She Ain't Blind...

Open thou mine eyes, that I

may behold wondrous things

out of thy law.

Psalm 119:18

Our family looked forward to visits with Aunt Rosie and Uncle Sheridan. They lived so far out in the country that I doubt there was a road map anywhere that would lead one to their farm. They didn't live on a hard road but on one that was mostly a cow path with some gravel spread over it. Driving there in the winter or during April showers was almost an impossibility. They didn't have a driveway...we just pulled up onto the front yard of the house.

Aunt Rosie would come out onto the front porch and welcome us with all the warmth of a country farmer's wife. After general greetings, she would go into the house and prepare a “lunch” that would put any chef to shame, with most of the food having come from her garden and smoke house.

As a little girl in grade school I always found something rather odd when we went to Aunt Rosie's. Always sitting on one end of the porch in a rocking chair was Grandma Mac. (Mac was short for McPherson). She was always seated in her rocking chair napping at times or just looking around at all of the nothing that was usually going on around her. She wore a house dress to her ankles, a bib apron and one of the biggest sun bonnets you would ever see. The brim of the sun bonnet was so wide, one had to stand right in front of her to see her face that seemed to be tucked into the back of the bonnet. She was Aunt Rosie's mother and was treated with the greatest of respect and tenderest of care. When meal time came, Aunt Rosie or Uncle Sheridan would retrieve Grandma Mac to seat her at the table first. Grandma Mac was almost totally deaf and I felt as a little girl that I was being disrespectful by hollering at her just to make myself heard.

It was obvious that Grandma Mac didn't see very well. She had to hold onto someone when walking not just because she was feeble but because it appeared that she was almost blind. I wasn't real sure how blind she was. During one visit, I was in the kitchen with Aunt Rosie because I loved to watch her cook. She could turn what seemed an awful lot of nothing into the biggest bunch of something to be found in anyone's kitchen. I loved the smells of her kitchen with so many things cooking all at once. I loved watching her work quickly and efficiently and wanted some day to seemingly waltz around a kitchen like she did, almost making music as she worked.

On this particular day, I got brave enough to ask Aunt Rosie a question. I asked her, “Aunt Rosie, is Grandma Mac blind?” She paused for a moment as if thinking about just how to answer my question. Aunt Rosie then with a partial smile said something more profound to me than she could ever know and that even I wouldn't grasp a principle from it until later years. She said, “Why Glendarae, she ain't blind...she just cain't see.” I must admit that at the time, I didn't really understand what she was trying to tell me.

A little over a year ago, I had cataract surgery done on both of my eyes. I knew my vision was bad and had been for awhile. It had gotten to where I had become quite hindered in many ways sight-wise, but it had happened so gradually it was hardly noticeable until it got to where I just had to have something done. During the week after my last surgery, Grandma Mac came to my mind. Probably 65 years ago, people may have had cataracts but no one really knew much about those things. Folks just expected that poor vision would come with the aging process.

More than anything, it was Aunt Rosie's comment that really came to my mind, not so much with regard to physical sight but thinking in spiritual terms. I know there are people who have become Christians, who have living within them the Holy Spirit. In many Christians though, there seems to be a kind of blindness. They seem to struggle with things of faith that are relatively elementary, easily seen and discerned. One could ask them about their faith and they would attest to God's saving grace in their lives. I guess one could say that they “ain't blind...they just cain't see.”

You see, really seeing Jesus, minus spiritual cataracts takes effort on a Christians part. It takes time building a relationship with Jesus. There are no shortcuts...the cataracts of sin must be removed on a regular basis or the brightness of life with the Lord can dim, become clouded and even unfruitful. Jesus will remove those cataracts but those with them must be willing participants. When I had my surgery, the surgeon didn't come to my house begging to remove the cataracts from my eyes. I had to recognize the problem and seek the help of an expert. I had to first recognize there was a problem and that something had to be done about it. I also had to decide to have surgery to take care of the problem. No one else could do it for me.

Today, God's desire is that we have a clear view of Himself. We need to see Him clearly in His Word, in times of prayer and in receiving the Word through teaching and preaching. When physical cataracts are removed, it's amazing the change that takes place in ones sight...colors seem much clearer and the sunshine is so bright that sunglasses are necessary for a few weeks while the eyes adjust to the new brightness. 

There's nothing like walking in the freedom and brightness of the Light of the world. There is sin that can be a part of our lives that can take hold so gradually that at first we don't see spiritual light becoming more and more dim. Then one day, we literally wake up spiritually. We know we “ain't blind” but we do recognize that we “just cain't see.” May you and I stay alert to the things of God, keeping our spiritual eyes washed out so that we can have the spiritual insight necessary to walk with the Lord in the full light of His presence.

Come to the Light

Tis shining for thee

Sweetly the Light

Has dawned upon me

...once I was blind,

but now I can see.

The Light of the world

is Jesus.

Dear Father...I pray for a clarity of spiritual sight. I want any spiritual cataracts of sin removed that I might walk in the full light of Your Son. I always want to see You and Your will clearly in my life. Forgive me for allowing the things of this world to dim my vision. Thank You for loving and saving me...for shining Your light into my life. May I walk worthy of this wonderful relationship You have made possible in my life. In Jesus precious name....Amen

Lest We Forget

The memory of the just

is blessed....

Proverbs 10:7a

Our next door neighbor and another gentleman just down the road have peony bushes in their yards that bring back wonderful memories when I look at them. Some of the bushes have white blossoms and others have deep pink ones. I don't think I ever saw those in Texas so seeing them here has brought back the warmest of memories for me. These bushes remind me more of Memorial Day than any flowers I can remember. We had these bushes that lined the back of our yard during my growing up days.

