Never Too Old . . .

I'll never outgrow Vacation Bible School!!

This week the boys and girls of our church/community are visiting Nazareth where Jesus grew up. And it has been so much fun! Along with the fun and because of the fun, God's Word has come alive - through the songs, which you see on the screen above; through drama, games and crafts; through amazing decorations and props. His Word has been the focus of it all . . . simple yet profound words . . . timeless truths that children of all ages can grasp and hide away in their hearts . . . words to live by.

My heart has been touched and encouraged each night as these key verses have been highlighted:

For nothing is impossible with God. (Luke 1:37)
I have called you by name; you are mine. (Isaiah 43:1)
There is more than enough room in my Father's house. (John 14:2)

I sometimes wonder why we big kids make living for Jesus so complicated. I think that's one reason I love VBS so much! For a few hours each night I see firsthand simple, child-like faith . . . eyes filled with wonder . . . ears open to hear more . . . expectant excitement. I don't want to ever get too old for that kind of experience and lifestyle!

VBS . . . a Very Bright Spot in my summer - one that I don't plan to outgrow!!

In spite of the storms . . .
In spite of the extreme heat . . .

It blooms . . . beautifully!

The Other Side

I opened my Bible this morning and turned to the passage for today's devotional, but instead my eyes fell on these verses . . . and not "by accident," I'm sure!

²³And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.

²⁴And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

²⁵And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.

²⁶And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.

²⁷But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

²⁸And when he was come to the other side. . .

Matthew 8:23-28b (KJV)

We can be sure we'll get to the "other side" if Jesus is in the boat with us. No matter how violent the storm. No matter how terrified we may be . . . and even when it seems that He's asleep or unconcerned. Sometimes we have no idea where the other side is. But if He says, "Let's go to the other side," as is recorded in Luke 8:22, in His time we'll step out of the boat and onto the shore. Not just sometimes . . . but every time.

And one day, after we've safely crossed our last storm-tossed lake, we'll be Home - on the other side!!

This old song that we sang in years past comes to my mind:

Master, the tempest is raging; the billows are tossing high.
The sky is o'er shadowed with blackness; no shelter or help is nigh.
Carest Thou not that we perish?
How canst Thou lie asleep, when each moment so madly is threatening
a grave in the angry deep?

Chorus:
The winds and the waves shall obey my will.
Peace be still; peace be still.
Whether the wrath of the storm-tossed sea
or demons, or men, or whatever it be.
No water can swallow the ship where lies
the Master of ocean and earth and skies.
They shall sweetly obey my will.
Peace be still, peace be still.
They all shall sweetly obey my will.
Peace, peace be still.

Master, the terror is over, the elements sweetly rest.
Earth's sun in the calm lake is mirrored, and heaven's within my breast.
Linger, O blessed Redeemer; leave me alone no more.
And with joy I shall make the blest harbor
and rest on the blissful shore.
~Mary Baker~

Sing Along . . .

Today John David hung this reminder over the door of the new portable building . . . the one that replaces the one the storm demolished. It was His amazing grace that protected our house - and us - as the tornado raged around us a few months ago. And that's just one of countless times His grace has protected and kept and guided. Even in the bad times . . . when our lives seem to be turned upside down, His grace has been sufficient. He said it would be. It is. Not that we've deserved it or earned it or been "good" enough. He's poured His grace on us - and you - because He loves us . . . unconditionally. I can't wrap my mind around that kind of love, but I'm so glad He wraps His everlasting arms around me! That's what makes it so amazing! Add to that the fact that His supply of grace never runs out; it's always enough! Well . . . the old hymn says it best! Sing along!

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come.
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

~John Newton~

Grace, grace, God's grace -
Grace that is greater than all our sin!

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
Freely bestowed on all who believe . . .
~Julia M. Johnston~

Hang On!

Sometimes life gets a little complicated - or a lot complicated . . .
and requires us to sacrifice ease and comfort.
Some solutions demand that we think outside the box . . .
and forget how everybody else is doing it.
But if we keep our eyes on The Prize . . .
no matter how far we must strain our necks -
we'll be rewarded.


Persevere . . . hang on!

(I took this pic of the beautiful red-headed woodpecker through my window looking at the feeder that hangs a few feet away on the front porch.)

Tangles

Ever watched a child try to get a knot untangled in his or her shoelaces . . . and give up? Then without a second thought, pull the tied shoe on and run off to play until Mama or Daddy - or someone who can - gets the shoelace untangled.

