Rush, Rush, Rush!

Do you ever wonder if God had you in mind when He created the hours in a day? Did He really understand how many things you need to accomplish in a day? If he had, wouldn't He have declared a day to be 34 hours rather than 24? Or, perhaps He might have not required us to have 8 hours of sleep when we accomplish nothing but dream about what all we have to do the next day.

How well I remember the rush, rush, rush of a day when our daughters were still small. There was always... a mountain of laundry; toys to pick up and messes to clean up. As they reached school age, days were gauged by when they must be picked up from school in the afternoon; what time they had to be at that after school activity and how on earth would you get a meal fixed and get them fed. And, those who were working mothers must put in their eight hour day while juggling all of this.

I once read this: "Life is busy. Each day we have activities, tasks, relationships, and distractions that vie for our time and attention. If we aren’t careful and deliberate, our relationship with God can suffer. The Lord doesn’t want to be an after-thought and He doesn’t want to be penciled in to our schedules. He wants us to prioritize Him."

What activity is the first to go when you find yourself on overload? Most of the time, it's easy to give up on your quiet time with the Lord. It's easy to sleep in on Sunday mornings rather than go with your family to church. Prayer time suffers because of constant interruptions and that prayer time is what we all need most if our lives are to have meaning. And, praying with your family is so important. How else will our children learn to pray?

Why don't we all try to carve out at least ten minutes a day to talk to the Lord? He wants to hear from us.

“Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace." Matthew 6:6 (MSG)

"Hello?"

"This call is for Jennifer F.(I'll leave the rest of her name off in case there really is someone by that name). It is a matter of importance. Please give us a call at 855--- ---- at your earliest convenience."

Now, if anyone knows me, they know I google anything I am suspicious of. So, I find this is a scam number. After getting the same recorded message and not wanting to give them the pleasure of dialing the number they give, I am seriously thinking about disconnecting our home phone and just using our cell phones. If these calls were the only ones we were getting (on our unlisted number), by the way, I might not be so frustrated. However, there are numerous other calls with a robot on the other end.

As I thought about this today after hanging up the phone from that scam call, I thought how wonderful it is that God doesn't get irritated at us no matter how many times we call on Him. He is always there; He always hears us and He always answers in His time. Our calls to Him might be like the scam caller said "a matter of importance" or they may be calls just to thank Him for all He does for us each day. Whatever they are, He wants to hear from us.

"This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us." 1 John 5:14 (NIV)

"Are We There Yet?"

"Are we there yet?" That was a familiar question when traveling with our two daughters. And, it wasn't just when they were small the question was asked, but also as teenagers when the question would be emphasized with a long, drawn out sigh.

"How much further, Dad? I'm tired."

"Why don't you just stretch out back there in the seat and take a nap? " asked their exasperated dad, "We've still got several more miles."

All would be quiet for about another five minutes when the questions would begin again.

Vacations are wonderful if you could snap your fingers and be there. But, the anticipation of the sunny beaches and white sand usually tried our daughter's patience and pushed mine and their dad's patience to the limit, too.

Have you ever noticed how our children can't wait to grow up? They want to experience all the excitement of the teenage years from the time they are young. Ask how old they are and you don't get seven or eight or nine, you get 7 3/4 or 8 1/2. They want to reach those teen years as fast as they can. Their growth seems so fast to us as parents or grandparents but much to slow for them.

Sometimes our prayers are like that. Sometimes they are answered quickly. Other times we wait, and God answers our prayers in a much different way than we expected and sometimes much later than expected. And, sometimes it's a blessing that God doesn't answer our prayers the way we want Him to.

How patient are you when you pray for something? Are you willing to wait for what God has for you? Are you willing to wait for His answer no matter how long it takes?

"Even youths shall faint and be weary, and [selected] young men shall feebly stumble and fall exhausted; But those who wait for the Lord [who expect, look for, and hope in Him] shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired." Isaiah 40:30-31 Amplified Bible

Life's Storms

"A tornado warning is in effect until 2:00 a.m. Take cover now." Yes, the weather app on my IPhone works well. People in town heard the sirens warning them of storms approaching.

After hearing for a few days that heavy storms would be moving into the Midwest, from Dallas to Indianapolis, people tend to take notice. When planes from an air force base in Wichita are moved to another area to keep them from experiencing damage, you wonder just how bad this storm will be. Sometimes, the storms come leaving damage in their wake like they did in some areas last night. Other times, like last night in our area, the storm that was predicted amounted only to a few claps of thunder and a little shower.