My Mother began in March or April each year collecting tomato juice cans. They would be washed after use and carefully stored. They awaited the day when they would be lined up, peonies and perhaps some additional flowers put in them and then water would be added when we arrived at certain designated cemeteries. You see, it was Memorial Day weekend although that's not what we called it. My Mother always referred to that last Monday in May as Decoration Day. We would make our pilgrimages to three different cemeteries...two on Saturday and one on Monday.

Monday's trip to Hickory Hill Cemetery where my Dad's relatives were buried was our favorite place to go. When I was around 8 years old and my little sister was about 5, we loved Hickory Hill because Decoration Day was REALLY a day there. Everyone met at the cemetery by about 10:00 in the morning. People bustled around the grave stones placing flowers and wreathes of every sort beside at each grave. Even those stones that seemed to be ignored were given attention perhaps for the only time in a year. There were certain men though who had a special job. They were veterans from most branches of the service. Some were new arrivals back from the front while others were veterans of World War I. They were the only ones who placed flags at the graves of those buried there who were fallen soldiers. Things seemed to get quiet when those men went into that small country cemetery carrying those flags. Children asked to help but they were given quiet but polite refusals. 

With flowers in place and flags put at appropriate graves, it was time to EAT! Some men had been assigned to bring their saw horses from home with long boards to lay on them. Within minutes those men had put together the longest table you would ever want to see. The women would then take over and I do mean, take over. Clean white bed sheets were spread over the tables for tablecloths and then came the food. Never in my life since have I seen a spread of food like that. Each family brought baskets of food. No paper plates or cups could be found and no plastic dinnerware. No casseroles could be found on that long table. Casseroles were considered a product of lazy cooks. There was turkey, chicken & dumplins', sliced ham fresh out of the smoke house, fried chicken, and sliced roast beef. Then came the veggies...you name them and they were there, mostly fresh from the garden. Then if you were still able to walk after all of that, there were the desserts...every kind of pie (no frozen ones in those days), cakes of all sorts, fresh fruits...wow! Then to wash that down were gallons of sweet iced tea made from country well water. No iced tea in the world tastes like that. There were gallons of hot coffee for those who preferred it. Chairs and blankets had been brought from home. Ladies cleaned up, men sat around talking or playing washers and horse shoes. Babies & toddlers slept on blankets while we kids played hide and seek in the cemetery. 

All of this for what?...three words...”Lest We Forget.” As a little girl, during those post World War II days, I would see those three words frequently emblazoned on stone markers and statues. You see, Memorial Day wasn't designated a holiday for folks to put flowers at their grandparents grave even though Decoration Day came to include everyone who had passed away and the opportunity of remembering them on a special day. Decoration Day, as it was called originally, really started toward the end of the Civil War and it wasn't a federal holiday at the time. Different states honored their fallen dead at various times and places but most seemed to settle on doing this in the month of May.

By the 20^th century, Memorial Day was extended to honor all Americans who died in all wars, not just the Civil War. Decoration Day became Memorial Day, the official name by Federal law in 1967. The following year, it joined three other holidays in becoming Monday holidays so as to accommodate a three day weekend. Many protested this move as Memorial Day could become a day of misuse and it did. For most, it just became another holiday weekend.

Lest we forget...those service men and women who have paid the ultimate price that you and I might be free. You see, we really have known nothing but freedom in this great country of ours since it's breaking away from England in it's early days. That freedom has been costly and yes necessary for the sake of those who view war as senseless and unnecessary. I remember my Mother and Daddy sobbing when they learned that my Dad's best man and best friend had been killed in Europe during World War II. They grieved but were so proud of him. There was never a grave in our town for Charlie as he was buried somewhere in Europe. 

We have all known those who gave the ultimate...lest we forget. There are still those who are faithfully fulfilling service for our country who are alive and functioning somewhere in the world...lest we forget. There are those who have returned from service, some broken in body and some in spirit...lest we forget.

I realize that Memorial Day is a week away. I write at this time so that we might have a few days to ponder and remember. Perhaps we will take some time to place flowers on the graves of loved ones but in that same cemetery, when we see a military marker, we might just pause and say a quiet, “Thank you.”

There is One I like to remember on Memorial Day as well. He didn't die for a certain country and its citizens. He died for every citizen of every country. He did battle for us all against the greatest enemy there could ever be. The one I speak of gave His life on a cross that I might live and breathe the air of spiritual freedom. His name is Jesus...lest I forget.

Thank You Father, for allowing me to be born in this great country. I know it's not a perfect country but I'll put it up against any other. Thank You for the freedoms of America that I tend to take for granted. Mostly, I thank You for the free spiritual air You have given me to breathe and enjoy. Thank You for Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen

How Great Things

Only fear the Lord, and serve

him in truth with all your heart:

for consider how great things

he hath done for you.

I Samuel 12:24

Because of a Sunday school lesson, I was brought to this Scripture. This and the two verses that precede this verse are wonderful nuggets that should not only be underlined in our Bibles but should be visited by us from time to time. 

Samuel at the time of his speaking to the children of Israel was the high priest. He hadn't been all he should have been as a high priest. Taken to the temple at the young age of weaning to be under the influence of Eli, the then high priest, Samuel hadn't been in the best of situations. Eli had two sons who were as evil as could be and Samuel had done little if anything to restrain those sons. When Samuel came to the high priesthood in his mature years, he followed in Eli's footsteps in the rearing of his children. Many would have considered that Samuel didn't have much credibility in speaking as he did but Samuel was a godly man that God had allowed to be in that position. Samuel knew enough to know in looking back that God had been wonderfully good to the children of Israel.

