Dorothy Doesn't Live in Kansas Anymore

In the film the Wizard of Oz Dorothy and her puppy are swept away by a tornado in an altogether house, and kept safe as they journey on the "yellow brick road".

There have been many storms across this country of ours.  Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, with flooding causing devastation in many places; and tornadoes doing even more damage.  That is why the title.

There has not been much safety in the tornadoes of late.  People have died.  People are lost, and are not found, or found dead.  We may not like that word d-e-a-d, but that is an honest to goodness word.  People die in these things.  Maybe someone would like hearing the term "Cessation of life".  Is that better.  They are still d-e-a-d.

Dorothy is not in Kansas anymore could not be any more true.  There are Dorothy's, Tom's, Tim's, Tammy's, Jane's, Joyce's , Joe's and James' who have experienced the damage of Joplin, Missouri last evening.  Our son and his wife were involved in the tornado which practically leveled Joplin.

They heard the sirens, James sent Amber to the bathroom, he went and got their "boys" Skillet, Pillar, and a guest; and by the time they joined Amber debris followed James into the bathroom.  When the tornado was over they came out and found a tree in their living room, windows blown out, roof missing, and devastation all around them.  The joy of it all for all of us was they were not harmed.  No cuts, bruises, or broken bones; and they were alive.  For the work of our Lord Jesus Christ in this we thank Him and give Him praise.

To all those families who lost loved ones I am praying for you.  For all those families who have yet to find your loved ones I pray for you as well.  May God put His Almighty hand on your life and draw you nearer to Him.

As Paul wrote;  "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

Thank YOU Lord for YOUR grace and mercy.  Thank YOU for saving the lives of all that YOU have.

Have YOUR way in the storms of our lives; and  be forever glorified.

-Tim A. Blankenship

Just Thinking

I was just thinking that it has been a while since posting anything here at "To Everything...A Season", and yet thinking it will probably just be a filler; although I pray not.

It seems that I may be getting a little tired of this blogging thing. I have deleted a few of them I use to have; here on Blogger and at Wordpress, as well. I don't have in mind to delete any more. I will not start any more either. It is hard to keep up with all of the ones I have now, and do any thing of quality, or what I might consider quality.

Like the title of this blog is TO EVERYTHING ...A SEASON, and so we see that this is a part of EVERYTHING.

We have just finished the first month of Winter, and boy was it a doozy. Snow, cold, frozen water lines; and God's grace is always abundant; no matter what the weather.

There are times that I get so discouraged. Discouraged with myself, and my lack of verbal witnessing. Discouraged with our finances. Discouraged about being discouraged. Now, that one is a real dinger isn't it? I think it is silly and a waste of a good mind; not to mention time; to be discouraged. Like David, king of Israel of old, I just must encourage myself in the LORD.

It seems that we are finally going to be able to move into our own house. I only pray we can fit. God will provide, and give us grace. Though this writing may not seem like it; I am a thankful person. Never, can we praise and thank the LORD enough for His many blessings.

Like I said JUST THINKING. Sometimes is does us all good to use our mind to muse on certain things, and even most things.

Back again soon.

-Tim A. Blankenship

What's Happening???

Here we are in the final week of January 2009, and we are being hit by a Winter storm. Ice is falling from the sky, and making the roads and streets slickery (that is a word coined by my grandson who is the picture on the left side of this blog), and unfit for travelling, so schools all over Southwest MO. has been cancelled today.

I was scheduled for a medical precedure today at 9:00 a.m., but that was postponed yesterday when the hospital called basically asking if I would do that - they left it up to me - saying that I might not be able to arrive there due to weather and some of the hospital staff may not be able to arrive either, and my prep for the precedure would need to be repeated when it is rescheduled. So, I told them to postpone it. I had requested a couple days off from driving the School bus due to this.

When it was known that the event was called off for today, I called my Supervisor and told him I could drive now. He went ahead and let me off for the evening run, because he already had a sub driver, and told me I could go ahead and plan on driving today, but today "NO School". That is a good thing considering the road conditions. I am already longing for Spring. I always look forward to Spring.

I am learning more everyday that our God is good. He is full of grace and mercy. What's Happening??? God is working and moving in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform.

HAVE A GREAT WINTER!!

-Tim A. Blankenship

Some Good Stuff

The past two weeks have been pretty busy for my wife and I. We have enjoyed the days though. On the fourth of July we had our Blankenship family, friends and neighbors celebration down at the swimming hole, with picnic, fireworks and all. On the weekend preceeding the ninth we had our kids and grandkids at the house for our annual family get together.

My previous writing was concerning produce in our garden, which has been greatly neglected. With the rain and lack of time to get to it it has only been tilled one time. Yet, it is producing. My wife Madge and I went on Friday and dug some new potatoes, picked some green tomatoes, some bell peppers and some cucumbers.

On the ninth Madge and I headed to Mt. Vernon, MO. to join others in the kitchen of Baptist Hill Campground for Barry County Southern Baptist Association's annual Children's Camp. We were about a dozen strong doing kitchen work, cooking, distributing salads, drinks, cereals, and such as that. It was a long day for about four days. The day started for me at 4 a.m. with my regular devotion times, then, at 5 would go to the cafeteria where some of the men would have a cup of coffee and fellowship a few minutes before getting breakfast started.

As soon as breakfast was over and the pots and pans were clean we started lunch, then as soon as lunch was over we started preparing for supper (dinner). There was rarely a time to relax. I don't mean that as a complaint. The time flew by. It was also a joy to see those 280 campers come by getting their meals. Many of them were saying "Thank you" as they went through the line being served the food for that meal. That was a great thing.

One of the best things was having a young lady tell of her receiving Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. An update from our Director of Missions was that there were 20 decisions for salvation. That is sure one of the worthy affects of camp. We praise our God of grace and mercy

God Changes People

It is amazing how God works and changes people. When people are called to faith in Christ by the Spirit of God they believe, trust, obey, and just become all around better people.

Take myself for an example. I was saved at the age of eleven years. God's grace has continually been with me, even though, when I was in my teen years I did things for which I am not proud. I am gravely afraid that I offended the One who loved me enough to give His life for me. I also know that I have even since becoming an adult. It is wonderful and great to know that I am His, and He is mine.

Something has began to happen to me which I really never thought possible. I am enjoying do some garden work. I never enjoyed working in the dirt as a boy, and even into adulthood, and now, here I am fifty two years of age, and I have been riding a tractor, plowing a garden, digging that garden to tear up the sod patches, and smooth the ground using a harrow. Harrow, that is a new farming implement for me. Never used one until today. Got the garden ready for planting.

As I have mentioned in a previous article; I have not plowed ground in many years. The old blue Ford tractor still does not have power steering, and now it definitely wears me out; and probably quicker than the soil gets ready.

God is so good, His mercy is everlasting, and His grace is so full and free.