Lots of "S" words today....everything from Scrapbook to Surrender

So I spent a bit of time in the last couple of days, getting ready to go scrapbooking.  Since I am only going for a day, it is actually MORE difficult to get ready since I don't want to bring everything.  And, just like when you are packing for any trip, deciding what to take is very difficult.  I know that there will most likely be something that I have left at home, that I will miss.  But, for just one day, this is really quite enough to load and unload from the car.  Especially since it is supposed to be -8 tomorrow morning!  I am working on Easter of 2013.  Yes, I am really that far behind.  I am going to work towards completing about 20 pages tomorrow.  I will let you know if I actually accomplish this.

I have been spending lots of time in my Passion Translation Psalms.  I love the Psalms themselves, but the thing that has really been drawing me in are the chapter "titles".  Every Psalm has a title that just draws you in and makes you want to read!  I started out thinking I would choose one Psalm to focus on tonight.  But it was just impossible to find my focus and pick that one that was speaking to me.  I confess that I spent over an hour just reading this book today.  When I sat back and stopped to consider what I had been hearing during all this reading.....well it was a surprise.  The overriding message to me today was that God is in charge!  Okay, this should not have been a surprise.  I guess that I just didn't expect that message from the Psalms.  Not quite so clearly.  Given the news of the last couple of days, with the terror attacks in Paris, France, I parked on Psalm 46.  Here is the end of that chapter......

Everyone Look!

Come and see the breathtaking wonders of our God.

For He brings forth both ruin and revival.

And He's the one to make conflicts end

Throughout the earth,

breaking and burning every weapon of war.

Surrender your anxiety!

Be silent and stop your striving,

And you will see that I am God!

I am the God above all nations,

And I will be exalted throughout the whole earth!

Here He stands!

The Commander!

The mighty Lord of Angel-Armies is on our side!

The God of Jacob fights for us!

Every newscast, every post on the internet about the events in France seem to raise the fear and anxiety levels.  I love that this Psalm asks us to SURRENDER our anxiety.  We need to make a decision to let it go.   And then we are encouraged to BE SILENT.  Do we really need to talk about this, comment on the event in any way except to pray for all those involved?  And then we are to STOP STRIVING!  Wow, that is quite the clear direction isn't it?   These are four powerful "S" words to spend some time chewing on.  

I was remembering the powerful dedication of the 9/11 memorial.  During that event, President Obama read Psalm 46 as his entire remarks.  I love that he made the declaration for the United States...that Yahweh, the God of Jacob is on our side and fighting for us.  And now, after hearing this translation of Psalm 46, and having those words sink into my spirit, I will relax and take a deep breath.  

And here is the most amazing part of this... another "S" word .....Here He STANDS! What a powerful end to this Psalm.  God is not at rest, sitting down or reclining.  He is not asleep or unaware.  He is alert and STANDING!   And He is standing for us!  Yes, this is a great way to end today.  With those words of great comfort.  

Jesus, thank you for The Passion Translation.  Holy Spirit thank you for speaking to me through those pages and for the revelation that you bring.  Please give us all encouragement to let go of our anxiety in all things.  Help us all to think before we speak.  Pour out your strength and power so that we may let go and let you work in us. And Jesus, thank you for time away with friends.  Amen

South Carolina to Georgia......time to start this vacation!

Very quickly after leaving Ken's meeting, we were also leaving North Carolina.  I really didn't realize that we were so close to the border!  We only had about a 4 hour drive today, which for us, is just a short little trip.   We had some construction, but all in all it wasn't a bad trip!  Most of the trip is just a long stretch of road between tall trees.  There weren't many billboards and very few towns along the way.  And then just before you cross into Georgia there is a National Wildlife Refuge.  For about the last 40 miles, all you could smell in the car, were the pine trees!  It was heavenly!  Such a cool, wonderful smell. 

The smell of pines always reminds me of Christmas, of course.  But more than that, I love the symbol of the evergreen for eternal life.  It was a peaceful and relaxing way to REALLY start our vacation.   So, as of right now, I am in Savannah, Georgia.  Ken and I are looking forward to doing some exploring in the morning.  It looks like we will have good weather, at least until the late afternoon.  What we have seen of this area is really pretty.  There are lots of waterways and as I have said, forests of pine trees.  So get ready for some pictures beginning tomorrow! 

I wanted to share from my morning devotion....Psalms 13: verses 5 & 6
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.  I will sing the Lord's (Yahweh's) praise, for he has been good to me. 
What really struck me about this particular Psalm is that the first four verses are about being "forgotten" by God.  They talk about the enemy triumphing.   I immediately thought about all of the press on the death of Robin Williams. Yes, it seems that the enemy did triumph over him.    I am so glad that this Psalm ended with the verses I quoted above.  I WILL trust in the unfailing love of Yahweh!  I WILL rejoice in HIS salvation!  I WILL sing Yahweh's praise!  He HAS been good to me! 

I was glad that I read all the way to the end of that chapter.  That was my lesson today.  Not to get stuck after verse 4, but to keep reading to the end.  Isn't that an important lesson for all of us?  We need to remember the end of the story is simply GOD!  He is the beginning and the end.  And because of Jesus, the end of our story is also GOD!  Yes, He has been good to me!