Acts 27 tells of a terrible storm where Paul was a prisoner aboard a ship. Paul tried to warn the crew of the upcoming storm, yet they failed to listen.

So it is with the storms in life. Sometimes God warns us of a coming storm; we tend to ignore it and our lives are tossed about like a tidal wave in a hurricane. Other times, storms come with no warning and we aren't prepared for the damage they bring to our lives and the lives of our loved ones. Yet, all the while we may be in the midst of life's storms, God is in control and He wants to weather those storms with us.

Are you facing a storm now in your life? God is always there to hear our cries and help us weather the storms.

" Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and he saves them. He calms the storm and stills the waves." Psalm 107:28-29 (TLB)

Heart Surgery

My daddy was seventy years old when he found himself in St. Luke's Hospital in Houston, TX. undergoing four bypasses. The surgeon performing the open heart surgery was Dr. Denton A. Cooley, world renowned heart surgeon. This was in 1976 when open heart surgery was fairly new.

At that time, Dr. Cooley was the only known heart surgeon who could start a person's heart after surgery simply by massaging it in his hands rather than using electric shock. The surgery was a complete success and my daddy enjoyed a lot of wonderful years after that thanks to this physician.

I think most of us have hearts that need spiritual surgery.

 

If God were to open your heart just as Dr. Cooley opened my daddy's, what would He find hidden there? Our hearts have been scarred with years of sinful living and secret sins. They have been hardened because of unforgiveness hidden within them. They are cold because we have neglected praying to our Heavenly Father; attending His house of worship regularly; and tending to the needs of people all around us.

 

"The heart is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?

¹⁰ “I the Lord search the heart
and examine the mind,
to reward each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17: 9-10

We need to allow the Great Physician, our Heavenly Father, to take our hearts in His loving hands and gently massage them back into His service. Giving our hearts to the Lord to renew and heal will allow us to live a joyous life in Him.

"Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and put a new and right spirit within me" Psalm 51:10 NRSV

Ignorance of our Enemy

How many of us would have recognized the two young men who set off bombs that killed and maimed many in Boston? How many would have thought a very ordinary looking Timothy McVey would have killed many in Oklahoma City? How many would have thought twenty years ago, Susan Smith would have killed her young sons by drowning them?

Like our former pastor, Bro. Scott Cox, said one time, "Ignorance of our enemy, Satan, is a dangerous mistake. Too often we don't recognize the enemy. We will never win the battle against Satan unless we show up to fight. We cannot fight Satan on our own because he is more powerful. But we can defeat him when we surrender to God. It is then that we can access God's power in our lives. It is through our weakness that we experience our greatest strength."

Satan is the one who caused the atrocities I mentioned above. Had someone been able to recognize Satan, possibly those things would never have happened. Satan comes in many forms. He is the great deceiver; he manifests himself through false teachers; he takes the form of something beautiful causing desire; he brings about discontent, etc.

In order to defeat Satan, we need to pray continually and be in the Word. Has Satan attacked you recently? If he hasn't, he will...........

"Be careful—watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart." 1 Peter 5:8 (TLB)

The Toppled Wedding Cake

It was a perfect day for the big late afternoon wedding. The bride was radiant and the groom was all smiles as they repeated their vows. Friends and family of the couple had gathered to wish the couple well.

After the wedding, we hurried to the reception at a large hotel. The dining room had been decorated and the food was set out for the guests to enjoy.

“Would you like to go ahead and make a few family pictures outside while the light is good or do you want to go ahead and cut the cake so that people can eat it after they finish the Hors D’oeuvres?
“Oh, I think we better gather the family together before the children get cranky or some of them have to leave. And, we certainly want pictures outside while there is good light.” The bride said.

It took a while to get about 40 people together and get them outside. But, we managed to get all of them lined up on the big steps at the back of the hotel and make several pictures of the big group and some of individual families with the couple.

Just as the photography session was coming to a close, one of the waiters came out the door and motioned to me.

“You might want to get inside pretty soon and take the cake pictures because the cake is about to fall.”

So, we hurried inside only to find two waitresses behind the cake with spatulas under each side of the third layer of the four layer cake. Not wanting the waitresses in the photograph of the couple cutting the cake, we posed them between the two waitresses.

