“But some prayers are hard to pray.
Well, some things, it’s hard to say.”
—Country music band Sawyer Brown, “Hard to Say”
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ADVICE
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Since this site was launched in April, there has been no shortage of advice, both solicited and unsolicited, mostly the latter. I appreciate all who take time from their busy daily schedules to spend a few minutes reading what I write. I respect those who comment publicly on the Comment section, even when they are critical or, as happens occasionally, overly belligerant or just flat out wacky. However, as the result of some recent emails sent to me privately (which is also OK), I think it’s time to do a bit of housekeeping.
One such email suggested (among other points, some of which were postive and very complimentary) that I cease wailing so much about the wasteland and try to be a bit more upbeat. “……Most people don’t usually want to hear how bad things are……Any Amish kid can get up in the morning and be depressed……It takes much more to be upbeat in the face of a desolate landscape,” said the writer. Well, maybe. And any Amish kid can whistle past the graveyard with all the syrupy, upbeat Sunday School mush and goo in the world and fool no one, too. (Now let’s all turn to page 112 in our text, where we notice that we should all be thankful for our blessings every day and smile even when we don’t feel like it. And tell everyone you meet today to have a nice day.) Spare me.
A basic reminder is in order. This site is a place for me to write. About who I am, where I am, what I think, and the world around me. And what I am experiencing. Whether it’s slogging through the wasteland. Or sailing under clear blue skies. Or anywhere in between. I never know what the subject matter will be from one week to the next. In retrospect, some of the content in my earlier blogs now seems rather naive and silly. But I wrote it. The blogs will remain archived. They are what they are. And I will continue to write. I probably take it a little too seriously sometimes. Occasionally, some of you do too.
The “Wasteland” essay was different, out there, with several dimensions of meaning. It was what I felt. Some may have concluded that I’d lost it. Maybe I had, there for a moment. But it reflected where I was (and still am, mostly), and I couldn’t have written anything else. An upbeat essay that week would have been as fraudulent and disingenuous as a Democrat politician claiming he likes tax cuts.
As I’ve said many times, I appreciate every hit on this site. Everyone is welcome. Well, almost everyone. But if you don’t like what I write, or my style of writing, there are 50 million other sites. Use your mouse. Go check them out. Meanwhile, I’ll keep plugging along here. I hope you will too.
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RAGE
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“Oppose not rage while rage is in its force, but give it way a while and let it waste.”
—William Shakespeare
It was simmering the weekend my parents were here. It had nothing to do with them, so I held it in. Last week’s blog was all about them and Dad’s return to Sidling Hill, and I tried hard not to let the narrative get corrupted by my other emotions. It erupted after they left. Rage. Full blown, black, brutal, cursing rage. Rage so deep it shocked me. It coursed through my veins, flowed through my system like a choking poisonous bile, it clouded my mind, upset my balance, it made me question the very foundation of my philosophy of life, it ripped to shreds the fabric of my existence (what little remained), it left me weakened and sputtering, sleepless and haggard. I had an almost overwhelming urge to smash and destroy, consequences be da***d.
I fumed and cursed to Patrick, my new boss (and now finally, thankfully, new owner at Graber Supply). I called a close friend or two. I had lunch with a pastor friend.
“Where do I go with it?” I asked the pastor after my five-minute opening tirade.
“You have to give it to God,” he said. I rolled my eyes. Spare me again. He hastily continued. “That sounds trite and simplistic, I know, but it’s the only way. You’ve got to. Verbally. Force yourself, even if you think it won’t do a bit of good. Verbalize it. And keep on doing it until He takes it from you.”
He paid for the lunch. So I figured the least I could do was follow his advice.
So I have. I’m still at it. The rage is still rolling and bubbling and pitching around down deep inside. But without hate. The Lord will take it. Over time. I hope.
I have a new favorite Bible verse: “…… avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Rom. 12:19. There’s a whole lotta prayin’ going on reminding God of the promise in this verse. And will be for a long, long time.
