Christian Version of Aesop's Fable

The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey

A MAN and his son were once going with their Donkey to market. As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: “You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?”	1
So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way. But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: “See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides.”	2
So the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself. But they hadn’t gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: “Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along.”	3
Well, the Man didn’t know what to do, but at last he took his Boy up before him on the Donkey. By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them. The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at. The men said: “Aren’t you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor Donkey of yours—you and your hulking son?”	4
The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do. They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the Donkey’s feet to it, and raised the pole and the Donkey to their shoulders. They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole. In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.	5
“That will teach you,” said an old man who had followed them:          “PLEASE ALL, AND YOU WILL PLEASE NONE.

My Christian take on this fable is that I can't please everyone, so I try to please God first of all. What He thinks about me matters most and He judges my motives and has entrusted me with His good news to His people.
And speaking what's true is more important than making people happy and merely giving them warm fuzzies. Because it's only the Truth that can set men free. (And women too!)

Instead, we always speak as God wants us to, because he has judged us worthy to be entrusted with the Good News. We do not try to please people, but to please God, who tests our motives. (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.  John 14:6  NIV

John 8:31-32 ESV

31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

LOOK OUT for the Poor!

Many people don't like to think about the poor. It makes them uncomfortable. Perhaps that is one of the reasons the poor are invisible and, as Jesus said, are always with us. Another reason could be that the poor feel very embarrassed and even ashamed to be poor. So they purposely remain hidden. There is great shame to admit you're poor because most people will judge and ridicule you, right to your face. You may even risk having your children taken away.

I know this because I grew up poor and my mother before me and my grandmother before her. I know what it's like to live in a car. I have missed many meals. I have stolen toilet tissue from public washrooms. This isn't in a third world country but right here in North America. And unfortunately my story is not a rare one. The worst thing about poverty is the hopeless, grinding nature of it. Often poor people are in a family where the members have more than one job. Parents not only wondering how to clothe and feed their children, but if they will ever get enough education to allow them to get out of the poverty cycle.

I remember a time when a young lady stood at my apartment door shy and embarrassed. She asked me if I had a spare piece of moldy fruit that I could give her. She couldn't even look me in the eye. I quickly tried to put her at ease, invited her in and told her that I definitely had something for her. I went through my fridge, I went through my cupboard and was able to get her several things. Also I had just cooked my supper and was able to give her half of it.

There is a misbelief that the poor are lazy, stupid, taking money from the government and spending all day in a recliner, watching television and getting drunk. This is not only inaccurate, but evil because it's a lie. Actually, the majority of poor people are the Working Poor. They spend night after night laying awake worrying and trying to figure, think and scheme their way into getting shoes, eye glasses, medical help, food and money for rent and utilities. 

I am asking you to keep your eyes open because more than likely they are your neighbours or at least someone you come in contact with on a regular basis. And you would be surprised how much one person can change the lives of a poor family. Helping someone out of the poverty cycle is a feeling unprecedented!

As you watch yourself going into debt this Christmas for gifts that probably won't last a year, try discovering the poor people in your life and feel the joy of knowing you've changed a life forever.

I long and pray for the day when the poor are not invisible but rather nonexistent. 

Thank you for stopping in for a visit.

With love always, Laura-Lee

Find your family size. Could you live on that income?

Canada's Poverty Statistics

I saw the film, "Hidden in America" starring Beau Bridges about 20 years ago. Still the best movie about the invisible poor.

The second most accurate film is "The Pursuit of Happiness" starring Will Smith. However, since he was only poor for a few months, it doesn't depict the hopelessness of being poor year after year.

My Thanksgiving Grace

Welcome to my Blog Home

I was searching the internet for a Thanksgiving prayer to post but they were either extremely long (which may be good. Showing people have a lot to be grateful for) or too la-dee-da and flakey. So, I decided to write one myself. (My sympathies to you.)

I send it out especially to my friends in America who are celebrating Thanksgiving. 

Remember my recommendation. To get the most from poetry, read it out loud.

Love Always, Laura-Lee

My Thanksgiving Grace

 Thank you Lord for this food

Thank you Lord for being good 

Thank you Lord for all you do

Here on Earth and Heaven Too

Thank you Lord for melting doubt

To you alone my Praises Shout

I may not know all life's about

But I will remember those without

Still thankful, Lord, for all you do

My humble life I give to you

Grateful most, for my sins erased

And to live each day by your Grace

   by Laura-Lee Rahn

   Canada

   Copyright November 27, 2019

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

    his love endures forever"  Psalm 118:29  NIV

Time to Draw My Line

 There's a LOT of debate going on in the Christian  Church right now. A LOT of different voices saying VERY different things. It's very confusing if you're a Christian and a million times more if you're not. We're always in the news but unlike a straightforward, easy to understand scandal, this seems to be about Christians who have money being attacked by Christians who don't. And they are all in a pulpit, screaming their heads off and hurling Bible verses like they were rocks. Yikes! What's it all about?!

