Tag: HOPE

Always Walking With Jesus Christ

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

Monday November 4th began writing about what occurred on Sunday November 3rd

Yesterday’s journey began when I awoke from a peaceful sleep suddenly thinking how it was the day to set the clock back one hour to daylight savings time and I could wait or get up no matter what time it was and get it done.  I chose to get up and immediately saw that it was 3:33 AM which of course meant it was according to man-made convention now 2:33 AM.  But, the most profound message to come later was already materializing and the time was a cue.  Just the evening before in a written communication with a dear friend in a faraway country who had mentioned acquiring knowledge through some new studies that to me might be too New Age pseudoscience not giving deference to Christianity.  So I went on to inquire and discuss my concern in a lengthy letter.

My friends interest in what some might consider pseudoscience got me interested  in knowing just what some are studying in this topic and I have to say my first instinctual as well as life experience based thought was it’s something occult!  I know how some people these days go off the rails with the occult and “new age religion” craze or even pagan beliefs, I’ve even seen how some who profess to believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior whether Catholic, Protestant, Baptist or any other Christian sect went from practicing that faith to being a pagan in 3 simple steps basically!  Some may know I speak my mind and I’ve experienced or learned enough by now to at least know what the basic gig is all about for us humans who are children of God’s, regarding our purpose for being here.  But, my old school standard belief system which many esoteric or highfalutin modernists find boring and stupid is something I’m absolutely sure is the TRUTH.  The simple basic fundamental is that this is a battle between good and evil and a war for souls which have free-will.  Choice is involved and over time each soul is given full opportunity to be in the light ultimately or dwell in darkness and evil for eternity!  God is the only being that “Created” anything and all of this and beyond our capabilities to perceive further is the creation of the all-knowing, all loving omnipotent God.  I did study other man-made religions over decades and Hindus, Buddhists and especially Muslims of Nation of Islam follow concocted by man systems of belief; but nobody can lay claim to what Jesus Christ said and did, He is God and His plan of Salvation through the New and Everlasting Covenant with humanity is the only one to eternal Life.  Nothing else even comes close to having that absolute truth and power that God performed on the cross to take away our sins and imperfection in order to allow us our own Free Will, but to become Absolute and Holy in order to be with Him.

I have seen how some belief systems either through design or even malicious intent are constructed to lead people away from God and to falsehood I’m sorry to say.  In some cases these can be pathways to diabolical forces that are quite evil in purpose and intent.

I’m confident that you are of course aware of the controversy involved and in this quote, it is only a scratching of the surface of the reason why these practices will not be on solid ground with many others that see as I do the fundamental flaws inherent in them; and more importantly especially to God, as this one Scriptural quote spells it out pointblank  for those with faith.

I’m already positive about the truth of why I was born and where I’m going when I die here on earth, which could be at any moment as our lives are fragile and inevitably we all die one way or another; but the same basic truth remains for me, which is that Jesus Christ is who He said He was and is; that “He alone is the way the path (absolute truth) and the life and  none come to the Father but by the Son!” John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

I told my friend who was studying a variety of schools of thought in dealing with the mind and spirituality, how I already knew about hypnotherapy having used it, or a form of it referred to as “relaxation technique” when learning to fly aircraft decades ago to remove undue stress or fears and prepare for lessons, especially solo ones.

But, I suggested caution to my friend when she said some disciplines can touch on the subject of how Jesus Christ communicated with His heavenly Father in terms of science which prompted me to say Jesus our Lord was God in human flesh and spirit form but that part of the “Holy Trinity” that was physically here on earth while His Father was in heaven and the go between is the Holy Spirit of God which we can talk to as referred to in the Book of  John and other Holy Scriptures, as the Comforter when we pray to Jesus Christ that is who He sends to us is God’s Holy Spirit.  Trying to explain this with other philosophies, or science, which is also a form of philosophy to define and explain the tangible or material world, is a fool’s errand because the WORD of God, Holy Scripture, is the only device or means we have of discussion or modality from which to draw any insight aside from or through our prayer.  I went on to say can you point out to me some specific Holy Scriptures that indicate precisely what some people are referring to in man-made templates about communing with God they are referencing in such studies about how God and Jesus communicated while He was on earth in the flesh, and even why He would want us to try figuring out such a thing, which for all intent and purposes would be impossible?  And, especially if He didn’t instruct us on the matter and declare that we must!  I can surmise that there are those that think they are or can be as smart as God which we know was something that the fallen ones did in the pre-earth age, and still many do try that now, or those who think themselves gods in a sense.  We at our best are His humble little servants who follow only His will; nothing or no one else’s, only He knows what is best for us as only He knows all things!  There is the extreme danger for anyone fooling around with man-made concocted theories and the opening of a Pandora’s Box, or portal to things not of God and actually contrary to believing in Him or trusting Him alone.  A plain illustration is Voodoo in its pagan form or even Voodoo Junk Science.

Further in Scripture Jesus Christ told us that none come to the Father but through the Son and when we pray to Him that He sends us the Comforter which is His Holy Spirit; and why should we think there is anything more to it than that?

Previously I also mentioned the Holy Trinity to my friend in that letter and just hours later a very profound thing occurred when out for my early morning walk with my dog that I think it connects the dots precisely.

I’ll also say my friends reply to my letter contained three angel symbols at the end of the letter prior to my bringing any of this up as well, because what I’m about to explain hadn’t even happened yet.  Very nice how dots get connected how they should without even trying!  🙏  😇😇😇

So, after setting all older analog clocks back one hour I decided to stay up and do some writing.  A few hours passed quickly and the sun was rising when I realized it would be good to take my dog for her morning walk a bit earlier than usual while its very peaceful and quiet.  We left the house and I felt the cooler brisk morning air of fall that now replaced those stuffy humid summer mornings of just several weeks ago.  We walked on about a mile to a cove and followed along its shore until we reached an area we sometimes sit quietly taking in all of the natural and man-made activity.  It was all so beautiful with a vivid actual piecing dreamy reality.  After sitting for about 10 minutes I asked my dog who had been lying next to me if she wanted to do more walking, she immediately got up and showed she was ready to press on!  As we did walk ahead we approached a large hill which has a road leading up away from the shoreline.  As we got to the top of this road we could proceed in one of three directions; go straight on or take a hard left or take a hard right!  We had taken any of the three paths on many previous occasions but when I said to my dog do you want to take the big walk she immediately went right which is the longer path to take and we hadn’t done that for awhile.  As we walked on not even a minute my attention was drawn to two cars parked in a driveway on our immediate right and saw that one had a plate with the two letters and then three numerals which in this case were 333.  I realized that was very fitting and we went on to the next juncture when my dog didn’t hesitate and led me down a walking path and off of the road, again down to the shore and standing in their majesty were some cedar trees close to the end of the path next to the ocean.  It happens to be a location noted for its history of cedar trees by the ocean, as well it’s a great spot to sit and meditate or pray.  Some interesting tie-in here is that back during the 18th century the Maronite Christians used a white flag with the cedar tree, with reference to the Bible (Psalms 92:12, “the righteous flourish like the palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon”). “It symbolizes immortality and steadiness.”

