Category: November2017

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What’s Better Than Mashed Potatoes

Tomorrow we will be sitting down to an early Thanksgiving dinner. My brother and sister-in-law, my sister and niece, Dave and I along with our oldest daughter and son-in-law will be gathered at our Mother’s home for a day of celebration. I think the last time we were all together for Thanksgiving was when we were teenagers. Life has taken us to different corners of the country but this year, this year, we are celebrating together!

We have asked Mom’s neighbors and friends to join us. These are folks who have been there for her when we couldn’t be. It is such a joy to let them know how thankful we are for their love and friendship that they express so freely to Mom. True Neighbors. True Friends!

Yes, very grateful for friends and family. Isn’t that where our thoughts go when we come to the holiday season? Who and what are we most thankful for? What do we value most/what is the best gift we have ever received? What makes the holidays the most memorable?

The answer is always the same – friends and family and sharing love and laughter!

But the time around the table is never long enough. Some arrive late and others have to leave early…time is too short when you are in the presence of loved ones.

Makes me very grateful for eternity! We’ll be able to sit down to visit and there will be no need to rush! And there will be time to see everyone and share our lives and our love.

Now that’s heaven. And in the center of it all will be the Father and the Son!!

“Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won’t go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died.

16 With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God’s trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. 17 Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever.” I Thessalonians 4:15-17 CEV

Oh what a day that will be!

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Sleep is a Blessing to be Thankful For

My morning started later than usual – I slept in. That hasn’t happened in a long time so I am thanking for the Father for the extra rest.

“In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for you alone, Lord,
make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8 NIV

There are several examples of sleep in the Bible; it’s interesting to note that in the most difficult times, God gave His people rest.

Adam was the first and when he slept God crafted woman from his rib. Another example is Jacob; he slept and in his dream he saw a ladder leading to heaven with angels ascending and descending – he wasn’t in a comfortable bed but out on the hard ground with a rock for a pillow.

Then Daniel slept in a den of lions. He was at peace because he knew God was with him. How about Joseph, he was sleeping when the angel came to him and told him Mary was going to have a baby.

Jesus slept in the back of a boat while a storm was raging and the boat was filling with water. Peter was asleep in prison after being beaten, the angel had to nudge him to wake him up. There are other examples but these are the ones that came to mind first.

In the midst of stress filled days and trying times if we are trusting the Lord He will give us pleasant sleep. Enjoy this day the Lord has blessed you with but better yet – enjoy the rest He has prepared for you tonight.

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Old Faithful – A Glorious Reminder

Faithfulness! The sign of a true friend is faithfulness. Through the years, Dave and I have been blessed with many acquaintances and even dear situational friendships. You know, those friends that are in your life for a particular seasonal or location. But then there are the friends that rise above time and space. They are the ones who you may not talk to for months or even years but when you see them, your heart is stirred with love and memories and the relationship picks up and grows even deeper.

Yes, we have been truly blessed with friends that fall into that category! Our lives are richer, warmer and fuller because of their love!

I was mediating on that word “faithfulness” this morning. Faith+full+ness.

Faith= the established belief in someone or something not seen. The knowing that they will always be the same. Never failing, always there.

“Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1

Full= not empty, not lacking, abundance, more than enough.

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

Ness= a suffix added to a word to indicate quality

Faith= believing in the unseen; Full= abundance; Ness= quality

Faithfulness: believing in the abundance of someone always being the same in overflowing abundance, to the greatest extent or quality.

You know folks have been going to Yellowstone National Park for years to see the geyser Old Faithful. In fact, Old Faithful is so faithful that the Park Rangers can predict with great accuracy when it will blow. Summer, winter, spring or fall the geyser erupts, crowd or no crowd, rain or shine Old Faithful is the same. Can a geyser be more faithful than the Lord – not hardly!

God’s faithfulness endures forever! He will always be the same – He keeps His promises and His love never fails! Rest in Him today.

“Our Lord, I will sing of your love forever. Everyone yet to be born will hear me praise your faithfulness.