 I've avoided speaking up on these topics, except for advising people to read the Bible and talk to the Lord to ask Him to reveal the truth to them. It is still the best advice I can give. But now I feel more is required of me.


I'm not a minister or nun. I don't lead a church or run a ministry. I don't have a degree, nor do I read Latin, Greek or Hebrew. My only credentials is Jesus himself.

41 years ago Jesus managed to catch my attention and I turned myself and control of my life over to Him. And for these past 4 decades Jesus has been my closest friend and constant companion. As well as Lord and Saviour.

I have been reading and believing the Bible during all that time and have led an amazing life filled with experiences both wonderful and triumphant and also mind boggling painful and horrible.

So now Jesus is prompting me forward to say some things because, apparently, He thinks I may have something to contribute in reaching and revealing the truth.

Part of me does not wish to say anything because the last thing I want in my life right now is turmoil or enemies. And for what I have to say it will probably earn me both.

But there are SO many lies going around and SO many people believing them, I now have the desire to stand up and be counted. To draw MY line in the sand. To put my weight in with the Truth. Even if it means some inconvenience and upheaval. Poor me!

But most of all, ...
  I care about you. In my mind, you coming to my blog is like visiting my home. I'm pleased you've come. Flattered you want to spend time with me and I want to punch in the nose anyone who would hurt you. Who would dare to lie to you.

God's been leading me in order to update me on many of these topics and then reaffirming and enlightening me even more about what the Bible says.

Gerard Butler is Golden

Happy 50th Birthday to Gerard Butler. A tribute in images.

 Happy Birthday and God bless you from the members of Jesus 4 Gerard from around the world. Continuing always in our prayers.

GB+GB= God Bless Gerard Butler

LINK Jesus4Gerard Twitter page

(Christian fans sharing info and praying for Gerard AND each other. Going strong since 2007)

Remembrance Day Poems

Remember that it helps to enjoy poetry by speaking it out loud. Hope it comforts and effects you. LLR

A Minute to Remember

About 30 years ago I worked as a waitress in a little muffin restaurant in Vancouver, BC. It was like Tim Horton's. People bought their food at the counter and took their trays to a table.
We had a radio station playing in the background and I was wiping off dirty tables when it turned to 11:00 am. The DJ on the radio reminded us it was 11:00 am and that we should take 60 seconds of silence to commemorate the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who went to war so we could be free. AND all those who died and never came back.

So I thought what I always do at that time every November 11. With all the massive sacrifices made by so many, I think I can spare 60 seconds. But my main problem was I was so incredibly shy and afraid of people at the time and it meant stopping where I stood and maybe I'd be noticed by everyone in the restaurant.

But I did it anyway but first just stepped over near a wall so that I wouldn't be right in the center of everything. As I bowed my head and closed my eyes I heard someone yell out, "Hey Lady. Can you grab me another cup of coffee?"
I knew he was talking to me even with my eyes closed. But I made the decision to wait out the 60 seconds before I opened my eyes and responded to him. It wasn't part of my job because he was supposed to go to the counter so he could pay at the til. But I often did things like getting someone something if I had the time. But I would do it after I was finished my 'remembering.'

But when I didn't immediately respond to him, he repeated himself. Then repeated himself again getting louder. Then getting angry and yelling things like, "What's your problem?!" "What are you deaf or something?"
I don't think I could have been more the center of attention than I had become.

Finally that 60 second eternity was over and the lady on the radio said so and they started playing music again. I opened my eyes and said to the man, "You're supposed to go to the counter for a refill so you can pay, but I don't mind doing it for you. It will be 30 cents though." (The good old days when you could get a coffee refill for 30 cents!)

When I returned to the table with his coffee my red face having blushed at having everyone looking at me was just fading. He said things like it was "stupid" to still be remembering all these years later and it was just the Government promoting war and a total waste of time. Even though it was just a minute.

I responded by asking him, "Do you think you'd still believe that if you had been fighting in a war. Or if you were alone in a nursing home thinking that nobody cares or even remembers what you did? How scared you were and how horrible beyond words it was watching everyone you knew dying all around you?

I know I'll never understand what being in a war is like but I know I can spare 60 seconds once a year to try to imagine it. And so, I do."


