The Grace of Attracting the Best

God has given me a special gift.

He has given me the grace of attracting the best.

My first wife, who passed away in 2008, set her sights on me 8 months before our first date, when both of us were dating others. Upon seeing me, she told her best friend "That is the man I'm going to marry!"

8 months later, on our first date, she gave me a kiss, and told me that she loved me. After 15 days of confusion on my part, I told her that I loved her, and I asked her to marry me. We were married for 40 years.

Lynne, (on the left) with her best friend Geri, about the time that we first met. This was the stunning outfit she wore.

I have some of the most talented and faithful friends a man could ever possess. I blamed a lot that on my late wife Lynne, but that doesn't explain how Mary came into my life, and it doesn't explain you, my new friends on the internet.

Only the special gift and grace of attracting the best can explain why you are reading this now.

Many of you have had far more successful careers than mine. Many of you are far more adept at writing, poetry, photography, and the skills necessary to navigate this new internet world than I am.

Yet here you are, reading my blog.

I have prayed for you. I have prayed God would rain down grace on your every step. I have prayed that grace would well out of your heart like an unstoppable flood, and the the lives you are touching will smell the aroma of the frankincense and myrrh of our Crucified Christ.

(This was an excerpt from my blog and future book Clarity, Threads of Grace, and Riding Shotgun With Jesus: The Power of the Story

To Russia With Love and Maggie Thatcher

Believe it or not, not everybody in the world lives in America, and not everybody is on Facebook.
I have a blog that I have inconsistently and intermittently authored since 2010. I have been fickle with the name and finally came back to original The Shepherd's Journal.
I have decided to continue my efforts because of my audience. The majority are from other counties. The biggest number is from Russia, even on today's post.
During the Cold War, a surprising number of Russians came to deeply admire the Prime Minister of Britain, Maggie Thatcher, who's influence was at least partly responsible for bringing down THE WALL in Berlin. The Russian admiration for her ran so deep that Maggie Thatcher fan clubs sprang up across Russia.
I, too admired Maggie. I once told Lynne that if I was single, I would think of asking Maggie for a date. She said she wouldn't lose any sleep over my confession. 
I fell in love with Lynne the same way. I deeply admired her for 6 months and 15 days before I proposed.
Maybe, if God ever permits me to go to Russia, I will find REVMADDOG fan clubs in Russia.
God is good!

The young Maggie Thatcher, before she was Prime Minister of Britain.

This is the outfit Lynne was wearing when we first met. Geri Kile (Busch) was one of her best friends and was present when we met. We were both dating other people, but had a date 6 months later. I admired her deeply. 

Riding Shotgun With Jesus and Clarity

I have indecisively mulled over the my future book and current blog title for about two years now.
Now I am at peace. The new and hopefully final title is Riding Shotgun with Jesus and Clarity.
The problem was that I had two areas I wanted to cover. I wanted to include the many adventures I have enjoyed. But I also wanted to focus on insights God has given on homeschooling and evangelism and discipleship and leadership and grace... The list goes on and on.
God speaks to those who are unafraid to listen. To be honest, I have been timid about listening to God, but that was countered by a deep hunger to hear from Him and even to see His face.
About the title, I think God spoke a word to me around the time I contemplated writing and compiling a third large book.
The word was Clarity.
The gift of God I have appreciated greatly is clarity. Clarity about Jesus Christ and His Gift of Salvation is THE GREATEST GIFT! Without clarity, we stumble dangerously and blindly.
Light brings clarity, but so does vision. Light is useless if we don't have eyes that see. Seeing eyes can be blinded by an unwillingness to humbly admit the truth.
The words Riding Shotgun With Jesus came to me recently. These words allow me to focus on that part of me which I enjoy, telling stories, which brings me to this observation.
I am a preacher, but I can't preach without telling stories.
I am a story teller, but I can't tell stories without preaching.
To find my new blog type in any search engine: mikedittmerstoryteller.blogspot.com.

