I am Most Thankful...

On the way home from having routine blood work done, I was still quite agitated. The technician was very friendly and seemed to want to talk. She told me that she was 74 years old and had worked at the clinic before and had decided to come back. I told her that I admired her for that. However, my admiration soon vanished as she had great difficulty in trying to get a blood sample. Eventually she called another Tech to help her. Physicians can tell much from a person's blood, so I'm thankful for skilled people in the medical fields!

At noon we went to a memorial service honoring the Veterans. The names of those who had died were read, and the military who were present were also recognized. A good friend of ours interspersed the program by singing religious and patriotic songs. We appreciated the program for it was a moving ceremony. Later as I watched the news, I saw that many communities had parades honoring the veterans from all wars back to World War II. Those who could were marching and others were riding in cars. I am very thankful for the freedoms we have so that we can honor and publicly express our appreciation for those men and women who shed their blood.

“For scarcely for a righteous man will one die:

yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

But God commendeth his love toward us,

in that, while we were yet sinners,

Christ died for us.”

Romans 5:7-8

How astonishing it is to think of the Lord Jesus Christ Who left the glories of heaven in order to shed His blood, not only for His own people, but also for the sins of the whole world!

“He is the propitiation for our sins:

and not for our's only,

but also for the sins of the whole world.”

1 John 2:2

So I am most thankful for God's great lovingkindness! For it was through His love and compassion that I have the promise of eternal life!

“...The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Romans 6:23

Sunrise and Sunset

“The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the firmament showeth His handiwork!”

Psalm 19:1

Thank you Lord, for sharing your great power and majesty manifested in your creation! One of these days, Your beloved Son will return to bring the brightness of His glory to those who are ready to welcome Him (Titus 2:13)!

Bumps on the Road

It is always a challenge to try to find the least bumpy way to get over the spiky rocks that were placed in our road. They form man-made speed bumps. My daughter says she thinks she has figured them out, but we are still working on it! The first time we went over one of them, not knowing it was there, it was a big surprise! Needless to say, each time since then, we slow almost to a stop in order to search for the best way to go over them without too much discomfort in the car.

That brought to mind this past weekend when we went to the area where we rented a condo last year. We wanted to drive through, but quickly turned back when we saw the excess of large speed bumps they had installed. That must have stopped the speeding that was prevalent there! Then, on Sunday while we were driving through the affluent neighborhood where my husband was speaking, our heads nearly hit the roof of the car! We had gone over the first speed bump forgetting that it was there!

'Well,' I thought to myself, 'They are certainly serving the purpose in our park! There is no speeding here!' First of all, those speed bumps make the drivers cautious; and secondly, the road is gravel and that makes for a fair amount of dust! So the speed bumps serve to cut down on the dust. Although, I've been ashamed of how dirty our car looked, so today I drove it on the grass and washed it. Then it was nice riding in it, but when we got home, I noticed the dusty film on it once again.
How much worse it would be if it were not for the speed bumps.

The gravel on the roads reminded me of this past weekend when we stopped at a Flea Market to try to find a desk lamp for my husband. I spotted a 3 wheeled bike. I was allowed to try it out, so I rode it up and down the aisles! Wow! Did it handle beautifully, and it was so easy to pedal! I suggested to my husband that it would be really nice to ride around our park and get exercise in this nice weather! He reminded me first of all of the cost, then he said, 'You couldn't ride it on those gravel roads.' I did question that, but then knew we couldn't afford it, so I dropped the subject.

Since then, I've been thinking how life is sometimes like the bumpy road with many speed bumps! My mom used to sometimes say, “Tis what! If it's not one thing, it's another!”

'Yes,' I thought today, 'Tis what! It's true – if it's not one thing, it's another! That's life.”

But I believe the important thing is not to concentrate on all the bumps along the road, but on how all these things are learning experiences! Each bump in the road teaches me something! It all comes down to my reaction. I can either be miserable about all the bumps, or I can motivate myself and do whatever has to be done, making the best of every situation, learning how to handle them.

Isaiah 40:5 contains a prophecy that is repeated in Luke 3:5-6. It tells of when the Lord returns to establish His kingdom. Then all the “rough places shall be made smooth” (Isaiah 40:5; Luke 3:5-6). What a wonderful day that will be!

“...the rough ways shall be made smooth:

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

Images in the Clouds

The clouds have been spectacular this week! The sky has been such a perfect blue that the white puffy clouds stand out
like dazzling white images against the brilliant blue.

It brings to mind the many pictures in the sky that I have often imagined throughout my life. Even when I was a young child, I would look up at the clouds and visualize different scenes. Quite often they were pictures where I would see a great walkway leading upward in the sky to where Jesus would suddenly appear! Most likely I was calling to mind the Scriptures where Jesus
would come in the clouds with power and great glory.

“The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way....”

Exodus 13:21

Then I thought of the time when Jesus was on earth. The disciples had been sleeping, and Elijah and Moses came and talked with Jesus. When Peter awoke and saw them, he blurted out that they should make three tabernacles there; one for Elijah, one for Moses, and one for Jesus. However, God soon set the record straight! There was no misunderstanding Who Jesus was. Luke 9:34-36 records the moment:

“While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them:

and they feared as they entered into the cloud.

And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying,

This is my beloved son: hear him.

And when the voice was past, Jesus was found alone.”

What an experience that must have been! However, the Bible continues that they “kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.” I found that quite interesting. It seems as if the truth of Who Jesus really was had not actually sunk into their thinking, or otherwise they were so much in awe of Him that they were rendered speechless.

“And then shall they see the Son of man

coming in the clouds

with great power and glory.”

Fear of the Unknown

Having just finished reading the Old Testament once again for probably the twelfth time, and beginning the New,
 I felt that a burden had been lifted from my mind.

The main thought that seemed to cause the burden was the number of times that the people of God had been afraid. Over and over God had to tell them not to be afraid. As I stopped to think about examples, I realized that it actually began at the beginning. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, they were afraid. And all through the Old Testament, countless instances are cited where people were afraid because of their disobedience and for other reasons. For example, Hebrews 11:7 tells us that Noah “moved with fear,” but nevertheless he obeyed God and did what God told him to do. He built the ark. More than once, Abraham was afraid for his life, and God delivered him. Even David was fearful as his life was often in jeopardy, but God always proved Himself faithful, and David was able to record his experiences in his Psalms. These experiences have proven a great blessing to the saints of God down through the centuries. Throughout the prophets, there is mention of how the people of
 God suffered and how fear gripped their hearts.