In this verse I'm emphasizing, Samuel spoke sage words that contained not only words of instruction, but words of blessing as well. This is a verse that trickles down to us even today, so I'm taking it apart for our easier mental consumption:

• God's people are to only fear the Lord.
  The people were back home in Israel. Their country had been settled by the most ungodly of people who worshiped various idols and committed dastardly deeds in the name of those idols. All of this had happened while they were in Egypt. The eyes of Israel were to be focused on the one true God...no wandering eyes into the other camp. That fear is not the scared-to-death kind of fear even today, but an awesome, wonderment view of God....a healthy view of God, His might, power and ability to function on their behalf and ours today as well. We are to be honed in on our own God, refusing to be distracted by the gods of this world that would draw us apart.
• Serve Him in truth with all your heart.
  What is it to serve God in truth? I believe it has to do with that “want-to” that comes with serving the Lord. Many people are serving the Lord but how many really want to do what they are doing for Him or do they serve with dread and a feeling of being burdened. No matter the task I'm called to serve in, can I honestly before God say how happy I am doing what I'm doing without some kind of pretense before or because of others? This phrase goes further suggesting that whatever we do, we are to do it with ALL our hearts. I am thinking about a second grade Sunday school teacher at my former church who has served in that department I think for close to 40 years. I can't imagine her being more enthused when she started than she is right now working with those children. She has an ongoing enthusiasm for that work and no one can doubt that she serves with her whole heart.
• For consider how great things He hath done for you.
  We don't take a lot of time to consider much of anything anymore with our busy lives and schedules. It does well for us though to stop frequently and think about, ponder and consider the things of God and His blessings on our behalf. Samuel wanted the people to consider the great things God had done for them. When we think of great things that happen in our lives, we think of the biggie events but every single thing God does for us is a great thing. What might be great to me, might be a tiny thing to you but any of God's works in our lives is precious and should often thought be upon with gratitude at every opportunity. This should also cause us to be alert to things that occur moment by moment in recognizing His present and ongoing work in our lives. We are such a blessed people, thus we should also be a grateful and considerate people.
  
  Samuel in this portion of Scripture reviewed much of Israel's history and all of the ways God had led, blessed and in many instances, rescued and protected His own. Samuel was doing all he could to pull the people back to reality as to who they were in the sight of God. I love the promise Samuel relates to the people in verse 22 of this chapter:

For the Lord will not forsake

his people for his great name's

sake: because it hath

pleased the Lord to make

you his people.

I love this verse as I think of our own country and it's heritage. God hasn't forsaken our country and has protected us unlimited times. He's provided for us even in times we haven't deserved it. Our country was founded on godly principles by men who were as human as the rest of us. Our country has prospered as we have kept God in our sights. I believe from Scripture that one thing, perhaps the main thing that could bring us down at this point is going to be with our support of Israel or lack thereof. God's promise to bless those who bless His people is still in effect as are opposite dealings. We can claim this promise of His presence on a very personal level. God hasn't forsaken us and has done that based on His own personal honor and reputation....his great name's sake. 

I love that it has pleased, or made Him happy to make us His people. He delights in you and me and has never been sorry that He brought us Himself. I know there are a lot of times God hasn't liked some of the things I've done, many of the attitudes I've had but despite it all, He is pleased having me in His family. Those of us who are parents know the joy of bringing children into our families, so we can get an idea how God feels about His parenthood of us. Thank goodness, His parenthood is totally loving and unconditional despite those things we might do that disappoint Him. You and I have every reason to feel totally accepted by God as we are His very own. That is mind blowing to have that kind of acceptance and for God our Father to be so happy about it.

Thank you Samuel for your words of wisdom not only to your own people but to us as well as the Word of God continues to reach down to where we are right now. We are blessed people and may our days be filled with serving sincerely and recognizing regularly all of God's goodness. In it all, God is so pleased that I am His and I have to say that I'm just as happy with that as He is.

****************************************

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for accepting me unto Yourself and for being so happy to have me as Your own. I pray I will not disappoint you. I want to always be grateful for Your goodness in my life. I want to serve You faithfully and lovingly. You are so deserving of my praise and worship and I love you at this moment more than I ever have. Amen!

God's Handiwork

For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus unto good

works, which God hath before

ordained that we should

walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

My grandmother on my Mother's side was Mima Marshall.  She and her husband immigrated from Scotland when they were young marrieds.  She never wanted to be called Grandma, or Grand-anything for that fact.  We were to call her Mom but it had to be spelled "M-a-m."  She was reserved in personality until she got acquainted and then could be very outgoing.  When I think of Mom, I think of several things and each left a distinct impression me, especially in one area.

I've been reading in Ephesians and often use more than one translation in such a process.  I came to the verse above and saw the word "workmanship."  However, I noticed elsewhere that "workmanship" can be translated "handiwork."  The minute I saw that word "handiwork" I thought immediately of Mam.  When I was young, if a woman did any crocheting, knitting, embroidery, etc., that was referred to as handiwork.  I watched through the years as my grandmother made countless sweaters, embroidered dishtowels (some I still have), crochet edgings on pillow cases, crocheted doilies and knit socks...and on and on.  I never lacked for warm mittens or gloves in the wintertime.  I don't think there was any handiwork she couldn't do.  To this day, I am so grateful for her teaching me how to crochet and embroider.  I have her crochet hooks that I still use.

I recall her crocheting a set of doilies that a friend had asked her to make.  One doily was finished and she had it spread out on her bed.  She was well into getting the other one finished.  It always looked like her crocket hook was going at full speed.  She never liked to be interrupted when doing handiwork.  She always said that she would lose her count.  However, on this particular day, I did interrupt her and she must have been at a good place to stop.  I asked her if the two doilies would be completely alike and she said, "Never...even though I use the same pattern, thread and crochet hook, the two doilies will not be identical.  They may look alike but there will always be slight differences that won't be easily seen by anyone but me."  I never understood that until I got into crocheting doilies because I usually make them in sets.  When finished, I lay out both doilies side by side and they sure look identical but I know they aren't.  You see, the maker or creator can look at a glance and see some of the differences right away even though there are many similarities.