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UPBEAT THINGS
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“There will come a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning.”
—Louis L’Amour
On Saturday afternoon (6/23), Patrick and I headed down to the Christiana Mall in Wilmington and I purchased something I’ve long coveted, a laptop computer. Not just any laptop, but an Apple MacBook. Patrick, a confirmed Apple aficionado, bought one a few months ago and kept amazing me at the office with the little computer’s capabilities. Now I have my own. I’m very excited about it. It even has a little camera mounted on the front when opened. The picture of me at the beginning of this blog was one of the first I took with it. The picture was taken in the “drawing” (it looks like it’s drawn) mode, and the camera has many more such options. Now I can blog from anywhere, anytime, when traveling. And work on that elusive novel.
Me and my new MacBook
I am becoming moderately concerned about my Braves. They seem to be puttering around with little clear direction or focus. And the lowly Phillies have now crept up and passed them. Or, more accurately, they are seesawing back and forth in the standings. Shocking, embarrassing and completely unacceptable. One small solace I have is that the Yankees (yes, I must say this.) are slobbering around aimlessly as well. I saw recently that pitcher Roger Clemens’ record was 1-3. That means the Yankees paid about $4 million (his pay is just under $1 million PER GAME) to one man for one win. It can’t get much more satisfying than that.
At peace on the Tucquan Trail
Last Sunday I attended “church” on the hiking trail again. It’s been more than a month, and I needed to clear my head and think through some things. The Tucquan Trail always has an amazingly calming effect on me, and I ambled along, taking my time and a few pictures. As usual, by the time I circled around and approached the starting point, the Trail was being overrun by couples, children and dogs.
On the Trail
Old Stone Chimney along the Trail
After the hike, I stopped by at Steves for lunch. My nephew Gideon Yutzy (son of Alvin and Naomi) from MO was there as well. He was in the area a few days before heading to Granada for five weeks on a group mission trip. His brother Jason Yutzy and wife from MN were planning to be around too, but I guess someone’s good ol’ VW quit chuggin’ away at 30+ mpg and they could not make it. So we can all notice from this lesson on page 3 of our text that owning a car with the highest mpg in the world won’t do a bit of good if the vehicle won’t run.
WE WELCOME NEW LIFE……..
Hunter Eugene Miller, son of Lowell and Dorothy (my niece) Miller, Kalona, IA.
Born June 9, 2007. Ray and Maggie Marner are the proud grandparents.
AND SAY GOOD-BYE……
Bishop Henry J. Hochstetler of Bloomfield, Iowa, passed away early in the morning of June 28, 2007. He was 67 years old. Henry had been afflicted with incurable bone cancer for about a year. He refused treatment and prepared to die. I visited him briefly in January when we were in the area to see my parents. At that time, he was a shell of his former self, but still recognizable. He was glad to see me and said the Waglers from all over the country have been well represented in visiting him.
Henry baptized me in the fall of 1982 or 1983; I can’t quite remember the exact year. He was widely known throughout the region for the rhythmic, almost rollicking, flow of his sermons and formal church prayers. I can close my eyes and still hear him quoting one of his favorite Scripture verses in German, his calm rhythmic voice rippling over the congregation like a gentle wave:
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
—Micah: Chapter 6, verse 8
To me, that verse defines his legacy. He was a kindly man with common human flaws. May he rest in peace.
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Ira:
At this particular juncture and nexus of the universe, you are, unfortunately, correct about my Yankees. It saddens me to say this, but realism is a trait I believe in and something we all might want to practice with greater rigor and emphasis.
Roger may be 1 – 3, but that will change for the better. With his eye on history and desire for another series ring, you can bet he’s going to have a run that everyone (and maybe even you) will be raving about. This is his last go around and he wants to be squarely in the pantheon of not just the All Stars, but the Super Stars.