The man made no response but gave a slight nod of his head and thanked me for getting him coffee. I hadn't been speaking much more than a whisper but I realized everyone had been listening to me because the people who had been chatting during the minute of silence had been completely silent as I spoke to the man.
I couldn't have drawn  more attention to myself if I had tried. But it did something strange. Because it was an odd occurrence and an emotional one too, it created a deep memory in me that jumps to the front of my brain every November 11. So the action of remembering,  that could have faded away throughout the years is still there and fresh even all these years later. And I've learned so many other things added to it as time has passed.

Did you ever wonder why Jesus asked us to do communion with the bread and wine? I think He was doing more than that. Bread and wine was the main food of everyone's supper. I think He wanted us to remember his sacrifice on the cross not just once a month or once a week but every day. When we sit down to have supper to take a minute to remember that God supplied our food and God supplied our Saviour. And at a massive cost to Himself and because of how greatly He loves us. Every day to remember our sins can be forgiven all because God thinks we are worth it.

A minute to remember is a very good thing. It can heal a hurt and make us have value for others and ultimate!y ourselves. You are loved and you matter. God believes that so deeply that He gave up His Son to die just to prove it to you.

And I agree with Him. You do matter.

Thank you for stopping by.

Love Laura-Lee

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 15:13 King James Version (KJV)

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Below is a picture of Jesus in Gethsemane. And a Bible verse of how frightened Jesus was as he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane the night before his crucifixion. Remember. We have a Saviour who understands us. He's been afraid too. And He had to die too. But He rose from the dead and because of that there is hope for all of us.

"And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." Luke 22:44

I'm Funny. My Bad. My Bad!

Time to laugh.

This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Let's go for it! Right on, Lord. "Make my day!"

LINK to Michael jr bringing the funny

My Audience

Below is a copy of  my blogger statistics page that shows where my audience originates from. These numbers are just from one day here at my personal blog. And from a day when I didn't even publish a post.

I find it both fascinating and flattering that almost as many people from a place like the Ukraine came by as from my home country of Canada.

United States	138
Canada	20
Germany	19
France	19
Ukraine	19
Poland	12
Mexico	7
Ireland	6
United Arab Emirates	5
United Kingdom	5

Thank you so much.
Love, Laura-Lee

Clocks, Stories, Sabbath & Free Stuff

Firstly. I just had a friend remind me that the clock gets changed this weekend.  You know the phrase:

"Spring forward, Fall back. And half an later in Newfoundland!" - it's a Canadian thing.

(Also, change the batteries in your smoke detector)


Also, instead of a long post here on my personal blog, I've written a story of something rather freaky and spooky that happened to me many years ago when I was a child and posted on the Master's Peace Theatre blog. Follow the Link.

LINK Gadarene Coyotes at Master's Peace Theatre blog

Also, here comes the Sabbath. You know how important I think it is to rest. So if you put your clocks back one hour, then you have more time to rest/sleep. Cool, eh?  And it doesn't do a person anything but good to rest and take some extra time to realize how deeply God loves you.

Several years ago I started doing book reviews but the old fashioned way. By reading a book created out of ink and paper.

I've started it up again. I write reviews for lots of things I buy. But lately I'm connected to 3 websites that I do professional book reviews for. You may notice that there is a badge on my Laura-Lee Was Here blog that declares me to be a "Professional Reader" for the NetGally website.

From them I am able to get a free book before it's published and let you in on any that are particularly good.
Please keep in mind that whatever product or item I am reviewing, you will get my complete honest opinion. Often I get no money for the review, only the privilege of being able to read a book before it's published. So keep your eyes open for my recommendations. I've already been fortunate enough to discover some very wonderful authors that I've never heard of before.


I also wish to make a couple comments about downloading free ebooks from Google.
I've been doing searches in Google play for things like "Free Christian Thriller" or "Free Christian Romance" or "Free Christian Fiction History".
There are always a few in each topic to download. I thought they would be rather mediocre but just the opposite.
They give you a free book that is very good because they wish to get you hooked on an author or book series. Once you've read a good book you're ready to cough up the bucks for the next books in that series or by the same author.
Remember Free. Not cheap. (All of us Christians should be very aware of that concept!)

If you want to know more about what books I'm into, check out my Profile page at the Goodreads website.
LINK to Goodreads Profile of Laura-Lee

I've got lots I wish to talk about right now but I got a wet chill when I was out and about last week and my right hand isn't working too well. But my little brain isn't working too well lately either. And I've got no " I got a chill" excuse for that one.

But I just want you to know that I'm thinking about you and praying for you too.

Thanks for stopping by to visit my blog home.

Love Laura-Lee Rahn