"Oh, look!" I said to Howard today, "This coupon in the paper is good for 50% off lunch for age 65 and over!" It was a fun Italian place where we loved their Fettuccine Alfredo.
"Let's eat there today!" I suggested, to which my agreeable husband consented. I carefully cut out the coupon and laid it down to use a little later when we went to town.
Ordering our food, I checked with the waitress that it was half-price. "With the coupon," she reminded me. Then realized I had left the coupon at home! I told the waitress that I had cut it out, but forgot to bring it, confident that it didn't matter, since the last time we were there, I had the coupon and it wasn't even used!
The kind waitress checked with the cashier and came back saying they were to staple the coupon onto the ticket! Well, we ate anyway, sharing the generous meal between us, as we usually did. It was still a bargain, and delicious.
Later a thought popped into my head. What if we had to have a ticket to get into Heaven and we didn't have one? What if we had carelessly disregarded our ticket and lost out? Kind of like the 5 foolish virgins in Matthew 25 who let their lamps go out and couldn't go to the wedding feast. Of course, Jesus has secured a place in Heaven for all who have believed on Him and lived for Him.
I was with Howard yesterday when a farm supply employee was helping him load animal feed into our van. He handed her one of the scripture cards he carries and I wondered what her reaction would be. She took the card and read it, then clasped it to her chest and said, "I'm going to keep this forever!" It read, "O taste and see that the Lord is good." Psalm 34:8. A taste that no restaurant meal could ever equal!
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Trees
Leaves are fluttering in the wind as they are blown from the trees on this acreage. It is a beautiful sight when colors of yellow, red, and orange seem to blanket the sky in their swirl to the ground. Like children, we revel in the crunch of leaves that cover the ground like a golden carpet.
Though the trees offer up their colorful cloaks, all is not lost. They stand stoically, with only a little bending to the wind. Gradually apparent are the tree's bones, hidden these past months. Now they stand in all their strength, gracefulness, and beauty, something not revealed in the fruitfulness of summer.
It is reminiscent of our elderly. Their beauty and attire are gradually being dismantled from their youthful, sturdy frames. Little by little, they are diminished. Suddenly their children are grown and no longer with them. The retirement they looked forward to is lonelier than they thought. No use to don office or work attire, hanging in the closet unused.
But like the trees, they exhibit strength and perseverance. They are beautiful in their age and grace to face the winter. Full of wisdom, they have seen many seasons, shading and protecting, bearing the brunt of storms, bending, but not breaking.
Isaiah 61:3 describes God's faithful: "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."
Though the trees offer up their colorful cloaks, all is not lost. They stand stoically, with only a little bending to the wind. Gradually apparent are the tree's bones, hidden these past months. Now they stand in all their strength, gracefulness, and beauty, something not revealed in the fruitfulness of summer.
It is reminiscent of our elderly. Their beauty and attire are gradually being dismantled from their youthful, sturdy frames. Little by little, they are diminished. Suddenly their children are grown and no longer with them. The retirement they looked forward to is lonelier than they thought. No use to don office or work attire, hanging in the closet unused.
But like the trees, they exhibit strength and perseverance. They are beautiful in their age and grace to face the winter. Full of wisdom, they have seen many seasons, shading and protecting, bearing the brunt of storms, bending, but not breaking.
Isaiah 61:3 describes God's faithful: "To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified."
Saturday, October 27, 2018
The Power Cord
"Your battery is very low." These ominous, electronic words greeted me when I turned on my computer. I quickly plugged in the power cord, and I was up and running again!
"Your battery is very low." So I didn't have to be told to realize that! My battery often runs low when I am tired, out of sorts, or in my spiritual life. I can rest or eat something for the first two, but I have to take up my Bible and read, or be more prayerful to feel better spiritually.
Other times that my battery runs low are when a service or two at church is missed, or when I don't go to Sunday morning breakfast at church or to a Wednesday evening meal with the fellowship of friends.
Apparently, breaking bread together, or eating together, is very important! Of the early church, scripture says, "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers," Acts 2:42.
In another place we find, "On the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to leave the next day, preached to them and continued his message until midnight," Acts 20:7.