“I’ll get them focused here and when I say ‘Ready’, you two ladies step back very carefully leaving the spatulas in place and I’ll snap the picture at that moment.”

“Ready”, John said, and the two ladies very carefully stepped back. As they did, the cake began to tumble before the couple could slice it. What was once a beautiful wedding cake lay all over the end of the table and onto the floor in one big mess! The groom’s mother had worked for hours baking and decorating that elaborate cake only to have her masterpiece end up in the floor before the couple even had a taste. She was so horrified she left the reception sobbing. It seems she had failed to insert the wooden dowels that must be put in each layer before the layers are stacked and before it is iced in order to stabilize it.

Have you ever felt that things were crumbling all around you and you wanted to run away sobbing? It might be that you were handed the pink slip at work; it might be a catastrophic health diagnosis; perhaps a divorce in the family. It could be a number of things that all of us have encountered or will encounter during our life time.
 
God has the answer for all of our trials and tribulations. Oh, the answer may not come today or tomorrow or even next week. It may not even be the answer we were expecting, but, if we put our trust in Him instead of our own strength, He will handle the situation. Two verses come to mind as I think about this:

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 TLB
“Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I’ll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He’s my God.” Psalm 43:5 The Message

Cleaning out the Closet

Did you ever have a conversation like this when cleaning out the cabinets or closet?

"Oh, dear, I can't wear this now but someday I might be able to. I just can't get rid of it right now."

"I love this little dish. I know it's here in the back of the cabinet where I can hardly reach it but it was my aunts and she loved it so I just can't part with it."

"I probably need to get rid of these books but, I might want to read them again someday."

"What is the harm in hanging on to this purse. Maybe it will come back in style".

Do we hang on to our sins like this? When God convicts us we need to get rid of some sin in our lives do we tell ourselves that sin really isn't a bad one and it's not harming anyone really? Do we hang on to some sin by shoving it back into the recesses of our minds much like we do the unused dish in the cabinet so we don't have to be confronted with it everyday?

What are the little sins we might be hanging on to? When our hearts are full of sin do we have room for God there?

"For I am closely watching you, and I see every sin. You cannot hope to hide from me." Jeremiah 16:17 (TLB)

Ten Minutes of Praying

"True intercessory prayer seeks not only to know God’s will and see it fulfilled, but to see it fulfilled whether or not it benefits us and regardless of what it costs us. True intercessory prayer seeks God’s glory, not our own." Unknown

Have you ever tried to pray for ten minutes........just ten minutes? Our pastor asked that we all pray for at least ten minutes before Sunday...........not in two minute prayers here and there through out the day, but ten minutes at one time.... He wanted us to pray an intercessory pray for the needs of others and the lost around us. My prayers are normally throughout the day when God brings something or someone to mind. Praying for ten minutes straight is something I haven't given much thought to.

There are so many distractions throughout the day. For the young mother, the baby cries with hunger or the toddler demands a cookie. For those with older children, there are school activities; ballgames, etc. For the fathers/husbands, there is work sometimes into overtime hours. Typically, whether a young mother, father or a retired grandmother, Satan sends distractions. First the phone rings; not once but twice. Next, the washer, apparently on overload, tilts and begins to buzz. Our pet jumps in our lap needing attention; the timer goes off indicating the cake is done, etc. So you determine you will pray upon getting into bed. Yet, you are so tired, you fall asleep after five minutes. Yes, Satan is alive and well and all of these things distract from the ten minutes of interceding for others through prayer.

When Jesus returned to Heaven after his resurrection, He told us He was sending the Holy Spirit to live within every believer. The Holy Spirit was to intercede between us and God. He was there to pray to God even when we didn't know how to word our prayers. According to Samuel, praying for others isn't a privilege but it's a command for all of us who are Believers:

“As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” 1 Samuel 12:23

So, I'll continue to try to pray for ten minutes before Sunday. First, I'll acknowledge my sins and ask for forgiveness. Then I will pray that God will soften my heart and lay someone on my heart who needs to know Him. I'll pray that God will bring to mind someone who has a physical or emotional need that I might fill.

What about you? Can you give ten minutes of your time in prayer for others? Satan won't like it but God can give you the strength to do it.

