HOW THE WORLD WORKS...Crucial Insider Info

Alan Greenspan

Janet Chester Bly

Copyright©2008

I still recall my shock when I saw former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan sit before Congress to explain his part in our global financial crisis. Greenspan told a House panel he was in a "state of shocked disbelief." He admitted making a mistake in an assumption that "banks operating in their self-interest would be sufficient to protect their shareholders and the equity in their institutions."

"(It was) a flaw in the model that I perceived is the critical functioning structure that defines how the world works." (Associated Press, 10/24/08, italics mine)

How the world works. Surely a financial expert like Mr. Greenspan should know that by now. Especially the greedy nature of the human heart.

The earth's suffered a permanent tilt. The world's mechanism is in a quagmire. Hurricanes blow. Earthquakes rock. Tsunamis sweep away thousands. Beetles attack your favorite shade trees. Kids get sick.

And ever since The Fall, we humans tend to produce our own mayhem. The planet's peopled with selfish users. Cheaters all, if given the right chance. People scam you. We're all a distortion of what God created us to be. That includes everyone in your town. Your neighborhood. Your church. Your family. It includes you. . .and me.

That's why there's wars and rumors of wars. All around you. So, you get battle weary. You aren't behind the lines. You aren't back at headquarters. You aren't across the sea in the safety of the homeland. You're on the front with bullets hissing left and right. 

Jesus knows how the world works: "Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows" (John 16:33 TLB). So did he. Those who follow Jesus deal with the real world, not a made up, make-believe, everything and everybody's okay type of mentality. We learn how to contend with brutal battlefield reality.

But it's not all war and betrayal. We praise God for gorgeous sunsets. For honest gained wealth. For fresh water and sweet, juicy oranges. For the ability to cure countless diseases. For signs of sincere, sacrificial love.

Thank Him today for every blessed moment of R&R relief. 

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When did you first notice the way things really are on this planet?

Have you made your peace with life as it is? With God?

In what way do you find daily joy and contentment, in spite of it all?

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Find a free download of the article, "31 Ways To Win The Fight For Personal Peace" at http://BlyBooks.com/articles.htm/

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God Is Good All The Time

Janet Chester Bly's book, God Is Good All The Time, is available through the Bly Books online bookstore: http://BlyBooks.com/store.htm/

RELEASE REMORSE

Janet & Jan

Janet Chester Bly

Copyright©2008,2010

A friend and I discussed the points of a sermon we heard Sunday morning. We both agreed that even though we know that God loves us … one of the hardest things we struggle with is feeling free to be ourselves. We don’t want to offend. We don’t want to stand out. We want others to like us.

We both shared times when we acted out, or blurted words, perhaps part of our true natures, that reaped embarrassment or guilt.  We’ve blown it. This caused us sometimes to be reticent to say or do anything in a similar situation again.

“How do I release the dumb things I’ve said or done and find relief to be the person I really am?” she asked.

We all dread dredging up past painful memories. When we’ve done wrong things. Or failed to do something right. We fired lightning sparks in the situation, instead of enlightenment. We flunk the tests of life. Guilt’s our grade.

But at least guilt’s better than a dead conscience. Still, finding a way to reconcile, to make peace with ourselves, with others, with God … that’s glorious. Working through the trips of guilt proves our spirits are alive. We’re responsible persons. We’re accountable citizens. We’re spiritual beings. We repent, turn around, and go the other way.

In all sorts of moods and weather, finding true inner peace when we disappoint ourselves, when we hurt others, can take a long time if …

We won’t admit it when we’re wrong.

We know we’re wrong, but we’re full of excuses … such as, blame others.

We’re unable to admit we’re capable of wounding words or fatal flaws.

We refuse to apologize without qualifiers.

We’re unable to accept forgiveness and go on.

We fail to realize we’re as faulty as those we judge.

We won’t allow God to heal us, to put us together again, as only he can.

We make peace with shame when we give our moral failure to God’s Son, Jesus (1 John 1:9). We call it what it is. We place a name to the deed.

My friend and I discussed the need to transfer every detail of wronged relationships and their aftermath to God, our best Friend.  To surrender to his wise and powerful keeping everyone involved and affected.