So, moving into the New Testament, I felt a weight removed from my mind. Now I was reading about the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. He was the promised One Who would save His people from their sins. However, as I read the first chapter of the gospel of Matthew, I ran again into fear. The angel told Mary not to be afraid. I thought to myself, 'Wouldn't the normal reaction of any young virgin in her condition be fear? After all, she had been promised to Joseph whose genealogy had gone all the way back to David and Abraham. He was “quite a catch!” Yet, they had not been married or had come together physically, so...what would people think? What would Joseph think?'

Fear can be a normal reaction. The angel appeared to her and told her “Do not be afraid, Mary....” And Mary was blessed indeed to be chosen as God's instrument in bringing this long-promised Messiah! In addition, Matthew 1:20 explains that the angel also appeared to Joseph and told him not to be afraid to take Mary to himself, comforting his concerns.

Continuing on throughout the years, I thought of the lives of the apostles and followers of Jesus. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they cried out for fear! But Jesus said, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” (Matthew 14:26-27). How many times do the Scriptures quote Jesus saying the words: “Be not Afraid?” Again, many of the experiences could have been normal reactions. Many things can cause fear! Even in the last days, Jesus said that men's hearts
 would be failing them for fear (Luke 21:26).

However, for the sincere believer, there is the comfort of faith. There is the wonderful promise recorded in Hebrews 13:6. It declares that the Lord will never, never, never, never, never leave him. My husband tells me that there are five negatives in the Greek. Paul ended by saying:

“So that we may boldly say,

'The Lord is my helper,

and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

Autumn Leaves

Oh, the vibrant multiplicity of colors that I am seeing on the trees around here lately! They take my breath away! My heart overflows with thanks to my God, the creator of such spectacular beauty.

Autumn Leaves! The words bring to mind the great pianist, Roger Williams. I will never forget a concert that I attended in Gulf Shores during which he played his famous rendition of that melody. Beautiful! I can still see him putting his whole soul into it as he tickled those piano keys! Then afterward he started jumping around the stage, proving his continued physical prowess! Ah, the memories! He was 80 years of age then, and he was still playing like no other! But he died this past week, and all we have now are memories of him and his recordings.

The rippling melody in my mind projects the falling leaves in all of their beautiful colors as they float gracefully to the ground. But how do those leaves make such an amazing transformation? I remembered explaining the process to my fourth graders. Evidently the trees take in water through their roots and carbon dioxide from the air. Those two combined with the sunlight turn the water and carbon dioxide into glucose that they need for energy and growth, but they also provide oxygen as a waste product. And would you believe it? That is exactly what we need to breathe! Oh my! It's just another amazing proof of an all-knowing God who would create the plants and trees to provide just what we need to live!

Anyway, the way they do that is called photosynthesis. Evidently there is a chemical called chlorophyll that makes the leaves green. Well, during the Autumn, as the days get shorter and colder, there is less sunlight and even less water. So the trees start shutting down and use the glucose that has been stored up. As a result, the green chlorophyl that makes the green color, disappears from the leaves. So as the green fades away, all the yellow and orange colors
 that have been there all along start appearing!

The combination of all these processes makes the gorgeous colors! I still don't really understand it all,
but I do know that God planned it, and I am very grateful!

So I wondered, what does the Bible say about all of this? I remembered during the apostle Paul's journeys, the people were ready to fall down and worship him. But he assured them that they were men just like themselves. Then he quickly pointed them to the evidence of the true God that is seen all around them in the world, including the seasons,

“...the living God which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that

are therein;....Nevertheless he (God) left not himself without witness, in that

he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons,

filling our hearts with food and gladness.” Acts 14:15, 17

Yes, he repeated the fact that the living God made all these beautiful things that we see around us. Truly I am filled with gladness and praise Him for his provision and artistry!

Incredible, Mighty Power!

Our good friend from England was visiting over the weekend. He and my husband were in one of their discussions. I always enjoy their discussions! They were talking about what it means to be “in Christ.” Suddenly our friend quoted a statement by Augustine: “Cognosce te ipsum, In Christo in potentia.” As I understood his words, he was challenging us
to realize our potential regarding our position in Christ.

Then certain verses in Ephesians 1:19-20 streaked into my mind! They record the amazing words:

“I also pray that you will understand the

incredible greatness of God's power

for us who believe him.

This is the

SAME MIGHTY POWER

THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD….”

This verse has thrilled me many times, however, I kept wondering how can I possess this power? Can I really 'plumb its depths?' Is it possible to comprehend the extent of it! Yet the apostle prays for believers to understand it!

Then my mind went to my dear friend, Lynne Robinson Pahler, because she is RIGHT NOW in the presence of the Lord Jesus! She was “in” Christ, and now she is “with” Him. It was just a few days ago that she left her earthly body and is now enjoying the reality of the potential!

I thought of her wonderful creativity as she spearheaded all those wonderful “Dud Productions” in which she and other young people of the church performed relevant skits in which her humor always shined! Though leaving us laughing, they always had a message. She also spearheaded a “Family Life Center Sunday School program.” She designed the curriculum in which adults and children were together as families. Often adults were on the floor with their children, or wherever they wished. Then at a time when our hearts were burdened for our young people, she organized our “Camp Berean Way.” Again her humor, together with a message, broke forth among the young people all day in all activities!

She had been faithful in answering the call to many needs in the Church! How wonderful it is to think of her experiencing all of the glories of being with Christ, which as the apostle Paul says, “...is far better.” But oh, how all of her many loved ones and all of the church will miss her! She now knows for a certainty the 'incredible greatness of God's power!' I believe she experienced much of the potential of it during her fruitful and faithful years in this life and maybe even more so in the last few months of her physical suffering. What a blessed testimony she was to everyone who came into contact with her!

But what about those of us who are left here on earth? It must be possible for us, in some measure, to experience this incredible power! I keep thinking, 'What would happen if all Christians would take hold of this truth and use this mighty power to experience more of our potential in Christ? 'Lord, please help us to realize the fulness of our inheritance,
and may it be for Thy glory.'

He Makes Intercession

The prophet Nahum spoke to me through God's Word this morning. I read (1:7):

“The Lord is good,

a strong refuge when trouble comes.

He is close to those who trust in him.”

