiet prayers.

Scripture says the Lord “giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength.” (Isaiah 40:29)   He sees the ones who stay, and He honors the strength it takes to hold the home front, to keep the light on, to carry hope through long days. His help is available right now.

A Personal Prayer Lord, You know the ones held in my heart. You know the burdens they carry in silence. Let Your help meet them - and me - now. Amen.

⭐ Strength for the Ones Who Serve

by N C Carlson

Some strength is obvious. Some strength is quiet. The ones who serve carry both — the discipline, the courage, the weight of responsibility, and the moments that still live in memory.

Scripture says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.” (Psalm 28:7) The strength you carry is not unseen. The One who gives it is always there — with help, with steadiness, with peace.

A Personal Prayer Lord, You know the ones held in my heart. You know the strength it takes to serve, the burdens carried, the choices made, and the memories that still echo. Let Your strength meet me now, and let Your peace steady my life. Amen.

⭐ Peace for the Ones Who Wait

by N C Carlson

Waiting is hard. The ones who wait carry hope through long nights, quiet prayers, and the ache and turmoil of not knowing. Their strength falters, their love is constant.

Scripture says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee.” (Isaiah 26:3) The peace God gives is gentle, patient, and deep — the kind that meets those who wait with quiet mercy.

A Personal Prayer Lord, You know the ones held in my heart. You know the long nights, the quiet fears, and the hope they carry in their hearts. Let Your peace meet me now, soft as morning light after a long night. Amen.

I'm getting started on Watchin' God, Book Three and thought I'd share a little story I found misplaced in my photos.  The Honda is on its final trip from Massachusetts to Georgia four years after this story was written.  Enjoy!

April 28, 2011

 

Hey Connie,

                You may know I recently bought an ’89 Honda Accord with only 83,000 miles for dirt cheap.  I knew there were likely things that would need fixing, even though it had many new parts, including a spare set of snow tires on rims.

                When I had the tires changed out, kids at the local gas station didn’t balance the tires, which irritated me, considering how much they charged me to remove and replace four mounted tires.  I’m used to “mount and balance” as a single service, and never thought to ask.  Truth to tell, there is probably a sign that lists the services separately, so…

                This morning I took the car to a tire shop to have the tires balanced.  Turns out there was one bent rim on the front; all all the tires were out of balance.  That was easy, if more than I was expecting.

                However… this is a bushing problem that could easily become a safety issue and needs to be addressed “sooner rather than later.”  When I asked the tech if I should drive it to Georgia tomorrow he said “definitely DO NOT drive to Georgia unless this is fixed!”

                This info is not likely to have surfaced had the kids at the gas station balanced the tires when they traded out the winter tires for summer tires.  God is good!!

                Not to mention that I really, really wasn’t looking forward to the drive – or the money it was going to cost to go to Georgia, so I had asked God to find a way to justify me staying home, if that was the best thing to do.  (Okay, so I didn’t add that last bit.)

                And the mechanical problem was the obvious answer, the day before I was supposed to leave!

                The other car is in the shop, and the Honda is going there as soon as the other one comes out.  And guess how much it will coast to fix both cars, approximately?  About the price of a trip to Georgia, plus the security deposit refund that arrived yesterday.

                I’m guessing right now.  I only know how much the Honda should cost to repair.  But I do know God, and how he works with money in my life.  He sends what I need, usually as unexpectedly as is the need for the money.  Should be about a wash.  Maybe a little extra, just because he’s good to me like that!

                Watchin’ God is so much fun!!

(p.s.  Those snow tires found a new home with a young airman at the local base.  I had no need for them in Southeast Georgia!)

Watchin' God Book Two: Angels and Gas Cans

 

Finally!

Order it from Blurb HERE   in Softback or as a PDF readable on your devices.

It's not on Amazon.  Yet.  One step at a time, right??  And I need a dedicated website, too.  Another step.  

But you can find me on facebook HERE.

Here's the Title Chapter for your reading pleasure!
(**For the most part, I don't do daring stuff unless I'm sure Jesus has my back! Race car drivers are trained to drive 200mph, but it's not advisable for ordinary mortals to do that!  Same with my stories.  Unless you are absolutely sure Jesus has your back, I do not recommend "driving" like I do!!  Babystep your way to some of these stories!)

Chapter 9

Angels and Gas Cans

We’d been on the Interstate for a while, heading home to South Carolina from somewhere far away.  Maybe New York?  I dunno.  Anyway, the gas light came on in my Honda.  No problem.  It gets a maximum of 510 miles to a tank of gas on the highway, which we had been all day, so there’s a good possibility it was New York.  By my calculations, we should have made it home with a few miles to spare.

