Category: Uncategorized

 

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once was a plan no one could thwart.

Planned by the Highest of The High Court.

Free will the gift,

The course to shift,

The Love of Heaven to Earth transport.

 

There was a movie made in 2011 called The Adjustment Bureau. The plot is about how we humans do not know how to use our free will to course-correct what we need to do for the good of mankind.  Instead, we need “The Adjustment Bureau” (referred to as TAB from this point on) to constantly monitor all our comings and goings.  They can hear all our thoughts and redirect them to what they understand is the right course. Only two things can be used to defend ourselves against TAB: free will and water.

The movie stars Matt Damon (Dave) and Emily Blunt (Elise).  They have a “chance” encounter in the men’s bathroom where Emily is hiding from her personal security team and Dave is rehearsing a concession speech he is about to give.  The movie is a bit sketchy on why she needs security but alludes to the fact she is destined to become a world-renowned ballet dancer. The act of her own free will to hide in the men’s bathroom, a place where her security team would not think to look and she would feel safe, is eye-opening in light of today’s gender bathroom stupidity. That subject won’t be part of this month’s blog, just in case you thought it might. So, keep on reading, please.

As the movie progresses, we feel the heart emotion of love that compels the will to act out in heroic ways the need to love and be loved. Love is one of those things we have free will over. Circumstances and situations may try to change it but we still have free will to continue to love or not. And these TAB workers, who are depicted as superhumans living longer than humans, believe “their decisions” are best suited for humanity because we have messed things up repeatedly. They believe our free will is the problem and without them, we will destroy the world. Love is of no consequence.

The symbolism of water as the other defense against TAB interference could seem of no coincidence. I wondered if the writers had any idea of the power of water from a biblical viewpoint.  For Christians, water is the symbolism of baptism for the washing away of our sins. A deeper truth is water baptism comes after confession and repentance of sin.  It is an outward expression of dying from the old life of sin and being raised to new life with Jesus. Jesus, being baptized in water by John the Baptist, came up out of the water to see Heaven open and the Holy Spirit descending upon Him. He heard the voice of the Father speaking.  Immediately Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tested by satan. Jesus as a man with free will was shown all the temptations of the world that could be his if he turned his back on God. Never let it be said Jesus doesn’t understand or feel the pain or joy of humanity.  He does. How blessed we are he chose God through it all.

The movie uses the idea that only water can thwart the TAB from hearing the thoughts of humans. If there is no interference in the ability to think and exercise your free will the question becomes, “Will I use free will for good or evil?”  As one confesses their sin upon conversion to be a Christ-follower and is baptized in the water their old self is washed away. Heaven’s portal is opened and Holy Spirit descends upon the person. Hearing the voice of God becomes clearer. Holy Spirit is now your guide to truth. The covering of water in the movie allows David to be guided by one of the TAB workers who seemingly messed up the plan that had been set in motion by The Chairman of the TAB as he is referred to.   The TAB worker summons David to meet on a ferry boat out on the water. The water again is the defense that allows David’s thoughts not to be heard by the Chairman. David is free to ask the TAB worker why they are trying to stop him from being with a woman he loves. He cannot accept what he is told and finds a way to be with Elise.

God gave us free will.  This often seems so contrary when we are faced with a decision to follow Jesus.  The natural part of us wants to hold onto our autonomy for fear we will be manipulated or forced to give up things we don’t want to.  The world tells us God is a dictator, a tyrant.  Satan, wants you to believe God just wants to control you.  But the truth is satan is a liar and it is he who wants to control you. God cannot lie.  God is a compelling force, a compelling force of love that is always calling us unto Himself.  HE desperately wants us to experience how much His love will free us from the bondage that the gift of free will, freely given by HIM, when freely given back makes us even more free.  It truly does seem so contradictory. 

Dave tells Elise he will never hurt her.  She opens up her heart and begins to trust him.  That is until TAB interferes again. Dave feels there is no way out and believes it is better to break Elise’s heart than risk her harm.  He leaves her with no explanation as he begins to question the possibility, he may not have free will. Three years will pass.

The same is true when we first believe God, especially a loving God we believe will never hurt us.  We open our hearts and say yes God, I will let you in. I will follow Jesus. But interference like TAB comes. Situations and circumstances that cause heartache.  Pain, sometimes so deep we want to die. The questions fire out of us.  Why God? How could you?  I don’t believe you anymore!   God will not let us stay in that pain because His love will continue to pursue us.  HE is trying to get us to the truth. HE will orchestrate another “chance encounter”. Sometimes it takes three years for all the planning God had to do to prepare our hearts for the next time we can open up and trust His love again.

