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The Beauty and Danger of Distraction

5/10/2016

2 Comments

 
What glory!  The mercury hit 16 degrees in Deerness this afternoon...nearly as warm as it was last week in Sorrento.  Drawn by the irresistible elixir of sunshine and surf, I took Magnolia and Teddy for a walk at Newark Beach.  A curious 'selkie' (Orcadian for seal) joined us, following about fifteen yards out, bobbing up and down with the undulating waves. He made the most of the crests, comically craning his neck to get a clearer view of his human and canine companions.  I smiled, perhaps for the first time today. 
PicturePhoto: Andrew Balerud
You might have noticed, it has been awhile since I posted my last blog.  For weeks succeeded in distracting myself from the absurdly disturbing realities of life in 2016.  Beachcombing, cooking, crocheting...even cleaning have proved effective diversions!  It is much more comfortable living in willful ignorance!  The idyllic illusion of normalcy inevitably evaporates though.   Always a 'watchman', I cannot slumber for long...

Last week Henry and I had the somber privilege of visiting Pompeii.  I am still processing.
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Pompeii was first settled in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius, late in the 7th century BC.  It was inhabited by Etruscans, Greeks, and the indigenous people of Campania ('fertile plain'),  now Italy.  As we spent the day explored the ruins, it was easy to envision a bustling city, full of life!

PicturePizza anyone?
This is one of 89 'thermopolium', (small cook shops) which remain.  Yes, that is a pizza oven!  Evidently most of the citizens of Pompeii preferred to dine out, rather than prepare their own meals at home.  Sound familiar? These were a prosperous people!  They enjoyed a number of elegant public baths (we would call them spas), embellished with elaborate mosaics and relief sculpture.  An overtly sensuous society as well, Naples houses a museum devoted entirely to the display of erotic (pornographic) images which have been removed from the ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

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Interior of the Forum Baths
Sport and entertainment played a huge role in the life of Pompeii.  There were two amphitheaters which are among the oldest known in the Roman world.  Built around 70 BC, the larger one held an audience of 20,000! 
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Picture
These were not primitive, uneducated people.  They were as bright and sophisticated as anyone we meet on the street today (perhaps more so).  Despite a massive earthquake several years earlier and signs that Mount Vesuvius was awakening from slumber, many of the citizens of Pompeii ignored the warning signs.  On August 24, 79 AD they lost their lives in a matter of minutes, overcome by a torrential flow of superheated gasses and subsequently buried beneath eighteen feet of volcanic ash.  














So complete was the decimation, that the city vanished, forgotten, until its rediscovery at the end of the 16th century.

PictureA Painful Reminder
Grandmothers and grandfathers, moms and dads, children and their pets perished, memorialized only by stony semblances buried in the cinders.  Why did they remain???  How could they have ignored  the ominous warning signs?

I can only speculate!  Life was good...peaceful and prosperous.  The scenery was stunning, the  climate  mild, and the soil fertile.   Day to day life kept them busy and distracted.  They assumed life would continue as it always had.  Ignoring the sense of foreboding rising from within, they disciplined themselves to disregard the alarming signals that could have saved their lives.  They adjusted to 'the new normal.'  A few heeded the warnings, escaping just in time.  Most however, managed to remain oblivious until unimaginable disaster literally rained down upon them.

Are we succumbing to the danger of distraction?  Have we learned to ignore the warning signs, which are increasing in number and frequency, shutting off our God-given alarm system?  Are we guilty of adjusting to 'the new normal', assuming life will continue as it always has?
Spend a few minutes reflecting, reminiscing.  Recall life in America ten years ago...We have been cooked like the proverbial frog, my friends. It is time to awaken from slumber:

                      "Be on guard, keep awake...stay awake...stay awake...

                          And what I say to you I say to all:  STAY AWAKE!" 
                                                         (Mark 13:33-36)


                          DO NOT BE A VICTIM OF DISTRACTION, 
         But seek Lord with your whole heart. Discern His specific direction for your life. 
              It is time to face the truth of our times head-on, not in fear, but in FAITH. 
                                  It is time to step foot in the waters of the Jordan,
                             trusting the Lord to make a way where there is no way. 

"For He is the living God, enduring forever;
His Kingdom shall never be destroyed,
And His dominion shall be to the end.
He delivers and rescues;
He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth.
He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions."

