Heritage and Promise

Children are a heritage of the Lord and GRANDCHILDREN are His reward!

We got to go up again yesterday and I was able to see each and every one of the family!

It just reminds me of God's faithfulness when I see my children. It brings me no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth. What more could a parent want?

So, just knowing that God is moving and He is working in their lives brings such deep satisfaction. I was able to see our sons in action - doing what they do. It is such a blessing to see the honor that is given them as everyone refers to them as "Pastor...." Their wives are so supportive in the ministry also and both of them work in the ministry as well... either on site or with an extension ministry.

Our daughters are married to fine men who are working toward their life goals and destiny. They are active in the church as well. It is fun to watch as they build their families and grow in wisdom and knowledge and maturity. They made a huge effort to come to where we were and visit with us. That blessed us!!!

Proverbs teaches us that if you train up a child in the way he should go, when he gets old he will not depart from it. We didn't do everything right and our children are not perfect. But, God's grace is sufficient and it covers our weakness and short comings. That was my prayer when the children were little.

The other night, we had a discussion at the dinner table. Our son-in-laws parents were also there and we were laughing at some of the mistakes we made as young parents. But, we also determined that the mistakes were what we thought was right and best at the time. We did the best we could with what we had. Thank God for His mercy!

I think that is all God asks. Give our all. Trust Him. Believe that He will take care of it - no matter what it is.

We can't live in the past regrets and if onlys. We can only live in the NOW. We can pray and believe for a better future and do what we can to reach our dreams and visions.

God's promises are "yes and amen". I'm standing on them!

Seasons and change

I've been thinking a lot about these things lately. We just happen to be in the summer "season" but because school is starting, everyone is thinking "fall". So, we are transitioning.
Transition means CHANGE!
That lead me to think about change... we are changing! Whether we mean to or not, we are changing.
Even dead things change! Think about it, once the body dies, it begins to decay and in a short amount of time, it no longer resembles what it was when it was alive.
All living things are changing. We may appear to be the same on the outside (for awhile) but our cells are constantly changing. Did you know that you replace all your cells once a year? So that next year at this time , you will have a "new" body. It may look the same, but it is different.
I realize that we can just allow change to change us or we can make a concerted effort and make the change ourselves.
Like, I can continue to change and gain weight (maybe even stay the same weight) - OR I can decide and make the effort and lose weight and get into shape.
I can continue down destructive paths emotionally and spiritually - OR I can decide and work toward becoming more Christ-like.
Change can be threatening and scary or it can be exciting and rewarding. It depends on how we face it and if WE decide to take the initiative and be a catalyst for change.
What season are you in? What changes have you noticed in your life? Are you happy about the changes in you since this time last year? Where do you want to be this time next year? What changes are you going to make to get you there?
We are encouraged to forget those things that are behind and to press toward the prize ... the prize is our goal. We have been created for a purpose. God has a plan for us. Are we living in that plan?
My thought has always been, that IF we are still on this earth (and if you are reading this then you are on the earth) then there is a reason and a purpose and God still wants to use us. No matter how old we might be or how we might feel "used up"... there is still something God has for us.
So, no matter what season we are in, we are moving to the next season. Change is eminent, but change is good - it means progress if WE determine the changes - if we don't take charge, then the changes will probably mean going down hill, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
What changes are you going to make in your changing??
The good thing is... you CAN change!

Sneak

We were able to go to visit with the kids on Sunday and Monday. Grandaddy's timing was always at the "wrong" time and we were going to have to leave and he had not seen his grandson yet. So, knowing that he was breaking the rules (you do NOT go into the sleeping child's room before time for the nap to be over)... he opened the door so he could sneak a peek. this is what he found.... a precious grandson ... oh the joy!

Joyful Obedience

In our church when we take communion part of what we say is "free us for joyful obedience". I had never noticed that. It is one of those things that you read and say and just do it to get through it. Hopefully, that is not how YOU do, I am guilty. I've never been one to enjoy liturgy or rote sayings. They become meaningless words unless I really force myself to concentrate.

Anyway, awhile back a friend of mine brought that phrase to my attention. She said that it jumped out at her during communion one day. When she said it, I laughed inside as I pictured an oxymoron... how can you possibly be JOYFUL when you have to obey?