Dave’s heart fueled by love for Elise and another “chance encounter” after being convinced he is not supposed to be with her will compel him to accept the possibility, though he may fail again, to pursue her with all his heart and willpower.  Love is a compelling force.  The TAB worker assigned to him finds he is so perplexed by Dave’s love for Elise and his determination to use his own free will he summons Dave again. This time a plan is devised under the cover of rain. It will take Dave all of his focus and energy to stay the course hoping Elise will believe him that his love for her has never stopped.  He will pursue Elise until she is by his side.  What a beautiful picture of Jesus pursuing His Bride, the Church.

The power to control one’s own willpower is found in the transport of Heaven’s love to our earthly life. Our life freely given back to the One who created us opens a door (which by the way is another amazing metaphor in this movie that you will easily understand after reading this month’s blog) to a whole new world of what can be ours when we give our hearts to the One who has loved us from the start.

 

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

I thank You that You do not force Yourself on anyone.  What a marvelous gift of free will mankind has been given. Love has not demanded of us to worship You but has desired it as one who desires to be freely loved. Help us pursue You with every part of our will.  From there we will discover how free we really are.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Psalm 121:8  The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Isaiah 55:8  For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

Mark 8:34  And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Psalm 143:10  Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.

Revelation 3:20   “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

 

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

Desire White Fire©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once lived a gal of intense desire,

Her subconscious mind began to inquire,

Thought is a plan,

Rise up, I can.

Let my action begin a white-hot fire.

How many times have you felt this intense desire to do something you always wanted to do?  You feel this fire inside you.  Your mind has all kinds of thoughts, ideas, dreams, and plans. You think you are going to burn up with excitement if you don’t immediately do something.  I learned an important truth from Napoleon Hill’s writings on white-hot fire and desire from his book Think and Grow Rich.  I did a deep dive three times into this book.  It is one of those books we should read every year, like the Bible.

We begin immediately.   Our thoughts are fanning the fire’s flame. We have risen, creating a plan.  The plan is heating up to a white fire. Things are moving in the direction we want.  That white fire is burning hot. Perhaps we are making some much-needed financial gain. Our mood is lighter.  We feel more energetic. Maybe even lose weight by burning all those calories.  We look up and miraculously the sky looks bluer against that white–hot fire!  We begin to breathe a little easier.   We even feel quite comfortable in this white-hot fire.  So much so we become…

Distracted

That’s the knockabout thing for us humans.  It is our natural propensity to become  distracted.  Our world is full of non-stop data.  We have become accustomed to distraction as a means of comfort. AND comfort has a way of making us, well…comfortable.  But comfort only stays comfortable if you keep the fire burning.   All fires die out eventually without a constant supply of fuel.  The right fuel is imperative.  The question becomes…

How do you keep your white-hot fire going?

You need ACTION!

JUMP INTO THE FIRE

I am part of a group that meets regularly.  This small action is just one part of the fuel to keep the fire going.  Multiple actions are needed, big and minute. Just like a real fire, twigs to begin, then big logs, and the need to stoke it regularly. All those things are done with action. Almost everyone knows the mantra, “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.  Thank you, Sir Isaac Newton, for your third law of motion. The interesting thing about this law is that if the objects/things are the same, the force cancels the opposite reaction.  IF, you believe thoughts are things (and they are) and these things have a powerful force, your thoughts can cancel the opposite reaction.  Let’s take this example. You have trained your mind to believe your action of writing daily will keep your white-hot fire going.  The thought arises, “I don’t feel like writing today so I am going to skip it.”  The next thought is, “Writing is not based on my feeling but on my action of doing it.”  Which thought is going to cancel the other one out?  How does one thought become more forceful than the other?  ACTION. You must take the action of writing if that is the thought you want to win out and cancel the thought to skip writing.  Action produces results.   Word of caution though, focus on the action, not the result.  Often times the results distract us and keep us from consistently jumping in the fire.  My challenge to myself and you is just keep jumping into the fire. 

Rise up, you can.  Make a plan.

Let the plan fuel constant action.

I love this song by Harry Nilsson.  We will never be free of thoughts but we can master them.  Let’s make our thoughts be the fire we don’t want to be free of but instead the fire that fuels the God given creativity He has given every one of us.  Think on these scriptures.

1 Samuel 2:3 KJV   Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.

2 Corinthians 8:11 Living Bible   Having started the ball rolling so enthusiastically, you should carry this project through to completion just as gladly, giving whatever you can out of whatever you have. Let your enthusiastic idea at the start be equaled by your realistic action now.

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the abundance of creative desire You have given us.  Help us overcome the natural desire to be slothful.  Open our natural and spiritual eyes and ears to the beauty around us.  Draw out of us the desires You placed in our hearts to create white-hot fires that bring comfort to meet not just our needs but the many that are hurting all around us. Truly we have been created to produce good. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 KJV

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

 

 

 

Secure Surety©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once was an Act of Security.

