Immigration

It has been proposed by some that people of any nation should be allowed to freely cross the borders of the U.S.A. without presenting proper identification, i.e., passport and visa. After all - who set these boundaries? Who really owns the land? Do people not have the right to pursue peace and happiness backed by good paying jobs? It was reported to me that the Maasai (a tribe in Kenya, East Africa) believed for years that all the land belongs to God. Cattle belongs to man. Cows, sheep, and women and children were their property. As long as there was water and sustenance they stayed in one place. When the grazing lands grew thin - it was time to move on. No one stopped them as long as they could find grazing land with water. Nowadays, however, the Maasai are laying legal claims to land in the courts of Kenya. Governments have found laws necessary to civil society.

Now it is being claimed by some that people who work for the government are "harassing" those who do not meet the conditions prescribed by law. They are accused of being unjust and oppressive. It's like a soccer coach being told that he is oppressive because he applies the rules of the game and penalizes a player who committed foul play. Rules/laws are a must if we are to live alongside each other. Romans 13 gives some basic rules for maintaining peaceful and orderly lives. So what is the responsibility of the Church to illegal aliens? Must we support them and help them? Or are we duty bound to protect them?

While I do love every immigrant (even those who are illegal) I do not feel that we are obligated by the Holy Bible to protect them and allow them to break the immigration laws. Yes, the Bible teaches that every individual is loved by God and is a person of worth. There is no one worth more - and there is no one worth less. As the song we learned in Sunday School says, "Red and Yellow, Black and White, all are precious in His sight!" This issue is not about race. This issue is about rules. Should we, or should we not obey or be subject to the civil law of the country in which we live and work?

One of the issues here is civil obedience to the law of a country. As many of you are aware, I have been a missionary, working in a foreign field. When I went to any of the many countries I have been to as a missionary I always did my best to obey all of their laws, including immigration laws. I made my presence known. I presented my passport and visa as required. I paid all taxes required by the host government. I felt that this was a Biblical obligation according to Romans 13. While some seem to believe that they have the right to dis-obey the law in order to be missionaries, I have not (in the past) nor can I now, advocate sending a missionary into a country illegally. I'm aware that there are some of my good respectable brethren who feel it is o.k. to go "undercover" as missionaries. I have no axe to grind with them; no quarrel with them. They do not have to give an account to me. However, I prefer to obey the laws of the countries involved.

One more point - on immigration laws here in America - I have some Christian brothers who are illegal aliens here in America. I'm convinced that they have accepted Jesus Christ as their only Savior and they trust him to go to heaven when they die. There are also some Christian brothers, saved by the same Lord Jesus Christ who work for the United States border patrol. They have a job to do. Just as in the case of the coach who calls the rules of the ball game, I cannot call them oppressive when they act on the orders of their government.

Friends, Relatives and Birds

A Gorgeous day outside today - and we had an appointment to have lunch with a brother-in-law and his wife at Logans. Great food, too much food, then coffee and pleasant conversation. I love being retired because I had no need to rush back to the office. It was a wonderfully leisurely day. Dewain and Debbie live about 30 minutes away so we get this opportunity occasionally. He's retired from being Comptroller of Children's Hospital in New Orleans - right after Katrina.

This Mourning Dove and a mate have been playing in the kitchen
window for the last few days. They will come from the tree to the window, Coo-cooo-coooo, then fly back to the tree. I have seen one of them carrying straw and various items into this tree to build a nest. They are beautiful - but will not hold still for the photo I wanted to get.




I'm not sure - but I think this is a Carolina Wren. Several of them have been hopping about in the grass, picking up worms, then flying to the window of my office. I put out a few crumbled crackers to entice them up close for a picture. Worked like a charm.


Tennessee's state bird, the Mockingbird, also loved the crackers and was more aggressive in coming up close to take them. This one espied the camera right away and split-seconds later flew away. I love watching them. Maybe, just maybe, I'll go out and buy some bird-seed.


This is a side view of the same Mocking-bird. Tra la la, tra la la, tra la la, tweedle dee dee dee - oh what a thrill to wake up in the morning on Mocking-bird Hill.