Jesus, thank you for speaking to me today through my reading in your Word.  Thank you for the reminder that it is good to read all the way to the end.   Holy Spirit, you provided us with travel protection and great weather.  Thank you for your care during our trip.  Jesus, thank you for the amazing smell of those pine trees.  And thank you for the gift of eternal life!  Amen

Testimony Day 2 - Breathing in and out

This picture holds lots of memories for me.  It was actually the first time that Ken and I had gone away on a vacation, without the kids. Doug was in High School and Gwen was in College.  Not such a big deal to travel without them.  We were celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to Florida in May, 1999.  We had an amazing vacation. 

Now for the back story about this vacation.  I had been bothered by severe asthma for about the 10 years leading up to this vacation.  I had terrible trouble with sinus infections, allergies, and "restrictive asthma".  My daily routine included four different inhaled medications and frequent nebulizers treatments.  Prior to this vacation I visited my cardio pulmonary doctor.  I was concerned about the plane travel as well as making it through this vacation without needing to visit a hospital.  After some testing, he prescribed a long course of steroids, an antibiotic, and added another inhaler to my daily medicines.  He also penned these words in my chart....."SEVERE CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE".  Thanks in part to this doctor, we had a great vacation without any medical crisis.    When I returned home, I continued to struggle with my breathing.  I remember thinking that this was not going away. And with the diagnosis of COPD, I wasn't exactly sure what the future would hold.  Now during the previous 5 years I had many prayers said for my breathing.  I had gone forward for healing many, many times.  Sometimes I would feel better for a day or two.  Sometimes I would breath easier during that service, but it would end when I left the church.  That is until October of 1999. 

During a special event at my church, I was experiencing severe problems breathing. I decided that I needed to leave.  However, the Elders and Pastor stopped me before I hit the door, and they all gathered around me and began to pray.  I am not sure exactly what words were being said, but I became very aware of the presence of the Trinity in a way that I had never experienced before.  I knew that God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were present at the moment.  All that I felt was an amazing washing of the most incredible love I have ever felt.  At the end of this prayer time, I was breathing easy and returned to the church for the remainder of the service. 

The next morning when I woke up, I thought "Wow, I don't feel short of breath!"  I grabbed my peak flow meter and saw a number I had never seen before - 650!  My average peak flow was around 200 - on a good day!  I thought, maybe something amazing had happened during that prayer time the night before.  I took all my medicine that morning, but forgot to use my inhalers during the day.  When I arrived at church for the service that evening, I had the realization that I had been completely healed!  I never used my inhalers again and stopped all of my medications.  When I visited my primary doctor the next month, she called my lung function "normal" and declared "THIS IS A MIRACLE!"  I have never had another inhaler or breath treatment in the 15 years since that amazing prayer time. 

Sometimes I forget to be thankful for breath.  Today, I am so grateful for the chance to share this story again.  What a great reminder for me!  The message of this testimony today is that miracles happen every day!  There are healings occurring when you least expect it.  And most of these healings don't happen through some "faith healer" like you might see on television. (Although healings and miracles can and do happen there!)  There are amazing miracles in answer to prayers prayed in living rooms, cars, over the phone, even on the internet. Jesus is the maker of those miracles.   It is all about Him!  So I encourage you to be expectant!  A miracle or a healing may be just around the corner for you.

Jesus, thank you for the amazing healing work that you performed in my life on that October day.  Thank you for breath and life!  Holy Spirit, thank you for the reminder that miracles and healings happen today.  Jesus, help us to all expect restoration and health and healing from you.  Thank you God for your great love.  What an amazing wonderful Father you are.  Amen

Problems that turn into blessings!

Yesterday I was reminded, once again, that sometimes a problem might actually be a blessing in disguise.  I was getting ready to leave Gwen's house, after another wonderful day with them, when my car seemed to be totally dead!   Now this is frustrating on several levels.  First of all, there is an almost brand new battery in this car - just purchased in November.  Secondly, I had another time when my car would not start.  When Ken came to figure out the problem (since it was just weeks after the new battery), he discovered that the cable to the battery was loose. So he connected the cable and tightened it and since that, everything has been fine.  Here we are, just a couple of months later and the car won't start.  When I opened the hood, there was the battery cable, NOT connected, AGAIN!  Thankfully, Tim was able to just push the cable on and the car started right away.  I got home just a bit later than normal and Ken was able to fix (for the time being) this battery problem.   As I was driving home I was thinking about this "problem".  In the morning I was reading a Facebook post by my Kenyan friend Lucy.  She was recounting all the ways that Jesus works in our daily life.  One of the ways she noted was through "problems".  As she said, sometimes the problem we face actually keeps us out of what might be a real disaster.   I was imagining the accident that I might have avoided or some other thing that I can't even imagine!   So, I am thankful for this blessing, yesterday. 