Fueled by the hearts of social purity.

Care for the old,

Turned lie for gold.

Stolen by the government’s surety.

HAPPY AUGUST BIRTHDAY TO ME!

This month I celebrate another milestone in the numerical age of society’s timelines.  This number had the power to shift whole mindsets. The social thought behind it was for the aging population as well as the future hope of the young generation. The *surety of government proves evil when greed mismanages the money “freely” given it.  My hope is not in the government of men but in the Kingdom Government of GOD.  This Kingdom neither has lack nor greed.  There is always more than enough for all your needs, not your wants.  Living now this many years God has had to teach me many times to ask for what I need, not want.  And many times He has been so good to me He supplied my wants too because I trusted Him for my needs.  God is awesome like that. Jesus said these words to remind us –   Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

August 14, 1935, the date the Social Security Act was signed by Franklin Delano Roosevelt.  Tax collection began in January 1937.  That same month, lump-sum payments were made until 1940. From that point forward a regular monthly payment would be distributed. Before the law was signed FDR’s wife Eleanor wrote a passionate speech in 1934 about her belief in the need for social security for the entire nation.  A quote from her speech, “We can hardly be happy knowing that throughout this country so many fine citizens who have done all that they could for their young people must end their days divided–for they usually are divided in the poorhouse. Old people love their own things even more than young people do. It means so much to sit in the same old chair you sat in for a great many years, to see the same picture that you always looked at!”

I completely resonated with that statement being a single parent, now grandparent, as my retirement age was extended 20 more months because the surety of the government felt it necessary. In contrast, visiting one of my sisters also named Eleanor, a single parent also with grandchildren, now spending her days in a nursing home (poorhouse). Besides her clothes, which often never make it back from the facility’s laundry room, despite the sign that says, “Family will do laundry”, she has a single picture of our parents sitting on a night table that is not hers, sleeps in a bed that is not hers, and stares out a window into a courtyard at people she doesn’t know. Eleanor Roosevelt understood. She commented on her state of New York having 70 the age before one could receive payouts.  She saw the truth that some people at 70 were still well able to work and others by 65 were not, as in the case of my sister.  That led me to a little side search that revealed something our 21^st century may not think of. The industrialization of America had sucked the life out of workers much earlier than the years when almost every family had a farm and family units stayed close in their communities allowing for better care of their elderly.  Much research had been done on the issues of how to care for the aged before Eleanor’s speech and the subsequent signing by FDR of the 1935 Social Security Act. The age of 65 was calculated as the least cumbersome of taxation for all to sustain the ability to collect social security when the time came. Of further interest was how the government collects the social security tax. We think of social security as a benefit because that is how the government labeled it.  In reality, it is our hard-earned money taken by the government who in turn, invests it, makes interest on it, and then gives it back to the taxpayers with less interest BUT does possibly cause people to save for retirement that might not. I wonder if FDR anticipated this….

In 1983 the Federal Government raised the age of full retirement to 67 for those born in 1960 and later. They also lowered the monthly payout amount. The result hurt the economy, decreasing the timeline for Social Security Longevity. It had the opposite effect intended. This is where I realize again how our mismanaged taxes become the “surety” of the government when I ponder the following definitions for the word.

1.  

Surety:  noun:   a guarantee that an obligation will be met

            noun:  a prisoner who is held by one party to insure that another party will meet specified terms

 noun:  property that your creditor can claim in case you default on your obligation

So, as I celebrate my societal milestone birthday, I will continue to look forward to a social security check providing it will still be available when that time comes.  If I look at this check as a need I must have to survive I will surely be in lack. I will be like a prisoner of the government that we know continues to change its terms.  My surety is in the God of the Kingdom of God who is the guarantor that never changes His terms.

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the surety of YOU.  You clearly established Your Word for the world.  Forgive us for living our own kingdom laws which clearly cause lack and greed. We repent and ask You for wisdom and guidance as we seek Your Kingdom first… Then all these things will be added. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

John 3:3

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,  Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

 

 

 

 

Flag of Glory©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once flew a glorious flag so high.

Tyranny, we will no longer comply.

Called old Glory.

Freedom’s story.

American Liberty, never die.

Every country around the world has a national flag.  My national flag is the United States of America.  I love and defend my flag for what it represents: Freedom over Tyranny.

By 1775 Britain’s Monarch Rule by King George III had been imposing overbearing taxes and intrusions into the colonies using militia forces. The colonists had enough!  No longer would they be subject to a tyrant. The American Spirit of freedom was birthed.

