DECORATION DAY

I thank my God upon every
remembrance of you.
Philippians 1:3

For as long as I can remember, this day we refer to as Memorial Day was called Decoration Day. That day started very early for us. Mother had folks saving their tomato juice cans that were used as receptacles for flowers that would be left at each grave we visited. There were some flowers she purchased, but with some peony bushes, we had enough flowers for each container. We traveled to at least three cemeteries that I remember. Two were so far out into the country, being able to locate them was in itself a real task.

At the last cemetery we went to, the farm ladies had a spread of food put out that would shock anyone. The men had brought saw horses and boards to lay on them. That became a VERY long table. Each lady brought all of her home cooked specialties that would blow your mind. There was lots of hot coffee and sweet iced tea at anyone's desire. The meal usually started after everyone had decorated the graves of friends and loved ones. When you got a plate from one person, you could go anyplace at that table to get whatever you wanted. There were no paper plates or plastic glasses. I never saw a plastic fork or spoon there as well only regular metal utensils.

Decoration Day was a day to remember loved ones who had died. After some years, the day was renamed to Memorial Day that paid extra homage to those in the military present and past, especially those who died in the service of our country. When just a little thing, my Mother received a phone call that my Dad's best man at his wedding had been killed in the Battle of the Bulge in Europe. Both my parents wept over that and we made haste to go to the home to be with his widow. Many tears have been shed since WWII over so many who died on the field of battle as well as in the air.

So today we remember and some will do some decorating at various cemeteries. Remembering all those who have gone before us is a good thing. However, I don't think we do that just on one day.

In all of our remembering, we often forget One who died for all of us. We don't tend to remember Him on this day but why not? Jesus gave more on our behalf than any relatives or persons lost in military service. He died that we all might have life, and have it abundantly. His name is Jesus. His name isn't on a grave marker because there was no need of one. He died and rose again in victory over Satan and sin. He is ours for the asking...asking Him into our hearts as Lord and Savior. Let's spend some time today remembering Him, what He gave up to come to earth and all He did for us while here. Of all the ones we remember, there's not a one who has risen from the dead in some cemetery, but He did and did it for you and me. Lest we forget!!

Thank You Father for Your love and for sending Your loving Son to die for us all. We can never repay You or Him for newness of life. We remember You today with hearts of gratitude. We love You and we remember. In Jesus' precious name...Amen 

EVERYTHING MEANS EVERYTHING

In everything give thanks; for this
is God's will for you in Christ Jesus
I Thessalonians 5:18

Sometimes I dislike words like “all” or “everything.” I've found those words used mostly when it comes to some kind of commitment. I find such words in a small cluster of verses written by Paul to the Thessalonians. In Paul's first book, in chapter 5, such a cluster with commitment verses are found in verses 15-22. Read them sometime and you will see what I mean.

I've centered on verse 18 for a reason. It may not be an issue for you, but it has been for me. In fact, I believe many Christians have, like me, a problem with ingratitude. I remember with young children in the home or at school that a well-meaning adult might say to a child, “Can you say 'thank you'?” We prompted our children all the time in those early days to be thankful all the time and not just at Thanksgiving.

Verse 18 is a little different from just expressing a general word of gratitude. It's the second word in the verse that throws me everytime....”everything.” Some translations use the word “all” but the urgency of thought is the same. The verse doesn't start with the second word in the verse...”Give thanks.” Giving thanks isn't something to do as it is to be...a consistent attitude.

Giving thanks in everything is a tall command. It's easy to give thanks for all the positive things in our lives. We live in a very prosperous era. We may not be wealthy as Wall Street would calculate wealth, but in comparison to many parts of the world, we are rich. Most folks have few worries about food to eat or shelter over their heads. In fact, counting our blessings may even be difficult in thinking up a list of all the blessings in our lives.

But what about the negative things in our lives? We have spent the last year feeling almost like prisoners with the virus going on and all the confusion regarding it. At the same time there have been upheavals in our country as well. Any of us of age cannot recall such goings on in times past. Oh, there have been demonstrations, but watching buildings burning, political crime and criminal events have been most disturbing. How can these things ever bring us before God with hearts of thanksgiving?

What I've found I can be thankful in it all involves two facts in my life. The first fact is that I love and serve a God who is Sovereign. Whether the worst of folks believe in Him or not has no bearing on who He is despite their attitudes. He is in charge of anything and everything in our world. If that's hard for to grasp, I look at the second fact and that is that God always has a plan. It's never a backup plan as God doesn't need such a thing. To me it all looks like a giant disorganized and evil world with everything out of control. God views His plan and how He's working it.

