Ramblings from Retirement – You’re gonna die!

Ramblings from Retirement – You’re gonna die
By Retried Pastor Lee Hemen
August 24, 2021

There are several quotes, memes, and statements floating around online and on TV that I have come to utterly hate and therefore disregard because they have become meaningless. They are: “We’re all in this together” and “If we can save even one life…” Both have become “pithyisms” – a new term that defines a statement that is made that means nothing but sounds pity. Politicians use them all the time to sound intelligent and to skirt the truth.

First of all we are not all in this together because we do not know one another, we do not mingle in the same groups with one another, and most of you have absolutely no vested interest in who I am or what I do, except you are kind enough to read or listen to my ramblings. I know it is supposed to make us feel like we are part of a community, a family, or all in the same leaky boat but frankly we are not all in this together. Can we be supportive of a concerted effort to try and make a difference? Sure, but that’s about it. Being in this together means to me that you are willing and able to invest your time, talent, and money to help me personally, encourage me individually, and walk along side of me daily. You can’t do that if you do not even know me. In fact, like my Daddy used to say, “Talk is cheap and empathy means nothing without commitment.” (By the way did you know that all the scrap metal collecting during WWII had little to no impact on the War Effort but it was enforced to make Americans feel good about their selves?)

Now that brings me to my last meme that I have come to dislike because of its overuse: “If we can save even one life…” Now think about that for a moment. Frankly there are few people in my circle who can actually save anyone’s life, including mine, and I am not talking about spirituality here at all. This statement takes on a self importance that is scientifically impossible to prove and smacks of arrogance. We do a lot of things in this day and age that have absolutely nothing to do with reality but certainly makes one feel better about oneself.

I read a statement, article, by someone the other day where they felt angered over what they called “supposed Christians” who did not care enough about others to wear a mask. The whole thrust of the argument was to make others feel guilty over something that none of us has any actual control over: someone else’s death – unless I am armed with a gun and going to shoot them. Then they quoted Scripture to make their argument seem more spiritually inclined than those ignorant and selfish believers who do not like wearing a mask and dared write about it. You see if we are so horrible as not to wear a mask and thereby place others at risk, because “if we can save even one life” should we even call ourselves “Christian” by not wearing a mask or heaven forbid encourage others not to do so? If we as believers do not wear a mask are we not guilty of being a stumbling block to others? I say, “Hogwash!” By this convoluted logic we should never ever do or say anything because it might somehow cause someone somewhere to die!

Here is the truth: If you have friends or family members that you are around constantly who have health concerns, then you should wear a mask but to say I might be causing the death of someone because I do not or I write about it? Wow, that is arrogance. Frankly I wear a mask around those who are elderly or medically venerable but I write and encourage personal freedom and not mandates, even by well-intentioned others. It’s called being a nanny. Years ago I actually knew a young man who would not go on a retreat or do anything extra in his life because he feared that by doing so he was misusing his time, talent, and treasure and someone somewhere in the world might starve!

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27 NIV). At some point we will all die. In fact “No one knows what is coming– who can tell him what will happen after him? (Ecclesiastes 10:14 NIV)” We simply cannot say with any certainty when we will die or why? And to try to lay the blame on someone else because they did not wear a mask is wrongheaded. This virus will never go away because it is a COVID virus just like the flu or common cold. SARS and other COVID viruses that we have come into contact with are still with us to some varying degree to this day and people die from them all of the time! (Why haven’t you been wearing a mask all along when you knew that people could die from the common cold or flu?) Masks cannot protect anyone from getting the virus but they can help to a very small degree from you possibly maybe giving it to someone else. (This is not my opinion but viral science and backed by years of study on the use of masks and the cloth mask or paper surgical mask you are encouraged to use is about as helpful as a kitchen towel.)

We are all gonna die sometime and should we be helpful, kind, and courteous to others around us? Sure, but do not try to make me feel fuzzy or guilty with your stupid memes.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Real Dads

Ramblings from Retirement – Real Dads
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
June 21, 2021

My father was one of those quiet dads that didn’t say much but when he did you usually listened. My older siblings had a hard time with this which I could never figure out. However we all knew that if Dad said, “don’t” it was don’t, if he said, “yes” it was yes, and the same with his “no”. No was no and we didn’t dare go ask Mom.