Home was only 16 miles away when the brave little car stuttered and then stalled.  Maneuvering a vehicle with power steering when it’s stalled is a little tricky, but it was still rolling toward the conveniently located exit.  I managed to get pulled off the Interstate.

I didn’t have cash, so my teenage son wouldn’t be able to use my debit card to purchase a gas can and gas.  I left him to guard the car as I walked down the long exit road.  

Lo!  A gas station!  Thanks, Lord!

There was a convenience store at the 4-pump station.  In those days (it’s 2023 as I write), gas cans didn’t cost more than the gas to fill them, which was good, because it was close to payday, which means I didn’t have much money left in the bank.  

As I was locating the red gas can, a scraggly old guy asked me if I’d run out of gas.  (My memory has him being a nice looking man of about 70, 5’7” or so, maybe 150 pounds, with white wavy air – but in the story I wrote in 2007 I called him “scraggly”.  Good thing most of these stories were written at the time of the incident!)  I confessed my failure to gauge the mileage correctly.  

“Let me buy that for you”, he offered.

Well, Lord, that was mighty nice of you!  I’ll take it as a blessing and let the guy be nice.  I’m sure you’ll bless him, too.

“Thank you!  I appreciate it!”

We both walked up to the video-surveilled cash register, where he paid for the gas can and the gas.  

As he was pumping the gas, he asked where the car was parked.  

“At the top of the exit.”

“Let me give you a ride.”

Well, Lord… when I die I’m going to heaven, right?  If something happens to me between here and the car, at least we are both on the video camera footage, and my son will miss me soon if I don’t show up. You do a great job of protecting me, too.  So, I’ll let him be nice a little longer.  

[**Warning!  Your results may differ.  On the advice of a police officer friend, I must remind you that this is not often a good idea.  Don’t try this at home without the clear approval of the Holy Spirit!]

“That would be very nice of you.  Thanks!”

We got in his ragged, old, little red pickup truck and puttered the half mile along a service road, stopping opposite my car.  The kind gentleman pulled off the road very close to a four-foot wire fence that was too tall and rickety to climb over, and then he helped me up into the bed of the truck and I jumped down over the fence.  He handed the gas can to me so he could do the same.  

The ditch at the bottom of the fence made the landing a bit precarious.  We walked across the right-of-way between the service road and the Interstate, over a ditch and through six-inch high grass (and I didn’t even think to worry about snakes!) 

As the kind gentleman was emptying the gas into the tank, we chatted about not much of anything.  Or, as my friends say, I was chatting, he was listening.  When the gas can was empty and he was putting the cap back on, I turned around, took two steps to the front door of the car, ducked my head in the car to get a gospel tract for him (even if I had any cash, I wouldn’t have offended him by offering) and stood up, getting ready to walk those two steps back to give the pamphlet to the man – who wasn’t there!  

The gas can was on the ground, but he was gone!  His truck was gone, too!  I looked up and down the service road, but his truck was nowhere to be seen!  What was that?  Maybe seven seconds?  Totally impossible.

Seriously.

And then I knew what my guardian angel looked like.  

I saw him again in 2016, and he had upgraded his little red truck.  That’s another story.  

 

Go ahead! Order a copy for yourself and a friend!  (Really.  Shipping is cheaper and faster if you order at least two.  You know someone else who needs a good book, right??)

It would be encouraging to hear what you think.  Leave me a comment!

Help, Lord! I need... (fill in the blank)

This is an excerpt from Watchin' God, Book One, Listed Alphabetically.  I was telling a service tech about this today, and wanted to make it easy for him to find it.  Chris, I hope you can see more of the "Lord, could you find the hose for me, please!" that you saw today.

  

    Daddy had a faded “For Sale” sign on the property where I'd built the cabin.  Shortly before my son and I left the state I heard of a guy who was looking to buy property.  I called daddy to see if he was still interested in selling.  He was, so I told the guy about it.  I asked him if he was interested in buying my cabin, also.  He wasn't, so I tried to sell it to be moved.  No luck.  I left it there, with a lot of stuff I couldn't take on the plane.  The buyer would just inherit a furnished cabin.  What else could I do?
    About a week before we moved, I called the legal representative who was working with my VA disability case and was representing me at a hearing to determine my eligibility.  He had no information as to when my hearing would be.  I told him I was moving out of state, but would keep in touch, and would pray I had the money to come back up for the hearing.  I gave him Geoffrey's phone number and address to contact me if he heard anything about the hearing before I had an address of my own.    