“Throughout the Bible, up to the last chapter of Revelation, trees are seen as important to mankind.  Many varieties of trees are cited in the Bible.  The cedar became even a temple in Scriptures.”

“Cedar trees are mentioned in the Bible and by classical writers who were enthralled by the tree’s size and majesty.  The branches of the cedar tree are wide and grow almost parallel to the ground, making the tree appear to be constructed of successively higher floors made of greenery.”  (Garden Guides)

So as my dog and I sat there, again looking out over the open water as we did earlier on our trek, suddenly coming up on the right out from around some old dock pylons out in the water that had been obscuring our view was this big beautiful pure white swan and as if that wasn’t enough to my surprise two more swans came around following closely behind the first!  Seeing those three beautiful white swans was breathtaking, again with a piecing dreamy reality!

We took all of this joyous beauty in then proceeded with our walk back home while along the way I contemplated the connections God had just revealed of my being aware of all these 3’s coming up and the direct symbolism and meaning contained in all of these factors of the communication with my friend; and then the events of the morning revolving around the Holy Trinity and how we do communicate with God through His Holy Spirit just like Jesus Christ said to us in the Holy Scriptures.  These guideposts during the walk are evidence that God was with us every step of the way and has spoken to us in this mystical but real way to make it clear we are on the right track or path to His Kingdom!  We should never doubt for a second that He is who He said He was when He died on the cross for us and that He wants all of us to be saved to everlasting Life with Him in Heaven.  Having faith in Him is what it’s going to take for each of us and then He alone will take care of everything!

“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9  NLT  New Living Translation

Swan Meaning, and Messages

“In this case, swan symbolism heralds the development of our intuitive abilities and altered states of awareness.  In other words, we are going to be shown new ways of thinking, breathing and going with the flow of life.

Like the giraffe, swan meaning also asks you to accept your ability to know what lies ahead.  Therefore you should follow hunches and pay attention to your instincts.  While doing this, you must also not forget to honor your feminine intuitive side.

Alternatively, swan symbolism is reminding you of your inner grace and beauty. This poise is something that you must allow to shine forth for others to see.”

“Know that you have the social skills, grace, style and poise to accomplish anything you  choose!” -Swan

Additional Associations for Swan

The Swan Metaphor

“The swan that gracefully moves on a lake is a picture of elegance in motion but what is hidden from the eye is the activity going on beneath the water’s surface.  We don’t see the hard work conducted by the swan’s webbed feet which propels the graceful motion we see and admire.

The swan’s movement is an ideal metaphor for expertise and excellence.  We admire the very best in their fields because they are able to make the sublime look easy.  They are like white swans.  They do all the hard work in the shadows and display excellence and elegance in the open.  It is common consensus that genius makes the hard look ridiculously easy, thus giving the impression that it is effortless”.

“Albert Einstein once said that “the secret to creativity is knowing how to hide your sources.”

horebinternational.com

The Holy Trinity

“For there are Three that bear witness in Heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these Three are Beliefs and Believers-Trinity the Christian doctrine defines God as three divine persons: The Father, The Son (Jesus) and The Holy Spirit.”

Lawrence Morra

Update: Today Sunday November 10th I took the same walk at the same time with my dog and the weather was practically identical, quite quiet and serene at the water’s edge; but along the way the car with the 3’s on the plate not there and the swans were nowhere to be seen anywhere in the entire bay area within view!

I Am that I Am has Sent me; He the Alpha and the Omega

Doing His will is the Way!

This title applies to each and every one of us human beings!  The Creator is our Father in Heaven who gave us this opportunity to be a living, thinking child of God’s serving as an angel of flesh here on the earthly plane for His perfect plan as we seek His will to serve His divine plan and will in this temporal temporary life.

If we seek Him and His Holy Spirit and strive to accomplish our mission here we will eventually join Him and everything that is good on the Eternal Plane of Everlasting Life!  Perfection, with happiness, peace, love and glory will be ours; sharing it with Him while having “Joyfulness and Ecstasy” that we will want to never end and it will not, not ever!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

God wanted me to say this.  And, this must be said; because so many of the wrong messages are being sent and instilled in the youth of today’s minds hearts and souls.  Things that the radical left and militant feminists are propagating are so off base.  The old paradigm that we are talking about of traditional belief and behavior is the right one, not only because they stood the test of time through the ages helping humans to survive as a species but more importantly it’s God’s paradigm and what He intended for His children to live by, while they live this brief but so important short test of time for each individual; to see if we are trusting in Him or ourselves more, and if so, do we trust Him enough or other forces, powers and principalities, mainly those that reject God and want to transgress the one being who created all of this and loves us more than we could ever imagine.  Do we pass or fail our own personal test as His children or not is the question because we are being tested; make no mistake about it!  You know who told me that first, my parents when I was a boy and my Dad went on to say while he was in the big war he saw young boys die in front of him or wounded and in the water screaming mother, as the sharks pulled them under, I get very tearing eyed saying this here, because our parents and mothers are so right, especially the ones following God’s paradigm, and not being selfish or bad role models; like for example Ripeno the champion soccer player with all of her over the top adrenaline spiked demonstrative, gloated behavior on the soccer field and especially what she says in public and showing hate for the President who is doing a good job of dealing with many major things to help his country, citizens and even the world; a very tall order while this “soccer player” shows no respect and how ungrateful she is to be an American, while she only is because of all those who died and suffered and still do, so that we could be free having so much fortune and blessings!

On Sunday in Rome John Henry Newman will become St. John Henry Newman.

“Pope Benedict XVI beatified Newman on September 19, 2010, at Cofton Park (near Birmingham). The pope noted Newman’s emphasis on the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society but also praised his pastoral zeal for the sick, the poor, the bereaved and those in prison. His canonization takes place on October 13, 2019, and from that time he will be known as St. John Henry Newman.”  catholicismpure.wordpress.com

“God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which he has not committed to another.”

“I have a mission; I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next. I am a link in a chain, a bond of connection between persons; He has not created me for naught.”