My father had advice he would offer up to us once in a while that I kind of tucked away. He would tell us that “Nothing in life is free.” Meaning that there is always a “catch” and we needed to be aware of this fact. Another was similar when he would remind us that the “Government never gives you something for nothing.” He would also remind us that “Freedoms are easily lost but hard to regain.” This last one I did not understand until later in life. He would offer up humorous ones as well, like “Do not be so open minded that you let your brains fall out of your head” and that “You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but don’t pick your friends’ nose!” He would also quip, “I believe like Einstein concerning relatives; they’re all relative.”

My father had a dry sense of humor. I remember quite well one time we went on vacation to Canada we took the wrong highway and ended up at a Canadian Mental Institution. We turned around and as we were driving back he surreptitiously slowly unrolled a roll of toilet paper out the back window of the car. After it was about 20 feet long (toilet paper was a lot stronger back then), flapping behind the car, my mother noticed and in her most deeply mortified voice lamented, “Lowell! What do you think you are doing? They’re going to think you’re an escapee!” We all laughed. I remember watching my Dad and uncle diligently place deer and boot prints and sled marks on our roof and front yard to make it look like Santa had visited us on Christmas Eve.

I remember also that it was not unusual for us to wake up to get ready for school and have my father say, “Let’s go to the beach!” or “Let’s go fishing or camping!” And off we would go. I do not necessarily recommend this as a habit but once in a while it does not hurt to do so as a family. Some of my fondest memories are all of us wrapped in blankets, laying on top of one canvas tarp and huddled under another one sleeping on the beach or out in the woods somewhere. He taught me how to make a fire, to survive in the wild, where to find a dry place to sleep during rainy or inclement weather, and how to find food to eat in the woods; how to make simple traps and how to fish. He would say that “Fishing is not always about catching fish.” I understand that one now as well.

Paul would write the early church, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’–which is the first commandment with a promise—‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.’ Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:1-4 NIV)” My father made sure we honored our mother. He taught us that if she asked us to do something, we had better do it immediately; we were to hold the door for her, and help her with household chores without gripping. My sister never learned this effectively – the household chores part. Yet I can never remember my Dad exasperating us as children. His yes was yes and his no was no and he treated us with gentle firmness.

Too many children do not have consistent fathers in their lives and we are suffering from it as a Nation. If we do not take on the biblical nurturing nature of fatherhood our children will find it in other places like gangs, political nonsense, or groups of people that are antithetical to what you believe or hold dear. Many can be biological or adoptive fathers but few are real dads. Which are you?

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – The Bigger they Are

Ramblings from Retirement – The Bigger they Are
By Pastor Lee Hemen
May 30, 2021

Have you heard the old saying “The bigger they are the harder they fall.”? Did you know that it is a reference to what occurred with a young shepherd boy and a military giant? His name was David and his advisory was Goliath. Recently there has been a real attempt at rewriting the history of our Nation. I was dismayed to recently read a story about how WWII would have been won within several months without D-Day or the USA getting involved. This simply is not true. We were a nation in the throes of Democratic socialism that introduced some of the largest budgets ever seen, until Presidents Obama, Trump, and now Biden. In fact, only WWII would bring us out of the malaise of a flat economy and joblessness we were suffering. It was the USA’s ability to retool, manufacture, and rebuilding so quickly that brought about the destruction of both Japan and Germany. Russia could not have stood up to the Nazi onslaught without the factories designed and built by US manufacturers. At the time few felt that the USA could respond like it did, but they were wrong.

We find the story of David and Goliath in 1 Samuel in the Bible: “The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. He was over nine feet tall. He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. His shield bearer went ahead of him. Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.’ Then the Philistine said, ‘This day I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.’ On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. (1 Samuel 17:3-11 NIV)” Of course the rest of the story is that one young shepherd boy who had brought lunch to his brothers became angered by the arrogance of Goliath’s challenge and went out to face him with a shepherd’s sling and a few stones he picked up as he went. Goliath is felled by one well placed shot. The bigger they are the harder they fall.