2 I will tell them, “God’s love can always be trusted, and his faithfulness lasts as long as the heavens.”

3 You said, “David, my servant, is my chosen one, and this is the agreement I made with him: 4 David, one of your descendants will always be king.”

5 Our Lord, let the heavens now praise your miracles, and let all of your angels praise your faithfulness.

6 None who live in the heavens can compare with you.” Psalm 89:1-6 CEV

Trust in the faithfulness of your loving heavenly Father!

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A Penny Can Change Your Life

I heard a story of a wealthy man who was observed stopping to pick up a coin in a hotel parking lot. When this man and his companions arrived at their destination the man was asked why he, a man of wealth and influence, would stop to pick up a coin that little or no bearing on his financial situation.

The man explained, “There was a time in my life when every penny mattered. Sometimes it meant the difference in being able to afford a meal or not. But now my focus isn’t on the coin but on the message. You see, each coin is a reminder to me that I am not alone. Each coin preaches a sermon, in God we trust!

As my wealth and influence have increased I never want to become confident in my own wisdom, my own ability to conduct transactions or to find my security in my holdings. It was my faith and trust in God that brought me to this place and it will be that and that alone that will keep me here.

So whenever I see a coin I stop and pick it up. As I slide it into my pocket I remind myself to put my trust in God for that day because as I’ve learned, He is the only one who is truly worthy of my trust”.

Situations and circumstances in our homes, our communities and around the world give us pause. Some can even cause us to fear if we don’t keep our hearts focused.

Now more than ever is time to let God’s word have final say. “In everything give thanks”, not “for” everything give thanks but in everything. Not thankful for the circumstance or the situation but thankful because God is STILL in control. Read these words that the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica.

“We ask you, brothers and sisters, to warn those who will not work. Encourage those who are afraid. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 Be sure that no one pays back wrong for wrong. But always try to do what is good for each other and for all people.

16 Always be full of joy. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Whatever happens, always be thankful. This is how God wants you to live in Christ Jesus.

19 Don’t stop the work of the Holy Spirit. 20 Don’t treat prophecy like something that is not important. 21 But test everything. Keep what is good, 22 and stay away from everything that is evil.

23 We pray that God himself, the God of peace, will make you pure—belonging only to him. We pray that your whole self—spirit, soul, and body—will be kept safe and be blameless when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24 The one who chose you will do that for you. You can trust him.” I Thessalonians 5:14-24

I love that last line “You can trust Him”.

That story of the coin has stuck with me for the last 7 years. I remember when I heard it for the first time, May 2008. Since that time, nearly every time, when I see a coin in a parking lot or on a street, I stop to pick it up and as I slide it into my pocket I let my fingers run across the face of the coin and I repeat these words “Father, I put my trust in your today. You are faithful. I can trust You.”

So if you’re with me and you see me stop and reach down for a penny or a nickel or possibly a quarter you will know why. I need my attention off my circumstances and on the One who controls my heart – I can trust Him!

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It’s in the Script

Last night I couldn’t sleep so I turned TV to the Hallmark Channel. At first I caught the last 30 minutes of a movie I hadn’t seen before, then I went to another Hallmark Channel and caught the last half of a movie I hadn’t seen. I love Hallmark movies – they are predictable and they make me feel good. The perfect thing to watch as you are trying to fall to sleep.

Let’s evaluate most every Hallmark movie. You have a female lead character who is generally faced with some dilemma. She is most generally a commoner; seamstress, waitress, office worker, teacher, widow, etc. Then you have the male lead; quite often he is wealthy and has social acclaim; king, prince, business mogul, doctor, military hero. And finally there is the villain; parent, business adviser, other woman, jealous boyfriend, who is trying to keep the male and female lead characters apart.

The story proceeds with the plot undermining the relationship between the two characters but in the end true love prevails!

Simplistic, predictable but heartwarming and sweet!

We have a saying around our house when someone asks “why in the world did they do that” and the answer is “it’s in the script”. However, daily life isn’t scripted – the situation we face are learned dialogue. Yet the underlining premise is the same.