Mr. Heartthrob and the Beauty Shop

It was Sunday morning and all four of us were rushing around trying to get ready for Sunday school......well, all but one of us. Daughter # 2, about 6, was lolling around on the couch with a movie magazine. She had been to the beauty shop with me the day before and, like most beauty shops, there were magazines lying about for customers to read. Daughter # 2 was enthralled with Bobby Sherman.

For those of you too young to remember, Bobby Sherman was a singer and a heartthrob... of the 60's and 70's. Daughter # 2 had seen him on American Bandstand or The Ed Sullivan Show and she was smitten.

On that particular Saturday, a movie magazine with Bobby Sherman on the cover was lying on top of the stack. Of course, it caught Daughter # 2's eyes. She grabbed the magazine; looked at the pictures of Bobby and was still hanging on to it when I was ready to leave.

"Would you like to have that magazine?", the hair dresser ask. Of course, she didn't have to ask twice so Daughter # 2 proudly carried her precious Bobby out of the beauty shop.

"Get your shoes on," her daddy said, as he walked through the living room, "and put that magazine away. I don't want to see it at church."

For Daughter # 2, that was like saying "Don't pour molasses on the cat."
 
So, off to church we went. John was in the choir and I was at the piano bench playing for the song service. Little Miss "I love Bobby" was seated on the second row. When I glanced back, her feet were firmly planted on the top of the first row and, while holding the movie magazine high above her head for all to see, she was enthralled with her heartthrob. Her daddy saw it at about the same time and the look on his face left no doubt about what was going through his mind. Needless to say, when we got home, "Mr. Heartthrob" was thrown in the trash and Daughter # 2 was disciplined completely and thoroughly.

How many times does our Heavenly Father have to discipline us? How many times do we do something even though we know our Heavenly Father wouldn't approve? Do we disobey Him and not expect consequences? Wouldn't life be much more pleasant for us if we obeyed Him?

“So why do you call me ‘Lord’ when you won’t obey me? Luke 6:46 (TLB)

Diggin' Potatoes

"But, Daaadddy, it's too hot" Daughter # 1 and #2 whined, "It's at least 105 degrees!"

But, Daddy insisted. "Quit whinin', we've got to get those potatoes out of the ground. They have been there too long now and it's only gonna get hotter. It's Saturday and it's a good time to get this done so get a move on."

So, out we trudged, grumbling all the way.

"Daddy, I'm hot!"

"Well, dig a little faster and we'll be through in no time."

"Can I go get a drink, Daddy?"

"Yes, but come right back."

So, the digging continued and might I add it was high noon; not morning or evening but 12:00.

The digging was finally completed and we all headed for the house for something cool to drink with the girls still complaining they would be sunburned and surely suffer from headaches or a heat stroke.
That evening, my husband managed to get all of the potatoes stored under the house where he said they would be cool and would keep.

A few weeks later, I ask John to retrieve some of the potatoes. He came back with a sheepish look on his face. It seems all of the potatoes had rotted. And, of course, the girls felt they were vindicated because of that.

Perhaps the time for digging potatoes was off. Perhaps, the hot sun had already begun to work on them before they were stored.

Do you ever feel God's timing is off when something doesn't turn out right? When you have prayed for God to do something and you feel he hasn't heard you?

"But don’t forget this, dear friends, that a day or a thousand years from now is like tomorrow to the Lord." 2 Peter 3:8 (TLB)

Our Contentment Comes Only From Christ

"The investments that we make in life determine the level of contentment that we gain from life. We come into this world as self-centered beings, concerned solely with our needs and wants. Only a personal relationship with Christ can truly change that egotistical human bent". Mary Southerland

Have you ever watched a little baby when they are discontented? They scream, kick their little feet and flail their little arms. Their face turns red and they let anyone within hearing distance know they are not happy. It doesn't matter what Mother or Daddy is doing. When that little one wants attention, they don't care. They want what they want when they want it. That little one is concerned solely with his needs and wants.

How about those teens? Are a lot of them self centered? Is their level of contentment dependent on getting their wants satisfied? They want that new expensive prom dress; they want the car and want you to fill it up with gas; they want to go to this concert or that movie or whatever their friends are doing. Does it matter what Mother or Daddy think or how much money it costs? No, they want what they want when they want it. And, a lot of them are discontent most of the time.

What about us as adults? Do we think the world revolves around us? Are we not content with our jobs? Our homes? Even our spouses? Are we self-centered for the most part?

When will we learn that our contentment can come only through Christ?