Batteries need to be recharged at times. Nothing is worse than to get into a car and find that the battery is dead. We can recharge our spiritual batteries if we follow the admonition of I Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore encourage one another and edify one another, just as you are doing."
David encouraged himself in the Lord by singing in Psalm 13:6, but I find the best way to encourage myself is to plug in my spiritual power cord!
"Your battery is very low." So I didn't have to be told to realize that! My battery often runs low when I am tired, out of sorts, or in my spiritual life. I can rest or eat something for the first two, but I have to take up my Bible and read, or be more prayerful to feel better spiritually.
Other times that my battery runs low are when a service or two at church is missed, or when I don't go to Sunday morning breakfast at church or to a Wednesday evening meal with the fellowship of friends.
Apparently, breaking bread together, or eating together, is very important! Of the early church, scripture says, "They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers," Acts 2:42.
In another place we find, "On the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to leave the next day, preached to them and continued his message until midnight," Acts 20:7.
Batteries need to be recharged at times. Nothing is worse than to get into a car and find that the battery is dead. We can recharge our spiritual batteries if we follow the admonition of I Thessalonians 5:11: "Therefore encourage one another and edify one another, just as you are doing."
David encouraged himself in the Lord by singing in Psalm 13:6, but I find the best way to encourage myself is to plug in my spiritual power cord!
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Happy Memories
Seeing the pictures of our granddaughter Corrin's engagement has made me reflect on memories of when she was a baby and as a little girl. When the time of her birth drew near, we moved from Wichita, Kansas, where Howard had a position in a large church, back to Mississippi to be near them. Our daughter, Amy, an RN, planned to go back to work soon after the baby was born. I was only too happy to care for Corrin!
I loved giving her a tiny, 2 ounce bottle, then burping her and giving her another one. Fun as it was, I had no problem relinquishing the cuddly bundle to her parents after work! She grew and delighted us, idolizing her big brother, Reid, who was three. She copied and learned from him, putting up with being the brunt of his boisterous play which she adored.
By the time little sister, Rachel was on the scene, we had become pastors of a church some 40 miles away on the Gulf Coast, but I still managed to take care of the kids. Since they weren't in school yet, they often spent the night with us at our house near Gulfport.
The little girls wouldn't sleep in the guest room unless I lay down with them, one on each side. I remember removing them from my outstretched arms and creeping back to my own bed, unless they caught me and demanded my return!
It was the same way on trips back and forth from their house. Nothing would do, but I sat in the back seat between them while they napped, Rachel's head on my lap on one side and Corrin's on the other! Oh, the days!
One day when they were a little bigger, I heard Rachel, 4, ask Corrin, only 17 months older, "Corrin, do you know everything?" to which Corrin responded, "No, no one knows everything, but God and PaPa!"
They loved following him around as he puttered away taking care of rabbits, cows, and a goat. Sometimes Howard would meet their daddy half-way to get the kids, and when they drove in the driveway, Corrin wouldn't stop at the house, but would grab a bucket and head for the barn to feed the animals.
My heart almost stopped one day when Reid and Corrin had disappeared from the yard, and after much calling and searching we ran down to the pond, some distance from the house. There they sat in our boat in the middle of the pond, with no life-jackets on! Reid was 8 and Corrin was five.
Now they live in Georgia and we in Oklahoma, but they always live in our hearts. We are grateful that our granddaughter has found the love of her life, and her heart is full!
I loved giving her a tiny, 2 ounce bottle, then burping her and giving her another one. Fun as it was, I had no problem relinquishing the cuddly bundle to her parents after work! She grew and delighted us, idolizing her big brother, Reid, who was three. She copied and learned from him, putting up with being the brunt of his boisterous play which she adored.
By the time little sister, Rachel was on the scene, we had become pastors of a church some 40 miles away on the Gulf Coast, but I still managed to take care of the kids. Since they weren't in school yet, they often spent the night with us at our house near Gulfport.
The little girls wouldn't sleep in the guest room unless I lay down with them, one on each side. I remember removing them from my outstretched arms and creeping back to my own bed, unless they caught me and demanded my return!
It was the same way on trips back and forth from their house. Nothing would do, but I sat in the back seat between them while they napped, Rachel's head on my lap on one side and Corrin's on the other! Oh, the days!