A few weeks ago, I had a dream.  In the dream there was a very large banquet table, and it was filled with the most amazing looking food.  I have a picture similar to the one above, hanging in my bedroom.  But in the dream, the chairs were all filled with people and the table (and the plates) were filled with food!  There were also lots of people standing around the table - which I thought was kind of interesting.  I felt that this dream had something to do with Communion, but it seemed that there was more.  While I knew that there was a message in this dream, I couldn't quite figure it out.  Then a couple of other things came up.  First, I saw a video of Heidi Baker describing the floods in Mozambique.  The short video brought me to tears.  I can't find the link to the exact video, but you can watch a more recent video about the flooding here Heidi Baker - flooding.   And then I got invited to a Passover Seder.  Well, these three things did not seem at all connected...........until I spent a very powerful hour in worship at HUB on Sunday night.  

I  can't explain exactly how I began to put these very odd pieces together, but what I began to see during worship was a FLOOD of the Holy Spirit and a FLOOD of revelation of exactly who Jesus is, that was going to happen all over the world at Passover Seder celebrations.   I felt that all of those people that were standing BEHIND the chairs in that dream, had not yet discovered the host of that banqueting table - Jesus.   It seemed that many people are "stuck in the mud" (which was shown very clearly in the Heidi Baker video) and while they are very close to the truth, they are not quite there.  I just love that Jesus may well be using that flood - that problem - in Mozambique as a blessing.  Please join me in praying for all of these things.  Pray for Heidi Baker, her ministry, and everyone in Mozambique.  Pray for all of those Passover Seders around the world.  Pray for a new and renewed revelation of Jesus in that special meal. There is plenty of room at that "Communion" table!  And pray for that flood of the Holy Spirit over all of us! 

Jesus, thank you for the reminder to see the blessing in every problem.   Thank you for speaking to me in dreams and bringing further revelation during worship.  Jesus, bless Heidi Baker and bring more of your provision and presence to Mozambique.  Yahweh, it is your plan that ALL would be saved.  Holy Spirit, bring revelation of Jesus during all of the Passover Seders.  Let there be a flood of new saints taking their places at that Communion table.   Amen
 

Day 30 - Thankful to be moving into December!

While I have enjoyed being thankful each day in November, I am really quite anxious to move into December.  With Thanksgiving so late this year, it feels like Christmas will be a bit rushed.  So I am starting today by celebrating Christmas each day of December. 

Today we put up our Christmas tree!  Over the last couple of years we have been using Ken's childhood "Genuine Aluminum Christmas Tree" from 1962.  We got it in the original box out of Ken's parents attic!  But last year our revolving light broke and we could not find a reasonably priced replacement.  Additionally, the tree was "shedding" small pieces of aluminum all over the ground.  Considering that it is 51 years old, this is not a big surprise.  So, we actually decided to get a replacement this year.  We decided to "down size" to a slightly smaller tree - it is 6 1/2 feet tall rather than 7 1/2 feet tall.  And at the last minute we discovered that we both kind of liked the white version of the tree we had chosen.  So, white it was!  I am very, very happy with it.  It fits perfectly, it was a snap to put up (pre-lit!) and it doesn't take up much room. 

 

I love putting my tree up.  From 1985 on, this was a part of our Thanksgiving weekend tradition.  My mom always came to our house for Thanksgiving and putting up the tree with Grandma Nona always made it feel like she was part of our Christmas celebration.  Neither Gwen or Doug ever got to celebrate Christmas with my mom - something that makes me feel sad.  And over the years, I greatly missed being with her on Christmas myself.  It is really hard to have so much distance and such bad weather keeping you apart.  Anyway..... the other tree that is currently in our attic is one of the last things that my mom used her Montgomery Wards discount to buy.  It was during her visit in 1998 that we purchased our first "slim tree".  So when we were considering putting that tree up, we knew that it has seen its better days.  Hence the new white tree!

 

So on this last day of November thankfulness, I am so thankful that I get to spend the holidays with my children and grandchildren.  And I am celebrating that we all live within 75 miles of each other.  This is a very big blessing and I don't want to forget to be thankful every day for this! 

 

Jesus, thank you for seasons and celebrations and festivals and lights.  Thank you for the Bible that allows us to know the story of your birth and gives us reason to enter into this month with great joy.  Holy Spirit, turn our hearts towards heaven and the story of the birth of Jesus.  Help us to see past the secular and the Santa and to celebrate the amazing gift Yahweh gave us - his Son, Jesus.  Amen

 



Dreams that are not impossible..........with Jesus

Yesterday at the 50th Anniversary event, we heard about "Why it is important to celebrate church anniversaries".  One reason given was to pass on the traditions of the church.  The pastor used the reading from Deuteronomy 7.  In these passages, Yahweh reminds the people that they are HIS people and that it is his working that has brought them to where they are.  As a matter of fact, one verse actually says, you are not the largest or the greatest of the people - but you are MY people.  The pastor reminded us all that it was the "oral tradition" of story telling from one generation to the next, that birthed the Bible as we now know it.   Just last week, my daughter pointed out to me that this blog is important because the stories and pictures that I am sharing here, will be preserved for her children and the generations beyond.  Yes, that puts a whole new spin on the importance of this blog. But the primary reason for this blog, was and is that I felt called to share all that I was hearing from Jesus, through the Holy Spirit. 

Okay.......... more truth telling here.  For over 10 years I have felt that I had heard and understood something that needed to be shared with..............well everyone.  This seemed like a really impossible and unrealistic "Dream".  First of all, what could I possibly have to say that would make a difference?  And then who would even care about this?  I am so grateful for the chance to reach so many people.  I truly thank God everyday for the people who stop and read this blog.  Because I know that Jesus is a God of the Impossible!  For me, he has made so many of my "impossible dreams" work in ways that I never expected. 