I thought of that this morning as I read these words in Streams in the Desert: Much of the life of faith consists of letting things alone. . . . It is such a comfort to drop the tangles of life into God's hands and leave them there.

Why would I want to resist that comfort?

I hear the answer and I don't like it.

Lord, help my unbelief.

God will make a way
where there seems to be no way.
He works in ways we cannot see;
He will make a way for me.
~Lyrics by Don Moen~

Lead Me, Lord . . .

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

~Robert Frost~


Your plans for me are perfect;
I never need to fear,
For though at times I feel alone
I know that you are near.
My heart just longs to follow;
I'm willing to obey.
Take my hand and lead me;
I will follow all the way.
~Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir~

Blessed

Sitting on my couch, I can look out the window across the room and see the American flag blowing in the breeze . . . and I realize again how blessed I am! Old Glory still evokes in me feelings of patriotism and love of my country.

On the table beside the window lies John David's Bible . . . one of many copies we own. How blessed we are to live in America where we can have as many Bibles as we wish, we can openly display them, and more importantly, we can read His Word without fear.

I know these freedoms and countless others were bought with a great price. Freedom is never free! And so as we approach the birthday of our great country, I say "Thank you! Thank you!" to the brave men and women who have paid the price for my freedom - both in the past and those who are defending my freedom this very moment.

God bless America . . . and God bless those serving in the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy and Marines!

Detours

Detours . . . we don't like them!

Not when we're traveling the highways and interstates . . . and not in our life journeys. But friend Roz reminds us of the road God's children are traveling: It's the Highway of Holiness; the road is marked for us!

We can be sure as His obedient children that every detour takes us closer to the SON - even when it doesn't look that way through our earthly eyes!

When God has another plan - walk on and just say yes.
When God has another plan - be assured that He knows best.
~Lyrics by Taranda Greene~

When it pours . . .

When it rains, it pours!

No, I'm not talking about the wonderful rain we've received and are so thankful for. I'm thinking of the troubles, difficulties, illnesses and tragedy that have "rained" down on the families of our church and community within the last few months. With each phone call or text or message relaying more bad news, it seems that a little more breath is knocked out of me.

It's at these moments I must be still and be reminded that He is still God and is in control. I CAN trust Him - always - even when I don't understand. I like the words of the song that say:

God is too wise to be mistaken.
God is too good to be unkind.
So when you don’t understand,
When you don’t see His plan,
When you can’t trace His hand, trust His heart.

Easy to do? I never said that!

Did you notice in the above pic of the salt box that the timeless little girl is spilling out her salt in the pouring rain? I see a lesson in that for us - for me . . . and it's not one that most of us ace on the first test! Do you think God says to us, when a deluge of troubles almost sweeps us off our feet, "Someone is watching. Don't give up your faith! Be the salt of the earth in the midst of your trials. I can use you - in spite of your feelings of weakness - to touch those around you. I can be glorified. Carry the umbrella of my promises - but let your salt pour!"


(Edit: Words to song by Babbie Mason and Eddie Carswell)

Wonder-full!

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child.
There are seven million.

~Walt Streightiff~

I love watching kids play . . . and I love their creativity! Yes, they enjoy all the tech toys that are available to them, but they can also create a wonderland from almost nothing.

That's what Aiden, Isaac, and Abby did when they were here last week . . . and what they always do during their visits. Just give them a few quilts to hang over the bunk bed and a chair or two, and suddenly the "kids' room" is transformed into a fort. Tie a flashlight to the slats of the bunk bed, and play begins. Well . . . actually building the fort was as much fun for them as playing inside it, I think!

Years from now, I hope they look back on these days and remember the joys of creating . . . and play that cost nothing . . . and working as a team . . . and finding pleasure in the simple things. And I hope they can still picture the amazing creativity of the MawMaw, the great-grandmother they never knew. She made the beautiful quilts that form the walls of their fort, so it was almost as if her creative hands encircled them as they played inside their hideaway.

Creativity comes in so many forms and is expressed in so many ways - and is no respecter of age. But seeing the world through the wonder-filled eyes of a child is priceless!

But I can think of one thing more special . . . and that's seeing the world and people through the eyes of The Creator, who looked at the works of His hands and said, "It is good."

And I look back on the fun-filled, kids-at-play days of last week, and I, too, can say, "It is good."