Scripture says we are God's workmanship or handiwork.  In many ways, we human beings look very much alike with similar body parts except for being made male and female.  When God created man, He had a pattern in mind and in His wonderful creativity, came up with you and me.  Although we are all very similar physically, we know there are very obvious differences.  A very dear friend of mine is an identical twin.  It was terribly confusing when I first met Brenda and her sister Linda.  Talk about identical...they ARE identical, but even they would tell you that there are differences.  They are a unique example of God's handiwork.

Our Scripture tells us we are made for good works that will honor Jesus.  As Christians, it still happens that we fail to honor our differences.  God has never created any two people alike.  Although similar in many ways, God's intent is for us to be different and those differences are meant to be of great benefit to the Kingdom.  Churches are full of Christians who are climbing on top of each other to be the most popular, most recognized, and perhaps most talented.  God never intended for us to serve Him in the same, identical ways.  We may have the same physical image as human beings and as Christians share a spiritual DNA with other members of God's family, but there is no need to take part in competing against each other in our service.

God wants us individually to use our own spiritual gifts as best we can in working for Him.  Our work will never be like someone elses...two doilies from the same pattern, thread, and hook will still never be exactly.  A church choir is made up of several voices.  Some of those people have excellent solo voices while I have always been just a "honker alto."  I have enough sense to know I'm not a soloist, but at the same time know there is a need in the choir for those of us who may not be soloists but we sound pretty good working together to make those soloists sound even better.  There is a need to know individually what our abilities are and to use those for the cause of Christ.  We need to realize our uniqueness and serve wherever we can with those talents and abilities.  God hand-crafted us to fill slots in His work that no one else is meant to fill.

We are His handiwork!  Relax...serve as God has planned.  We are each unique in Him...His workmanship...His handiwork.

Dear Father, I feel so honored that You would create me to serve You in my own unique way.  I must admit there are times I'd like to do some things others are doing that might look more exciting.  Empower me to do the very best I can with those unique abilities and gifts You have given me.  I embrace my uniqueness...Your handiwork.  I love you...Amen!

The Dailiness of the Cross

For the last few weeks, I've been delving into the book of Luke in anticipation of then going on into the book of Acts. Were it not for the book of John in between the two books written by Luke, Luke and Acts could be one continuing saga. However, in my study as often happens, I get stuck on a verse. Perhaps it's because of the blog from last week that something caught my eye and for me that was a signal to “pull over and park awhile."

You like me memorized a lot of Scripture in our younger days. Perhaps this happened in Sunday school or Vacation Bible School but I learned a lot of verses I didn't understand at the time. Still it didn't hurt me to memorize them. Luke 9:23 is one of those verses I have known for years, but only came into meaning for me in my adult years. Let me share some thoughts with you about this wonderful verse step by step as I am learning from it.

And he (Jesus) said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself, and take up his cross

daily,

and follow me.

And he said to them all...

Some commentators believe Jesus was speaking to His disciples along with a group of people. I don't think so for two reasons. In verse 18, we find Jesus alone praying when His disciples approached and nothing is said about anyone else. Next, Peter makes a declaration that Jesus is the Christ and Jesus cautions the disciples to tell no one what was just said. If there had been a crowd there, the word would have spread like a prairie fire. Jesus was asking for confidentiality. He knew the timing of His ministry and for whatever reasons, wanted some things put on hold for the time being.

If any man will come after me...

There is one word I want to address here and will take care of the rest of the phrase later. The word is “if.” The rest of this verse hinges on that one little word “if.” Small words in Scripture are very important. I've made a habit of marking the words “all” and “but” in my Bible for years. This “if” is vital. If one isn't willing to accept Jesus and His leadership then she need read no further for the rest of the verse would be of no interest at all.

I also have to add here though that notice must be taken of the fact that this verse is obviously an open invitation to “any man.” This wasn't just for His disciples. It is for any man, woman or child old enough to know what they are doing and for the right reasons. This was not to be an exclusive club or secret organization. This was going to be a Kingdom thing.

Let him deny himself...

This is a biggie...for this is an area where most Christians struggle. Too many Christians in our day have been caught up in the culture of self-indulgence and entitlement. Our faith has come at great cost to God and His Son. Often His commands are regarded as inconvenient or just too much to endure. Self-denial has almost been erased from the vocabulary of our Christian culture. And yet, Jesus here uses it as a watermark of who we are to be. This self-denial may involve money or material things but not always. Sometimes our talents and time seem to be infringed upon and we can become frustrated beyond words. When was the last time I was asked in any way to take this step in my spiritual walk. Asking self to sit down and behave is a tough thing to do. We're taught to look out for #1. I'm grateful every day I'm allowed to live and breathe and that on that day of great price, Jesus didn't look out for #1. He looked out for us.

And take up his cross...

Let's not be mistaken. The moment we accepted Jesus as Savior, we became cross bearers. Jesus said we would go through suffering and even persecution just as He had. No escape...that's the way it would be. This taking up of the cross is already a given fact but it's Jesus, the Divine Burden Bearer who will strengthen and enable us to take the next step even when we are at an end. However the key to this phrase has to do with how we take it up. These five words almost have a casual ring to them, like it's just something expected without our having an attitude about it. It almost sounds voluntary without thought of cost. Even though a requirement, attitude makes all the difference.  Remember that a cross isn't usually two pieces of wood nailed together.  A cross may be a long term problem with finances, family difficulties or health issues.  Whatever it is, it will be a very personal thing, unlike a cross another person may be called upon to bear.

Daily...

There is that word again. Every morning you and I wake up and our feet hit the floor, whether we know it or not, the first thing we take up before putting clothes on is our cross. It never leaves us. It's propped up against the wall waiting for us. I don't mean for this to sound so dismal but bottom line is that bearing a cross is very daily. We don't decide which days to deal with it as it's ever present. If I have a health issue that is ongoing, then I wake up to that issue every morning. Through the day there may be medications I'm required to take, special orders from a doctor to see to, appointments to keep at certain times so I never get away from that health issue. Would I like for it to go away...certainly but then the Lord would allow another cross or challenge to be apart of my life. He isn't looking for troubles for us but God knows what is going to strengthen and mature us and nothing will do that like a cross that requires our needing His assistance 24/7. Crosses can be so daily!

