My Journey to the Son Part 2

My thanks to all who have commented on previous blogs.

My brother says I have blocked out most of my childhood memories. He must be right because I've had to ask him about many things I couldn't remember. Lots of people have had unhappy experiences while growing up but apparently I didn't handle mine very well. In my high school senior year, 1943, I joined the Navy and reported for duty after graduation. I served for 3 yrs. and 3 months as an aircraft mechanic and gunner on a torpedo bomber.

While in the service, I skipped church until I married in September of 1945. Neither of us had made a commitment to Christ but Nita, my wife, did influence me to resume church attendance. I confess that "religion" and the bible were, and continued to be, mysteries to me for a long time. All that, what I considered "stuff," about blood and lambs, etc., simply didn't register with me.

Nita was from Oklahoma and wanted to be closer to her family than my home in a small town on Long Island, N.Y. I enrolled in Southwestern Tech in 1946 and tranferred to the OU school of architecture the next year.

Our first few years of married life were quite stormy mainly because of my immaturity. I had seen 5 divorces while growing up and Nita and I had agreed before marrying that, no matter what else happened, we would never divorce. That agreement was sorely tested and I give her all the credit for the ultimate success of our marriage. After graduation in 1951 we moved to Houston. By now, we had 2 children and one year in the big city convinced us to move to a smaller town, Lufkin, 120 miles north of Houston.

We had no idea what momentous changes were ahead for us. If someone had asked what had brought us to where we were in 1952, we probably would have shrugged and said it was the result of a series of choices and decisions we had made. On the surface that appeared to be the case. It hadn't occured to us that God might have had something to say about it.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

God bless you

My Journey to the Son Part l

My Journey to the Son Part l







My mother and father were divorced when I was 2 yrs. old and my brother was 1. My father gained custody of us and, because his business demanded so much of his time, he had to find someone to care for us. He located a lady, a hotel maid, who was divorced and had 5 children. The agreement as I understood it much later, was: She would move in with her brood and take care of my brother and me and in return my dad would support the whole group. Instantly the reader may assume all sorts of scandal, but I have reason to believe the arrangement was platonic. In any case I grew up believing she was my mother and her children my brothers (4) and sister (1). I refer to her now as my step-mother or "Mom Hulse".





Although practical and necessary, the arangement was not ideal. Two families under one roof inevitably bring friction. With the coming of the Great Depression and the loss of my dad's business, the shortage of money was a constant worry to him. Arguments were often and loud.



Eventually. some of my step-mother's children (the youngest was about 8 yrs. older than I) married, divorced and moved back home bringing bitterness with them. All together I can say my childhood was not a happy time and the adverse effects were deep and long-lasting. My 'parents' took me to Sunday school and at age 12 I went through the conformand course and joined the church. There was no spiritual impetus to go through the exercise; I did it because my friends did. Our Sunday school teacher remains in my memory. A white-hair saint who stayed calm in spite of the energetic antics of twelve year old boys. Seventy-one years later I can still picture her and her beatific smile. I am convinced that Mrs. Preston was well aquainted with the Holy Spirit.





I will end the first stage of my spiritual journey by saying that there was no sign of spiritual awakening up to this point. Did God have a plan and have his hand on me? Of course; just as he has a plan and guiding hand for everyone. But for me, it took a long time to recognize it.





God bless you and your spiritual journey.





Odd fact: In 1899 the British scientist William Thomson declared: "Radio has no future. Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible. X-rays will prove to be a hoax." (Hope he was a better scientist than prophet.)

The Great Depression of 1920-1941 and the Current Sinking Spell

Notice: A NEW BLOG EVERY THURSDAY.





The Great Depression of 1929-1941 and the Current Sinking Spell.





The beginning of the Great Depression is generally believed to have begun with the stock market crash of 1929 but the seeds of that tragedy had already been sown in the early 1920's. The U.S. economy boomed after World War l but not everyone shared in the wealth that was generated. Farmers and workers incomes were low and remained low until 1941. The rich, as usually happens, got richer. Other events of the 20's that lead to the crash are very interesting but not pertinent to this blog.


The stock market began to rise dramatically in the late 20's until the value of some company stock was more than that company's gross worth. It looked like stocks would keep going up forever. People's good sense and judgment dissolved in a speculative frenzy. Greed took control of the stock market and the inevitable happened. Sound familiar?