One day when they were a little bigger, I heard Rachel, 4, ask Corrin, only 17 months older, "Corrin, do you know everything?" to which Corrin responded, "No, no one knows everything, but God and PaPa!"
They loved following him around as he puttered away taking care of rabbits, cows, and a goat. Sometimes Howard would meet their daddy half-way to get the kids, and when they drove in the driveway, Corrin wouldn't stop at the house, but would grab a bucket and head for the barn to feed the animals.
My heart almost stopped one day when Reid and Corrin had disappeared from the yard, and after much calling and searching we ran down to the pond, some distance from the house. There they sat in our boat in the middle of the pond, with no life-jackets on! Reid was 8 and Corrin was five.
Now they live in Georgia and we in Oklahoma, but they always live in our hearts. We are grateful that our granddaughter has found the love of her life, and her heart is full!
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
The Threefold Cord
Getting ready to go to a ladies' fellowship breakfast this morning, I reached for a necklace that would go perfectly with my blouse. It had two long strands of tiny, red beads and one long strand of shiny little black beads. I had bought it a few years back when my daughter-in-love took me to a fun accessory store called "Charming Charlie's" in picturesque Georgetown, Texas.
As soon as I put the string of beads around my neck, I heard a pecking, staccato sound at my feet. I looked down to see a peppering of red beads on the floor! Oh, no! I tried in vain to catch them as the beads continued to rain down!
What to do? Well, I still had a black strand and one red one, so I grabbed some scissors and clipped off the offending cord. I wore the abbreviated necklace and no one was the wiser!
Somehow the phrase, "A three-fold cord is not easily broken," popped into my head. It is from a scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:12, which reads, "And if someone might overpower another by himself, two together can withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken."
This can apply to marriage. A couple may have a strong union as their lives are intertwined, but if Jesus is added to become a third person in their relationship, it is a union that is not easily broken! Unlike my beads that fell hopelessly to the floor, Jesus is a like a strong tower of support to strengthen or mend the marriage!
I had scurried all over the floor to pick up the scattered beads that could easily cause a fall. If we trust and call on our Savior, He is there to pick up the pieces of broken hearts and put them back together as one again! Something I could never do with a string of beads!
As soon as I put the string of beads around my neck, I heard a pecking, staccato sound at my feet. I looked down to see a peppering of red beads on the floor! Oh, no! I tried in vain to catch them as the beads continued to rain down!
What to do? Well, I still had a black strand and one red one, so I grabbed some scissors and clipped off the offending cord. I wore the abbreviated necklace and no one was the wiser!
Somehow the phrase, "A three-fold cord is not easily broken," popped into my head. It is from a scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:12, which reads, "And if someone might overpower another by himself, two together can withstand him. A threefold cord is not quickly broken."
This can apply to marriage. A couple may have a strong union as their lives are intertwined, but if Jesus is added to become a third person in their relationship, it is a union that is not easily broken! Unlike my beads that fell hopelessly to the floor, Jesus is a like a strong tower of support to strengthen or mend the marriage!
I had scurried all over the floor to pick up the scattered beads that could easily cause a fall. If we trust and call on our Savior, He is there to pick up the pieces of broken hearts and put them back together as one again! Something I could never do with a string of beads!
Monday, October 22, 2018
Right Angle
A fork was stuck sideways in the utensil rack of the dishwasher. Try as I might, I couldn't get it out! I gave up and just didn't notice it anymore. Then the other day I was removing silverware from the basket I had put on the counter. Picking it up, I tilted the basket, and presto! the fork fell out effortlessly!
That's all it took! Just moving it to a different angle! How many times can we solve a problem by looking at it from a different angle? I get in the habit of doing things the same way, then when I make a change, it is refreshing! Sometimes I get the urge to rearrange furniture, which can give me a whole new outlook!
When our youngest child, Benjamin, was little, he would get bored and often come to me and say, "Let's re-range!" It seemed to be his favorite thing to do, with his older siblings away at school or with friends.
When we get set in our ways, or in our way of thinking, it is often hard to see another's viewpoint. Or in solving that problem that seems to have no solution, it often helps to look at the situation from a different angle!