I think Bobby Cox may be burned out and this will be his last year. Despite tying the record for most ejections, he is an excellent leader and a gentleman. He’s tired after a long and extended run and I’m not certain he has the reserves needed to generate a final drive to the pennant. The Braves will have to overcome, egos, injuries, creeping racism and the Phillies if they’re to do it. It could happen but it looks like a long shot. If they start trading in July, look for the rebound in ’08.
I’m looking forward to hearing LeRoy’s responses to my last post on last week’s blog. Those “church” days on the trail can provide a great clearing of the mind and soul. Glad you had it.
CYOTB
Thorne
Ira’s response: Do you just throw the phrase “creeping racism” in for filler, or where the heck does THAT come from? Such a phrase should not be used without some definition. The charge of racism has been so overused in recent years that it means virtually nothing anymore.
Comment by Thorne — June 29, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
PS: I think your comments on the Yankees could have been more appropriately placed in the RAGE section of your blog. However, as you note, its the Editors choice.
LONG LIVE THE EVIL EMPIRE
Comment by Thorne — June 29, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
Surely a thinking Wagler would not be for the Braves [Like in Atlanta Braves]?. I admit the sports section is the part that I get rid of at once, when I open a paper. [Thankfully the WSJ has no sport section]. There usually are bright colors, with some Junkie pictured swinging something, the side cheek puffed out, ugh. [with gum, we hope]. Overpaid & overrrated, for sure. So much for wasting newsprint. About the only time I keep up just a bit on baseball is at playoff time. Then it’s with an ”ABB” [ANYONE BUT BRAVES] attitude. They’re Bullies, eat too much junk food, [Just look at their tight britches], think they deserve to win, etc..and are owned by Ted Turner. Wow, have I left anything out?
Comment by jess from S.C. — June 29, 2007 @ 10:56 pm
In my opinion, your writings in the wasteland essay speak of the nitty gritty process called LIFE! I along with most other “spectators” look forward to each new contribution. Keep your thoughts coming..remembering we are interested and truly proud of you.
By the way, I am honored to see my son “introduced” to the world in such spectacular fashion 🙂 on a site such as this.
Love ya, Dorothy
Comment by Dorothy — June 29, 2007 @ 11:19 pm
My friends and I plan to pay our final respects to Henry Hochstedler on Saturday.
I appreciate the Sawyer Brown quote; we saw them live in concert recently. The “hard to say” performance was as rowdy as any of them.
Comment by Reuben Wagler — June 30, 2007 @ 12:48 am
belated comment to Thorne: I have never seen Forrest Gump (gasp!) but I gathered your comment was slightly derogatory (chuckle, chuckle) Oh well.
comment to ‘whoever slammed my VW’: I guess we drive whatever we can afford. No, maybe that isn’t really correct, we drive what we like. If ya wanna change somebody’s like ya gotta work on the heart not the head. Oh well.
Comment by jason yutzy — June 30, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
Jason: I appreciate your comment. Yes my earlier responset did tend towards being degrogatory, but only in the sense, I thought you could have put a bit more effort into knocking my Yankees. Perhaps something like, “those overpaid, overfed and underacheiving klutz’s probably would trip over their shawdows and then blame the umpire for interfering with the sun and causing the shadow to begin with.” I enjoy a good verbal joust and its nothing personal. I was just hoping for something more than just a “Boo Yankess” from you.
Ira: Not filler by any means. There have been a number of stories over the past couple of months about racial tensions within the Braves’ clubhouse. Nothing too terribley specific, but a number of allusions to some underlying problem that is not specific to one individual. Having had the experience of being a member of a professional team, I’m reading between some lines here, while at the same time recognizing that LOSING as many games as the Braves have this year will often bring out matters and frictions that might not normally be present in a winning environment.
