Christmas Visions

"Mimi," our granddaughter Bethany began, "Would you like to hear the cantata our church presented last week?"

Of course, I would! She was a participant! Bethany pulled up the video of the performance on our  television screen, and when the second presentation came on, my husband and I found ourselves surprisingly singing along snatches of "The Night the Angels Sang." The memories and long forgotten words of the song came back as we remembered our long-ago church putting on this cantata!

How we practiced to perfection night after night under the guidance of our concert pianist! Over and over, we rehearsed the lovely piece until at last it met her satisfaction!

"I remember I finally got the last note right," Howard said as we viewed it last night.

Another treat we had a few nights ago was watching a video on YouTube of our son, Jamie (aka Benjamin) preaching at his church in Texas. We were so proud, thankful and grateful as he presented his message, "Peace and Wonder."  In it, he stressed those attributes as they relate to us today.

Finally, we were pleased with the filmed photography story of our granddaughter Corrin's wedding to David Wallace several weeks ago. All the beauty, hopefulness, and anticipation of a new life together captured our hearts for the young couple. Expressive, deep hugs were given as parents released their loved ones to each other.

Especially touching to me was to see the bride's father releasing his daughter to take the bridegroom's arm as they prepared to repeat their vows. The jubilation was palpable as joy and celebration followed with the young and old smiling, congratulating and enjoying the party.

I couldn't help but think how all these events reflect our Father's plan: The angels singing, the wonderful sermon of "Peace and Wonder," and the beautiful wedding, a picture of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, Revelation 19:7-9, "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his bride has made herself ready.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of the saints.

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God"

Christmas Joys!

Last night was the children's Christmas play at church.  I looked forward eagerly to their presentation, and I was rewarded with a captivating, hilarious and earnest tableau from the innocents. How heart-warming and guileless they were as they wriggled, pushed away charming, too-long bangs from eyes, twisted a dress, or  tugged on a T-shirt bearing the manger scene created by their director, our granddaughter Michaela.

Their sweet voices filled the air as they sang traditional Christmas melodies, all the while doing the motions, being with a jingling bell, raised hands, or other practiced movements, keeping their adoring audience  of  parents, grand-parents and friends enthralled. Songs were interspersed with readings of the Christmas story, by "Grandpa" (the church pastor), and scriptures from a precocious young reader.

Refreshments with finger foods brought by church ladies followed the program, extending the delightful evening with warm chatter and visiting in a full dining area. As we were preparing to leave, an elderly lady approached us with a Christmas-y box full of homemade treats and goodies.

"I just wanted to give you this," she said to my husband with a tremulous smile, "because I enjoyed your sermon so much last Sunday!"

What a sweet gesture! Howard had preached a week ago and had received many words of appreciation from the kind church folks!

After church earlier that day, our granddaughter Bethany called and set up a lunch meeting for us and her kids who attend another church.  We enjoyed it so much, as we are still unfamiliar with so much of the area here. After a satisfying, tasty meal when we were making preparations to leave, diners from an adjacent booth stopped and remarked about the children.

"They are so precious!" the elderly ladies exclaimed, wanting to know their ages and admiring them. Bethany's boys are three and seven, while a little visiting cousin is also three.

"I never had any children," one of the quite-old ladies said. Seeing this row of little boys had caught her attention and  the wonder of little ones.

Two more days until Christmas actually arrives, but the warmth and anticipation in the air is palpable as we celebrate the most important event in history, the birth of Jesus!

The High Note!

Today Howard preached his first sermon in five or six years! We were so pleased that he was afforded this opportunity! Plans were made for he and two of our granddaughters, Sarah and Bethany, to sing a special song before he preached. They had practiced until they found their efforts were satisfactory, and the girls stood waiting for the guitar on Paw Paw's lap to give the opening strum.

However,  my full-of-not-preaching for several years husband launched into his subject with introductory incidents and testimonies from the past. His granddaughters were patiently shifting from one foot to the other, until at last he joined them in the song.

Soon my spouse was preaching in earnest, bringing forth stories and examples of reaching the "High Note" in seeking God and earnest worship. He mentioned the preacher in the Azusa Street's outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last century. To deflect attention to himself, the long ago preacher would put a box over his head as he preached, preferring that God get all the glory from the message he brought forth.

Other examples of seekers reaching the "High Note" were brought out as the congregation praised in worship, laughed in joy or eagerly listened to the sermon.  Finally, today's speaker gave his testimony of narrowly escaping death when he was held up at gun-point by an intruder at the furniture store he managed in New Orleans. He had already been aware of several robberies in the area where the proprietors or employees were shot and killed.

As my husband was able to reach the telephone when the bandit left, he called the New Orleans Police Department Armed Robbery Division and was put on hold momentarily.  Suddenly he heard a voice that he knew came from God, saying, "I've kept you through two of these things, (which He had) and now I want you to go do what I've told you to do."

As related by my spouse, he knew in his heart he was supposed to be in ministry, but raising a family of six children seemed more important.  Nevertheless, Howard resigned the job, enrolled in ministry school, graduated after two years and started preaching. That was in the eighties, and he became Assistant pastor in two churches, Pastor of a church on the Mississippi coast, and served in other positions over the years.  He has reached the "High Note!"

Snow Day!

Snow! I couldn't believe the white stuff everywhere when I opened the door yesterday morning. Ugh! I didn't want snow! But as the morning wore on and the sun came out, I recognized the beauty of the snow!

Later, as I swept off the fluffy accumulation on our porch and steps, I was actually enjoying it! The flakes sparkled like diamonds in the flurry of my broom.

Howard  had a doctor's appointment that afternoon, and as we drove along the curvy roads I noticed the frozen beauty of the roadside trees. Every bare branch and twig was coated with white, looking like crystalline straws of candy in a mesh of mystery. As we got nearer to town, cultivated hedges and evergreen shrubs dripped with ermine cloaks of perfectly symmetrical swaths of snow on their dark shoulders.

Many scriptures in the Bible speak of snow. Job 38:22 reads, "Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? Or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?"

Psalm 147:16-17 tells us, "He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?"

Verse 18 goes on to say, "He sendeth out his word, and melteth them: he causeth his wind to blow, and the waters flow."

Howard had a good report at the doctor's office, only to return in August, so we left in light spirits. We couldn't pass up a coffee shop on this cold afternoon, enjoying a steaming cup and an indulgent donut for the ride home, where I admired anew God's wonderful creation of snow!

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

We saw the movie, Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, last night. It made me think of the program that was on TV and that my children watched when they were little. The soft-spoken star of the show was very gentle and appealing to his young audience.

The actor who portrayed Mr. Rogers had to learn to mimic the slow, deliberate speech that was the hallmark of Roger's personality.  In his trade-mark song, Fred Rogers emphasized the phrase, "Won't you be my neighbor?"

I got to thinking about what the Bible says about neighbors. The parable of the Good Samaritan was an illustration to a lawyer who asked how he would inherit eternal life, Luke 10:25. Jesus asked him what was written in the law about it. 

The lawyer answered by saying, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind,; and thy neighbor as thyself." Then he asked Jesus "Who is my neighbor?"

This led to the story of the Good Samaritan, which is about a traveler who was attacked, robbed, and left half dead. A priest saw him, but passed by, then a Levite noticed the wounded man, and passed by on the other side.  Finally, a Samaritan had mercy on the victim, took care of him and took him to an inn to recover.

Then Jesus asked, "Which of the three was neighbor to him who fell among thieves?" The man answered correctly, to which Jesus said, "Go and do likewise."

Fred Rogers learned to be compassionate at an early age. He was teased by other kids because he was chubby. His tormentors called him, Fat Freddy, and he never forgot the rejection, only determining to be kind to all.

Rogers was a talented musician, as was his wife, Joanne. They met in college, and had been married for 50 years. No doubt they were very good neighbors!

Like a Miracle on 34th Street!

"I can see!  I can see!" Howard awoke me by exclaiming. "I got up in the middle of the night and went to the kitchen to check my eyes, and I can see perfectly!"

Praise God! He had an appointment yesterday to see his eye doctor he had scheduled following a medical visit a few weeks ago. At that time, a needle was used in his eye to repair small aneurysms. This time, a laser beam was shot onto his retina! Hopefully, the treatment will be permanent.

I was allowed to stay in the room with Howard for the procedure, but I had to wear colored glasses to protect my eyes. The patient had to face the glaring beam, but thankfully the results were worth it!

My grateful husband couldn't wait to share the good news, and phoned all our kids early this morning. Greg, in Oklahoma, Trevor in Nevada, Mark in Austin, and tonight, Jamie in Texas and Amy in Georgia. Julie is local, but she is excited, too!

It reminded me of the Bible story of Jesus healing the blind man, John 9:1-12.  In Verse 25, when the Pharisees learned that Jesus healed the man by putting clay on his eyes, they called Jesus a sinner. The healed man answered and said, " Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that whereas I was blind, now I see."

The doctor seemed sure of the results, for he said, "If you have to come back and have it re-done, there will be no charge!"

We were so excited that Howard would be able to drive safely downtown today and were ready to get into the car when our granddaughter Bethany showed up and offered to drive us. We enjoyed a great outing, still rejoicing in the good news! Thank you, Jesus!