In the aftermath, banks failed, scores of busnesses and factories closed and many farmers lost their land. Exactly how many millions were unemployed, how many families were evicted from their homes, the number who literally starved to death and the number of suicides will probably never be known. But the estimated statistics are horrendous enough.

Herbert Hoover (or Hoobert Heever as one befuddled radio announcer introduced him) was the then president. An honorable and capable man under ordinary circumstances he was not equipped to handle the disaster unfolding on his watch. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, popularly known as FDR, won the next election in a landslide. People wanted a change. Anybody except Hoover!

FDR, in the first of the "100 days," made popular by succeeding presidents, inundated the predominantly Democractic Congress with a blizzard of legistative requests leading to 42 new government agencies, many that are still with us: FDIC, TVA, SEC, Social Security and NLRB among others. FDR also included a 10% reduction in the salaries of government employees.

Here's an idea: As a gesture of solidaritywith the electorate, goodwill and sincerity, Congress voluntarily should take a 10% reduction in their salaries. None of them have lost their home(s), health insurance, pensions or other perks. Realistically, this gesture is not forthcoming; It is much too comfortable on Mt. Olympus. In fact, members of Congress got a PAY RAISE in January 2009.

FDR is credited by some as bringing the country out of the Depression. Not so. The Depression lasted until 1941 when the U.S. entered WWll. He did however, help to hold the country together with his optimism and some of the programs he instituted. He was an icon of hope and was revered by the masses. My step-mother thought of him as being next to God and all Republicans as heartless.

In 1929 I was 4 yrs. old. We lived in a small town and I remember we moved to another house but don't recall hearing anyone give the reason. Probably because my dad lost a restaurant and hotel he owned But by and large we were more fortunate than many. My brother and I never went hungry. My dad always had a job of some kind but even so, ocassionally it was necessary for him to supplement that with food from the welfare center. It was a matter of pride with him to provide for his family and he felt ashamed that he had to ask for help. We were poor but so was just about everyone I knew. I only became aware of our situation as I grew into my teens.

Some, but not all, lessons I learned from those days; (1) Stay out of debt. If I can't pay cash for something (other than a house), I don't need it. Delayed gratification. (2) Save money for emergencies, retirement and to be able to help others in time of need. I would rather live under a bridge than to impose on my children in my old age. (3) Recognize that there are things I might want but will never be able to afford. I tell myself, "Don't be stupid. Get over it." See (1) above. (4) Learn early what is really important in life and that it usually doesn't include "things." To paraphrase Carlyle Marney, Baptist minister and author, " There are few experiences more painful in life than those moments of lucidity when we realize we have paid too much. We look at all the 'things' we have accumulated and think of all the time, energy and resources we expended to get them and a keen sense of disappointment and regret settles over us."

The Current Sinking Spell

Obama ("anybody than Bush!") came into Washington riding on the Democratic donkey. Some saw more meaning in this than it deserves. In his campaign, like those before him, he had sprinkled the electorate with fairy dust; that is, with promises he could not keep. He would, he promised, "change Washington." Hello? Does he really think he can get rid of the corruption in Congress? Nobody will change Washington in a positive way until Jesus returns. Since I am remarking about politics you should know I am a registered Democrat, but I think and vote INDEPENDENTLY. Frankly, I'm not devoted to either party. And yes, one can be both a Democrat and a Christian. Back to Mr. Obama. For the sake of our country I sincerely hope he will be the best president we ever had. If Mr. McCain had been elected I would feel the same about him. My concern is for the good of our country. Obama seems to be trying to emulate Lincoln and/or FDR. Worthy goals and I hope he succeeds but he will have to try a lot harder.

Obama is a product of Chicago politics. He did not come into office without strings on him. Gaps have shown up in his shining armor and revealed that, surprise!, ---he is a politician and does what ordinary politicians do! But to his credit, he talks in complete sentences.

He has surrounded himself with the usual Washington/Wall Street suspects, many of whom were involved in the present financial fiasco up to their baby blues. An Axis of Evil joins Washington and WallStreet. The grease that lubricates the axis is pure unadulterated GREED and is driven by uncncontrolled lust for money and power. What has been revealed to the American public is only a whiff of the rot and slime hidden from view. I am not blaming Obama for getting our country into the mess we're in. He inherited the problem but it is his to solve.