What Goliaths are you facing today? Perhaps you are dismayed by life’s circumstances, health problems, the condition of our society’s morals, or what is going on globally. Just remember that shepherd boy and his willingness to take a stand against a giant. Pick up a few stones today and go face your giant. Stones like prayer, your Bible, a godly friend, or a quiet time with the Lord and walk out convinced you have everything you need to defeat the Goliath you are facing because you do. Dear child of the Lord, this Memorial weekend remember those who faced the giants who desired to destroy this Nation and went to war to insure your freedom. Take time to pick up those stones I suggested and face your giant as well. Remember, the bigger they are the harder they fall but it is easier with just a few small stones and the courage to do so.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Who Is Your Neighbor

Ramblings from Retirement – Who Is Your Neighbor
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 29, 2021

Sitting here this morning I did what I always do, I prayed for my neighbors. I pray for them by name and street address. I use the Bless Every Home app. You can also go onto their website and do it that way. I like it because I can edit the names to keep them as up-to-date as possible. I also try to walk three to four times a week throughout my neighborhood with my grandkids or by myself, for exercise and to keep up with what is happening in my neighborhood. I’ve met more neighbors on my walks, waved to them, said “Hi.” or stopped to talk with them. I pick up concerns and blessings which I pray for when I pray for them and this brings me to one of my favorite passages of Scripture.

In Luke’s gospel we find Jesus speaking to a very intelligent young man: “On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. ‘Teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘What is written in the Law?’ he replied. ‘How do you read it?’ He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.’ ‘You have answered correctly,’ Jesus replied. ‘Do this and you will live.’ But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’ (Luke 10:25-29 NIV)” Jesus then goes into the discourse of relating a story concerning a Priest, a Levite, and a hated Samaritan. They all come to a man who has been robbed, beaten, and left in a ditch by the side of the road. It is only the Samaritan who stops and helps the man. While the story is a fantastic teaching the best part for me is the first section I shared.

Our world today, including a lot of Christians, think that simply by having empathy, throwing money at a situation, or by trying their best they have succeeded in loving other people. This is simply false. We hear the simplistic phrase “it takes a village” and think “how adroit” but this is mere societal pap.

Here in Luke we see a seemingly very intelligent guy who is described as “an expert in the law”. He would be considered in our day like a well paid lawyer, perhaps a Harvard Law School graduate. He thinks he can trick Jesus and so asks him a simple question with huge implications if Jesus answers it incorrectly: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” You see most religious Hebrews of Jesus’ day thought that by doing good works and following the Law of God as laid out by the ridged rabbinic teachings was how one should live. And we know by his parsing of the question he probably was a Pharisee who believed in eternal life after death, which the Sadducees did not believe. The Pharisees followed a ridged code of good works, tithing, alms giving, sacrifices, and religious observances hoping that they had done enough by following the Law that they would enjoy eternal life with God. Jesus does something unexpected and responds with a question of his own, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” It is now this lawyer’s chance to prove his intellect and knowledge of the Law he so rigidly followed. So he answers exactly like a lot of “religious”, “spiritual”, or “empathetic” folks do with the correct sounding answer of: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, love your neighbor as yourself.”

He probably felt proud of his answer but then Jesus responds, “You have answered correctly, do this and you will live.” So the young man asks, “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus then relates the story of the Priest, Levite, and the Good Samaritan as they interact with their neighbor who needs more than their compassion, money, piety, or help. He needed one of them to get actively involved. Jesus then says, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” Now the lawyers is cornered in front of a crowd of people who had moments before seen him as the epitome of knowing the Law of God but has been reduced to now answering his own question publicly revealing what his real views as a person are and not just the right answer expected of him. Luke relates that “The expert in the law replied, ‘The one who had mercy on him.’ Jesus told him, ‘Go and do likewise.’” So today dear child of the Lord, “Who is your neighbor?”

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Unity and Peace

Ramblings from Retirement – Unity and Peace
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 27, 2021

I watched the movie Mortal Engines the other day. It is a post-apocalyptic movie about a mysterious young woman, Hester Shaw who emerges as the only one who can stop the giant predator city London on wheels devouring everything in its path. Feral, and fiercely driven by the memory of her mother, Hester joins forces with an outcast from London along with a dangerous outlaw with a bounty on her head. Thousands of years after civilization was destroyed by a cataclysmic event, humankind has adapted and a new way of living has evolved. Gigantic moving cities now roam the Earth, ruthlessly preying upon smaller traction towns. It is a Chinese-backed film that was supposed to be a condemnation of corporate society but fails miserably on this score and instead is a perfect example of a socialistic society headed by a dictatorship. You know, just like communist China.