Appreciating Beauty . . . in People and Sunsets

One of the most satisfying experiences I know is fully to appreciate
an individual in the same way I appreciate a sunset. When I look
at a sunset...I don't find myself saying,
'Soften the orange a little more
on the right hand corner, and put a bit more purple along the base,
and use a little more pink in the cloud color...'
I don't try to control a sunset.
I watch it with awe as it unfolds.
~Carl Rogers~

Fun Times

All four grands are here!! Busy times . . . fun times . . . memory-making time!

I'll cross that bridge when I get to it . . .

I often find myself trying to cross bridges that are out ahead of me.

I have an idea some of you know what I'm talking about . . . and so you know how draining that is - emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Too late I realize that all my stewing and worrying and planning and trying to figure things out "sensibly" never move me ahead one inch! Sometimes I simply get ahead of God. And that means I'm not letting Him BE God in my life.

But He's teaching . . . and I'm trying to be a better student, a better listener, a better follower. Life is just too short and precious to wrap myself up in a blanket of worry and fear! Why should I even want to do that when He offers me His hand to hold and His loving arms around me? Lord, help me . . .

Tomorrow's bridge is a dangerous thing;
I dare not cross it now.
I can see its timbers sway and swing,
And its arches reel and bow.
O heart, you must hope alway;
You must sing and trust and say:
"I'll bear the sorrow that comes tomorrow,
But I'll borrow none today."
~copied from Streams in the Desert~


Jesus will walk with me; He will talk with me.
In joy or in sorrow, today and tomorrow,
I know He will walk with me.
~Lyrics by Haldor Lillenas~

If love says anything . . .

Love covers a multitude of sins. I Peter 4:8

That Bible verse can easily be misinterpreted. We know that we can't forgive or remove sins. Only the blood of Jesus does that! So what does it mean? I like what Max Lucado says about it:

Have you ever heard anyone gossip about someone you know? . . .
What do you have to say?
Here is what love says: Love says nothing. Love stays silent. “Love covers a multitude of sins.” Love doesn’t expose. It doesn’t gossip. If love says anything, love speaks words of defense. Words of kindness. Words of protection.

Words to live by . . . words that get right down where we live . . . words that I need to be reminded of often!

They will know we are Christians by our love . . . by our love.
Yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
~Lyrics by Peter Scholtes~

Shipment Received!

In all states of dilemma or of difficulty, prayer is an available source.
The ship of prayer may sail through all temptations, doubts and fears, straight up to the throne of God; and though she may be outward bound with only griefs, and groans, and sighs, she shall return freighted with a wealth of blessings!

~C. H. Spurgeon~

Today the ship of prayer returned to our friends, church and community loaded with a miracle! Surgery was scheduled this morning for a dear friend - a surgery that would have taken her leg. But God heard our prayers - individual prayers, small group prayers, and corporate prayers - and she still has her leg! The doctor was amazed at what he saw when he began the surgery this morning; the damage was not nearly as extensive as he expected! Nothing short of a miracle!

Our hearts are full and running over! We give HIM all the praise! We needed a miracle. God honored our sincere, believing prayers and sent us that miracle - one that has touched and will touch our friend, her family, and our church and community. I believe it is the spark that will set our hearts aflame with hope and faith and will be a constant, very real reminder that our God can do anything! Our God IS an awesome God!

This song I sang as a child came to my mind today:

God can do anything,
anything,
anything.
God can do anything
but fail!

(Note: I took the photo on St. Simon's Island - GA.)

Ode of Remembrance

(Monument - Friendship Cemetery)

They went with songs to the battle, they were young.

Straight of limb, true of eyes, steady and aglow.

They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,

They fell with their faces to the foe.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them

~ Excerpt from For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon - 1914~

Our God, the Creator of the universe, is also God of the little details.
He grows the mighty oak tree . . . but the tiniest blooms are His handiwork, too.
It's just that our eyes don't always see the almost-hidden beauty all around us.

I'm thankful His eyes and ears and big heart never miss any detail in our lives.
He's concerned about the big, overwhelming problems,
but the little things matter to Him, too.

And He never fails to see the "little things" we do . . . those acts of kindness that no one else knows about . . . the prayers we pray . . . the behind-the-scenes
service to others. In fact, I think these are the very things He sees as most beautiful in our lives.

I agree with the songwriter: Little is much if God is in it!
And if God is in it, He'll make something beautiful of it!
That's the way His amazing one-size-fits-all Love works!

Refreshing!!

If you've ever stepped into the cold, clear water of a creek like the one above, you know just how refreshing it feels. If you haven't . . . you've missed a simple country pleasure!