I think that it is interesting that I have precious items like the one pictured above.  In spite of the fact that I was the 5th child and my mom was very busy, she made it a point to create something for me that I cherish to this day.  She bought a small 5 X 8 ring binder and saved all of my Sunday School papers from Kindergarten through Second Grade.  This is the first page in that binder, from my first week of Sunday School in 1959.  We didn't have "Children's Bibles" in our house, but I had this binder of stories and songs that I was constantly looking at.  This was my "scrapbook" long before my mom knew how important this would be for me.  Those 48 separate papers in that binder, helped to shape my adult desire to work with children.   Even though my mom did not really understand the powerful encounter I had with Jesus at age 4, she knew that these pages were important to me and to Jesus.  I love that Jesus used these pages to speak to me.  And I love that Jesus also uses the words on this page to speak to others.   Because this dream is becoming a reality through this blog, suddenly it feels "possible" for other dreams to come into being.  I love the fact that the Holy Spirit is constantly showing me how He was active in bringing me to this point in my life.  Before today I never really thought about those little Sunday school papers as part of the path to my dream. Now I am seeing with new eyes.  Looking at the path BEHIND me helps me to see that path AHEAD of me.   When Jesus is in charge, all is well and the impossible is POSSIBLE!  

 

Jesus, thank you for giving me peace about the direction of my future.  Holy Spirit, you have a wonderful way of getting us to understand things, just when we need them.  Help all of my friends to glance back on their life, to get a better view of the way that you have been working things out for them.   Jesus, give us all confidence to continue to walk out in the directions that you are sending us.  Holy Spirit, encourage all who feel "stuck" right now to look around and see the wonders that are around them.  And Jesus, give them a glimpse of the amazing things that are yet to come.  Amen

Great is Thy Faithfulness.....

Today Ken and I spent the entire day celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Elk Grove Presbyterian Church.  This is the church that Ken and his family attended from 1967 - 1972, during Ken's high school years.  During those years I often attended the youth group activities with one of my good friends.  This is a very small congregation with an average attendance on a Sunday of about 35 or so.  This morning the church was almost full and it seats about 200.  It's been a long time since I've been in a "traditional" service, complete with 2 different hymnals and a printed litany in the bulletin.  There were several pastors this morning, the current pastor plus 2 former pastors.  Unfortunately, the pastor that Ken knew best was not present. 

 

 

This is their "Anniversary" Banner.  The women who constructed this banner explained that the symbols represent the Trinity.  On the left is the hand of the Father. The crown represents the Son and the dove is the Holy Spirit.  The theme of their Anniversary year is "Great Is Thy Faithfulness".  Throughout the day, there was mention over and over of the faithfulness of the God and the faith of the people.  At the point of their charter there were 65 members.  During the period that Ken was a member, the number was much greater than that - possibly around 200 or more.  The youth group often had 20 to 30 kids attending.  Today I would guess the average age of the congregation at 65-70.  There were 5 children in the service.  When I asked one of the Sunday School teachers how many children they have, she replied about half a dozen.  And she seemed to think that problem was that there are so many sports activities on Sunday mornings that it keeps kids out of church.  While that might be true, I think that the style of worship has much more to do with why there were not more young families.  After the service there was a banquet at a banquet hall nearby.  While I am glad that we decided to attend this, it was LONG.  And when I say LONG I mean LONG (like 4 hours long).  One of the interesting things I heard at the dinner was from a young women (I would guess in her 30's who was there with her husband) whose parents are active in this church.  She was talking about an amazing church service she had attended. It had projected words on a screen, and a guitar and a drummer.  She said it was "interesting" and mostly "seemed the same". 

 

So tonight I am realizing how out of touch I am.  I can't imagine "traditional" church like this anymore and for me projected words, guitar and drums and contemporary worship is just the normal. During the program, people talked over and over of the warmth and love that was in this congregation.  I heard a lot about the people taking care of the people.  There were lots of stories of the faith of the people.  What I did not hear a lot was the faithfulness of God.  We sang this song and heard it sung by the choir. 

 

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

 

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

 

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

 

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

 

Great is Thy faithfulness Great is Thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me

 

While I heard about all of the wonderful things that are being done by this very little congregation, it seemed that with most things, the people were getting the credit. They operate a food pantry and staff it and run it totally with volunteers from this congregation.  It would have been a much better day for me and a much better program, if there would have been more acknowledgement of the faithfulness of God in the life of this church and in the people of this church.   Now I am sure that these good people would tell you that they DO know that it is God's faithfulness that has brought them through 50 years, I wish that they would have boldly proclaimed it on this important day. 

 

So, I am going to purpose to remember that it is Jesus that gets all the credit for the amazing things that have happened in my life.  I want to trumpet it out to the world that YES - Yahweh is faithful and it is HIS great faithfulness that provides and carries us through each day. 

 

Jesus, thank you for today and this wonderful group of people.  Holy Spirit, will you remind them of the faithfulness of God for them and through them.  Holy Spirit, please give the leaders of this church a new vision and direction for the years ahead.  Jesus encourage and empower them to move out in the power of your Spirit to reach and touch the world.   Amen

   

 



An unexpected, out of control day!