     My son and I arrived in Tennessee on Thursday night.  I rented a car at the airport and looked for a motel in the vicinity as originally planned, since it was getting late.  The next morning we had an appointment to go see about a boarding house downtown that I found online before we left Maine.  Since I was a romantic teenager I'd wanted to live in a boarding house - just like the down-and-out heroines of those Grace Livingston Hill romance novels I used to read.  I guess I’m just a silly romantic at heart, huh?    
    The boarding house didn't look very inviting on the outside.  There was trash in the yard and the place was a ramshackle, rickety mess.  Next door was a rescue mission.  It seemed a good idea to talk to the staff and get their opinion on the boarding house.
    Their opinion wasn't good.  The director called a motel for me and arranged a discount rate for a week.    
    Thanks Lord!  That gave me time to look for a better place to live and a job.
    The next day I headed to Gunner. I didn't find the town very interesting, but stuck to that location to putter around for a few days, looking for a job, a place to live and a vehicle.
    Remembering the trouble I had in Washington finding a place to live without a job, I concentrated on a job first.   Kentucky Fried Chicken hired me as an assistant manager.  They were impressed that I had owned my own store for two summers.  That was on a Wednesday.  I was to start on Monday.
    Later that morning I found an apartment.  The rent was more than my son's Social Security check he got from his disabled father, but with the KFC job we'd make it.      
    After a bit of searching and spending $100 to have it inspected, I located a $1500 car the next day.  Since my debit card only allowed me to get $500 a day, I gave the salesman $100 and said I'd be back in three days with the rest.
    That night, Thursday, I got the feeling I should call the representative who was handling my VA case to ask him if he knew anything more about the hearing.  There was no reason he would have since I hadn't heard anything from him.
    Well, don't you know that sometimes I pay attention when God tells me something.  The legal representative said my hearing was scheduled for the following Tuesday!  The letter was sent to my former address, arriving probably the day after we left the state.  If I hadn't called, I would have missed the hearing!
    I had enough money in the bank to pay the rent on the new apartment for a month , buy a round-trip ticket to go to the hearing and spend a few days getting stuff from my old cabin that I couldn't bring with me when we left.  If I had been able to get the money for the car all in one day, I wouldn't have been able to go back for the hearing!  God's timing is perfect.              
    But the job at Kentucky Fried Chicken wouldn't be there when I got back.
    Well, Lord, You had me call to see about the hearing when there was no reason to do so; You kept me from buying a car when I was going to need the money to go back for the hearing; so I'm sure You will provide some way for me to pay the rent.  At least I have a month to find something.
     When I arrived for the hearing back in Maine, the rating officer said it was an open and shut case.  The head injury was all over my military records.  No problem.
    But the medical problem I was hoping to have them rate was bipolar, caused by the head injury.  That would take me back four years in pay.  When I originally filed, I knew nothing about a head injury and had only added it to the case a year prior to the hearing.  If the case was rated on the head injury, the back pay would only be a little more than a year.        
     Well, Lord, You know what You're doing.  You've always taken care of me, if I would trust You.  I'm sure You'll do what's best for me, so I'll trust You this time, too.
     When the hearing officer offered me 70% based on the head injury, he said I would have to go back to the psychiatrist. They'd let me know when the appointment was scheduled.  I told him I'd just moved out of state, and came back for the hearing.  I wouldn't be able to go to another appointment there.
    “Okay.  Did you like the psychiatrist you saw when you filed the claim four years ago?”
    “I did.”
    “Good.  We'll just send the file back to him.”
    Now, I was thinking that could be a good thing.  That psychiatrist told me four years ago if I could prove the bipolar started when I was in the military he would give me 100% in a heartbeat.
    I'd tried for all those four years to find someone who could verify that.  No one could.  My first husband sent three letters that I never received.  My friend only knew about the head injury, not its effects, though he did write a letter for me.  
    Out of desperation, I asked a life-long friend to write a letter.  She had seen me just two weeks before the head injury, and could verify that I hadn't even so much as mentioned the man I agreed to marry a month later.  She could also say what I was like now as compared to before the injury.  I didn't know if it would do any good, because the VA raters prefer military friends and co-workers, but I turned it in with the rest of the paperwork at the hearing.
    I asked God to get me the 100% if He didn't mind.  That way I wouldn't have to work and would have time and enough money to do and go and give whatever He wanted from me.

~*~

    When I arrived back at my new home in Tennessee I had no idea what we would do for food.  We had a little, but not much.  At least the rent was paid for a month.
    The Saturday I returned I found a little Baptist church three quarters of a mile away from the apartment.  There were a few guys working there, so I talked to them about the church.  It sounded like something we might be interested in, so the next morning my son and I walked to church.
    Less than a block from the apartment was a United Methodist Church with homecoming that morning.  “Homecoming” at any church in the South means food, and we didn't have much, and hadn't eaten breakfast and probably not supper the night before.
    I suggested we could save ourselves the walk and go to church there that morning.  My son looked at me like I'd lost all my marbles.
    “MO-om!  That's a United Methodist Church!  We are Independent Baptists.”  (The things kids pick up when you don't think they're listening!)
    “Okay,” I said with a deep sigh. “Let's go to the Baptist church,” as I kept walking that three quarters of a mile in my high-heeled shoes.
    Though I hadn't attended church much over the years, there are still several doctrines I look for in a church.  Between two services on Sunday and the Wednesday night service, the preacher touched on them all in passing.  I was sure that was where God had in mind for us to attend church.  We both enjoyed the services.

