"IN"

In the Vine

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No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain IN the vine (John 15: 4)

IN

For a little word it has a tremendous impact. This word affects everything I say or I do.

What do you picture when you hear “IN”? Here are some of the things that immediately come to my mind.

 

Love is a wonderful thing

 

 

 

 

 

 

Safely tucked IN their beds...

Home Sweet Home

                  Safe Under His Wing

 

The Psalms accentuate the importance of IN; particular the idea of what I am IN-to! What gets my attention and brings me "feelings" of safety.
The Psalmist has strong direction to give aid in this question.
Psalm 91: He who dwells IN the shelter of the Most High
Will rest IN the shadow of the Almighty


Psalm 16: Keep me safe, O God, for IN You I take refuge!

 

Exodus 12

The spectacular event of the Passover also comes to mind
If one was not IN a home whose door frames were painted with the blood of the lamb specifically chosen for this occasion there was death, the firstborn – had to be IN
And we are all firstborn IN Jesus! We must come IN under the safety and refuge of the Blood of Jesus.

A clear lesson of IN
 

Who am I IN to? Everyone is IN to something.

Am I Into...

Myself?

  

A Hero?

  

Art, my art?

  

My Writing?

  

A Hobby?

  

Maybe Sports?

  

A Job?

  

Food?

  

What is it that makes me feel safe, loved secure? If it is anything other than Jesus, it will be short-lived; it is false. A diabolical deception!
Jesus spoke of being IN Him. Abiding IN Him as He is the vine – the life-giving vine – and we are the branches. (John 15:1-17 – there are 15 “IN’s” in just this specific passage.)
IN Jesus is the ONLY place to find eternal security, love, peace and much sought after rest. People are tired because they are chasing after true rest which can only be found IN Jesus.
Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus invited…“Come to Me, All you who are weary and burdened, And I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, For I am gentle and humble IN heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
IN Jesus I WILL have rest.

"IN"
A fantastic word

 

Our Significance

It's what Time!

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So here I am, its 4:30am

And I am awake! I had all kinds of thoughts coursing through my head so I finally got up to write them down. They will be random – just warning. The thought that got me going was:
“I may have been physically able and ready to have babies when I did…However…I was not – let me repeat that NOT– emotionally ready to have babies.”

                                                                          

 CLEAN AND FEED

   

Yes, I knew how to care for them

Feed, clean and diaper them but babies are people not pets or toys! I have discovered through tough life lessons that babies need – respect, honor, value. And above all these babies need love!
All children, even at baby stage, need respect, honor and value every bit as much as adults (maybe even more because so much foundation is established at this point in their lives). At 16 & 18 years old (when I had my babies) I had no concept of this. Desperately needing these things myself, how could I give what I didn’t have or understand to another? Especially a child. Oh I loved my children however, it was a defective love built on need not given out of fullness. A fullness I have only since found in Jesus.
As a teen I was more than looking for love in all the wrong places…I was looking for value and respect. Today I understand – how do I look for value from another when I was de-valuing myself in the process? I had struggled with the concept or reality of my own value. I felt valueless and didn’t even realize that this was a greater part of my struggle. All people the second they are conceived in their mother’s womb, are valuable! Extremely valuable.
First – because of who their Creator is. God.
Second – because of what God has put in them. His life.
Third – because of His – God’s – purpose for them.

 

Value does NOT depend on physical circumstance.

I am not valuable because of who I was born to, who my parents are.
I am not valuable because of where I was born, what country or city.
Value is not in education and/or opportunity. None of these things is my value .



Value is NOT based on who one is married to or what their job is. No!
Value –is based on God; on what God gave and did.
God does NOT value Moses or King David more than He does me.
God valued the blind man as much as He valued Moses or the apostle Paul or John or Peter!
Just because GOD created us gives us immense value.
It’s His stamp on us. (Think of an artist’s work)
Therefore…respect must follow.
All people should be respected because of their value in God’s eyes as His created! Honor and respect them because they have been formed and created by God Almighty! Each is a unique treasure. No two are the same. So each baby – right from birth has a right to value and respect.

 

Consider them!