And follow me.

When growing up, did you ever have anyone follow you around? It may have been a pesty sibling or even some person at school that really wanted to be your best friend but you weren't interested. With Jesus, that's never the case. He longs for us to follow Him, to dog His trail so to speak. But these three words come at the end of the verse. You see, following Him closely will always come at great price. Look what it cost Jesus to do the will of His Father...the cross. It wasn't just the physical death of the cross even though that was bad enough, but he took on your sin and mine and the sin of everyone else. To follow Him and be in right relationship with Him will mean our identifying with Him as fully as we can in our human state. In following Him, we'll do what He says, go where He wants and be who He has commanded us to be.
What a wonderful privilege, this relationship of ours, even though it is costly if it is done in accordance with His word. Following Him with all of it's benefits is so wonderfully daily. But just as Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus bear His cross, so Jesus who can really relate to our cross bearing, comes along side and eases our burdens as no other can.  In it all, I'm just grateful that Jesus is so very daily in my life no matter what is going on.

Dear Jesus, I thank You for being my Savior, my burden bearer. You know what I need in my life to be the kind of follower You desire. I yield myself to Your divine will and at the same time plead for Your mercy and grace as I bear whatever is needful in bringing me ever closer to You. I love You. Amen.

Doin' the Dailies

Blessed be the Lord, who daily

loadeth us with benefits, even the God

of our salvation.

Psalm 68:19

Meeting Grace Rice McMullen was such an honor. She was the oldest daughter of Dr. John R. Rice a wonderful former pastor and evangelist. I believe she had four younger sisters, all stellar women of faith and service. Grace had spoken all across our country at women's events. I was rather new to Texas and to the Baptist church we had joined after our move. I had been asked to plan a Mother-Daughter event that particular Spring. Another friend who knew Grace well told me that she thought she could get Grace to come and speak. Grace lived with her husband a little north of the Dallas area. I couldn't see how that could happen but it did.

Having never met Grace and not having talked with her, I must admit that I didn't know quite what to expect. I did know on top of everything else in her life, she was in a life and death battle with cancer and the prospects at that time did not appear to be encouraging. On that special day, Grace walked down the aisle of the church auditorium just prior to the start of the program and I recognized her from pictures. She came right to me and introduced herself as if I were the honored one and she a mere spectator. Grace had a way of making me feel comfortable right away and like we had been friends for a long time. You know, I've noticed that about people I consider great. They minimize themselves and treat others like royalty. Anyway, from that very day began a deep friendship between Grace and me even though that friendship would be shorter in duration than I would have liked. She and I had a love for women in common and had worked with women, she longer than me. We had an immediate spiritual connection that happens when kindred spirits meet.

I was invited to her home and over the next several weeks, was a frequent visitor there. We planned to write a book together  on women's work that would be published perhaps by Zondervan. Her husband said to me privately that he doubted if there would be enough time for us to complete the book. I told him that if it gave Grace a sense of purpose, I wanted to help give her that for as long as possible. Our event had been held in May. Grace called me in August. She had just returned from her oncologist who told her that her cancer had invaded her liver and gave her only a few months to live. I continued my visits until her husband called me one late Fall day to tell me that Grace had gone to Heaven. Two funerals were held...one in Texas and the other in Tennessee. I was asked to play the organ for the Texas funeral, a last gift I could give Grace. 

I was so enriched by Grace and all of her spiritual input. I never viewed the Word of God the same again, even to this day from that first day of meeting Grace.   It was such a privilege of having her as my friend for ever so brief a time. There is one statement Grace made to me during one of my last visits with her, on a day when she was suffering more than usual. She said, “You know Glendarae, life is just so daily.” Okay, yes, daily...that made sense. It wasn't until my drive home that much of what she was saying in that one statement began to sink in.

Life IS very daily and because it is, we can find ourselves taking each day for granted. In fact, we can mess it up, ruin it, not appreciate it, lazy our way through it, get nothing accomplished during it, and thus, we can turn into good-for-nothings when it comes to valuing each 24 hour period of time. Grace and I spoke of this further at another visit. We agreed that women waste too much time. They claim to be busy, busy, busy but many get so little accomplished because for one thing, they don't organize their lives. Some simply waste more time than they realize, thus accomplishing little. It's easy for most of us to ignore “doin' the dailies.”

From our conversation, I selected for our women's ministry that year the theme, “Do the Dailies.” I made up a little date book, copied it to give to the ladies in our ministry to help them establish a daily schedule or routine in their lives. I know life is busy these days for wives, mom's and the working woman who often combines all three positions but the dailies can be done with efficiency and with less effort than usual. Organizing responsibilities through the days of our week will do so much to ease daily burdens. We have modern appliances that make cleaning, laundry and cooking so much more convenient than 50 years ago and yet we complain of having so little time to get things done.  Our lives can be orderly, well planned and efficient. When that happens, we are happier people and much easier to get along with.

May I make some suggestions, for in any of this, there must be a personal desire/decision to accomplish what you plan for your week. The little book I made for our ladies then was organized into three sections to be addressed each day and are as follows:

Daily with God...

Determine to have that time in the Word and prayer on a daily basis. I'm not suggesting a time. That must be your own decision. Decide that on Sunday, you will be in church and Sunday school and nothing will keep you from it unless it is an emergency of some kind. If you are a part of any spiritual activity...choir, ladies Bible study, teaching a Sunday school class...make that as much a part of your schedule as doing the washing or cooking a meal. Faithfulness in this area will encourage faithfulness to your other weekday responsibilities. Also be a person of praise every day without fail. Those times can get us through some difficult days.