~*~

     A few weeks later there was an aggravating issue I needed to discuss with the apartment manager. I started to leave the apartment to go talk to her about it, but first a phone call and then a knock on the door kept me from getting out the door. Finally, the third try, I managed to head out to have that talk with the apartment manager.  
    I was about halfway to the office when I saw the preacher's wife drive up.  She had a strange look on her face.  She also had bags of groceries for us.  She said she'd argued with God about bringing us food.  She had no idea which apartment I lived in, so how was she going to get the stuff to me?  She'd argued about taking me anything at all, because I hadn't said I needed help and she didn't want to offend me by bringing food, like I was poor or something.  Amazing the excuses we use to ignore God.
    Well, don't you know, I was thrilled to death to see her.  God had done it again!  She found me against all odds, and we got food we desperately needed.
    Through circumstances, God kept me from a potentially unpleasant confrontation with the apartment manager.  It seemed God didn't want me to talk to her, considering the trouble I had when I tried.  We never did have that conversation.  Thanks again, Lord.  On both accounts.

   
~*~

    I still need a job, Lord.    
    A few days after making that request of God, my son and I were walking downtown and saw a Kirby store. Now, we both love Kirby vacuum cleaners.  We went in just to see what there was to see.  The owner and I discussed the merits of their product over other brands.  She offered me a job as a telemarketer, beginning that night.
    I told her I'd be happy to have the job, but I didn't work on Wednesday nights, as I needed to go to church.  She agreed.  WOW, Lord!  How unusual is that?  They were closed on Sunday, so that wasn't a problem.
    It wasn't much for pay, and only twenty four hours a week, but it would be enough to tithe, pay the rest of the rent my son’s check wouldn't cover and pay the utilities, with just a bit left over for food.
    So, now we had a church and I had a job I could walk to.  The grocery store was literally out the back door.  Still no car, but we didn't need one, and couldn't have afforded one.  God was working overtime taking care of me, giving me only what we needed, and not burdening me with things we didn't.
    After a while there were things going on at work I didn't feel were being done in a very ethical manner, but I needed the job.  I really didn't want to have to tell the boss lady I didn't think they were doing things the way I felt they should be done.  It wasn’t my place.  I asked God to show me what He wanted me to do.
    One night the other woman who worked with me decided I wasn't doing my job, so she called the boss to “come in and make me get to work.”
    Now, one does not have to be overly energetic to dial phone numbers no one answers.  Trust me; I was working as hard as she was.  She was making contact; I was only getting answering machines, and we weren't supposed to leave messages.
    When the boss arrived and heard the other lady's story, she asked me privately what was going on.  I told her working with that lady wasn't going to work, and I quit right then and there.
    She understood, I think, because another lady had already quit for the same reason.  And I didn't have to say anything about ethics.
    But now I had no job and the rent was due.    When I explained the situation to our new apartment manager, he said he understood my situation;  he was very sorry but he could only give me twenty days to pay the rent.  After that I'd have twenty four hours to move.
    Help Lord…  
    No one at church knew about the money situation.  I'm not even sure I told my son about the possible eviction.

     A week later, on the second of the month, I got a call from the legal representative for my VA disability case.  He said it had been approved - at 100% on the bipolar!
    That would be one very large chunk of change!  The back pay would commence from the filing date four years prior.  If it had been approved on the head injury that would have only given me seventeen months of back pay, because that’s when that diagnosis was made and I had added it to my VA claim.
    “Thanks Lord!” I shouted.  The man on the phone probably thought the award was well-deserved!
    Moving out of state had been a good thing.  If we hadn't moved, there is no telling which psychiatrist I would have seen.  Granted, God could have arranged it to be the same one, and in effect He had when we moved.
    Not that I had any idea when the money would arrive.  This is the government we're talking about.  It could be months.
    So, the countdown to being evicted began.  I didn't really look for a job because I was under the impression that if I got 100% I wouldn't be allowed to work (which years later I found not to be the case).  What would be the point in getting a job only to have to quit when the disability started?  If I managed to find a job within a week, I wouldn't get my first paycheck before the rent was due, anyway.
    I paid the utility bills and bought food with what money we had and saved as much as I could.  The rent had to be paid in full, no partial payments allowed.
    I waited and prayed.  I don't remember worrying, though.  I'd seen God work so many miracles since moving there that I didn't even begin packing to move, or arranging for help if I needed it.  I just knew God was going to come through for me.  I did wonder what I’d do with all our stuff if He had other plans for me.  The sidewalk outside the apartment would be pretty full of stuff.
    On the morning of the 20th I walked to the mailbox, hoping the check would be there.
    No check.
     I was finally beginning to wonder what was going to happen next and began looking at our possessions in terms of what we would be able to keep, wondering where we would go. 
     My daddy called in the early afternoon of the 20th, just three hours before the rent had to be paid, or we'd be out on the street the next day. 
    "The man who is buying my property also wants to buy your cabin.  He just sent half the money for your cabin.  Where would you like me to send it?”
    “Wire it to my bank here, please!  Now!”  For the first time, I explained the situation.
    Eventually the money from the VA did come in the mail.  In the meanwhile, God changed the heart of a buyer and the money daddy sent paid the bills.
    God had done it again!
 