On June 14, 1777 the Star and Stripes became the official flag of America. It  represented the first thirteen colonies fighting against  tyranny.  Seven red stripes and six white  totaling  13.  The color red was used for valor,  white for purity,  and blue for justice.

Our celebration of July 4 is to never forget the 1776 Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and all its forms tyranny.  Patriots everywhere fly their flags at parades, on their homes, vehicles and some towns on telephone poles. Today the American Flag represents the fifty states that make up the United States of America.  Our beautiful flag has never lost its symbol of freedom over tyranny.  The entire world knows this.  It is why many people around the world want to live in America.

Before America’s official flag of today,  with fifty stars for each state,  there was a flag called Old Glory.  It received its notoriety from William Driver.  At thirteen William ran away from his Salem, Massachusetts home to become a cabin boy on a large sailing ship. By 1824 Driver,  who was still  a young man of twenty three, was commander of his own ship, the Charles Doggett. His mother, with the help of some Salem women admirers,  gave him a hand sewn American Flag with 24 stars on it as a birthday present. Hoisting it on his ship he named it Old Glory, the symbol of freedom over tyranny. Driver travelled all over the world flying his flag until retiring in 1837. After retiring from the sea, Driver settled in Tennessee where he continued to fly his flag. He became a salesperson for many Nashville businesses and served in his local church. When the Civil War broke out in 1860 Driver hid his flag to keep it from being destroyed. Tennessee was a Confederate state but Driver was a Unionist. The Confederates came to his door demanding the flag but he had hidden it by sewing it inside a quilt. Nashville fell and was occupied by the Unionist Army. Driver gave his flag to them to be draped over the capital building. The flag is now displayed in the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. 

When I read the story of the flag called Old Glory I am reminded of the tyranny Jesus endured for the Glory of God.  The tyrant of that time was Herod the Great. That government also interfered in religious freedom, much like our current government.   One of America’s founding beliefs is religious freedom.  The writings of the Bible are crafted into every facet of our Declaration of Independence, and ten years later the Constitution. We base our three branches of government, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial on Biblical Scriptures.  Never let anyone tell you otherwise.  It will always be necessary every generation be taught the original writings of our great American History, especially the Founding Fathers.  They rightly understood without Divine Intervention and living out the principles of biblical teachings all peoples eventually destroy themselves.  Let’s not let that happen to America.

 Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving all people.  Thank you for loving America. We ask You , to open our minds and hearts to the role America plays for freedom for all as we remember we are great only because of Your hand upon us.  Forgive us for forgetting You and taking our blessings for granted. Grant us wisdom to govern ourselves and this beautiful land we live in. Help us love the Scriptures from where all wisdom and knowledge comes from. In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

 

Behind Great Minds©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once were two talkative minds,

Telling stories of double kinds.

Truth or dare,

Still must bare,

Words from lips or words from behinds.

 

“You are talking out of your behind.”

I hate those words. I hate them when spoken by someone who doesn’t know my heart.  I love those words.  I love them when the person who speaks them does know my heart.  It is like two stories with different outcomes. 

As the middle child of seven kids, three older sisters and three younger brothers I was caught between doing all the girly things and trying to fit in with the boy things.  It’s not so bad until your brothers realize you are a girl and they don’t want you being part of their toys and games.  Your sisters are okay with you playing with the brothers but they can’t figure out why you want to play with the boys more than them.  

Most of my life up to my early twenties was centered around on trying to fit into the male model.  My father supported my desire to go to college to become a toolmaker even though it was definitely considered a male occupation back then in the  eighties.   I think it was mostly because my plan was to get into the best company in my local community that also was recognized worldwide.  We were raised with the mindset that a good job is all you need. You stay there until you retire and that makes a complete life.  I didn’t realize that was “talking out of your behind” talk.  My father didn’t realize it either.  That talk cost him his own dead end job. I can look behind now and understand  how depressed he was.  This affected my mother and siblings in ways we never understood until much later in life.

I am thankful my father did not talk me out of my truth to dare to break the traditional all-male toolroom. It was indeed a great company and when I was hired I surely believed my struggle to get here was behind me.  For a time it satisfied my need to be in a boy’s world.  I will always be grateful for the skills I learned but… some of those boys didn’t want me in their games either.  I endured many more experiences of “you are talking out of your behind.”  (Stories of that will be in the book I am writing.)

If I had stayed in that toxic work environment until retirement I believe my life would have become bitter and resentful.  I needed to dare to tell a story of truth.  It was time to leave, to leave the job that paid very well with the “promise” of retirement.  I had been daring to for years. I hesitated once when I could have left with the company paying for employees to leave.  I talked myself out of it because I was listening to the voice of my behind.  It was telling me I was not worthy of a better life, I would let my family down, I would never make the same money elsewhere, my dad would be disappointed and on and on the lies screamed. It cost me 9 more years of living a behind life.