So will I sing praise unto thy name forever,

that I may daily perform my vows.

Psalm 61:8

And he (Jesus) said to them all, If any man will

come after me, let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Luke 9:23

Daily in the House...

List those things you must do weekly for the upkeep of your house....washing, ironing, dusting, dishes, cleaning bathrooms, etc. Parcel those things out over the days of the week so that a bunch of them don't have to be done in one day. Some of those things will be very daily but the big major things can be spread out over the week. Friends have teased me for years as they know what I do every Monday....wash clothes. That's the day for that. That's when my Mother washed clothes and I still do the same on Monday. When I had little ones, I washed more than once each week but Monday was always one of those days. I don't even have to think about it anymore as it comes automatically.

Daily in Relationships...

Daily time must be made with children and husband. At least one family sit down meal helps with this and it can be done..I don't care what people say...it can be done. Our family had sit down suppers and rarely did we miss that tradition. If children have too many outside activities to be involved with the family, then a part of their dailies should be re-evaluated and curbed. If we are honest, most over burdened children participating in everything from hopscotch tournaments to river rafting are involved primarily to feed parental egos.  Families are splintered because everyone is allowed to go their own direction. No wonder children are having nervous breakdowns. There's no down time for them because of all the activities that keep them away from the family home.

I wasn't as organized as I should have been, but after meeting Grace, I worked very hard at making my life more structured and organized. I knew I had to work harder at doing the dailies, the ordinaries of living to get more accomplished. I've learned to cut most phone calls short and to say no to all of the extra's people want me to do. We can get caught up in those things because we want people to pity us for being so busy and yet we want them to elevate us to grand positions of spiritual sainthood. Sorry, we are called to do the dailies. Even if you work outside the home, you can still do the dailies with planning. I have seen working moms often accomplish more than stay-at-home-moms because they live a more structured life.

In 1 Corinthians, I love the one little phrase the apostle Paul uses. He said at the end of 15:31, “I die daily.” There's a lot you and I need to die to...things of this world, always wanting our own way, keeping up with the Jone's, Smith's or Rockefellers and any things that can so easily frazzle us. How are your dailies doing? Despite the routine of life, I have to agree with my friend Grace...”Live is just so daily.” Enjoy the dailies of life and count them a privilege as we serve our families as well as outsiders, but mostly our Lord. 

I love our opening verse that our Lord daily loads us with benefits. I pray He will never consider doing away with that “daily” I have become so used to enjoying. I pray He will keep those daily loads of benefits coming my way. May we be faithful in our dailies as well.

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Father...Help me to be faithful to those daily things of life that benefit me, my family, others and for Your kingdom as well. May I realize that each “daily” You give me is a day I am to use to it's fullest, regarding another day of life a privilege. Thank You, Father for loading me up every day with Your blessings. I love you....Amen.

Remembering

Some trust in chariots,

and some in horses:

but we will remember the

name of the Lord our God.

Psalm 20:7

I don't think you and I remember enough, at least about the good things, that have transpired in past days of our lives. If anything, we are quick to regurgitate all of the bad, ugly things of failures, mistakes and misfortunes of the past. For some reason, in the last several hours, I've been doing some remembering and it's been a delightful journey. No matter the difficult days we have faced, and everyone has faced any number of those, we should put forth an effort in simple gratitude to the Lord to remember His goodness to us whether in recalling the good things of our pasts or lessons learned in the negative times.

A few examples might be to remember the excitement/joy/happiness of:

• your first paycheck
• that first date
• vacations during childhood
• visit to a favorite relatives house
• high school graduation
• wedding/marriage
• first baby
• salvation
• answered prayers
• first car
• first apartment/house
• receiving your first Bible
  

The list could go on and on. For some, a few things on that list may not be applicable. However, we are blessed people both present and past. Anyone alive and breathing can think back to some blessed times in their lives despite times of great difficulty.

Scripture often refers to remembering. In Scripture, we find that God remembers. In the old Testament, so many times we read of God remembering His covenant with His people. This covenant was promised to Abraham, a man who knew very little about God. This covenant was handed down from Abraham through following generations. There were any number of times I'm sure God felt like wiping out the children of Israel but His promise, that covenant remained active and viable. God never forgot it and remembered often that covenant of the continuing preservation of His own children.

We are told in Scripture to remember some things as well.

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Remember the sabbath day,

to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:8

I realize we are no longer under the Law and that we don't even have a sabbath as such. However, it's sad to me that we have lost a certain respect for our day of worship. When a little girl, my grandmother would spend Sundays with us. She would never crochet, sew a ripped seam or go anywhere entertaining. It was the Lord's day to her and was for church and little activity. It would bother her if I went bike riding with friends...it was Sunday. As strict as that may sound, I look at what has happened to that day for most Christians. Some are doing well just getting to Sunday morning church, and forget attending Sunday night. After church, the day is for lots of activity with little thought for the Lord or even brief times for meditation. At the end of six days of creation, God reserved a day for rest. Why shouldn't that principle carry over to us now even if we aren't under the Law anymore.

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I remember the days of old; I

meditate on all thy works; I muse on

the works of thy hands.

Psalm 143:5

This verse really speaks for itself. How often do we look back to former days with the purpose of just thinking and meditating on the mighty works of God either in our lives or in our surroundings. I marvel everyday that I wake up, look out a window at beautiful mountains. They are His work, the work of His wonderful creative hands.

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Remember that Jesus Christ of

the seed of David was raised

from the dead, according to

my gospel...

II Timothy 2:8

As I write, we are just a week from having celebrated Easter Sunday. How often have we given the resurrection of Jesus a second or third thought since that Sunday? Hardly a day should pass but what we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, done for each of us in a very personal way.

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I, even I, am he that blotteth out

thy transgressions for mine own sake,

and will not remember thy sins.