Holidays: Holy days

What a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday we had! Prepping and shopping for days, pies baking, turkeys thawing, so many casseroles we couldn't count them. After all, there were only thirty of us gathered around tables set up in the church auditorium! Three young grands plus twelve greats under 9 years old kept the party going with their antics and play, enjoying each other's company.

Conversation lasted long and late over empty plates that soon gave way to sampling left-overs. Guitars materialized, songs recalled and harmonized, passing babies around on loving laps led to reflective lulls and laughter.

Before those who were picking up wraps were about to leave, our resident host suggested prayers for any who desired. What a worshipful time followed! Our out-of-town minister's families  joined with fervent prayers and prophecies, assurances, comfort and healing words. Sweet tears of consolation escaping lashes were not uncommon.

The party wasn't over, though, for we all congregated at a restaurant Friday night for another time of food and fellowship. Afterwards, those who weren't too tired traveled to the race-tracks at Bristol to see the Christmas lights and ride on the tracks.

Saturday morning found us at a pancake house send-off breakfast for our Texas family, who had a plane to catch.  Another breakfast good-bye followed Sunday morning for our daughter's Mississippi family.  Although her hunter son had not spotted a deer he had waited in hiding for, his disappointment was forgotten as home and his youth group loomed before them.

I froze left-over turkey and dressing, we are finishing off the pies, so tomorrow is another day. Now I am getting out Christmas decor, little white lights are illuminating winter compositions, and toy props crowd a wicker trunk.  Little grands are practicing Christmas carols for church programs as the real meaning of Christmas is taught and gifts anticipated, learning that Jesus is the greatest gift of all!

Lost and Found

"I can't find my cane!" Howard announced.  We searched high and low, but it was no where to be found. This wasn't the first one that had disappeared, and we were puzzled.

"Maybe you left it at Walmart," I ventured. "Why don't you call and see if it was found there."

He made the call, asking for Lost and Found, and my worried husband described the cane. "It is a wooden, highly polished cane," he explained. Truth be told, we had been missing his other cane, too, and it fit the description of one they had.

Sure enough, when we got to Customer Service, his favorite cane was found, but the attendant did not find the other one. We were so thankful that we had thought to call and locate this valued necessity! Considering the size of this super store and its many customers, it felt like a miracle that we retrieved  the cane!

I couldn't help but think of the story in Matthew and Luke about the lost sheep, and the shepherd leaving the ninety and nine to rescue one sheep. I can just imagine the shepherd using the crook of his staff to perhaps lift the sheep from a ravine.

We have a "Story Stick" that was given to us by a minister many years ago. It's a heavy, wooden walking cane with carved images depicting Bible scenes covering the length of the cane in bas-relief.  A bearded figure at the top must be Moses, under which are carvings of Noah's Ark, shocks of wheat, a harp, an empty tomb, a cross, a church, and other things, including a book-like shape which could represent the Ten Commandments, the Bible or the book of life.

When one of our granddaughters was little, she asked about the book, and I told her that names of people who loved the Lord were written in the book.

"Is my name there?" she asked. I led her in a simple prayer of salvation, which she repeated. Then I assured her that her name was written there. God's staff was there to redeem one of His little ones!

Autumn Reveries

The leaves on the trees look like brown, burnished leather. Gone are the colorful tones of red, yellow and russet  from the forests and woods around the country side and mountain views, now a misty, grey silhouette against the sky.

The trees are resting now, their sap gone down until spring time comes and new life begins. I remember reading an account of scientists who wanted to make a miniature earth. They constructed a huge sphere inside a structure, even making ponds and other bodies of water. Trees were planted, but disappointingly they died.

Finally, the disillusioned team realized why the trees didn't grow. It was because inside their creation there was no wind. Trees will not thrive without wind, because the power of wind pushes, twists, and sways the trees and their limbs, causing the roots to grow deeper, hold tighter, and anchor the trees.

The same is true in our lives. Without the struggle and will to live, accomplish goals and benefit others, we have no reason for life. Every obstacle, every challenge that we encounter can make us stronger as our roots grow deeper into God's plan for our lives.

We have heard the expression of turning over a new leaf. In other words, beginning again, changing our ways or getting a new start. I like the expression, Leaves of Gold, from verses, collection of prayers, etc.

Pages of the Bible are like leaves of gold. Precious words of God's love, instructions on life, stories of the patriarchs, books of poetry, Psalms and so much more.

Some time ago, Howard ordered a Bible from Guideposts, called "The Jesus Bible." It was a little costly, but it was worth it. Then yesterday we got a free "Jesus Bible" from Guideposts in the mail! They are both worth their weight in gold!

A Day in the Life

"Howard, that looks like snow on the window!" I said as I woke up yesterday morning.  Then I opened the door and looked out at a white landscape with flurries blowing and whirling all over!

Snow! The first one of the season! Thankfully we got out the day before and really stocked up on groceries! (The first time I remember spending over $100 on groceries! Supermarkets here in Tennessee are higher than in Oklahoma!)

Having been under the weather the day before, even missing church, it felt good to be out and about. We were trying to find a place to eat lunch in a somewhat unfamiliar area, and I thought I spotted one, but when I went in I found carpenters busy with remodeling.

Next was a pizza place, but I found it was not an eat-in place. Finally we resorted to our destination, the food store. Veterans at the door were handing out poppies, since it was Veterans day. We remembered that there was a restaurant inside, and began to select a great lunch from their selection.

"Are you a veteran?" Howard was asked, to which he said he was. "Your meal is free!" the attendant announced. How nice, I thought.  We went on to shop, up and down aisles, which were a little unfamiliar.

Finally, our cart was full, and as we were approaching the register, I said in alarm, "My purse! Where is my purse!" Frantically I pushed items aside in our cart, but it was not there! I didn't know if I left it in the restaurant area, or in the ladies' room, or if it was stolen in an unguarded moment! With a sick feeling I approached the manager's office, elevated in her position at the window.

"I think I lost my purse!" I exclaimed to her.

"What color is it?" she asked me.  For a minute, I couldn't think, but I said "beige." Really it is a light, yellowish color with gold trim.

"Here you go," she said nonchalantly, handing me my purse! Praise the Lord! I had been so alarmed!

Thankfully we had all those groceries for our home-bound snow day! I made the best stew and corn bread, delicious on a cold day. All's well that ends well, and now the snow is melted on a beautiful day. We are invited out to eat and then to church with sweet grandkids!

The Visit

"Oh, I hope they bring Kaden with them," I said after my daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Shannon, said they were coming  from Georgia to see us. Their little grandson, 20 months, is growing so fast I couldn't wait to get hold of him!

Shy, with hair neatly combed and meticulously dressed, he came in on his Pa-Pa's arm, into my arms! Shyness disappeared with Kaden exploring every thing in the house.  After they left, I saw the upturned waste-basket, the pulled-off sofa throw, the forgotten toy football (he called it "foo-bah"), his small box of miniature cookies, and a little toy truck lying on its side on the coffee table.

Glancing at the globe on a stand, I could just see him spinning that around, that is until he got tired of twanging on Howard's guitar in a partially open guitar case. They said he loves music!

Later, Kaden got to explore his cousins' play room, where he was entranced over a toy kitchen, rolling a tiny truck on the descending track of a curvy ride and whatever else caught his attention. In fact, he was so fascinated by the toys, he paid little attention to the other kids! The little girls were happy to kiss him, though.

Talking to Amy today, she had me click on some videos made when they got home. I saw the little adventurer grinning from a ride on a real motorcycle with a family friend! He loves sitting on the 4-wheeler, too. This boy loves action!

I can't imagine what K-K (as we call him) would do if he saw the snow we are favored with today! All boy that he is, he no doubt would touch and feel it, get cold and then come in for a warm hug in a warm house with a warm welcome from his Mimi!

Suds!

My daughter, Julie, gave me a present the other day. It was a product of her latest interest, one which she finds satisfying, fun and rewarding. She makes soap! The bar she gave me is heavenly, its raspberry tone, the heady fragrance and attractive shape molded like petals on a flower make it a joy to use! And besides that, it floats!

(That reminds me of  the old slogan for  Ivory soap: "It's so pure it floats!")  Julie was surprised when I told her of my discovery. Since she prefers showers, she hadn't experienced the floating feature.

Julie is very exact when she shops for ingredients for her product. No distance is too far, no store too remote when she has soap-making on her mind! Craft stores yield tantalizing molds in artistic shapes and sizes. She has just added an addition to her hobby: Bath bombs that bubble and fizz  in the bath. The powdered ingredients are molded in a plastic ball to harden. Currently the creative hobbyist is waiting for her bath bombs to dry.

Thinking about soap, I am reminded of references in the Bible to fullers soap. That is a term that is rarely used today, but it means a bleacher of cloth and finisher. Speaking of Jesus's transfiguration, Mark 9:3 says: "And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow, so as no fuller on earth can white them."

Malachi 3:2, warns: "But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap."

As a teenager, I worked in a drug store and soda fountain. One day a man came in asking for fuller's soap. I had no idea what it was, but an old-timer who was employed there showed me where and what it was. On a bottom shelf in semi-darkness sat a bag of something like  powered clay. I had no idea what it would be used for.
 
I love the scriptures in Psalms: "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin," Psalm 51:2. "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me and I shall be whiter than snow.