Surprisingly there are those who actually think that some form of socialism would be good for America. Some are waking up to the fact that socialism stifles any form that tries to say otherwise. It snuffs out individual freedom and societal liberties in the name of unity and robotic conformity.

Paul would argue against those who wanted the early church to go back to doing works instead of living by their faith in Jesus. He wrote, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery… You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:1 & 13 NIV)” Paul knew that those who had come to God through their faith in Jesus were all unified in him. He would continue by writing that “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-28 NIV)”

Unity is not found in some form of governmental control that dictates to us how we should live; it comes from within when one is changed from the inside out through the power of God. Socialism tries to become god in a person’s life through making people outwardly conform. Inside they are still the same person but just suppress their behavior because of fear. Fear of being found out, fear of violence against themselves or their families, or fear of the crowd. Believers however, Christians, are not to live in fear whether it is fear of God or of man or governments. God showed his love for us in this that while we were still sinners who did not care about God, Jesus, or even each other Jesus died for our sins and rose from the grave to prove he could. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. (Colossians 3:12-15 NIV)” Our only burden now is to come to him by faith and trust. It is in him we find unity and peace.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Lost!

Ramblings from Retirement – Lost!
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 10, 2021

Have ever been lost or have you had a child get lost? I’ve had both happen to me. When I was little, about 3 years old, my family was visiting the downtown area of the small town we lived near. They met another family that they knew and began talking to them and as they did my father reached over and placed me on the hood of a nearby car. No one thought anything about this in that era because cars were made a lot sturdier and out of sheet metal. It was a sunny spring day, the car hood was warm and I fell asleep. Waking up a short time later I realized that my family was nowhere to be seen. About this time a policeman came walking by and asked me if I was lost and where my family was. We were taught to trust any policeman. Shortly my family came running around the corner; my father first, then my brother, sister and mom. Of course they asked me where I had wandered off to but then realized that they were the ones who had wandered away after placing me on the warm hood of a nearby car to fall asleep. That was the most worried I had ever seen my folks.

Jesus got lost as a young boy in Jerusalem. You remember the story I am sure where his family had gone to visit there for the Feast of the Passover. They had gone every year. After the feast was over his family started back home but Jesus had stayed behind in the city but his parents were unaware he had. Now least you should think they were neglectful Jesus at the age of 12, which he was at this time, would have been seen as a responsible young man and not a mere child. At the age of 12 Jesus would have been shortly Bar mitzvahed when he reached his 13th birthday and attained the age of religious duty and responsibility. Plus they had done this every year. However this year thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a whole day. Then realizing he was missing they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. We read that they finally find him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Interestingly when “his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, ‘Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.’ (Luke 2:39-48 NIV)”

I am not going to focus on Jesus being in the temple but rather on the very fact that his parents had lost their child, were worried about him, and had looked everywhere for him. Now some commentators love to speculate on how wisely Jesus responds, “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” Now certainly we could suggest that they should have known so but they were normal parents just like we are and when your child is lost you do not always think logically. And personally I think this affected Mary enough that she related the tale to Luke years later and he wrote about it in his gospel account. I think like any loving mother she remembered how frightened she had been, how frantic they had looked, and how concerned they had been about their boy maybe being murdered, perhaps enslaved, or even harmed by the Romans. And looking back on the incident Mary was still affected by what had occurred and only after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection could she place it within the context of who he was.

As parents there are things our children do that at the time frighten us to death but only after they become adults can we laugh about them or see them in the context of who they are as a person. Was I “lost” when my father placed me on the hood of that car? Nope. Was Jesus “lost” when he had stayed behind at the temple? Nope. Yet for my parents and for Jesus’ parents their fears were very real at the time of our being lost. Dear child of the Lord today you may wonder about your child, a grandchild, or loved one but rest assured the Lord knows right where they are. Take comfort in the fact that he does and commit them to his care. They may not be as lost as you think they are.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Take Time to Ponder

Ramblings from Retirement – Take Time to Ponder
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 9, 2021

Before the birth of her first child my daughter was kind of scared; you could see it in her eyes. She did not know what to expect but everything turned out fine and she gave birth to a sweet baby boy. During the birth of her second child she was a little bit late in heading to the hospital, called me to rush over, and I helped her give birth to her tiny daughter there on the floor of her apartment. Her husband was rushing home as fast as he could. Her son helped direct the EMS and firemen to where the baby was being born. After both births it was amazing how she cuddled and kissed each newborn.