“I shall do good — I shall do his work. I shall be an angel of peace while not intending it if I do but keep his commandments. Therefore, I will trust him.”  St. John Henry Newman

 “John Henry Newman, C.O. (21 February 1801 – 11 August 1890) was a theologian and poet, first an Anglican priest and later a Catholic priest and cardinal, who was an important and controversial figure in the religious history of England in the 19th century. He was known nationally by the mid-1830s

Newman was born on 21 February 1801 in the City of London,[11][16] the eldest of a family of three sons and three daughters. His father, John Newman, was a banker with Ramsbottom, Newman and Company in Lombard Street. His mother, Jemima (née Fourdrinier), was descended from a notable family of Huguenot refugees in England, founded by the engraver, printer and stationer Paul Fourdrinier. Francis William Newman was a younger brother. His eldest sister, Harriet Elizabeth, married Thomas Mozley, also prominent in the Oxford Movement.[17] The family lived in Southampton Street (now Southampton Place) in Bloomsbury and bought a country retreat in Ham, near Richmond, in the early 1800s.[18]

 It was in the autumn of 1816 that Newman “fell under the influence of a definite creed” and received into his intellect “impressions of dogma, which, through God’s mercy, have never been effaced or obscured”.[25] He became an evangelical Calvinist and held the typical belief that the Pope was the antichrist under the influence of the writings of Thomas Newton,[26

Although to the end of his life Newman looked back on his conversion to evangelical Christianity in 1816 as the saving of his soul, he gradually shifted away from his early Calvinism. As Eamon Duffy puts it, “He came to see Evangelicalism, with its emphasis on religious feeling and on the Reformation doctrine of justification by faith alone, as a Trojan horse for an undogmatic religious individualism that ignored the Church’s role in the transmission of revealed truth, and that must lead inexorably to subjectivism and skepticism.”[30]

 On 13 June 1824, Newman was made an Anglican deacon in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. Ten days later he preached his first sermon in Holy Trinity at Over Worton, near Banbury, Oxfordshire, when on a visit to his former teacher the Reverend Walter Mayers, who had been curate there since 1823.[32] On Trinity Sunday, 29 May 1825, he was ordained a priest in Christ Church Cathedral by the Bishop of Oxford, Edward Legge.[33] He became, at Pusey’s suggestion, curate of St Clement’s Church, Oxford.  wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Henry_Newman

“His study and research eventually convinced John Henry Newman that the Roman Catholic Church was indeed in continuity with the Church that Jesus established.

October 9, 1845, he was received into full communion as a Catholic. Two years later he was ordained a Catholic priest in Rome and joined the Congregation of the Oratory, founded three centuries earlier by St. Philip Neri. Returning to England, Newman founded Oratory houses in Birmingham and London and for seven years served as rector of the Catholic University of Ireland.

Newman eventually wrote 40 books and 21,000 letters that survive. Most famous are his book-length Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, On Consulting the Faithful in Matters of Doctrine, Apologia Pro Vita Sua (his spiritual autobiography up to 1864) and Essay on the Grammar of Assent.

When Newman was named a cardinal in 1879, he took as his motto “Cor ad cor loquitur” (Heart speaks to heart). He was buried in Rednal (near Birmingham) 11 years later. After his grave was exhumed in 2008, a new tomb was prepared at the Oratory church in Birmingham.

Pope Benedict XVI beatified Newman on September 19, 2010, at Cofton Park (near Birmingham). The pope noted Newman’s emphasis on the vital place of revealed religion in civilized society but also praised his pastoral zeal for the sick, the poor, the bereaved and those in prison. His canonization takes place on October 13, 2019, and from that time he will be known as St. John Henry Newman.” catholicismpure.wordpress.com

“You don’t choose a life you live one” Emilio Estevez!

“God’s will is the way” Lawrence Morra

The Lord Jesus has told us we are here to, “love and serve God.”

We can pick up our cross and carry it our entire lives while we love and serve Him who knows each of us more than we can imagine while loving us even beyond that.  Each of us is so unique and special, so each of us has a particular purpose in His glorious divine plan!  Therefore, we can do no better than seeking “His will” for each of us and fulfilling our God given purpose; He is the Everlasting God Almighty, the “alpha and the omega!”

This is a wonderful announcement and description of the life of a servant of God’s that is a beautiful example of how we all can seek out God’s will for each of us with “humility and pure heart” to better serve His will and plan for us!  This Blog came to me at a moment when I had actually been speaking with a family member about “God’s will” being the only plan that matters for each of us, and that any plans we can come up with aren’t going to achieve the ultimate goal and purpose of our being here in the first place!  Doing His will is the Way!  God Bless You.

Brother in Christ Jesus,

Lawrence Morra

Special thanks to Gertrude at catholicismpure for the wonderful article I reference here!

Also I’m grateful for the research and information that wikipedia.org provides to all of us, some of which I’ve displayed here!

 

 

 

 

 

What Did the Skunk Tell Me and You?

having Faith is always the key to never give up the ship

I bet you like me would never have thought that a skunk would give a person a valuable lesson or message.

On Saturday September 28th at approximately 2 AM I awoke from a sound sleep to the overwhelming pungent odor of a skunk having sprayed something which I thought must have been a nocturnal battle between a skunk and some other animal because it had to be an all-out attack of some kind as the windows were all sealed up tight, so for that odor to permeate the home inside to such a degree meant the skunk had to have released “all its got” upon the adversary.  I put on the AC to cut down on the odor and went back to sleep.  After waking again around sun rise I got up and made some breakfast for both me and my dog and soon after instead of heading outside for a morning walk I instead decided to make a trip to the super market early, and on the way back would stop at a discount store to buy some suet cakes for the birds because I had ran out of them and like to put them out for all the birds that come around my home.

I was just getting back after the errands and pulling up in front of my house when suddenly this guy who also lives in the area and walks by often with his Chihuahua yelled out, “hey Lawrence I just saw this skunk over there near that old car,” which is parked by a neighbor’s home and some open space next to some large hedges separating the properties.  I told him thanks for the heads up and went on into my house to get my dog so we could have a morning walk, when I noticed that another neighbor down the road had come outside and was talking to the fella that advised me of the skunk which in turn led these other neighbors to call the police who dispatched an animal control officer.  When I got back from the walk the animal control officer was looking around near the old car so I put my dog in the house and went out to talk with the officer!  I told her that over the years I’ve noticed the occasional skunk or raccoon during the twilight or early morning hours in the area mostly foraging and then as suddenly as they appear they usually disappear probably moving on as they tend to just pass through the area.  I mentioned how during the night hours I had woken to the skunk odor so maybe some animal tried to tangle with this skunk and this skunk will probably just be moving on, but that I’ll keep an eye open during the day just in case; if there is an issue with this animal I’ll let them know.  The officer looked around a bit more and then she decided it looked like that may have already happened and the skunk disappeared.

After I had gone into the house and taken care of a few chores inside I again headed out to do some chores around the property so with my dog by my side we went out front when suddenly I saw the skunk heading toward us from across the road.  I quickly brought my dog inside to avoid her becoming agitated and of course didn’t want to get the skunk feeling threatened and possibly my dog or me getting sprayed.  After putting my dog inside I went out to investigate and suddenly the skunk started out from some large shrubs along the front perimeter of my home heading straight for me as though it had intent on coming right up to me!  I’m very friendly with all of the wildlife in the vicinity of my home and especially in the winter when the animals are stressed with the ground frozen and covered with snow I like to put out seeds and nuts for them at the base of trees so that any squirrels, rabbits, birds or whatever little critter is hurting for a meal can stop by for a free one.  Sometimes when out there putting out a few treats with my dog, as I often do I will be talking to my dog and because the animals know my voice and scent of  course  they  start coming out or down from the trees and approach me, but not usually the skunks because they are more nocturnal and we don’t even have much opportunity to run into each other except on an occasional evening when I might be sitting out back with my dog who is very used to accepting all the animals well enough to sit calmly with me and won’t budge unless I say to.  During daylight hours sometimes a squirrel, rabbit or bird will practically come right up to us and be looking for a treat.  But with this skunk I knew this wasn’t the reason it approached especially during daylight hours, so of course I knew something was wrong but because there is the potential of the animal being rabid I had to be stand offish, along with the possibility that some other factor of territory or fight/flight reaction was in play and I sure didn’t want to get sprayed.  That actually happened to one of young dogs long ago and in just washing the powerful odor out of my dogs coat I became as permeated with it for days, a lesson well learned so as not to let my pup go running into a neighbor’s property when off the leash doing some business and tangle with a skunk that I hadn’t seen but the dog did!