" I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of contentment in every situation, whether it be a full stomach or hunger, plenty or want; for I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power." Philippians 4:12-13 (TLB)

Children Are A Gift From God

"What do your children think of when they think of you? Every day we are leaving our fingerprints on our kids. What do we want our children to think of when they think of their parents? " Melanie Chitwood

I am so fortunate to have had Christian parents. I looked up to both of my parents as I was growing up. Oh, there were times when, like most teenagers, I thought they were too strict. I wasn't allowed to do some of the things my friends were allowed to do. But, now, as a parent of grown daughters and grown grandchildren, I can more easily understand why my parents did what they did.

Children are a gift from God. God only lent them to us to enjoy and to raise in His likeness. We are not to be our children's best friend, they have friends their own age to fill that need. But, we are to teach them by example to be kind, loving adults. We leave our fingerprints on our kids, as Melanie Chitwood said.
 
What are you teaching your children? What kind of fingerprints are you leaving? When you leave this earth what will your children remember about you? Do you want your children to be the kind of parent you are?

"Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning to when you fall into bed at night. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder; inscribe them on the doorposts of your homes and on your city gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9 The Message

Those Ugly Brown Weeds and Spring Flowers

Ever since highway 62 in front of our home was widened to five lanes, the highway was raised several feet and the right of way along each side was seeded with various grasses and wild flowers, the "ditch" we use to have became a "canyon". Before that change, Husband was able to keep the ditch mowed, along with our almost three acres of lawn. Now, it's much too steep for him to try and mow. Thankfully, the highway department does mow once a year at least.

Last spring, the flowers along the right of way were beautiful; first the yellow ones popped up among the green grass. Next, the pink ones raised their heads and people would comment about how beautiful the roadway was. Slowly, the flowers begin to die and in their place grew a concoction of nasty, brown weeds. As summer faded into fall, those weeds grew higher and higher and dryer and dryer. Sadly, there was nothing we could do but look out our windows and lament about how we wished for the spring flowers rather than this mess. Now, we are anxiously waiting to see if those pink and yellow flowers will again raise their heads. As sure as they do, we know with the blazing sun and possible lack of rain, when fall gets here, the brown, ugly grass will again appear.
 

In life, there are those times when, like the flowers in spring, everything is beautiful. Then there are those times when everything looks bleak and brown and nasty. We look at those bad times and wish for the good. What we must realize is that God sees the good times in our lives and He sees the bad. And, He is working through all of those times to bring us to the place He wants us. The main thing we need to remember about God’s timing is that it is perfect. God's timing for those flowers was as perfect as His timing for the nasty weeds. His timing for our good moments and our bad moments are not a mystery to Him. Because He is in control of everything.

How do you handle the bleak times in your life?

"As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him." Psalm 18:30 NIV

Royalty In My Family

There is royalty in my family. Years ago, I began genealogical research because of the urging of my mother. Later on, I turned over what I had acquired to my husband. John loves to delve into the ancestors in our backgrounds and prides himself with the fact that he has over 6,000 names listed. He is very meticulous in his research and can go back to royalty in the 1500’s and never skips a generation just so he can post a name.

If you could go back in time and find royalty in your lineage, how would you address them? Would you walk up and say “Pleased to make your acquaintance, Cousin.” I think not. I rather doubt that anyone I know personally would be able to have an audience with the Queen of England or the Pope in Rome. You might stand for hours in a line to see such royalty. You might even be able to touch the robe of the pope. The Queen might smile at you as she walked by. But, that would be about as close as we peasants could come to royalty. I may have Cromwells of England in my lineage hundreds of years ago but that’s about as close as I can come to claiming any sort of royalty.

You may not have ancestors who were royalty. However, if you are a Believer, you ARE royalty because you are a child of The King; you are His child; His son or daughter.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God" John 1:12-13 NIV.

Your Heavenly Father is the King of King and Lord of Lords. He is a King yet, He is approachable. He is always there to listen to us and speak to us. He never tires of listening to our needs and our desires. And, He never closes His ear to our whining and grumbling. He is there all the time; day or night.

“In his mouth he held a sharp sword to strike down the nations; he ruled them with an iron grip; and he trod the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God. On his robe and thigh was written this title: “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” Revelation 19:15-16 TLB

So, never let anyone look down on you because you don’t have royal blood flowing through your veins for, as a Believer, your Father, the King of Kings, shed His blood to bring you into His royal family.