My mother was not always what you would call a “loving” person however she would find the time to put together a picnic lunch, take us to the park, and tell us stories while eating our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on the grass sitting on a blanket. As a young child she would have me sit next to her and make me read to her the comic books I loved to collect. In fact she taught me the importance of reading. Only having a seventh grade education she was constantly aware of her short comings concerning things like math or spelling. Yet she was a prolific writer and wrote all kinds of poems. She encouraged my artistry by finding scraps of blank paper from the grocery store, my father’s garage, school or any place she could scrounge some for me to draw on. I have cartoons drawn the backs of garage receipts, grocery bags, apple wrappers, and just about any other scrap of paper she could find for me to doddle or draw.

Mom was not a necessarily “cuddlier” either however she did hug us a lot but I do remember that she was a baker and she would bake homemade bread, cookies, and pies. I can still conjure up the aroma of my mother’s baking bread as it came fresh out of the oven. And we would often come home from school to find her busy cleaning, reading, or cooking. She had no problem even being as poor as we were in baking cookies for the whole neighborhood gang of kids. As I think about my mother today on this Mother’s Day I am reminded of how Luke wrote about Jesus’ mother after the birth of her son Jesus. The shepherds had come and gone and it was only her and Joseph left with the baby Jesus. Luke writes “But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. (Luke 2:19 NIV)” And isn’t that what mothers do? They ponder, wonder, and think about their children. About who they will become, what they might do in life, and what kind of character they will develop. Mothers ponder.

Dear child of the Lord, today as you think about your mother I do not know if she was a good mother or a poor mother or even if she was a bad mother, but she was your mom. I pray you remember her well and take time to ponder over her because I know she did over you at some point in your life.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Find Something to Do

Ramblings from Retirement – Find Something to Do
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 7, 2021

As I was sitting here today I was again thinking about my mother. It is interesting that even though I am 68 and my mother has been dead now for quite a few years I still think about her often. I do the same with my father as well. Anyway I realized that she would often quote things that she thought were biblical, like a lot of folks do, that in actuality are not at all. One was when she would find us moping around desperately trying to find “something to do” she would remark, “The Bible says that ‘idle hands are the Devil’s workshop” meaning that if we did not find something to do and fast we would soon be up to no good and she would find something for us to do. Never wanting the latter thing to happen we would quickly find something to do.

As I thought about my mother I was reminded of what Paul wrote the Thessalonians concerning hard work and idle hands: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘If a man will not work, he shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the bread they eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12 NIV)”

Now for all of her faults my mother had some truly remarkable and grand attributes. One of them was that she was a hard worker. We kept a rather large garden that included all kinds of vegetables and grains including corn. My brother and I were in charge of the strawberries which we sold by the roadside and mom would make into jam.

In fact when the picking season progressed she would be found in a steam filled kitchen full of canning jars, jelly jars, fruits, vegetables, and other things canning to her heart’s content. We had a large root cellar where we kept the home canned goods and where she kept a big crock of sauerkraut fermenting. We would eat from her homemade larder for the whole year.

After we moved to Wenatchee she worked in an apple packing plant hand wrapping apples for international shipping. Later on after my father passed away she went to work in a nursing home in Bellevue, lifting, cleaning, and helping patients. It was tough backbreaking work but she went everyday and did her job well. My mother was never afraid of hard work and because of her actions all of us kids learned that hard work was nothing to be ashamed of.

Mom would remind us that the Bible states that “Hard work never hurt anyone.” Of course it does not say that but in fact it does share the truth that idle hands can turn into the Devil’s workshop and that hard work doesn’t hurt anyone who does it willingly for the Lord.

So today I will get up from writing this and go find something to do like clean the house, work in the garage, go out and work in my own vegetable garden. It is a great way to not give the Devil my idle hands. Perhaps you should find something to do as well?

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Find Your Peace

Ramblings from Retirement – Find Your Peace
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 6, 2021

For me there is nothing better in the morning than to sit listening to the squirrels chattering outside, the red-winged blackbirds singing, and the sounds of people mowing lawns while I begin my day drinking a black cup of coffee. I grind some Guatemala Antigua beans, make four cups of the smoothest tasting dark nectar there is.