This reminds me of a story found in Genesis 19. A man named Lot had a wife and two daughters who were pledged to be married. They lived in a city called Sodom. It was a wicked city, part of the five cities of The Plains. The cities were to be destroyed because of their wicked sins of perversion. The stench of the peoples’ sin had reached heaven and God said enough. HE was about to destroy all the cities by fire and flaming sulfur. The people had told themselves a story, God was not watching the way they lived.  They were engaging in sodomy.   Only Lot, his wife and two daughters who lived in Sodom were to be spared. The Lord sent angels to warn them with instructions to flee quickly and not look behind. As they fled, Lot’s wife disobeyed.  She looked behind for a moment at the city and the story says she turned into a pillar of salt. What story did she tell herself?  What was she afraid to leave behind? That one glance of hesitation cost her. It cost her, her life. How thankful for the grace we live in today that our momentary hesitations may not physically kill us but they may kill opportunities to truly live.

Words are powerful tools to keep our behinds, the ones we sit on and the ones we speak to move past our behind and move forward to living out our stories.

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for loving kindness.  Today I put behind me anything that has kept me from moving forward.  Help me forgive anyone who spoke evil intent over my life knowing or unknowing the power of their words.  Forgive me for doing the same. Let my life story speak only truth from this day forward.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 Philippians 3:13-14

13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

 

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

 

Sheep Talk©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

 There once was a flock of socializing sheep.

Unaware they were the prey for a sly creep.

One word,

 Is heard.

The Good Shepherd saves the sheep from the sly creep.

 

What do you feel when you hear your name called?

Fear,  Excitement,  Hope,  It’s about time!

May is typically remembered for Mother’s Day.  Every person born had a mother, barring crazy scientific experiments.  Every child born is given a name.  You may love your name or dislike it. Your name is part of your identity.  What happens the countless times you hear your name spoken develops beliefs about yourself.  If you were blessed in a home that invoked feelings of love and acceptance when your name was spoken, regardless of times you may have been disciplined, you are most likely secure in who you are.  But what if you weren’t?  What if you dreaded hearing your name?

Is it any wonder the evil propagating our children is trying to erase their identity?  If you don’t know who you really are you can easily be preyed upon.  You may follow anyone who calls your name.

Did you know sheep have their own language?

I learned some fascinating traits of sheep.  Sheep talk to each other.  They have different tones, like humans.  Like humans, if we are in a crowd looking for a friend or a child, and we call out their name,  they know the sound of our voice: Even if their name is the same name as another.  Amazing!

How do you react when a robot calls your phone?  Especially the ones now that sound so real you interject a question only to realize it is not a real person. I started to shout at them! Then realizing I am shouting at a robot, is only upsetting me.  That’s how deceptive Artificial Intelligence is, getting you to interact with it.  I know it can be used for good things too.  But that is the plight of mankind, we tend to corrupt the good. 

Sheep also have these traits.  They have four stomachs.  They are timid, easily scared, follow the next sheep without hesitation, and often get lost. They wander together like socializing sheep.  An easy target of prey for an evil sly creep.

The Good Shepherd Calls

We are all like sheep. We will stray, get lost, and become prey for a sly creep.  The Good Shepherd arrives to call the sheep back. A sheep may be so lost the Good Shepherd has to go and find it, leaving the flock. I was one of those sheep.  I may have heard him call more than once but I was far from him, grazing with the wrong shepherds. My name had been spoken many times with disapproval, accusations, and other peoples’ judgmental projections I forgot who I was.  I could still eat the grass in the wrong pastures but it somehow never digested well. Your stomach knows when something isn’t right.   Has that happened to you?

The Good Shepherd Speaks

A word spoken at the right time break opens a path never seen before.  I had socialized with all kinds of sheep. The majority of them were wandering and falling prey to the sly creep.  I wrestled for a long time with my name and pronoun.  I can only look back now and see how many times The Good Shepherd saved me from changing who I had been made to be from what I was hearing I should be.  I heard it deep in my spirit. “Paula, you are my beloved child.  Walk with me.”  It allowed me to look up from grazing in the wrong pastures.  Have you ever heard a feeling? Your gaze on what is around you starts to push outward, side to side. And there in front of you is something you never saw before.  The Good Shepherd has found you. He speaks your name.  You have never heard your name spoken with such love. You will want to hear over and over.

The Good Shepherd Saves

Grazing with the Good Shepherd saves you from the sly creep.  You begin hearing differently.  Don’t be fooled.  We are still like sheep. The sly creep is always around. But now we must do our best to keep following the Good Shepherd. One good way to do that is to become familiar with the WORD of God.  The more you read the bible the more you discern who is speaking truth to you.  I want to always be in His pastures, hearing only his voice. What about you? 

