Obbssed with disinfecting OR not?

 Working in a care facility for the elderly I know how important cleanliness and disinfectants are for the resident's health. I am a part of the environmental team and responsible for wiping down all touchable surfaces to control germs and viruses that may come from many different sources. We do this daily because we are committed to providing a healthy environment for them to live in.

With so much concern about the spread of COVID-19, we have specific chemicals to use for the virus to help eliminate the spread. Plus there are sanitizing stations everywhere we walk and posted signs on every door and service area. I believe it is wise to take precautions in this kind of environment and I am thankful that our organization is doing this.

I have heard from several people that we have some senior staff that is obsessed with sanitizing and I agree with that. (example I use the sanitize station in the elevator and then walk by the station in the hall and someone says did you sanitize?)  Overuse of anything is usually dangerous or at least harmful. It may eliminate most of the germs for a while but over time they develop into superbugs and become very hard to eliminate.

 I like this definition from the free dictionary "ob•ses•sion. (əbˈsɛʃ ən) n. 1. the domination of one's thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, desire, etc. 2. the idea, image, etc., itself. 3. the state of being obsessed.

When I leave work it all stays there until I come back. At home in our small complex, we do not wear masks, But we do use common sense and social distancing. I am a firm believer in being exposed to common germs and other viruses to help build up my immune system. But be smart and use common sense.

personal testimony- Two years ago I compromised my immune system with some dangerous chemicals. I did not wear any protective coverings and got cancer cells that affected my immune system. After 6 months of treatments, cancer had been shrunk considerably but was still present. My immune system was week but I did not isolate myself , instead, I continued to go for walks outside and visit activities to help strengthen it. As of today, I have worked every day through this pandemic crisis, and in a few weeks, I will turn 78years old.

This is just some of my thoughts on the current crisis and how I am dealing with it. The one thing I am absolutely sure of is that God is my protector and I am committed to serving him.

Earl

Living Room Sessions with Granny: Let The Holy Ghost From Heaven Fall On Me

I came across this song today and it reminded me of my own experience when I asked the Holy Spirit to come into my life and make it real for me. It was early in January of 2020 and I was on my morning walk thinking about the spirit and what is his purpose, and how do I know he is near to me? I had the urge to just stop and raise my hands and ask for the Holy Spirit to enter into my body. It was an instant warmness and I felt a presence like I've never felt before. I just stood there and thanked God for giving me his presence in the form of the spirit. From that moment to this day I thank God for his protection and guidance in everything I say and do each day. 

I knew I was not receiving the blessings God has promised in his word because of sinful temptations that I could not overcome. Satan had put a shield over some of the past sins that needed to be confessed and repented of so I was not aware of what more I needed to do. Little by little the spirit would bring to mind someone or something I needed to repent of and make right. My heart toward people was being changed and all my negative thoughts in my mind were greatly reduced. God was doing a work in me and as I continued to be obedient to the spirits prompting many of my prayers were being answered and I was being blessed more than I had ever imagined.

If we ask the Holy Spirit to come into our life and are serious about listening to his prompting and obeying what comes to mind, be prepared for some rough weather but the blessing will far outweigh the turmoil.

Earl

Truth is?

About two years ago I was confronted about the truth in my saving and spending habits. It was a very painful two-hour confession of multiple lies that dated back some 60 years.
That time was a turning point in my life, for days and months afterward I would recall all the untruths I had spoken on a daily basis. I would feel awful about lying but I would justify it by saying it avoided conflict or it solved my problem temporarily. Daily I would feel convicted and I prayed to God for help but my faith was weak and I would try to fix things myself. God did help but not right away like I asked. I had a lot of repenting to do before life would get better. He released the spirit in me to show me people who I needed to write letters to and make phone calls and go to personally and ask for forgiveness. As I did my thoughts and actions became more dependant on the Holy Spirit and my faith has been increasing. I have a lot fewer worries and fear of the future and my quality of life.