Excursion

"Mom, Steve wants to take you and Dad to see some sights today," our daughter Julie announced. Well, that sounded like fun, especially since she and granddaughter Mackenzie were going, along with great-grandson, Mason, age three.

After getting everyone situated and seated in the van, we drove through town, with me thinking the various shops and businesses we passed were a little bit common place. Just then, we got off the beaten path and entered a magic forest of towering oaks and pines, the oaks cloaked in clouds of autumn leaves--yellow, golden and red,  translucent in their glory!

We were at Mountain Home, a place for retired veterans to live in stately brick structures, a city in itself, with street signs with names like Heroes Drive.There was a Mountain Home Cemetery where the patriots were laid to rest. Some of the stones were so old they did not bear a name, while others stood in rows of white stones like the Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

But that wasn't all! Next we found ourselves in the Cherokee National Forest, where tree tops  looking like puffy patch-work quilts blanketed the landscape in a riot of color. Higher and higher we went, until my ears popped and the motor noise grew quiet. The altitude was over 6,000 feet.

Beside the road, a rushing stream tumbled over rocks,  where an opening behind angled rocks  was known  to be the den of a bear! There was even a short wire-mesh fence down to the river for the brave or fool-hardy to explore!

"This is where the hill billies live," our driver quipped, as some makeshift homes and camps came into view. Still, it was beautiful. Who would not love to live in a place of nature's beauty and serenity, tucked away in privacy far from the city's bustle? To each his own, I guess, but for now, we'll go  down the mountain!

Thank God for Doctors!

My husband had an appointment with the eye doctor yesterday. He was following up on the ophthalmologist's recommendation of an eye exam and procedure to correct inflammation and vision problems, especially in his right eye.

I waited with him as the technician tested his vision by identifying letters on a screen, then filling out paper work before we were escorted to the doctor's preparation room next door. Howard was briefed on required consent to have his eye medicated and injected with a scary needle to hopefully help him see better.

The first part of the procedure was having pictures taken of his eyes, which were enlarged to show the location of the damage. Later, we were shown magnified images of areas of concern, of which two were small aneurysms, really only pin-points, but visible when enlarged.

First they numbed his eye, then the doctor came in and explained everything to him and was soon injecting the required liquid into the corner of his right eye. Howard didn't feel anything, but the medication would shrink the aneurysms, lowering the possibility of rupture.

Everything lasted only a few minutes, it seemed, and soon Howard was thanking the team and doctor for their expertise and quick procedure. "There is God in you!" my relieved spouse exclaimed.  The doctor said, "I preach in here every day!"

"He's a retired pastor," I said of Howard, to which the doctor said, "I should have said that about him!"

A helpful intern tidied up and walked us down the hall, chatting amiably with us in his distinctive voice. He said he  was from New Jersey, prompting me to say that I knew he was not from Tennessee.

"My husband has a radio voice," I commented, to which he said, "I noticed that. Have you done radio?" he asked Howard.

"Yes," my spouse replied, "I had a radio program in Bristol, VA, and one in Gulfport, Mississippi."

We finished our day by eating lunch out and buying groceries. He was ready for the prescribed eye-drops when we got home, thankful for all that had transpired that day!

Small World

"I heard there was someone who used to live in New Orleans who works here," my husband said to the hospital technician after his check up this morning.

"Oh, yes," the helpful specialist replied. "I'll show you to her office down the hall."

Ever since he heard that someone from New Orleans worked there, Howard had been obsessed with the idea of meeting a person from the city where he had worked for twenty years.  Each time we were at the doctor's office, he had inquired about this individual. I couldn't understand his obsession with this, but he was relentless.

"There she is," our guide directed us, pointing to the open office door, "but she is on the phone." I suggested we go on, but just then she hung up the phone.

"Are you from New Orleans?" my determined spouse asked the lady behind the desk, the hospital administrator.  Sure enough, she was, and an animated conversation ensued.  She explained that she had come here for a camping trip several years ago, fell in love with the area, and eventually her parents and other family members moved here.

Howard mentioned that we had gone to church there in Lakeview Church which is in Metairie.

"You mean Lakeview Christian Center?" she exclaimed. That was her church, but we had moved by then. Turns out she knew our beloved pastor, the late Alan Poldson, and many other church friends we remembered from the years we had spent there.

All that led to Howard's business experiences in New Orleans.  Our new acquaintance  even remembered the radio jingle advertising their business. I laughed when she sang out the ditty, "You can call me Ray, You can call me Hey, but call us at 822-0118!"

October Muse

"Mom," my daughter Julie spoke over the phone, "Would you and Dad like to go with us to Greenville today? It has lots of places to shop in a convenient smaller town."

Of course, we were up to the trip! She explained we would also stop for lunch, which sounded fine with us!  Our path led us through the charming town of Jonesborough, where we slowed periodically for an intermittent parade of runners, decked out in various costumes and imaginative dress.

"Before we get on the road, you've got to see the Senior Center here," we were told. We had heard about it, but were not sure of its location. Were we in for an eye-opening sight! I expected an ordinary space in a downtown location, but this was almost majestic! A huge, new, attractive brick edifice on a hill with colonial touches stood welcome-like in front of us!

They were having a craft sale that day, with many shoppers inside. We picked up the brochures of events, qualifications, and lists of activities and games (my favorite was Scrabble) and had much to ponder as we progressed toward Greenville.

Actually, our driver and brother-in-law Steve took us on the scenic route, and soon we were ooh-ing and awe-ing over the absolute beauty of God's creation. The steep mountain roads and the colorful fall foliage blazing with tones of red, gold, yellow and vermillion with a backdrop of over-lapping rows of blue-grey mountains were impressive, to say the least!

At last we approached our destination, but not before we viewed the historic Tusculum University, the oldest institute of higher education in Tennessee, founded in 1794. The husband of one of our granddaughters attended there.

Finally we reached our destination where the shops were new and fun and where we found gifts for the birthday girl whose one-year-old party was the next day. Of course, I also found things I liked. All in all, it was a most enjoyable trip! Thanks, Steve and Julie!

Seeds

All through the late summer and early fall,  a volunteer pumpkin plant has been spreading it's leaves and vines in sprawling growth outside our front porch. Actually, a good-size little pumpkin was picked for one of the grandchildren. Now another yellow-green orange orb is growing!  All this with no planting!

This reminded me of what Jesus spoke in Luke 8:5-8 in the parable of the sower:

"A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside;  and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it. "Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture. "And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it. "But others fell on good ground."

Evidently, our two small pumpkins fell on good ground! How like this parable is to people today!  They may hear the word, but  promptly forget it! Others don't want to give up their life-style, which may be anything but God-pleasing. Some start out to serve God, but worldly temptations win over!

The Bible says the seed that fell on good ground believed the Word and brought forth a crop! Our children can be likened to a crop. The Bible says to bring up a child the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6. What better advice for our little punkins?

Polished!

Early this summer, my husband and I attended the annual "Herb Festival," in Ponca City, Oklahoma. It is probably the biggest outdoor festival of  the area, and not only has plants and herbs, (thus the name), it is a huge display of crafts, homemade jelly, yard ornaments, outdoor furniture and any number of vendors with their goods.

We usually go just to stroll the walkways, enjoy the outing and perhaps meet friends and neighbors. I have bought many hanging ferns in the past, but nothing particularly spoke to me this time, until a cosmetic item caught my eye.  Some young women had a booth where they were featuring a unique product for finger nails!

I was interested, because I knew a granddaughter  in Tennessee had been marketing this novel article and had great results for her customers.  I decided to try it. I took the packet home, but wasn't sure I could properly apply the nails (of real nail polish), so I put the item, still in the bag, aside.

Who knew that by the end of August I would be moving to Tennessee?  I showed said granddaughter  the packet, and she agreed to help me apply the nails. By this time it was late October, and another of my granddaughters was getting married. Her wedding was the perfect time for my nails to look their best.

I was amazed! It worked! She almost effortlessly applied the nail strips, carefully molding them to my nails.  Although I was assured water wouldn't hurt them, I used protective gloves washing dishes that night. By the next morning, there was nothing for it but to get them wet in use, since we had to get ready for the trip to the wedding venue that day.

Visiting with other wedding goers that afternoon as we waited for pictures to be taken, and enjoying the parade of beautiful bridesmaids and handsome groomsmen, I couldn't help noticing the hands of my neighbor sitting nearby. She had the same nail-do I had! Even the shade of color was the same! (And she was quite a distinguished looking lady!)

The wedding was gorgeous, and seeing loved ones made every thing perfect. It has been almost a week since then, the couple are on their honeymoon, and my nails are still on! I guess you could say I nailed it!

Wedding!

The rain beat down on the windshield relentlessly. We were headed to the wedding of our granddaughter, Corrin, and her bridegroom, David.  It would take more than two hours to get to the venue over a hundred miles away.

I know our beautiful bride was heart-broken when her plans for an outdoor wedding had to be revised. She had worried over it for days, but finally let it go and went on with a gorgeous indoor ceremony in the rustic, artistic, country venue named Ramble Creek.

We so much enjoyed seeing old friends and meeting new friends, who would become our granddaughter's family, too. Stories were told, including Corrin's dad telling recollections of funny things in his daughter's childhood. I couldn't tell, but I'm sure his eyes misted up a bit with the memories.