We have the commoner and the king. Someone is always trying to undermine the relationship between the two but if you fall the storyline long enough you will find that love never fails and good triumphs over evil.

Yes, that’s the way it is in our relationship with the Lord. We are the commoners and Jesus is the King of Kings. The stresses, evil and dependence on self in this world try to keep us separated from the King. People around us and the voices in our own heads tell us that we aren’t good enough or just the opposite, that we don’t need God, that religion is just a crutch.

God isn’t a crutch, far from it. He is the source of love and the abundance of life. When we enter into relationship with Him he takes us from our common life and elevates us to a place of honor and esteem. He invites us all to come to Him and find rest; to an abundant life.

“If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to me and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 CEV

“20 Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Revelation 3:20 CEV

“A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so that everyone would have life, and have it in its fullest.” John 10:10 CEV

Time and time again I focus on God’s amazing love but only because it’s the heart of our story. Christ freely laid down His life for us, He loves us that much.

“Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. 13 The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them.” John 15:12-13 CEV

“We know what love is because Jesus gave his life for us. That’s why we must give our lives for each other.” I John 3:16 CEV

You see our relationship with the Lord is a lot like a Hallmark movie only better! And when you read the Bible you find out what this amazing new life is all about.

It truly is “in the script”!

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Prayer of Thanksgiving

Not sure what your day or my day hold but the thing I know is that we are to be in prayer. We are to be thankful for all that the Lord has done, willing to share His goodness and ready to give the answer of Christ to anyone who asks.

“Never give up praying. And when you pray, keep alert and be thankful. 3 Be sure to pray that God will make a way for us to spread his message and explain the mystery about Christ, even though I am in jail for doing this. 4 Please pray that I will make the message as clear as possible.

5 When you are with unbelievers, always make good use of the time. 6 Be pleasant and hold their interest when you speak the message. Choose your words carefully and be ready to give answers to anyone who asks questions.” Colossians 4:2-6 CEV

We don’t need to beat people over the head with our Bibles or try to force Jesus on them. But when we live a life of gratitude for all His wonderful blessings we will be asked why we are always so happy or what makes us always want to smile or be in a good mood even when things go wrong. Even when Paul was in prison he was looking for ways to provide for others; to encourage them, to give them instruction and to infuse them with inner strength.

God has given us a wonderful invitation to visit with Him whenever and wherever we can. Prayer isn’t taking on an exact posture of hands folded, eyes closed, head bowed and knees bent; it IS however an attitude of the heart. Sometimes it’s saying thank you and others it’s saying help.

There are days that I sit on the sofa with coffee in hand and talk to the Lord as I would with any other friend. There are times when I close my eyes to block out everything around me just so I can focus on His presence and center myself in His love. Then there are those times when I’m walking through the grocery store and talking to Him about things that concern me or affect those I love. But whatever the circumstance, wherever the place I know that He is there is listen and to answer.

“The Lord is near to everyone who sincerely calls to him for help.” Psalm 145:18

So today, I will say with Paul – NEVER give up praying and be thankful! It will change your world.

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The Smell of Sweet Perfume

Chanel – White Diamonds – Giorgio – Shalimar – perfumes! All have a wonderful odor.

Just one drop, and a room will be completely filled with fragrance. Have you ever experienced that? Just one little dab of expensive perfume on a cloth or piece of clothing will bring a wonderful bouquet to all the other clothes in your closet or drawer. Or maybe you’ve had the experience of walking past someone and you pick up on the sweet smell of perfume and it reminds you of someone you love or a place you love.

“I am grateful that God ALWAYS makes it possible for Christ to lead us to victory. God also helps us spread the knowledge about Christ everywhere, and this knowledge is like the smell of perfume.” (emphasis mine) II Corinthians 214 CEV

The Apostle Paul tells us that we should be thankful because God ALWAYS causes us to triumph in Christ. ALWAYS!! Not just occasionally, not just half the time but ALWAYS!