My biggest failing! I did NOT consider enough the valuable treasures God gave me! I did not respect them enough as people with valuable needs and desires! I see this now. My huge regret is that I did not see it then.
A close friend of mine has been a priceless teacher and example. She genuinely respects her children. She appreciates the tremendous responsibility she has been given as their mother. And it returns back to her – multiplied over.
Children are NOT – pets, toys or a novelty.
They are NOT the latest fads – they are people!
They are tomorrow’s adults!
Do I want to invest in the future?
Invest in children – invest in babies
Invest value into them
Not just ability
It’s not something a parent or caregiver can re-do
We only get one chance at this in each life
ONE
And children cannot raise themselves!
They NEED someone to invest in them
If you don’t – someone will…one way or another
That’s why God said – TEACH YOUR CHILDREN (Deut. 6)
And it has to start right away instilling in them their God given value.
They have to know -they are wanted!
-they are valued!
-they are worth it!
So babies need much more than diapering or feeding – they need, to be made aware of their value in God. Everything else is temporal and pales in significance

 

  

We put so much value in doing…in what we can produce…

We are pushed and pushed
-to excel
-to exceed
-to achieve
Making this the epitome of our value
THAT IS WRONG
If we can DO nothing – and many people can’t – for one reason or the other –we still have value equal to that of the highest achiever!
We have searched for and tried to achieve value Not realizing we already have priceless value in that God made us. He had a purpose for us – an object of His love – an object of His salvation. We need nothing else.
Do we want to increase our value?
Know God
Then we am able to direct others to their value – God!
It does Not impress God that I can make a picture;
He made the world!
It does Not impress God that I can balance the books;
He balanced the earth in the universe!
Our achievements are miniscule to God’s.
He – God – wants us to do these things but we must see them in right perspective. If I ever have a book published or Not ; if I ever have a drawing that sells or Not– does Not make me more or less valuable.


Our value is set and stable.

What we do – is Not who we are
What we do is only part of who we are – it’s what makes us individually unique – but it’s only a fragment. Who we are will be who we are at 93! It won’t matter then whether we could write, draw, cook or sew – but it will matter if we’re kind, loving, patient, joyful, peaceful…
Am I restful? Are the fruits of the God in me evident? This is where the greatest treasure lies. If I can draw – eventually my drawing will fail…BUT God’s kindness will Not . God’s peace will Not . Galatians 5:22 says, “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…” These fruits – because they are eternal will never fail.

Raising Chicks

Janelle sighed, “Grama, are chicks really as soft as they look?”