This passage caught my attention, because I had been reading the Voice of the Martyrs magazine. Oh how my heart aches when I think of the people around the world who are suffering because of their stand for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Probably at times they wonder why the heavens seem silent when they cry for help in their time of trouble.

“The Lord is slow to get angry;

but his power is great.

He takes revenge on all who oppose him.”

I thought of the many times that God's people have suffered (Hebrews 11:32-40). So often the Old Testament records the struggles of His people. How they longed for their promised Messiah! Then finally, the silence of the heavens broke,
 and God sent His Son! Isaiah's prophecies came true!

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given.”

Isaiah 9:6

Their Messiah had arrived and had a wonderful ministry of healing and help to His people!
However, something unexpected happened! Yes, God gave His Son, but,

“He was despised and rejected....

He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins

He was beaten so we could be whole. Isaiah 53:3,5

Oh, the sadness! But there was a purpose.  Isaiah 53:4-11 tells about this purpose. Also, because he suffered,
He can feel all our infirmities, and He can make intercession for us!

“For there is one God and one mediator between God and man,

the man Christ Jesus who lives to make intercession for us.”

1 Timothy 2:5-6

A Reluctant Prophet

As I was reading the book of Jonah this morning, my heart went out to Jonah. He was in quite a predicament!

The Lord had told him to go to Nineveh and announce His judgment against it! But Jonah really didn't want to do that because he knew how sinful the city was. So he went to a port to catch a ship going in the opposite direction. He did not want them to repent, because if they did, he knew the Lord would forgive them and spare the city. That he did not want!
 They didn't deserve to be spared!

Interestingly, while he was on the ship, a huge storm arose, and the pagan sailors thought the ship would be broken apart. They knew the 'gods were angry,' so they were praying to them so they would spare them. They threw things overboard in order to lighten the ship, but nothing helped. They then cast lots to see who had offended the gods, and the lots identified Jonah.

Meanwhile, Jonah was below deck sleeping. They were amazed that he could sleep in such a storm! They told him to get up and pray to his god so that maybe he would spare their lives. They asked Jonah who he was.
They wanted to know why that storm had come on them.

Jonah told them that he was a Hebrew and that he worshiped the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land. He even told them that he was running away from the Lord. That made the sailors terrified! So Jonah told them to throw him into the sea, and the storm would stop. And sure enough! They threw Jonah into the sea, and the storm did subside.

But meanwhile, the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah, and he was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights. So Jonah prayed to the Lord, and He heard him and caused the fish to vomit him onto dry land!

'Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord?

That is why I ran away to Tarshish!

I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God,

slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.

You are eager to turn back from destroying people.'

Jonah 4:2

I thought, 'Oh, how true this is!' As I am reading through the Old Testament, I marvel over how many times the prophets warned the people to turn from their wicked ways and seek the Lord. The prophets warned of the consequences of their disobedience to the Lord their God. They were warned time and time again how God would use evil nations to shock His people into turning back to Him. And time after time, this is what happened. Yes, God used ungodly people to fulfill His purposes especially in turning His people back to Him. It is wise to be aware and to heed such warnings!

Prayer & Praise to My God

This morning my heart seems to be entwined with that of the Psalmist,

for when I read Psalm 143, my mind echoed his thoughts,

“I remember the days of old.

I ponder all your great works

and think about what you have done.”

Psalm 143:5

“Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning,

for I am trusting you.

Show me where to walk,

for I give myself to you.”

Psalm 143: 8

'I am in Your hands, O Lord,

“Teach me to do Your will,

for You are my God.

May your gracious spirit lead me forward

on a firm footing.”

Psalm 143:10

“I will sing a new song to you, O God!

I will sing Your praises with a ten-stringed harp.”

Psalm 144:9

My heart rejoices in praise to my God, for He alone is worthy to receive praise, and honor, and glory forever! Amen.'

Special Fruits

As we were riding through Pennsylvania on our way home from Washington D.C., we saw a Farmer's Market with Peaches, Plums, and Apples. Our daughter stopped the car and got some for us. Even the smell made our mouths begin to water! After our journey of close to 380 miles, we couldn't resist having a peach when we arrived home. It was very refreshing!

For the past several days, we had been in Washington D.C. enjoying a good time with many friends at a Military Reunion. They had been members of a branch of military service that was stationed in Trieste, Italy. My husband had also been stationed there about 60 years ago. Each year, it had been nice to have been able to meet with them and share memories of their time in that city. However, this year, it was somewhat sad, for while it was good to be with them, they knew in the back of their minds that this was to be the last reunion. Many were not in good health anymore and others had already died, leaving fewer and fewer of them left. So it was with a touch of sadness that we left them. To make the departing not quite so final,
 many insisted that they would keep in touch.

Yet, as we left them, we were looking forward to renewing fellowship with the dear saints in a church in Bedford, Pennsylvania where my husband was to be speaking. We were pleased to see the growth in their church, and I was especially pleased to see their pastor's wife who had been quite ill the last time we stopped. She now was her usual bubbly self and rejoicing in the Lord. We enjoyed wonderful fellowship together!

Upon leaving them, we headed on to Ohio. We were looking forward to arriving back to our granddaughter's home once again. But on the way, it was extra special to have stopped at the fruit stand where our daughter bought our special treats!

Later as we enjoyed our fruit, I thought of the Scriptures that talk about some Special Fruits. One such reference is found in Galatians 5:22-23:

But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace,

long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,

faith, meekness, and temperance:

Against such there is no law.”

These verses are a challenge, because the Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples:

“By their fruits, ye shall know them!” (Matthew 7:16)

So that makes me stop to think: 'What kind of fruit am I producing?' Is my life filled with "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance?"

Certainly these are very 'Special Fruits,' so I must challenge myself to walk in the Spirit and to never 'quench the Holy Spirit' (1 Thessalonians 5:19) for He will help me
 to produce these kinds of produce!'

Open My Eyes, Lord

“Eyes are the windows to the soul!” There seems to be quite a bit of discussion over this popular phrase. Some claim it came from Kant, or the 1^st book of Clements in the Codex Sinaiticus. Some claim it was an old proverb, while some say the Bible talks about it in Matthew 6 and Luke 11.

Ah, well, to me it really makes no difference where the phrase originated, because when I looked at the pictures that my granddaughter sent me, it became a striking reality! They had a photographer take some family pictures. They even had one picture of our son with the children! But the little blue eyes of Sophie, my 3 year old great-granddaughter spoke louder than words! They were full of expression!

