“I see skies of blue and clouds of white,” and “I find it kind of funny; I find it kind of sad” are the song lyrics swirling around in my head for ‘inspiration’ as I write on this rainy, cool morning. As I am filming and singing these ‘polar opposite songs’ about the world to my kitten… the question I find myself asking is, “Is it a wonderful one, or is it a mad one?” I would venture to say it is a bit of both; therefore, either song is true depending on ‘what colored glasses we may put on that day’ as to which one would appeal more than the other.
My YouTube Ministry Channel: This is of my singing “What a Wonderful World” and “Mad World” to my kitten Jellybean as she plays.
You see, when God created this world, He didn’t just observe it and say, “It is good.” The Bible goes on to affirm that God said, “and, Behold, it was very good”! Trees of green, red roses too, skies of blue, clouds of white, and bright blessed day are right. This world which God has made is very beautiful indeed! On the one hand, God did create this wonderful, beautiful, magnificent world to be able to sustain every form of life that He puts on it, but He also warned man to obey Him or that he would surely die. Ever since the fall, which brought on God’s curse, all of creation, everything in this world, has not been the same! Sin always brings curse, death, and decay, hence what we have been experiencing even to this very day.
Satan tries to deceive us by telling us that “we will not surely die” in enticing one to sin, but the truth is, barring the rapture, death will come for us all, and it definitely came into the world by one man’s sin… which was the ‘sin of rebellion’ against God.
Genesis 1:31 “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
Back when life seemed simpler growing up in the 70s and 80s when families were more connected, revered, and ‘actually important,’ I was given the opportunity to learn a little bit about my great grandparents on both sides. What I know about my paternal great grandparents is that my Irish great grandpa died in his 20s by playing ‘Russian Roulette’ during a drinking game. Obviously, his round was the ‘unfortunate one,’ which ended up leaving his wife (my great grandma) and her son (my grandpa aged 1) widowed and orphaned.
My grandpa grew up never knowing his dad, but that didn’t stop him from going on to be a successful business entrepreneur and living until the ripe old age of 89. His wife (my grandma) died of liver cancer relatively young before I was born, and from what I was told, she was a very beautiful and classy lady. It would have been nice to have known her too. Grandpa’s mother (my great grandma), who I only met a couple of times, apparently outlived any other husband she may have had after her husband’s untimely death and even went on to live well into her late 90s. Wish I knew more about them all, but that is about the ‘gist of it.’
My maternal great grandparents, from what I was told, were a very robust, jolly, and sweet couple from Norway. Apparently, the ‘European Descent’ of Norwegian, French, and Irish are part of my lineage. My Norwegian great grandmother was remembered for her super long, beautiful, silvery hair that she would let her grandchildren brush for her at night. But during the day, she would roll it all up into a neat bun. Their son (my grandpa), as I remember, was ‘somewhat of a jokester.’ It would have been nice to have met his parents (my great grandparents), who I have heard such fond stories of. My other maternal grandma loved to wear pajamas around the house as much as she could. I never knew much about her husband (my great grandpa), but thankfully I was able to meet her on her death bed; even though it was not a pleasant time, I at least got to see her in person.
Anyhow, family used to mean so much more to our society back in the day. Nowadays, kids are brainwashed via our lamestream… I mean mainstream media and the corrupt music and entertainment industry – to believe that adults, parents, and grandparents are to be disregarded, disrespected, and can be ‘thrown away’ at the drop of a hat. Also, that our lineage, ancestry, and family histories are not important. Even as we speak, our Educational Systems are trying to erase the truth about the Bible, the World, and our American History. They are actively replacing facts with blatant and incessant lies so that our future generations will be more and more snowed, deceived, and unable to discern what is truth or even be able to learn from the past.
Genesis 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
The only thing that matters to our culture anymore is ‘me, myself, and I,’ inevitably all about ‘me and what I want.’ Having kids or starting a family is no longer important or even a priority at all. Millennials specifically are being indoctrinated by the modern-day homosexual agenda and the mindset to abstain or forgo marriage and having kids. Even Elon Musk has recently publicly stated that the world population has been steadily declining over the past 50+ years, since the 1960s, and that we are now at an ‘alarming low birth rate’!
Is U.S. Birth Rate Falling? Elon Musk Warns of Population’ Collapse’ (newsweek.com)
What Elon Musk Said About Population Growth – Elon Musk Power
That is what the ‘powers that be’ have always wanted. To accomplish their plan, they need the population to decline to a more ‘manageable level.’ That has been their overarching goal and longtime plan in plain sight, as evidenced by the recently demolished Georgia Guidestones’ 10 Commandments, which stated on huge slabs of stone, “Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.”
Another thing to note in this wonderful yet increasingly mad world: there’s a type of a ‘pandemic of loneliness,’ if you will, where people are alone and isolated now more than ever. It is said among age groups that the elderly and the very young are some of the loneliest. But the fact is that people in all age groups and from all walks of life experience’ intense loneliness’ from time to time. What, with people hiding behind the internet, their social media accounts, the online bullying alienating those who are different, children with smartphones in their hands by the time they can walk and talk, to young people lacking simple etiquette and basic social skills. All of this is being made evident by something called ‘customer service’ in all lines of businesses which has become a ‘thing of the past.’
Loneliness By Age Group: Different Stages Of Life Make It Even Worse – HealthTrekker
For those experiencing estrangement, there’s a whole other level and layer of loneliness that may be hard for some people with ‘mostly intact’ families to fully understand. Now more than ever, people are affected by this ‘love of many growing cold’ through divorce, estrangement, and, sadly, through the nefarious agendas attacking God’s original design for families since creation began. Basically, we have been and are continually being ‘attacked from all sides.’ In reading the book Done with the Crying by Sheri McGregor, we find that she helps to outline how grieving parents of estranged adult children can pick up the pieces and even start over, if nothing but for themselves. This book has been a ‘type of therapy’ for us in working through thoughts and feelings in this last day’s phenomenon.
Next, we will go on to read, Beyond Done with the Crying and do the workbook exercises too. For those experiencing this kind of heartbreak, I recommend getting her books, for it has been proven helpful to so many.
Psalm 34:18 “The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”
The lyric, “I find it kind of funny; I find it kind of sad – the dreams in which I’m dying are the best I’ve ever had,” may sound morbid to some, but to us Believers, we know that death is ‘just a beginning of our life in eternity with Jesus.’ Like Paul said, “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Yes, this life is short, and more so for those like my great grandpa who ultimately played ‘Russian Roulette’ with his soul. The wisest’ life advice’ I can give at this time and in this world is to live your life for Jesus, because a life lived for Him is one that is never wasted! The Bible conveys this to us in that we will be ‘generously rewarded’ once we get to our eternal abode.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.”
For even though we may be persecuted here for righteousness’ sake, Jesus said to rejoice and to be exceedingly glad, for great is our reward in heaven! In fact, as hard as this may be for some of us to do under such painful circumstances, the Bible also tells us to rejoice always, pray continually, and be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s Will for us in Christ Jesus! (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). So, yes, what a wonderful yet mad world it is… and, like Esther was told, “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b).
Sincerely and In Christ,
Candy Austin