So You Want To Go To Alaska

I'm working on this. Will have more info, links, phone numbers.  .

Links to my NCCarlson fb profile albums
 Alaska pictures. Fairbanks, Palmer, and many other places
More Alaska Pictures 
Ruth Glacier, Denali

This itinerary is designed for adventurous adults without young children.

Ferry from Bellingham WA to Valdez AK
http://www.dot.state.ak.us/amhs/
     Plan this at the very least a year ahead, as vehicle spots on the ferry are difficult to come by. 

     The cost of driving through Canada makes a trip on the ferry worth considering.  First, there is the $300 per person per vehicle that one must have to cross the border.  Then there is the price of gas over the 2200 miles (Bellingham WA to Anchorage AK), which seems to be about 25% higher than the US.  Besides, I'm saving the trip through Canada for last.  Of course, you might choose to take the ferry home after the busy vacation in Alaska.
    Sleeping arrangements on the ferry are several: if you can afford it, and can get one, there are cabins (expect to make reservations a year in advance!); there is an open deck with heaters in the ceiling and deck loungers, bring your own sleeping gear (I bought an air mattress and a blanket, then gave it to someone who was boarding at the terminal where I disembarked); bring a tent and set it up on that same deck;  the auditorium has seats that people use during the day, and sleeping on the floor is allowed.
    The ferry makes several stops at towns along the coast.  There will be time for you to take a little tour of the area.  If you want to spend the night at a port, you can do that and simply catch the ferry the next day.  It might be a good idea to discuss that plan with an employee.  I didn't stop overnight, but I have heard it can be done.
    When you arrive in Valdez - pronounced Val-DEEZ, visit a little.  I haven't been there since 1973, so don't know much about what you will find.  I do remember Thompson Pass from my senior trip.  Beautiful waterfalls!  The sun streaming through the moss-covered trees in the woods is a picture that will forever be etched in my memory. (As will the looks of the folks in the restaurant after our class of 9 with a few chaperones piled in, hungry as bears and smelling like the same!)  Here is a nifty post.  https://matadornetwork.com/trips/valdez-coolest-town-never-heard/

Drive to Anchorage

Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center

 

Tour Anchorage

Train to Seward

Knik Glacier Tours  on the Old Glenn Highway at the Knik River near The Butte in Palmer.

Drive to Talkeetna
     On the Parks Hwy, at mile 77.5 prepare to see a beautiful view of Mt. McKinley (Denali, for the PC) if it's visible. It will be bordered by trees on both sides of the road and look much larger than the awesome view of the entire range that will be spread before you on the way down the hill into Talkeetna.
     Turn right on the Talkeetna Spur road at mile 98.5.  At mile 13.5 you willl be blesed and highly favored amongst the hopeful tourists if you get to see this view.
     Well, minus me. I am highly unlikely to be in town.
     My camera is only 5 mega pixel, so the photo doesn't do justice to the view - at all. Truth be told, nothing does. It's one of those views that is best kept in the memory.  

     This link will get you a live view.  If you see a really great shot, take a screen shot, because if you simply link it, the picture will be updated to the current time.  Ask me how I know...

Here's a shot of some creative rock balancing on the river path, headed towards the bridge. To get there, go to the end of Main Street and hook a right. 

     Sheldon Air Service   Tell Holly that Nancy Spencer said Hi!
     Roadhouse. Raspberry Rhubarb Pie, half eaten. Tips are included in the prices, ala European-style. The employees are from all over the world, so if you speak a language other than English, try it out on them! They might be thrilled to speak their native tongue.

     Devil's Canyon - Mahay's Riverboat Service. My video is on another computer, but if you want a glimpse, go to youtube. There are plenty of videos. Keep in mind that, like pictures of The Mountain, videos of this awesome trip are bland.