This squirrel has a bobbed tail. Not sure what happened - could have been that black cat that roams the neighborhood - or a dog - or even a "snap trap"...but something definitely got it's tail. This is the third year we've seen the same squirrel feeding around our



Right after we left Logan's Roadhouse, I took my wheelhorse out to have it serviced. Sitting up all winter (yes, out in the open) the steering is "locked". Probably from rust? At any rate it was impossible to steer it, so have to have it repaired soon as the grass is starting to speak to me about needing to be kept trimmed. A friend had asked me to take his weed-eater to the repair shop when I took my mower - but I forgot all about it. Hopefully he'll forgive me.

Below are three snaps of the city of Cleveland's "Green-way", a very nice walking trail of over two miles - along Mouse Creek. We have been blessed and now own the lot between here and the road behind our house so we have this gorgeous view 24/7!

Litter-bugs and Bitter-bugs

LITTER-BUGS. What do you do when you meet a litter-bug? Do you enjoy seeing the landscape covered in litter? Very few things in the natural world are more repulsive to me than to see litter scattered over an otherwise beautiful landscape. Now don't mis-interpret...I could not (by any stretch of the imagination) be called a "neat-freak". But I do hate to drive down the highway and see empty cans, and bottles, and carry-out lunch boxes from KFC, Mickey D's, and a myriad of other fast food places. I never allowed myself or my family to throw things out of the vehicle onto the landscape. When my children were young and we traveled I kept a litter-bag in the car and taught them never to throw even the smallest items out of the car window. Now I love the outdoors. Hunting and trout fishing have been a part of my life from my earliest years. I didn't see that much litter as a child. Yes, there was some...but nothing like what I have seen lately. Maybe because the old timers didn't have the throw-away items we have today but I do not remember seeing so much litter when I was young. Lately I've pushed back several miles into some of our beautiful national forests, thinking, 'maybe this is virgin timber' when suddenly down the trail my eyes would fall on a rusting coke can. I can't explain what that does to me but it's a little like eating a lovely meal and finding a waitress' hair in the food. It's distasteful. Un-pleasant. I want to gag. I DON'T LIKE LITTER-BUGS!!


BITTER-BUGS. Now bitter-bugs are far more distasteful than litter-bugs. With litter-bugs, they never caused me to want to spread my litter. In fact, I have spent hours picking up other people's litter in places I had never been to before, and carrying it out of the woods to my pickup and taking it to a dumpster. No - not everytime - but a few times that has happened. Now - the BITTER-BUG is a different story. I find that when I'm in the presence of a bitter-bug I am prone to join him/her in their bitterness. I have been bitten by the bitter-bug and it caused me to spread the bitterness Once I felt that a fellow-minister who was over me in the Lord had lied to me. I was hurt. I began to tell it to others. It grew as I talked. Soon I was pouring out poison into any ear who would listen to my tale of woe. One of my fellow-ministers stopped me in mid-sentence and said, "Fred, I don't want to hear this!" It was like a slap in the face. I finished the task I was working on at the time and went to the woods to pray and repent and soon felt I had the victory. I'll never forget - soon after that I was complaining bitterly about some of the members of my church to one of my pastor friends and he stopped me and said, "Fred. I have to tell you something. You are never going to be successful in this church nor any other church until you learn to love your people!" It was a shock to me. I realized I still didn't have the victory over that critical attitude. Oh how I have thanked God many times over for that encounter and the repenting and praying it caused me to do.

I DETEST BITTER-BUGS because they put poison in your spirit. I love them, but I don't like the wailing and woes of bitterness they cause me to endure. Unlike litter on a landscape which cannot grow in and of itself, bitter thrown out on a spirit will multiply! No wonder the Scripture says in Hebrews 12:15 "Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;" I do not claim mastery of the subject yet, but (God being my helper) I am resolved not to be bitten by the BITTER-BUG! Therefore I do not listen long to them. I do not ask them questions in an effort to gain more knowledge of their "juicy" causes for gossip. In fact I'm going to do what Paul recommended to the Ephesian Church in Ephesians 4:31: ?Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:"

Signs of Spring

This was Frances after returning from Church on Sunday, March 8, 2010. She was having a good day. Isn't that a radiant smile on a beautiful woman's face? All of the people at church loved and hugged on her because they had not seen her in several months. It had been a year since her heart by-pass surgery and (from her appearance this day) she was well on the way to being completely healed.