If you've ever felt the Living Water seep into your dry soul and wash over your weary body and mind, you know how refreshing it feels. If you haven't . . . you've missed a free, life-changing gift! A gift that ANYONE can accept!

In shady green pastures so rich and so sweet,
God leads His dear children along.
Where the water's cool flow bathes the weary one's feet,
God leads His dear children along.
~Lyrics by G.A. Young~

Life Songs

(Three generations)

In our daily living, we sing our own songs of kindness and faith.
Then, touched by those songs, others will whistle kindness and faith
in their own lives. If that's the case, then all our remembering
is not about aging or nostalgia. Instead, it's about being part of a great procession
stretched across the years.
~Michael - via Holiness Today Facebook~

New Heights

We have to be braver than we think we can be,
because God is constantly calling us
to be more than we are.
~Madeline L'Engle~

I don't like heights!
Especially heights over water!
And especially a looonnnnggg, high cable-stayed bridge like this one in Georgia!

But to reach our destination, it was our only route.
So, trusting that the cables would hold - and that the architects and engineers knew what they were doing - we drove onto the arching span, going higher and higher before beginning the descent. It surely was comforting to see land on the other side!

I think our journey as Christians is like that. God is always calling us to greater heights . . . in our relationship with Him and others. He calls us to new heights in our commitment . . . in trusting Him . . . in sacrificial service . . . in growing more like Him.

And it's often scary because the heights take us out of our comfort zones. But He never calls us anywhere that He doesn't go with us. We just forget that in the midst of the climb sometimes. And then He reminds us to be strong and courageous and to trust Him, the Architect and Engineer of our lives. Bravery isn't the absence of fear; it's obeying and moving on in spite of it. It's trusting that the cables will hold!

Growing . . . reaching new heights . . . it's the only route to victorious living. Staying on course with our focus on our Guide will eventually lead us to a place that's out of this world!

And it'll surely be comforting to see the other side!

Lord, lift me up and let me stand
By faith on Heaven's table land.
A higher plane than I have found -
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
~Johnson Oatman, Jr.~

Added note: The quote is by Art Urban . . . thought I had that on the pic!

Shaken but Not Moved

Storm descends.
Thunder rumbles.
Lightning explodes.
Rain floods.
Wind topples.
Shelter shakes.
Fear grips.
Faith clings.

Anchor holds!

(Note: From earlier posts you know that this big oak tree, among others, was splintered and blown down on a storage shed. The next morning it was amazing to find these two bird feeders firmly in place amidst all the storm damage.)

A Work in Progress

This pic, which I snapped from my front porch, says so much about the activity here (in Louisiana, Ginny). Workers from several states are in our area trying to get power on for so many of us. We still don't have power, but we are OK. Slowly, progress is being made, and many homes do now have electricity.

We are continuing to work in our yard, and John David was able to replace the shingles that were blown off. It will take quite a while to clean up everything, but that's OK! We're alive and our house is standing. No lives were lost; we've not heard of any injuries! AMAZING . . . when you see mangled trees strewn across yards, the woods, and across many roads.

I want to thank all of my blogger friends for your kind and caring words - and for your prayers. I won't be able to thank each of you personally, but I really appreciate every comment. Please continue to pray for those in Alabama who've lost so much.

God is good . . . in the good times and in the bad times . . . when things are calm and everything is in its place . . . and when "normal" is suddenly swept away. It's comforting to know that His eyes never leave us . . . and our Rock never moves!

The Lord's our Rock; in Him we hide -
A shelter in the time of storm.
Secure whatever ill betide,
A shelter in the time of storm.

The raging storms may round us beat -
A shelter in the time of storm.
We'll never leave our safe retreat,
A shelter in the time of storm.
~Lyrics by Ira Sankey~

"Stuff" is so temporary . . .

You've seen my roses, which we planted in front of a portable storage shed.

At one end of the bed, I placed potted plants around an old well to hide its ugliness. I was enjoying the beauty of it all . . .
Until this happened early Wednesday morning about 1:00 . . .
A tornado hasn't been confirmed here, but I'm sure that's what we experienced. It was so very scary! We hovered in a tiny closet and prayed . . . I prayed right out loud as unbelievable winds roared and things hit the house. But God was with us in a miraculous way. John David and I are safe, and the only damage to our house is missing shingles. The portable buildings didn't fare so well, as you can see. My crushed rose bushes are now under the mangled aluminum building, and trees and limbs and debris cover most of our yard. Of course, we lost power, which won't be recovered for some time.