Then I thought of the words of Jesus who said that the eyes are the windows to the soul (Matthew 6:22-23; Luke 11:33-36). I remembered how when Jesus came to earth, he said,

Let the children come to me,

Don't stop them!

for the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children.”

Mark 10:13-16 (NLT)

He loved the little children and had great warnings about mistreating them:

“If anyone should cause one of these little ones to stumble,

it would be better for him if a millstone were tied around his neck

and he were cast into the sea.”

Matthew 18:6 (KJV)

As my mind wandered to the rest of our great grandchildren (there are nine of them now), I thought of how beautiful and trusting they all are. Each one is uniquely special and precious, not only in my sight, but also in the sight of the Lord. In fact, Jesus also said that a person is to come to Him in childlike faith, simply trusting. I thought, “Yes, a child is so very trusting!

At another time, Isaiah prophesied saying that the lion will lay down with the lamb and a little child shall lead them! What a wonder! What a time that will be!

How Can I Praise You Enough?

As we were traveling to Ohio yesterday, I leaned back in the seat and saw the beautiful blue sky and white clouds. Then from time to time I saw the green foliage of the trees, shrubs, and grasses. I marveled over the different shades, hues, and intensities of all of the greens!
 It seemed amazing and quite overwhelming!

As the miles multiplied, I closed my eyes and thought of the number of the Old Testament prophets who marveled over the greatness of the creation of God!
 And my soul seemed to echo their praise,

“Stand up and praise the Lord your God,

for he lives from everlasting to everlasting!....

May your glorious name be praised!

May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!

You alone are the Lord.

You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars.

You made the earth and the seas and everything in them.

You preserve them all.”

Nehemiah 9:5-6

Then I thought of the apostle Paul to whom God had chosen to reveal an amazing secret. This secret concerned how Gentiles could become equal heirs with believing Jews in God's great plan of salvation. At the center of this plan was the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 3:6). Like the prophets, Paul was also filled with praise for the Creator God. And this Creator God is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul stated:

“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.

He existed before anything was created

and is supreme over all creation,

for through him God created everything

in the heavenly realms and on earth.

He made the things we can see and the things we can't see –

...Everything was created through him and for him.

He existed before anything else,

and he holds all creation together.”

Colossians 1:15-17

So as I continued to watch the miles upon miles fly past, I had to praise God myself and think about the role of my Savior in this wonderful plan of salvation and His role as creator of this beautiful world. I marveled over the assurance of His presence in all that I see around me here and now, and then I paused in wonderment when I thought of seeing Him,
enjoying Him, and praising Him face to face!

The Faithfulness of the Lord

My niece stopped in today to say 'good-bye' since she'll be leaving this weekend for college.

After she left, I felt kinda' sad, because I realized that I probably wouldn't see her again until next summer when she comes back home! Then I stopped to think of the busy life she has had during her high school years.

She played her clarinet in Band and Orchestra. She was on the school Golf Team. She was in the area Dutch Dance for Tulip Time, and she held down a part-time job. Besides this all, she graduated with high honors. It all did keep her on the go! Now, with mixed feelings, she is looking forward to leaving for the university. I know it will be difficult for her to leave her school friends and family behind. But she is excited about the new life before her.

After she and her grandmother (my sister) left, I reflected over my High School graduation. I remember the stirring music of Pomp and Circumstance reverberating throughout the building as we marched down the isle. Tears formed in my eyes as I realized the probability of not seeing many of my high school friends again. I too would be leaving for college in a couple of months. As I remembered these things that happened 58 years ago, I empathized with my niece.

I thought of each of these events as stepping stones in life. Each new happening opens doors to new possibilities, new people to meet, new goals to attain, and quite possibly a new life-partner.

I thought of the Psalmist who wrote,

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:

and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:

for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.”

Psalm 37:23-24

Oh, how wonderful to embark on a new course of action knowing that the Lord is holding my hand as He will be holding her hand! And indeed He has held mine. All through life, I can bear grateful testimony to His faithfulness.

Then as I looked at the next couple of verses, it gave me a little thrill, for I read those words
 that have often been in my mind and on my lips:

“I have been young and now am old:

yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken.”

Psalm 37:25

Yes, there have been 'ups and downs,' but the Lord has been my constant faithful companion.

Importance of the Head

Oooh! The importance of the head! This was brought home to me in a sudden and dramatic way over the past few weeks! I had fallen and hit my head resulting in a concussion, broken front teeth, and bruised chin.
Now I have learned that when the head is injured, nothing seems to go right!

Oddly enough, thinking about my head brought to mind how I have been hearing of more and more couples who are separating, sometimes after years of being together. Yes, the Bible does say that the husband is the head of the wife in Ephesians chapter 5:21-33. However, some husbands take this to mean that they can do whatever they want, they can please themselves, and the wife has to go along with whatever they say. This quickly wears thin if he has no thought for his wife, but only for himself.

This often is the result of the husband reading part of this passage and reading it out of context. The Bible explains what is involved in the wife submitting and respecting her husband. If the husband would love his wife as he loves and cares for his own body; if he would be like Christ, who is the head of the church and Who gave Himself for the church; it follows that she would gladly submit to him and respect him. Yes, Christ's example of His love for the church is a hard one to follow!

Then I thought of Christ being the head of the Church! At the same time I thought of the breakdown in many churches which seems to be increasing in an alarming rate! But once again, it is clear to see that oftentimes people and pastors take their eyes off the Lord, Who is their Head, and instead focus upon insignificant trivialities. Understandably it follows that chaos reigns.

“Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed, For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;

I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand, Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.

When thro' the deep waters I call thee to go, The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;

For I will be with thee thy trials to bless, And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.”

– George Keith, 1787

“All the way my Saviour leads me; What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy, Who through life has been my guide?

Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, Here by faith in Him to dwell;

For I know, what e'er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well.”

--Frances J. Crosby, 1875

“...Nothing in all creation (not even a concussion) will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is
 revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – Romans 8:39

Ornamental Jalapeno

I bought an ornamental jalapeno pepper plant for my son this Spring. We enjoyed watching the tiny peppers change colors from yellowish white to purple then to the red. I can see why they call it an ornamental plant.
They told us that the tiny peppers were edible also.