Who's Flying Your Plane?

Our church, Grandview Baptist, supports missions in India. A couple of weeks ago, a missionary from there was with our church and several more in the area. Wednesday night he spoke and shared this story.

"I have a friend in this country who is a pilot," he said. "He asked me recently if I'd like to go up in his plane. I told him I would so off we went. When we reached about 6,000 ft., he asked if I'd like to take the controls. I was surprised but I told him I would. So, ...my friend showed me what I needed to do to fly the plane; ask if I understood and I told him I did. So, the pilot reclined his seat and told me to fly. I flew the plane for quite a while and then the pilot took over and landed. We went in to his office where we met his staff. He told the staff about how I took the controls of the plane. I was feeling pretty proud of myself and then the pilot told everyone that he had put the plane on auto-pilot for me to fly."

Is this how we as Christians get through this life? Do we think we are in control when actually our Lord is "flying our plane"? Too many of us try to fly though our lives when we really don't know what we are doing. How much better off we would be if we just turned the controls over to the One who knows us best.....the One who has plans for our lives that are so much better than the plans we concoct ourselves.

What about your life? Who is in the pilot's seat?

"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11Living Bible (TLB)

Mother and the Bicycle

My daddy had quadruple bypass surgery when he was 70 years old. When he recovered, he chose to exercise by getting a 10 speed bicycle. Eventually, he was riding to the top of Saunders Heights and all the way to the next town over and back for a total of 16 miles.

My mother had never ridden a bicycle and she wanted learn to ride. One day, the girls and I were visiting at Mother and Daddy’s home. Daughter # 1 had her small bicycle with her. So, my mother decided she would see if she could learn to ride it since it was a much smaller bicycle and my mother was only about 5’3”.

So, off to the back yard we went. The yard slanted enough so she could coast to the fence on the south. So, with Daddy holding the seat; the girls and I waiting in anticipation, my mother in her late 60's straddled the seat; put her feet on the pedals and off she went after first giving my Daddy strict orders not to turn her loose. She was doing rather well so Daddy turned loose It was as if we were watching a slow motion movie. Over went my Mother, falling very, very slowly and hitting the ground very easily on her right side. Of course, we were afraid she might be hurt so we ran to her.

“Don’t think I’ll be trying that again,” and looking at the girls she said, “I’ll just leave the riding up to your Granddad I think.” Daddy helped her up trying very hard not to laugh. That being impossible, as Mother, Daddy, the girls and I walked back to the house, we thanked God that Mother was okay and then we all had a good laugh.
  
Persistence in some things is worthwhile. While my mother didn't have the persistence to try riding again, she had persistence in a lot of other areas, including studying her bible.

How persistent are we with our bible study. A lot of times because we don’t always understand what we read, it’s very easy to just give up. However, if we ask God to open our minds and our hearts; get a version that is easy to understand, God will show us the things in His word that He knows we need.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 NIV

What Does Your Calendar Look Like?

"Every day, we choose where to invest our time. We plan everything from committee meetings and church activities to lunch appointments and choir practice - but fail to schedule the most important activity of all, spending time with God." Mary Southerland

What does your calendar look like? Our calendar isn't as filled up as it once was when we were in business and had two daughters that were in this or that activity. But, we still have obligations and we have places we love to go. Those have to be scheduled. And, they certainly have to be written down because age has done a number on both of our memories.

I don't know about you but I confess that I waste a lot of time. I spend time on my computer checking my emails or Facebook. And, I spend a lot of time writing for my blog along with reading, usually two of three books at a time. I have more free time certainly but I have also discovered that it takes me longer to do things than it once did so extra time is needed.

When we think about all of the activities coming up each week, where do we place our time with God? Is He put on the back burner where we try to work Him in if we have a spare minute? How do we expect to get to know God if we don't schedule time to spend with Him.

If Jesus felt it was important that He spend time talking to His Father, how much more important is it for us to do so.........

"The next morning he was up long before daybreak and went out alone into the wilderness to pray." Mark 1:35 (TLB)

How Do You Choose Your Friends?

I wrote in an earlier post about how our lives would have been different had we been born at a different time and place. Our lives would also be different if we had not had the friends we have or the right associates at work.

Take a minute and look at your life now.......

Do you have good friends? Some people want a lot of friends and some people only want one friend at a time. Do your friends influence you for good? Do you pick your friends or do they pick you?