“You’ll soon learn for yourself, they’ll be here tomorrow …” Grama exclaimed.
“Oh, Oh-h-h I can‘t wait, ” Janelle squealed with delight, but then looking around, “but Grama… where will you keep them… your kitchen is way too small.”
“Oh sweetie,“ said Grama, stifling a laugh, “I won’t put them in here, I have a chicken house for them.
“A chicken house….where?”
“The little house in back…in fact, I was going to get it ready, want to help?”
“I’d love to help,” throwing her arms around Grama’s neck, “Oh Grama, I’m so glad we decided to live here.”
“Me too, sweetheart, me too. Lets go.”
So armed with bucket, broom and a large paint roller taped onto the end of an old broom handle, off they went. Grama opened the door and swept away a large cobweb. The little house was empty, stale and dusty.
“Whew…Janelle, you start sweeping while I go get some warm water and, oh,” said Grama chuckling, “Don’t forget the walls.”
“Grama…” laughed Janelle, but she quickly removed her jacket and set to work. She worked hard, by the time Grama came back she was just about done.
“Good girl, now to whitewash the walls.”
“Whitewash? How come…they’re still sorta white?”
“Well,” said Grama pouring some smelly stuff into the pail of warm water, “For one, we aren’t painting but disinfecting.”
“Phew,” said Janelle, hands flying up to cover her nose, “Is that what that is? ”
“Here… you can do this,” said Grama, handing Janelle the long handled paint roller. “Why don’t you start on the far wall.”
“How come we have to do this?” Janelle asked, dipping the roller into the pail.
“It’s a strong sanitizer that gets rid of any nasty bugs that may have come in over the winter or disease that might be lurking in the floor or the cracks of the boards.”
Grama took a smaller brush and began applying the whitewash around the door.
“This is fun, it won’t take long,” said a grinning Janelle as she sloshed the whitewash on the walls and floor.”
“We’ll have to let it dry for a couple of hours but by then we should be finished lunch and we can set up the brooder.”
“Brooder? What’s that?”
“A small house within the house,” said Grama smiling as she caught the puzzled look on her granddaughter’s face.
“Things sure work funny around a farm Grama.” said Janelle shaking her head.
After lunch Grandpa went with them to the chicken house carrying a big metal funnel shaped thing that had a light socket in it. It looked like a huge old swag lamp. Janelle was bursting with curiosity but thought she’d wait and see what they did with it. Grandpa attached all the wiring on the ceiling for it and ran the electric cord over to the plug in by the door and then left his ladies to finish off.
Janelle helped Grama lift the lamp off the floor about twelve inches.
“That won’t give very much light Grama.” said Janelle as she puzzled over the strange arrangement.
“Light?” asked Grama, and then laughed as she understood her granddaughter’s confusion. “It’s not a lamp honey, it’s a brooder.”
“A what?”
“A brooder, it’s close to the floor and with the heat lamp in the brooder, our baby chicks will stay nice and warm. We’ll spread sawdust on the floor and it will be like living under the wing of a big mama hen. They’ll feel safe and warm.”
“Oh I get it…but what happens when they get bigger?”
“We lift it up a little at a time, see…” said Grama as she lifted the brooder up and down on the pulley. “And if it gets real cold we can let it down again to keep them warm.”
“How will the chicks know to go the brooder?” asked Janelle looking around the chick house.
“Oh that’s easy, what are going to put up cardboard walls in a circle around the brooder. It will give them a smaller safer home for their first few weeks and they can’t crowd into a corner. They’ll also learn what their feeders are. Here Janelle, you take this side of the cardboard and we’ll start making the circle.”
After an hour they were finished with the cardboard walls and had the sawdust spread evenly on the floor.
“Now only one thing left to do.” said Grama satisfactorily surveying their work.
“I know,” said Janelle triumphantly, “their food and their water!”
“Good girl, you are going to make a great farmer,” laughed Grama, “in the feed house are two long feeders with lots of holes in it, you get them while I get their feed, okay? Their water, we’ll take care of tomorrow when they get here.” Nodding in assent Janelle raced to the feed house in front of Grama. Soon they had the feeders set up with special chick feed, all ready for the chicks the next day. All they needed now was the chicks.
Morning finally came and as soon as she heard Grandpa‘s truck, Janelle raced over to the chicken house. Carefully Grandpa brought out a huge box and quickly carried it into the cozy warm chick house. Grama had already turned the heat light on. Finally the lid came off the boxes.
“Oh Grama…look… listen to their cheeps,” said Janelle in wonderment as she watched the chicks peck at the walls of their box, “they are so cute…”
“Here Janelle, gently pick up one chick and dip its head carefully, like so, into the water so it can have a drink. Then let it go.” With much care and tenderness, Janelle picked up each one and introduced the chick to it’s new home. Soon all were in and exploring in great detail, and much peeping, their new surroundings.
“Yellow ones, black ones…I don’t know where to look first” laughed Janelle, missing the satisfied look on her grandparents faces as they watched their own little chick with delight.

death cloths

Jesus

i thank you for your forgiveness
for when i was young
i was dead
as dead as lazarus
you heard the wailing
those whose hearts you moved
to cry out
to cry out for me
you called me out of the grave
by your mercy, grace and forgiveness
you are even now
removing the death cloths
that have held me bound
the continued power burns through the false covering and binding death cloths of sin
i am alive in you
i walked out of the dark cave of death by
your call
your power
the cloths of death
in which i was bound
hinder me in my walk sight and hearing
Jesus
i thank you for each layer that is removed
lazarus could not remove his own death cloths
his hands were bound
he could not see
you called on others
to go free their brother
free him to walk see and hear
you allowed them to be a part of his release
you allowed ‘them’ a part in his miracle
amazing
we need others
to free us from our hindering death cloths
we need
to be part of one another’s miracles
psalm 130, verses 7-8
“O Israel put your hope in the Lord,
For with the Lord is unfailing love
And with Him is full redemption.
He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sin!”
a gracious good word!
ask for continued mercy to show the death cloths that holds us bound
work together (by holding still or assisting) to remove death cloths
we all have death cloths
Jesus
alone is completely and totally free from any binding of death
lift up names of those near and dear
call out
ask Jesus to continue to draw these precious ones
do not remove a death cloth only to replace it with another of our own making
do not hinder each other in this way
it matters not how good these cloths smell
of what fine linen they are made of
a death cloth is a death cloth
if they are bound they are bound
hindering walk sight and hearing
Spirit – help us
to be brave
to see
to recognize our own death cloths
enable us