So you know how you think that you might have things figured out and/or under control?  Well once again I have learned that - guess what? - I am not in control of anything!  While I am upset about the current "snag" in my plans, I remember well, my lesson from yesterday.   I GET IT!   Jesus is in charge and I am convinced that He has plans in place for me and more importantly, he wants to bless me.  Knowing that, I can sit back, take a deep breath and let things play out.  My part is just to keep listening to Him.  I am sure that there will be lots of days ahead when I forget this, or slip back into wanting to have everything neatly lined up.  So I am trusting that all of my friends and family out there, will remind me that I GET IT!

And what I have been thinking about today is when Ken lost his job in 2002.  Let me tell you, that was an unexpected, out of control moment.  We were NOT prepared for this, in so many ways.  We circled the wagons (so to speak) and prepared for the worst.  Fortunately, Ken got a job in less than 4 months.  Nearly unheard of given his age.  Now we knew that this job wasn't the greatest - but HEY - it was a job.  He was very overqualified and the job only lasted 6 months.  But, once again, after an unbelievably short 2 months off, he found another job.  This job had a killer commute, but once again, we were feeling blessed that he had a job. Then, he lost this job after only 8 months.   This was much harder to take.  But we tried to stay positive and he faithfully sent out those applications.  Well, somehow, God was definitely in charge.  Ken got hired at a company that NEVER hires direct and only hires from temporary.  IT IS THE PERFECT JOB FOR HIM!  The original job that he lost in 2002 was stressful and not much fun.  This job that he has had for 10 1/2 years is simply amazing for him.   He never brings work home, rarely travels, has an easy commute and most of all - HE LOVES IT and IT IS FUN!  Several years ago, he was talking with his boss and asked him how he got his resume.  His boss couldn't even remember!  But I know that when Jesus is in charge, things happen.  And the things that happen are a blessing.  So we weathered that storm, we weathered the storm when I lost my long time job in 2009 and we will get through this job change for me now. And I will continue to seek to rest in contentment. 

Tonight I am so thankful for Ken and the rest of my family tonight.  They are affirmed for me, that this is a GOOD thing and that there is something so much better for me out there.  Actually when Ken and I were talking, I realized that there is a conference coming up in two weeks that I felt SOOOO called to be at.  Yet with working, I really didn't feel like I could do it.  Now, I will be able to attend!  Isn't that amazing.  And the best part is Ken really wants me to be able to do this.

Yesterday I received an email from the ministry hosting that conference... this was the tag line of that email.....
 "The person who lives in right relationship with God does it by embracing what God arranges for him." Galatians 3 Message

So, tonight I will be embracing what God has arranged for me! 

Thank you Jesus for your love and care.  You are an amazing and wonderful God that is arranging things for me.  Holy Spirit, remind me to embrace all the changes that are happening in this time.  Thank you for the blessing of my family and friends during this time.  Yahweh, would you please hold a place for me at that conference?   Thank you, thank you, thank you.   Amen

"Do you GET it?"

So my Grandma duties continued today and I managed to get all the kids up, dressed and in the car for church by 8:15am.  All three kids went willingly to Sunday School and I went to church. After lunch and nap, we went to the park and played outside on this beautiful day!

But since church, I have not been able to get the sermon out of my head! It was a very thought provoking sermon.  The reading was from Mark 4 - an interesting piece of scripture.  Jesus says that he is stronger than the strongest of evil ones and then he says in verse 26 that ALL sins are forgiven.  Then comes verse 27.  EXCEPT -(that killer word).  Except blaspheme of the Holy Spirit.  I loved how the Pastor set the stage for the explanation of this verse.  He spoke about the beginning of Mark up through chapter 4.  All of the miracles and wonders that Jesus had done.  So many crowds following him and pressing in on him, and then his own family comes to try to take him away, thinking he is out of his mind!  They don't GET IT!  And then the scribe comes from Jerusalem (the religious leader) and he says that Jesus must be a demon because of the power that he has displayed.  He wanted to discredit Jesus and make sure that the people didn't take him seriously.  He wanted to sideline Jesus.  Clearly he didn't GET IT!  So, that is the question of the day.  Do you GET IT?  The Pastor pointed out that often conversations are completely shut down because of the word "offensive".  Today, if someone says that our point of view is "offensive" to them, the conversation just ends.  Often people will want to reinterpret the Bible to make it fit their own agendas. They want to say "Jesus was just a great teacher" or "Jesus was a prophet".  But anything less than "Jesus is the Son of God" is just blaspheme! 

So "Do you GET IT?"  Are you willing to say with complete assurance that Jesus is your Savior and Jesus is the Son of God?  The pastor used this analogy....

Imagine you have a serious, life threatening illness.  There is a surgeon that has the procedure that will save your life.  He has performed this operation on countless people.  But you decide that the surgeon is really an evil murderer and he intends to kill you.  So you pass up the life saving operation.  You just don't get it.  You have sidelined the person who can save you.