So that's my concentration in my “everything” of thanks. I can honestly and lovingly give thanks that God is Sovereign and still on His throne. Nothing or no one can threaten that fact. I can also be grateful that He has a plan in it all, but especially a plan for my own life. No matter what's going on, He has His hand on my life with a divine plan that is mind blowing if I could see how it all unfolds.

It's God's will that we be people of gratitude. We don't hear enough “thank you's” espressed. Thank you notes aren't sent .as in past years. It's not that we aren't grateful, but we just don't think to express our gratitude like we should. When we express gratitude in any setting, there is consistently one thing that happens...that is, we take our minds off of self. That in itself can be refreshing. No matter our present circumstances...our everythings...God still deserves our thanks in it all. It takes a personal mind set to be grateful in everything...it won't just happen.

Thank You Father God for how Your Word speaks so clearly. Give us hearts of obedience when we see clearly Your desire for our lives. Thank You for sending Jesus to die for us and for Your Holy Spirit that guides and directs us through these troubled times. We love and appreciate You more than we can express. THANK YOU! In Jesus' name...Amen 

IN HIM

There is therefore now no
condemnation to them which are in
Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit.

For the law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1,2

This week, I was watching a travel program that took the guide to a small town in Switzerland. It's a neutral country in the world and one doesn't think those folks would have a care. However, to the guide's surprise, a local man who was showing him around, revealed that most houses in one small town had bomb shelters in their homes. The guide was shocked that a seemingly secure people would feel they required such.

We all want to feel physically and even emotionally safe. There are steps we can take to insure some of that, but not completely. The place we believers have come to know for ultimate security is being IN CHRIST. Those two words are found 70 times in the New Testament. Paul uses those words most in his epistles. They are words no one should take lightly as they indicate things so vital and comforting to ever be comprehended.

The most letters I wrote in my life was while attending a Christian college. I had seen letters my friends wrote home or to friends and saw they always closed their letters with: “In Christ, Sue.” “In Christ” was a very popular ending to many letters written by believing friends. For me, I consider now it was being pretty glib, with little thought. However it is said or written, “in Christ” is nothing to be casual about.

Jesus is many things to the believer. Our Savior is the major thing that can head our list, but He is so much more. He is our provider, protector, comfort, and yes, our spiritual bomb shelter. He through His Spirit can fend off Satan's assaults, but that's not always something on our prayer list. Paul tells us in Romans 8 of just some of the promises from God that are ours when we are “in Christ Jesus.” As believers we aren't condemned and we are free from the law of sin and death.

For it all to come together, however, there is an indication mentioned that shows evidence of how we are expected to function “in Him. The fact is that in this relationship, we will not walk in the ways of the world, but in the ways of the Spirit of God. That really is asking so little. Our salvation doesn't rest on our doing anything but accepting Jesus as Savior. The evidence, however of that relationship will be our spiritual walk.

What a blessing to be in Christ. He extends, in over abundance, His love and so much more including the assurance of eternal life with and IN HIM.

Father God, thank You for sending Jesus to die for the sins of mankind. Not a one of us deserved that act of love. Help us to be faithful in our walk and so live as to give You all the glory. Help us to rely on You for strength and guidance as we strive to walk in You. In Jesus precious name...Amen 

WRITING ON THE WALL

But ye are a chosen generation, a
royal priesthood, an holy nation,
a peculiar people; that ye should shew
forth the praises of Him who hath
called you out of darkness into
His marvellous light.
I Peter 2:9

During a revival service and during invitation time, I was surprised to see my Mother walking down the aisle with her arm around her mother. We called my grandmother “Mom” (she spelled “Mam”) at her request. She was not a church goer at all, but agreed to go just that one time with Mother. I don't know what all transpired that night, but do know that there were good, positive changes in Mam from that night on.

After that night, Mam never missed a church service. She was in church for Sunday school and all services of the week. She read the New Testament once and often twice each month. She was a tither. She joined the ranks of what we called the “Loyal Mothers.”

One thing I came to notice was the change of wall décor in her little apartment. She had on her walls the usual pictures from nature and a few family pictures. I went to the junior high school only a couple of blocks from her apartment so went by to see her often.One day I saw a real change that I would never have expected. On her walls were some new plaques huge, but with print that could be easily read.

PRAYER CHANGES THINGS

GOD LOVES YOU

...and there were others. It was later that she put the GOD LOVES YOU plaque on a wall because I made it at camp one summer for her.

Mam had few people coming and going from her apartment, but the messages were there on her walls for any visitor to see. They were an encouragement to her and hopefully to others who visited. I loved seeing those plaques even as a young girl. (In face, I have one of them even now hidden away.). I don't think she knew of it because I never mentioned it at the time.

