"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot." ~Matthew 5:13
Pictured above is our indoor/outdoor thermostat on Wednesday morning. 13!!! For where we live in Georgia, this is considered a low temperature in any winter. I know, I know - my blogging friends living in the Midwest or in New England must be laughing themselves silly. But folks, you have to remember that unless we are seasonal ski buffs, we simply don't have warm enough clothing to suit up appropriately for this extreme cold when we have to venture out.
I am truly amazed at the hardiness of the Iowans who turned out for this week's caucuses. It takes more than a blizzard and subzero temperatures to hold them back from anything they are determined to do. For this Southern gal, that's a miraculous feat in and of itself.
And it should be an source of inspiration for all of us.
There are so many people still in this country who consider the right to vote a privilege, and will move heaven and earth to exercise it. They believe strongly in the principles upon which this nation was founded. No matter what nonsense is hurled at them, their devotion to the land of the free and the home of the brave is rooted deeply in every fiber of their being.
These are the type of people our country needs more of.
Patriotic and God-fearing Americans, unafraid to stand up against the evils threatening our independence, our sovereignty, our way of life.
And I can confidently declare, without reservation, that these people are truly the salt of the earth. We would not have a country without them. May they never lose their saltiness!
Amen!
Oh Martha stay warm, that is extremely cold for where you live.
ReplyDeleteI'm doing my best, Christine, but it is definitely something we're not used to.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I'm confused. It is freezing cold over here with -16*C (3.2*F) in some places. This global warming thing, and rising temperatures, and melting ice cream caps is making us all very cold. What is going on?
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Good one, Victor! I'm in full agreement with you. Global warming? Hogwash!
DeleteLove and blessings!
It's currently 10 degrees here, then rocketing up to 18 by 2 p.m., then gradually falling to 3 after midnight. But it's warmer than last Sunday, when we broke records with -7.
ReplyDeleteNow, that is really cold, Glynn! Stay warm and safe.
DeleteLove and blessings!
What a wonderful example, these voters. Shout it loud and proud, Martha!
ReplyDelete... and pass the salt!
Thanks so much, Myra! Yes, pass the salt. :)
DeleteLove and blessings!
Wow! 13 is very cold, even where you are! Goodness! Did you get any snow? And yes, I am impressed by the Iowans also, and feel they have set a high standard for our country to follow. I'm very proud of them. I pray the folks of NH will be as strong and stalwart in the "Live Free or Die" state!! Have a wonderful weekend, and try to stay warm! It will be below freezing here again on Sunday morning. This has definitely been a chilly winter thus far!
ReplyDeleteYes, 13 is so cold for us, Pamela, and we are looking toward a weekend where it will be 11 on Sunday morning as we get ready for church. Brrr!
DeleteLike you, I'm praying the good folks in NH will be just as stalwart as those in Iowa. I have a feeling that they will be, and won't let this country down. Yes, they are great patriots!
Love and blessings!
Yes, we do, Jo-Anne, but it's how we persevere through all those times that matters.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Amen!!! And I agree about those cold temps. I don't have cold-weather clothing anymore either. Brrrr...
ReplyDeleteAmen, Terri, right back at you. It's just as cold here today (Saturday), too. Without snow, the cold isn't really appreciated.
DeleteLove and blessings!
It's great to be salty and distinct and to have high standards. So many have suffered for their faith. My husband and I were reading about the apostle Paul this am. He went out to share the good news of the gospel where it was not a welcomed thing to do willing to suffer for Christ.
ReplyDeleteIt's cold and snowy here now. I'm ready to go visit Florida again if I only could!
I hear you about wanting to be back in Florida, Cheryl. Even there, though, it's quite cold.
DeleteIt's sadly true that Christians all over the world are being persecuted for their faith. Let us pray for them and all believers who aren't afraid to proclaim that Jesus is Lord.
Love and blessings!
Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words here, Shaz, and your prayers. May God continue to bless and keep all of us in His care.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Martha, be sure to stay cozy; that temperature is incredibly chilly! Imagining it makes me shiver from my tropical corner of the world!
ReplyDeleteHugs and blessings
I can see you shivering in my mind's eye, Veronica. Believe it or not, the temps are even colder today (Saturday). To top it off, our tankless water heater is giving us fits, and the plumber can't come until tomorrow afternoon. We could really use some prayers!
DeleteLove and blessings!
ReplyDeleteBurr, it's been really cold here in East Tennessee as well, Martha. Tonight we are supposed to get below zero. I love your analogy of Americans keeping "the land of the free" salty by being active and involved. Stay warm and God bless! Karen Friday
I've been watching y'alls weather, too, Karen. My son and DIL live in Knoxville, and recently sent us photos of the snow in their yard. Wow! Stay safe and warm, too!
DeleteLove and blessings!
Martha Jane: Right now, we live in a single digit (daytime) world. At night, it is a subzero world. I have not ventured beyond our mailbox for almost two weeks. It is supposed to start a warming trend this coming week. Peace and blessings to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteI heard about that warming trend coming, Cecelia, and it sure will be welcome here! In my opinion, if it's going to be this cold, we should at least have some snow. Oh, well . . .
DeleteLove and blessings!
It is around 0 (celsius) here in the Netherlands. And my prayer is that WE will not loose our saltiness! Good post.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great prayer for your country, Marja.
DeleteLove and blessings!
I was glad to hear the news of the turnout in spite of the cold. Maybe there's hope after all. But no matter the ultimate outcome in the next election - if it will be fair, or not - we are still the salt of the earth, for Jesus has declared it. And of course he is our season by which we are flavored. This world, though we are sojourners, is not our home. This knowledge alone gives me hope. We are overcomers in this life, no matter what.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Debra! We are can face anything when we know Jesus has our backs. He is the true and lasting promise of hope.