to let others help us

let there be freedom!
darkness looms
wait
wait for the morning
wait for the light!
trust in God from whence our call and light comes
do you feel bound
wait
you may not be able to help yourself
stand still

wait

let others unravel the death cloths
they can see
wait
for the light
trust God
the unraveling will happen
stand still
wait

Follower or Believer?

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John 10:27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Following

I have been giving a lot more thought to what "Follower" means. Not just in the form of being a "follower" of another's writings, but in the very real responsibility of being a faithful follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. Anyone can be a believer...and not follow....BUT a person cannot be a follower and NOT a committed believer...for I have to believe to have the love, courage and strength to follow. Following brings with it obedience...instant, trusting, faithful obedience.

I would like to share my musings from a morning not to long ago as the Holy Spirit prompted my thoughts and heart in a certain direction. It was uncomfortable to say the least, but not to have followed the thread of thought and string of questions would have again put me in a deliberate position of stubborn willfulness. Have grace as you read...but my prayer is that you may be blessed...

 

   Am I...

 

   

 

   

Closing my hears to the still, soft voice of the Holy Spirit

  

 

 

 

 

 

or eager, willing listening?

  

 

     

 

I awoke with the normal early morning rambling of my thoughts. And then quite suddenly questions invaded my serenity and caught my attention. Listen to them if you would please.
Are you a believer of Jesus, or are you a follower of Jesus? (I answered, a follower) ... the reply to my answer was…
Really?....
If Jesus was to literally walk through the whole of your day with you…from the first of the morning till the time you went to bed…how often would you be on a divergent path?
How often would Jesus be left standing alone as you went your way?
Now, think about this.
My first reaction was,
“I would never leave Jesus alone. I would never deliberately walk away from Him.”
But…would I not? I had to admit, to myself at least as well as to the Holy Spirit, that all together too often I do this very thing! Without even thinking…
Now, is this because I can’t physically see Him? He really does walk with me through my day? But…then…what does this excuse say about me?
Jesus, faithfully is with me, all the time…He promised that He would never leave me nor forsake me…and Jesus cannot lie…He is God.
Okay, so that established, lets go on…
How often do I go about my activity because it is what I want to do? Jesus would want to go one way and I, sadly go another. I am either... one, not paying attention to what He wants, or two, just don’t want to do what He wants. Either one is a sad commentary on my character, my love for Him, my commitment to Him. It says a lot about what I think of Jesus and His ways.
I say I am committed but am I?
Okay...I hear people saying, (or even my own soul saying),“Quit be so hard on yourself, nobody expects this from you…
…I should rephrase this …most people don’t expect this from me…not even within the Church, the Body of Christ……but what about God?…is this what God expects?…what Jesus expects?
...to be fully aware of what Jesus wants.... 100% of the day.... some people would be incredulous at the thought. Some would honestly think this an impossible task…to be 100% aware of what Jesus wants from us 100% of the time. Some say impossible!
But is it? This may be exactly what Jesus wants and desires! What God wants and desires…all I have to do is look into the Old Testament accounts and see what He expected from His people there. And, to top it all off, they were on their own!… They did not have the enabling help of the Holy Spirit that we, the Body of Christ, do today. Although the OT believers did have the cleansing help of the sacrificial system (which had to be taken care of carefully and oh so often), they were no different in their humanity than I am today. People sin!
There is more acceptance to deeper sin today! Activity and acceptance of sin, that years ago were not even given thought to. Yet, today are not even given a passing thought as wrong anymore…never mind thought of as “sinful.”
I am not even talking about the obvious things, like drug abuse or sexual promiscuity or murder but… attitudes and respect.