When we depend on him to make crooked places straight, when we do a free-fall into his love, his acceptance, his grace … we rid ourselves of remorse. We release that best part of us we call personality, our unique gift to the world. He heals our souls.

“They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed” (Psalm 34:5 NKJV).

When do you experience the most freedom to fully be yourself … and have no need for later regrets?

You may download the free article, “31 Days To Win The Fight For Personal Peace” at http://BlyBooks.com/articles.htm

THE FISH THAT COVERS

Stephen Bly

Copyright©1993,2008

An old time cowboy’s typical outfit included muddy boots, brown duckins for trousers and an off-white cotton shirt that turned gray with age. His colorful bandanna got very grimy on the trail. 

But there was one other essential piece of clothing: his bright or mustard yellow oilskin rain slicker. He called it his “fish” because of the trademark Fish brand on the inside, so named in the 1800s because they originally had a fishy smell. The slicker is split for mounted use and large enough to cover the entire saddle, therefore ideal protection for inclement weather. It didn’t keep him warm, but he stayed dry.

Many a cowboy wore out his fish just being tied to the back of his saddle. But he wouldn’t think of going to work without it, no matter the condition. 

To get caught in a downpour without your fish humiliated more than getting bucked off a kid horse. And that fish came in mighty handy on more days than rainy ones. If he rode a forked saddle on a horse that wanted to buck, the slicker jammed between him and the saddle horn provided a bucking roll to help wedge him in. This helped train the horse to not be so jumpy at new sights. And being waterproof, the fish covered his pack, his bedroll, his dinner, his other shirt, his spare Colt .44, or anything else he didn’t want to get soaked in a storm or crossing a river. 

The old fish…or slicker…could cover a wide variety of valuables. A cowboy without one was either dirt poor…or dumb.

Reminds me of the admonition: “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins,” (1 Peter 4:8).

To cover the sins of those you love doesn’t mean you imply that their actions were right or smart or that they’ll escape the consequences. But the ‘love cover’ allows you to refuse to let another’s wrongdoings destroy your friendship. 

You can roll up that kind of love and take it with you wherever you go, ‘cause you never know when someone close will all of a sudden fail you.

 

With God’s help, you’re not too poor to love this way. Nor too dumb to know its good spiritual smarts.

SIMPLE SECRETS, a new mystery novel by NANCY MEHL

Book #1 in The Harmony Series

320 pages, softcover from Barbour.

Blurb:
Gracie Temple loves city life and her job as a graphic designer. But when a reclusive uncle dies and leaves her his house in a quiet Kansas Mennonite community, she inherits a dark legacy, strange neighbors---and farmer Sam Goodrich. Will Gracie be enticed by the small town's charm---or intimidated by its deadly secrets? 
Review:

"Simple Secrets" is well written with depth and detail, fast paced and a page turner. This small Mennonite town is warm, caring, has a truckload of secrets, but this would be a wonderful town to live in, grow up in and raise a family. The characters are also warm, caring and will pull you into the story and feel their heartbreak, their joys, their triumphs and hurt. I would highly recommend this book, especially if you enjoy Mennonite stories..."  April Renn - My Book Addiction and More

BIO:

Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband Norman, her son, Danny, and her very active puggle, Watson. She runs a HUD program for the city of Wichita and is president of a volunteer organization, Wichita Homebound Outreach. She’s authored nine books and is currently at work on two new series for Barbour Publishing.

Nancy’s novels have all been set in Kansas. “I love Kansas,” she says. “We’re a lot more interesting than people think. Using Kansas in my novels is easy. We have everything - big cities, small towns, rolling hills, rich farmland, culture, history, odd locations (look up The Garden of Eden in Lucas, Kansas!) and a friendly hometown feeling.  We also enjoy all four seasons. This allows me to set my stories in different weather conditions. Winter is my favorite season. Throw lots of snow in a story and your plot can suddenly go in an interesting direction.” 