Here, if you observe very carefully, you can see one of the fishermen I saw fishing from the bank of the Hiwassee river. The dam below here (at Chattanooga) hss been opened to let water through during the winter - then the spring rains will fill it up! It will probably come up at least 10 feet.





This boat is the only one I saw on the water in about three hours. It reminds me that I need to get my boat in for service before long. When I last used it, I noticed that the boat was taking on an unusual amount of water when big boats passed me while I had stopped to fish. It took me forever to figure it out...but someone had borrowed my boat last year and changed the hose connection so that when I turn on the bilge pump it pumps bilge water into my live well. And he thought he was "fixing" the boat. Arrrrrrghhhh!

There is a cave on the side of the river, directly across from the "ole' swimmin' hole that I have noticed before. I want to explore it, but have not taken the time for doing that. There are many such caves throughout Tennessee. I remember a church member of Dad's in Middle Tennessee (at Campaign) who used to get his drinking water from a cave in a 50 gallon drum. Caves are interesting places. In most caves the temperature is relatively stable - meaning "cool in the summer" and "warm in the winter".






Ye Ole' Swimmin' Hole!

I have many many many pleasant memories of going to the "Swimmin' Hole". Not this exact place, but in similar places in Tennessee, Georgia and Florida our Daddy took us swimming. This might be a good blog subject at a later date.

I drove out to the Hiwassee River yesterday, March 9, just to get out of the house. It seemed like I was about to go "stir crazy" after such weather for the past month or so. Of course I have been out - but not as much as I like to be. nor for the reasons I most enjoy. I've been to the store to buy groceries. I've been out to eat lunch with my girl-friend. I've been to church. But I like to get out and "ramble". No appointment. No deadline to meet. Just see a road and drive down it. See an interesting looking trail (whether an approved hiking trail or not) and get out and walk. The weather was 70 degrees the day before (Monday) and it had made me want to be out on the river or out in the open. It was shining enough that Frances had opened the kitchen door to let the sunshine into the house - through the storm door. I suggested to Frances during breakfast that we should take some weiners and a cold drink and go to the river where I could build a camp-fire and have lunch of hot dogs and chili on the river. She declined. So ... sometime after lunch I "took off" by myself to ramble along the rivers edge. I did find a few people out. The key to that sentence was "few". There was one boater that I saw. As I drove along the river south of Charleston I observed two guys fishing from the bank. Checked out the "ole swimmin' hole" and
saw that someone has nailed "steps" onto a tree trunk that hangs over the water. When the water comes up six more feet (and it will soon) this will be a wonderful place to play in the water. Directly across the road from that site is what I believe to be a cave. Altho I have noticed it before, I have yet to check it out. Maybe this summer I will.

Here is a sign of Spring! Look at this lovely creature! And God sent her to be my wife!

Five Years

Chloe Jean Crockett celebrated her 5th birthday last week. It caused me to reflect on many changes that have occurred in my life of that short amount of time. The day she was born I was leaving for an appointment in South Georgia. I was so glad she came about an hour before I had to leave town. Memaw (Frances) and I were in the room at the time the baby came. Looking back - I can see the hand of God from day one of this child's life. She is so sensitive and aware of God. (That's Chloe in the green outfit) Of course she has much growing and learning to do - but is well on her way to being a true servant of the living God. I've heard it said that Catholics say, "Give us a child until it is seven years of age and it will always be a Catholic." The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6) Ruthie and Curtis Crockett are doing a masterful job of raising this child in church and teaching her the ways of the Lord. Thank you Ruthie and Curtis.

The day Chloe visited with us we had a birthday present ready. She brought along one of her neice's, so Memaw made sure that Caitlin Crockett had a gift too. She's a big-hearted grandmother. She has 7 biological grand-children plus 2 step grand-children; and 2 biological great-grandchildren plus 8 step great-grands. (I think I've counted them all). :D

The highlight for me was when the two girls picked up a story book and brought it to me, asking me to read to them. Of course I was delighted to read for them. They both amaze me.