Jesus seemed to like original thinking. When the Canaanite woman needed her daughter to be healed, Jesus at first answered that it was not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to dogs. But she parried with, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Matthew 15:27. She looked at it from a different angle!
In Luke 7:7, Jesus was willing to go to the centurion's house to heal his servant, but the centurion had another thought--that Jesus could just speak the word and his servant would be healed, which he was!
These examples show great faith, which is always the right angle!
That's all it took! Just moving it to a different angle! How many times can we solve a problem by looking at it from a different angle? I get in the habit of doing things the same way, then when I make a change, it is refreshing! Sometimes I get the urge to rearrange furniture, which can give me a whole new outlook!
When our youngest child, Benjamin, was little, he would get bored and often come to me and say, "Let's re-range!" It seemed to be his favorite thing to do, with his older siblings away at school or with friends.
When we get set in our ways, or in our way of thinking, it is often hard to see another's viewpoint. Or in solving that problem that seems to have no solution, it often helps to look at the situation from a different angle!
Jesus seemed to like original thinking. When the Canaanite woman needed her daughter to be healed, Jesus at first answered that it was not fair to take the children's bread and throw it to dogs. But she parried with, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master's table." Matthew 15:27. She looked at it from a different angle!
In Luke 7:7, Jesus was willing to go to the centurion's house to heal his servant, but the centurion had another thought--that Jesus could just speak the word and his servant would be healed, which he was!
These examples show great faith, which is always the right angle!
Saturday, October 20, 2018
Autumn Reveries
I love seeing the changing colors of trees in the fall! Our newspaper showed a picture today of the Fall colors beginning. According to the National Weather Service, Cold overnight temperatures (such as we have been having lately) combined with sunny warm days help to set deeper red and yellow fall colors.
God has made each season with its own beauty: Flowers in Spring, Harvest in Summer, the splendor of Autumn, and the sparkle of Winter! In our Creator's plan, trees stop producing chlorophyll (the leaves' food) as the days get shorter. The trees rest. In the absence of chlorophyll, green color goes away and the colors of red and yellow show up.
What a fascinating world we live in! We never have to be bored if we only recognize the hand of God in His creation! It is amazing that about the time we tire of a season, the next one comes along to give us exciting things to anticipate!
I once read of a gifted artist who was on his death bed. Sorrowfully, he knew he would never paint again. An attentive friend standing by his bed asked, "How would you like to direct a sunset?" referring to the unimaginable joys in Heaven.
Sometimes we experience the coming of winter in our lives. We don't like the cold, but perhaps it is setting deeper colors of love and appreciation in us, just as the warm, sunny days instill fond memories in our hearts.
God has made each season with its own beauty: Flowers in Spring, Harvest in Summer, the splendor of Autumn, and the sparkle of Winter! In our Creator's plan, trees stop producing chlorophyll (the leaves' food) as the days get shorter. The trees rest. In the absence of chlorophyll, green color goes away and the colors of red and yellow show up.
What a fascinating world we live in! We never have to be bored if we only recognize the hand of God in His creation! It is amazing that about the time we tire of a season, the next one comes along to give us exciting things to anticipate!
I once read of a gifted artist who was on his death bed. Sorrowfully, he knew he would never paint again. An attentive friend standing by his bed asked, "How would you like to direct a sunset?" referring to the unimaginable joys in Heaven.
Sometimes we experience the coming of winter in our lives. We don't like the cold, but perhaps it is setting deeper colors of love and appreciation in us, just as the warm, sunny days instill fond memories in our hearts.
Thursday, October 18, 2018
It Is!
Last night in Pastor's message he quoted from Matthew 11:30, where Jesus says, "My yoke is easy, and my burden is light." The religious people Jesus had been trying to reach had countless commandments and rules that they endeavored to keep. Their load was heavy, and Jesus was bringing a new way for them and for us all.
In verses 28-30, Jesus invites: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
"Yoke" is commonly referred to as the heavy, wooden neck piece placed on oxen as they labored for their masters. Jesus was not referring to putting that kind of yoke on people. He knew that the old way was impossible to keep.
The word, yoga, comes from the word, yoke. Yoga was a religious discipline. Jesus wanted to give them a new discipline that was easy. The only requirement was to learn of Him, and to believe Him when He said, "I am the Life, the Truth and the Way,"John 4:16.