My mother taught me to drink straight black coffee. Except her coffee was often boiled in a pan of water on the stove and had the consistency of crude oil. Instead of pouring it you cut off a chunk and swallowed it whole. She would often let it cook on the stove or in her newfangled peculator all day as she wandered back and forth getting a new chunk in her cup. She learned to make coffee as a young girl in Wyoming cooking for cowhands. Lest you think it had a detrimental effect on her, she lived into her early 90’s and continued to drink plain black crude oil of coffee all day. She grew up poor and tried to escape it by going to Alaska as a young teenager.

Sitting here today I was reminded of what Jesus related to his disciples: “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:25-27 NIV)” Sadly my Mother was not a believer but she did find some comfort in a strong cup of Joe each day.

A good cup of coffee soothes the soul and I do not mean the prissy thousand calorie quasi-milkshake sugar induced confections that are often swilled by Starbuck drones. I mean a good black cup of freshly brewed coffee where the smell of roasted beans and the fresh scent of brewed heaven wafting up and gently engulfing you like a cloud. Now I know some of you will say that tea is better, but come on really? Green leaves boiled into nasty weak soup as opposed to a real drink made dark and rich? The best way to have tea is with a lot of lemon, sweetener, and ice. I jest of course so please no snarky remarks.

I drink my brew in a Donald Duck mug because he is my favorite cartoon character and always has been since I was a kid. When I first saw Donald lose it and go into his famous rage madly quacking and then the next instant be gentle and calm he reminded me of my Mother. She was like that. She could be the sweetest person one moment and then go all Donald Duck on you the next. However, the one thing that brought her joy was her coffee in the morning. She would sit by her patio door, listening to the birds in her backyard, looking out at her flower garden full of roses and a myriad of other flowery blossoms and the orneriness would melt away. She would drink her coffee and forget about her poverty, her stress, aches and pains, and allow it to be soothed away. We learned as kids to make sure she got her first cup as soon as she got up.

Dear child of the Lord I do not know if you like coffee or not, tea or some other thing, but what I want to leave you with today is take time to relax in the Lord and find your peace of mind in him. Do not let your heart be troubled by the cares and concerns of the day and allow them to melt away in the presence and peace of the Lord and perhaps a cup of coffee.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

Ramblings from Retirement – Words Mean Things

Ramblings from Retirement – Words Mean Things
By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen
May 5, 2021

Recently there was a video played on national TV that displayed a black woman pulled over by a sheriff deputy for driving while talking on her cell phone. She claimed she was a teacher, had her child in the car sitting next to her and luckily the officer had his own body camera filming the whole scene. By the way the officer remained completely professional, courteous, and did his job while the woman went totally berserk berating the officer with racial slurs, vulgar language, and name calling. It turns out she has a history of doing this and tired to file a police report of the incident claiming that the officer profiled her for no reason. Good thing the deputy had videoed the whole incident.

I was reminded of when Jesus related to the crowd that “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift. Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. I tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. (Matthew 5:21-26 NIV)”

I have learned that when people resort to name calling, vulgar language, or racial slurs they do so because they do not have a logical or cogent argument for their wrong actions or attitudes. It is like the old adage where two boys are arguing and one says something disparaging about the other boy’s father and the fist one retorts, “So’s your old man!” And this is where many are in the world today. They have taken on the problems of society and now feel justified by belittling, berating, or abusing others in the name of racial equality.

Satan and socialism knows that the best way to defeat believers or a nation is to divide and conquer. If you can make people think they are being righteous and or justified in their anger at another group or individual you have broken down their logical and spiritual barriers of loving one another and unity. Satan loves it when people divide into “camps” of us versus them.

What’s the answer? Jesus said it best when he related that we should first love God completely and then our neighbor as we love ourselves. When we are willing to love God we will follow his precepts of love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Race, illogical irrational arguments, anger, hurt feelings are no longer the issue. Loving God means taking your problem to him, getting right with the one you have a problem with, and being unified in God’s love. And remember if “The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. (Psalms 103:8 NIV)” shouldn’t you be also?

So today dear child of the Lord do not resort to anger, name calling, or irrational outbursts but instead remember words mean things and those things could have a huge impact on your life for eternity.

This article is copyrighted © 2021 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.