So yesterday, my son decided to try one. He picked it, and popped it in his mouth. He said, 'Oh, that has a nice flavor!' But as he continued chewing, he remarked, 'Oh! It's hot!' Then after another few seconds,
he was exclaiming how extremely hot it got, more than the regular jalapenos!

I suggested that he get a piece of bread, thinking that might help to neutralize it, perhaps putting some peanut butter on it? I guess that sounded reasonable to him, for he got a spoonful of peanut butter. He continued drinking water, trying to cool his mouth. I felt sorry for him, but I'm ashamed to say that I was also a bit amused over the surprise it held for him. Normally he enjoys eating jalapenos. So I decided to check this plant out on the Internet, and found that these smaller ones are more potent. Strange how such a small tiny vegetable could 'pack such a punch!'

But as I thought afterward, is it really so strange? Sometimes something innocent might prove to be the most deadly.

What about the seemingly innocent King Amaziah? The Bible says that he did what was right in the sight of the Lord....'Wonderful,' I thought! But then the verse continued, 'but not with a loyal heart.”

“And he (King Amaziah) did what was right in the sight of the Lord,

but not with a loyal heart.”

2 Chronicles 25:2

'So...,' I wondered. 'What could this mean?'

As I continued reading, I realized, for one thing, that after he went to war, he brought the gods of the people of Seir and set them up to be his gods (verse 14). Probably as the king had gathered his 'spoils' from their siege, he might have thought, 'Oh, these are nice looking trinkets.' However, the Bible continues in verse 25, that he also bowed down before them and burned incense to them. 'Oh, oh!' I thought, 'Hadn't the Lord God told them,“Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Deut. 5:7)?'

That does not sound like “a loyal heart” before God!

Just as the ornamental jalapeno had a nice flavor in the beginning, it soon grew in intensity. So it is with little insignificant deeds that seemly are innocent, their influence can spread and contain harmful outcomes. King Amaziah found this out. Verse 27 records that he turned away from following the Lord. In fact, he had to flee for his life, but he was killed anyway.

May I keep alert to insidious things that might creep into my life, and spread into something harmful.

“But you be watchful in all things.” (2 Timothy 4:5 NKJV)

God's Unfailing Faithfulness

I had just finished reading the five books in the series of The Chronicles of the Kings by Lynn Austin. At the same time I have been reading the Bible book of Isaiah. He was one of God's prophets who figured prominently in this series.

This morning, as I read chapters 37-40, I was brought nearly to tears as I read these inspired words. Having just finished those “Chronicles,” that historical period of time was in the forefront of my mind.

Oh, the agony involved in so much of the history of the children of Israel! How often they forsook God, and turned to the numerous idols of the pagan nations around them! But yet time after time, God was faithful in hearing their cries to Him, and He healed their hearts and restored fellowship with them. Isaiah reminded the people of the greatness
 of God in comparison with the idols of the nations.

As I kept reading, I came to verses 10-31 of the 40^th chapter. My heart thrilled and became overcome with emotion as I felt the prophet's agony. He pleaded with His people to turn away from their worthless idols back to the Lord their God!
 Oh, how he praised and exalted the Lord as he wrote:

“Have you never heard?

Have you never understood?

The Lord is the everlasting God,

the Creator of all the earth,

He never grows weak or weary.

No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to the weak and tired,

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

They will soar high with wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:28-31 (NLT)

Reading the series by Lynn Austin, that particular period of time became real to me in a way that it never had before. So now I am reading the book of Isaiah with a new appreciation of God's unfailing love.
The extent of His forgiveness never fails to amaze me!

“These things happened to them as examples for us.

They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.”

1 Corinthians 10:11

A Beautiful Building

Inconceivable, Yet Believable!

How amazing that God, the creator of the heavens and earth,

could come to this earth as a tiny baby! (John 1; Colossians 1)

Jesus grew up experiencing everything human.

He was cold, He was hungry and thirsty, He was tired.

He suffered inhumanities and indignities, cruel treatment from religious leaders.

As the time drew near for His crucifixion, He agonized over it. John 12:27 records His words:

“Now my soul is deeply troubled, Should I pray,

'Father, save me from this hour'? But this is the very reason I came!

Father, bring glory to Your name.”

In our Ladies Bible Study yesterday, I led the study on Psalm 22. We marveled over the accuracy

of God's written Word, considering the fact that these prophecies were written over a thousand

years before Jesus came to earth as a baby. Some of them are recorded as follows:

It states Christ's dying cry; (Psalm 22:1);

It foretells the Jewish leaders mocking Him (6-8);

It tells of the people who stood watching & insulting Him (12-13);

It records his parched mouth (15);

It foretells his hands and feet being pierced (16);

It tells of the people staring at Him (17);

It foretells His divided garment and the gambling for His robe (18).

These prophecies were fulfilled when Jesus was crucified on the cross. But the story doesn't end

there! He arose from the grave, and is now in heaven, making intercession for us.

“He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to unto God by him,

seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

Hebrews 11:25

Another prophecy yet to be fulfilled is that He will return and reign for ever!

“The kingdoms of this world

are become the kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ:

and He shall reign for ever and ever.”

Revelation 11:15

“At the name of Jesus every knee will bow... and every tongue confess

that Jesus Christ is Lord!” (Philippians 2:10-11)

What is Faith?

I was sitting among a group of people who were having a discussion about the meaning of “Faith.”

Their answers were many: about as many as there were people in the room.
 Everyone seemed to have his or her own idea as to its meaning.

Hebrews 11:1 was among one of the first ideas or verses mentioned:

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.”

I thought of an illustration that my older sister used. It always seemed to help me.

“A missionary was trying to explain 'faith' to an old Indian chief.

He pointed to a chair, and asked the chief to sit down on it.

“The chief hesitated. He had never seen one before.

“So the missionary sat in the chair and said,

“Do you believe me when I say that this chair will hold you if you sit on it?”

“The Indian replied, “Yes, I believe you.

I have faith in you and your word that this chair will hold me.”

“Ok,” the missionary continued. “Please sit down on the chair.”

“The Indian chief picked the chair up, studied it carefully,

and then put it down on the ground again.

Remaining standing, he said assuredly,

“Yes, I believe this chair will hold me!”

And he thanked the missionary. But he didn't sit on it.”

Did the Indian chief really believe? Did he have 'faith' that the chair would hold him? If he did, he would have sat on it. He would have acted on his belief, demonstrating his 'faith.'

“Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen.

It gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord all ye His people,

for He has done wonderful things for you!

Praise Him for allowing my loved one excruciating pain

...so much that she called for medical help.

Praise His holy name.

Praise Him for He gave the doctors wisdom

so they could rightly diagnose her problem

and perform the intricate surgery.

Praise Him for His timing,

for two days more, they say, she would have been dead.

Praise Him for saving her for her children

Praise Him that she can continue to be a help to her husband.

Praise Him for His tender mercies,

Praise His Holy name,

Praise ye the Lord!

This is my Psalm of praise to the Lord this morning.

My praise swells up in my heart as I reflect on how He loves and cares for His children. He is deeply interested in our daily lives. And He is pleased to hear His children give Him thanks and praise. Over the last two and a half years, my granddaughter has had attacks of severe pain. She has had great difficulty being able to eat many foods, so much that she seems to be only skin and bones. Now she is looking forward to being able to eat. So I praise the Lord for He is great and greatly to be praised!

I just finished reading the Psalms this week and agonized with the Psalmist through his many troubles and trials. Through his cries of anguish, he never failed to praise the Lord. He ended them with praise:

Praise ye the Lord.

Praise God in his sanctuary:

Praise him in the firmament of his power.

Praise him for his mighty acts:

Praise him according to his excellent greatness.

Praise him with the sounds of the trumpet:

praise him with the psaltery and harp.

Praise him with the timbrel and dance:

praise him with stringed instruments and organs.

Praise him upon the loud cymbals:

praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.

Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord.

Praise ye the Lord.

Psalm 150

I have a new great-granddaughter! And her name is Grace!

She was born in the early morning hours of Monday, the 20th.

Her parents are a chiropractic doctor and his wife.

She has two brothers and one sister.

She is dearly loved!

'Yes! New life...it is amazing,' I thought to myself, '...the amazing miracle of new life!'

Then I started thinking of her name...Grace! Whenever that word comes to my mind, I think of my husband's acrostic, “God's Riches At Christ's Expense!” I cannot stop myself from repeating it!

The Bible says in John 1:12 that,

“But as many as received Him,

to them He gave the right to become children of God,

to those who believe in His name.”

It is difficult for me to comprehend all that this means. I have believed on Him, and so I am His daughter! I thought of Ephesians 1:5-8 and began to reread it. But sometimes I get hung up on the technical words, so then I turn to my modern translation (NLT) in order to understand the full meaning:

“God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family

by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ.

This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.

So we praise God for the glorious grace

he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son.

He is so rich in kindness and grace

that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.

He has showered his kindness on us along with all wisdom and understanding.”

This truly is amazing! My thoughts continued to dwell of the amazing “Grace” of God. I thought of all that is mine because of being 'born' into God's family. And I thought of the parallel with that tiny little baby who was born
 to my granddaughter and her husband:

I was 'born again' into God's family the day I gave my life to Christ.

My father's name is Jehovah God, the creator of the universe.

I have many brothers and sisters all over the world.

I am dearly loved by my Heavenly Father!

But then, I started thinking of it! It truly IS amazing to think of God's “grace” to human-kind. God, the creator of the whole universe, gives his gift of love to all people everywhere who will receive it.

Cover-Ups

What an object lesson there was for me this morning!

I was going for my morning walk. I was curious to see what was happening, because our streets and driveway were scheduled to be paved. We were instructed to park somewhere else today and tomorrow so we would not be blocked in our garage.

So I started out, early before it became too hot outside. The trucks and equipment were already out. As I walked, I noticed that there was a worker chest-deep in a hole that he had dug along the side of the road. I knew that spot had caved in. Previously, I had seen it and the red cone in the hole warning of danger. As I passed the worker, I remarked,
“It's a hot day to be doing this kind of work!”

He replied, “Yes, that's why we're out here so early, trying to beat the worst of the heat!”

As I continued on my walk I saw another person standing in her driveway, watching the proceedings. She told me that they want to dig down to see what had caused the cave-in and fix that before they resurfaced the road.

After I got home again, it occurred to me how wise it was for the workers to fix the spot properly! It would have been much easier to simply fill the hole and patch it up since it was quite small. The job would have been finished much more quickly.

However, I mused, 'Who knows how long it would have been before there would have been another cave-in,
 maybe a bigger one this time!'

Oh, how easy it is to just patch something up and continue on, trying to cover up the unpleasantness. I realized that this principle can apply in so many areas of life!

In fact, when the Lord Jesus was on earth, he accused the religious leaders of the day of being like unto“whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.” (Matthew 23:27) On the outside their religion appeared to be perfect, but He could see the heart.

The apostle Paul warned that in the last days perilous times would come and people would be,

“having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.”

2 Timothy 3:5

What a deadly cover-up! How foolish to be concerned only about the outward appearance! The workers on our street were wise, they were going to the root of the problem. 1 Samuel 16:7 states:

“Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

Loving the Unlovable

Why is it that sometimes when I am in a hurry or am tired that my circumstances bring me into contact with someone who seems to challenge my love? Sometimes they are even Christians!

Try as I might, that person appears to be quite obnoxious and insensitive. In fact, it seems that he or she might be completely unaware of anyone else around. In other words, selfishness reigns. They are completely blind to others.

What should my response be at times like this? How do I love the unlovable? I know I have to love that person in spite of his attitudes. My thoughts cause me to search God's Word. I think of John 13:1 and Romans 15:3: (Jesus) “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end....even Christ pleased not himself...” I search further and find:

(Jesus said,) This is my commandment,

That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

John 15:12

These things I command you,

that ye love one another.

John 15:17

By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples,

if ye have love one to another.

John 13:35

Love worketh no ill to his neighbour:

therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Romans 13:10

For the love of Christ constrains us;

2 Corinthians 5:14

Owe no man anything, but to love one another:

for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

Let brotherly love continue.

Hebrews 13:1

Beloved let us love one another:

for love is of God;

and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

He that loveth not, knoweth not God,

for God is love.

1 John 4:7-8

Obviously, it is clear that I must love all the members of the family of God, even the unlovable ones. I must allow the love of God which is shed abroad in my heart to flow to everyone I meet (Romans 5:5).

Peace in Midst
 of Turmoil

My son's cat is curled up in the chair next to me. His eyes are seemingly staring at something. However they are not really focused, but instead, he seems close to falling asleep. He appears not to have a care in the world. He has food, shelter, and love. As I stop to watch him, I feel some of his relaxation. I sense that my pulse rate seems to slow. I realize that his world is at peace, and it seems as if he transfers some of that to me.