Today I was reading in the bible John chapter 14 about the role of the Holy Spirit.
16 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another [a]Helper, that He may be with you forever;
17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

The Holy Spirit has become my constant companion and I depend on it for my every thought and action I take. Every morning I ask for guidance and pray that my words and actions will be pleasing to my Father which is in heaven.
The truth is that I can't fix things myself, it takes help from the Holy Spirit.
Earl

Renewing my mind

While walking along the path in the morning I was thinking about God and how he communicates to me. I have never really known how to hear or realize when he is talking to me. Jesus said we can communicate with God through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes I can sense an urge to do something but I am not sure if it is from God. I have accepted his holy spirit but I don't know how to access it so I just stopped walking and said Holy Spirit come into my body so I can know you are real and instantly I felt a sensation in my shoulder and then a rapped heartbeat. Peace came to me and my heart was full of joy, I had God's spirit living inside all along I just had to believe.

As I continued my walk the Spirit, filled my mind with thoughts about how to recognize communication from God. By reading the bible daily and in context, studying how others in the bible talked and heard from God, paying attention to my thoughts and seeing if they line up with scripture. I was becoming aware of forgotten knowledge and I was thankful.

I have always thanked God for everything even the hard times although most of the time I didn't like my situation. Talking to God and asking him to change my life has been difficult because I had become comfortable in my own abilities. Today I have renewed assurance that my body is the temple for the Holy Spirit and I have direct communication with God continually.

Earl

 

Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

An act of kindness

I am an essential worker in a health care facility where masks and other protective items are for staff and residents only. While on duty I overheard an employee tell about waiting in line at the store for a very long time and was concerned about the closeness of the other shoppers. She is in the vulnerable class for COVID-19 and should have had a mask to wear for her personal use. I remembered that I had some in the garage, so I approached her and said I had a few and would be glad to share.
Earlier last summer I had been working with chemicals and had a full box of the N95 masks in my garage. Since I was no longer using them I took out a few for my wife and me and gave the rest to her for her use and any others who might need one.
Earl
Trying to honor the Lord with my abundance.

The power of a song

There have many songs that have had an impact on my adult life, but none like one I heard at a live concert in Lincoln Nebraska at the Wesleyan University. I was invited to go by this girl from another church that I knew and she had an extra ticket if I wanted to go.
During the first part of the concert, I was more interested in the girl than the music. As Doug Oldham started to share his testimony he would sing a verse of "Through it all", I have learned to trust in Jesus". I could feel the emotion in his voice and see the tears creeping down his face, sweat was on his forehead. At the time of the concert, he had just heard of a tragedy in his family and was praising the Lord and trusting God to help him through it all. He would continue to share and then sing another verse. I was so moved by the strength he had to stand up there and perform. It became a moment of change in my faith that God will help me THROUGH  IT  ALL.  I don't know if a voice spoke to me or it was an emotional feeling but I knew that song would be my strength for the rest of my life. Praise God for the mysterious ways he works in our lives.
Earl

Will I fall back into my old habits?

It is so easy for me to focus more on my daily tasks to do and solving my problems than it is to look to God for strength, help, and encouragement.
Being retired and staying home with my wife over the last three years, I have developed a daily routine of fixing meals and sitting at my computer doing research all day. Most of the time I am looking for ways to grow spiritually and healing the body of illness through the bible scriptures. Watching many videos and reading different devotions I have grown and matured in my belief in God and his ways of taking care of me. Many of my prayers that I have been so patiently waiting for have been answered and all of this has brought me relieving stress and great joy.

Lately, I have been restless and felt a need to be more physically active instead of just hanging around the apartment. A few months ago I was starting to dig into our savings for some special needs and medical expenses so I was praying for God to show me a way to bring in some extra income and also get some physical activity going by volunteering. After a couple of applications and two interviews, nothing was happening so I was getting discouraged. I also was feeling like I should be writing short stories about my life to show others how God's grace works through adversities. I have been doing this but not as faithfully as I should.

During my morning walk in the middle of winter, I saw two guys smoking outside and I stopped and asked what they did for work? They said they were part of the maintenance crew for the big complex there. I said that is the kind of work I have done also, and that I was looking for work. They encouraged me to go fill out an application, which I did and then last week I got a call telling me I was hired. Being in my late 70s and still very active I am sure this is where God wants me to be.