Heavy Cream and Intermittent Fasting

A very young grandson Liam wants a sip of my coffee!

Love my heavy cream in coffee, especially since I accidentally learned it controls my appetite and weight and makes it easier for me to run. The practice of delaying meals to exercise is called Intermittent Fasting.
I feel less alone now that I know computer geeks use it to stay at their computers longer. It also explains why lately I sometimes can't find heavy cream at Wal-Mart, which sells it for only $3 a quart instead of $6 a quart at Kroger.
I mentioned my theory about no cream in Walmart to Bob from church. I had recently met his son Mike, a professional computer programmer (geek) who uses heavy cream in his coffee and practices Intermittent Fasting.
Later Bob visited his son, and curiosity made him peek in his son's fridge. Sure enough, standing tall were two quarts of Walmart heavy cream.
Think it's time for a cup of coffee now.

The Shepherd's Journal - Back From the Dead

Mary took a picture of an albino fawn just past the West entrance of the Kensington Metro Park in Michigan. It has a pink nose!

I am resurrecting my classic blog The Shepherd's Journal. I note it is still getting hits, and the majority is from overseas. The bot sites have been shot down by Google, so the stats are fairly accurate. I have fans in Russia, Finland, Australia, etc.
Just type in revmaddog1948 then blogspot.com in a search engine like so: revmaddog1948.blogspot.com.
I am also writing again. I have worked through the feverish delusion that writing will contribute to my wealth. But the urge to tell the stories where I see clearly God's connections is strong and deep. I am convinced it is from God.
I have been slow in expressing my thankfulness to encouraging friends. I will now use this wellspring of expression to more openly and quickly express my thanks to you, my friends. I am not perfect. I will overlook some. But I am working harder than I have before. Thank you, friends, again, for believing in me and especially believing in God and His Son Jesus Christ, the Living and Written Word.
I have settled on, possibly for the last time, the name of my future blog. I like the name because it incorporates my adventures into my spiritual side. The name is Riding Shotgun With Jesus: Seeing Clearly God's Connection.

Mary loves to take sky pictures! This one is after sunset at the Kensington Metro-park East Boat Launch

Trinity, Neo. and The Matrix

We have our long black coats on, like Neo and Trinity from The Matrix movie.

Me: Can you run up the wall, do a flip, and kick me in the head, Trinity?

Mary: Not today, Neo.

There are 6 deer behind and above the snow fence. Yesterday Mary remembered today's nail appointment without prodding. After her nail appointment, we decided to take a run out to the park. We were not disappointed.

Stop by my author's page on Amazon.

A Word Study on Affliction

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word. It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.
Thank You, Sovereign God, for Your path that led me through the fields of affliction. - Mike Dittmer

I am ALIVE!

Picture taken by Mary

You, O Lord, have been generous again, for I am ALIVE another day. Help me with Your grace to keep Your Word. (See Psalms 119:17)

Stop by my author's page on Amazon.

I also have a new blog that may lead, Lord willing, to a new book, Thinking Clearly

Notes about the family picture

Things to note: my mom was so young looking I had a doctor confuse us as a couple, and a coworker wanted to take out my "sister". 

Ted Dittmer looks really cute and innocent. Ha!! Because he has black hair, and all the other kids had blond hair, we told him he was adopted. 

Kelly, the littlest guy, is with the Lord, as well as Mom and Dad. 

Tim and Terry looked so much alike Mom called them the Bobsy Twins. 

Charmaine or Charly, (Sam Reeve) my youngest sister, other than her insatiable curiosity, was quite sweet. Where that came from, I have no idea.

All of us suffered from borderline mental illnesses, except for Charly and Mom, (Mom's only fault was being sociopathic fearless) but our illnesses were not diagnosed until later. If it doesn't have a name, it doesn'texist yet.

We got along with each other and others pretty well as long as we weren't forced to fit a mold. Then watch out. (I was going to say All HELL would break loose, but decided not to.)