I began to meditate on it. I remembered that I had taught my children, "you are HAPPY when you obey". They didn't appreciate that phrase much either. But, I believed it to be true. So, why did I not think that I could be "freed for joyful obedience"?

I think it is because I pictured God up in heaven thinking of things to make my life miserable. Like, GIVE... that goes completely against the grain! Or, what if He asked me to go to Africa or worse yet, some cold place like Russia or Antarctica! The Bible plainly tells us that we are to walk after the Spirit and not walk after the flesh (what WE want - and that usually is something not good for us). I thought that must mean that if it is something that I WANT, then it has to be the opposite of what God wants.

That is just stupid thinking! It is thinking like the world. It is thinking based on only half truths and lack of knowledge.

Every good Bible student knows that God is a good God. It gives Him pleasure to bless us and he wishes above all things that we would "prosper and be in health, even as our soul prospers".

When we obey, then He can bless us. It is that simple. We do that with our own children, why do we think God is any different? Well, actually He is VERY different and so much more loving - but the principle is the same.

The point is, God's laws, decrees, directions, requests will ALWAYS have a reason and it is ALWAYS for our good. That means that if we do what He says, we will be blessed. It means that I can figuratively "eat my vegetables and I will get my dessert"!

If I don't do what I'm supposed to do, then I don't get the blessing.

So, when I look at it that way, I can "joyfully" obey because I know the reward is coming.
The Bible says that Jesus obeyed and went to the cross for us because of the JOY that was set before Him.

I just wonder, what would happen if we joyfully did what we were asked. I'm sure that it would open doors for us in our world of work, family, friends - whatever we are involved in.

Lord, Thank you that we can be freed for "joyful obedience"!

View from my house...

Here are some pictures I took around my yard. This is taken from my garage where you can see there are pecan trees .... they are in my "back door neighbor"'s yard... (and YES, that IS a dumpster! I don't have to worry about being so "trashy" now. I have plenty of room to take my trash...)

and some crepe myrtle - I thought they only grew in the south (more south than I am) ...

and the view of the front of the house - looking toward the church (behind the tree). You can see that it is only 19 steps from our front door to the door of the office

and this picture is from my livingroom window looking into the church office...

we are not so far from home...

But, my Mama always taught me that "home" is where you make it and we have made this our home.

Views from around our town! Enjoy!

P.S. If you click on the picture it will enlarge so you can REALLY see.... Some of these are taken from one of the "small" ranches around here. It is only 3000 acres. (Yes, that is thousand!)

Responsibility

One day I woke up and realized that my life is MY responsibility! I could not blame anyone else on where I am or what condition my house is in or what I have done or not done!

That was the day that I "grew up". I hate to admit how old I was. Also, I hate to admit that I fell back into the pattern of waiting on someone else to manage my life.

When I let others determine my life and my agenda, then I become very frustrated, angry and almost depressed because I think, "what's the use? I have no control or say so..."

I think that it all started because I am the "baby" of the family. I was always "too young", "too little", "too tired", "not strong enough", "didn't know how" or "had never done it before". So many excuses for NOT doing. This went with me into my adult years... I won't say adulthood, because I had not reached that maturity.

We are to "leave those things behind and press toward the mark of the high calling..." When we are children, we are expected to act like children, but then we are also expected to grow up and be responsible!

Part of that growing up is to own up to where we are and what we are doing.

Yes, I might have been mistreated as a child (I wasn't by the way) but I can't allow what happened to me or didn't happen to me to determine how I act now. I may have failed at some things ( I did), but that does not mean that I am a failure and can no longer even try anything else. There are quite a few things that I started and never finished - but I can still start new things.

When we allow our past to determine our future then we are denying the power of God in our lives. He makes all things new. His mercies are new every morning. We do not have to live in past regrets and mistakes.

It is time to move forward... to BE all that we were created to be. To realize that if we want to accomplish things in life, that we must take action - it will not be done for us. Where we are is not because of what we did not get or what was done to us. Where we are is because we decided not to move forward. Think about where you want to be and make steps in that direction. Then you will be responsible for where you end up.