I am praying that I can keep my focus on the Holy Spirits leading as I start this new job and not regress into my old habit of putting a job before God. I still believe as I have said many times before. IT'S GOD'S PLAN NOT MINE.
Earl

Be careful what you say.

Be careful what you say.

I gave up cussing and using bad language many years ago.

Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”

During my Army days, I picked up the bad habit of using as many swear words as possible in my conversations. Several times I was asked to leave the bars because my language was so filthy. I know now it was the environment and my rebellious attitude. I thank God that when I got back home I cleaned up my words but the thoughts were still in my mind. I had an internal battle going on between what I was thinking and what I was about to say

.
For 45 years I fought that battle between good and evil. By my outward actions, everyone thought I was a good kind and decent person never using bad language and very thoughtful. but inside my head, I would often curse and make a judgment against people and things. White lies became an everyday occurrence for me.
Then one day on my morning walk I was asking God for help with my finances and some health problems, Instantly he said you are not honoring me with your thoughts. I see your actions and know your thoughts, you have been serving Satan in your mind. I felt a deep need to repent not only to God but also to several people for the thoughts I had of them.
I am thanking God each day for the way he has changed my way of life and the freedom with joy and peace that is beyond understanding. I need to continually ask the Holy Spirit to guard my thinking and the words I speak so the people I meet each day will see your love through me.

Earl

Matthew 12:37 For by your words you will be justified, and by your words, you will be condemned.”

The busy sunday

Does it really matter that much what we do on Sunday?
 YES I believe it does.

I don't usually go shopping on Sunday, but I needed a few items from the grocery store, so when I got to the parking lot it was so full I had a hard time finding a vacant spot. Then inside it was even worse, I could not go down an aisle without bumping into someone or waiting just to turn into the next aisle. About an hour later when I got back home I could not stop thinking about how rushed and rude people were. I told my wife whatever happened to Sunday being a day of rest?

It seems to me we are so occupied with doing things like work, meetings, playing, socializing and whatever that we don't have any time left to rest, which we need to replenish our bodies.
God made us so that we need rest. I believe we need to recharge our emotions and energy just by being quiet or reconnecting in our relationship with God. The sabbath is the day set by God as the day of rest.

God rested on the seventh day not because He was tired, but because He had completed His work. If we have our priorities set in the right order we can also take a day of rest and replenish our bodies with what's needed.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (Matthew 11:28)
 Be intentional about taking your Sabbath, spend time with God, and make it count!
Earl

My patience

I am at a point in my life that I need some positive direction and a Rock to stand on? I know there have been many people who have been in exactly the same circumstances as me, faced my situations, been tested like me and came through it giving praise to God.

I hear words in my head like have patience and let me show you the way, be still and know that I am God. Patience is not one of my virtues: I may act like I am being patient but inside I am burning with frustration and anger, It causes me great pain. "Without pain, there is no gain" Some days are easy and some days are a lot harder to get through. My belief in God is secure and my faith is strong so I will trust him to make a way for me.

Earl


“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Healthy diet

THIS SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING I CAN MANAGE.


Diet to stay happy


What should you eat to beat depression?


Experts say it’s important to eat a balanced, Mediterranean-style diet. But some nutrients are particularly helpful. Here are some examples, and which foods supply them.


Vitamin B6: An ingredient needed to produce serotonin, the main neurotransmitter that regulates mood and sleep. Too little serotonin is associated with depression. We need Vitamin B6 every day from our diet.


Sources: Pistachios. Garlic. Salmon and tuna. Chicken. Spinach. Cabbage. Bananas. Sweet potatoes. Avocados. Whole grains.


DHA: The main omega-3 fat in the brain. It promotes the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a hormone that protects neurons and promotes the birth of new brain cells.


Sources: Wild salmon. Oysters. Anchovies. Mackerel. Mussels.


Prebiotics: Foods that the good microbes in our gut need to stay alive.


Sources: Onions. Asparagus. Artichokes. Garlic. Bananas. Oats.


Probiotics: Live bacteria and yeasts that replenish the good bacteria in our microbiome.