But then my thoughts were interrupted by the pictures on the television another horrible tornado once again ripping through part of our country. The devastating floods along the Mississippi River also continue to occupy the news. The hopelessness that so many people must feel burdens my soul. It seems that all around there is death and destruction.

Thinking of these dire circumstances, my mind went back to the remarkable concert put on by a large local church in our area. It was of Mendelssohn's, Elijah. Since I had recently finished reading about Elijah in my morning Bible readings, the concert was especially meaningful to me. Elijah was a prophet who lived during the Old Testament days. He also faced dire despair. He thought he was all alone, there was no one who would stand with him. But God opened his eyes to see the mighty armies of the Lord who were present. God also sent him to a place where He provided food, drink, and shelter for him until He was restored. God showed him His mighty power, but His presence was in the still small voice. It struck me that in other words, God was everywhere. It gave me a feeling of peace.

“For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men,

the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5)

“..in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving

let your requests be made known unto God.

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding,

shall keep you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

So like my son's cat, because of his trust in his master, he manifests a peace around him. Because of my trust in God, my Master, I realize that regardless of my surroundings, I can experience peace!

Who Knows?

“...who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14b KJV

What a simple, but yet profound statement! How many times have I contemplated these very words? So often I have heard it said, “Oh, what a coincidence this is!” But really! Is it a coincidence?

Every person has individual backgrounds and experiences. There are no two exactly the same. But this means that each individual has a unique opportunity to be able to help someone else. Who knows what words spoken at just the right time could be what a person needs to hear. Who knows what just one smile can do for some unfortunate being? Or what could one fleeting glance mean to another?

The book of Esther in the Old Testament tells of this phenomenon. Esther was a young, orphaned Jewish girl who was being raised by her uncle. At a critical time in the history of the Jewish people, Esther comes into the picture. There had been a decree that all the Jewish people should be killed. Esther had come into favor with the great King Xerses. In fact, she became his queen. Her ties with the Jewish people were unknown in the court. Her uncle told her of the king's decree and said that she had to go to the King and plead for her people. She became afraid. One simply did not go into the king's presence without being called.
 Because of the urgency of the matter, her uncle said:
“Who knows if perhaps you were made a queen for just such a time as this?” (NLT)

Could it be possible? Could God have worked out all the details years in advance, just so she would be able to save the Jewish race from extinction?

There is certainly no way a person can understand the mind of God. If that were possible, then that person would be God. In fact, the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55:8 of his book, wrote,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.”

No, we do not know what goes on behind the scenes. In hindsight, it is often possible to see how good can come from impossible situations. Sometimes all it takes is the faithfulness of just one person.

My older sister & her husband came to visit this past week. Many times I have thanked the Lord for her. She made such an impression on me as I was growing up. She urged me to memorize Scriptures from a very young age. She rewarded me each time I learned another new verse. At times of crisis in my life, she had special verses that I should memorize. I must have memorized hundreds of them. Often throughout my life, especially when I was in dire circumstances, God's Word has come back to my mind during those times when it was impossible to lay my hands on my Bible. During her years of formal teaching in various colleges, how many young lives did she influence? Who knows if perhaps, unknowing to her, she was there just to influence some who have gone on and influenced thousands of others elsewhere?

May I be aware of those little coincidences, so that I might be ready and willing
 for the Lord to use me!

Nothing is Impossible

“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Luke 18:27

As a child I learned the chorus,

“Nothing is impossible when you put your trust in God;

Nothing is impossible when you're trusting in His Word.

Harken to the voice of God to thee;

“Is there anything too hard for me?”

So put your trust in God alone and rest upon His Word.

For ev'rything, O ev'rything, Yes ev'rything is possible with God.”

“...I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named

that He would grant you, according to the riches of his glory,

to be strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man;

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith;”

“That ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

may be able to comprehend with all saints

what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge,”

“..Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly

above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.”

Ephesians 3:14-19 (KJV)

Comfort from Romans 8

My heart sank as I read the email about my good friend. The cancers in her body have been spreading like wildfire. Besides the cancer in her bones and some organs, now what they thought might be pneumonia turns out to be the cancer spreading into her air passages. It sounds horrible!

But does it get her down? No, instead she said in her inimitable way, “This could seriously stunt my modeling career!” Her faith continues, and her creativity remains even in the midst of dire difficulties!

Her upbeat manner in spite of her suffering reminded me of Romans 8. My heart was blessed as I read,

“Christ lives within you, so even though your body will die because of sin,

the Spirit gives you life because you have been made right with God.

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you.

And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead,

he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Romans 8:10-11

For we know that all creation has been groaning

as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

And we believers also groan,

even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory,

for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering.

We, too, wait with eager hope for the day

when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children,

including the new bodies he has promised us.

Romans 8:22-23

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness.

For example, we don't know what God wants us to pray for.

But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.

And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the spirit is saying,

for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will.

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good

of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:26-28 (NLT)

Am I a Princess?

It might be because I have married a person who was born and raised in England.  But I don't think so.

It might be because I have traveled to England many times, and have even lived there, but I don't think so.

For long before these events were even thought about, I remember as a little child having the Fairy Tale of “The Princess and the Pea” read to me. One night after that, I found a pea and secretly put it under my mattress before I got into bed. I really thought that I might be a princess.

I wonder if other little girls think secretly that they are princesses? Probably so, because there seems to be an unusual amount of interest in the wedding of a prince with a “commoner.” In fact, I do admit that last week I told my husband and my son that I hoped they didn't mind if I watched a lot of TV this week, because I really want to see all I can about the Royal Wedding! They smiled at me, quite amused, I believe. I do enjoy every bit of it that I can see!

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ.” Romans 8:16-17

“Beloved what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us,

that we should be called the children of God!” 1 John 3:1

All right, so I am a child of God when I have trusted in Jesus Christ. But how does that make me a child of a king? The Bible also says:

“For the kingdom is the Lord's, and He rules over the nations.” Psalm 22:28

“For God is my King from of old, working salvation in the midst of the earth.”

Psalm 74:12

“But the Lord is the ... living God and the everlasting King.” Jeremiah 10:10

And the Lord shall be King over all the earth.” Zechariah 14:9

That settles it! I am a child of God, who is King over all the earth. So...I am a princess!

