Rioting? Seriously?

Hi everyone,

I'm happy to report that I got to go visit my daughter and her family last week!!  My guys had to go disassemble the grain bin we bought in MN.  I got to thinking that perhaps I could catch a ride with them over to Cora's farm.  However, they were really pressed for time and, being it was Memorial Day, Cora was at a picnic and couldn't pick me up at the bin site.

I was sitting here gloomy when the guys made it clear that it would not work for me to ride along with them.  I spoke up for myself and am I ever glad I did!!!

I said to my menfolk, "You mean you don't even care that I will be here alone for 3 days when you are going to only be 2 hours away from Cora?"

Robert thought for a few seconds and simply said the words that changed everything.

"Just jump in the car and go!"

Do you know how it is when you get an idea in your head and that's all you can see?  I saw that the semi was going to MN and the bin wasn't terribly far away from my daughter's farm.  My husband saw that I had a car; I can drive; and there was no need for me to be here alone for 3 days.  YAY

So after I packed their clothes and food and they left, I was sitting here totally happy.  Then reality set in and I thought of making a 5 hour drive completely alone.  I had done it before but it sure is not fun.  Then I got a wild idea, "I wonder if Marly would like to go along?"

I remember praying before I called my mother-in-law to see if she cared to join me on my last minute impulse trip.  I said to the Lord, "This is crazy. She's not going to want to go with me in 3 hours."  Still I felt the nudge to ask her and am I ever glad.

Marly was not any more interested in sitting around doing nothing when she could come with me to Cora's and help her with all of her work.  My mother-in-law packed quickly; jumped in her car; and drove the 65 miles to our house.  She was here in less than 3 hours and we headed for Cora's.  HOORAY!!!!

We had a wonderful time together and I got to help my daughter by caring for her daughters.  The Dalquists have SO MUCH WORK!!  They're planting a market garden this year and they have the dairy.  In addition, they have their family garden plot and the dairy is having it's annual inspection some time in June.

Marly helped wipe down spider webs and dust in the barn quite a bit.  I watched Elsie and Christina while doing a little cooking and just had fun!!!  Cora kept saying, "Thank you for watching the girls."  It's nice to be appreciated but I assured her, after the 10th 'Thank you," that I was just playing and I was.

We had a nice drive home on Thursday and Marly spent the night with us.  Then Friday morning we went to Napoleon and sang, "On the road again," and laughed and laughed.  She got her liver sausage and I went to the bank.  Then I took my mother-in-law to "Del's Groceries" and we picked up supplies.

After lunch we went up to Andrew and Marie's and visited with her and the boys.  The window was open and the smell of lilacs was filling the room.  Marly and I looked at each other and smiled for it had been a week of admiring the lilacs in Minnesota.  For some reason, North Dakota's lilacs were not open yet when we had left.

When Marie offered to pick some lilacs for Marly to take home, I think I saw tears of joy in her eyes.  As she held the bouquet in her hands, I thought, "Wishes do come true.  Dreams are there for a reason.  We who follow the Lord are soooo blessed!"

Right before Marly left to go home she looked at me and said happily, "It was great!  It was all great."

Teasingly, I asked if clearing spider webs in the barn was great too.  She thought for a little bit and said, 'Yes, because I got to help Michael and Cora!"  My heart was full of joy to have such a thoughtful mother-in-law AND daughter-in-law AND daughter!!!

After Marly left, I thought I'd catch up with the world.  You must imagine my surprise when I saw the word "Rioting" on Facebook.  Not wanting to ruin my little bubble of joy I had found, I wrote to Andrew and asked him about the rioting.  I figured that he would summarize it, and he did, but what a let-down.  After 4 days in a Christian setting where everybody worked together for the well being of all, to hear about the rioting was certainly a let-down.

As I prayed for the information that Father wanted me to take in about all of this, I was led to this video.  Yup, it summarizes the situation very clearly and very sadly the list of businesses damaged by the rioters shocked me.

When I think about all of the work that 5 adults (Michael's mom helped at times too) accomplished in less than a week by working together I am AMAZED!!!  What could be accomplished for good if EVERYONE WORKED TOGETHER?

Thinking of the energy that was totally wasted by these rioters makes me angry.  Perhaps that's good.  Perhaps I have been far too complacent about a lot of things.

Let me be clear. I totally agree with this newscaster and condemn ALL violence.  To think that being violent is a proper protest to violence is INSANE!!!  Being at peace is how I destroy the violence that lives in me.

 Yes, I was raised in a violent home.  I was raped and beaten repeatedly by my 2 older brothers.  Yes I was full of hate at how I had been treated but, when God told me 30 years ago that He wanted me to surrender my hate to Him, I did it immediately.  I wanted nothing to do with that energy that harms others!!!!!!!!!!!   I still do not!!

Last night my friend told me that these rioters had gone to her home town of Duluth.  She said that businesses were boarding up windows; that police were setting up barricades; and there was a curfew.  So because of outside rioters the whole city is on high alert.  What a waste of time and money.

My son, Andrew, mentioned last night at supper that there were protesters in Fargo and Bismarck too yesterday.  Protesters have every right to peacefully protest.  I've been in protest marches that were peaceful and planned. We marched around the Capitol in Bismarck carrying signs although I can't recall the cause at this time--most likely pro-life!

There's a huge difference between a peaceful protest and completely destroying someone else's property.

What I'm asking you to do is to pray with me that this stops now!  Let's all join tougher in prayer for the violence to stop.  Just think how God can move when hundreds of us all over this beautiful globe pray the same thing!  I'll begin.

"Lord Jesus, we come to you with our burdens. Violence has grown on this Earth like it grew before the flood.  We know that you will not send another flood to destroy man again.  So you must have another plan in place to stop this growing violence.  PLEASE REVEAL THAT PLAN TO US AS WE WAIT FOR WORD FROM YOU!  In Jesus name, Amen!"

Before Andrew and Marie headed for home last night, I said to my son "Andrew, if you ever hear of violence in Bismarck, please let me know so I stay home that day."

He replied, "Well, I wouldn't go tomorrow."

So today is that tomorrow and I want to do something to help stop this growing violence in our country.  I do realize that people will stop at nothing to try to keep President Trump from getting re-elected.  However, violence is NOT the way to accomplish your goals.

 To all who are pondering doing violence for any reason, I say STOP!

Consider the affects of what you will set in motion if you use violence to get what you want.  The Bible says that he who draws the sword will die by the sword.  It's not worth it!  It's not.

I'm sending prayers for God's peace to fill the heart and soul of every one of my readers.  John 14:27 are among the last words that Jesus said to His disciples before He went to the cross.  "Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled. Neither let it be afraid!

Jesus could think of peace when He knew what He would suffer and how He would die..  We can have the same peace if we simply ask Him to fill us with His peace.  Go ahead!  You can be filled with peace instead of violent thoughts.  Just ask Jesus to do that for you and He will.

TO PEACE!!!

Dawn

PS.  Those of you who know me know that I was far from peace when Cora announced that they would be leaving our area.  However peace has slowly come.  Thank you for all of your prayers that helped me get through this past year!  God bless you!!!