Sources: Yogurt. Sauerkraut. Kefir. Kimchi or other fermented vegetables, such as turnips, cucumbers or carrots.


Elizabeth Bernstein

Morning prayer

I keep my life pretty simple believe it or not. It’s the start of a new week, so I begin with my coffee and morning devotions:
“Thank you God, for this opportunity to live today.
Give me the strength
to stay focused this week,
to be mindful of others,to serve kindnessto be a sorce of Love.”This simple little prayer gives me the peace and calmness I need to press forward and face today's challenges.I repeat that several times as I take my morning walk, and think about the key words. 

• focused 

• mindfulness 

• kindness 

• love

• strength

Not much magic to it -Just a few simple words and a belief that it is happening.

God given talent

I am a believer in Jesus Christ and have a belief that we are each given special gifts called talents, and these are given for spicific work and for a specific time period.

 My idea of talent is the ability to perform certain tasks well and love it. Over the years I have had many different occupations and jobs that I performed well in but didn't enjoy them. I think those were just learned skills and not special talents. I knew that I loved tinkering around with things and making them work but that was just a pastime and didn't bring in any money.

I remember years ago I had worked for a corporation and they closed the outlet where I was employed. At that time I was only making enough to get by month to month so I had to find some immediate source of income. Since I loved to repair things I placed an add for handyman work and got a couple of small jobs painting. They referred me to some 0f their friends and I began to have steady work. The painting was something I loved doing and I did a clean and timely job. The referrals kept coming so I ordered business cards and bought a business license. God was answering my prayer for steady income, and he also gave me the talent to do a good job and the love to do it. That turned out to be my life's work for the next 16 years.

I have been retired for the last 7 years only working part-time jobs for extra income and getting a bit restless. I have been feeling a void of not doing something meaningful. Through my daily devotions and praying for new opportunities I felt like I needed to share my life's experiences on social media how God has provided and protected me over 70+ years, in hopes that it will help others through a similar situation. Believe me, I am not a writer or very savvy with the computer or smartphone, but I have enjoyed making a few short posts and also helped my wife set up her own website. cathykeepsakecreations.com

This could be the opportunity I have been waiting for and the talent to go with it. I am fully trusting God to lead me down the right path and provide all the knowledge and wisdom I will need.
Earl Baldwin

simple formula for living

Someone special

The someone special is me! I have had a life full of so many great adventures and been showered with blessings, more than I even know about. I have also had loads of difficulties with the loss of family members, financial stress, physical and emotional abuse, plus many physical accidents. Everything together is what makes me a special person.

God knew my heart and he knew I was going to need a lot of protection through my lifetime. At an early age, I gave my heart to God and accepted Jesus as my savior. It was at this time two special saints from the church took me under their wings and committed to pray for me and asked God to place angles around me for the rest of my life. That's why I am a special person, through all my 77 years those angles are still watching out for me.

I think of the time in the paratroopers I was blown into the front windshield of a parked jeep, or when I was accused of murder and thrown into a german jail, or split my head open on a stovepipe, too many accidents to mention. I have also been counting the many blessings like receiving an unexpected check when my account was empty or receiving a free remodel in our basement so we could receive some extra rent money to avoid foreclosure or going down a highway at 80mph. and barely missing a semi who turned in front of me. It's not just the major events but the small things that most times I don't even think about. When I am walking and the sun breaks through the clouds to warm me up it's another blessing.
God is faithful and he honors the prayers of his prayer warriors. I remember so many people who have been put in my life to guide me in the right direction and help with difficult situations. Many of them have passed away or moved away and I am so thankful that they were a part of my journey and God's plan.
I am someone special because I am a child of God and he loves me.
Earl Baldwin

A summer drive in Europe

I had been working in a German-run warehouse in Mainz and was feeling very depressed about my marriage. It was payday and something inside me said I should just take the day off and go for a drive to relieve some stress.