The wedding attendants were beautiful and handsome, but I only had eyes for our stunning granddaughter, Rachel, and grandson Reid, resplendent in his vesture.

My eyes misted up, too, as the couple took their vows, repeated their promises, and listened intently to wisdom from the officiant, the groom's minister father. Soon the vision of loveliness was sweeping down the aisle on the arm of her bridegroom, to our applaud and admiration.

What fun and joyful conversation was had at our table of eight family members while we welcomed the delicious dinner and wedding cake! All too soon, it was time to go, but not before the beautiful bride came to the tables with hugs and appreciation, followed by the Maid of Honor, her lovely sister, Rachel, hugging us, too.

The ride home in the cold, rainy dark was largely ignored as lighthearted conversation filled the car with warm memories of this special, unforgettable occasion!

Tennessee Trails

We thought we had pretty much seen the beauty of Tennessee, but yesterday our son-in-law took us on a tour that was majestic! Not that the mountains were glacier high, but they rose in rolling heights, neat-as-a-pin homes perched here and there. How did they find, build and live so far and high in these steep enclaves?

I was amazed at the bounty and beauty of perfectly maintained roads leading everywhere throughout the country side. Evidently, although many roads were narrow,  leading off on a narrow path to a residence tucked out of sight, they were clean and well kept.

Further and further we drove as our route crisscrossed over hills and valleys, our guide pointing out where bears were seen in deep hollows, even having been found in yards, cars, or inside a house opening a refrigerator!

"There's where a flock of turkeys blocked the road," driver Steve  pointed out.  Or, "A bunch of deer ran in front of me there the other day," he went on.  Then a majestic eagle floated overhead on gossamer wings lifted by the updrafts of air currents below.

"See that house over there?" our guide pointed out at a distant, mansion-looking residence on a hill. "Look back through the trees, and you can see where we live." Sure enough we could glimpse their roof on the other side of the valley. I had often noticed and wondered about the house on the hill separated by hills and mountains. Now I could see it for myself!

Our scenic view was endless, including dilapidated, weather-worn barns, old milk stalls, quirky collections of someone's desire, even a working water wheel beside a house and a metal box car at another.

Sheep and goats grazed and lolled on rounded hills, but we would have to wait for another excursion sometime, because sunset was upon us!

Heart Thoughts

There are many adjustments to relocating, including searching out new doctors, especially for Howard who has to have regular check ups since his heart surgery a few years ago.  Last week we  met with a cardiologist, and today we went to the office of a general practitioner.

A nurse practitioner was on duty, and we found her to be efficient and personable. At one point in amiable conversation, she mentioned that her daughter was in the process of choosing a college, and was considering Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. They had visited there and found the recruiter there to be very helpful.

"Our granddaughter works there as a recruiter!" my husband announced. "Her name is Corrin," he exclaimed to the practitioner.

"Well this young lady's name was Laura," she went on. "She was so helpful and beautiful."  She went on to talk of her long, black hair, her tiny waist, knowledgeable information and her soft, cultured voice. 

"That's Corrin!" we assured her. "Her name is Laura Corrin! She graduated this summer and has been  working in Chicago for a week in recruiting!"

"She's a recruiter?" the friendly lady questioned in surprise.  When we assured her that was our granddaughter, she was pleased and astounded that this coincidence had taken place!

Later, we went to pick up an item from the pharmacy at Walmart, and as we were checking out, we found that the checker was from Oklahoma!

"Where in Oklahoma?" I asked, to which he surprised me by saying, "Ponca City."

Ponca City! Where we had just moved from! Soon he and Howard were engrossed in conversation of shared familiar places and people.

Another coincidence? No, we believe it was God who orchestrated our movements today.

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Raindrops!

Rain! What a joyful surprise when I looked out the door last night and saw that it was raining! It has been unaccustomedly dry here in Tennessee for some time. Instead of the beautiful fall foliage we have been looking forward to, much of the the landscape is dotted with trees covered with dead leaves. Hopefully we will see some color yet!

It felt like the rain of the Holy Spirit in church yesterday. The song, "I will pray like David prayed" was enthusiastically sung by the congregation, then, "I will sing like David sang" then finally, "I will dance like David danced."

It was quite moving, and at the end of the song service, Pastor had the verse "I will dance like David danced," repeated and began to dance joyfully himself! On and on, in graceful worship, the minister moved. As we sang, the Holy Spirit was obviously present, and I felt my feet begin to sway and move under the presence of the Lord!  What a refreshing service!

I love the song, "It's Beginning to Rain" that we used to sing at a previous church. One of the stanzas was, "It's beginning to rain,  rain, rain, hear the voice of the Father, saying, "Whosoever will come drink of this water;  He's pouring His spirit out on your sons and your daughters; If you're thirsty and dry, Look up to the sky, It's beginning to rain."

Later, at a family worship service at home following the Sunday meal, the  great-grand children all joined in the singing and praising as the Holy Spirit was still evident among us. Welcome, rain!

Surprise Encounter

"Mimi, look!" our granddaughter Bethany motioned, "That car has a Pearl River license plate!"

"What?" I exclaimed, then I turned to look. Pearl River county, Mississippi, was where we had lived for 20 years just outside the town of Picayune.

I rushed over to the car that had been parked beside us at the Tennessee supermarket and had just backed out.  "Are you from Pearl River county?"  I asked the puzzled-looking driver. When he nodded in the affirmative, I asked if he was from Picayune.

"Carriere," he said. That was a small community down the road a bit from Picayune.

"Howard!" I called to my husband who was about to get in our car. "This man is from Pearl River county!" He was wide-eyed and lost no time in engaging the driver in conversation. Although the stranger didn't know any of our kids, his last name was well known from students they knew from school.

This reminded me of something that happened on a trip to see our daughter in Georgia several years ago. We were stuck in a traffic jam with travelers frustrated and some getting  out of cars, strolling down the highway to see the cause of the delay. Idly gazing out our car window, I spelled out the letters I could see on the license plate of a nearby car. P-E-A-R... I read, then "Pearl River!" I exclaimed, realizing the tag was from Pearl River County, Mississippi! Howard lost no time in visiting with the driver who had lived not far from the area where we raised our family.

We have moved so much, only recently from our home in Oklahoma to the mountains of Tennessee, that we have learned to appreciate the variety of God's creation. I like the scriptures in Acts17:24, 26, which say, "God made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands. (26) And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation."

No matter where we go, God knows where we are!

While You're Up

"Beulah, while you're up, would you warm up my coffee?" my dad was heard saying by a visiting relative.

"Beulah, while you're up..." Mama's nephew exclaimed, "I always wondered what your name was, now I know! "It's 'Beulah, while you're up!'"

(Beulah was Mama's name, a very beautiful name from the Bible, which means favored and blessed of the Lord).

I was thinking of that this morning at breakfast when I went for a forgotten item and my husband requested, "Thelma, while you're up, would you get me some more coffee?"

It reminded me of the story from the Bible about the widow and Elijah.  At  the Lord's command, Elijah had been hiding out from the wicked king, Ahab. at the brook, Cherith. There he was fed by ravens until the brook dried up, then God directed him to go to Zarepath where a widow woman would sustain him.

 I Kings 17:10-11, "So he arose and went to Zarepath. And when he came to the gate of the city, behold the widow woman was there gathering of sticks: and he called to her, and said, Fetch me, I pray thee, a little water in a vessel, that I may drink.

And as she was going to fetch it, he called to her, and said, Bring me, I pray thee, a morsel of bread in thine hand."

 Evidently, "While you're up," goes way back!

The Move

"Three moves are as bad as a burn-out!" I remember Mama saying when I was a child.  I've learned there is a lot of truth in that! We have moved several times in our 60-plus years of marriage. I have always had to pare down, give away or donate some of the goods and/or furnishings we had accumulated.

Not only that, some things would be damaged in transit or ruined from being stored. Sometimes I look at old pictures and see something familiar we left behind. "Oh, I remember that!" I think with a wistful twinge. Actually, I had forgotten about it, but the photo brought back memories.

I used to have a screened front porch with wicker furniture I had collected. We often ate breakfast or lunch there while the  cool breeze fluttered the checked table cloth. I miss it.

The hurdle of moving to Tennessee late this summer was eased with the generous help of family members who pitched in, loading the big van, doing the driving and getting us settled.

Our grands are grand about showing us around! Last week we discovered great outlet stores, a guitar center (for my spouse),  a Tuesday Morning, then off the beaten path where there is a country dairy which provides milk for several local supermarkets.

I'm not so nervous these days when Howard navigates the serpentine curves around the scenic countryside. The views are always enchanting (to a flat-lander), especially when I see a perfectly round mountain covered with green grass and cows dotting the hillside grazing contentedly along its heights.

Moves are trying, but I guess I'm not burnt out yet!

Circus!

"Mimi, would you and Paw Paw like to go to a circus tomorrow?" our thoughtful granddaughter asked. "We have free tickets, and we go every year," she continued.

Circus?  Why, I hadn't been to a circus for over 50 years, the only time I'd ever seen one. Why not? I thought. The next day would be Saturday, and it might be fun. And it was!

"Lions and tigers, and bears, O my!" came to mind  from a ditty of long ago. Well, there were tigers, camels, llamas and even elephants! I had especially wanted to see elephants.