Expect the Unexpected!

“You just go on to Hope's house, because we are held up here. It will be a little while longer
 before we can get away.”

It was quite a normal statement, but there was something in my husband's voice when he called that caught my attention. When I asked about it, he said that he and Pastor Greg had been in a little accident. So they'd be a while, and he'd come when they were done. I should go on home.

Well, that made me even more alert, and I asked him if they were both all right. He assured me that they were, but the police were holding up the traffic from both directions, so it would be a while.

That did it. I felt strongly that I needed to go to him. I told him that I wanted to come, I'd be there as soon as I could. He didn't argue with me, so I was on my way.

After what seemed like an awfully long time, I finally got there. But my heart sank! There were two police cars in addition to two police vans all with their lights flashing. Two Tow Trucks were getting ready to tow the cars away. Thankfully the police let me through, and my husband came quickly in the car with me.

It turns out that they had been driving happily along on their way home from a pastor's luncheon that was held in a restaurant about an hour away. They had been having great fellowship when from behind them, a car, going probably 50-55 mph, had crashed into the rear end of Pastor Greg's car. They were going only about 25 mph, so it was quite an impact – enough to total both vehicles.

Thankfully, both of them were somehow miraculously protected during the sudden unexpected impact. They should have suffered some injuries, not only from the horrible jolt it must have been, but also from the broken glass from the windows. The rear window was completely gone, and the back end of the car was crushed in! Oh! How the Lord must have intervened and protected them miraculously!

As I thought about writing a soliloquy today, I thought about what I had written last week! How quickly things can go wrong! Life seems to have all kinds of surprises! How eloquently James wrote:

Come now, you who say,

“Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city,

spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”;

whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow.

For what is your life?

It is even a vapor that appears for a little time

and then vanishes away.

Instead you ought to say,

“If the Lord wills,

we shall live and do this or that.”

James 4:13-15

How Much Longer

Sadness, Yet Comfort

Amazingly Powerful Prayers

The Final Word: Obedience

Sinners Or Saints?

It is a Challenging Life!

God's Presence and Peace

My Lord Knows
 the Way

The Joy of the Lord
is My Strength

What Love Is This?

The Presence of the Lord

As I was in that state between being asleep and being awake this morning, I felt my feet in the waters of the Gulf. The waves were gently splashing on my feet and ankles. I was looking out over the water at the blue sky and the white fluffy clouds. I sensed the presence of the Lord,
and I found it easy to commune with Him....

Then I awoke, and I realized that it was just a dream. But it was a memory-type dream that I had experienced any number of times during the past years.

However, in spite of these memories, I have learned to be content in our condo this year - even though it is about 10 miles away from the Gulf. And I am learning that there are many advantages of being in this present location. But when my husband suggested that we go to a restaurant on the Gulf this noon because he had errands to run over there, I was delighted!

'Oh my,' I thought! 'The Lord does have a sense of humor!' The temperature was about 65 which is really nice when the sun is shining. But it was an overcast sky. The wind was quite strong! So consequently, I felt cold! I rushed to get into the restaurant!

However, when we were seated at a table so that we could look at the Gulf, I noticed that even though it was nice, the water looked cold. The memory of how strong the winds could be on such days came back to me. Sometimes it felt as though I were in a wind tunnel!

When I remembered these things, I was then increasingly grateful for our present location even though it was several miles away from the Gulf. I earnestly thanked the Lord for His continued guidance in our lives. Indeed, time and time again, He has proven that He does know best!

So now we are looking for some place for our daughter to live when we leave, someplace where we can also live with her next winter when we return. We were pleased because we felt that we had found the perfect place. However, something came up that we couldn't have that house. So once again, we were being tested. Do we really believe that the Lord is going before us? It is so easy to become anxious and overly concerned.

I had often thought that the Lord's presence was especially around the waters of the Gulf. But no, He is just as much here, wherever I might be! I remembered the time that Elijah thought that he was totally alone. He desperately wanted to see the Lord! He looked in the strong winds. But he thought that the Lord wasn't there. He looked in the mighty mountains, but again it seemed that the Lord wasn't there. He kept looking for Him, until finally he realized that the Lord was speaking in a still small voice.
He was there with Him all the time (1Kings 19).

Hebrews 13:5-6 instructs me,

“Be content with such things as you have.

For He Himself has said,“I will never leave you nor forsake you.

So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper....”

How Should I Do What I Do?

Faith or Works

Happiness and Help

Last Sunday, my husband was preaching in a city about an hour away from us. I accompanied the pianist on their organ for the congregational singing, and I played my little harp. I also accompanied a soloist on the piano. It was a blessed Sunday service!

But we found out that the Gospel Team from the Bible College that we had attended close to 60 years ago were going to be putting on a concert in the evening! We were excited,
 and decided to stay so we could meet and hear them!

After a full afternoon of being with other people, we went back to the church for the special service. We were happy to see that the daughter of our pastor back in MI was singing with the group. But the biggest surprise for me was when the group introduced themselves. I heard the name of a young lady that was very familiar to me. Every morning I had been praying for her since she began her training there a year and a half ago. She was my prayer daughter!

When the service ended, I found her and introduced myself. She might have been taken aback a bit with my familiarity in giving her a hug! But she seemed very special to me. I felt close to her since I had brought her before the Throne of Grace every morning since I had received her name from the
wife of the president of the college.

Then I thought of the other dear saints who are in that location. They all mean such a lot to me, they are my family away from my other family members. The pastor's wife had recently said goodbye to her husband of 60 some years who had just gone to be with the Lord. My heart especially goes out to her. She also is in my prayers, sometimes several times a day. Then there are others who, even though they are happy that he is with the Lord, are nonetheless missing him. It was good that the Gospel Team could be at their church.

As I was pondering the close ties with all these people, I thought what a comfort it is to be able to have the Lord close beside me. How I appreciate the privilege of being able to go to Him in prayer at any time of the day or night. I thought of the little boy that my daughter told me about. He had recently written a note to God on Facebook asking Him, “Why are there so many problems in school?” God replied:
 “Don't know, son, I'm not allowed in school.”

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of Grace,

that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

With all of the concerns and problems that are increasing around the world, I am very thankful for all my dear friends who bring me such happiness. I'm thankful also to know that God is merciful
 and is ready to give grace to help in time of need.

Contentment!

Another New Year