I look at my Facebook list of friends. I have over 1100 of them. True, some are acquaintances; some I have known in the past; some are long lost relatives and some are true friends and family that I see or communicate with almost every day.

I see comments on Facebook of people who threaten to delete friends from the friend list for one reason or another. And, I am a believer in doing just that if it's a friend who is either using bad language or demeaning others in the things they say
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"Don’t hang out with angry people;
don’t keep company with hotheads.
Bad temper is contagious—
don’t get infected." Proverbs 22:24-25 (MSG)

As John Mason once said, "God did not write solo parts for us. He has Divine connections for you--the right friends and the right associations. These good connections always bring out the original in you... After you've been with them you find yourself less critical, more full of faith and with a vision for the future!!!"
 
Be careful who you choose as a friend. They can make a big difference in your life.

Easter Came Early

Easter came a little earlier this year. I was thinking about Easters in the past and how, when I was a small child, my Mother would measure me and then sit down at her old Singer treadle machine and sew away.

Mother made my dresses from colorful feed sack material, provided by my uncle, who owned a feed store. What I remember most about those dresses were how itchy they were against my tender skin no matter how many times Mother washed them. Because my feet grew faster than any part of me, we would go to Berryville Mercantile and Arlis Hanna would fit me with a pair of shoes.

Mother and I would dye a few eggs on Saturday before Easter but she always reminded me that Jesus' death and resurrection were the real reasons we celebrated Easter. After church, our family gathered at my grandpa's for dinner. Then, one of the adults would hide the eggs and my cousin and I would delight in each and every one we found.

No matter when on the calendar we celebrate Easter, I am so thankful for the gift God gave us; the gift of His Son, who died on a rugged cross to pay for our sins. It matters not to God what we wear to services. What matters to Him is the condition of our hearts. When we receive Him into our hearts, we are then dressed in His righteousness, no matter what our attire.

"Let me tell you how happy God has made me! For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and draped about me the robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels." Isaiah 61:10 (TLB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

"The Devil Made Me Do It".

George Bernard Shaw said, "People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don't believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, they make them."

Flip Wilson made famous the quote, "The devil made me do it." However, trying to blame someone else for our sin and circumstances started centuries and centuries before Flip Wilson.

"The serpent deceived... me, and I ate" said Eve. But, that excuse didn't hold water with God. Most of the time, it's not that the devil or anyone else made us do something we shouldn't. It's because of our own bad choices. Oh, the devil can tempt us but God always makes a way for us to overcome temptation.

Why do we sin? Well, it's simple........we're sinners. Sinners sin...that's what they do best.

“Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these” (Galatians 5:19-21). I don't think that says it's the works of Satan but it's the works of the flesh. It's our own sinful nature.

How many of us are guilty of blaming someone else for our circumstances when we sin? It's easy to say, "Well, that's just the way I am. I wasn't brought up in a Christian home so it's my parents fault that I'm the way I am." No, it's not.....it's not your parents fault, your spouses fault, your children's fault, your bosses fault or anyone else's fault. It's the fault of your sinful nature and not allowing the Holy Spirit, who lives within you if you are a Believer, to control your actions. Choosing to consistently follow the Holy Spirit's prompting in our lives rather than following the flesh will help keep us from committing sin.

If you encountered a lion, would you run toward him? No, you would run the other way. Much the same way, we should run from the temptation to sin because sin will devour us just the same as that lion would.

"Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts that young men often have, but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. Have faith and love, and enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts." 2 Timothy 2:22 (TLB)

Getting to Know Him

We are excited about the great-grandbaby that is expected this summer. And, like all parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, when we see this beautiful little one, we will start to pick out features we see of our own off spring.

"Look, he has his mother's little nose" or "Oh, I wish he would open his little eyes. I bet they are brown just like his mother and daddy's eyes". " Oh, and just look at those curls. I knew he would have curls because his mother and daddy both have curly hair."

Have you ever heard people say the longer two people live together, the more they begin to look alike? I don't know about that but I remember when John and I were dating, a businessman in town thought we were brother and sister.

People should be able to look at our daily walk in life and see who we resemble. Do we resemble our Lord in our daily activity? Would our Heavenly Father be able to look down at us from Heaven and say, "That is my son or daughter in whom I am well pleased"?

"Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now." 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)

The more we get to know Him, the more others see us through His reflection.

How Clean Are Your Windows?