But, what I became aware of as this all unfolded and I watched from outside and when inside my home as well, was that the odor at 2 AM wasn’t due to a fight between animals but that this frantic skunk I had been observing had in fact had a mate that was hit by a car during the early morning hours and that the injured skunk had somehow crawled off the road after being struck or the mate dragged her into these bushes that I was now beginning to notice him doing as the afternoon progressed but he was actually dragging his dead mates body under the old car and once there he began digging, I’m sure to cover her from the predators or any scavengers which was heart breaking to watch.  I decided right then to help and knew I needed some mint oil I could buy at a local Ace Hardware store so I jumped into my Jeep and drove there right away!  While there I ran into a guy I used to be acquainted with who worked for an International Corporation that I used to work for and we just talked about those good old days and how there were lots of great guys we knew working there and got caught up a bit. This guy Jeff knew one particular guy I used to work with out on the road driving interstate for some years on and off and how he was a great family man who also liked helping nature and animals so I felt this all added up to being a God Sent to keep on; that this was the right direction and that God wanted me to keep following this path!  We said good bye after checking out of the store and had exchanged numbers so we can talk again sometime.

I drove back home and I went to that neighbor that has the old car parked by the hedges and pointed out what actually had happened in detail now that I had all the pieces to the puzzle and we watched from a deck staircase area as I explained and pointed out where the skunk was.  Then as he heard our voices talking he came toward us I’m sure because he recognized this voice of mine like animals do here and I think he was seeking my help or at least something to give him a sense of direction. perhaps even comfort as I’m sure he felt crushed inside to be sporadically traumatized seeing his dead mate; from how peacefully things had been before this fateful previous night.  The neighbor hurried back inside wanting to make certain of not being sprayed as I watched the little guy and said, “Just don’t spray me; I’m going to help you with this now.”  As he walked around just a couple of feet from me under the wooden steps to the deck I sprayed some mint oil around into the air and near the steps which did act as a mild repellent and he went off toward my property and out of sight behind some fencing.  I jumped into action and ran home into my garage and got a shovel and sprinted back to the car because I knew the skunk could be back any moment and being confused perhaps not understanding what I was doing with his mate he may very well instinctively spray me.  I had asked my neighbor already if I can retrieve the dead skunk from under the car and could I just dig a hole a few feet down to bury it and probably that will end this dilemma doing us all some good and she said, “by all means sure, absolutely!”  I did it quickly and mission accomplished in time, because then as I continued to monitor the situation I saw that the skunk was spending time on my property and then on some adjacent land, which seemed to indicate he may have caught on to my intervention and was making some kind of adjustment internally and felt a good change coming or in the air.  Also, after the burial I had ran back home and on my concrete driveway I dossed the shovel with gasoline and lit it up to sterilize it and just as it lay burning which drew most of my attention there to it, the skunk came hobbling or almost lumbering as they do as fast as he could toward me and the burning shovel catching me by surprise.  I was a bit startled just as he must have been to see fire dead ahead of him; and never having seen it or known what it is or how dangerous, it still went up to it until the heat and reality of a danger struck him in the face.   He didn’t run from it but to my surprise walked as close as he could to it like a fighter to face it and then went around it and on to his continued trek up and around the front of my home as I called to him saying, “its going to be OK now little fella!”  As a sister of mine said to me in a conversation about battles we face in life and some I personally have in recent years and how she thought I have brass ones, which I have to say I think the skunk does too or at least he does now after interacting with me for the short time he did, “knowing I was there the whole time to back him up” but still maintaining a distance all the while my watchful eye wouldn’t be going away and ultimately “we worked together” to get through this difficult time and in the process learned so much more about each other!

So night would be coming soon and things were calming down when as I walked around the front of my home toward the road I looked up and perhaps a hundred feet away a man was walking in my direction and yelled out, “hello!”  He had a paper in his hand and I said, “what are you selling,” and said, “nothing,” when all of a sudden I realized I know this guy and we used to talk several years ago when he would walk by on his way from his parent’s home about a mile away to one of the Catholic churches about another mile away from my home.  I said, “oh wait it’s you John wow; I haven’t seen you in ages and how are you?”  He said, “Yes I’ve been away and lived in Boston for a while and still working toward becoming a priest!”  I told him, “fantastic and so good to see you again,” so we talked there about the ordeal I just experienced and he said while we talked he saw the skunk just as we began talking and I hadn’t mentioned it yet, so he thought it was like a pet because it got up fairly close behind me as if it was used to me and belonged there, so he didn’t think anything odd of it, as it then went off into the bushes and shrubs.  I went on to tell how the skunk kept sadly circling around all afternoon and I buried his mate but he many times during the experience kept coming right at me and John said, “aw he wanted some love,” and I said, “you know you’re right he just wanted to get some consoling and to know he is loved!”  I didn’t want John to be late to church so I said, “hey if you don’t mind I’ll take the walk with you to the main road which isn’t so far and going in your direction so then we can get caught up on the way!”  We went over some of the major events that had occurred with me and how had to do a lot of studying and work with the church and now was back to stay here at least for a while and we agreed to keep in contact better from now on.

Later after nearly a couple of hours had passed since parting ways with John and nightfall was approaching, when I went outside after having a little dinner and caught the young guy with the Chihuahua again who was walking passed my home, so I had to let him know how it all worked out and how the skunk apparently was adjusting back to his more normal behavior and that he wouldn’t have to be too concerned when walking by that old car with his little dog but just to keep an eye open until we’re sure.  I was then talking to this guy about God which actually came up naturally in the conversation and how with faith we get though all things this life can toss our way and God is in charge so we just need to try our best to follow His will.  Suddenly coming up on the road behind me as we talked as I had just turned slightly to see if the skunk was still being resolved now as it was getting dark and he may be more prone to show up following his paths again; when who shows up behind me this time not the skunk but it’s John going back to his parents from church.  At that instant I said, “and speaking of God as we just were, this is another man I know John,” and introduced them to each other as they shook hands.  It seems like the God connection to every bit of this daily journey was complete, but as we all realized it was getting dark and need to call it a day we all said have a good night and John and I talked a couple of minutes and then he walked off.