All of this recently came to mind as I was viewing what is hanging on the walls of my own home. I was surprised to note such things from where I am presently sitting. On my walls are family pictures, copies of spiritual artwork, encouraging spiritual sayings and one small plaque that I hope keeps me humble...”I'M JUST A RAGGEDY ANN IN A BARBIE WORLD.” It doesn't sound very spiritual, but for me, it keeps me real and it's to the point. It also causes more comments than the other things.

When much younger, I can recall adults talking about negative incidents about to happen that for them were “writings on the wall.” This of course, indicated something, usually negative in nature, that could or was about to happen. That saying for them was an indicator of things to come.

There are other walls people pay attention to and that has to do with the walls of our lives that can be so easily read by people. Some folks will know us better than others. Strangers might also observe things in us for the good or evil. What is there to be read on our walls? What is the testimony of our lives that can be readily read, that can hopefully be a blessing in the lives of others. For some, what they read from the walls of our lives may be the only witness they will ever see of Jesus.

Dear Father God, may any message spread through our lives be a blessing and encouragement to others and a glory only to You. May we be aware that people are watching and reading us all the time. May they see You in us. In Jesus name...Amen 

LET'S PLAY TENTS

For we know that if the earthly tent
which is our house is torn down, we
have a building from God, a house
not made with hands, eternal in the

.II Corinthians 5:1

When of younger elementary age, my sister Kay and I loved making tents to play in. We could make tents out of most anything....sheets, quilts or bed spreads. We especially loved doing this on rainy days. We could do the usual turning kitchen chairs over or even putting sheets over the table itself. There was a chicken wire fence outside we would use by putting one end of a quilt on that fence and hold it there with clothes pins. Then we would pull the quilt out and put rocks on the edges. We were as creative as we needed to be.

After tents were made, out came our dolls, play dishes and pillows. I've often heard and believe that play for young children is just practice for the adult years. That's why the choice of toys is so important. For children, toys are work but they don't know it yet. Before my sister went to Heaven, we talked one night about our tents. Even as adults, there were occasional longings to crawl back into one of those tents if even sometime for a good cry.

Tents in America are nothing new. They were used by people for residences both permanent and temporary. Tents have been used for recreation. People still like camping using tents. Boy and Girl Scout camps many years ago used tents for sleeping. Military personnel during wars often lived in large tents. Some places in our country, there are still evangelists who hold evangelistic meetings in large tents. Wedding reception tents may be leased for after ceremony festivities that are lovely often with chandeliers provided.

Tents were very common in Scripture. The first one I recall is when Sarah standing just inside her tent, letting out a laugh when she heard the men Abraham was entertaining say that she would be having a baby. Those Israelites leaving Egypt lived in tents as they traveled to the Promised Land. They had to be ready to pack up quickly when God gave the signal to move on to another location. For those folks, tents weren't something to play in. They were necessary shelters.

The most precious and elaborate tent in the wilderness was the Tabernacle...the place of sacrifice, forgiveness and presence of God in the Holy of Holies . To even refer to it as a tent seems trite, but it was a tent fixture, quite large for the purpose it was designed for. It's properties were numerous, each with meaning according to God's plan. It was perhaps the most revered tent in the entire history of God's people.

As human beings, we have no need of tents as our permanent dwelling places. Those for recreation are fine, but most folks are happy to get back to their permanent residences with a roof, walls, floors and all things familiar. In days of Scripture, for many, tents were their regular habitation. The Apostle Paul was a tent maker. In fact, during his ministry, he often subsidized his own upkeep by the making of tents.

In Matthew 17:4, we find a very familiar mention of tents. The location was the Mount of Transfiguration where Jesus appeared with Moses and Elijah. In that one verse, Peter said to Jesus:

...”Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish,

I will make three tabernacles (sacred tents) here,

one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Of course, Jesus took care of the situation as only Jesus could.

In our day, the most important tent we have is this body in which we presently dwell. The opening verse I used tells us that this tent (body) we live in is temporary. If truth be known, we play too much in these tents. However, Scripture tells us that like other tents, these physical tents are only temporary. God has a building for us in the heavens, not made with hands that will be eternal. Our tents here are only temporary, but in Heaven all will be permanent as God has planned for His children. Then we will be home like never before..no need for renovations, or moving. Meanwhile, these tents are all we have to use for God's glory in the present. As believers, we live in our “tents”(bodies), but we have company that will be with us until God calls us to our real home...that being the Holy Spirit. What more could we ask for...God with us, in our tents.

Father God, You have equipt us for Glory, our permanent home. Thank You for the way you love and provide for us. While here, help us to use our “tents” to bless others and glorify You. In Jesus' precious name...Amen