The religious leaders of that day had 613 commandments, but when Jesus was asked which one of His was the greatest, he replied, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31. Amen!
In verses 28-30, Jesus invites: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest for your souls. My yoke is easy and my burden is light."
"Yoke" is commonly referred to as the heavy, wooden neck piece placed on oxen as they labored for their masters. Jesus was not referring to putting that kind of yoke on people. He knew that the old way was impossible to keep.
The word, yoga, comes from the word, yoke. Yoga was a religious discipline. Jesus wanted to give them a new discipline that was easy. The only requirement was to learn of Him, and to believe Him when He said, "I am the Life, the Truth and the Way,"John 4:16.
The religious leaders of that day had 613 commandments, but when Jesus was asked which one of His was the greatest, he replied, "The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Mark 12:29-31. Amen!
Tuesday, October 16, 2018
A Friend in Need...
Listening intently to the radio news while Howard went in to Walmart for a few things, I heard a commotion and turned to see a stranger yanking at the locked door of the van! Must've mistaken it for their vehicle, I thought, and went back to the radio.
Then suddenly the door was open and people were putting bags in the back seat! I heard Howard being jovial and thanking them and sounding as if they were old friends.
"No thanks necessary," I heard a male voice say, "Your kind words were enough."
"What was that all about?" I questioned when my husband got in the van. He said he had asked the cashier whether he could take the handicap cart to the car with the groceries. The answer was no, due to several carts having been stolen lately. A family nearby heard the conversation and asked if he needed help. Nothing would do but they assisted him with the bags and loaded them in the van.
The Bible says that for a man to have friends, he must show himself friendly. Proverbs 18:24. Well, Howard is that, both to people he knows and those he doesn't know.
Philippians 2:4 advises, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." I think that's what the other shoppers were doing when they noticed their neighbor's predicament!
.
Then suddenly the door was open and people were putting bags in the back seat! I heard Howard being jovial and thanking them and sounding as if they were old friends.
"No thanks necessary," I heard a male voice say, "Your kind words were enough."
"What was that all about?" I questioned when my husband got in the van. He said he had asked the cashier whether he could take the handicap cart to the car with the groceries. The answer was no, due to several carts having been stolen lately. A family nearby heard the conversation and asked if he needed help. Nothing would do but they assisted him with the bags and loaded them in the van.
The Bible says that for a man to have friends, he must show himself friendly. Proverbs 18:24. Well, Howard is that, both to people he knows and those he doesn't know.
Philippians 2:4 advises, "Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others." I think that's what the other shoppers were doing when they noticed their neighbor's predicament!
.
Monday, October 15, 2018
New Week
Monday! I love Monday! The bustle of the week-end is gone, and now I find myself enjoying getting caught up on laundry, picking up and straightening the house, unloading clean dishes and reflecting on church services yesterday.
Our Sunday school class was inspiring, taught by a college president, and our pastor preached a riveting, thought-provoking and challenging message woven and interspersed with entertaining applications of his adventurous boyhood in Mississippi. The sobering climax ended with time at the altar for everyone!
There is a song, popular several years ago, called "Rainy Days and Mondays," sung in the haunting, beautiful voice of Karen Carpenter. The lyrics begin, "Hanging around, nothing to do but frown, rainy days and Mondays always get me down."
Well, rainy days, of which we've had many lately, might get me down, but Mondays, the beginning of a new week, do not. The Bible says in Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
I have read that this was the hymn that Jesus and the disciples sang at the last supper.It is from the Hallel, one of six psalms, and is a Jewish prayer. Matthew 26:30, "And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the mount of Olives."
If Jesus could sing that, knowing what He would face, we all should rejoice and be glad for whatever the day holds, especially on Monday!
Our Sunday school class was inspiring, taught by a college president, and our pastor preached a riveting, thought-provoking and challenging message woven and interspersed with entertaining applications of his adventurous boyhood in Mississippi. The sobering climax ended with time at the altar for everyone!
There is a song, popular several years ago, called "Rainy Days and Mondays," sung in the haunting, beautiful voice of Karen Carpenter. The lyrics begin, "Hanging around, nothing to do but frown, rainy days and Mondays always get me down."