I went inside my house and got ready to install a new garbage disposal under the kitchen sink and as I got into it I had to stand up and get another tool when I see out on the open property to the rear of my home a dog running like the wind all over the place and noticed a van with the obvious owner standing by it so I wanted to check to see who it was as it was very low light and hard to make out who it was for sure from the distance we were apart; but no matter who, I was going to mention the distraught skunk and to keep an eye open so they don’t confront each other.  When I approached I could see it was another old neighbor going way back who I hadn’t seen lately but he has family living nearby even were the skunk had  made some paths.  Turns out he wanted to see what had happened with the skunk after hearing about it via his relative and brought his dog an Irish Wolfhound for the ride and was letting it stretch its legs as it did occasionally near his own home.  I thought there seems to be some freedom and natural order in the air now and this dog just showed us the joy of life that God created to cap off the day!

This led me to of course contemplate the day’s events and again being an animal lover as I am, appreciating all of God’s little creatures and this Joy of Life we and they feel I couldn’t help but focus again on my little skunk friend!  How he went from being lost and frantic reaching out to a tough and even cruel world for some help or like John said, “aw he wanted some love.”  That little creature went through the full spectrum of emotions or what it is to be happy and sad all in one day!  I could now see clearly he had needed to find balance again!  But he was feeling so much loss and separation and seemed to be aimlessly wandering and wasn’t; he was retracing all of his recent footsteps and paths that he walked in the night with his companion or mate and was truly stuck in that mode to be doing it in broad daylight when he is a fairly slow moving target for predators or anything else that might come up in the man-made world; but even so he was compelled to search and not give up trying.  He like all the animal critters  in my immediate area for at least a quarter mile radius know me as the friendly caring human  that talked to the wildlife when  they are being close up and more personal toward me, knowing I have rewarding treats like getting a free snack the way we humans starting as children to adulthood like a piece of pie or free fruit and candy, so too the animals can appreciate something they don’t get easily on their own or at all; but is so delicious they can’t pass it up.  So they overcome general instinctual distrust or fear and give hope a chance to take root.

While this traumatized mammal walked it seems aimlessly over and over again all the trails it followed nightly on its foraging expeditions it was seeking balance and as it saw me out there it kept trying to come to me for what the man John I hadn’t seen in a few years said when he saw was going on; it was “looking for some love,” a helping hand in time of need!   Yes, as the animal actually knew of me and didn’t feel lack of trust but believed enough in me to know I would do him no harm he kept looking for me as he went in what seemed circles struggling to make heads or tails out of a horrific traumatic end to his happy relationship with his mate.  As the day progressed I did get closer but never so close that I would do what I wanted to do which was to cuddle and pet the little guy and tell him everything will be fine in time you will have a mate again and you will have young kits of your own to enjoy with your mate and help a new generation begin.  But him knowing I took care of the deceased mate gave him comfort and he didn’t have that dead body in his face reminding him that something tragic just happened and how ill equipped he felt or was to fix it all.  That is us too; without our Creator we are suffering and at other times so happy to be alive and when in doubt or confused and broken in our hearts we seek out the one we know will do right by us and never would harm us, our Maker!  We are all learning and helping each other to learn what God wants us to learn, yes even sometimes from a skunk!  I see a demonstration in this event of God’s telling us that having Faith is always the key to never give up the ship as the Captain would say and we all know that perseverance and hanging in there is first and foremost to anything that lives so I was there to reassure the little critter in a time of great need and then he was able to carry on and do what God intended he do which is to live his life out as a skunk the best it can and just accept the good with the bad so that the optimum good will be derived from that life and in the end result of all of this world God will have the final say in every single thing, no two ways about it; He is the all-knowing and all powerful Creator who will have His accounting for everything He made out of His eternal infinite love!  Trust in the Lord and turn it over to Him so you can each day get up and say, thank You God for all You have given to me and this world, I thank You in the name of Jesus Christ as I have complete faith in You and that You will direct my paths until You are ready to take me from here to where You dwell forever!  Amen.

Lawrence Morra

What did the Skunk tell me and You; not Pee–yew!

The Paradigm Never Changes Here On Earth

“pick yourself up by the bootstraps, brush yourself off and get moving!”

Seeing that conflict exists all the way back as a boy and now has made it all clear!

Going back as far as I can remember I was always an eternal optimist when I had little if any concept of what eternal is!

I remember when as a young boy I was confronted by a pair of bully twins in the neighborhood that were going to beat me up and I asked them why they want to make trouble so much and make me suffer which would sure get them in more trouble than they realize, not just with my parents but with God; and with Christmas coming in a couple of months they would ruin it with all the trouble they want to make.  I went on to say we should not be bullies to each other because we should be helping each other the way Jesus told us to and that is why we have Christmas, to be good.  Those two bigger than me bullies suddenly became my friends and we walked on down the road till they had to turn to go to their house and I remember them saying, “see you later Larry!”

Fast forward so many decades later and all the more recent battles I’ve been up against with far greater more powerful adversaries and bullies have cut into me deep, body, heart and soul!  Was that little skirmish way back then just a trial to get me going in the right direction from a tender young age to reflect on even now and know that the paradigm never changes here on earth but I too should not change from what I was back then and what was in my heart back then when I was a boy, because now it is needed even more to turn the bullies away from doing harm or causing more ruin than they already have to me and the world!

The eternal optimist is still there holding fast to what is right and only seeking to do God’s will knowing so much more now how God will never let the faithful down, they are after all His children; even so the spirit is truly willing and the body is weak more so at certain times than others, but like dear Dad told me as a kid, “pick yourself up by the bootstraps, brush yourself off and get moving!”

I’m “Moving!”  Thanks God and Dad.

Lawrence Morra

 

When I Speak of My Faith What Should That Mean

It is all about our SOULS

Sure we can say we support the Pope but what does that mean?  That depends on the context of the statement!  But regardless of any context we must all remember even devout Catholics that the Pope is still only a man and a sinner, his works, deeds and religiousness will not get him through the gates of heaven.   “None are righteous, no, not even one!”

As we know many do not whether outside of the Catholic Church or even inside it lately; Vatican II stirred the pot for sure!  The case in point may be presently that there is some serious interference, and actual division is growing not subsiding from that point when I began to see a problem in the Vatican a few years ago when I sent the Pope a very urgent letter regarding severe political corruption taking place in my locale that could only be on a diabolical scale of reference.  Time will tell won’t it, in regard to his not responding not even a thank you for asking for his advice!  In the least my bringing this up may serve as a footnote “to us all that we should be very careful to take care” in these times of upheaval and division.  Division in the church has been there since the beginning and has only grown worse over the years, we see that clearly by the multitude of variations of Christianity out there don’t we.  Men have taken God’s word and rules and bent them to fit their own devices or even purpose!