God is number one in Nancy's life. “I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”

           

You can find out more about Nancy by visiting her Web site at: www.nancymehl.com

Nancy Mehl

June 2010 - Simple Secrets: The Harmony Series

August 2010 - Missing Mabel: The Curl Up and Dye Series

December 2010 - Simple Deceit: The Harmony Series

www.nancymehl.com

www.nancymehl.blogspot.com

WHAT'S THE CLOSEST PLACE TO HEAVEN ON EARTH?

"A GOLF COURSE," 
says STEPHEN BLY

"There are moments on the course when heaven is only a short step away."

"Some days I feel like Adam, before he ate the apple."

"Like heaven, you can't work your way into Augusta National. . .you get there by the grace of God."

"Like spiritual perfection, Pebble Beach seems always one step out of my reach."

"The deeper the bunker, the further away I seem from God."

EAR DOWN

Stephen Bly

Copyright©1993,2007

Just like most humans, my horse, Sundance, didn’t like shots. She got real nervous when she spied that little syringe. Even though she might be tied to a post, she had no intention of standing still and letting me or anyone else stick that needle in her rump. Often a neighbor helped me ‘ear her down’ while I applied the shot.

 

To ear down a horse, you use pressure to pull its ears straight down. If she tries to pull her head up, it hurts, so she stands still to avoid the pain. That’s the time to apply the needle. She’s so focused on what’s happening at one end, she forgets to bother with the other. Some owners clinch a tip of the ear in their teeth—that really gets their attention. Others twitch or twist the tongue, all for the same purpose: keep the horse’s mind occupied while doing the dreaded task for their own good.

Satan does something similar. He likes to get us all het up over one thing, while he slips in by another route and gives us a kick or two. The Bible says his purpose is “to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10). But the evil one’s way too smart to show up at the front door and announce that fact. The big, bad wolf of nursery rhyme fame huffs and puffs with direct threats. But not old ugly. He’ll get us stewing about how unfair life is, whose done us wrong, tie us up with financial worries, then attack our health, our marriage, or our friendships. Or vice-versa. Sometimes we get so caught up with a single negative issue that we neglect the very spiritual disciplines that can focus us to do something positive or to think creative and constructive.

 

God can ear us down too, to get our attention, to apply holy serum into our sin-sick lives. . .if we let him. “God disciples us for our good, that we may share in his holiness” (Hebrews 12:10). The trick is to pay attention to your ‘ear down’ moments and learn to recognize the difference between the dastardly diversions of the thief and the loving test of the heavenly father. For a great and positive purpose.

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Watch for a soon to be announced fun contest for winning a copy of my June 1^st release: Cowboy For A Rainy Afternoon.

DOGIES ON THE TRAIL

STEPHEN BLY

Most everyone knows the words to a few western songs. Hum some bars of “Home On The Range” and everyone on your commuter bus over 30 will be able to chime in with “where the deer and the antelope play.” They might also know why it’s important to get “back in the saddle again” because that’s “back where a friend is a friend.” And many have heard “get along little dogie.”

However, some pronounce it ‘little dawgies’ instead of ‘doughies.’ That’s because they don’t understand the word’s origin. A dogie is a scrubby calf that has not wintered well. It’s anemic from the scant food of the cold months. According to a cowboy this calf has lost his mammy and his daddy ran off with another cow. They first got their name in the harsh winters of the 1880s when orphan calves, starving to death, ran around with stomachs so disfigured they looked like they carried wads of sourdough in their bellies. “Dough-guts,” they were called...and since unbranded and orphaned calves could be claimed by any rancher, dough-guts soon slipped to dogies in the vernacular. 

Dogie is not a bad description for followers of Jesus. The Bible claims there's "not many wise, not many mighty, not many noble" (1 Corinthians 1:26). No one's a great catch for Christianity, according to heaven’s standards. But God considers you a treasure anyway. In fact, he scurries around the countryside hunting for spiritual dogies.

The western cattleman perceived more than a scrawny stray when he spied a dogie. He recognized the potential for a fine herd, once they were fed, watered, rested. God sees you the same. Rather than roam a vast spiritual desert, on the verge of perishing alone and abandoned, God seeks you, rounds you up, and makes you his own.

Stephen Bly

Copyright@1993,2007

COMING JUNE 2010: COWBOY FOR A RAINY AFTERNOON