 

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for being the Good Shepherd. Thank You for calling my name.  Forgive me every time I didn’t respond to Your Voice.  Today I say, “Here I am. I want to follow You.”  Lord, we ask You to orchestrate all of our paths.  We know along the way the sly creep will set many traps. Keep our eyes and ears open.  Train us by knowing Your word and speaking it over all our comings and goings. We like sheep have gone astray but now today we follow only Your way.   In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

Isaiah 53:6 KJV

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

John 10:7-16 KJV

7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep.

8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.

9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

April Fool’s Education©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

 There once was a government of lies.

The remnant was praying with loud cries.

Righteous ruler.

Ancient schooler.

YOUR laws save us from ungodly guise.

Picture ourselves in a classroom learning about the laws of government.  Not the laws of today but the ones written by the Ancient of Days.  The King of The Universe. These laws are holy and righteous. These laws are not for the educated fool.  They are to educate the fool.  Our Founding Fathers were not fools. The United States crafted its Constitution and Declaration of Independence on God’s laws.  Visiting the walls of Washington D.C. is proof.  And also proof of how far we have fallen into foolishness by the grievous laws written assaulting life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 

I love Psalm 2 from The Message Bible.   Let’s read it.

Why the big noise, nations?

Why the mean plots, peoples?

Earth-leaders push for position,

Demagogues and delegates meet for summit talks,

The God-deniers, the Messiah-defiers:

“Let’s get free of God!

Cast loose from Messiah!”

Heaven-throned God breaks out laughing.

At first he’s amused at their presumption;

Then he gets good and angry.

Furiously, he shuts them up:

“Don’t you know there’s a King in Zion? A coronation banquet

Is spread for him on the holy summit.”

Now, picture ourselves sitting in one of these “Earth Summits”.  Without God, we would fall under the guise of the lies of climate change, health pandemics, gender annihilation, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), abortion as health care, and literally anything contrary to God’s truth. Never forget the power of programming a young mind. The subconscious mind cannot tell the difference between a lie and the truth. We must have God’s truth planted deeply into our subconscious so leftist ideologies cannot sway us.  This is one of the main reasons the left continues to manipulate the children as early as possible.

Do you know Heaven has a government?  It is God’s government.

This government is complete with all His Laws, Commandments, and Judgements. The earth is a shadow of His government. We are to govern ourselves corporately and individually by Heaven’s government allowing us to live in peace and prosperity without fear.  Satan came to Eve in disguise, twisting the truth of God’s commandment to not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. As I have often referred to this fateful event in my writings I do again for the power of truth in disobedience and its consequences are a law God never changes.  The moment Adam did not cover and defend his wife but joined her gave Satan the legal right to take what he wanted from them.  They lost the Garden and perfect fellowship with God.  From that point on man understood good and evil.  Satan continues to use his legal right to lie to every person born. His plan is to lead as many as possible away from God.  The sad truth is this goes for believers as well. 

We must be schooled in God’s laws.  Jesus came to fulfill the law not do away with it.  The Ten Commandments are still God’s laws and when applied produce holy results. How could an ungodly government use its guise to remove them?  And yet it happened many times and in many places.  Believers, we are responsible.  We didn’t pay attention as our schools educated our children with Godless beliefs. We let the media school us as well with countless lies.  We are being beguiled like Eve.  We fail often like Adam when we don’t stand up for truth. 

Jesus has paid the price to defeat satan and overrule the legal entrance to our lives.  But until we stand on that truth he still uses guise, that twisting of truth, to fear us into subjection. We must keep studying to defeat satan at his own game. Remember he knows the whole bible.  Do we?

The hour is late. We cannot stop meeting at the schoolhouse of truth.  

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear GOD,

Thank You for YOUR Government. Nothing can stand against it.  Until You return keep schooling us in Your Laws.  We repent of tuning out the TEACHER, Holy Spirit.  We repent for not doing our homework.  Please be merciful and bring us back to the Law of Love.  Cause our hearts to have no other gods before You. Give us strength to love You with all our hearts, souls, and minds. Help us teach our children to do the same.   In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

Isaiah 9:7  King James Version

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

Marchinagtions©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There is the Author of Creation.

Molding and shaping animation.

Man’s story,

HIS Glory.

Love eternal, without cessation.

 

 Imagination.

If you were to write a story of creation how would you imagine it?

The Bible tells us G_D created us in His image.¹  We have a habit of writing G_D into our stories but the truth is G_D wrote our story. 