(Daniel 6:26-27)

Soli Deo Gloria

2 Comments
Ashley
8/5/2016 07:33:15 am

Auntie Anne, I have a sincere question for you ~ I'm not a sceptic, just a busy (yes, distracted!) mama, admittedly entrenched in life here and now. Yes, I am gravely concerned for this nation, and I know you and Uncle Henry felt specifically called to Scotland, where you "last felt blessed," so perhaps that is all the answer necessary, since you went in obedience, but I have wondered, is Scotland truly that much better? I don't know! I am asking an honest question. It seems to me that they are in bed with great godlessness and in unholy alliances, as well. Oh for the days of the Scottish Covenanters, but they are long gone, and it would seem most folks don't even remember that heritage. I struggle to just get the dishes washed every day, much less read my Bible (I know, wrong order, but... in my humanness, they see more pressing at the moment), so perhaps I'm too deep in the dailyness to be truly listening, but when I am overwhelmed and dismayed by current events, I think, "Yes, but where is there to go?" And the truth is, I partly don't really want to go anywhere... It's in a different context, but I think of the disciples' response to Jesus when he talks to them about hard things: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." I will meditate on the implications of that, since I do feel great wrestling over it, whatever the context.

I wish SO BADLY that I could meet you for coffee (or the weekend!) and talk for hours!

♡♡♡ Ashley

P.S. What a blessing to read your testimony of how you came to be a serious Bible student, in your most recent post's responses. I didn't know any of that. Pray for me to have the discipline and stamina to get up early enough to be in the Word, before my boys are up and at 'em! But I am so desperate for it, and well aware that my sons need their mother to do so, if they are to grow to be a godly "hein rich" and "petros," as we very deliberately named them, praying toward that end! Lord, help me!

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Anne
8/5/2016 12:25:13 pm

Ashley, it's such a blessing to hear from you! First, you mentioned the Scottish Covenanters...there is a memorial to a group of them about a mile from our home (as the crow flies). They were being shipped to Jamaica to work as slaves and a terrible storm arose. The ship wrecked on the north side of Deerness, the part of the East Mainland where we live. the captain of the ship locked the hold so the Covenanters could not escape. Several hundred drowned, with some rescued by a crew member who had pity. Just a bit of Orkney history :)

Ashley, when the Lord began impressing Uncle Henry with the thought of leaving the U.S. I thought he had gone crazy...I assume you have read my posts and know that after reading my journals, I realized the Lord had been preparing me for more than a year. The question of 'where' was not answered immediately. As far as I was concerned we were headed to South America for some warm weather :) Still, when Henry shared how the Lord had spoken to him about Orkney...I knew in my heart it was right.

Is Scotland any different? First, there is darkness in Scotland, as there is everywhere. That said, there are still marked differences...differences that we do not take for granted.

The Christmas before we moved I happened to listen to the Queen's Christmas address on the BBC. I was stunned to learn that this figurehead of the UK is a devout, evangelical Christian. She spoke of the turmoil in the world (which is seven million times worse now). She stated that Jesus Christ is the only answer to the world's problems. I believe the Lord has protected much of the UK because of the godly leadership. You probably heard that the UK voted to leave the (thoroughly wicked/global minded) EU...a decision that came with huge financial consequences. We were not allowed to vote, as we are not citizens, but we spent much time in prayer and believe that God orchestrated the decision.

A few additional differences that we have noted:
- The Bible Society is allowed to visit the schools yearly
- Children still learn Bible stories and sing hymns in public schools
- Life is generally simpler...NOT characterized by the rampant materialism typical in the US. Less make-up is worn. Clothing is practical. I have yet to see a drive through coffee stand or a pedicure shop.
- Family is hugely important
-While Scotland is certainly 'post-Christian,' it is devoid of the ANTI-Christian sentiment so common in the U.S.
-Boys are boys and girls are girls...and I don't think schools will be actively teaching otherwise in the near future

All in all we are very grateful to be here...but I battle fear for my family and friends still in the U.S.

I would encourage you to make time to get back into the Word...it is more important than ever. His sheep know His voice...but we won't hear if we are not taking the time to listen.

Specifically, Read Isaiah 21, Jeremiah 50-51, and Revelation 17-18. Do you Skype? If not I can call you so we can chat. I know the Lord loves you and has a plan for you. I don't know what that is...but I do know that it has never been more important to listen. Also, listen to TruNews (online). Some of what they cover is a little out there, but they are keeping track of and reporting what is REALLY going on. The future of the US does NOT look good, Ashley. Provisions have been made by the government that would indicate they are expecting trouble...even casualties.

The Lord just reminded me of Jeremiah 29, which He prompted me to read when I was questioning our move. I was in complete shock when I saw that the title of the chapter is "A Letter to the Exiles." The part about the "plans" He has for us are written for those who were obedient to heed the warning and leave Jerusalem before its destruction...the word given for those who refused to leave is chilling.

I love you and look forward to staying in touch as you seek the Lord and His will for your lives. Big hugs to the boys!
Auntie Anne

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    Anne Reitzug

    Sojourner.  Servant.  Recipient of undeserved  Grace.  Worshiper.

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