 I hopped in my Volkswagen beetle and took off, I had nowhere in particular in my mind to go, just driving.to get away for a while. I would drive through any small towns I came to and stop at some of the cafes for coffee or a danish roll. Late in the afternoon, I realized I had no idea where I was and didn't have a map to find my way back to the apartment. My thought was then to just keep driving and see if I could find a youth hostel where I could spend the night. I came upon a group of youth making camp along the side of the road and stopped to ask if they knew where the youth hostel was they said no, but I could camp with them for the night, so I did. They were 6 college students traveling Europe on foot. We talked for several hours and became comfortable with each other. They did show me they carried a gun for protection so I wouldn't get any ideas. Early in the morning I got up and left.

I thought about trying to find my way back to Mainz and my wife and job  I left behind but I was still angry and so stressed out that I decided to just keep going and try to make my way back to America. Driving down the road  I didn't realize how close to France I was until I saw the border patrol up ahead. I could not speak any french and very little german but I showed them my passport and said I was just site seeing. They stamped it and passed me on through. I drove for a while and stopped at a seaport hoping to get a ride to the US on a ship as a crew member, but I needed sea papers which I didn't have. I tried to sell my VW so I could buy a ticket but I needed other additional papers. It seemed all my efforts to get back home to the US was being blocked. As I drove around aimlessly I was thinking this was my third day traveling and I hadn't told anyone where I was going, I am sure they are searching for me and I really don't want to be found.

Just then I came to another border crossing going into Switzerland I showed my passport and then passed on through. I thought I should get off the main highway and travel on some of the backroads through some small towns. As I was driving down this paved road it turned into a dirt road so I kept going to see where it went and then it was like a trail with grass in the middle and then an open field with cows around. Somehow I was in a grazing pasture and it was starting to rain. As I was turning around on a steep hillside I could feel my VW slipping sideways and I straightened the steering wheel to gradually make it back up to the trail and drive out.

 I crossed back into France and took a different route driving around all day and into the evening by this time it was getting very dark and I was running low on money so I decided to find a place to park and sleep in my car. I found an open area with bushes so I would be partially hidden from the road and fell asleep. I woke up with someone pounding on the window, it was two French policemen motioning me to get out. My first thought was that they had found me and I was going to jail, but they were just investigating to see if I was alive or in bad health.needing assistance. I said I was ok I just got tired and pulled off to sleep so they left and I drove on down the road.

Somehow I came to the Belgium border and crossed into the country with no problems. At a cafe, I met a girl from Dover England she was going home for the summer and said her father owned a business and that I could work for him until I made enough money for a trip home. I bought a ticket and boarded the fairy to sail across the channel to Dover. When we docked they checked my passport and asked how much money I had and how long I would be staying. I said I was staying with my girlfriend's parents but they wouldn't let me in because they said I was a vagrant. I was put back on the fairy and returned to Belgium.  At least I got to see the white cliffs of Dover.

 I was down to my last few dollars which I used for gas and drove back into France with no destination in mind but heading toward Spain. I always wanted to see the bullfights. Driving down a country highway I ran out of gas and no money left in my pockets. I just sat there for a while wondering what I was going to do. I got out and pushed the car off to the side checked to see if all the papers for the car were there I left the keys in the ignition closed the door and walked away hoping that someone who needed a car would find it.

Earl Baldwin

























i

After the summer drive in Europe

As I walked along the highway somewhere in France  I turned to have one last look at my Volkswagon that I walked away from. I could barely see it now so I waved goodbye and turned around and kept walking. Thinking to my self here I am in Europe, no money, no food, no vehicle, with only the clothes on my back and a thin blanket. My survival mode started to kick in and I thought I would be ok eating fruits and vegetables from people's gardens, and If I came across an unlocked vehicle I could take anything of use to me.  I was also thinking about hiding from any police vehicles I saw. Survival was not my biggest concern, finding a way to get back home to the U.S.A was.

I walked all day and into the night and didn't see any cars or trucks. I was getting so tired so I walked over to the ditch beside the roadway it was covered with grass so I laid down and went to sleep. I had covered up with a small blanket that a group of kids had given to me earlier, I must have covered my head and did not feel the lite rain that fell but when I woke up my whole side was damp and I was laying in some water. The weather was warm and with the sun up I dried off pretty fast. and on down the road, I went. I must have been pretty close to the ocean because a mile or so I came around a bend and saw some thick bushes and heard voices behind them. There was an opening between them and I walked up and started to go through then I saw people with no clothes on. I looked a little closer and saw the ocean an a nudist camp on the beach. I was so shocked that I turned around and kept walking, I was thinking if they saw me I could get hurt for spying on them.