     Fishing

     I haven't gone fishing, so can't recommend any particular operator.  Plenty of options, from river to lakes.
     Zipline
     I haven't done this - yet! - but rumor has it from my (older) friends that it's a blast!
     Take the Hurricane Turn on the Alaska Railroad (we used to call it the Honolulu Turn back in the day when the North- and South-bound passenger trains met at Honolulu and exchanged passengers).  It's a 5 hour trip.  Possibly the last flagstop train in the country - maybe the world!

Head north on the Parks Highway to your next stop.  On the way, keep a lookout at Mile 188.5 for the giant igloo.
     Someone tried to sell it, and The Daily Mail in the UK picked up the event.  I stopped once, but have lost the pictures.

Drive to the Park  (McKinley Park if you're old-school.  Denali National Park and Preserve if you're politically correct.)
     The Parks Highway from the Park entrance north a mile or so is affectionately (or not) known as Glitter Gulch.  Hotels, tourist traps, food, tours.  You can walk on a paved path from the park headquarters.  I'm sure there is a shuttle, also.  Or you can drive after you see the Panorama at the Park.  Parking might be a bit dicey, but it can be had.  There are several 'shopping centers' with gravel parking lots.

Arrive in Healy and spend a few days.  There really are enough things to do, and lodging is somewhat cheaper there than staying in Glitter Gulch.

These cabins are small, but the beds are good.  There are also rafting tours available from the office.
 

Climb Mt Healy
     I want to climb this! Evidently I'm not the only one who keeps driving by without stopping.  Maybe this impromptu trip in September 2018.  I wonder if I can find anyone willing to accompany me??  (update July 2024:  I have driven by it several times in the last few years, and no, I haven't stopped...)

Usibelli Coal Mine  At the least, look at the mountain across the river from Healy.  Find the black coal strip, and look for this huge dragline!  (when I find the picture I will insert it here.)

Fairbanks

     Riverboat Discovery

     UAF museum

     Chena Hotsprings

     Turtle Club in Fox

Circle  (Arctic Circle)

Santa Claus House in North Pole is - a touristy shop, but they do have some local, Made in Alaska items.  (Look for the Bear. There is a long and detailed State process to be able to use this logo, so you can be assured the item really is Made in Alaska.)

I refused to buy just any old thing, only what demanded to come home with me. Yeah. It wasn't the cheapest thing in the store...  It lights up! This will make, oh, maybe #34 trees in my house for Christmas. It's not really that bad. Some of those trees are pictures, or napkin rings. But still...

     Oh, and Santa said it wasn't him... I asked.

Buffalo at Delta Junction
     There are several camping areas around Delta Junction.  Enjoy!    
     If you didn't make it up Mt Healy, Donnelly Dome is your next chance, at roughly 2,000 feet shorter.  A permit is required, so check out the link.

Fast Eddy's in Tok

Chicken/Klondike

Back to the States down the ALCAN Highway

"Lord Have Mercy!"

“Lord, Have Mercy!”

February 25, 2013 at 11:51am

     Do you take the Lord’s name in vain?  Like me, if you are saved, your automatic response is probably “No way!”  One day, after being accused of such a sin, I asked God to tell me what He thought.  I was surprised.  It embarrasses me to have to admit, even to myself, how many times God has to let me know I am breaking the third commandment.

     Unless you are actually talking to God, asking for his help, or talking to him like he’s a friend standing beside you, chances are good you’re using his name in vain, no matter what cliché you use to express surprise, anger, frustration or any number of other things.

          ‘Lord, have mercy!’ and ‘Ooh Lord’ are common phrases used without thinking.  Unless you are truly asking God for mercy, you just used God’s name in vain.      

     ‘Oh my God!’ is so blatant that it does not require explanation.  I usually comment ‘Mine, too’ and hope the offender will get the message.

     Since asking the Holy Ghost to show me when I am cursing, it is surprising how many times I do it, and how often other Christians do.  I have heard it from the pulpit, in homes from people I consider above reproach in other areas, everywhere.   We probably do not even hear the words we are saying.

     Another issuxe is the phrase ‘blessing someone out’, which is just a polite term for ‘cussing someone out’. 

Consider this:  Jeremiah 23:10 ‘…for because of swearing (cursing) the land mourneth;’  It’s bad enough that unsaved people use God’s name in vain, but we as Christians are doubly guilty of cursing God, and of causing our country to fall!   II  Chronicles 7:14 ‘If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.’
            If you call yourself a Christian (Christ-like), do not blame all of our country’s problems on the unsaved.  We share in the blame, more so because we trample underfoot the name of God and Jesus Christ our Savior, whom we profess to love.                                                                       
    It’s time we, as children of the living God, who paid for our sin of cursing him, pay attention to what we say and confess our sin.
     If you have never realized you are destined for hell, if you have never asked God to forgive your sin of unbelief, now is the time to admit you’re a sinner, condemned to die, and thank God for Jesus, who paid your debt so you could live!  John 3:18 ‘he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believe in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’Romans 10:9 ‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’ There is no magic prayer that will save you.  It must come from the heart.  Talk to God as if he is right there listening to you.  He is, you know.  Then tell someone about it!