Unfortunately, there are many in the church today who decide that a certain worship style is "of the devil" so they sideline everything that is happening in those churches.  Or possibly that popular television pastor who has testimony of healings and miracles. Some in the church would say "this is of the devil" and they would sideline this ministry.  Even Jesus' own mother and brothers and sister thought this!  So, I encourage you to let the Holy Spirit speak to you before you decide that something you have seen or heard about is not "correct".  Don't blaspheme the Holy Spirit because you don't GET IT!  And let's all be willing to shout out that Jesus IS the Son of God and He IS our Saviour! 

Jesus, thank you for being my Savior and my Lord.  Holy Spirit, continue to speak to me when I am faced with these difficult questions and things don't seem so clear or obvious.  Yahweh, I want to understand ALL of who you are and all that you doing today in the world.  Thank you for Fellowship of Faith and this challenging sermon today.  Bless them and their ministry and Pr. Dave, as they seek to help people GET IT!   Amen

Heirs of the Kingdom........

Today I was doing my daily bible reading and I was in Galatians 4.  These verses speak about our adoption as children of God when we accept Jesus as our Saviour.  Suddenly I was thinking about Ken.  This cute picture above labeled "Jimmy Joe  June 9, 1952" is actually the first picture we have of Ken.  Ken was born on May 14, 1952 and he was left in the hospital to be placed for adoption.  The nurses gave him the name James Joseph - Jimmy Joe for short.  He was small and underweight and needed to stay in the hospital to gain weight and strength.  This picture was taken on June 9, 1952 and given to Ken's mom and dad to "see if they might want to adopt this baby".  Of course, they wanted this little baby boy.  There is a long story about why his mom and dad wanted to adopt a baby in 1952, but the short version is that they had one child (Ken's sister) and then suffered many, many pregnancy losses over the next 7 years.  So this was a most welcome call for them.  They happily brought this baby home and named him Kenneth Alan.  Just this last year in talking with Ken's dad, we heard a very different reason why the name Kenneth was chosen!  Ken's mom had always said that he was named after a favorite cousin of hers.  However, Ken's dad insists that HE chose the name after a friend from college.  So we don't really know why this name was given to him. 

Here is the first family picture, the day that they brought Ken home.  His sister is 7 1/2 years old. Although Ken was about 6 weeks old, he really looks like a newborn. He has always known that he was adopted.  After Ken and I were together, his mom told me many times that she was afraid that Ken would search for and find his birth mother.  She was sure that Ken would not want to be in their family if that happened.  Surprisingly, Ken has never ever wanted to search for or find out anything about his birth parents.  When he turned 21 it became possible for him to get information regarding his adoption, but he is simply not interested in this search.  Quite honestly, with Ken now being 61 years old, the chances are pretty good that his birth parents are dead. 

But truth telling here - I have always been curious about his birth parents.  During the time that Doug was so sick, it was always on my mind.  Over and over I had to fill out forms and answer questions about our family health history.  And of course Gwen and Doug only have 1/2 of their history.  We don't know anything at all about Ken's genetic picture.  I can say with confidence that there is NO cancer in my immediate family (Mother, father, sisters, brothers, grandparents).  That is amazing.  I also have length of life for all of these family members.  But Ken doesn't really know.  Should he have early testing for various cancers?  Is there heart disease in his family?  Unknown.   Ken is not the only person in this situation.  All adoptions were "closed" in the 1950's and earlier.  How much easier it is for children adopted today. Even if it is not an open adoption, medical histories are taken and most often parents are given information about the birth families. 

I realized that I have been thinking about my new little unborn granddaughter.  How blessed are we that she has already had her first real "physical exam" (biophysical ultrasound) and found to be developing normally.  It is really amazing the long list of problems that can be discovered at a 20 week ultrasound.  That list means that they can ELIMINATE those problems also!  What a blessing to be able to celebrate her health as well as her gender!  Even though we don't have all of her family health history.

You know, the idea that we are all adopted into Yahweh's family is really powerful.  We have been made sons and daughters of the King of Kings.  We are heirs of the Father and will inherit the Kingdom of our brother Jesus!  I am beginning to understand Ken's perspective on adoption.  Once we are grafted into a new family, why look back?  Spiritually, we are born into the world of sin and death.  Once we are adopted into Jesus' family, we have righteousness and LIFE!  What an amazing thing.  So tonight I am celebrating adoption.  And I am celebrating Ken and the life that Jesus chose for him. 

Jesus, thank you for the amazing gift of adoption.  Our adoption into your family and also the process of the adoption of children into earthly families.  Holy Spirit, thank you for showing me a greater depth of understanding of adoption.   Bless all those families that have been touched by adoption. Jesus surround all those families that have given children for adoption.  Shower them with your love and your peace.  Jesus, help us to live in our rightful place as heirs of your Kingdom.  And Jesus, thank you again, for Ken.  Amen

Thank you typo!

Well, you know how aggravating it is when you are trying to type a "quick" text and you just can't seem to hit the right keys?  Of course this is complicated by the fact of those teenie tiny buttons on the cell phone.  And if you are not careful, you just might send a text that does NOT say what you want!

 

Well, I had that experience when sending a text to a friend yesterday.  And the typing error ended up being very prophetic.  I wanted to type the word "COVER" and instead typed "HOVER".  When I saw the text (after I had sent it, of course) I sent a text with a correction.  Thankfully, my friend was listening to Jesus, and understood how important that "error" was.  Then she prayed that the Holy Spirit would HOVER over me!