The road followed the beach line and as I walked I noticed a lot of the girls were topless, it made me think this must be the French Rivera beach and I kept walking. I could see a lot farther down the beach a tower was standing. When I got closer to it my curiosity got the best of me so I walked over to investigate. It was starting to get dark and no one was around so I walked up closer and saw there was an opening in the back. The tower was round and made of concrete and blocks about 20' high. I walked inside and saw old pieces of steel and wood junk laying around and a metal ladder going up to the top. I climbed up and through the top portion and looked out into the ocean and beach. There was a waist-high wall around to keep me from falling off. I thought this was a perfect place to spend the night and I laid down and fell asleep. I heard voices in the morning below in the tower it sounded like there were two men checking things out. I laid there very quiet until I heard them leave and as I peeked over the wall I saw they were guards walking the beach. I climbed down and ran up to the road and walked away.

Down the road aways I stopped at a coffee shop on the roadside, I had found a few coins along the way and asked if I could have a coffee. It was the blackest and thickest coffee I have ever had, but it was what I needed and I took my time sipping it.  On another day going into the late afternoon I was close to a farmer's field with potatoes growing so I was pulling up a plant to get some potatoes when I heard a shotgun go off and a man shouting. I crouched down and started crawling on my knees and elbows as fast as I could out of his field and then ran till I was out of his sight. Whenever I saw a garden or a fruit tree I would help my self and not think about whether they cared or not. It was the only food I was able to get at the time. One day I came to a plum tree and they were ripe so I filled my stomach and carried as many as I could walking away down the road. About an hour later I had a really bad stomach ache and had to go to the bathroom bad. There were no houses or trees around just open fields and the road so I squatted and let it all come out. Plums on an empty stomach are not good. I found that in a lot of the smaller towns wagon trucks with canvas covers would carry beverages and produce down the roads and they traveled very slow so it was easy to keep pace with them as they went. A couple of times I was so thursty I picked a bottle from their wagon without them seeing it.

Hitchhiking was fairly easy during that time and I was able to catch a lot of rides to so many places that I can't remember and language was not a barrier we would just smile and use sign language and point to road signs. One man picked me up and spoke enough English to say he was going to Spain and I said that's where I wanted to go to. He drove a Citron car which is similar to a sports Cadillac and he had to drive through some rocky cliffs with deep drop-offs and lots of curves. That was the fastest and scariest ride I have ever had. He stopped short of the Spanish border and had me get out he said I had to walk across he didn't want to get stopped because of a stranger that he just picked up on the road. I passed through and caught another ride that took me to Barcelona. Looking for places to find some work I saw a coca-cola plant so I stopped and asked inside if I could get a job and was turned down because I needed work permit papers. They gave me two bottles of coke and wished me luck.

I walked most of the way out of Spain and caught rides into Italy, then through Germany and back into France. So many places I wish I would have journaled them. In one small town outside of Paris, I found a car unlocked and  I was going through the glove compartment when people came out of a building and was walking towards the car so I crouched down hoping they would walk by. As they opened the door I jumped out the other side and ran as fast as I could with a backpack full of stuff. I made it to Paris and didn't want to be seen with the backpack so I hid it behind some bushes and went site seeing. When I got back the backpack was gone someone else had stolen it from me.

I was in my fifth or sixth week of traveling aimlessly around Europe and trying to find work and getting nowhere. I was tired, hungry, dirty and I hadn't had a bath or shaved since I left. Walking along thinking I might be better off to go back to Wiesbaden and my wife and ask if we could start over again. So I decided to make my way back to Gustavsburg where her mom lived. I kept walking and when cars would stop I would say Frankfort Dauschland and most people knew which way that was so I gradually made my way back to her small town. 