Perhaps I was seeking to accomplish this with the political; “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.  If he listens to you, you have gained your brother.  But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses.  If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church.  And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.” Matthew 18:15-17

“Every biblical leader stood up against evil and many even lost their lives for speaking against it.  There is a reason Jesus says true believers will be hated and persecuted. If you desire to live a godly life you will be persecuted and there is no way around it.  Stop being part of the world, expose it instead and save lives.  The person who truly loves Christ is the one who’s going to stand up for Christ no matter if they lose friends, family, or if the world hates us. The people who hate Christ are going to read this and say, “stop judging.” biblereasons

“You adulterers!  Don’t you know that friendship with the world means hostility with God?  So whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God.”  James 4:4

“Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world.  If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him.”  1 John 2:15

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”    John 4: 1

I say now, because we who call ourselves Christians or true children of God must with our whole heart discern all these many things before us in our daily lives; we must remember at all times this Holy Scripture as we make our way along our paths!

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:21-23

It’s not about all warm and fuzzy and doing what so many so called Christians that accept the ways of the world pronounce as their mantra; “don’t judge others.”  Even when the Pope has said this we must be careful to not think he is giving license to whatever!  And, those that stating in such a way are obviously inviting all manner of sin and regression from God’s word!  They forget perhaps just how critical things really are or they prefer to satisfy the world and its ways for recognition from other men and not from God who is the JUDGE!

Again, I ask that we emphasize with Holy Scripture to keep in the front of our minds and deep within our hearts what is most vital for our immortal souls, and forget our bodies and material life here!  To God these are all gone in the twinkling of an eye!  It is all about our SOULS!

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.”    John 4: 1

“Stop loving the world and the things that are in the world. If anyone persists in loving the world, the Father’s love is not in him.”  1 John 2:15

“No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.  You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.”   1 Corinthians 10:20-21

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”   Isaiah 5:20

My purpose right here and right now sisters and brothers is that my thoughts and words on this post make a difference in saving even one soul out there in the tumultuous man driven world of sin!  That is my only reason for bringing this to the table in a manner of speaking, not for recognition, praise, friendship or getting hugs and kisses from anyone!  My heart sees a troubled and horrifyingly sinful world and truly hopes in all earnest to see many saved by God through Jesus Christ; as many are being deceived outright, and if I am His instrument at any given moment of my life even if doing so takes my life, so be it; I’m honored.  I of course hope in doing such that I only do His will because that is all that matters and is all that will save me!  Through Jesus Christ my Lord, Savior and Redeemer, Amen!

Brother in Christ,

Lawrence  Morra

 

“Smokes & Boots”

I say they wanted those brand new cowboy boots I was wearing, Whaddaya Think?

A lovely little story from “Puss & Boots” to “Smokes & Boots;” only in NYC folks!

Life is full of challenges that along the way generates countless personal moments of self-refection, and some are inconsequential and others are revelations; but all of it part of a big test.  God isn’t planning out our days for us and setting us up with a certain person or circumstance.  If we travel with the Holy Spirit whatever does come up will be something we can deal with the way God wills us to in serving Him.

I had to shift gears in more ways than one in life and literally between gigs or even changing career paths to maintain my life, paying all the bills and saving for the future, I found that commercial driving filled in many gaps.  Throughout my life I’ve driven commercially over a million miles and thank God without being in an accident or worse. How I negotiated that 18 wheeler through all conditions, snow storms, highway grid lock, thinking ahead at all times as to the four wheelers all around and what stunts they might try to pull to get past or around the big truck made for a very dicey and stressful situation.  On top of all the driving I had to be in all kinds of environments, from Fulton Fish Market in Manhattan to various rail yards like Croxton in New Jersey to International Airports like Logan, Bradley, Newark, Manchester and JFK, or on the waterfront of several key fishing port locations up and down the North East Coast.  Any of these locations could be on the schedule at any time of day or night so when most people were sleeping I might be hooking up double trailers or a 53 foot one in a dark roughneck part of the city or during regular business hours when the streets are full of people and their cars they congest the streets with.  I met more kinds of people and in more varied environments than one can shake a stick at, and sure I saw humanity and sometimes fleeting human connections in our travels while in passing one another when stopped at one of these varied locales having short interactions in our travels; but there was nothing better than being back home in my place where I belong and where I’m loved and needed. Out of necessity I was all over the map but does God want me for some other reason to be bopping all over like that to find connections, I think not!  The man-made world is in a sense from the perspective of a single person a chaotic place; and so focus on one’s own particular life and close family or significant relations is enough to deal with and I see meeting strangers as that just meeting strangers.

I had plenty of opportunity to meet new people in these working circumstances and even my personal travels but to me looking back its all like passing ships in the night and inconsequential.  As I’ve stated many times to many people, I’ve found my greater insights and purpose to my life when alone and depending on nothing more than my own abilities and the paramount guidance of God Almighty’s Holy Spirit that watched over me and indeed protected me.  I’ve studied acting and did a bit here and there so I’m fully cognizant of the idea of taking risks.  Doing so on a stage or in front of a camera can be helpful in creating a visceral characterization but as far as taking real risks with my life, I prefer to pass on that.  Unnecessary risk can become habit forming and we know this by the numbers of adrenaline freaks or junkies in the world! I see our individual lives as so precious to God who gave them to us that we should not take unnecessary risks with them and flaunt them in such a way as to be caviler with them.  Am I guilty of doing so, damn straight, I confess I did some pretty stupid things with my life over the years when not thinking the way I am now.  One little mishap or miscalculation and I wouldn’t be writing this now, that’s how dangerous it was at the time!  I was on a fine line of doing something for whatever reason on the one hand and sheer stupidity or foolishness on the other.  I thank God again that I made it through all the things I did to be able to share now with others, “that you are always better off keeping things in order of priority and your purpose for living in the first place;” the important mission to not fail the test.  I tend to see Monks and Nuns as being closer to serving God more accurately daily by a humble and meeker style of living and serving with focused mission and more restraint and not freewheeling the way many people do actually live in this time and age of pleasing self!  I don’t see risk if not absolutely necessary or even fully appropriate as being anything positive at all. “Common sense and practicality rule!”
Lawrence

PS I know I point out harsh reality here and in quite a few things I say or write about, because I know firsthand just how much danger and evil lurks around any given corner, and not that one should be paranoid but in this world today foolishness abounds and I attempt to counter that mind-set.

“Thank you for sharing that. yeah, Thank you Jesus that you were kept safe on the roadx”

Oh good! I’m glad you liked my little short story (autobiographical vignette).  Yea, plenty more where that came from, I sure stretched my envelope of protected space or comfort zone in my driving travels in my car cross country through 46 states, staying for long periods in about a dozen.  Talk about NYC I thought you might like my connection to Fulton Fish Market, now there’s a place that I met some characters during ungodly hours of the night.  Nefarious from the first looksie!

There was this time I had a hell of an experience taking a train into NYC during the wee hours of the morning arriving in town wearing my cowboy boots as I jumped off at Penn Station and decided to walk street-side on to my destination via 7th avenue in the wee hours when a group of bad hombres almost got the drop on me, I felt like I was in some surreal scene of the French Connection giving them the slip on the subway with some good faking body language that said I might be the heat!  I got away from them by fractions, and sure was good I did; because I know they weren’t gonna discuss Jesus or different parts of the hood with me, no matter how well-spoken or genuine I was!  Yeah, I got AWAY!