I’m fairly sensitive to calls of racism or calling it myself in that I have a bi-racial daughter who has taught me many things I never knew, and how callous and thoughtless I had become about using phrases and terminology that I, as a WASP male, never even really thought about, but was in actuality quite offensive and derogatory to other races, religions and ethnic groups. Since my daughter’s birth, my attitude, patterns of speech and acceptance of many, many things that are different from me or the environment in which I live has completely changed. I will now accept many things I did not and would not in the past as an equal part of life and living. What I will not tolerate or accept is racism of any forms stupidity and expressions on a position that mean nothing, cannot be readily explained or is left out there with the idea that the listener/reader “really ought to know what I mean’. In other words, I don’t suffer fools – easily or otherwise.
Thorne
Ira’s response: Let me see if I got this straight. You become enlightened by a very personal experience. Now you demand that all others, who have not had that same experience, be as enlightened as you are. Or you hit them over the head with a sledgehammer. And call them fools. And will not suffer them, easily or otherwise. That should work. Real well. I’m sure the open and honest discussions flow all around you.
I have no problem being sensitive to others. But there is no honest discussion of race in America because people are afraid to say what they think for fear of being labeled racist. As long as the rules apply only to WASPs and not to the minorities, who can say about anything and get away with it (ie Revs. Sharpton and Jackson), there will be racial tension and eventually an explosion. Fred the Curmudgeon writes honestly about race because he lives in Mexico and doesn’t care what anyone else thinks. Is he a racist? By current PC standards, he is. But he’s married to a Mexican lady, happily so, as far as I can tell. Read his June 24th column. It’s informative.
Comment by Thorne — June 30, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
Being but a simple man at heart… I interpret your writings as being “honest and real”. Two characteristics that are largely missing from the world we live in.
Here’s a quote for you:
“Be real. Be honest. You will lose friends. But those who remain will be true friends.”
Three years ago I made a conscious decision to be real and honest. It’s been a long hard road. I had no idea what a phony and fake I was. Even now, when my friends tell me they appreciate my honesty I realize I am still pretending. Not nearly as much as I used to. But I am still on the journey.
Of course there are those who trot out their excuses why being real and honest is a bad thing. How it will hurt people, etc. Hello! I never said anything about not using tact. I never said anything about being stupid. Being real and honest does not automatically equal being a crude, rude jerk. If that is what is revealed when a person gets real and honest then the facade is but a small part of their real problems.
And of course, these words have been used and abused until they are hardly recognizable.
But guess what… the last two paragraphs have nothing to do with anything… ignore the naysayers… Be real. Be honest. Just like you are.
Best to ya man!
RagPicker
Comment by RagPicker — July 1, 2007 @ 1:56 am
Ira:
Give me a break and give me something to work with. I suspect I’ve either struck a little close to home, or there is something else going on. Your contentions about what I’ve said are confused and the conclusions flawed. You know it. I know it. Pull it together fella and let’ s start a dialogue about what’s really there.
The pass doesn’t last forever. Granted its your blog and you can run it anyway you want, but at least be real about it. I’m beginning to think you get something so powerful out of feeling persecuted and unjustly put upon, you wouldn’t know freedom if you saw it. Put your dogma where your mouth is and defend it at all costs. I’ll still respect you either way. When a man straddles a fence, the results are usually painful when the inevitable slip occurs. Wouldn’t it be better to be on one side or the other, avoid the pain and be at odds with only half – not dismissed by all. Just check ot PT Barum’s theory or Lincoln’s – which ever is more appealling.
CYOTB
Ira’s response: Personally attacking the host of a site on the very week the host has described his rage is probably not a good idea.
Comment by Thorne — July 2, 2007 @ 1:56 am
Ragpicker: Are you a fan of Yeats?
Comment by Margaret — July 2, 2007 @ 10:43 am
Thorne,
You must be the world’s most bored person..
Perhaps you should be “banned” from this site since it seems to bring out the worst in you!
DM
Comment by Dorothy — July 2, 2007 @ 3:07 pm
Thorne.
How about you give the rest of us a break? It’s not the responsilbilty of Ira or anyone else that responds to this site’s ongoing conversation to “give you” anything to work with. Pass?? It’s your choice to visit the site. If you do not appreciate the site, stop reading it.