God Will Let Me Into Heaven Because

February 25, 2013 at 11:49am

Why should God let you into heaven?  Now that’s a question!  What’s your answer?

     Because you’ve worked enough, been good enough to deserve a place beside Adam and Eve, Jesus, even the beggar Lazarus?  Titus 3:5 ‘Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us…’

     Because you give time and money to church and missionaries, to the TV preachers, to the homeless? Because you’re better than those hypocrites who make a show of being so good when someone’s looking? Because you can quote more Bible verses than your neighbor, your brother or sister, even your pastor? Because you go to church every time the doors are open?   Luke 18:10-14 ‘Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee (often hypocritical religious leader), and the other a publican (tax collector).  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, “God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying “God be merciful to me a sinner.”  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.’

     Because you believe in God? John 3:18 ‘… he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.’ James 2:19 ‘The devils believe also (in God) and tremble.’

Because you’ve been baptized or confirmed? Because you’re a church member, or take communion? Acts 18:8 ‘…and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.’  Acts 2:47b ‘And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.’  Belief comes first, then you are baptized, added to the church roles, and take communion.           
    Because you’re a Baptist (or Methodist,   or Catholic, or Pentecostal or Mormon, or Jew or Muslim or…)?  Romans 3:9 ‘What then?  Are we better than they?  No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles (everybody who isn’t a Jew), that they are all under sin;’
     None of these reasons will do.

     If you realize you need to trust Jesus instead of yourself, tell him you were wrong, that you want to trust his death, burial and resurrection as payment for your sins. Ask him to forgive your sin of unbelief.  John 3:16 ‘For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life’. Thank him for the Holy Spirit who will help you live for him from now on.  John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth:’   There are no magic words that will save you.  It must come from the heart.  Talk to God as if he is right there listening to you.  He is, you know.  Romans 10:9 ‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.’

Okay, I said the Prayer, But How do I Know I'm Saved?

Okay, I Said the Prayer But How Do I Know I'm Saved

February 25, 2013 at 11:52am

Glad you asked!  When you prayed, did you ask Jesus to forgive you and save you, in so many words?  Did you feel like God was trying to get your attention?  “No man can come to me, except the Father…draw him” (John 6:44) Was there a change in your heart and life?   “A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.” (Ezekiel 36:26)

True repentance is “(I) have sinned, and have done perversely, (I) have committed wickedness: and so return unto thee with all (my) heart, and with all (my) soul” (1 Kings 8:47b-48a) False repentance is “I have sinned...because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice…pardon my sin.”  God said “I will not”.        (1 Samuel 15:24-26)  Saul refused to take responsibility for his sin.

Are you willing to admit with sorrow and shame that you aren’t good enough to get to heaven on your own? Are you convinced that nothing you can do will pay for your sins, either past, present or future? Do you rely completely on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, believing only he can save you? “He that believeth not on him (Jesus) is condemned already” (John 3:18) God “saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” (Psalm 34:18)

Is there a constant conflict about doing right and wrong? “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the others: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would”.  (Galatians 5:17)

When you wonder if you’re saved, do you have a memory of asking for salvation?  ‘The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:’  (Romans 8:17)

Do spiritual things interest you? Do you enjoy telling and hearing stories of the blessings of God?  Does God give you wisdom when you ask for it?  Does God answer your smallest prayers? Deep down, do you really care what God says? “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.”  (Romans 8:14) Does the Bible seem to apply to you?  Do you understand the Bible and believe it to be God’s Word?  “The Spirit…will guide you into all truth.” (John 16:13)  

