The Best Hardy Party Ever!!

It is the Christmas season and with it comes many parties with family and friends. Last Sunday we had the "Hardy Party". We look forward to it every year. My grandchildren love to get together with their great uncles and aunts and cousins. It is an evening filled with food, laughter, discussion and fun.

This year as every year the relatives brought Christmas gifts for the kids. Uncle Martin handed out the gifts from he and Aunt Dot. It was a tin shaped like a Christmas cookie with a card attached. Everett opened the cookie tin to find a Christmas cookie with M & Ms in it. His eyes got very big and he said, "A Christmas cookie, thank you so much!". While he was exclaiming such thanks for the Christmas cookie, the other kids had opened their card first to find a $35.00 gift card to Target. Everett had to be instructed to open the card where he found the same thing.

Then Aunt Peggy handed out the gift from she and Uncle Dave. The boys were very excited to receive a swiss army knife each. Once again leave it to Everett to exclaim, "Wow! a killing machine!". We were all laughing except for Addy who was busy looking in the little purse she had received to find small little gifts inside. She was opening each one to see that she was receiving make-up and lipsticks. She could hardly sit still. All of the sudden she jumped up, raised both arms and exclaimed, "This is the best Hardy Party ever!". This too brought much laughter from everyone.

I was thinking about the party later and thought, 'yes this was the best Hardy party ever!'. It was not because of the gifts or the company but it was because of the lesson I learned from Everett. When he was looking at one solitary Christmas cookie, he displayed a grateful heart. His eyes never said anything but 'thank you'. It seems my grandchildren are always challenging me. Do I have a grateful heart when all I receive is a cookie?

God makes His will clear concerning our heart in all situations. "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 This was demonstrated at the Hardy Party. It is the memory I will treasure from this year's celebration with the Hardys and hopefully one I will learn from. Thank you Everett. Thank you God for evidence of your Spirit to be made known through a 9 year old.

The Tooth Fairy Forgets!

On Thursday of last week, Tristan, my 7 year old grandson, lost his front tooth. He was excited about it. I received a picture from his mom on my phone of his toothless smile. Another great event in the life of a child growing up.

Thursday was also the day of the Christmas tea. My daughter came during the evening, sat at my table and we enjoyed the night together. At the end of the evening, there is always the clean up. I am in charge so I am usually cleaning up for over an hour after the event has ended. This year my daughter stayed to help me. We were in my office at around 10:00 p.m. when her husband sent her a text very concerned because she hadn't let him know she was staying. The result was that she went home and then sat and explained to him how she got caught up in helping and forgot to call.

On Friday morning, Tristan came in to his mother and said, "the tooth fairy didn't bring me the money for my tooth." My daughter's response was, "Well you see it was like this. The tooth fairy was at a party last night and stayed too late. She came straight home and talked with her husband so she forgot." As Tristan was just looking at her she added, "My tooth fairy never forgot."

Tristan's response was priceless. He said, "That's because your tooth fairy was a christian!"

Don't you just love that! I do because there is a relationship in his mind with a christian and integrity and follow through. Isn't that the way we are to live our lives as followers of Christ? We need to follow through on things and mean what we say. Thank you Tristan for the reminder!!

Challenge from Mom at Breakfast

Today was my time with Mom over her usual cheese omelet and white toast. She cuts up her omelet into little squares and then takes a crisp piece of potato to put on top and then pops it in her mouth. She follows it up with a bite of toast. Each bite is done in the same way. It is what happens between these bites that can be funny and sometimes like today challenging.

I have stated before on this blog that my mom has frontal lobe disorder. She is no longer in reality and her stories are just that, stories. They are not true and actually no longer even have a hint of truth in them as far as having really taken place. But today I am able to gather a very serious challenge from her story.

One of her favorite things to say is "A lady came out on her porch when I was out walking. She yelled at me and asked me if I was Denise Hardy's mother and after I said yes...she said that Denise is the most wonderful woman I have ever known." This is said to me multiple times during the course of the omelet each week but this week there was a twist. My mother added after that, "The lady told me that she was going to commit suicide but she heard you speak and she changed her mind. She knew she had something to live for." Whoa! Where did that come from?