Isaiah 43:25

This is a truth that is not just found here but in other areas of Scripture as well. I'm so grateful for this kind of forgiveness God extends to us. Sometimes in our humanity, with the least offense, there are those who would cross us out of their lives. I don't understand that but I rest in the fact that as I repent before God for my sin, His forgiveness is so unconditional that my sin is not remembered anymore by Him.

We are also given some cautions to remember as well.

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Remember Lot's wife.

Luke 17:32

It's just an ever so brief statement...a rather short verse....but for anyone who knows Scripture, the meaning behind this verse is obvious. In her escape with husband and family from their home town of debauchery, Lot's wife turned around and looked back. God had been very plain about that and to turn and look back was rebellion and disobedience. She paid the highest of prices for that momentary glance over her shoulder. We are cautioned by that small verse to remember how important obedience is to God and that a rebellious spirit can be very costly.

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Remember the former things of old:

for I am God, and there is none

else; I am God, and there is

none like me.

Isaiah 46:9

My, my...we could pull over and park here for awhile. God wants us to remember former things...learning from the negatives and so appreciating the positives. We can turn to every source of comfort, love and security but the bottom line is that HE is God and there is NONE like Him. Could almost have a happy fit just over the depth of this verse.

When little, my Mother would often emphasize something she told me by saying, “Don't you ever forget this.” I knew with that brief statement that what she had just said was more than important...it was probably necessary to my well-being. There is so much in Scripture with regard to remembering the best we can, the things of God...lapses in spiritual memory not allowed.

As I view the state of our nation, I read a verse in Habakkuk (3:2) that reminded me of where we are as a nation. It was Habakkuk's job as one of God's prophets to warn the people of God's wrath and future consequences for their unrepentant, sinful state. Perhaps this verse could also be a prayer of ours speaking as we view the sorry, spiritual condition we as a nation find ourselves in.

O Lord, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O Lord, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy. Amen

Habakkuk 3:2

Now What?...P-R-A-I-S-E

But it is good for me to draw

near to God: I have put my

trust in the Lord God, that I

may declare all thy works.

Psalm 73:28

Well, Easter has come and gone. New Easter clothes have been worn and most mothers have enough colored boiled eggs to make egg salad for the next couple of weeks. Children are stuffed with jelly beans and many Easter baskets have been put up on a shelf somewhere. “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” has been sung in churches across our country and the anticipation of sunrise services and choir cantatas are now history. 

So now what? Is Easter finished and over with for another year? Is the message of Good Friday and Easter Sunday morning completed in some way? Do we ever give a thought to the Saturday in between those two days? This wonderful holiday gets treated much like Christmas in that those two precious times seem to be reserved for only two times each year while the messages of both times are messages that should for Christians, ring through every day of the year. Easter should give rise to songs and moments of praise in us all for our gratitude and appreciation to God for showering us with so much while we deserve so little. 

In the afterglow of a wonderful weekend of turning thoughts and grateful hearts toward God who sent His Son Jesus, and to Jesus for doing all He did, shouldn't we be persons of praise on an everyday basis and not just during holiday times. I'm not talking about praising the Lord as we might in a church service but praising Him in a very individual way for His goodness in our lives, a goodness God bestows that leaves me in wonder. 

Maybe the following acrostic can help us in taking a fresh view of praise that will encourage us in this area of our spiritual walk:

P - Pray

Just as my car gets me from my house to the grocery store, so prayer is the conversation vehicle that gets me from where I am to where God is. Prayer isn't just for us to ask things of God. If that's the only conversation my children ever wanted with me (asking for things), I'm afraid we wouldn't have been conversing very much and my children would have received very little. Prayer is the blessing of relationship. I can talk to God about anything, private things and concerns...yes, I can ask things of Him but I want my relationship with Him to be a balanced one. The one thing I can always do is praise God. He can't hear enough of that from His kids. Any of us like to be given compliments and praise when appropriate. God REALLY loves it from His children.

R - Relationship

Neighborhood children used to play in our yard a lot. We were usually the one house in the neighborhood that didn't have a fence around the backyard. When I would go to the back door and simply say, “Supper's ready” or some such statement, there were only three children that came into the house...Jennie, Beverly and Johnny. The rest either scattered or continued playing. Why did only three children pull up chairs to our supper table...relationship. They were our children...we fed them, clothed and protected them. We could talk with each other as a family. Well, I'm welcome at God's table anytime. As God's child, I'm welcome in His presence...I'm fed, loved and protected by Him because He's my Father. Because of that relationship, I have so many privileges in Him that should give rise to my being a person of praise.

A - Adore

“Oh come let us adore Him...Christ the Lord.”

Do we remember our first love? Adoration isn't a sufficient word to describe the adoration we felt. We could see no wrong in the person. That person was the best looking, most considerate, smartest, etc., etc., etc. Remember? Unfortunately, for many, reality eventually set in and some fault lines were discovered. Not with our God, our Savior. He never tarnishes, rusts or changes. We can justifiably adore Him, dote on Him because He is so worthy of it all.

I – Integrity

I could have put several words here but chose this one because I thought it important. We need to realize that we can fool people sometimes and they us. We can dish out phoney compliments and feed a general line to anyone at anytime. Those people may or may not believe us because people desire to be trusting of others. However, our approach to God has got to be with integrity, honesty and character. You see, we can't feed Him a line. We can't be insincere in our praise because God can read us like a book. God wants us to be honest with Him. We don't have to sugar coat anything...I can just be me in His presence. I've confessed being upset with a situation and even with Him for not fixing it. I'm not rude or ugly about it but confess my lack of understanding. He's not going to strike me with lightening. He knows and loves me. I often do think though that there must be times when He smiles a very knowing smile in my direction.

