Of Swords and Plowshares by Michael Quinn Sullivan During World War II, the United States and its allies began doing something unheard of in the annals of war. They dropped leaflets ahead of bombing runs and other attacks—warning civilians that local infrastructure was going to be destroyed. The purpose was two-fold: reduce civilian casualties and demoralize the enemy. Through Scripture, God does likewise. Make no mistake, humanity has been at war with God. We have ignored His precepts, debased His created order, and even sought to pretend He does not exist. The casualties in this war have been entirely one-sided. Everything we do to reject God comes only at our own expense. Through the Prophet Isaiah, God told us that the war does not have to continue. Isaiah was shown a vision of a future where swords would be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. The implements of war would be turned into tools for tending the garden from which humanity had been expelled. Later, Joel was shown a different vision. In it, those who wish to battle God are futilely found turning their plows and hooks into swords and spears. We mock such notions at our peril. How much more foolish is it to think a sword will take down God than it is to believe cosmetic surgery can turn a man into a woman? Sin makes us delusional. God, speaking through His word, though, provides us with clarity and a choice. In all ages, a message of liberation will resonate with people who are held captive. Satan doesn’t want us reading God’s word any more than the Axis powers wanted civilians reading those WWII leaflets distributed by the Allies. But far better than an escape route to temporary safety, God provides us with a path to salvation. We can remain in sin and be eternally separated from Him. Or, we can let God do for us through Christ what we cannot do for ourselves. We can enter the cold night of eternity alone, or we can bask in the warmth of His boundless love. For those wallowing in their sin, the message from God can be either utterly demoralizing or completely liberating. Stay in sin and face eternal death … or joyfully accept the salvation of Christ. Through His word, God has shown us that our swords and plowshares are of equally little value. Only by putting our faith in Him will we find victory in the battles of this life and sustenance in His eternal provision.

Tallow -making time.

Today in History On Nov. 12, 1990, computer scientists Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau at CERN proposed the creation of "a HyperText Project" connecting computer servers "as a web of nodes in which the user can browse ... large classes of information." Hence, the World Wide Web was born.

Northern lights in Texas! Amazing!

"Keep your data safe by keeping it on someone else's computer." Stay on track with your health journey Dear Mitch, We want to help you stay on track with your health journey.  Currently, cloud storage is not enabled in your app settings. This means your health data is only stored locally on your device. If your phone is lost, damaged, or becomes inaccessible, your past measurement data could be permanently lost. Your health data is personal and valuable, and you have full control over how it’s stored. To keep your history secure and always accessible, we recommend enabling cloud storage: Open the app Go to More Tap on Profile Select Account settings Turn on Store my readings in the cloud With this option enabled, your data will be safely stored and can be restored even if you log out or change devices.

Every day is a blessing. Coming home from my fiat job and doing things around our homestead to make it a Citadel. Since Saturday, we've: Bottled beer (Scottish Cream Ale) Dehydrated apples and cayenne peppers (not together!) Canned chicken meat from Costco Topped off the batteries in all the things Thank you, Lord!

Today in History On October 29, 1929, a massive stock sell-off was part of a series of economic events that marked the beginning of the Great Depression.

"In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing." - Theodore Roosevelt

"Move or die is the language of our Maker in the constitution of our bodies." - John Adams

"It's the job that's never started as takes longest to finish." - J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings)

Today in History On October 23, 1981, the U.S. national debt hit $1 trillion for the first time.

"Determine never to be idle. No person will have occasion to complain of the want of time, who never loses any. It is wonderful how much may be done, if we are always doing." - Thomas Jefferson

"Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go." Napoleon Bonaparte

Canning chicken breasts from the freezer to make room for new.

“Were we directed from Washington when to sow, and when to reap, we should soon want bread.” – Thomas Jefferson

"I think it better to do right, even if we suffer in so doing, than to incur the reproach of our consciences and posterity." - Robert E. Lee

A pipe gives a wise man time to think and a fool something to put in his mouth.

"When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hands, and that is was only tied on to scare away timid adventurers." - Oliver Wendell Holmes

"When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle." - Edmund Burke