Have you ever read a book said, “What a crappy ending.”  You just want to change it.  The story G_D wrote for mankind has a glorious ending.  The end is the beginning of greater glory. This isn’t one of those times you are irritated if someone tells you the end of the story if you haven’t read the book. This book, the Bible, ends in glory.  The more you read it the more you open your mind to things you could never imagine were possible. It’s HIS Story living in you, becoming your story. A story for His Glory.  The Glory Story where everyone has their part to play.

How do I play my part?

The Book of Revelation² is the last book in the Bible but you don’t need to read the whole Bible first. Jesus course corrected all the plots and schemes of Satan as He played out His part. We find all this out as we read the rest of the Bible. Jesus’ story did not end on the Cross. It opened the door to the greater glory allowing him to sit at His FATHER’S right side in Heaven.  Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, makes it clear in Revelation: to end well we must have our names written in the book of life.

How do I know my name is written in the book of life?

G_D has molded and shaped every one of us. HIS breath animates us. Our story, although already written, is always about choices. Jesus had to choose to obey all G_D told him.  It is no different for us.  The story of Jesus is written throughout the Old Testament even before Jesus comes to physical life in the New Testament. The Cross is not the end but only the beginning of The Glory Story. As soon as we accept His death as the sacrifice for our sin, repenting of it, he begins to speak to us. His Holy Spirit opens our imaginations to see and feel how we are doomed without Him. The weight of our sin sometimes is tangible and as soon as we cry out, Father forgive me, Jesus comes.  A true repentant heart confessing that Jesus is raised from the dead is saved.  This kind of salvation makes your name known in all of heaven so that your name is written in the book of life.

Your story, His Glory.

His love will never cease.³  He is the author and finisher of our faith. Faith is the glue that binds the book of our story. You and I are created to be His story. The story of His Glory.

 

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear G_D,

Thank You for my story. May my mouth confess that Jesus Christ is Lord being raised from the dead.  I repent of all my sin. Cleanse me and fill me with Your Holy Spirit.  Write my name in the Book of Life. Together help me live out the story You have written for my life.   In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

¹Genesis 1:26-27 King James Version

26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

²Revelation 20:15 King James Version

15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

³Lamentations 3:22-23 English Standard Version

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;  his mercies never come to an end; 23 they are new every morning;  great is your faithfulness.

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

 

February Leap ©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

There once was the Creator of numbers.

Created by One who never slumbers.

Even or odd,

There’s no façade,

From The One who always disencumbers.

 

The whole world knows the definition of two, regardless of culture and language.

Don’t you just laugh sometimes how man pretends he has control over the creation and order of numbers?  Remember that preposterous and lunatic ideology of one plus one could equal three?

The one who falls into this thinking has been blinded by the prince of this world.  The bible calls him satan, the father of lies.¹  Satan tries everything and anything to destroy what G_D has created. He does it through perversion, taking all God has created and twisting it so it sounds good to the itching ears of men². He knows his time is up soon before he is cast into the burning lake of fire.  He wants to take as many souls with him as possible. Don’t let him take you. Don’t fall for any of his lies.  Even if they sound good.  He is the master at making things sound good, believable and for humanity’s benefit.  How do you think we got to the place that we don’t believe God knows the very number of hairs on our head?³  Satan has convinced many that the clump of cells, which has a number, in the womb is not worth counting.  Who are we to decide what number of cells is worth terminating?

G_D is so precise that He numbered all of our days.

All of our days are numbered.  You may have been born on an even day or an odd day.  You will die on an even day or an odd day.  You are numbered in G_D’s creation of life.  And those of you that were born, or yet to be born in the year of the February leap year, are you any less important because it was the “odd” day counted in the “even” year?  Of course not!

G_D has no façade about Him.

HE is TRUTH.  TRUTH, that arrived on earth in the bodily form of Jesus.  It was a calculated birth with a numbered set of days in the womb.  Did man come up with the gestation amount of days?  No!  Nor the precise times the cells would divide, and divide again, and then divide into what would become the heart, stomach, brain, kidneys until the whole baby is formed.  G_D forgive us for destroying what You have made.

Nothing is to difficult for G_D, this One who disencumbers. 

The meaning of disencumber is, “release from entanglement of difficulty.”  Are you in difficulty?  Our nation surely is.  Collectively the world population is about 8 billion.  Do you believe G_D knows every person?  I do. I believe He knows you.  He knows everything about you.  The day He decided to create you He numbered the times your heart will beat, the number of times your lungs will breathe, and the number of times you will need Him.  (Which is all the time!) If you need Him, just ask.  Ask Him to reveal Himself to you.  G_D loves to be invited into our difficulties.

Numbers are important in every detail of life.

