Oil and onions
Disclaimer: To understand the Lord's spiritual truth, you must be born from above by his Holy Spirit. Be sure you've submitted yourself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and receive this gift from the Lord, lest you add knowledge with no power and are held eternally accountable.
Introduction
Good evening, and こんにちわ(hello), if it's my first time meeting you, よろしくお願いします(please look favorably upon me). Today I did a lot! Got an opinion about a problem on my van by a professing Christian mechanic who I got to encourage in the truth, I ate out for lunch (which is a special treat I don't do often), I changed the oil in both my van and generator and did some maintenance checks on my van, and of course, I took pictures of everything for your edification which I'll share today. I also plan on finishing the first doctrine review tonight on Biblical Dress, which I'll link here when I've got it completed. Staying busy in the Lord, I hope you're doing the same. Keep fighting into God's kingdom, keeping an eye on the prize!
Van Maintenance
I'll cover everything I did with my van today.
Checked by a shop
After studying a bit in the morning, I went to a mechanics shop to get my van looked at again. Not only was the A/C not working, but the blower in general wasn't working, so I couldn't even get heat in my van! Which is important because: winter is cold. So I brought it in, and they looked at it, and told me it was the A/C compressor. It's connected on the circuit powered by my serpentine belt, so any issue with a failing A/C compressor, will automatically carry over to affect the rest of the machine. I'll be getting a second opinion on it by a coworker later this week Lord-willing, seeing if he could replace it for less than a big shop (they quoted me around $1500). The man who told me the info about my van, turns out he claims Christ! He commended me for leaving everything behind and living in a van, and he said the truth is difficult to follow, especially in today's age. So, I got to encourage him and tell him what Christ expects of us, and how all Satan has to do is get you to believe one lie. Something telling, at the end of the conversation as I was walking out, he said...
"We just have to keep speaking the truth."
...and I told him...
"We have to live the truth too."
This is a mindset you'll run into often in America, where knowledge of God's word is all over, but few are willing to truly submit their whole lives to it. Let it not be so among God's saints!
“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” (James 1:23-24, KJV)
Awesome Lunch
So, just had to put this in here, if you've never had Freddy's Steakburgers, I truly, truly, am sorry. I had a Jalapeno Pepper Jack burger, with a mini Reese's frozen custard. Oh, it's expensive food no doubt, but for a treat every couple of months, it's hard to beat.
“And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.” (1 Timothy 6:8, KJV)
Working in a park
Here's a pro tip, don't park facing the main alley in a parking lot when working on your van, make sure you're facing away from it. Even if you put out a cone, people drive crazy these days. Last time I changed my oil, there was a student driver driving around! Scary... Here's what I did:
Changed the oil in my van. I changed the oil filter too, but bought the wrong one, so I'll be putting that on tomorrow.
Took my wheel off to inspect my brakes (they looked pretty good).
Changed the oil in my generator.
I also checked my air filter (which didn't need replacing!)
The Lord has blessed me with all the tools to do these jobs, saves me a bunch of money (they would probably quote you around $100 to check and change all of those things, I did it for under $30). Beautiful day out, windy because cooler weather is rolling in. I think this will be the last 80+ Fahrenheit day this year here in Missouri, but, you never know here. Oh, one more thing, while I was finishing up my work, a man pulled up in his car because he saw my organization in my van. We got to talking, I told him I was a Christian, and he told me he's a guy that just follows whatever is leading him. He pushed back when I started explaining that Jesus is the truth, demeaning God's word and what not, so I went back to my work. There's only one truth!
“But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2 Timothy 2:16, KJV)
Vacuumed too
I also went to a car vacuum and cleaned out my van afterwards. Next weekend I'm going to start taking out all of my fall/winter stuff to start prepping for what's coming. Tomorrow it's going to be raining so doing stuff outside may be difficult.
Cooking time!
Today I used up some extra pasta I had, cut up an onion, and threw some tomato sauce in a bowl and heated it up. Ooo, I do like onions, I can eat onion raw too! The only issue, water pours out my eyes trying to prep it. "Man bowl" portions. I also bought this green veggie and cut it up for later, what do you think it is? Hint: the Japanese is ハラペーニョ (harapēnyo).
Closing Reflections
Tonight, as I said, I plan on finishing the Doctrine Review on Biblical Clothing, and I'll be doing some reviews of my Japanese Kanji and some grammar points. I ordered a grammar book called Genki 1, it's a gold standard, highly recommended by those who've studied Japanese across the board, for elementary level Japanese grammar. I look forward to pushing through this hard stuff day-by-day, as I also push through this life glorifying God. Here are some verses to edify you tonight, I pray you seek the truth with all that you are, so few will.
“Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18, KJV)
“Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.” (Luke 13:23-24, KJV)
“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:33, KJV)
“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.” (Luke 17:33, KJV)
Do all things for God's glory, even sleep. Rest well!