Does living like ‘everyone else’ make you feel like you are doing something wrong? Do references to immoral sex, and crude jokes, drinking, immodest clothing and pictures, lying, stealing and swearing make you uncomfortable? Is your idea of what is right and wrong different from the world? “For when he (the Holy Ghost) is come, he will reprove the world of sin,” (John 16:8a)
When you sin, are there consequences?  If you cheat someone, do you seem to lose what you gained?  If you engage in immoral activity involving a partner of the same or opposite sex, are you miserable instead of happy?  If you are living a sinful life are you ashamed to be around ‘religious’ people? “And be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23)
Luke 15:11-32 shows what happens when God’s children sin. The stubborn son left the blessings of his father’s house for ‘riotous living’ (Luke 15:13), resulting in famine and misery. God was chastening (punishing) him.  He “came to himself”, repented and went home, admitting to his father that he was wrong. “If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons…But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all (saved people) are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.”  (Hebrews 12:7a, 8) The chastisement was proof of his relationship with God.  Is there any proof of your relationship with God?
If you have been answering “yes”, and your sins are causing you to question your salvation, follow the prodigal son’s example and REPENT, lest God chastise you more.   Thank God for His keeping power and great love! “And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.”  (John 6:37b)
If you have been answering “no”, God says you are NOT his child.  “Why do ye not understand my speech? Even because ye cannot hear my word.  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.”  (John 8:43, 44a)  If God has made you realize that the prayer you repeated earlier in life was just words to please someone else, RIGHT NOW is the time to ask Jesus to forgive your sins and come into your heart and make a change in your life.  There is no ‘proper’ prayer.  Just talk to God like he’s right there.  He is, you know.  “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2b)  If you put it off, the devil will steal away the desire. He doesn’t want you to admit your need for a savior, or believe that Jesus died, was buried and rose again to prove He’s God and can, and will, forgive your sins.  The devil wants you to spend eternity in hell with him.  That will break your momma’s heart and God’s as well.  God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  (2 Peter 3:9b)

The Prayer That Can Send You To HELL

February 25, 2013 at 11:55am

     Strange as it may seem, there is a prayer that can send you to hell!  And it’s the ‘sinner’s prayer’. 

     I can hear you thinking ‘What are you talking about?!’ 

     If you believe that ‘once saved, always saved’, repeating the sinner’s prayer – or asking Jesus to save you – can actually keep you from getting saved.  The reason for that is that many people think just saying the words will do the trick.  Bingo! You’re saved!  Now no matter what I do, or don’t do, I’m going to heaven!

     It’s not so easy.  There are conditions.  Yes, conditions.  You must see yourself as God sees you – a sinner.  No excuses, no ‘I’m doing the best I can’, no ‘I’m not as bad as the next guy, even though I am bad’.  Also, you must be willing to trust Jesus Christ to save you.  Trust involves being willing to put your life on the line, and actually doing it.  You can believe the airplane can fly, but until you are willing to actually get in the plane and let it take off with you inside, you don’t really trust the plane.  Same with knowing that the blood of Jesus will wash away your sins, and his resurrection will make it possible for you to live with him for eternity.  As long as you think you are responsible or can do anything for your salvation, you aren’t trusting Jesus Christ.  You can’t flap your arms and help the plane stay in the air.  Neither can you do anything to help Jesus save you.

     Until you are willing to acknowledge and accept as life or death fact, and reach out and take the payment offered, without trying to help, you are still on your way to hell!  Repeating a bunch of words isn’t what saves you.  It’s transferring your sin and trust from yourself to Jesus Christ that saves you (repenting). 

If you’ve ‘said the prayer’ and there is no change in your attitude about God, no little voice inside that says ‘you did wrong’ when you cross the line the Bible draws about sin, no desire to know more about Jesus Christ, and you think that prayer has saved you, you’ve prayed the prayer that can send you to hell!
     The reason?  Because you think ‘once saved, always saved’.  Which, by the way, is true.  God said ‘have everlasting life’ and ‘is passed from death unto life’ – that’s forever - you get it, you got it.  The kicker is that you must be saved in the first place.  Are you?
     If you’ve been relying on a prayer you prayed, no matter your age when you said it, but there is no evidence in your life and heart to support such a claim, don’t just say yet another prayer.  Ask God to show you.  When you are convicted (you can’t get away from the thought that you need to be saved), then tell God that you are tired of leaning on yourself, and accept the payment Jesus made on the cross for your sins.  Jesus is waiting for you to acknowledge your doubts and fears, so he can give you peace and complete assurance.  And maybe the salvation you thought you had in the first place.  You’ll go to hell without it.

Bead Guys!

Bead Guys!

What fun these are!  It took a while to figure out how to run the wire, but once I did, I could make them in about 10 minutes.  (Then.  It's been a long while since I first made them.  My youngest son was in 5th grade.  He will be 32 in a few days.)

 

Fold about 18" of 18 gauge wire in half (or 24 or 32 gauge.  It needs to be pliable, but not too flimsy.)  Insert one strand through a pony bead, then both wires through a wooden bead.  Separate the wires and ... try to follow the diagram.  

The hardest part is pulling everything tight.  Do that as you go, to make the end easier.  I don't have any beads handy to take a picture, but you hold the guy in one hand and use a pair of pliers to pull the wires tight before you go through the button and bead at the top, and to pull the remaining wire down to loop around the neck and out an arm bead.

Enjoy!

If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

These make cute key fobs, as well.

Have a great Christmas!