Our moral standards are so low off the charts that it really has returned to the times of the Israelite tribes before they had a “king.”Everyone did what they thought was right in their own eyes. (Check out the last chapter of the book of Judges…)
The Holy Spirit knows the mind of Christ….and….He knows my thoughts and the intentions of my heart better than I do myself! He knows when I am deliberately making a “choice”opposite of what I “know” Jesus wants. Jesus is standing indicating to go in one direction and I am already walking in another.
Do I murder…no; But… have I ever put a hole in someone’s dream with unbelief…have I attempted murder on a dream, desire or hope?
Do I steal…no; But… have I stolen someone’s joy or hope, or repentant sorrow just because I was either jealous or spiteful?
Do I lie…no; But…have I embellished a story so I looked better, or left out some painful details so I wouldn’t look so bad to another?
What if I want that last piece of cheesecake…just because I want it (identified as lust, selfishness, greed), not because I am hungry…and I “know” I should leave it alone…Jesus/ the Holy Spirit is saying, “Come away from there, walk with me over here, leave that piece for someone else” and I “know” that is what He is saying….BUT…I know He won’t leave me or forsake me…and....I convince myself that He won’t leave me over such a small thing as a piece of cheesecake…so….I ignore the small, soft, loving voice in my ear…and I walk away, no longer following Jesus, but actually causing Him to follow me in sadness, as He is faithful…and won’t leave me…and I eat the cake…steeling myself against the voice directing me elsewhere…
Farfetched? I don’t think so…if I will for even one second leave Jesus for something so inconsequential as a piece of cheesecake…or a “silly”sit-com, or joke, or…whatever else is not glorifying to God…what else will I leave Him for?
What if I want to go the gulf islands to “serve” Jesus, and He wants me to go to China to “serve” Him?
How do I have the strength to deny myself and do what He wants in the Big things if I cannot follow Him in the supposedly little every day things?
These musing for me are not funny... they are not “off the wall,” I don’t believe that I need to lighten up. Again my sinful heart tries to lighten it by saying no “person” expects this of me. BUT…
Am following a “person” or Jesus?
Am I trying to please a “person” (be it myself or someone else)… or …Jesus?
More and more in the Body of Christ sinful indecision is creating gray areas where there ought not be gray areas.
I want there to be a grey area….so I can choose my own way instead of God’s way. I want to there to be grayness, shadows and fuzzy lines. It gives me a good excuse then. But is it?
Jesus did say in John 10:27 “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” Jesus sheep not only hear His voice, the listento His voice…
listening speaks of obedience. I always knew when my kids heard me but failed to listen…
So now, as one of my favorite professors use to ask, “So what?”
Yes…So what?
Response needs to be in everyday, every little thing…walking and obeying Jesus ALL the time. Not just when it is convenient for me, or comfortable for me… but all the time.
Am I follower of Jesus or JUST a believer? Anyone can believe in Him, even the demons do, He is real afterall…BUT will I follow Him as a faithful follower? That is the real question.
What do you think?

Faithful Servant or Independent Lost Soul?

 

Your Choice

That is who I am

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Tell us a little about yourself...

I so “dislike” forced intimacy!
“Tell us a little about yourself, who you are; tell us your story” and then a big smile.
The telling of me to a group most often times involves them wanting to know “my story ,” a telling of my past.
I believe that is Not who “I” am anymore.
I am a new creation in Christ! He has given me a new heart.
My past does Not define who I am.

 

So…who am I? Well, to begin with…

I am first and foremost -a sworn follower of the King-a disciple and lover of Jesus Christ
I am Ulrike Grace Shumborski – wife to, singer/songwriter, Robert Leon Shumborski.
I am -a mother of two children, a natural grandmother of four grandchildren
I am a writer of fiction and non-fiction.
I am an artist of pencil sketching and watercolour painting.
I realized the request could have been made clearer.
Did they want to know who I am or did they want to know my story?
My story and who I am are two different things!
I am Not my story.
My story is the journey which has brought me to today.
My story is that which God has used and is using to make me who I am today.
My story is Not finished yet!
My journey is Not done!