S - Sing

Why is it the only time we sing a hymn or chorus is when we're in church or a church meeting? I'm not talking about singing along with a CD in a car. I'm talking about singing to God minus any backup music. We don't have to make fools of ourselves in public but there are private times we can sing praise to God...in the shower, car, exercising, cooking dinner or just in the quiet of our homes when there's no one around. Even sincere humming can be more acceptable to God than insincere singing aloud. Make up your own song...put a verse from Psalms to some tune. No matter how lousy our voices may be, God our Father loves to hear us sing. Just as parents smile with pride as their child sings in a school program, so God delights when we, His children sing just for Him

O sing unto the Lord a new song;

for he hath done marvelous things...

Psalm 90:1

E - Exalt

Who do I have in place before God? Who do you? Be careful before answering that question. We have a lot of distractions in our lives. God has placed us in families and a family is a heavy responsibility with all the emergencies, quirks and unusual happenings. Perhaps you are called to a job outside the home. Such can be very demanding and at times can seemingly absorb every ounce of strength from you. Even church work can take much of our thinking and time. This area seems to be our best excuse for not putting God in His rightful place. After all, we're doing His work. When we exalt Him, we are taking everything else off of the pedestals of our lives and putting Him there...high and lifted up, holy and loved above all others, be they people or things. 

Thou art my God, and I will

praise thee: thou art my God,

I will exalt thee.

Psalm 118: 28

In writing this section, I must say this has been a very convicting section for me. We just finished building a house. I've often said that if you can build a house without killing a sub-contractor, you've had great victory in your life. Our children have had various concerns. I've had some health issues. We all have lots of things of great importance that come into our lives that can crowd God out.

In it all, we are to be people of praise...prayer, relationship, adoration, integrity, song and exaltation. Can we give God any less than that whether it be Easter Sunday or the day after.

Dear Father...We do praise you on this day and every day. I know it doesn't have to be a special holiday but praising You can be a part of my life from this time on. Thank You for all of Your goodness in my life. I love You more than anything or anyone. May it ever be so through the power and love You bring into my life. Amen!

Famous Last Words

I have fought a good fight,

I have finished my course,

I have kept the faith.

II Timothy 4:22

Paul's writings to Timothy were, as far as we know, his last words in writing to anyone at least from the standpoint of Scripture. Paul wasn't bragging when he made the above statement. To the best of his knowledge, as he faced martyrdom, he had been as faithful and true to the Lord Jesus as he knew to be. As I've heard some folks say, “No brag...just fact.”

I think the last words of famous people are quite interesting and came across a list of some of those statements. For instance:

John Barrymore: “Die? I should say not, dear fellow. No Barrymore would allow such a conventional thing to happen to him.”

Ludwig van Beethoven: (According to his secretary) “Pity, pity...too late!”

Bing Crosby: “That was a great game of golf, fellers.”

Stonewall Jackson: “Let us pass over the river and rest under the shade of the trees.”

Sir Walter Raleigh: “I have a long journey to take, and must bid the company farewell.”

George Washington: “It is well, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.”

Robert E. Lee: “Strike the tent.”

Bottom line is, last words are spoken by a dying person often indicate who that person really was in their last days of life. In our day, last words may be few with all of the heavy sedation that is used to keep patients comfortable, but in the days of the above gentlemen, that wasn't necessarily the case.

At this time of year, we usually go to certain portions of Scripture that have to do with Jesus' last days. He was with His disciples for over three years. They had been with Him in ministry and in every day living. On two occasions as recorded in the Gospels, Jesus did some lengthy teaching. This doesn't mean He didn't do lengthy teaching at other times but we're looking at what is recorded in Scripture. We know of the Sermon on the Mount that begins in Matthew 5. It is felt that this time of teaching was intended for the training of His newly called disciples but no doubt, it drew a crowd. The next lengthy teaching we see in the Gospels is when Jesus was with His disciples the night He was betrayed as recorded in John 14-17.

Jesus and His disciples had eaten together for the Passover. Judas left the group to complete his betrayal plan. Prior to going to the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus shared His heart with the remaining eleven. During the course of ministry, Jesus had given His disciples every indication as to what the finality of His life would entail. Jesus also knew that the continuing of the ministry He started rested on the shoulders of these eleven men. He knew far more than they could know, all they would have to endure in coming days. Jesus spoke to them and others after His resurrection and prior to His ascension into Heaven but this was the disciples' private time with Him. 

The wonderful part of all of this is that these many years later, His last words to His disciples trickle down to you and me. It's Jesus speaking to us as clearly now as He spoke to those 11 men then. Some of the most familiar verses of Scripture are found in these last words to His dearly loved disciples just hours before He was to be delivered to soldiers after a kiss of betrayal from Judas.

All of the following and others from these famous last words, I have underlined in my Bible. I love them and at times in my life have hung onto them like a drowning person would hang onto a life preserver. As you read John 14-16, there are probably some different verses that through the years have warmed your heart as well. In these few verses, may we sense the heartbeat of Jesus as He spoke on that fateful night:

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 14:1

I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. 14:6

And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. 14:13,14

If ye love me, keep my commandments. 14:15

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 14:27

This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. 15:12

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 15:13

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Jesus then concluded this time with what has come to be known as His “high-priestly” prayer. This is a prayer He prayed for those men, a prayer to His Father that still rings down through the years right to where you and I are. Read John 17 sometime picturing Jesus praying that prayer for you as one of His children. It will warm your spirit in such a precious way. Jesus dearly loved His disciples, and knew what toll the rigors of ministry would take on each one of them. John, God's author of this book, would be one who would come to know the cost of standing for Jesus. In his senior years, he would be exiled to Patmos, a rocky horrible place of hard labor. It is in that setting that he penned through inspiration of the Holy Spirit the book of Revelation. I love the last two verses John pens...his famous last written words found at the end of our Bibles in the book of Revelation:

He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

AMEN and AMEN!!!