And then He helps us spread the message of Christ and His victory everywhere like a sweet perfume. We’re not the perfume, the message of Christ is. We’re simply the article that transports the aroma.

Reminds me of the woman who broke the box of expensive perfume and poured it on Jesus. People were upset because she had wasted such a costly ointment but everywhere Jesus went, He left a sweet smelling fragrance and there was no denying that they had been in His presence.

“Six days before Passover Jesus went back to Bethany, where he had raised Lazarus from death. 2 A meal had been prepared for Jesus. Martha was doing the serving, and Lazarus himself was there. 3 Mary took a very expensive bottle of perfume and poured it on Jesus’ feet. She wiped them with her hair, and the sweet smell of the perfume filled the house.” John 12:1-3 CEV

Are we leaving people with the ability to sense that they have been in the presence of the Lord? Talking about His victories in our lives isn’t bragging on us and our great feats; it’s simply leaving the fragrance of Christ for others to enjoy.

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

Be grateful, be thankful, leave a sweet smell!

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Thanks for the Memories!

Thinking this morning on all I have to be grateful for. WOW!!! So much in this life of 64 years.

When I look back I see very little of the bad and hold tightly to the good. No, my life hasn’t been perfect – but I have to think long and hard to come up with the faults and failings, the disappointments and the defeats.

I am so thankful for parents who loved me and my brother and sister. They worked hard and we didn’t have a lot but I never knew how little we really had until I got older. They didn’t dwell on what we didn’t have so we didn’t either. One of my favorite memories of Thanksgiving was walking over to our friends early on Thanksgiving, leaving Mom the final preparations for the meal, and watching the Thanksgiving Parade on their “color” TV. It was so much better than black and white.

All of our family was in Iowa and we were in AZ so holidays were spent with wonderful friends who seemed liked family; the Smith’s, the Roberson’s, the Cochran’s – loving people from our church! We all shared in the fixing, the eating and the clean up to be done afterward. Yes, we were surrounded by family.

So this brings me to a Scripture, of course.

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14KJV

Some people get this backward – they think if you say “good” words then your heart with meditate on “good” things but it’s just the opposite. If you think on good things, then good words will come out of your mouth. Good things can be loving memories, friendships, Scripture verses, beautiful places, etc but you can’t dwell on the disappointments of the past, the trials of the present or the worries of the future and have pleasant conversation come out of your mouth.

Jesus said, “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.” Luke 6:45 KJV

So I encourage you today – let go of past hurts and disappointments; dwell on what has been good and rehearse that over and over. Share joy and love with those around you. Make people thankful you came and not thankful that you leave!

“May my words and thoughts please you. Lord, you are my Rock—the one who rescues me.” Psalm 19:14 ERV

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The Thrill of Victory

Do you think that I am going to draw my morning devotional from the 7th game of the World Series? The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat.

No…but it was a great game!

I’m still thinking about the joy that comes from being in the presence of the Lord. Let me share a situation from a few years back that robbed my joy and you will realize why I kept repeating to myself, “I have fullness of joy”.

King Solomon said in Song of Solomon that we are to catch the little foxes because the little foxes spoil the grapes. I kept running into little foxes all day long. You see we had gotten a new computer. Now this was my choice mind you. Our old computer had been around for 4-5 years. It’s was a dear friend. I knew it inside out, literally. But it was old and wearing out so I asked our son-in-law Stephen to recommend a newer and better computer that would meet my needs and have a relatively easy learning curve for both Dave and I.

I made a list of everything I needed to move from one computer to the other and methodically went about my task. I felt pretty accomplished for a non-computer tech type person. Checking off each item as I completed them. Yes, this was going smoothly until one of those little foxes got out! Oh yes, must restart to activate new software…another little fox. A phone call in the midst of my concentration…another little fox of distraction. Launch again, a missing element…another little fox! Frustration mounting…

You see I’ve learned to recognize the “big” things in my life that seek to get me off course in my relationship with the Lord but more often than not, I get tripped up by these little foxes. It was certainly time to pray, I had done that when I started, asking for wisdom thanking the Father for guiding me through this process but somewhere along the way, I had allowed the frustration to override my peace.