That's Caitlin sitting on my right knee (in pink) and Chloe on my left knee (in green). What a wonderful feeling. Chloe is our grand-daughter. Caitlin is our great-grand-daughter.

Missionaries Freed In Haiti

News on the internet today says that the 10 missionaries who had been arrested on kidnapping charges for trying to take 30 plus children out of the country illegally are now free to leave that island nation. Thank God for the ability of the judge to see the true hearts of those well-meaning persons.

It just goes to show though, that good intentions alone can land a person in a heap 'o trouble! I remember hearing a saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Hopefully this type incident will never, ever happen again. This brings up the question of whether a Christian with the mandate of Jesus to "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" has the right to violate the law in order to "obey God". We are faced with the same dilemna when illegal aliens look to the church for refuge from the Border Patrol. In my view WE MUST OBEY THE LAW! If a law is un-just, there are ways to work to have that law changed - but until then, even tho I risk being redundant, WE MUST OBEY THE LAW.

I'm sure there are many who will disagree with me. However, I strongly believe that Romans 13 gives clear instructions that Christians are to obey the laws of the land of their citizenry.

Romans 13:1-7
"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. [2] Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. [3] For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: [4] For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. [5] Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. [6] For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. [7] Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

In discussing this passage of scripture there are always those who will ask me if I always obey the law of the land. My response is, "I am subject to the law of the land." Inevitably someone will point out that I break the speed law from time to time. Still, I am subject to the law. When/if I speed, and an officer pulls alongside me and asks me to pull over - I do not hesitate to pull over. I do not "run" or try to escape. I stop. I obey the officer's every command. If he writes me a ticket, I simply appear before the proper authorities and pay the fine. I have had to pay three speeding tickets in my life and that is because I am subject to the law of the land. I'm going to be 72 years old in July and got my first license when I was 16.

I am also strongly opposed to paying bribes...but that should be the subject of a separate blog lest I bore everyone with posts that are too lengthy.

Good Intentions Vs Law and Order

Today I've read the news about the ten missionaries being arrested in Haiti who are accused of kidnapping some 30 kids in Haiti and trying to take them out of that country without legal papers. In my heart I believe the people are most likely folks whose hearts over-whelmed their brains. I've seen it happen many many times. People leave the U.S. and forget that they are guests in someone else' home. Their magnanimous hearts cause them to do things totally against the law of the land. They also do things that makes the person they are trying to help feel (as my grand-kids are wont to say) very "dissed". I have also stumbled many times - so don't think I'm trying to set myself up as an expert. Good hearts and good intentions can often greatly offend. In this case of the Haitian children, it seems that a person would know they are not allowed to just "take" a child with no papers. They themselves have to have passport, visa, shot record, etc. and etc. - so surely they knew it would be illegal to try and take kids without any identification papers out of that country. I hope and pray that Haiti does not prosecute them and make the case larger than it really is. But it is serious. I read an article once which was entitled, "How To Share Your Faith Without Losing Your Head". If I remember correctly it was not done with this same thought in mind - but I think it is appropriate for the present distress. I had a friend who was a leader in an underground church in a foreign country who regularly took tours of Christians into his area. On one occasion his life and the lives of all his team were endangered because one of his visitors "felt the Holy Spirit tell him" to go out into the street in front of their hotel, alone, late at night and witness to a police guard. I've personally been grieved inside as visitors in Africa reached into their bags and threw foil-wrapped Hershey's Kisses, handful by handful, out the vehicle window to the kids in the streets. The national leader who was with us was embarrassed. He pointed out to me that these kids had never seen chocolate before and some of them were eating the treat tin-foil and all. He was concerned what the parents would think when their children complained of the tummy ache.

On the other hand - it looks like law and order with the best interests of the children at heart would have taken a different approach than to arrest the would-be saviors of the kids. The wrong these American "missionaries" had already been done. Of course we do not know - there could have been other connections involved - like schemers among the Haitians "selling" the kids. It could be that they just collected them from the streets in anonymous fashion. It could be they were collected from an Haitian Orphanage. I'm sure we will all know more within the next few days.