  I stopped and had a moment of fear go through me before I went up to her mom's house. I rang the doorbell and Heidi my wife answered. She had a surprised look on her face as she said my name Buzz where have you been? I told her my story and asked her if she would go with me to America and start over. She asked me to come in and get cleaned up and talk about it. The bathwater was so dirty that I had to empty it and take another one to get clean. We came to an agreement and made plans to move to America. 

Earl Baldwin

Every morning walk

Every morning I wake up and have my devotions and coffee then go on my morning walk. I have been doing the same routine for three years and haven't missed more than fifteen days. Part of my route goes through our residential area and about a half-mile goes along a trail beside an irrigation ditch.
When I first started this routine I never smiled or talked to a sole for a couple of months. I was pretty much wrapped up in my own troubles and wasn't thinking of anyone else. I would pass at least five to ten people each morning and they acted the same as I was, not caring about anything but themselves at least that's what it seemed like to me.

I was reading a book at that time called "Attitude Is Everything" and it was talking about how important a smile and a simple greeting is and how it can affect a person. At the same time, I was noticing posts on social media to smile and make someone happy today. So I started smiling and saying good morning to those I passed. At first, I would get a quick smile and then after a couple of times, they would say good morning back to me with a smile. I had never realized how good that would make me feel until I started doing it and I am sure it helped brighten their day too.

Several mornings I would walk by this one house and see this old man sitting alone and soaking up the sun and sometimes he would be asleep. One of the mornings he was bent over and almost falling out of his seat so I walked up to him and said good morning I thought you were about to fall out of your chair. He looked up at me and said I must have dozed off for a while. Normally I would have walked right on by but I had a feeling that I should go and say hi to him. He told me he likes watching people walk by but nobody says hi or stops to talk anymore. I learned he was 95 years old and walks around the park every day when it is warm outside. We struck up a friendship and every day when I see him outside I stop and visit for a few minutes.

I used to use my walking time in the mornings for a quiet time and start my day talking to God about my problems and stressors which I still do but it's not just about me anymore. I am learning that when I think of others and I can give a little kindness, caring and some form of love I get a feeling of accomplishment and my troubles aren't as pressing as they were before. Just a little change in my attitude and a smile has been a good thing for me.
Earl Baldwin

God never left me.

Accepting Jesus as my savior at the age of fourteen and committing the rest of my life to him I was pretty sure he would keep me safe and never leave me. I also had many of the church prayer warriors take me aside several times during my teen years and pray for angels to guard and protect me my whole life. All through my school years and late teens, I followed the straight and narrow path of the bible teachers. Two years after graduation I turned twenty and joined the Army. That took me away from the secure environment of the church and other Christians. I experienced a new kind of life surrounded by all of the worldly things that I had tried to avoid and I started to give in to the temptations of the devil.

For the next twenty years, I lost contact with God and tried doing things the way I wanted to do them. I became resentful of the church people who denied me a lot of the things most teenagers do. I banned them from coming to my home and became angry at my mom and would use very vulgar language. Beer, cigarettes, and cussing became a part of my everyday life. I would run away from conflict when things didn't go my way. Dirty magazines and videos would help me deal with stress. Satin was working his magic on me and was leading me down a path of destruction. No matter how hard I tried to be a good man and do the right thing it usually ended up causing me or someone else a lot of pain or grief. It seemed like negativity had surrounded me and I could not see a way past it. My marriage ended in a divorce and I decided to move to Montana and live like a hermit with my two sons.
I was not aware of it at the time but Gods angles had been by my side protecting me all those twenty years. He had allowed me to exercise my free will and do it my way until out of desperation  I asked for help. God answers when we seek his help. My boss coaxed me into going to church with his family, they wanted me to meet a nice divorced lady in the church that they knew. In the service, we sat on the front row and I felt like the pastor was talking directly to me. He had a prayer time at the end of the message and I prayed and asked God to forgive my sins and give me a clean heart and help me to live a better life. I did not meet Cathy at that time but a meeting was arranged to see her at the restaurant where she worked.
We met and I liked her right away. She had two young daughters and I had two sons. We dated for about six months and then got married. It was a blended family but I knew with Gods help we would make it work. I was so happy that I had a partner to love and a new family to take care of. I was promoted to manager of a retail store and got transferred rite after we were married about 350 miles away from her parents. I found a new church and began to settle into a new and peaceful life.