Although my mother never spoke to a woman who said those things, it gave me pause to think. Every word that comes out of my mouth counts. I do not know what is going on in anyone's life. The teaching that I do I need to take very seriously. It is falling on hurting ears. So I thought of this verse, "...we who teach will be judged more strictly." James 3:1b This passage goes on to talk about the tongue. The bottom line is that spiritual maturity requires a tamed tongue. I have to remember that. God expects me to keep my tongue under control. I can't do it by myself. I need His help. He gives that to me in many ways. Today He used my mom to remind me of the seriousness of speaking words that benefit others and bring glory to God.

Thank you God for my mom who continues to teach me even if she doesn't really know it. You are using her in my life to mature me into who you want me to be.

Day /Runner

Today I purchased my 2012 planner. It is time to start filling in all the dates that have already been booked for 2012. I still use the pencil and paper kind. A little old fashioned but it works for me. I don't have to think about what buttons to push and what the abbreviations of certain things are. I can just write it and forget it until I need to read it again. Erasures are so very nice for changed plans and take only a minute to do.

It is an interesting name Day/Runner. You can certainly understand where it comes from. We write things down for every day and then we run to get those things accomplished. It sure seems funny to me with all of this daily running I never loose weight. It isn't useless running, well maybe sometimes it is. But mostly we make plans and run because we need to keep ourselves on track or else we would waste the day rather than run in it.

What does God say about Day/Runners? Hmm-mm an interesting question..."Be very careful, then, how you live--not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 So if we are going to be running, it should be for the right thing. We need to be wise about what we put in our Day/Runner and it should be counting for the glory of God. As I begin to put in the things already on schedule for 2012, I want to take the time to evaluate God's glory in each of them. I want my running to count for the eternal kingdom to come.

Let me just say that I love the whole planning and writing out the plans for the coming year. Probably because I love office supplies. I also want to say that this year I got a very pretty Day/Runner. It's all about style. How girlie is that! So when you see me run by carrying my Day/Runner, please notice the design and color. When you do, I will make the most of the opportunity by giving you a very big smile. :)

In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt of life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend Copyright © 2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music


And that is all I have to say today!! I am resting in Him alone! Thank you Jesus!

Amazing Amazing Grace

Today started out early with a counseling appointment at 7 am. It caused me to think of how God is always up working for His glory. He is doling out His favor and His grace on us at all hours of the day and night.

Amazing, Amazing Grace.

After that appointment I began to work on getting ready for the Beth Moore Simulcast tomorrow morning. As I ran from my office to the kitchen to the Gathering Space to the Worship Center and back to my office, I thought of the many women who will gather tomorrow. They will come prepared to worship, hear and learn. Their minds will hopefully be on God during the day because I know He will be with us. It is what He has promised.

Amazing, Amazing Grace.

I then had lunch with my husband using one of our Tubby's coupons. As we sat and ate our steak and cheese subs drinking a real pepsi, there was a peace between us. God gives us peace as we rely on Him and do not give way to fear.

Amazing, Amazing Grace.

After lunch I visited my friend, Lorie who has been confined to home for a very long time. What a joy to hear her speak of the Lord and how He is blessing and working everything out. She said that in the midst of an MS attack. The weather changing too rapidly affects her MS so she is more numb than usual. I looked at her face and saw such joy in spite of the attack. God is at work in my friend.

Amazing, Amazing Grace.

I could go to bed right now because my day has been so full of God's grace but there are more daylight hours to experience what He has yet to show me. My eagerness builds as I look forward to His grace at work.

Amazing, Amazing Grace.

A Leaky Toilet

Last week we received our water bill and it seemed a little high to me. I asked my husband about the leak in the toilet. It was a very small leak which he thought would not make a difference but it did.

So on Friday, while I was at the zoo with the grandkids, he began the process of fixing the leak. He was going to change the inards of the toilet and viola that would be it! I came home Friday to find the toilet upside down in the tub, the tank on the sink top and tools everywhere. It was not good. So we went to Home Depot (the do-it-yourself helper) to find out what should be done. The end of it all was that the pipe had to be cut down to floor level and the ring had to be taken off by using a torch. So it was tabled until Saturday.