Why February, the leap month?    The historical reason behind choosing February is fascinating.  The Romans believed even numbers were unlucky.  To keep the calendar aligned with the lunar cycle two months needed to be added and still keep the year with an odd number of days. January and February were added by the Roman king Numa Pompilius.  To keep the total of the year an odd number Pompilius reconfigured the days and chose February to have 28 days because it was used to honor the dead.  He felt this would be the most unlucky month. Later we learned the earth takes approximately 365.25 days to orbit the sun once. The detailed accuracy, causing the .25, creates the need for a leap year every four years. February being the shortest month became the unlucky or lucky choice, if you are superstitious. 

Take a leap and be numbered among the saints.

Pray this prayer with me.

 Dear G_D,

Thank You for Your perfect order all things.  I want to be numbered among the saints. I know my number is a holy number with a holy calling. My destiny has been written on the pages of Your book. Today I invite You in to every hour of  every day so that the sum total will always equal You.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

¹John 8:44 King James Version

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

² 2 Timothy 4:3-4 King James Version

3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. 

₃ Luke 12:7King James Version

7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

The Paradigm of Time©

A Limerick A Day to Keep You On Your Way©

 A woman from the Universal Nation of Time,

Honoring Father Time constructed a timeless rhyme.

Born to die, every soul

Make heaven your future goal.

Past, Present, and Future:  Humanity’s Paradigm.

 

Did you know God made time for man?

The Creator of the Universe has such a marvelous plan for us, His most precious creation. In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, we read how GOD made the two great lights to divide day and night.[1]  They are our signs for seasons, days and years.

Adam and Eve were living in the time GOD created.  It was an heavenly time of living in the Presence, the Presence of God himself.  Their fellowship with the Creator lacked nothing. Nothing,  until that fateful bite!  The bite they were sure  would bring more wisdom and knowledge then their loving Father had. They thought HE was holding out on them.  Instead they were cast out of the Garden of  Eden, the place of full provision.  Seems cruel. But GOD instructed them when He said, “Do not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”  GOD always knows what is best and speaks truth.  It was Satan, that snake, who stole their time. He did it with a lie because he is the father of lies.[2]  He only comes to steal, rob and destroy.[3]

What was GOD to do?

GOD had to be sure they would  not live forever because  now they knew good and evil. They saw the goodness of The Tree of Life.  Eating that fruit meant living eternally.  GOD’s  beloved creation of man used his free will to disobey Him.  Adam and Eve would live on the earth forever. They  could never imagine the evil that would  multiply for all eternity.

So what was GOD to do? HE could have ended it all right then,  especially Time.   But that wasn’t His plan at all. There is purpose in all things.[4]  GOD, in his loving kindness banished Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden so they could never eat of The Tree of Life.  We, living in this present world,  are painfully aware of how evil grows with every generation. Imagine if there was no end to it.

Why do you suppose we celebrate The New Year? Or birthdays, wedding anniversaries, holidays and all kinds of celebrations?  We have our seasons, days, weeks months, years. God set time in motion for us.  It helps us put things in order.  It helps us record history so we do not forget what man is capable of. The motion of time will continue until the earth is no more.[5]

Evil has to be brought to its own end.   God has orchestrated all the days until it is complete, perfectly complete, perfectly conquered.  Evil will end.   Only God knows what hour that is.  HE needs us to fight against in the meantime.

Has GOD forgotten us?

In our meantime we may feel God has forgotten us.[6]   HE hasn’t.  HE has instructed us to trust Him at all times.  Hear what Psalm 62:8 says, “ Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.”  Now more than ever HE is our only hope.

What is Humanity’s Paradigm?

IF time consists of past, present, and future and that is the sum of all time as we know it on earth, then let us trust Him always.[7]  IT is not a blind trust as one may think.  No! it is being fully present. Fully alive.  It’s not woke.  It is awake.[8]  Awake to live in the present, knowing the Time. Do you know  what  time it is?

 

Pray this prayer with me.

Dear GOD,

Thank You for Your perfect plan.  All of time is held in Your Hand. Today I ask You to save my soul from evil’s eternity by the sacrifice of Jesus who paid all my debt.  I wake from my sleep that has blinded me to any sin and repent of it all.  Jesus today and everyday forward help me live in the freedom of salvation making my future, Eternity in heaven, a sure thing.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.

 

Written by Paula Ann Kochanek

All rights copyrighted. © 

Footnotes are from  BibleGateway , The King James Bible

[1] Genesis 1:14-19

14 And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years:

15 And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.

16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.

17 And God set them in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth,

18 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good.

19 And the evening and the morning were the fourth day.

[2] John 8:44

Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

[3] John 10:10

 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

[4] Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

[5] Genesis 8:22

While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

[6]  Lamentations 5:20

   Wherefore dost thou forget us for ever, and forsake us so long time?

[7] Psalm 62:8

 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us.

[8] Romans 13:11

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.