 

So tonight I looked up the two words in the dictionary and this was the surprise that I found.....

     Cover -  To extend over and to protect and conceal

     Hover - To hang over, to expose and highlight, to linger over

 

I had not thought about this!  What a big difference.  To cover is to conceal or hide and to hover is to expose and highlight.  I especially like the fact that hover also includes linger over.  I am so grateful to my friend for pointing this out to me and then for praying that the Holy Spirit would hover over me.  What a great prayer!  I am going to pray this hover prayer more often now that I understand the depth of the meaning.  Isn't it wonderful that we can expect the Holy Spirit to hover over us, our families, our friends.  We can expect the Holy Spirit to hover over every situation that we face. 

 

Jesus, thank you for using a mistake - even a simple typo to remind us of how great the work of the Holy Spirit is.  Holy Spirit, thank you for hovering over us. Moving this way and that way to expose us to the world!  Thank you for lingering with us.  Yahweh, help us to know when we need to be covered and when we need to have you hover!    Amen

 



The wise man built his house on the rock....

Today Ken and I actually made a decision about our living room furniture.  This has been a long time coming.  We do not usually spend money on things like furniture.  As a matter of fact, most of our furniture has been "hand me downs" from Ken's parents.  The dining set that we are currently using in our dining room was a hand me down from Ken's parents.  And the couch that is currently in our living room was from 2009 when Ken's dad relocated to Florida after the death of Ken's mom.  Today we were actually trying to figure out how old this couch was.  We found a sticker on the back - it was custom made in 1987.  So there you have it - 26 years old! 

 

 

Here is a very early picture of that couch - with Ken and his sister Sue and Gina.  I think this is from the late 80's but I am not sure of the date.  At any rate - its a long, LONG time ago.  But, there you have it.  The couch.  Today we made the decision to have this couch reupholstered.  I am sure not many people would do that today.  But we have been looking for a new couch for a very long time.  If you just want a simple sofa, it is difficult to find!  We were not being very picky, but most that we saw were not made very well and were still very expensive.  And the "bones" of this sofa are really good.  When I made a couple of phone calls to find out about reupholstery, one gentlemen told me that if the sofa could be lifted from one corner with one hand, it was most likely not worth a re-do.  So I tried the experiment.  Nope - I couldn't lift it with one hand.  So today we decided on a floral print that has a beige background instead of the pure white on the original fabric.  I am very happy with the choice.  The cost is about the same as we were finding to purchase a sofa of fairly good quality, and much less than the better quality new one.  So, in about a month, I will have a NEW "OLD" sofa in my living room.  Hooray!

 

And this afternoon, I was thinking about this.  Isn't it true that the foundation is the most important thing?  No matter what you are talking about, if the basic structure is good you can usually make something out of it - even if it seems like a total mess!  In our case the fabric is stained and the quilting is pulling out.  The cushions have been flattened and seem to sag a little bit.  But it is all fixable.   I am so glad that this is true for us and the situations we face.  Even if things look like a total mess and there doesn't seem to be any way to make things right, if the foundation is good, anything is possible. 

 

I am thankful that my life is built on the foundation of Jesus and He is my rock.  I am so glad that I have my feet firmly planted on the ROCK.  I love the parable that Jesus told of the wise man and the foolish man.  The wise man built his house on the rock and the foolish man built his house on the sand.  When the storms came, the house on the sand was destroyed.  But the house on the rock stood firm.  I know that in the situation that I am facing today, although we seem to be in a big storm, the foundation is good.  We just need a really good "upholstery job"!  

 

Thank you Jesus for reminding me that when you are the foundation of something, there is always restoration possible!  You are a great and mighty God that cares so much for us that you speak into the smallest details of our life.  Thank you once again, for reminding me that nothing is impossible with you.  Yahweh, I know that there are many people out there with problems and situations and issues that seem overwhelming.  And I know that you are the answer to those things.  Holy Spirit please speak clearly to us all and show us what things are built on sand, that we just need to let go of when the storms hit.  And then Jesus, speak clearly to us about your restoration plans for these difficult issues that have you as the foundation.   Thank you for being there is in the midst of the storms.   Amen 

Sad Sammy the dog........

Last weekend one of my special "grand dogs" came to our family gathering looking like this....

This is "Sammy the Dog" - as he has been called for as long as he has been a part of our family!  We love Sammy. He was rescued by Doug and Susie when he was about 2 years old.  He is a sweet, mild mannered dog.   He has spent a couple of nights at our house on several different occasions.  He is such a well behaved guy, who just goes into his crate to sleep - all on his own.  Well, this week, he is wearing the "cone of shame".  And I just feel so sorry for this little doggie.  He has terrible allergies!  Boy, can I relate to this!  They already were giving him medicine everyday, but unfortunately, he was still itching.  In fact, he was itching so much that he has scratched all the fur off of the top of his ears and scratched his eyes. So a trip to the vet netted a cone and instructions to give him even more allergy medicine.  Look at those eyes!  He knows that something is very wrong.  He hates that cone, but it is necessary for his own good.  Several times during the day, Doug took the cone off and after a few minutes, Sammy would find a place to hide - and scratch.  So, the cone went back on. 

