“You Know You’re Gettin’ Older When . . . “

Saturday Night, February 22, 2020. 11:19 PM.

You Know You’re Getting Older . . .

When your sugar jar confuses you.

“What you talkin’ bout, Stoney?”

My sugar jar’s what I’m talkin’ bout, Lobo.

“What you mean?”

Well, ifin I turn the cover to swivel her open . . . then when I want ta swivel her close I forget which way she goes.

“Why you can’t remember that, Stoney?”

I jest can’t remember, that’s all.

“Well, why don’t ya write some instructions on your sugar’s cover?”

That’s a good idea, Lobo. I’ll do it.

Lobo?

“Yes, Stoney?”

I did it. I wrote a letter O [for “Open”] and a little arrow beside her pointing left. And then I wrote a letter S [for “Shut”] and a little arrow pointing right. Now I can use my sugar jar without getting’ annoyed with myself for not knowing which way to turn.

“Good boy, Stoney.”

Thanks for your help, Lobo.

“That’s what I’m here for, Stoney – to help ya’ out, sometimes.”

Lobo?

“Yes, Stoney?”

I jest thought of a song for us to listen to.

“What is it, Stoney?”

“Sugar, Sugar.”

Sugar Sugar – The Archies (Lyrics)

“Let’s listen to that song, Stoney. And let’s have a cup of tea with it.”

OK. Lobo. How much sugar would you like with your tea?

“Pour some honey in it instead of sugar, Babe.”

Why, Lobo?

“It’s easier that way, Stoney.”

Ya know something, Lobo?

“What’s that, Stoney?”

You remind me of a sweet song, Lobo.

“What song is that, Stoney?”

This one, Honey.

Stoney – Lobo

Lobo?

“Yes, Stoney?”

Where’d ya get that term of endearment?

“Which one, Stoney?”

This one: “Sugar Babe.”

“From The Real McCoys TV show. Luke called his wife, Kate: “Sugar Babe,” sometimes.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Real_McCoys

“At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: ‘I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.’” -Matthew 18:1-4. NIV Study Bible.

This Kingdom | Hillsong (Featuring Darlene Zschech)

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go to your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” -Matthew 6:5, 6. NIV Study Bible.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Approximately 2:33 AM.

Yesterday, I was recalling a Scripture about “open and shut” since there is something written above, in this blog post, about “open and shut.” However, it was only very early this morning that I woke up and was remembering that Scripture again, that I got out of bed and opened my bookcase door and found in the darkness my Bible; and turned on the light and sat down in a chair and searched in the beginning chapters of Revelation for God’s Word about “open and shut.” And it was occurring to me that it was in Philadelphia, PA – or more particularly in Chestnut Hill, according to Andree, that I prayed with her in an open field in confession of faith in Jesus Christ the Lord, the Son of God, in April 1978. And I was thinking of today’s date 2/26 and wondering if the verse I was searching for was in Revelation 2:26. Well, I found the verse about “open and shut” but it is in chapter 3 and verse 7. I was wondering if something special might happen on that date. But, then, I recalled another Scripture, or rather, Scriptures, concerning “today.”

“For to which of the angels did God ever say,

“You are my Son;

Today I have become your Father”?

Or again,

“I will be his Father,

And he will be my Son”? -Hebrews 1:5. NIV.

“So, as the Holy Spirit says:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

Do not harden your hearts

As you did in the rebellion,

During the time of testing in the desert,

Where your fathers tested and tried me

And for forty years saw what I did.

“That is why I was angry with that generation, and I said,

“Their hearts are always going astray,

And they have not known my ways.

“So I declared on oath in my anger,

They shall never enter my rest.

“See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.

“But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today,

So that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

“We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.

As has just been said:

“Today, if you hear his voice,

do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion.”

-Hebrews 3:7-15. NIV Study Bible.

“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:

“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars – I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” -Revelation 3:7-13. NIV Study Bible.

And since today is February 26, I went to Revelation 2:26 to read what Jesus Christ said there through his angel [verses 1:1-3. NIV] beginning in verse 2:26 . . . to 2:29.

“To him who overcomes and does my will to the end,

I will give authority over the nations –

‘He will rule them with an iron scepter;

He will dash them to pieces like pottery’ –

“Just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” -Revelation 2:26-29. NIV Study Bible.

This Kingdom | Hillsong (Featuring Darlene Zschech)

EL SHADDAI BY AMY GRANT