I think you have lost the reality of what this site is. Ira’s! Therefore, what he chooses to post is his business. If you have comments on his writings, are you being real or just trying to start an argument based on whatever opinion you chose to take that week? And, who is the judge of what is or is not real?
What is real? Do you know each of us personally and intimately enough to judge real through someone posting a comment? What that person writes might be very real to them and the place they are at in their life. Some weeks their experiences may relate to us, other weeks we may have nothing in common.
Are your weekly tirades REAL or just a way of getting some attention in an otherwise dull world? For many that read this site, we do this to connect with Ira. We don’t come here to judge, belittle or attempt to humiliate the others that congregate to this site.
I’m sure this comment will bring on another cutting, insulting tirade and a few more derogatory comments towards my person and my intelligence. So in your insults, do try to come up with some new ones since you covered those last time. As a side-note, know that I will not bother to respond to any of your comments.
May you exercise some respect towards Ira and the rest of the readers in the future.
jm
Comment by janice — July 2, 2007 @ 3:10 pm
I have no personal knowledge off Yeats. Should I?
Comment by RagPicker — July 2, 2007 @ 5:27 pm
Ira: Appreciate your comments on Bishop Henry. Happened to be in the mid-west for a Yutzy re-union so on Sat Rudy & I swung by Bloomfield for the visitation. The Hochstedlers were glad to see us & thanked us for coming. Paul sent a hello along to you. They started a new graveyard on (our) old farm on top of the hill. Henry will be the 1st one buried there.
Comment by bro steve — July 2, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
Ira; Yesterday we got a small group together and bravely ventured out to Henry H. funeral. The group consisted of Ed Yoder, his wife and daughter, Reuben and Eli Mast, Vanessa and I. As we approached the tent (service was ongoing) many curious and gawking looks were sent our way. A burly man ushered us in. I spot my mother on the way in. Ervin Lambright’s wife sits directly behind me and off to the side sits Noah Yoder. Speaker 1 drones for a while, suddenly my father stood up (I did not know he was in the room.) and preached a nice sermon, also reflected on the life and times of Henry. Soon we filed thru the main building where the family and about 600 people were seated. Once outside, I chilled briefly with Father, Mother and Rosanna (and Ervin Martha). I then left before any well meaning individual could get in attack mode. May Henry rest in peace…..
Comment by John Wagler — July 2, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
RagPicker;
The name “RagPicker” caught my attention and immediately reminded me of a well-loved poem of Yeats; “The Circus Animals’ Desertion” that speaks to the creative impulse being most fulfilled when used with the “rags” of the material from one’s own life. I know our friend Ira is a writer, so thought perhaps you shared his love of the pen because of the interesting title you’ve given yourself. ( hope I’m not being too intrusive).
margaret
Comment by Margaret — July 2, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
Ira,
My condolences to the passing of your beloved bishop. There is a great deal to be said for a life so selflessly lived. I take it from your family’s posts that the attendance at his funeral was overwhelming! Your account struck rather close to home since we just had our 3 boys baptized on Father’s Day a few weeks ago and I know that our pastor will always hold a precious place in our hearts for the essential role that he played in this experience.
One of the things that I’m enjoying most from your blog week to week is the way you give us a look at your life from such varied places. Not only does it sharpen your writing skills (a hope that you’ve expressed, I believe), it gives us, your readers, the privilege of being brought along on your journey. I, for one, would be far less willing and more fearful to share my heart to the extent that you do. But you do and you do it unfailingly well. Your courage is commendable.