Well, rainy days, of which we've had many lately, might get me down, but Mondays, the beginning of a new week, do not. The Bible says in Psalm 118:24, "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
I have read that this was the hymn that Jesus and the disciples sang at the last supper.It is from the Hallel, one of six psalms, and is a Jewish prayer. Matthew 26:30, "And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the mount of Olives."
If Jesus could sing that, knowing what He would face, we all should rejoice and be glad for whatever the day holds, especially on Monday!
Sunday, October 14, 2018
My Cup Runneth Over
Getting up early for church this morning, I went into the kitchen to make coffee, although we planned to eat breakfast at church. I noticed Howard's coffee cup had already been used, probably because he gets up pre-dawn and brews a cup, has a snack
then goes back to bed.
I got a cup for me from the cupboard, and started to rinse out his cup. Then I thought I'd just fill it the way it was. An incident of long ago surfaced in my mind.
Our son, Trevor, had a job as a teenager at a local filling station where several locals hung around to visit, drink coffee, and solve all the world's problems. One morning as Trevor tidied up the station, his eyes fell on the row of coffee mugs lined up on a high shelf. He could see the stains around the edges and drips down the side of the cups, so he thought he would do the guys a favor by washing their cups.
Big mistake! When the loafers dropped in one by one, they noticed something different. "Who washed my cup?" the irate, good old boys demanded. Since Trevor didn't drink coffee at the time, he didn't realize how important an unwashed cup was! Apparently, they thought it made the coffee taste better. Thankfully, since the individuals recognized and used their own cups, it was their own germs on them and would not make them sick!
Jesus talks about dirty cups in a couple of places in the Bible. In Matthew 23:25, He tells the scribes and Pharisees, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."
And again in Luke 11:39, And the Lord said unto them, "Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness."
While washing a coffee cup or not may be a personal preference, for Christians, looking good on the outside is not as important as what we are inside! Fill my cup, Lord!
then goes back to bed.
I got a cup for me from the cupboard, and started to rinse out his cup. Then I thought I'd just fill it the way it was. An incident of long ago surfaced in my mind.
Our son, Trevor, had a job as a teenager at a local filling station where several locals hung around to visit, drink coffee, and solve all the world's problems. One morning as Trevor tidied up the station, his eyes fell on the row of coffee mugs lined up on a high shelf. He could see the stains around the edges and drips down the side of the cups, so he thought he would do the guys a favor by washing their cups.
Big mistake! When the loafers dropped in one by one, they noticed something different. "Who washed my cup?" the irate, good old boys demanded. Since Trevor didn't drink coffee at the time, he didn't realize how important an unwashed cup was! Apparently, they thought it made the coffee taste better. Thankfully, since the individuals recognized and used their own cups, it was their own germs on them and would not make them sick!
Jesus talks about dirty cups in a couple of places in the Bible. In Matthew 23:25, He tells the scribes and Pharisees, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess."
And again in Luke 11:39, And the Lord said unto them, "Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness."
While washing a coffee cup or not may be a personal preference, for Christians, looking good on the outside is not as important as what we are inside! Fill my cup, Lord!
Friday, October 12, 2018
Communication
"Has anyone seen my phone?" I asked worriedly when we were at our son Jamie's house last week. I had already searched my purse, looked in every room I had been in, checked the car and every where else I could think of.
After Jamie thoroughly went through the car again to no avail, a dread thought surfaced. Did I leave it in some store? We had just returned from town, and Houston is pretty big!
I said ominously to Jamie, "Do you think I could have left it at Barnes and Noble (the last place we had visited)?"
"There's one way to find out," he said as he picked up the phone. Soon I was answering questions he relayed to me.
"What kind of phone is it?" to which I answered, "Android."
"Describe it." Black was all I could think of. "Sparkles?" Affirmative. "Hearts?" Yes, little hearts floating around in the cover.
"They have it." he said to my great relief!
But Barnes and Noble was many miles away! However, it turns out it's on the route they take to church, so we picked it up that evening.
But to lose my phone! My means of communication! Not to mention entertainment and source of information, let alone cost of replacement! However, there is One source of communication I can always rely on. Prayer!