The great-grandkids  in tow loved the costumed comic book and movie characters, especially SPIDER MAN! Daring aerialists and tight-rope walkers kept me with my heart in my mouth at their death-defying whirls and plunges. Thankfully an inflated safety spot was in place just in case!

Vendors tantalized us with exorbitantly-priced snow cones, cotton candy, iced drinks and light-flashing gizmos to wave in the dark.

All in all, it was an entertaining couple of hours, and we appreciated the opening with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Star Spangled Banner sung by the attendants in the crowded stands.

A pleasant lunch for all eleven of us followed, where we were mesmerized by the little ones, so smart, funny and cute. From what their parents say, every day is a circus!

The Voice of Wisdom

Last night I was pleased to view a sermon by our son, Benjamin, on YouTube. He titled it "Prodigal Son," which later was changed to "Prodigal Father."  As usual, it was eye-opening, funny, thoughtful and unique to his style of ministry.

He has done three other video messages, as given at his church, "Encourager Church," in Houston. One of them is named "The Glory is in the Giving," dealing with the benefits of generosity. He stresses that God does not need your money. In fact, in a couple of references he quotes from the Bible where it is written that God says, "If I were hungry, I would not tell you."

Another is entitled, "The Spirit of the Craftsman" on the blessings and benefits of work, and one he named, "Wrestling for the Blessing." To watch and be encouraged by these thoughtful entries, simply go to YouTube and click on Benjamin Summers. Believe me, you will not be disappointed!

Smile!

Last Sunday I was standing in line to pay for our lunch at Cracker Barrel when a lady a little ahead of me turned and looked at  me, waved and smiled.  I smiled and waved back, then, curious,  I stepped out of line and asked her, "Have we met before?"

She laughed and said, "No, I was waving at the person behind you!"

Well, it was funny, but it still felt good to be acknowledged, even accidentally!

This incident came to mind when I read an item on Facebook this morning. A girl riding in the car with her boyfriend asked him why he waved and smiled at every car he met. He answered her by saying, "I read once that many people who had planned to commit suicide changed their minds when someone smiled at them."

It brought back memories of when as a child riding in the car with my dad.  He always waved at people he met on the road.  They  waved back, too. People don't seem to do that anymore. It was the custom then to smile at a passerby on the street, or for a man to tip his hat to a lady he walked past.

There is a song we used to sing at church, I think at greeting time: "Smile awhile and give your face a rest. Raise you hands to the One you love the best; Then shake hands with those nearby and give to them a smile."

They say it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile, so maybe it really does give your face a rest!

Smile, everyone!

Surprise Gift!

A few days ago, my eldest granddaughter announced unexpectedly, "Mimi, I'm going to clean your  house!" Really? That sounded wonderful to me, although I thought it looked all right. Then one morning she showed up with her paraphernalia of cleaning supplies.

Soon Bethany's feather duster was efficiently flying over furniture, books and window sills. In between tasks, we chatted and visited, then she would disappear with a mop or broom as I was dispatched to another room to relax.

When I returned to the kitchen later, everything was sparking clean. Counters and stove top were gleaming, as was my smile!

Next, she tackled the bathroom where the fixtures got the polishing of their life! Finally, after vacuuming all the rooms and hall, the industrious young lady sat down for a rest.

Later, I thought about how Jesus wants to clean our house. We may think that the dusty corners of prayer neglect would be overlooked.  But the cobwebs of lazy thinking and reasoning need to be cleared out.

We need the fresh breath of the Holy Spirit to blow through our messy mind-set and straighten up our attitudes and understanding of His Word!

Gossip that we may entertain is like dirt on the kitchen floor; it needs to be swept out and washed clean!

Finally, we need a cleansing bath in the shower of God's love and forgiveness in the privacy of prayer and re-dedication. Our earthly "house" will feel much lighter!

Thank you, Bethany!

Proceed with Caution!

"Cemetery. Plots Available." I read on a sign beside the cemetery near the hairpin curves we travel daily. A marker, or a warning? I take it as a warning. but for far too many, it is a destination.

Today we thought we were following directions to a shop I wanted to visit, but instead, we got hopelessly lost! Traffic was tricky as lanes joined or became part of other lanes on the super highways.

We finally made our way out and ended up on country roads that at last led to familiar territory . Evidently we had circled the city and eventually got home.  Thankfully, there had been no accidents or mishaps. Thank you, Jesus!

Little by little, we are getting acquainted with shopping areas and food stores and finding the people to be friendly and courteous, for the most part. Howard rarely passes up the opportunity to share a scripture card with clerks and cashiers or amiable strangers. One recipient let us know: "I am a Christian woman. I pray to Jesus every day and He is the most important thing in my life!" How refreshing and rewarding!

With time on his hands, my spouse has picked up the guitar again and is practicing songs.  Last night he was accompanied by a sweet granddaughter, and I must say that he sounded better than ever! I can see that I will soon become the videographer for his story/songs again, hopefully having something to pass down to posterity before we get any older! No plots for us just yet, other than plotting out his next song!

The Road not Traveled

My! This road seems longer than ever, I thought as we traveled behind our granddaughter. I wondered if this were the right road! She was guiding us to a church she wanted to visit in a nearby city.   We had assumed it was relatively close, but it seemed that we would never get there.

At one point, the curvy road was surrounded by cliffs carved out of the mountains. It felt like I was at Turner Falls in Oklahoma, only scarier.

Finally we got to our destination where we met welcoming, friendly folks who showed us around. They were doing remodeling in the sanctuary and we were directed to the all-purpose building where services were being held. We loved the familiar music and songs and felt right at home.

After  the service, Sunday lunch at Cracker Barrel was just what we needed. Afterwards, it was smooth sailing and it seemed we were home in no time! Our hostess admitted she had missed an exit earlier, but it didn't matter since the ride home was uneventful and allowed us to enjoy the scenery!

Sometimes people get on the wrong path in life.  It may be fun or carefree for awhile, but ultimately rough spots come up, and it isn't so fun anymore. Life takes a turn for the worse  when mountain-size obstacles from wrong living loom in the way. Those thought of as friends may be friends no more.

But the Bible tells us  in Proverbs 18:24 that there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Who could  that be, but Jesus? Another scripture tells us, "In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your path." Proverbs 3:6.

Jesus walked a path for us as He carried his cross to His crucifixion. Let's stay on the right path!

House Keeping

I love old houses. Not to live in, but to see them beside the road, empty and deserted. It makes me wonder about the people and families who have lived out their lives there in times past. One of the structures along our path to town is an old general store. It reminded me of the boy's grandfather from the movie "Where the Red Fern Grows." He ran the store which was almost a replica of the one we pass.

Another house sitting close to the road, vine covered and neglected but pretty  much intact, catches my attention. Someone had placed a sign there with the words "Keep Out" warning trespassers. I suppose vagrants may have sought shelter there at one time or another.

We have all been given a "house," which is our mortal body. It is full of memories, experiences, hurts and love.  On the outside, if we are not too old, it looks to be in fair shape. But as the years pass it ages and is no match for the "beautiful people," otherwise thought of as the young!  We may even feel like putting up a Keep Out! sign to avoid people.

But the Bible tells us  good news in II Corinthians chapter 5. "For we know if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: It so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.

For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life."

I agree with the scripture in Joshua 24:14, when Joshua said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Amen!

Necessity is the Mother of Invention!

The other day I needed a nail and I couldn't find one. Today I needed a hammer, and it was no where to be found. I was hanging some cute curtains in the bathroom, and not finding a hammer, I used the the thing that any enterprising house wife might use--the heel of a shoe!

The scripture in Genesis  3:15 came to mind where God says to the serpent in the garden, "I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed: it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel."

This scripture refers to Jesus's crucifixion and the crown of thorns he bore. Although Jesus suffered for us, He will ultimately triumph over Satan and evil!

In Jesus's time, the footwear of the day was sandals. Sometimes they were strapped on with boot-like cords for work or soldiers. Deuteronomy 29:5 tells us, "I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your clothes have not worn out upon you, and your sandals have not worn off your feet."

I have several pairs of shoes, but certainly not as many as some. "Shoes are my weakness," I've often heard different ladies say. And no wonder! Shoes are plentiful, stylish and beautiful, as well as comfortable and rugged. There is no end to the popular brands of shoes for sport, exercise or walking.

John the Baptist was asked who he was, and he said of Jesus, "He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose." John 1:27.

I love sandals, but I prefer a hammer to drive a nail!

The Cat's Meow!

Two large cats have adopted us, I see.  One is an orange cat, and the other is black and white. Howard calls them Tom and Jerry. Every morning they appear at the kitchen door, looking hopefully for scraps of food. They are particular, however. They disdain a bowl of milk, a saucer of gravy, or any vegetable, but anything with meat scraps is acceptable.

Animals are so interesting and amusing, not to mention their other qualities. Lately I've seen television episodes which are amazing! In one of them, a pig saved a woman's life! It was a pet house pig, and one day the owner had a stroke. When the pig couldn't wake her up, it ran outside and lay down in the path of any passerby. Finally, someone followed it to the house, where an ambulance was called and took her to the hospital.