On the subject of your “Sunday hiking services”, might I suggest a close look at Wordsworth. Being fully aware that you are of the firm persuasion that saying it in 50 words is always the perferred style over cutting creativity short at a mere 5 words, I’m reasonably sure that you’ve probably already delved quite extensively into his writing. “Tintern Abbey” is one of my all-time favorites and speaks profoundly to the connectivity you seem to sense with nature. Here’s one of my favorite passages from that poem. (I’ve taken the liberty of abridging it just a bit in the interests of brevity!) The setting is that Wordsworth has returned to one of his favorite natural settings and he writes;
“these beauteous forms…
that blessed mood,
In which the burthen of the mystery,
In which the heavy and the weary weight
Of all this unintelligible world,
Is lightened…
While with an eye made quiet by the power
Of harmony, and the deep power of joy,
We see into the life of things…”
Wordsworth (Lines 23,37-41,47-49)
Margaret
Comment by Margaret — July 2, 2007 @ 9:48 pm
As I said earlier, I am but a simple man. My literary tastes run more along the lines of Og Mandino, whose most popular work discussed the rag pickers. The role of a Rag Picker is not one I have attained, I simply aspire to it. I will make note of the poem you mentioned and perhaps will look it up sometime.
At the moment most of my reading is restricted to such reading as will directly help me meet my goals as delineated on my new blog. You are welcome to stop by.
Ira, if you ever get down to North Carolina holler. Coffee is on me.
RagPicker
Comment by RagPicker — July 2, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
A pleasant and safe 4th of July to one and all. I hope all will make it through the day and night with fingers accounted for and intact. If at some point in the day’s activities, we could all take a moment to remember: 1) the sacrifice of our military forces around the world that are working to keep us safe and all those who came before them; and 2) the inspiration that was our founding fathers that brought us this nation in 1776.
While not an old nation by world standards, America has provided more freedom, chances for a economic independence and religious tolerance than any other country that has come before it or now exists. Democracy may not be the perfect polictical system, but it is far superior to all other forms of governmental rule. And as we remember our history and the sacrifice that has been given to insure its continuance, let us also remember our duty to support this structure that provides the lives we have; that our children and their children and their children’s children may live their lives free from tyranny and and in the sunshine of independence.
Have a wonderful 4th of July.
Thorne
Comment by Thorne — July 4, 2007 @ 9:22 am
Happy 4th July to you from the Mother Country. (I am in England).
We obviously do not celebrate Independence over here as we still have a Monarch and a democratic process that is subservient to the Crown.
With all that has happened here over the past week I sometimes wish that we would have a revolution and just deal with the terrorism in our own country for once. I drive to London most days for work and it has been a fearful week.
Our family still feels a little bit American and we will BBQ in the rain and fly the Stars and Stripes from our porch and just hope no Muslim comes by and decides to bomb us!
I love the web site. Ira remains my best friend in America!
Comment by BigBlueFish — July 4, 2007 @ 9:55 am
Thorne, correct me if I’m wrong, but hasn’t our current government lasted longer than almost any other government on earth? What I mean is no regime changes, no coups, no revolutions etc. Granted the English government is still almost the same, but the balance of power has shifted so dramatically. Just a few thoughts I had, and long live the good old U S of A!
Comment by jason yutzy — July 5, 2007 @ 8:35 am
Jason:
Thanks. You make an excellent point. The English Monarchy basically has existed since 1066 (William of Orange/Battle of Hastings – I think) though, as you point out, it has been prone to major and minor upheavals. Depending on how you calculate the Roman Empire, its gov’t prevailed for 600-800 years though executive changes were quite numerous and often unplanned (job security wasn’t a big feature back then). The Chinese dynasties had a long run – though they were also subject to major changes as have others, but they’re probably considered more as feudal realms or fifedoms.
So, in the sense you are speaking of, yes our governmental system has been one of the most stable (if not the most), for one of the longest periods of time.
As a country we are quite young when compared to Europe, India, China, Japan etc. In whatever form they existed, the concept of both the local ruling factions and the larger “country” perspective goes back way longer than we’ve been around.
And yes, I completely agree. “Long live the good old US of A.”
Thorne
Comment by Thorne — July 5, 2007 @ 2:52 pm
rage on!
Comment by sms — July 6, 2007 @ 8:15 am
Wow! My internet access has been down for a few days, and I return to this site to find quite a lively discussion going on.