We worked together to cut down the pipe and remove the ring. It was then that we discovered that the hole in the floor was too big so tiles had to be removed and then another trip to Home Depot. We had to get another part to make it all work. Then a trip to my daughter's to pick up some thinset to put around the hole after we had the new ring in place with the adapter. I was the thinset spreader. Then we tabled the rest until Sunday.

On Sunday at 5:00 p.m. the toilet was back together with all new parts. It flushes wonderfully with no leaks. But it was a long 3 days.

That is the way life is. It is for the long haul. It takes time to be who we need to be to others but time well worth it. We are not to have any leaks in our relationships. They are to be whole and true with Christ at the center. Sometimes there may be heat as we speak gentle confrontations to one another. Sometimes there may need to be thinset applied to pull it all together. In the end we are to obey the command left us by Christ..."Love One Another"...and that is for this life and the life to come.

Summer Sleepovers Over

This weekend marked the last of the summer sleepovers with my grandchildren. I have them over one at a time in the summer and also for their birthdays. It is a wonderful time to just have one on one interaction with each and get to know them better. I trust that they will remember these times with fond memories and that perhaps they are getting to know me better too.

Each of my grandchildren have their own personality. Seth is a serious boy who is just beginning the adolescent journey. He now wants a hairstyle and is conscious of what others think of him. He is a joy to be around so serious yet so funny at the same time. Everett is a funny boy who doesn't really care of what others think of him. He is out to have a good time and definitely goes for it. He has a very tender side as well and will well up with tears if he thinks someone else is hurting. Tristan is a cutie who doesn't always get the obvious. He loves baseball, playing it, talking about it and reading about it. He has a mischievous grin that is very endearing. Addy is a girl. I could just stop right there because she is different on so many levels. She loves to hug and kiss me. She welcomes me with a big hug every time I see her. She is large and in charge at times. (takes a little after me and her mom)

I am sorry these sleepovers are over for a time. But I know they will be back again and we will go and do enjoying our time together. So I will rest up and get ready for more to come in the winter. Memories of times spent together, profitable for years to come.

Grandma doesn't sin

A few days ago at my daughter's dinner table she and my granddaughter Addy had a conversation. It was about being a Christian. Barb made the statement, "I am a Christian." So Addy says "Then I am a Christian too."
Barb, "Addy, it doesn't work that way. You can't just say you are a Christian and be one. Do you ever do anything wrong?"
Addy, "Yes"
Barb, "That is called sin. So you are a sinner. We are all sinners."
Addy, "Not you, right Mom?"
Barb, "Yes I am a sinner too."
Addy, "What about Daddy?"
Barb, "Yes he is a sinner too."
Addy, "Well I know Grandma's not, no way!"

Barb went on to handle the conversation from there but I am stuck on what Addy said about me. How humbled I am and how challenged at the same time. Although Barb did tell her I was a sinner, I know that Addy is watching me carefully. How am I responding to her, the boys, her mom and dad and my husband. She is seeing everything I do and running it through her grid of right and wrong. I have got to stay on my toes.

I am so glad for the Holy Spirit within who convicts me, leads me and points me to the acceptable way of the Lord. I cannot do this on my own. I need His strength, power, discipline and love every moment of every day. God's desire is that I reflect Him well.

All eyes are on me and you and you and you and you...we are being watched to see how we handle life. We need to handle it well. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

The Subject Was Me

Today was my day to take my mom to breakfast. Today the subject was me. She told many stories to me about people who have stopped her on the street just to say that, "Denise is the most wonderful person in the world." She also asked what month it was and then said, "Well June is coming and when your work celebrates your birthday, I am going to tell them a funny story about you when you were four." Those two examples are pretty normal each week but then came more.

Mom looked at me and said, "Remember when you sang with those other girls in Nashville." O.k. now how do I respond to that? Of course I don't remember because I have never sang with any girls in Nashville but in my mom's cute little head she obviously has some kind of memory going on. So I chose to just smile. "Well," she said, "I was in Mr. King's store when your daddy came in and asked me if you were in jail. I said no, she is just singing in Nashville. He was so relieved to hear that about you." That was the story so once again I just smiled. But it was quickly followed up by more.