 

So, again…who am I?

I am who I am today despite the twists and turns, the hills and valleys, the mountainous crossings of my journey. All thanks to the faithful grace of my Lord Jesus!

My journey is only the path I took to get me to where I am … my journey was and is not who I am. It was not even who I was, even in the lowest, darkest parts. The circumstances of my journey God used to forge my character as through fire to accomplish His will and gifting in me. However, He never left me! Not once did God leave my side or make me walk on my own. Even when I did not acknowledge Him, or was ignorant of His deep love and did not know how personal, how intimate a Savior He wanted to be.

Today I have a better idea. Yet His love and faithfulness, the depth, the completeness of it is something so big and God-like that I will never have the capacity to fully understand. It is in response to God’s love and faithfulness – that that has made me who I am today - Not my journey - Notmy circumstances in life.

So, again…who am I?

 

I am a loved, cared for creative child of God.
I am a gentle flower in His garden of His rest. A flower which rests under the protective stance and shadow of His oak – the Great Lord Jesus. He provides my sun, my shadow, my sustenance.
I am an artist – both with words and with drawing pencil.
I am a mother of His people; a nurturer, a binder of wounds with His love, His balm of healing.
I am a true believer of God and His callings.
I am an encourager of His dreams and calling.
I believe when God has called someone to something –He has put that dream and calling in the heart of that one and will supply all else to make sure they get it done!
I am the biggest fan of God’s precious children. I desire to see them run, strong and true – the course He has set out for them.
That is who I am.

The Stillness of His Creation

 

The Gentleness of a Butterfly

  

The Swiftness of a Hummingbird

  

The Majesty of a Bull Moose

  

I love the quiet.
I love the place of repose in His presence.
I love to just be in His creation!
I love to walk out into a wide open space,
-where I can see, and see, and see
-where I can absorb all that space and hugeness!
I love the mountains for what they tell me about God
I love the endless prairie for what they tell me about God.
I love to stand in His creation and absorb who He is!
I love to take strength from Him.

That is who I am.
I love to love.
I love to laugh.
I love to cry, by myself – or with those who are crying.
I love to live, sense, be a part of His life.
That’s real.
That is what I am all about.
That is why He made me.
To Live.
To Love.
To Share.
I love to see and learn who God is in
-the gentleness of a butterfly,
-the swiftness of a hummingbird or
-the majestic strength of a bull moose in the fall

All these things tell me who God is!
I can trust these images of my Creator every bit as much as I trust the Words He left to guide and encourage me, to strengthen me.

I am created in His image!
I am Not God – but His Image is in me – in my being.

God purposed that even as the butterfly, hummingbird, moose, prairie or mountain say something of God, show something of God – so He purposed that I would too.
What a gift! What a privilege! That I would carry about in me some aspect of the image of God!
My heart beats in loving thunder rolls at the thought.
That is who I am.

 

I am expressive, whether it is accomplished
-by pen with words
-by pencil in drawings
-by the sharing my heart with others or sharing theirs

That is God!

God does not only want to share Himself with me.
God wants me to share myself with Him.
What a thought…What a glorious thought…that is a prairie wide thought…one to be absorbed. Stand, look, absorb, and see that the Lord is good!

My Prayer of Praise!

Oh Lord – You are so full.
Right now my being – this fragile vessel of bone and flesh– is full of You!
I am awed.
My journey is Not who I am.
You, God, (Father, Jesus, Spirit) is who I am.
Your love, Your grace, Your salvation of forgiveness and restoration, Your strength, Your rest, Your ability – You – that is who I am.
You in me.
Me in You.
Lord, I bow my knee in love and admiration of who You are!
My Lord and King.
My Father , My God.
No wonder the lilies trumpet Your glory, and the bluebells of the forest ring out Your praises.
No wonder the grasses of the prairies wave in joyous wonder at Your grace and the mountains stand in respect for Your majesty!
Oh my God how all in all You are in the earth.
How all in all You are in Your people, in Your Church, in Your children, in me.

You are holy – You are all – reachable and unreachable - You are everything!!!