Will the current situation in our country deteriorate into a full-blown depression a la 1929? For many of our citizens it already has. But for those who concocted the phony financial instruments that have played a major role in the problem, what would happen to others was never a consideration. They are happily enjoying the bountiful fruit of their deceptions and, it would not be a surprise to me, that somewhere at this moment, a group of them is working on the next "big thing."

A cynic once remarked, "The world is not round, it is not flat. It's crooked."

Come, Lord Jesus; please come soon. God bless you. Please pray for our country.

vil

It's been said that, " The one thing we learn from history is that we don't learn anything from history."

Principles for the Overcoming Life

Here are four principles I gathered from the scriptures below and which have been especially meaningful and helpful in my life.

Luke 12:22-31

And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse or barns; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds?

"And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these

"If then God so clothes the grass, which today is in the field and tomorrow is thrown in the oven, how much more will he cloth you, O you of little faith?

"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows you need these things.

"But seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you."

Our natural self says, "Oh come on. Get real. This not the way the real world works. These are only warm, churchy thoughts that fly in the face of common sense." That's right. Jesus never said anything based on common sense.

Trust God Jn 4:7-11

"A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink."Then the woman of Samaria said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

The Samaritan woman might have been thinking, Jesus, I don’t see how can you help me. I have a practical problem and you don’t have a rope of solution. Even if you had a rope it would be too short to get to the bottom of my problem.
The world views Christ as unrealistic; a dreamer detached from reality and whose instructions for obtaining the abundant life he promised would only work in an ideal world.

Jn 14:27: "My peace I leave with you, not as the world giveth give I unto you." Worldly peace tries to escape and dodge problems, refuses to face difficulties. Worldly peace is all about me. Troubles steal this kind of peace. Satan comes along and says our problem is way too big for God. He tries and is often successful in convincing us that God can’t help us, we’ve got to worry our way out of it. Jesus peace is about keeping our eyes on Him. Each time we trust God and find Him faithful, just as He promised, our own faith grows.

Don’t Worry

My stepmother was chronic worrier. Like so many she seemed inclined to worry rather than ask God to help and then believe that he would. We get so focused on the problem we can become spiritually paralyzed. Worry crowds God out of our lives. It takes away time we should be using to pray and to worship Him. Worry conjures up worst case scenarios and magnifies the problem. Worry is like chewing dried beef; the more it’s chewed the bigger it gets. Worry adversely affects the immune system. We can literally get "worried sick." Excess worry can also lead us into depression. I know that only too well because it happened to me.

Worry is the twin of fear; they support, reinforce and feed on each other. We get false and perverse comfort from worrying by convincing ourselves we are at least doing something to solve the problem. Not to worry might be interpreted as being uncaring. People expect us to worry. They may feel it’s our duty to worry. If you are doing what's right, no matter what the situation, don't be concerned what others think of you.

It’s an indisputable fact that worrying never solved any problem. Worrying is natural; God’s help is supernatural and therein lies the difficulty for the natural man. Learn from past mistakes and move on. We can’t change the past and we don't own the future. Leave the past and the future to God. Live in the Now, confident of God's love and protection.

Don’t Be Afraid

Jn 14:1: "Let not your heart be troubled."

This is not a call for stoicism or a matter of being brave or ratcheting up our courage in difficult times. It's not whistling in a graveyard pretending that nothing is wrong. We will grieve and go through times of sadness. We will be wounded; most likely more than once.Jesus’ peace conquers fear and nothing can take His peace from us. What is it that we fear? Death? Terminal illness? Loss of a loved one? What? One of these will certainly happen and we are vulnerable to many others. We can prepare to meet, with confidence, anything that comes our way. How? If we settle in our hearts that God is our source we can face any difficulty with assurance of His presence.
2Tim 7: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind."