In another feature, a parrot saved a man's life. The bird heard the man calling "Help" from an overturned tractor.  From some distance the parrot's owner heard the bird calling "Help, help," in it's croaky voice.  Ignoring it for awhile, the guy and his friend went to check on the parrot, which clammed up immediately. Thinking nothing was wrong, they began to hear faint cries of help from the pasture. The parrot had relayed the calls for help which the owner could not hear!

These were old presentations from "It's a Miracle," hosted by Richard Thomas of "The Waltons." One dramatic story was of a woman debilitated by multiple sclerosis. She was at the point of death after trying everything until a bee keeper persuaded her to submit to a bee sting! Willing to try anything at this point, she agreed and immediately felt something different. Welcoming the bee stings, before long she was walking and leading a normal life again!

God's creations are incredible! Seemingly everything has a purpose that is largely undiscovered by humanity. What a marvelous, indescribable Father we have in Heaven. I think I'll give Tom and Jerry an extra treat!

Fog

"Why is it so late getting daylight?" I wondered aloud waking up  this morning. "Must be cloudy," I thought. Then I looked out the door to see a heavy fog! Oh, no! That meant treacherous driving to church if it didn't clear up. These curvy mountain roads dip low where the fog could settle in the valleys! I hoped it wouldn't keep us from church!

We attend the second service, so what seemed against our better judgement, we got ready and headed out. Surprisingly, it didn't seem bad so far! Then we got to a dip where a sign at the top of a deep ravine  read: Enter at your own risk. Flooding possible.

Suddenly the valley was flooded, not with water, but with sunshine! The fog dissipated, and our spirits lifted at the sight of a beautiful day! I thought we were running late, but when we drove into the church parking area I looked at the time, which read 10:45! The exact time  the service  would begin! Praise God! We made it!

It occurred to me that sometimes we get into a fog, spiritually and mentally. All we can perceive is gray, colorless circumstances and dullness. We can visualize that this or that will go wrong and nothing will turn out right.

This morning the pastor's message dealt with David's predicament when, while he was in a battle, the wives and children of his entourage were kidnapped and taken away. His loyal men were so grieved that they threatened to stone David. 

Samuel 30:6, "David was greatly distressed, for the people talked of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit, each over his sons and daughters. But David encouraged himself in the Lord his God."  The scripture goes on to say that all was recovered!

If and when a fog of mind from the enemy attacks you, remember David, and encourage yourself in the Lord!

Picture Perfect

"Howard, where is that packet of nails we bought?" I questioned, after looking all over the house for it. I had unearthed yet another family picture and found a perfect spot for it on the wall, but my nail search was to no avail! Determined to hang the photograph, I followed his directions no less than three times before I gave up in frustration.

My dilemma made me think of the verse that goes something like this,  "For want of a nail, a shoe was lost. For want of a shoe, a horse was lost. For want of a horse, a rider was lost. For want of a rider, a battle was lost."

The thought came to me later of  the three treacherous nails on the cross borne by our Savior, Jesus Christ.  For want of those nails, there would be no sacrifice.  For want of His sacrifice, there would be no forgiveness. For want of forgiveness, there would be no salvation. For want of salvation, mankind would be lost.

If my nails don't show up, I will buy more to hang the picture.  I love the design of it, with each photograph framed individually in an artistic layout. Time goes by so swiftly that in every photo each dear face is younger and blessed in memory.

Pictures are dear to us, but even more important is that we become a reflection of Jesus and present a life-style that would bear His image. The best picture!

Mountain Mementos

"Look, Howard," I remarked to my husband as we drove in the driveway. "That dove has been sitting on that high line wire in the same spot for days!"  It was true. Every time I looked, there it was, in the self-same spot with no other doves in sight anywhere.

Then today, as I stepped out on the porch, the line was empty.  "I wonder what happened to the dove?" I mused to my spouse, the porch sitter.  Just then the dove flew in and alighted onto its regular perch.

Thinking about the dove reminded me of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16 says, "When he had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him."

It made me think about the flood when Noah released first a raven, then a dove to see if the waters had receded.  Genesis 8:11, "Then the dove came back to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth; and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth."

Maybe our dove was watching over us?  In this new location of mountains, hills and valleys where the scenery is breathtaking, but the roads are like roller coasters?

My husband related something our son-in-law, the naturalist, told him. It seems Steve was propagating a branch of something, and he explained to Howard that the branch could be kept in water and would live, but it would not produce fruit.  Only if it developed roots could it reproduce.

I reflected on this and thought how our roots need to grow deeply in Christ if we are to lead others into the Kingdom. A shallow, watered-down testimony may be rootless and ineffective!  We must remain full of the water of the Word and the Holy Spirit of the sweet, heavenly Dove!
 

The Mixer-Upper

"Would you like to get something to drink?" Howard asked as we left the Sunday night prayer meeting.

I thought a minute, then said, "I would like a root beer float." He thought that sounded like a good idea, so we crossed the intersection to come on to the fast-food drive-in.

My husband gave the order over the speaker and waited for a reply. Nothing came, so we drove up to the window. A youth was at the window, and said, "That will be $5.25".  What? For a single root beer float?

The young man seemed confused, but replied that they didn't have any root beer floats.

Then I chimed in to remind them that the sign said they would give root beer floats at no charge to veterans, to which he replied that they had never sold them.

"Then why were you charging me $5.00?" Howard questioned, to which the flustered young man admitted it was the bill for the car behind us.

As we drove away, I saw the marquee, which was emblazoned with the words, TACO BELL. "Oh, that's why they didn't have any, we were at the wrong place!" A&W was next door!

We drove to the speaker at A&W and placed our order. "Now, I'm a veteran, so I get it free!" my thirsty driver said to the attendant.

She took issue with that and told him the price, to which I chimed in, "But the sign says free root beer to veterans!"

"That is for August 6." she informed me.

"But today is the sixth!" I insisted, while she claimed it was August 4.  Well, I wasn't sure, and Howard gave her his card, but she returned it unused, gave him a root beer float and closed the window! She hadn't charged us!

What a comedy of errors! Not only did we go to the wrong place to begin with, then argued about a complimentary treat not due for two more days!  We shared the drink, but somehow it had lost its luster.

Just goes to show you that the blessings received at the church service can disappear if we aren't careful to guard our hearts and know what we are talking about!

Vapor of Smoke

We always enjoy a hearty breakfast, even though it keeps me busy scurrying around the kitchen between microwave, range and fridge. This morning I was pouring coffee and forgot that I had left the toast in too long. Suddenly the room was filled with smoke, sending me opening windows and fanning a dish towel to clear the air.

Still the alarm screeched until we got it turned off. Looking out the window a little later, I saw a huge, red vehicle with ladders on the side in front of our driveway. It backed up, then the FIRE TRUCK pulled into the driveway!  What? A fire truck for burnt toast?  Thankfully, they left when we told them all was well.

What a morning! It left me a little unsettled. Thank God, it wasn't a fire, only smoke. Fire is mentioned many times in the Bible. It even relates an unbridled tongue to fire, as in James 3:5-6:

"Even so, the tongue is a little part of the body and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles. The tongue is a fire, a world of evil. The tongue is among the parts of the body, defiling the whole body, and setting the  course of nature on fire, and it is set on fire by hell."

Another mention of fire is from Jeremiah 20:9 where he writes: But if I say, "I will not make mention of Him nor speak any more in His name," then His word was in my heart as burning fire shut up in my bones.

This reminded me of an incident recalled in a preacher's sermon. A young girl had gotten saved at his revival meeting and was speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gave her utterance. She continued in her heavenly language all the way home from the services. Her father was very disturbed by this, saying "Shut her up!" Her mother locked her in a closet, but it was to no avail,  for it was burning in her bones!

Praise God for the Holy Ghost and Fire!

Lost Phone!

"Where is it?" I wailed.  I had just come in from the porch and put the phone down. Now when I needed it, it was nowhere to be found! Maybe I put it somewhere else, I reasoned. But after looking high and low, I woke up our grandson and had him dial my number.  Several tries didn't locate the phone!

We had to go out, so I gave up and headed toward the door.  Going back to turn off the kitchen light, I couldn't believe my eyes. There it was, on top the cookie  jar! Evidently, I unwittingly left it there! I examined it and found that the sound was off! How that happened, I don't know! No wonder I couldn't find it!

Not having communication was a strange, empty feeling of being disconnected. Nowadays, we take for granted the ability to be in touch instantly with almost anybody in the world!

I got to thinking that the inability to communicate is inconvenient, but it would be nothing to compare with being out of touch with God, our heavenly Father! Sometimes we may feel as if God is far away, but it is usually because we have not sought Him or have been neglectful of prayer and His Word.

I have been reading my One Year Bible since I bought it at the beginning of the year. I got a little behind, though, when I accidentally left my Bible at the home of our son in Houston. It was a while before he got it in the mail back to me, and I am still catching up, but if I miss a day, I do feel as if something is missing and try to make up for it the next day.

I'm reminded of an old song written when telephones were always in the same place, attached to the wall, called "Royal Telephone."  Some of the lyrics are:  "Central's never busy, always on the line, you can hear from Heaven almost any time."

It is still true! Jesus is waiting for us to contact Him! Being disconnected to Him is so much worse than misplacing a phone with the sound turned off!

What's in a Name?

Not long ago, a Mississippi friend posted a picture on Facebook of an old time singer. She got a response saying what a great singer he was.  "He was the best!" my friend exclaimed.