Taking the family to church each week and developing new Christian friends I felt like I was growing in my spiritual life. God had certainly changed me and took away a lot of my bad habits. I found that when Satin loses his grip on a person he fights that much harder to get you back into your old ways. This new life of mine was turning out to be a little more difficult than I anticipated.  I was having financial problems with my new job and then family issues with the kids were creating a lot of stress. That's when satin would whisper in my ear go ahead and get mad just don't get violent or go ahead and tell a lie so you don't hurt the other person. He gets so sneaky sometimes that I don't even realize I committed another sin.
One time in our small group meeting at the church. The leader had a class on always be thankful to God for every blessing and every hurtful thing that we have suffered. The blessing is a show of his love for us and demonstrates how much he cares, and the hurt he will heal and use as a tool to help someone else. The leader reminded us to be thankful every day for everything good and bad, This has stuck with me and has become a habit I practice each day.
Over the last 36 years of my second marriage, I have battled with satin daily, but I have kept the faith and stayed strong. I memorized a couple of sayings that have a calming factor for me when I get frustrated,
 It's your plan God, not mine.
Anger flows from unmet expectations.
I feel I have had a rough life with tremendous stress, but the fact is that God has always been right beside me watching over my life.
Earl Baldwin

Trump

Trump
I did not appreciate President Trump's language or maybe It was the adjectives that favored his sentences at first. He was too arrogant, combative and rude. I am a Christian. That goes against my nature. But times even my Saviour could say all those things to certain people. Trump professed to a Christian. But I heard all the things he said in the past concerning women and people in general.
What we have in America is" smoke screen" politics. The media news is controlled by bias CEO's or wealthy men, who all have an agenda to benefit them or theirs. Most are white men. Sorry. If it means to taint the news against or for the chosen few so be it. And the proverb "tell a lie hard enough, long enough it becomes true". When we, the people, began to formulate our views, our logic on this false news we become flawed in our beliefs.
I recently saw a new piece detailing the average lengthy of an elected official. For a first time Congress Representative it was 9.4 years. A Senator 10.1 years. Four years is the length of the elected term. However, we have, I believe good men who enter politics with good attentions who lose sight of the common good that brought them to office. Lobbyist? 
When you have those elected members serving beyond 40 years you have the potential for corruption. We have it. If I have witnessed anything at all it is wealthy, powerful men , women or families doing whatever possible ( lying, going to court against family even murder) to hold onto their greed. Fake news, poor values, no wisdom is crippling our country.
Trump. This is what I know since 2016 when he became President. One, he is a business man. Two, he is flawed. Last, he loves America. Most of all he is not a politician. Therein, is the rub on Donald Trump. He does not talk like a politician. He often rebukes his own party publicly. He tries his best to do what he was elected to do. Three years into his presidency he is still trying to build a wall. Let's be clear on this wall. It will stop those who want in. No it is more of a sign. Like a sign I put in my yard " No trespassing". Before I put the sign up people may have not known how serious I was about my yard. Do you the see my point? Now they know I am serious. Same with the border. We have no continue wall. People are not quite as frighten. At least they will know on the other side.......
President Trump calls it like I would. I like that. Be transparent. Don't leave them guessing. If you are a people are of color don't get offended when he calls a selected few out of your group. You do the same at home. Don't you? It is not you he is addressing. People know that. It is the "bias" news are corrupt haters of freedom.He has no mercy on white people either when they are wrong. It does not offend me. I am white. Not European White America White. Proud of it.
Lastly, like him or not if the Democratic Party were to be in charge of the White House you possibly would not be reading this post. They will tell you what is best. Sorry I have a God for that. But for what I see from there debates they hate our America. Everything is broken. Let see what we have learned. How many years are Representatives elected for? Corrupt Politicians and haters of freedom have destroyed the fabric of our Nation. President Trump could not do that in 3 years.
Think again. Get past the smoke screen.
TED Holcomb