"Yes," she said, "your daddy called me the other night. He said he called just to say hi because he had a run to Michigan." (insert here that my dad has been dead since I was 19 years old so that's 49 years. He did drive a truck for a living but if he were still driving he would be 78 years old) "He asked me what you were doing and I told him that you worked for the church. He said then he better stay away from you." At this point I laughed out loud because that was funny.

She can really be funny sometimes. What I get from it all though is that my mom loves me. She wants to tell me that I am wonderful. She wants to tell me she is proud of me working at the church. She wants me to know that I am on her mind. Those are the things she would want me to know if she could really put those thoughts into real words.

Sunday is Mother's Day and I want the subject to be about her. I want to honor her and show her love. This year I am going to make her favorite pie for her, caramel. I have never done it before and I really don't make pies. I had to call my cousin in Tennessee so that I could be told how to do it. I hope that in some small way she will know the love that is in the making of the pie.

Happy Mother's Day Mom! God gave me to you and you to me. He never makes a mistake and He is good all the time. I thank Him for His choice for me. God bless you, Mom!

Resurrection Day Celebration

Last Sunday was a celebration day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. As is the custom in my family we gather together for a meal after church and then the kids have an egg hunt.

This year we had celebrated with the body of Christ singing in worship together with various songs. We even sang one that had been written by John of Damascus in about 100 A.D. It was so solid in its theology which goes to show that we don't have the market cornered because we are living in a "modern" world. We prayed together and then spent time in the Word looking at Jesus as the temple that was torn down and brought back after 3 days. What a joy to have spent that time with the body.

After such a wonderful celebration we gathered together as family and spent time at the table over chicken and the trimmings. My grandson, Seth, gave the blessing and in it he prayed that we would remember that Easter was not about us but about Jesus. It was a good reminder from an 11 year old. After dinner when the eggs were being hidden, I was able to help my grandkids and my nieces put together resurrection eggs. We went through the last days of Jesus as we put them together, reading the scripture and asking questions. It was a joy to hear from them what they know about Christ. Then the egg hunt which is so much fun for them even as they are getting older. After that badminton with adults and kids alike. It was a fun day.

At some point in the day there was conversation which fell short of the gospel. Jesus was proclaimed as someone who was going to build His kingdom on this earth at that time but was killed just before He could. Wrong!! Jesus came to die. It was planned before the creation of the world. He had to die as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. So we all nailed him to the cross with our sinful hearts. The conversation put a damper on my resurrection celebration but God gave me joy the following morning.

On Monday morning I was speaking with my daughter on the phone and she told me this story. Everett (9) and Tristan (7) were having a conversation in bed. She couldn't hear it well but she caught enough to know what was going on. Tristan was asking Everett about being a christian. Everett said, "I just prayed and begged God to forgive me of my sins." Tristan asked, "When can I do that?" Everett told him to come down from the top bunk and get in his bed. Then she heard Everett say that he would pray first. He prayed about how God forgives sins and was very thankful. Then Tristan prayed and she couldn't hear it but she did hear this when he was finished..."Tristan that was good. You thought of praying things I didn't think of."(said by Everett)

Regardless of the conversation on Easter that fell short of the gospel. God was at work in the heart of a 7 year old boy. What a joy to know that my grandsons "get it!".

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

Time for a Breath

It seems like since I returned from a week of additional counseling training in February, I have been on the fast track. I have once again not had the time to write on this blog. So what has happened in all of this time?

1. My daughter and son-in-law bought a foreclosed home in December. They had to be moved in by March 31st. It needed a ton of work so I tried to help out when I had some free time to do so. It is now in very good shape and they are totally moved in. Just 5 minutes from me which makes me smile. :)

2. My counseling load since my return has exploded. This week I have 13 appointments. The amount has been growing weekly. I have asked God, "What are you up to?". It is a good thing I trust in His Sovereignty and know that He knows what He is doing whether I do or not. I am open to where He leads me in this. His path is always good!

