I have been praying for, but not presuming upon...

...a "-161,281,971 660,026,411". Please do not get me wrong, though - I am NOT "-2,297,088,457 -157,075,014,165." Friends, consider yourselves - again - squarely in the "driver's seat." I know what that is like - and, believe me, I get the fact that a "-161,281,971 660,026,411" is a "-456,771,780" that CANNOT be presumed upon. Therefore, again, I do not presume upon it. I simply pray for it, in Jesus' name; amen.

Sincerely,

Daniel

I survived!

On my way from South Korea to South Africa, at the end of 2005, on the airplane; one of the movies they were showing was "Surviving Christmas". At the time, I found - definitely - some parts pretty downright funny. My favourite part, however, was the song at the start: "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year..." The point it was making was that, for some people, there can be considerable satire in that sentiment. Fast forward ten years, and I decided I would borrow that movie from the library. I got to the library, and there it was! So I watched... at least most of it. I knew I was going to have to skip some parts - and, sure enough, I did!


My idea was to "survive 'Surviving Christmas'" - and I did it! Yiches! I cannot say I will ever have to do that again! I got some good laughs - but I can see why Plugged In Online hated it so much! The good news is: God willing, I will have a wonderful 24th and 25th day of the twelfth month, also known as Christmas; and this will be by the grace of God.


By the way, I do NOT recommend that movie! Why did I watch a movie I do not recommend? Because I did remember enjoying, definitely, parts of it, and even the ending. Nevertheless, watching it again after all these years? Never again! Never again! What is done is done - and, again, I did skip what I knew I was going to have to. I am not completely proud of it, but let me say this: God knows my heart in having borrowed and watched it again, and "In the integrity of my heart have I done this." Also, I am humbled to admit that the main character DID remind me of me.




My youngest sister and her husband were going to have me up to their place for both of those days; but then she had her third son last "Son-Day". I phoned my brother in law and found out that that meant he was doing good to welcome me up for the 25th and overnight that night! I cannot rent a car on the 25th, which means that - God willing - I will pick up the rental car tomorrow at Noon (i.e. the 24th).


That meant I was going to have a car, and nothing to necessarily do with it for a day; but now I have discovered that the Director I worked for at Carberry Bible Camp in the summer of 1995 currently lives in Cochrane (near where I am in Calgary)! I don't know if I can pay them a visit, but as I have said, "Here is 'HOPE IN'!"


Also, I do earnestly and fervently pray I will be able to show up at certain friends' place on the first of next year - of course, if God will. For whatever it is worth, I have asked a friend here in Calgary to hold me accountable to an agreement: no more visiting that place (trusting I am able to visit it, again, on the first of next year) more than once a year (of course, IF that). In other words, from now on, if those friends wanted to see me more than once a year, they would have to come and see me here. I would love it if they did - but the ball would be squarely in their court; and that would be exactly where it belongs.


Also, if there is one thing that has been settled in my mind, in no uncertain terms, it is that I am to "...-333 ... 1,910,762,114,877.1 ..." And not only that! Also, "... -333 ... 70,711,880,470.1 ..." to "...-333 ... 1,910,762,114,877.1 ..." After all, I am painfully and even mournfully aware that I could have lost that privilege! I was not trying to lose it, though - I really thought I was doing the right thing! How could I have been so sure of something so "... 60,460,385,573 ..."? I'm me. I'm not saying I like who I am - but I am saying I am me. I wish I could say I liked it, but I do not.


Let me put it this way: a while back, I beloved friend in Australia, over the phone, mentioned "... 24,306,635,642,851/-353 -83,232,561,748,300 ..." (By the way, this may seem ridiculous to say, but please bear with me... this is "-3,085,534,426,214". I know ye could really do me in if ye wanted to, but please don't! I love you!) God willing, I will phone my friend again and ask him, "Where do I start with that...?"


It would mean so much to me to see you again, and love and be loved by you - legitimately, of course, and definitely within reason.


Love,


Daniel

I was thinking...

"Here my prayer, O LORD, or Jehovah - give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears. For I am a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were. O spare me that I may recover strength before I go hence, and be no more." Psalm 39:12-13


Sometimes, things look brighter than others. Right now, I mourn; but I do also recall that Jesus blessed are ye that mourn, for ye shall be comforted. I have definitely done what I can to do the right thing, and pursue what I believed God had placed on my heart, but things have not turned out as I had hoped. I am cold, tired, and - well - happy because I am deciding to be. After all, this IS the day which the LORD, or Jehovah hath made - and I WILL rejoice and be glad in it. I recall that verse from II Corinthians 4: "Sorrowful, and yet rejoicing..." ;)


Sincerely,


Daniel

Good News!

My youngest sister gave birth to her third son this morning at about 2:30 AM! I apologize, again, for any degree to which what I wrote made you feel uncomfortable. I pray ye will know just how much I wanted to bless you - NOT make you feel uncomfortable. What I am saying is that it was an honest mistake.

Sincerely,

Daniel

I said ye could do it... -revised

...and ye did. In other words, "2,135,133,137". My response? "1,455.1". Thank you for the tasteful and gracious manner in which ye said it. I know ye put a LOT of time, energy, prayer, and maybe even tears into it. If there is one thing I know, it is that ye are NOT out to get me! If ye were, I would have been in such trouble! Obviously, however, ye are willing to do whatever ye can to help me. I recall a passage from Isaiah, where God says he did everything he could for his vineyard to produce grapes - but it still produced wild grapes! My resolve is that all your efforts to get grapes - as opposed to wild grapes - out of me, are going to pay off!

In other words: "9.1 -21,461,044 -455,848,164" in making the request I did, but I will learn from it, and adjust accordingly. Obviously, I did not know what the answer would be when I made the request. If I had known, of course, I would not have made the request. Now I know, however, and I pray I will be wiser for it.

Sincerely,

Daniel

God willing...

...I am finally off to see "Peanuts" for the eighth time! Praying that my response to a certain letter will be what it ought to be - regardless of what it says; in Jesus name.

Sincerely,

Daniel

I have...

...already shared this video, but I just watched it again, and enjoyed it. I have not, however, shared this one. (And was it ever a good one to watch again!) Finally, this one motivated ME to memorize that passage in Exodus XX!

Daniel