I saw this sometime ago on the page of a friend. I thought it was so good I am sharing it with you.

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside
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"That laundry is not very clean; she doesn't know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap."

Her husband looks on, remaining silent. Every time her neighbor hangs her wash to dry, the young woman makes the same comments.

A month later, the woman is surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and says to her husband:

"Look, she's finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this? "

The husband replies, "I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows."

And so it is with life... What we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look"

Have you been critical of someone lately? As the old Indian proverb goes, " Never criticize a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins."

" Watch your talk! No bad words should be coming from your mouth. Say what is good. Your words should help others grow as Christians." Ephesians 4:29 (NLV)

Life is a Journey

As I watched Bro. Randy Franz lead the worship music at church this morning, the day after a heart warming memorial service for his beautiful wife, I recalled reading about how life is a journey on a train. I don't know the author but I think it is worth sharing.

Ruth Ann truly left beautiful memories for her children and grandchildren and especially Randy, as they continue their journey through life. Her journey in this life is over but, praise God, she lives on with Him for eternity. And, her example of what a Godly woman should be should inspire all of us and encourage us to be all that we can be in Him.

Life is like a journey on a train...with its stations...with changes of routes...and with accidents!

At birth we boarded the train and met our parents, and we believe they will always travel on our side.

However, at some station our parents will step down from the train, leaving us on this journey alone
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As time goes by, other people will board the train; and they will be significant ; i.e. our siblings, friends, children, and even the love of our life.

Many will step down and leave a permanent vacuum. Others will go so unnoticed that we don't realize that they vacated their seats!

This train ride will be full of joy, sorrow, fantasy, expectations, hellos, goodbyes, and farewells.

Success consists of having a good relationship with all passengers...requiring that we give the best of ourselves.

The mystery to everyone is: We do not know at which station we ourselves will step down. So, we must live in the best way - love, forgive, and offer the best of who we are.

It is important to do this because when the time comes for us to step down and leave our seat empty we should leave behind beautiful memories for those who will continue to travel on the train of life.
I wish you a joyful journey for the coming year on the train of life. Reap success and give lots of love. More importantly, thank God for the journey!

Lastly, I thank you for being one of the passengers on my train!

Author Unknown

“But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven’s angels, not even the Son. Only the Father." Mark 13:32 The Message

Ruth Ann

I have been to a lot of funerals in my lifetime. I've sung at a lot of them; played the piano for quite a few, but I have never been to a service like the one we attended this morning.

A sweet friend from our church went to be with her Lord on Resurrection Sunday. Her memorial was held this morning.

Ruth Ann Franz was a remarkable woman. Ruth Ann homeschooled her five children and, along with her husband, Randy, brought those children up in the fear and admonition of the Lord. They traveled extensively with their family singing blue grass style music that glorified their Maker from the time the children were very small until all but one married and moved away to raise families of their own.
The memorial service for Ruth Ann was such a moving experience. Her obituary, which Ruth Ann herself had written, was read by her special friend, Pearl Doss. Her pastor, Bro. Billy McCall brought a message and her children sang and played their instruments. Trios, duets, solos, by friends from as far away as California, Virginia and North Carolina and as close by as their own church; Grandview Baptist, sang songs that glorified our Heavenly Father.

We were blessed by Ruth Ann's life on this earth. She will be missed but what an uplifting time in her honor this morning. Oh, to be loved as she was loved and to leave a legacy like she has left.
If ever there was a woman of noble character, it was Ruth Ann Franz..........

10 A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. Proverbs 31:10-31

Just Pray...........

"When we step outside of ourselves and think of others when we pray, many of us focus on those we know and love. But how often do we remember to pray for the people we know and don’t love, or those we’ll never meet or even see?" Copied

It's pretty easy to pray for the ones we love, isn't it? I find it difficult to pray for the people who aren't exactly my friends. I hear the news about all of the terrorist activities all over the world and it grieves me. It's pretty difficult for me to realize that God loves those terrorists just as much as he loves me.

 Oh, he doesn't like the things they are doing but they are His creation just the same as the rest of us.

When we listen to all of the political bickering on TV, it's pretty difficult to realize they each have a soul just as you and I. Shouldn't we pray that they come to know our Lord if they don't know Him? Shouldn't we pray for those we don't like in this political battle just the same as we pray for those we do like?

"The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live." 1 Timothy 2:1-3 (MSG)