I say they wanted those brand new cowboy boots I was wearing, Whaddaya Think?

Or maybe, they just really had to know what I was doing walking around the Big Apple at 3am alone wearing new cowboy boots!  Hey what can I say I do lots of things alone. Maybe they figured I was related to the Marlboro Man and they wanted free smokes!  Oh well, these are questions for inquiring minds that we’ll probably never know the answers to; or will we?

Yes, thank Jesus I’m alive and kicking still!

Lawrence Morra
Amen

“Free smokes 😂”

Don’t forget the Marlboro Man Boots, sorta like the hood version of “Puss and Boots;” “Smokes and Boots,” great deal when you can get it!!! OMG only in NYC!  Hahahahaha! See I can laugh about it because it went the right way for me, at least in that little way, hehehehe!  But oh the things that could have been, I mean good things!  I shoulda done stuck it out!  Not my neck mind you; but maybe my personality?  And, I don’t mean with those bad hombres; but the people with the opportunities!  I guess I was a boy with the wanderlust!  A Rambling Man!  I talk up a powerful storm let me tell ya!

Lawrence Morra

 

PS Ya know folks I should count myself blessed and lucky I did all that and made it out alive in one piece!  The thing that doesn’t sit well with me is that I got through the gauntlet many a time being no worse the wear in spite of it all but then later life; the nefarious bastards stabbed me in the back!  I think they were so damn jealous!

Alive and Kicking You SOB’S.  One of my Hero’s “Papillon,” Steve McQueen!  He was a Marlboro Man!  He made it off “Devils Island” the only one to do it!

 

Thanks to God for My Suffering and Cross

“I can be made whole in Him,”

I believe and feel in my heart that I’m truly blessed to be suffering.  I thank God for my suffering here in my sinful life, here on earth.  For over a decade I’ve been suffering more than I did in all the years of my prior life in totality.  They say God never gives us more than we can handle but He does give to us what we need most, as He is our heavenly Father and knows with absolutism what each of us needs specifically in order for us to complete this earthly journey intact, that is our souls being worthy of being in His presence on our judgment day.  And just like the Good Shepherd knowing his lost lamb when found and it knowing the Good Shepherd we will know our Master and Good Shepherd Jesus and He will know us as His.  Then we pass through the narrow gate with Him in all of His glory into eternal paradise.

I know through this suffering now as difficult as it has been and is that all of my suffering only scratches the surface of what suffering Jesus withstood just on His journey to the cross, being hated, ridiculed, beaten and spat upon; then nailed to a cross to die slowly in agony!  My suffering is so little yet it is a heavy burden which I struggle with only as a mere sinful man to get through it to hopefully better days ahead.  After all who am I that I shouldn’t suffer, I’m like any other sin riddled human being and should suffer, especially if I want to be deserving of an eternal glorious existence.  By giving me this suffering God is reminding me of what waits on the opposite end or wrong choice if I so choose, of the God man paradigm that must be soul based on faith and obedience.  I have been faithful all of my life, but not strong enough in that faith at all times as I should have been.  And why, because I disobeyed my heavenly Father who knows all things and always knows what is best for me, but I thought I knew better at times and went off on my own not consulting with him or perhaps being even half-cocked and unprepared for the subsequent consequences of my own foolish actions and even stupidity because I was foolish enough on my own to think I knew what I was doing.

Then there were quite a few other humans that attacked me or in the least antagonized me in my suffering but remembering and seeing now that all of it was nothing compared to Jesus and what he must have felt.  We must realize when he took up His “everlasting covenant” he was here as a man, a perfect one but still a man with flesh and all the accompanying pains and sorrows that come with being human.  To that was added all the sins and death from sinful behaviors of all kinds by all humans which was dumped upon Him, He who was the supernatural God Almighty, but also for a time an earthy man carrying that entire load and burden of sin and suffering!  And through it all He called out to His heavenly Father consistently and directly asking for strength and “divine providence” in each step he resisted all temptations to follow His own will as a man avoiding and conquering every human sin that we have committed making Him blameless, so that He could carry out His Fathers will, not his own even though he was a flesh man and could have resorted to His own devices or stray from the mission; no instead He faithfully called out to His Father to help Him get through it all and complete His one soul mission, saving all of mankind His children, the lost lambs.  He loves us that much and more than we can imagine!  He is so happy to give this gift of eternal life to us, as long as we are willing to be obedient and faithful to Him, allowing Him to lead our way.

Today I suffer greatly my heart sorrowful and my body is wretched; but someday maybe soon or many in many years to come that will all pass away and “I can be made whole in Him,” a complete and perfect child of God, that is what He promised me and you!

Lawrence  Morra

John 1:16 “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given.”

 

John 1-6

The Word Became Flesh

1 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

6 “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.”

9 “The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

John 1: 26-27 “I baptize with  water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. 27 He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”

Two Men;One a Servant of God the Other a Minion of Satan

“your salvation waits just as I know mine does, if we remain vigilant and faithful in Him”

Appearances alone will not tell the true story, as we can see by photographs of these two men who were born 40 years apart but more importantly there was a chasm of difference that was earth shattering between their souls!  Billy Graham led a life serving Jesus Christ doing so much good for other human souls leading multitudes of people to Christ the Savior while Joseph Stalin with his brutal rule butchered and put many human beings to death; but he also got many others to do his bidding so he in turn led many souls to perdition and hell.

In my reaching out to a fellow Christian who had noticed a striking decline in the number of parishioners attending her local parish church apparently brought on by what seemed to be some internal conflict of the local church hierarchy, causing the church to lose its former inspirational appeal so she was greatly troubled.  But more shocking yet was the fact that at the same time came the news of the startling revelation regarding the shake-up around author and former pastor Joshua Harris’ retreat away from the teachings of Christ; and that Harris announced his total departure from Christianity.  So, then she and her family began a quest to find a new church to attend weekly which I commended her on for not losing hope or faith and being vigilant to seek God’s guidance; all of which I tried to sum up in the following outlook I share here for anyone who might feel they are in a similar situation.  As you read on here please bear in mind the contrast of these two men; one who led people to the path of righteousness, love and freedom; the other to wickedness, hate, and enslavement! These polar opposite men!

This was indeed some sad news to hear about, though not unlike the turmoil throughout the world which is so prevalent, and I believe we now live in the unprecedented time that Scripture spoke to regarding the time period before the final conflict and Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  For many years I’ve felt like I don’t belong and in fact the system as well as many people around me seemed to be much less connected or interested in each other as community and more apathetic!  The lack of compassion and indifference is appalling these days with so many giving lip service to one thing or another but inside not caring at all about their neighbor; this is so different than how it was when I grew up which isn’t ancient history!  Here is something Billy Graham had said that I believe speaks volumes about this current time and he referred to a particular scripture that came to my mind immediately upon reading your Blog Post; which is Isaiah 5:20.