We are so thankful for family and friends who came to our rescue in many ways. Progress is slow, but as you can see below, things are looking better. I know losing the big old oak is trivial compared to what's happened in Alabama - I DO realize that - but it's kinda' like losing an old friend. And it was the only shade on that side of the house. It stood tall just a few feet from our back door, so it was a miracle that it fell away from our house.

My heart goes out to those in Alabama - and other places - who've lost loved ones and all their earthly possessions. Aren't you glad that if we know Him, we can have hope in the midst of unspeakable tragedy?

I realize more than ever that "stuff" is so temporary and can be destroyed in the blink of an eye. I don't want to be too attached to my "stuff"! With God's help I want to keep my focus on the goal . . . on things that are eternal.

Morning Comes

(Photo taken in 2010)

Our Easter morning began early - 5:00 to be exact. We had coffee and drove a few miles down the road to a hilltop farm/ranch where I spent many happy hours growing up. Uncle Younger and Aunt Rena Mae were like second parents to me, and I miss them. If they were looking down on us yesterday, I'm sure they were pleased at what they saw and heard.

Arriving in the dark moments before morning, we carried our lawn chairs into the pasture and joined others who had come to celebrate His resurrection. Our chairs facing the eastern skies, we prayed, we sang, and we remembered that first Easter morning - when morning came and mourning departed. Then Came the Morning, a song that means so very much to me, played on a battery-operated boom box and we sang along . . . and we watched as morning light replaced the darkness. A tinge of pink began to color the eastern sky. A cool breeze blew across the pasture, and the presence of our Risen Saviour swept across our hearts . . . the perfect beginning for an Easter morning!

That was enough encouragement and promise and hope, but God, who knows exactly where we are, added more assurance. It was an amazing "God moment"! As we pulled onto the highway, I turned up the radio - which I always have tuned to XM Enlighten. You wanna' guess what song was playing? You got it . . . and I GOT it:

Then came the morning; night turned into day.
The stone was rolled away; hope rose with the dawn.
Then came the morning; shadows vanished before the sun.
Death had lost and Life had won, for morning had come.

It is a morning I'll always remember and revisit when I'm tempted to give up in the dark times. Morning always follows the night, no matter how long that night may seem. The Risen Jesus is a God of mornings! He's not a God of coincidences, so it didn't "just happen" that I read these words from Our Daily Bread this morning:

"If you believe that the Son of God died and rose again," writes George MacDonald, "your whole future is full of the dawn of eternal morning, coming up beyond the hills of life, and full of such hope as the highest imagination for the poet has not a glimmer yet." . . . Since we have this life and the next, we don't have to "have it all" now. We can live in broken and ruined bodies for a time; we can endure poverty and hardship for a while; we can face loneliness , heartache and pain for a season. Why? There is a second birth -- life in heaven forever.

~David Roper~

Bed of Roses

Life is like a rose garden.

Watch for the thorns and keep the pest dust handy.

~copied~

(This pic shows my roses with their first blooms this year.)

Lest I forget . . .

Something to think about . . . from the pen of Max Lucado:

When God entered time and became a man, he who was boundless became bound. Imprisoned in flesh. Restricted by weary-prone muscles and eyelids. For more than three decades, his once limitless reach would be limited to the stretch of an arm, his speed checked to the pace of human feet. . .

Stop and think about this. Not once did Christ use his supernatural powers for personal comfort. With one word he could’ve transformed the hard earth into a soft bed, but he didn’t. With a wave of his hand, he could’ve boomeranged the spit of his accusers back into their faces, but he didn’t. With an arch of his brow, he could’ve paralyzed the hand of the soldier as he braided the crown of thorns. But he didn’t. . .

Want to know the coolest thing about the One who gave up the crown of heaven for a crown of thorns?

He did it for you. Just for you.

~Excerpt from Max Lucado in his book His Name Is Jesus~


King of my life, I crown Thee now;
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.
Lest I forget Gethsemane; lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.
~Lead Me to Calvary - Jennie Evelyn Hussey 1874-1958~

Imperfection is not synonymous with ugliness . . . nor does it imply worthlessness.
Not in God's eyes. I like the words Paul penned in II Corinthians 4, as found in The Message:

If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness.
We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That's to prevent anyone from confusing God's incomparable power with us.
As it is, there's not much chance of that.
You know for yourselves that we're not much to look at.
We've been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we're not demoralized;
we're not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do;
we've been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn't left our side;
we've been thrown down, but we haven't broken.

Even if our pots are cracked, His light can shine through those imperfections, and His beauty can be seen in our ordinary lives.