There are other things I have been involved in as well but I think those are the two main things that have influenced my last couple of months. Tonight I am taking a breath. I have read a couple of chapters of a very good book on God's design for women, "The True Woman". It was very enjoyable. The other part of the breath is a quick post on my blog. As I exhale I am reminded of the breath of God which brought about the Scriptures. And when God breathes it is important that we listen.

"All Scripture is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

God's Ambassadors

Today a friend and I were going through 2 Corinthians 5 when we came to verse 20, "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."

I have been thinking about this verse all day. Yes I knew I was the ambassador of Christ but the two other things that really popped out to me were: "as though God were making his appeal through us" and "Be reconciled to God"

It doesn't matter how many evangelical tools I have, how many classes I have taken, how well I speak or what version of the Bible I am using because it is God who is making his appeal through me. How does that happen? I look at the other things I have mentioned and they all seem to be very man centered but this says it is a God centered process to be an ambassador. Sure classes and materials are good to have but it is the Holy Spirit who does the work. So what is our part? How about prayer? We need to spend a great deal of time in prayer and then allow God to make his appeal to whoever we are speaking to. It helps us to remember that it is God who saves not a specific formula of words.

It also doesn't matter how well we know the scriptures if we allow sin to separate us from our relationship to God. As His ambassadors we are to be reconciled with Him which means we need to confess our sins (agree with Him) and then repent of our sins (turn from them). When we do that we are held accountable by God. Our confession puts us at a higher level of accountability. So we should be more aware when we begin to go down that path of sin again. The warning is that without the reconciliation we cannot be the ambassadors we are called to be.

So I am Christ's ambassador. I need to get myself out of the way, check my heart in order to confess and repent of sin and pray allowing God to make his appeal through me. It's a tall order but He's a big God.

A Man of His Word

Last week as I was leaving my daughter's home, my granddaughter, Addy, said to her mom, "What does it mean to be a man of your word?"

My daughter answered, "It means you do what you said you were going to do."

Addy said, "Can you help me make Tristan be a man of his word? He said he was going to play with me."

Wow! It was very funny to hear a 5 year old speak in such a way and it was also very convicting. How many times do I nonchalantly say, "I'll pray for you" and then forget I said it. I need to be a woman of my word. I need to take the words that come out of my mouth seriously. In fact here is how serious my words are..."Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment." Proverbs 12:19 A woman of the her word is truthful. Truth will last forever. Truth can set you free. Truth can give you hope to endure. Truth makes you trustworthy. Truth is not hard because it is real and open.

Addy, the truth is that no one can make someone else be a man of his word. It comes from his heart to love truth and follow through on it. The best we can do is model it for others to see in obedience to God.

Addy, I can say this to you...I am praying for you, Tristan, Everett and Seth to be a woman and men of your word. I promise to not forget about it. :)

Google Calendar

The other day my daughter said to me that we should get the google calendar so that we would know what the other one is doing. You see we call each other every morning for the update of appointments and what the day holds. She said, "Then I won't have to call you but I will probably call you anyway." Which I thought was nice because I like the touching base with her.

In that conversation she also said something about my life and I said, "I don't have a life." I have been thinking about that statement. It is very selfish. For you see my life is not about me. It is about God and others. The more people that are in my life the better, right? Especially if I am going to do it God's way. So I think that people who spend time soaking in the tub, going to the tanning booth, shopping every Saturday at the mall, watching their favorite TV show or drawing life on being alone have got it all wrong. Not that any of those things by themselves are wrong but a string of self-satisfying things is definitely wrong. In fact, that person would be missing out on life.

Life is about having your google calendar with God and anyone else who wants to share it with you. We are to learn of Him, worship Him, honor Him and reflect Him to others. The others are the ones on the calendar who we are to love as we love ourselves. Living that way, now that's life.! So, do I have a life? You betcha and I want to live every minute of it for the glory of Christ, my Savior, who gave His life for me. He did that according to God's calendar. They were definitely on the same page.

So ok, Barb, let's do it!! Only trouble is, it's technical so you will have to show me and maybe you will have to do it for me. Guess what?? You have a life too. Love you.