Many people considered us an ideal family, and in some ways we were. We all loved each other and enjoyed each others company and attracted mates (and friends) far above our own caliber. 

Stop by my author's page on Amazon.

To-Do List vs Constant Prayer

A to-do list helps me. It also often frustrates me because in real life plans change.
I have removed the frustration and added joy by changing my to-do list into a PRAYER LIST.

Every time I am reminded of something that needs to be done, I am striving to add it to my prayer list for the day, written in one or two words for each item on a post it. Each item I need to do is an opportunity for prayer.
It also is an opportunity to thank God for my need, and to thank Him for His insight and guidance. On the picture I have put the initials P&T for Praise and Thanksgiving.
For larger projects I have already reached the conclusion that it is better to mull on big ideas for a while, especially if the project is a big change. Now, if I think it may be important to get started soon, I am going to write a one or two word description in a section called Meditate.
Working no longer becomes a distraction from prayer, but an opportunity for more prayer, and to enjoy the closeness of His Presence.
I have been doing this for some time, but today I started to use a post it note to carry with me. I will reflect on this at opportune moments, during commercial breaks, or moments where I check my cell phone. This small tweak is one more opportunity to thank the Lord, for He is the source of all Truth, and His Holy Spirit leads me into all Truth, even the small practical truths of guing my day.
Stop by my author's page on Amazon.

Vanity

I may have the face of an old hound dog that only a mother could love. You can nail my picture to a barn wall to scare off rats. But, for an old man, my hair looks GOOD!!

The News vs High Fat, High Fiber

I was hungry for some news. I have a digital subscription to The New York Times, who has teamed up with Google to make an app that works brilliantly and smoothly, both on my phone and on the computer.  They run ads, so that keeps the cost down to just $9.99 a month. The ads are not the obnoxious kind, that take up the whole screen and hide the X to get rid of the ad. But I digress.
As I said, I am hungry for some news. I am a news junkie. But I am trying out a new working theory that I formulated while learning about nutrition and the salad diet.
I noted that when I started to increase my fiber and fat on a regular basis, my hunger pangs lessened. Evidently these two ingredients have lessened my dependence on carbs. Carbs are not a sin, but carbs do make up the majority of what is known as junk food. Junk food also is not a sin, but it can easily take over my life. It is very refreshing to not be overwhelmed with an appetite for junk food.
The new higher fiber, higher fat diet has evidently switched my body over to a fat burner. Since I have plenty of fat on hand, my body isn't as desperate now to stuff my mouth with carbs.
Now to the new working theory. I think news is like junk food. It is not a sin, but it does not satisfy. The more I know, the more I want to know.
However, the Living and Written Word is not junk food. He satisfies. He turns my Spirit and Soul into a fat burning machine. Since I am surrounded by the blessings of God, which is the fat that God promises, I am betting that my hunger for knowledge and facts will not roar out of control.
Praising God brings his presence. Just listing my blessings for the day could keep me busy all day every day. I see, I believe, therefore I speak, as Paul said. Every thing is YES in God's Kingdom.
Does this mean I am going to stop pursuing the news? Not hardly. Nor  am I going to stop eating homemade biscuits, rolls, or even candy. But what I plan to do is to keep increasing praise, thanksgiving, worship, and seeking the Living and Written Word until I feel that hunger for news turn down from a blast furnace to a simmering curiosity.
I am going to Bible Gateway for a while, until my hunger and thirst is slated, and I'm filled with the high fiber, probiotic, high protein, and high fat of God's richness. Then I'll catch up on the New York Times.

A New Woman

I make a tea for Mary, made with Fiji water, green tea, kava kava, cinnamon, cloves, and intellect tree seeds.

Me: Drink up! This will make you into a new woman.

Mary: WHAT?! I just got used to the old one?!

I read this back to Mary, who started laughing. She doesn't realize just how funny she is.

Mary: Your friends are going to think we're having too much fun.

Me: and your response?

Mary:YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH FUN!!