DeleteLove and blessings!
We're on the same page and standing on the same Rock again, Martha, and I rejoice in your faith and courage and applaud your position on those values our nation was built on. In a day when indoctrination has replaced education, when propaganda has replaced journalism, and fear has sucked boldness from many (if not most) of our pulpits, every one of us flawed followers of Jesus needs to remember who we are and why we're here. God bless you for using your gifts and the influence you've built to stimulate and motivate others. The weather may be frigid, but the fire in your heart for God's Truth hasn't cooled a bit. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, Ron, may we always remember who we are and why we are here. May we all continue to stand strong on the rock of Jesus and never let go!
DeleteLove and blessings!
We've been rocking temps near zero that past week. Jo, who turns 73 in a couple of weeks, says, "I'm over this." I tell her "You better get used to this. We still have about 2 months of potential freezing weather coming our way." She makes a face and walks away from me. :) Tami showed me a screen shot of Atlanta this past week. Hmmm. Oh well, I certainly can't change things, so I live with them.
ReplyDeleteYes, we do need to roll with the punches of this life, Bill, that's for sure. And with God's help, we can and we will!
DeleteLove and blessings!
May I embody the salt. Regine
ReplyDeleteAmen, Regine! May I do the same.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Salt doesn't work well with cold or hot, but with neutral, as it adds taste and meaning to our life. Just as in cooking.
ReplyDeleteSalt is a crucial ingredient in cooking, Duta, as it is in the measurement of our character.
DeleteLove and blessings!
As Christian Americans, I think it's important that we "vote the Bible" and elect God-fearing, God-following candidates. It's getting harder to do because so many self-proclaimed Christians have been so deceived that they now deceive others to win an election. We must look at their record and allow them to show themselves for who they truly are. Not doing so explains, partially, why we're this nation is in the mess we are in.
ReplyDeleteIt does explain a lot, J. D., about the messes we are in here and around the world. Sometimes, we do have to make the effort to dig deep so we can adequately vet a candidate who wants to lead the country. To all my readers: Choose well!
DeleteLove and blessings!
I know how cold these cold fronts feel as we lived in Texas for many years. It is just really hard to go from warm, to extreme cold, back to warm again. And you're right, you don't have the clothes or insulation on homes either! We are hardy here in Idaho, along with those in Iowa. Not much slows us down, not even ice. But we certainly have warm clothes to help out! I agree, though, these kinds of hardy people who love this country are the salt of the earth! May the earth be greatly salted with us all! Blessings to you dear friend!
ReplyDeleteI sure hear you, Marilyn! It's funny, though - the longer we live with the cold, the more acclimated we become to it. It's around 40 degrees here today, and it feels downright balmy. Imagine that!
DeleteAnd yes, may we all be seasoned with God's salt as we witness to a world in such chaos and despair of the peace we've found in Him.
Love and blessings!
Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteQue possamos ser sal neste mundo, fique aquecida. Aqui está um calor tremendo. Que os candidatos sejam tementes a Deus, linda postagem, um forte abraço.
Being a God-fearing person is the absolute key, Lucinalva. And may we hold on tightly to our saltiness.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Have a lovely day. Regine
ReplyDeleteYou, too!
DeleteLove and blessings!
We had a few "salt of the earth" comments this past week in dealing with all the ice on our roads (wishing for more salt). :) Our ice has mostly all melted as of today, finally. Hope your neck of the woods has warmed up, too.
ReplyDeleteWe have warmed up significantly, Lisa, and we were most fortunate NOT to have icy roads. Those are the worst! Salt works any number of miracles, doesn't it?
DeleteLove and blessings!
It is hard to vote a good candidate into office with what we're given. I do vote every election I can.
ReplyDeleteSalt, to me, is poison in the foods we buy. It is over used and it is killing us. I nearly died from high blood pressure (240+) and salt is one of the problems. I now check everything I buy for salt content and it amazing that we consume 3 to 4 times what we should be. I like salt but moderate the intake.
Hugs and Blessings
I hear you loud and clear, Jim. Today's overly processed foods are highly salted and should be avoided at all cost! In Biblical times, salt would be used for preservation of foods because there was no refrigeration, of course, so that is why it was a valuable currency, like money. And that high blood pressure is absolutely dangerous!
DeleteWhen I vote, I always look at policies put forward, and not the personality.
Love and blessings!
Oh, my! That IS cold for GA!! We have had horribly cold temps here, too, and such a beautiful snowfall. I loved it so much, except when we had to get out and drive in it. It was much warmer today. May God bless you always, sweet friend.
ReplyDeleteCheryl, my son and DIL live in Tennessee, so I've been keeping up with y'all's weather. The pictures Daniel took of the snow in his back yard told the whole story! It is now much warmer here, and I'm thankful.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Thanks for sending us Wisdom. People should not forget salt in themselves.
ReplyDeleteSomething folks should always remember, that they can provide much needed seasoning in their lives.
DeleteLove and blessings!
Minha Vô sempre lembra que precisamos somar a vida das outras pessoas e sermos temperados como deve ser uma comida saudável, nem mais e nem menos. Li no meu blog que a senhora tem netas longe,
ReplyDeleteeu só tenho longe amigos e amigos blogueiros. Bju
I love your Grandpa's advice, Ro. He is completely correct! I think we are on the same page when experiencing that long distance from those whom we love. I love being able to FaceTime with my daughter and grandgirls.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!