God Will Provide

Cor 2:9: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man the things God has prepared for those who love him." Those "things" have already been prepared and God is waiting for us to ask for them. Lk 11:9: "Ask and it shall be given to you, Seek and you shall find , Knock and it will be opened. to you." Loving God is key. In Hosea 6:6: God says, "I want your love, not your sacrifices."
The very notion that God will provide for his children has long been ridiculed by non-believers. This is not "pie in the sky." Nor is it manna on the ground. Jesus promised us abundant life; not a problem-free life.

Where ever we are in our walk with Jesus He always has more for us. Ask for the more. Search for the more. Learn what it is. Pray; Study the Word. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your spiritual eyes.

Welcome To My Blog

In spite of the blog name "Fanciful Floyd" there is nothing about me that could be interpreted as fancy. Mark, my tech advisor and I simply wanted a name with alliteration. I am 83 years old and still have most of my mental faculties. I am a retired architect, a painter and novelist with three novels published: "Alexander’s Ruby," "A Gathering of Stones," (Sequel "Alexander’s Ruby," and "Two Days to Redemption." All available at Amazon.com if you’re interested. I recommend "Alexander’s Ruby." I also published 3 books of poetry. I enjoy reading history; especially military history and just about anything to do with classic and contemporary cars and art and architecture.

I’m a veteran of WWll and grew up during the Great Depression both of which, as you might imagine, were influential in my life. I am a first generation American, a product of a Greek-Romanian father and an American mother. More about all that in future blogs.

The greatest influence on my life started when I was 44 years old. It was at that time that I surrendered my life to Christ. I will give a full account of how it happened and some of my spiritual adventures in later blogs.

I began this blog to present some of my views on Christianity and the Christian life. And the views will be mine; I’m not the least bit interested in debating or arguing theology with anyone. Please don’t take offense but if arguing is what you like to do, get your own blog.
I will also give my take on politics and other areas of interest in our nation. If you choose to reply to any of my blogs, please stay on subject and use Christian courtesy.

Advanced age does not automatically confer wisdom on a person but I do have a longer perspective that might help to bring you some things to think about. I hope you will discover I have a sense of humor and that I do not take myself seriously.

Today I refer you to an article in Newsweek magazine entitled "The End of Christian America" by John Meacham with Eliza Gray. Well written and worth reading. From my reading of history I believe America is not and has never been a ‘Christian nation.’ At some time our country may have been largely made up by those labeling themselves as Christian and certainly Christian principles have greatly influenced our Constitution and laws but we have never even come close to being a theocracy. Start with the Pilgrims. They came here for religious freedom-------for the Pilgrims. Those who did not subscribe to their particular religious beliefs were not welcome. Not a very good start for Christian nation.

Cal Thomas got it right: "No country can be truly Christian. Only people can." Because the Moral Majority ignored that or didn’t believe it or thought they could change it they set themselves up for disappointment. Christianity and worldly politics simply will not mesh. Jesus did not try to change the Roman government. Nor did he encourage his followers to get into politics. Politics involves compromise. That is the price to be paid to be elected. You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours.

Jesus made it clear that his kingdom is not of this world and he knew that politics or the use of military force would not accomplish his goals.

Our present age is being referred to as ‘Post Christian" intimating that Christianity has had its day, its opportunity, to make a difference and it couldn’t cut it. So it is being set aside to make room for the ‘New Religions’ and multiple gods. Professing Christians are fading away along with their quaint old-fashioned belief system which doesn’t fit into the new intellectual and cultural changes taking place in our country. One day soon we will be as relevant as the dinosaurs.
Don’t bet on it. God is not mocked. He said he would never leave himself without a witness.

Christianity has not been advanced or helped by the legalists who know all the religious rules but little of the love of Christ, the "aginners" who are quick to notice the faults in others and then hammer them with the "thou shall nots" and the tv evangelists with their popular but deceiving "prosperity gospel." These examples eventually drive people away and are not the true face of the Gospel. It’s been said that, "The trouble with Christianity is Christians." Yes, God please forgive us, we do not always display what we profess but that does not change the truth that
we worship a perfect God and that people today need, and generations to come will need, what God is offering in Christ: Love, Acceptance, True Freedom, Joy, A True Sense of Worth, Forgiveness, Salvation.

This is not the first time that the end of Christianity and/or its influence has been predicted ... I don’t believe it will happen and I wouldn’t exchange my relationship with Christ for anything this world has to offer.