Then I heard “in my presence is fullness of joy”. I don’t feel very joyful right now Father. “then you’re not in my presence”. Oh, right. I’m wrapped up in my own little world and I’ve forgotten to lean on you. Sorry. “That’s ok. Take a breath, rest, come sit with me and you’ll find fullness of joy”.

If God the Father is concerned with a small thing of setting up a new computer, let me assure you that the weightier matters of life are certainly within His provision as well. Capture the little foxes and then sit in the Father’s presence. You will find fullness of joy and experience the thrill of victory.

“8 I always remember that the Lord is with me.
He is here, close by my side,
so nothing can defeat me.
9 So my heart and soul will be very happy.
Even my body will live in safety,
10 because you will not leave me in the place of death.
You will not let your faithful one rot in the grave.
11 You will teach me the right way to live.
Just being with you will bring complete happiness. (fullness of joy, KJV)
 Being at your right side will make me happy forever.” Psalm 16 ERV

God is on our side! He has set a plan for our lives to lead us into victory. We need to understand that when we follow that plan we will triumph. Did you see that above “the Lord is with me so nothing can defeat me”?

“If God is on our side, can anyone be against us? 32 God did not keep back his own Son, but he gave him for us. If God did this, won’t he freely give us everything else? 33 If God says his chosen ones are acceptable to him, can anyone bring charges against them? 34 Or can anyone condemn them? No indeed! Christ died and was raised to life, and now he is at God’s right side,speaking to him for us.” Romans 8:31-34 CEV

God has chosen us, imagine that! He isn’t willing to leave anyone out, in His love He wants everyone to be a part of His family. The thrill of victory is a result of our being chosen.

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Yuma Sure Isn’t Heaven

My mother is 94 and when we talk she is spending more time talking about heaven. In fact a while back she came out in the living room and announced that she was really disappointed. Why, I asked. She said “I dreamed I was in heaven and when I woke up I was in Yuma”. That made both Dave and I laugh. Yes, I can imagine that would be disappointing.

Thinking about the things I have to be thankful for and things I’m looking forward too. Like Mom, I know heaven will be better than Yuma. Heaven is being in the presence of God; one scripture says that in His presence is fullness of joy! It is also the absence of sin, sickness, poverty, fear, hatred, stress, anxiety and heart ache. None of these will be in heaven and Jesus came to bring the power of heaven to earth.

Remember Jesus teaching His disciples to pray – “thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”. I pray that for you today – Lord, let Your kingdom come in the lives of my friends today. Let them realize they can live in your presence, your kingdom on earth as it is in heaven!

I know this is possible because when Jesus was in the synagogue and was given the Scriptures to read, He found the place from Isaiah that said

“The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to proclaim freedom to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free the oppressed,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.
20 He then rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on Him. 21 He began by saying to them, “Today as you listen, this Scripture has been fulfilled.” Luke 4:18-21 Holman

And then Jesus went out and did exactly what He had just read from the Scripture. His ministry was healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind and setting free those whose lives had been in bondage to sin. His message and His power are the same today – now that power flows through us as His ambassadors.

“What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And he has given us the work of sharing his message about peace. 20 We were sent to speak for Christ, and God is begging you to listen to our message. We speak for Christ and sincerely ask you to make peace with God. 21 Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God.” II Corinthians 5:19-21 CEV

If you are doubting your ability to fulfill the task, just remember that God has promised to equip us for “every good work”.

“All Scripture is given by God. And all Scripture is useful for teaching and for showing people what is wrong in their lives. It is useful for correcting faults and teaching the right way to live. 17 Using the Scriptures, those who serve God will be prepared and will have everything they need to do every good work.” II Timothy 3:16-17 ERV

Enjoy God’s presence today and then take a little bit of heaven to those around you. They could certainly use it too!

“You will teach me the right way to live. Just being with you will bring complete happiness. Being at your right side will make me happy forever.” Psalm 16:11 ERV

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