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!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
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
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
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
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.
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. :)
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. :)
Monday, January 24, 2011
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Can Someone say Amen?
I always love it when I see evidence of God working in the lives of my grandchildren. It is such a privilege as a grandma to witness the growth of each of them especially in the area of their spiritual lives.
Seth is my oldest grandson and is definitely the most serious of the bunch. One day he came into his mother's studio and looked very dejected. She asked him what the problem was and he said, "It's the Holy Spirit." She thought that was interesting so she asked what he meant. "I hit Everett and now the Holy Spirit won't leave me alone." She reminded him of what he needed to do about it and he went upstairs to ask for forgiveness.
Wow!! "It's the Holy Spirit!" Sometimes I am embarrassed to say that I don't even know if I am listening to the Spirit. How wonderful to see that my grandson has a sensitivity to the Lord.
Everett is next and boy can this guy pray. He will cover just about everything in a prayer before the meal without ever praying for the food. He too is very sensitive. He rarely lets a prayer go by without praying for his uncle, my son. He has not seen him in 5 years and yet he still remembers him and prays for his uncle to turn to God. He was upset one day because he forgot to pray for his uncle.
O.K. who am I forgetting to pray for on a regular basis. What an example he is to me!
Tristan is the youngest boy in the family. He has learned the song about the fruit of the Spirit and sings it with gusto. He tries to sing it faster and faster. Through this song he has memorized the Word of God. It is such a joy to see his smiling dimpled face as he sings the words which are being imprinted on his heart.
Memorize...falling behind there myself...I guess I need a song to help me. So proud to hear Tristan singing God's Word.
Then there is Addy, the girly girl and the youngest. One day as we were making cookies somehow we were talking about Jesus. With great authority she said to me, "Well, Jesus died on the cross and came back to life." I agreed and said that this was very true. What a great truth to know at her age.
I need to remember what Jesus did on a daily basis and I don't always do that. I get busy.
So not only am I proud of my grandkids but I can also be challenged by them spiritually. What a joy to watch and learn. So I pray for sensitivity to the Spirit, to remember to pray for specific people, to memorize the Word and to never forget what Jesus did for me.
Seth is my oldest grandson and is definitely the most serious of the bunch. One day he came into his mother's studio and looked very dejected. She asked him what the problem was and he said, "It's the Holy Spirit." She thought that was interesting so she asked what he meant. "I hit Everett and now the Holy Spirit won't leave me alone." She reminded him of what he needed to do about it and he went upstairs to ask for forgiveness.
Wow!! "It's the Holy Spirit!" Sometimes I am embarrassed to say that I don't even know if I am listening to the Spirit. How wonderful to see that my grandson has a sensitivity to the Lord.
Everett is next and boy can this guy pray. He will cover just about everything in a prayer before the meal without ever praying for the food. He too is very sensitive. He rarely lets a prayer go by without praying for his uncle, my son. He has not seen him in 5 years and yet he still remembers him and prays for his uncle to turn to God. He was upset one day because he forgot to pray for his uncle.
O.K. who am I forgetting to pray for on a regular basis. What an example he is to me!
Tristan is the youngest boy in the family. He has learned the song about the fruit of the Spirit and sings it with gusto. He tries to sing it faster and faster. Through this song he has memorized the Word of God. It is such a joy to see his smiling dimpled face as he sings the words which are being imprinted on his heart.
Memorize...falling behind there myself...I guess I need a song to help me. So proud to hear Tristan singing God's Word.
Then there is Addy, the girly girl and the youngest. One day as we were making cookies somehow we were talking about Jesus. With great authority she said to me, "Well, Jesus died on the cross and came back to life." I agreed and said that this was very true. What a great truth to know at her age.
I need to remember what Jesus did on a daily basis and I don't always do that. I get busy.
So not only am I proud of my grandkids but I can also be challenged by them spiritually. What a joy to watch and learn. So I pray for sensitivity to the Spirit, to remember to pray for specific people, to memorize the Word and to never forget what Jesus did for me.
Monday, August 9, 2010
One excuse after another
I have written about my mom before. She has frontal Lobe disorder which is progressing. Now she no longer has any grip on reality. She comes up with her own version of things as well as excuse making. She is really becoming a master at excuses. If she has eaten more than one banana when she claims to have eaten only one and you call her on it. She says to my Dad, "Did someone come in here?" My Dad says, "Sure two or three people." Then she says, "Well of course the bananas are missing." I love to hear what she will come up with next. Her world revolves all around herself and in it she can do nothing wrong.
She obsesses over feeding animals, squirrels, birds and dogs. She can go through $10.00 worth of peanuts in 3 days. She claims that $10.00 worth will last her a month because the squirrels only take one half of a peanut at a time. Priceless....I tell you.
It gives me cause to think about my own excuses. There are things in my life that I don't do and should. Are my excuses valid? Are they even believable? I really don't think I have very good ones. Awwwww.....something else I can learn from my mother even at my age!! I better start paying attention and learn from the master! :)
She obsesses over feeding animals, squirrels, birds and dogs. She can go through $10.00 worth of peanuts in 3 days. She claims that $10.00 worth will last her a month because the squirrels only take one half of a peanut at a time. Priceless....I tell you.
It gives me cause to think about my own excuses. There are things in my life that I don't do and should. Are my excuses valid? Are they even believable? I really don't think I have very good ones. Awwwww.....something else I can learn from my mother even at my age!! I better start paying attention and learn from the master! :)
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