Psalm 34:15 tells us, "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry." And James 5:16 assures us that "The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
That is the communication I used that day!
After Jamie thoroughly went through the car again to no avail, a dread thought surfaced. Did I leave it in some store? We had just returned from town, and Houston is pretty big!
I said ominously to Jamie, "Do you think I could have left it at Barnes and Noble (the last place we had visited)?"
"There's one way to find out," he said as he picked up the phone. Soon I was answering questions he relayed to me.
"What kind of phone is it?" to which I answered, "Android."
"Describe it." Black was all I could think of. "Sparkles?" Affirmative. "Hearts?" Yes, little hearts floating around in the cover.
"They have it." he said to my great relief!
But Barnes and Noble was many miles away! However, it turns out it's on the route they take to church, so we picked it up that evening.
But to lose my phone! My means of communication! Not to mention entertainment and source of information, let alone cost of replacement! However, there is One source of communication I can always rely on. Prayer!
Psalm 34:15 tells us, "The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry." And James 5:16 assures us that "The fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
That is the communication I used that day!
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Baubles, Bangles, and Bright Shiny Beads!
I picked up my favorite accessory, and I was reminded once again that it was broken. The little hook that held one of the ornaments in place had been stretched and the necklace would fall off every time I put it on. I had had the piece for many years, having bought it at Macy's in Houston one Thanksgiving trip. Since my husband wasn't always available to fix it, I would just put it back in the jewelry box.
But this day, I thought, I will fix it myself! I found a pair of Howard's pliers, carefully placed it over the hook, shut my eyes and hoped for the best as I squeezed the handle. It worked! I couldn't believe I had fixed it, and now it doesn't come apart!
I happily put on the multi-colored long necklace that goes with almost everything I wear. Thank you, Lord! The scripture came to mind that says, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me," Philippians 4:13.
Actually, being creative and innovative is nothing new to me (or any other housewife, I suspect). We substitute in recipes, conceal sewing mistakes, and make something out of nothing in the kitchen! I remember the old adage that was said to be popular in depression days: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!"
But better than a repaired necklace is to have "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." I Peter 3:4.
Amen!
But this day, I thought, I will fix it myself! I found a pair of Howard's pliers, carefully placed it over the hook, shut my eyes and hoped for the best as I squeezed the handle. It worked! I couldn't believe I had fixed it, and now it doesn't come apart!
I happily put on the multi-colored long necklace that goes with almost everything I wear. Thank you, Lord! The scripture came to mind that says, "I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me," Philippians 4:13.
Actually, being creative and innovative is nothing new to me (or any other housewife, I suspect). We substitute in recipes, conceal sewing mistakes, and make something out of nothing in the kitchen! I remember the old adage that was said to be popular in depression days: "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!"
But better than a repaired necklace is to have "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." I Peter 3:4.
Amen!
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Aisle 4
"Do you have Kleenex?" I asked a cashier standing near her register at Aldi's. I was about ready to check out, but I remembered I had to have some tissues for my allergies, and all I saw were paper towels, paper plates and other paper goods.
She reached for a paper towel, ripped it in half and brought it to me. At first, I didn't know what she was doing, then I realized she thought I said, "Do you have a Kleenex?"
I laughed and said, "No, I want a box of Kleenex!" Then the helpful employee pointed out the boxes I had over looked. I took one, and as she went back to her register, I smiled and said, "Thanks anyway, for giving me a'Kleenex'."
The young woman's instant response in handing me a piece of paper towel made me realize she had a compassionate spirit. Most women, especially those with kids, re-act quickly to an emergency situation! A child may be snatched from danger, or a falling cup caught.
It is easy to recognize those, both men and women, who have what we call a servant's heart. They are quick to respond to needs, even before someone else can act. When we were pastors in Mississippi, several people in particular lovingly took care of the church custodial duties on their own without being asked.
I could see a servant's heart in one of my granddaughters as she grew up. She was always ready to jump up and get something that someone might mention they wanted. Others of my granddaughters have the same trait.
Psalm 123:2, "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us."
Isaiah 40:31 assures us, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings of eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."
If we wait (as lingering in God's presence) upon the Lord, it will be easy to wait on (as in serving) others!