Comment by Reuben Wagler — July 6, 2007 @ 3:14 pm
All of you argue and debate and get all upset about every issue under the sun except the ones that are really important. It’s amazing to me that grown people who claim to be Christians would dishonor their Lord by participating in these kinds of debates. I was born Amish to Amish parents and I too remember what it was like to be Amish. But you know, I thank God that I had the opportunity to be Amish. The heritage that the Amish have been given over the years is a blessing that none should be allowed to despise or belittle. I agree, they have largely lost the truth and Spirituality that they once had but that is a situation to weep over not belittle or get angry about. They are simply doing what they were taught will take them to heaven which in full reality is the saddest thing I can think of in my life because it will never work.
So for anyone who hasn’t been Amish for so many years and who would like to say that they’ve been enlightened to rise above that, yet referring to themselves as “the little Amish boy” seems silly and evasive to me. Do you know Jesus? Do you really know Jesus? If you really know Jesus, the past doesn’t matter to you because you are now in the best Love relationship that you have ever been in. So what I guess I’m asking is are you still “Amish” in heart? “Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof?” Your writings seem like the empty cry of a hungry, hurting man and it breaks my heart to think that you may not know my Jesus the way He longs for you to.
Trust me I know what I’m talking about when I say “Let go of the past.”! You could say that my family has been to hell and back but that leaves us with one question. What are we going to do with that? I have seen firsthand the horrors that rage and unforgiveness can bring to life. But dear Brother, Jesus is greater! He has triumphed over death and hell. There is freedom! “Weeping may endure for a night but joy cometh in the morning!” How we grew up, what we go through in life, none of that matters or will matter when we get to heaven and judgement. “Salvation is of the Lord;hear ye Him”! All that the Lord will want to know is “How do you stand today?”. Seek a better way for yourself! Seek freedom! Or as you might put it, “There will be all hell to pay” and truer words were never spoken. We cannot even think to get to heaven if we do not put everything that would keep us from the closest relationship possible with Jesus,out of our lives. That means forgetting about myself and anything anyone has ever done that hurt me. There is no time ,Brother to be thinking about ourserlves. We simply don’t have that much time.
So, I would like to leave one last challenge. What do you think Jesus would have to say, if He were to put an actual posting on this website?
Ira’s response: I don’t know what He would say. I hope something like “Nice site.” Thanks for your comment. Please visit again.
Comment by In Christ — July 9, 2007 @ 7:00 am
Will you hate me if I say I like your old writing best of all? I love it.
Comment by Rhonda — April 25, 2012 @ 11:47 pm
Oh my gosh. What a fiasco! People having converstions with one another, a guilt and shame lecture, and a person who wants to take over your blog. Mr. Ira Wagler, you have come a long way.
Ah, yes, the issue of rage. I laugh about this now but when it was happening…..it wasn’t funny. When I started my journey of healing, at God’s persistence, I attended group therapy led by a Christian therapist and about 5 other women. I’ll tell you, this therapist knew his stuff. You couldn’t pull the wool over his eyes because he’d been there and done that. You could just kiss your denial goodby and leave it at the door. Anyway, we usually ended up working on one persons “stuff” each week. I remember on several occasions the rage being vomitted up with tremendous force. The spine tingling, goose bumps on your arms screams from the precious women who faced their pasts. It wasn’t a cutesy, female, oh my gosh I saw a mouse scream. It was guttural, strange, scary even. I believe it was demons being forced out. We were all Christians, believed in Jesus Christ. His Holy Spirit was in us. And when the Holy Spirit is in you, there is no room for Satan. Ah, yes, rage.
The part that I laugh about now is, the counselor’s office was in a large building which housed several other offices. On occasion, a man in a neighboring office would work late and our paths would cross. He must have been shakin’ in his boots wondering what the heck was going on when one of we girls was in our “dark zone.” Oh boy. Those were the days. Nope, don’t wanna to go back. Nope, don’t have to.
Comment by Francine — December 7, 2012 @ 1:18 am