"Who is that?" I wrote. A few minutes later, I got a message that said, "Thelma, watch this!"

So I tuned in on the video to hear Jimmie Rodgers warbling out the words, "T for Texas, T for Tennessee," then a few minutes later, he yodeled and sang, "T for Thelma, the girl that made a wreck out of me."

I had to laugh. It seemed funny to hear my name being sung in that song, although I had heard it many times and often sang it myself.  Once I was even tempted to buy an artistic picture of Texas with the words,  "T for Thelma" in very large print at the bottom. Something about hearing the song blaring in a famous voice from the past made me happy and giggly in spite of myself.

My mother named me "Thelma" after her sister, my Aunt Thelma.  I'm sure it was a popular name back then, but I had never liked it, seeming old-fashioned and outdated. I even started going by the name "Thea" for awhile, as a more contemporary-style name, but I soon went back to the familiar.

This morning, a newcomer to our church came up and introduced herself to me, saying, "I haven't met you," and we exchanged names. "Thelma!" she exclaimed, "That was my mother's name!"  Of course! I told her it was also my aunt's name.

Since I was born in June, that is my middle name. (Being that I was the sixth child, I think Mama was out of ideas for names.)  Now my delightful little great-granddaughter has June for her middle name, too!

The most important name of all is Jesus! We finish our prayers and requests, "In Jesus' name, Amen."  His is the Name above all names!  Scriptures indicate we will receive a new name in Heaven: Rev. 2:17; Rev. 3:12; Isaiah 62:2 and others. I'm sure mine will be a name I will like!

Sunday Surprise

Saturday night I was very tired and went to bed at 9:00 o'clock. This made me awaken Sunday morning at 5:00 a.m.  Oh well, I thought, "This will give me plenty of time to get ready for church." I went through  my routine, got Howard out of bed, selected my clothes, and, since we would eat breakfast at church, there was nothing else to do.

Then I got an anxious report from my husband who had been getting dressed. "My wallet is gone!" he announced in alarm. He was frantically searching everywhere, then I realized it wasn't his wallet that was missing, but a packet where he kept important cards and his driver's license.

Oh, no! Our lifeline! I thought. Time slipped away as we checked clothing pockets, desks, bureaus and everywhere else we could think of.  Trying to re-trace our steps from the day before, we called the stores and businesses where we had been on Saturday. No one had found any of our cards. Of course, we prayed that the lost  would be found.

Distressed and running late, we missed our Sunday School class, but made it in time for church. Our pastor had just returned from a mission trip and was on fire with his morning message. He invited anyone who had a need to come to the front for prayer.

"I have a need," Howard nudged me. I knew what he meant, and we made our way to the front with dozens of others. All we could do was trust God in our dilemma.

We decided to get lunch in town and called our grandson at home to see if he wanted to eat with us. He agreed, and we headed home to pick him up. I got out of the car to go into the house, when a small brown object on the ground caught my eye.

"Howard! I found it!" I exclaimed jubilantly. It was his packet of cards and driver's license! (We had driven with no license!)

He was beside himself with joy and praises to God!  How could we have missed it!  But of course we had parked at a  slightly different angle which revealed the lost treasure!  We don't know how it got there, but we know Who showed it to us, keeping it safe from wind, doggie nibbles or tire tracks!

Needless to say, we enjoyed a very lighthearted meal with plenty of smiles and thankful hearts. As the song goes, "His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me." Amen!

Reflections

Things I never knew about my husband:

 At age 12, he was the janitor of his church. Sweeping, mopping classrooms and sanctuary and cleaning restrooms.

At age 13, he was the song leader at his church.

During these years, he played the main wise man in Christmas plays, memorizing endless lines of script.

At age 14, he accompanied the church pianist with his guitar and was on the worship team.

No wonder I fell in love with him when he was 15! When he came into our church, I was smitten.

Things I did learn about him as a teenager:

In the contributions received each Wednesday night for the Friday radio program, he always gave the last dollar.

After the service when we as teens wanted to go get a coke, we had to wait until he was finished praying at the altar.

Here, too, he often led the song service.

Later, I learned he was a good example for our six children who were also brought up in church!

Jumping to Conclusions!

Not long ago we got into our van to do some errands, and instead of the motor purring like a kitten, a horrible grinding noise emitted from the hood. The vehicle wouldn't budge, no matter how much we tried.

"Must be the transmission," was the conclusion.  Oh, no! That would be expensive! Prices were investigated, all of which were thousands of dollars. We let the van sit for weeks, relying on driving our trusty Nissan, even though it had been hit by a hit and run driver a couple of years ago. It wasn't pretty, but it got us where we wanted to go.

(A couple of days ago, we were loading groceries into said car, when a passerby in Walmart's lot stopped and remarked cheerfully, "It don't look like much, but it gets the job done!" ) I had to agree.

Earlier, one of our church friends had taken it upon himself to search for us a good deal on a tranny. We appreciated it, but all was still out of our reach. However, his helpful suggestion prompted my husband to explore a little further rather than abandoning ship, so to speak. He called a mechanic friend who agreed to look at our Honda.

After his inspection, the knowledgeable man announced it was not the transmission, but something less costly! Howard called our road service, had the van towed in, and yesterday it was repaired! Running as good as ever at a fraction of the price!

How often we expect the negative in any situation!  We might hear of illness or accident and worry unnecessarily, instead of believing for the best outcome. Or we say of someone's blessing, "Oh, that could never happen to me."

But the Bible says, "For I know the thoughts I have of you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11.

Or the scripture in Romans 8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

I especially appreciate Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean
not unto thine own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path."

Using the van today and enjoying the cool air-conditioning, I could only thank the Lord for everything turning out for the best, and learning not to expect the worst!

This Little Pig went to Market!

A few weeks ago, our fine porker was transported to a recommended, out of town business that processes such things. We had received positive reports of this Mom and Pop industry to which we would take our pig and, as my husband Howard says, "Bring it back in clean, white paper."

Well, yesterday we set out to go retrieve our finished product of bacon, hams, ribs, pork chops, etc. We had not gone on the original trip, since our son and grandson pulled the trailer and delivered our porcine prize to its destiny.  Our grandson, Adam, chauffeured us this time to pick up our investment of months of dutifully feeding, watering and caring for our rooting, grunting (almost-but-not quite) pet.

It was about a 40 mile trip, and we were prepared to know that the owner would be out to lunch at 12:30, so when we got to the (very) small town, we found a home-town restaurant with really good food! The ride down was pleasant with the views of hundreds of acres of Indian land, the green, rolling pastures and occasionally tree-lined roads and valleys.

That made me reminisce of my early childhood growing up near Tulsa, which wasn't far from us on this venture. Once we got on a shortcut back road that opened up into a picturesque scene of the valley below. I thought of a scene in the movie, "Shadow Lands," I  had seen again recently, that portrayed breathtaking distant hills and valleys.

Back home, we filled our freezer, leaving out a few packages for immediate use. Howard couldn't wait to taste the bacon, so I fried some in a skillet this morning. It was delicious! We had heard that this company did a great job of curing and smoking pork! They also smoked the hams, which are so big we will probably wait and have them at Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Feathers and Fur

The little guineas were so cute! All 24 of them, looking like grey pearls as they huddled together in their cage. Howard had agreed to raise them for a friend who would give my husband 12 of them for his own.

The big cage which we had used many times before for baby chicks and ducks was readied with all the accouterments of watering and feeding necessities carefully placed on the fresh straw covering the cage floor.

My wanna-be farmer was ecstatic. He had wanted guineas for a long time. Yesterday morning he had a spring in his step when he went out to feed and check on them as he did every day. A little later he returned with a haggard look of disbelief on his face.

"They're all dead!" he announced incredulously. "All the little guineas are dead! One's head was gone, some looked chewed up and the others were just lying around!"

Oh, no! Nothing had ever breached the cage before! Howard thought maybe a snake got in, but we couldn't be sure.  He resolutely called his friend with the bad news. Ironically, he told Howard a goat he had just bought was dead the next day!

I couldn't help thinking of the scripture in 1 Peter 5:8 which says, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour."

I know in our fallen world the nature of animals is to devour.  I love the scripture of future promise when these things shall be changed, as in Isaiah 11:6-9:

"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together; And a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; Their young ones shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play by the cobra's hole, And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper's den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord As the waters cover the sea."

What a day for which to look forward!

Sleep Walking

Last night I woke up to hear my husband saying he needed a drink of water. I staggered out of bed and brought him a glass of water. "Here is your water," I said, to which he said, "Huh?" groggily coming out of sleep.

"You said you wanted water, so  here it is," I said, offering it to him, when poof! the water evaporated in my hand! Howard was asleep, and then I realized it was a dream!

Dreams can be mysterious, comforting or crazy! There are many references to dreams in the Bible. I like the scripture in Psalm 126:1-3:

When the Lord restored the captives of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, "The Lord has done great things for them." The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.

We are familiar with the dreams Joseph had in protecting baby Jesus.  Matthew 2:13: Now when they departed, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and escape to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word. For Herod will seek the young Child to kill Him."

Then in Matthew 2:19, we find: But when Herod was dead, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, "Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child's life are dead."

The Bible says in Acts 2:17, "In the last days it shall be,' says God, 'that I will pour out My Spirit on all people; your sons and your daughters shall prophecy, your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams."