She reached for a paper towel, ripped it in half and brought it to me. At first, I didn't know what she was doing, then I realized she thought I said, "Do you have a Kleenex?"
I laughed and said, "No, I want a box of Kleenex!" Then the helpful employee pointed out the boxes I had over looked. I took one, and as she went back to her register, I smiled and said, "Thanks anyway, for giving me a'Kleenex'."
The young woman's instant response in handing me a piece of paper towel made me realize she had a compassionate spirit. Most women, especially those with kids, re-act quickly to an emergency situation! A child may be snatched from danger, or a falling cup caught.
It is easy to recognize those, both men and women, who have what we call a servant's heart. They are quick to respond to needs, even before someone else can act. When we were pastors in Mississippi, several people in particular lovingly took care of the church custodial duties on their own without being asked.
I could see a servant's heart in one of my granddaughters as she grew up. She was always ready to jump up and get something that someone might mention they wanted. Others of my granddaughters have the same trait.
Psalm 123:2, "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress, so our eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us."
Isaiah 40:31 assures us, "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings of eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint."
If we wait (as lingering in God's presence) upon the Lord, it will be easy to wait on (as in serving) others!
Monday, October 1, 2018
A Cry in the Night
"Have you seen Pebbles?" my husband asked worriedly about the family dog as he came in from outside. It was getting dark, and Howard's "porch time" was getting a little chilly. I told him I hadn't seen her for a good while.
"I heard a faint barking," he said, "I think it was coming from the chicken house. I'd better go down there and check." The little dog loves to accompany him while he feeds the chickens and has been known to be accidentally locked up with them at night.
"She's not down there," Howard announced when he came back, alarm in his voice,"but I still hear barking!" He alerted our grandson, Adam, who treasures this little pet. Adam dashed out into the night, and soon burst in the door with Pebbles.
"She was in the storage shed!" he exclaimed breathlessly.
What? That building was outside the fence and down the hill in the pasture! We had been in there that afternoon looking for some stored autumn decor I wanted, but the dog wasn't with us! Apparently she was, unknown to us! That had been hours ago, and to think she had been in there barking non-stop all this time!
Thankfully, Howard had heard her, though I don't know how, considering his hearing. Surely God made him aware of the cry in the night air!
I was reminded of an incident several weeks ago when our newborn baby goat disappeared, only to be found at nightfall when her plaintive bleats were heard. She had been imprisoned in a depression she had fallen into under a pile of boards!
I was experiencing deja vu from that time when our son, Greg, rescued the little goat and carried her triumphantly to safety. Now his son, Adam, was the savior of his beloved pet!
Jesus gave the story of the lost sheep, and how the shepherd left the 99 to search after the one. As much as our animals are loved, He loves us even more, and reaches out to the lost among us.
As it says in John 6:39, "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."
I Peter 2:25 reminds us, "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
"I heard a faint barking," he said, "I think it was coming from the chicken house. I'd better go down there and check." The little dog loves to accompany him while he feeds the chickens and has been known to be accidentally locked up with them at night.
"She's not down there," Howard announced when he came back, alarm in his voice,"but I still hear barking!" He alerted our grandson, Adam, who treasures this little pet. Adam dashed out into the night, and soon burst in the door with Pebbles.
"She was in the storage shed!" he exclaimed breathlessly.
What? That building was outside the fence and down the hill in the pasture! We had been in there that afternoon looking for some stored autumn decor I wanted, but the dog wasn't with us! Apparently she was, unknown to us! That had been hours ago, and to think she had been in there barking non-stop all this time!
Thankfully, Howard had heard her, though I don't know how, considering his hearing. Surely God made him aware of the cry in the night air!
I was reminded of an incident several weeks ago when our newborn baby goat disappeared, only to be found at nightfall when her plaintive bleats were heard. She had been imprisoned in a depression she had fallen into under a pile of boards!
I was experiencing deja vu from that time when our son, Greg, rescued the little goat and carried her triumphantly to safety. Now his son, Adam, was the savior of his beloved pet!
Jesus gave the story of the lost sheep, and how the shepherd left the 99 to search after the one. As much as our animals are loved, He loves us even more, and reaches out to the lost among us.
As it says in John 6:39, "And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day."
I Peter 2:25 reminds us, "For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls."
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