RURAL LIVING?

I grew up in a very small rural village. I could not call it a town as it wasn't big enough for that....every body knew every body else and the doors were never locked. As children we knew every child that lived in every house and as such, we would just walk in and if "our friend" was not there, we might actually chat with the lady of the house and then leave again. We played outside all the time, and there was lots of exercise like skipping rope and playing hop scotch and lots of other "you  beaut" games Hide and seek was always good just on dusk, as it made it so much scarier! 
One of my friends parents owned a grocery store and sometimes the owner might even give us a chocolate covered marzipan heart for a birthday or so. Man do I remember those yummy hearts.
I would take a nibble now and then, and would try and make it last as long as possible.
The chocolate would be so smooth in my mouth, and then slide down my throat into my tummy....yum!


I am sure, that the chocolate makers were very careful and precise as to "how" they made their chocolate.


Now suppose, as a consumer I had said, "I don't want all that sugar in that chocolate, it's too sweet, I think you should take it out!"
The word CACAO means "bitter juice"
Without the sugar, you would not be able to eat it, it would be 
very bitter.
Now, suppose I also told the chocolate makers to leave out all the milk solids.
The chocolate heart would lose it's ability to stick together, and also it's creaminess.
Suppose we told the chocolate heart makers we did not want any chocolate around the heart, which by then would not be a chocolate marzipan heart any more. It would be something totally different.
But you know, a child does not read labels nor worry about the ingredients.
As a child, I just accepted the chocolate heart, eyes gleaming in anticipation, and unwrap it to expose it's rich chocolaty goodness, and  start to enjoy every delectable bite......
During the war, soldiers used to give us kids chocolate, apparently they had plenty and us kids did not see it to often.
We as children, did not stop to analyze nor debate the contents of the chocolate hearts, nor the chocolate itself.
We were so very thrilled to have been given some in the first place, all we could do was enjoy it's goodness.
And I see that..... that is how God wants us to come to Him, and read and accept His word.
If....we take out God's grace.....or God's love....
it becomes bitter indeed.
If we leave out anything at all.....it becomes un.....stuck!


I have heard people say,  "Oh, I believe this....but not that....!"


Even some leaders in churches are now saying that you don't have to believe everything that is in the Bible.
If that is so........Who decides what we do, or don't, believe?


And if we take out the "Jesus" of the scripture, who He is.....
fully man.....and fully God......then the "WORD" (John 1 verse 1."In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the Word was God") becomes the words of God and that means it is changed into something totally different.
So, with a child like faith let us come to the Word of God and let Him fill our emptiness with His rich goodness....

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I've learned that we should be glad God does not give us everything we ask for 
and.....that money does not buy class......
and that under everybody's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved....
I've learned that God did not do it all in one day so what makes me think I can? 
Bless you

Yaddy