“Many of our news magazines carry stories of immorality.  Theologians and pastors are quoted as condoning sexual immorality under certain circumstances. The Bible says through Isaiah the prophet:

“Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).

“Humanity has always been dexterous at confusing evil with good. That was Adam and Eve’s problem, and it is our problem today. If evil were not made to appear good, there would be no such thing as temptation. It is in their close similarity that the danger lies.

Modern social righteousness often differs from the righteousness of the Bible. Someone has said: “A wrong deed is right if the majority of people declare it not to be wrong.” By this principle we can see our standards shifting from year to year according to the popular vote! Divorce was once frowned upon by society, and laws against fornication and adultery were strictly enforced. But now divorce is accepted by society, and fornication is glorified in our literature and films.

The Bible says: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil.” God has not changed. His standards have not been lowered. God still calls immorality a sin, and the Bible says God is going to judge it.

Honesty was once the hallmark of character. But it has been set aside with an “It’s all right if you don’t get caught” philosophy. Only when we are in court are we required to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

 https://billygraham.org/decision-magazine/june-2012/confusing-evil-with-good/

I hope you are helped by my thinking about this and looking into this source of wisdom and insight that I came upon which quotes the late Mr. Graham.  I do know and have faith that our Lord is fully aware of your difficulties and you are on the right path, so keep trusting in Him, your salvation waits just as I know mine does, if we remain vigilant and faithful in Him alone and not to be fooled by the ways of this world which is falling away! 

God Bless You and Yours.

Brother in Christ,

Lawrence Morra

Everything Running Toward It’s Expiration Date

“make this present life be one of honor, integrity, quality and love!”

Youth is a time of exuberance and exploration while its father and mother becomes reflective contemplation.  Yes, I want to admit that I’ve noticed through life that getting old is no fun and our cultures promote youth and physical beauty way too much because there is money to made; the keeping youthful and fit or good looking business paradigm is a lucrative industry, and who after all wants to lose their life or newness!

But, I’ve also learned this world is a failing one with nothing escaping the ravages of time and decay, so what is there to gain in trying to hang onto this world beyond an expiration date?  No I won’t eat meat, cheese or vegetables that have exceeded their removal date and I won’t expect my own life or its current capabilities to go much beyond its built in longevity; all of which teaches me that it’s not how long we are here but how well we live while we can and what we leave as our lasting legacy to others; because what matters most for any of us is if we made some positive difference, and that our true prize awaits us in eternity!

I hope to see you all there, so make this present life be one of honor, integrity, quality and love!

Lawrence Morra

“A God Sent Ray of Hope and Light on Thanksgiving for a Dog and a Man”

I rescued my dog from being put down at a shelter when I came along by a God Send about a dozen hours before it was scheduled; and a couple of days before Thanksgiving!  If I hadn’t been working near the shelter and heard howls that reminded me of the wolf howl or “Call of the Wild” which I used to do with mush team dogs I had rescued years prior; like Jack London’s great story which I’ve always loved, I would not have been curious before the shelter closed that afternoon to go look and then found out in fact that two Champion blood line Siberian Huskies had gotten out of a house in an affluent town next door and were there at the shelter only a few hours, because their owners were frantically looking for them; which also was the call out for help for my current dog, to give her my attention, in order for “me to be aware she was in dire need!”  I got there and knew the director from years prior when she was a dog officer for the town and I said; “that dog what are you doing with her, no name on her cage?”  And she said “the Police Department decided she has to be destroyed!”  I said “NO WAY,” but only because this lady knew how determined and convincing I can be she went out on a limb for me as she later told me, and did what is unheard of there calling the Chief after hours and then others in the loop to save her; but then as promised, the next morning I was waiting before the shelter opened, in the parking lot!  I gave Anne time to get things going as it wasn’t even public visiting hours yet at that point, but then I finally went in to ask about Penny, which was the name they gave her months before and she said, “Larry don’t say anything, and go see your dog!”  Makes me cry remembering how I felt that day, just as Anne said that, how I started crying!  I love this dog so much I would take a bullet for her or do anything to protect her!  It’s been determined she is a dog with Jackal in her, being that she is half Basenji (derived directly from the Jackal) and half Rhodesian Ridgeback!  She was very hard to control or get to be calm and be nice in the house for the first few years’, lots of work and mopping up after her, very destructive and defiant almost, tearing down mini blinds to see who was outside nearby, wanting so much attention and freedom to do as she pleases!  I let her sleep on my bed every night now!  She loves me so much and same back to her!  Also turned out that the Police Department had given her a chance before I came into the picture and allowed her to be adopted after some months of working with her in the shelter environment, but, she was brought back immediately by the family as completely unruly, the final nail in her coffin, that is until I came along in the nick of time!  Penny through no fault of her own had been placed in a category of dog similar to that of the “Wolf Hybrid” which isn’t even legal to own in many states; but, those Siberian Huskies with their “Call of The Wild,” an actual ancient “Wild Wolf Howl” if you will; was that all heart cry out or “final alarm” that changed the paradigm for Penny on that fateful day!  Thanks be to God!

Hope I made you feel something nice inside telling you all this!

Lawrence Morra

Here I am several months after Penny having succumbed to age and illness; recalling this writing to another dog loving person I know online through our writings; which now I think is so appropriate to share this tribute to Penny!

In Memory of Penny

I just walked in after a walk with my dog and was contemplating; she is so old and weakening but would have been put down way back then if I hadn’t walked in to that shelter that late afternoon before the next day when she was scheduled to be put down!  For several months they had worked with that stray unusual dog found as a pup, Basenji-Ridgeback mix that nobody knew anything about nor where she came from, and for months no one was looking for her!  But she was deemed unadoptable even with the behaviorists input!  The decisions for that euthanizing assessment are final and not reversed, but, if anyone could convince the director to find a way to stop that order it was me through her that director, who went out on a limb as she told me the next day when I returned before opening time, somehow overnight in off hours she worked some blessing for sure.

Oh yes; we humans are absolutely connected to the universe in the most profound way too!  All an expression of God’s vastness, greatness and unimaginable love!  But it is a journey and a long road that of course has many peaks and valleys with scattered bumps in the road, many trials; all helping to illustrate the many things we can and must learn along the way; while finding our worthiness!  But my belief which I have seen proven time and again, is that God wants our cooperation and devoted love to Him!  The way I’m so devoted to my animals is a drop in the bucket compared to what God is doing with us! But, He is so pleased and happy when we are getting it and trying our best!

That was right at this time of year many years ago when I happened in there by a very uncanny series of events just minutes before closing time, a few minutes off here or there leading up would have been curtains for the dog, such as my insisting on taking a look at the dogs being so compelled, and as it turned out this dog was scheduled before opening time the following morning to be put down; all of which happened I know for sure by a Godsend!   6/11/23

See ya Penny!  Love you!