It doesn't say old women, but still! Sweet dreams, everyone!

Faith like Potatoes

That was the title of a movie, but it made me think of our venture in planting potatoes.  They were planted a few months ago, and we were getting restless waiting on them to mature. I had learned from experience before that you have to wait until they bloom and then wait until the leaves wither.

The other day I happened to see the picture of a tub of potatoes we grew from a year or two ago. It was dated June 27, I think. Anyway, the date prodded me to think ours might be ready. True to form, the leaves were withered (mostly), so one day I dragged out a shovel to dislodge our prize.

Wow! That was hard work! Especially when the ground was hard! I gave up until another day when my spouse would help me.  He also discovered how hard the soil was, so we decided to soften up the earth by pouring water on and soaking the dirt.

Yesterday we took the plunge and attempted to dig some potatoes. The ground was still dry and hard, but we managed to unearth a few gems. Unfortunately, they were still pretty small, so we decided to wait a little longer.

In the movie, the man's faith grew with the growth and success of his potatoes.  We have faith in our venture, too.

I got to thinking about how raising children is a lot like growing potatoes. They start out as helpless, appealing little darlings we are gifted with, and as we watch them grow, we have the opportunity and responsibility to help shape our little "taters" into people who bless the world.  We might have to buff off the rough edges of the little lumps of joy as they grow, learn and are affected by life.

They have good roots from the ground up, and it is up to us to "bring up a child in the way it should go." They, too have to develop their faith, not only in their parents, but in a relationship with God, the God who made them and the world and everything that is in it. Even the potatoes!

Consider the Lilies

I had just discarded the wilted bouquet of lovely flowers sent for my birthday by a thoughtful son. Washing the attractive vase they came in, I wished I had more flowers to fill it up. Then I thought about the beautiful orange lilies blooming on their graceful stems down by the roadside.

Howard was mowing, and I had just swept grass clippings from the porch, so I was already outside. I got some scissors from a kitchen hook and resolutely headed for the driveway, keeping an eye out for the unpredictable traffic. Usually, the overgrowth of other wild bushes would have detained me, but every thing had been mowed back, so it was easy to snip off several stalks of the lilies. Now they reign majestically in the living room.

I couldn't help thinking of Jesus's words in Matthew 6:28, where he cautions against worries.
"Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe  you, O you of little faith?"

Sure enough, when I looked at my bouquet, I could see withered blooms of yesterday dried on the stalk. But each day, new ones grew in the place of it! Not long ago, my husband and I purged our closets (somewhat). I had perfectly good clothes that I never wear anymore, and he had scads of shirts he didn't need.  Now once in a while, I get something new and am able to enjoy it! We don't need to horde our clothes, for Jesus promises to provide what we need!

"Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble," Matthew 6:31-34.

And the lilies are still blooming!

Provision

"Oh, look!" I exclaimed in dismay to my husband. "I think my flowers are dead!" Sure enough, the leaves of  the brilliant zinnias I had put in pots on the porch were withered and wrinkled.  At first, I thought it was from the heat of the sun and figured it would be better when the cool night air came through. However, there was little improvement the next morning.

Resignedly, I poured water into the plants and was surprised when the next time I looked, the flowers had recovered and looked fresh again!

I couldn't help thinking of the Water of Life that Jesus pours into our parched and thirsty souls, refreshing us and giving us a new perspective when we seek Him. Our scowls and frowns relax and our spirit is renewed, just as the wrinkled leaves of the zinnias respond with renewed beauty!

God always gives us more. Recently when the offering bag was passed in my row at church, I remembered some money I had in my purse from the sale of some farm eggs. Although my husband usually contributes, I also did that night. The next day, I received an unexpected amount, more than I had given! The following week, the same thing happened when I gave in the offering. The Lord blessed me again! As my mother always said, "You can't out-give God!"

As I think about it, I recall that on impulse I gave a generous tip to the attendant who did my nails awhile back. Later, after I got my hair done for our granddaughter's wedding, I, uncharacteristically for me,  tipped liberally to the stylist. Her pleased reaction was worth it, and I left feeling good!

When one of our sons was leaving with his family after the wedding, he handed me a couple of restaurant gift cards. We enjoyed one, then a few days later I presented  the other one to a cashier for our lunch. Obviously a new employee, she seemed surprised and couldn't figure out how to make it work.  Finally, her supervisor was called, and after several frustrating moments of pounding and pulling on the cash register, she returned my card and gave us our food at no cost! That means we still have a free meal coming!

I could go on about other unexpected blessings, but suffice it to say, "Jehovah Jireh, my provider," for Jehovah Jireh means "The Lord will provide," Genesis 22:14.

Gathering

Smilingly, our son Jamie approached me and put his arm around me.  Our family visiting here for their niece's wedding had just finished a happy time of food and fellowship at a nice restaurant in town and were bidding each other good-night as they all went to their  hotel rooms.

I looked up questioningly at Jamie, who chuckled and said, "Isaac told me, 'Go give your mom  and dad a hug.'" Isaac is their 5-year-old, who doesn't say much but thinks ahead.  I had to laugh at the little guy's thoughtfulness of his Mimi and Pa-Pa. Not getting to see us very often, maybe our youngest grandchild was a little bit shy.

It reminded me of our visit to their home in Texas a few months ago. I  had brought small gifts for the three grand kids, which they opened with excitement and were admiring, when Isaac disappeared. Shortly he came back with an odd assortment of gifts he had gathered for each of us, wrapped in Kleenex and put into tiny containers of various sizes.

After the Saturday evening wedding, most of our out-of-town visitors went to church with us on Sunday morning. After the kiddos were sent to various class rooms, our grown-up kids came to the Berean class where Howard was substituting for the regular teacher.  It was such a joy to have them there and to be able to introduce them to our church friends!

Going into the sanctuary for the main service, a teacher saw me and remarked, "A little red-haired girl named Madeleine knew all the answers in class! That girl is smart!"

"Yes, she loves to read,"  I beamed at the compliment to our granddaughter. He said he believed it, and couldn't say enough about her!

Her 12-year-old sister, who plays the cello at school, discovered a violin at our house and soon was producing passable music on it, also strumming on Pa-Pa's guitar! I love to see the progress of learning in the new generation!

It was hard to see everyone leave to their far away homes, but we have wonderful memories, reminded by the stray football beside a tree where the Great-grands, Jaxon and Mason, played or the stray ball or plaything left by the little girls, Lainey, 3, and Lacey, 8 months. 

God bless us everyone!

Wedding Day!

What is it about weddings that is so touching? Everything was pretty routine as pre-wedding photos were taken, even with all traipsing to the outdoor archway amid trees where more photos were added for posterity.

I was so caught up in the preliminaries for our granddaughter Allison's wedding that I was focused on the procedures,  the actual vows and solemnity not yet penetrating my consciousness. The long trip to the chosen venue was tiring, and the wait for the ceremony was long, since we were there ahead of time for preparations.

At long last, it was time. My husband and I were transported in an open vehicle, since the walk would be strenuous with Howard's cane. As grandparents of the bride, we were seated up front where we had a perfect view of the nuptials.

Presently, the lovely bride was escorted down the aisle by her father, our son Greg, carried by the strains of chosen accompaniment wending through the leafy bower.  Everyone was all smiles as heads turned for their glimpse of the procession.

Then when Allison was welcomed by her bridegroom, emotion got the best of me. Suddenly I was overwhelmed by the comparison of the church becoming the bride of Christ! It was such a holy moment, knowing that God sanctions marriage and that it is a reflection of The Marriage Supper of the Lamb as described in Revelation 19:7-9:

"Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready."

And to her it was granted to be arrayed in white linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Then he said to me, "Write: "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

May your marriage be blessed, Allison and Matthew!






























































































































































s acts of the saints.
Then he said to me, "Write:  "Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!" And he said to me, "These are the true sayings of God."

Rewards

BRRING, went the phone yesterday. I picked it up and heard a familiar voice. "Mimi, this is Reid!" Oh, my grandson, whom I don't hear from very often.

"I just wanted you and PaPa to know that I'm going to be on TBN (Trinity Broadcasting Network)! We're flying out tomorrow!"

Well, I knew he travels with the Christian artist, Jason Crabb, but I had never seen Reid on TV.

"I'm playing the guitar for Jason's song!" he explained.  I joined him in his enthusiasm and was so glad that he was getting to use his gift that he has honed to perfection.

Although we don't get the channel he will be on, I've always loved TBN, a Christian station in California founded by the late Paul and Jan Crouch, now overseen by their son, Matt. Reid said the program would be on video to be shown later. Maybe by that time, I'll get to see it!

I couldn't help but think how blessed we are with our remarkable grandchildren! They all love the Lord and are fine upstanding people! All 20 of them! 

It's amazing how God works. Reid's parents did not want him to  go to a secular college, so he enrolled in Lee University in Tennessee where he made outstanding Christian friends. It was through these friends that he met and joined Jason Crabb's ministry. 

And it was there that his sister, Corrin, who followed in his footsteps, met her intended and will be married in October!

This week-end, we will be going to the wedding of our granddaughter Allison, who is a school teacher. We will get to see children and grandchildren living far away who are coming to the wedding. 

Jesus apparently loved weddings. so I'm sure he will be pleased!  Wish you were here, Reid!