All week I've been thinking about that cone. That cone represents the restraints that are for our own good.  I'm sure that everybody can think of at least one example of a policy or a rule or a law or even a recommendation that can feel a lot like that cone.  For some people it might be the speed limit sign.  Or possibly it is the dosage recommendation on a bottle of a pain reliever.  Maybe it is one of the ten commandments that just seems to be asking "too much".  But today, I am seeing a little more clearly, thanks to Sammy, the meaning of "for our own good". 

For years I thought of God as that angry old man, sitting up in heaven, who just wanted to punish us at the first sign of us stepping out of line.  When you see God like this, it is really difficult to love him or to feel loved by him, for that matter.  But when you can begin to see how all of those "restrictions" really are for our own good, it is easier to understand how loving they are.  Let's face it.  That speed limit is for our own good (and the good of those around us also!).  Really, who would want to drive around if there were no traffic laws?  It would be scary and dangerous.  I am so thankful that Yahweh knew that we would need our "cones"(rules, laws, recommendations) or we would surely slink off into a hiding place to scratch! And by this I mean, getting ourselves into lots of self inflicted pain and suffering.  Isn't that the most loving thing!  Most of my work these days, is looking after a very active, very curious 20 month old boy.  I have noticed how many times this week I have used a "cone" of some kind, for Michael's own good.  I closed and locked the front door to prevent him from bolting outside without me.  I moved the knife holder to the very back of the counter when he decided to use the drawer handles like a ladder and climb the counter.  I put a very tired boy into his crib for a nap, even when he was saying (very loudly) "NO NITE NITE"!   Yes, many injuries and scary things were averted this week!  And Michael was protected - from himself!  I am so thankful that there are times when I am protected from myself!

Jesus, thank you for showing me, through Sammy, how much you love me and want the best for me.  Thank you for helping to restrain me from self inflicted pain and making bad choices. Holy Spirit thank you again for helping me to understand something that is really so simple, but at a much deeper level.  Holy Spirit, would you please remind us all that sometimes the "cones" are for our own good.  Jesus, thank you so much for Doug and Susie.  Continue to give them wisdom as they care for Sammy.  Yahweh, you are an amazing God and a loving father. Thank you for your great plan for us.  Amen 

Becoming like a little child....

Humor me, once again, as I talk about my upcoming birthday.  This week I have been thinking so much about my mom.  I know that it seems odd that she would be on my mind since she has been gone for 2 1/2 years.  But, I guess around your birthday, it is hard to not think about your mother!  I know that I posted a picture of me, just born, with my mom.  That picture was taken in the hospital - long before they were taking pictures of newborns.  Apparently the local paper in the small town we lived in decided to take these pictures.  Most people are not so fortunate to have a picture like this from 1954.  My mom always liked that picture.  I didn't realize, until I was much older, that part of the reason that picture was so special to her was because she didn't have a picture of her with HER mother.  But I digress........ 

 

This is what I have been thinking about this week..... The photo above.  I realized that my mom was exactly the age I am now at the time of my wedding.  As a matter of fact, she had just celebrated her 59th birthday 3 days before my wedding.   So I have been looking at the photo and thinking about how much older I look than she did.  I have also been thinking about that generational shift thing.  I absolutely adore being a grandma.  It is really such a wonderful part of life.  You get to experience the joy and wonder of little children without the sleepless nights and the toddler tantrums.  My grand kids have filled my life with so much happiness and I feel so blessed to have them.  The odd thing is that I was always upset that my mom and dad were "Grandma Nona and Grandpa Harry" for almost as long as I can remember.  I have very clear memories of hanging over the edge of a baby basket looking at my new niece Amy.   And I did not want my mom to be a Grandma!  She was my MOM!  Isn't that silly?  This is especially silly since my mom loved her role as Grandma Nona.  She had a "Grandma bracelet" that was one of her most prized possessions.  I remember when my sister Karen gave her that bracelet for Christmas the year my niece was born.  She wore that bracelet all the time. 

 

The last Christmas gift that she gave to her grandchildren was to return to each of them, their piece of this bracelet.  This was such an important thing to her that she wanted to give it back to them.

 

My mom never felt old.  She was always saying that she wasn't that old.  I remember her baking cookies to take around her apartment to the "old people" - when she was over 90!  I was so blessed to live most of my life with her as a grandma, as well as my mom.  I learned about being a grandma from one of the best. 

 

Isn't it wonderful how Yahweh's plan was always for us to be in families?  I just marvel at the wonder of this great plan and the continuity of the generations.  Jesus knew that it would be important for us to understand the shifting as our places change in the family tree.  I believe that grandchildren provide a special link for grandparents back to that wonderful "child-like" faith.  Let's face it.  Life is not always wonderful when you are in your later years.  There are financial concerns, health concerns, fears of the future, worries about where to live and even, when or if you should retire.  I think Jesus knew that it would be good for us to have grandchildren around so that we could experience life again, through their eyes.  I am convinced that when Jesus told his disciples that they had to become as little children to enter the kingdom, he was talking about those things.  He knew that his disciples were concerned about their daily tasks.   They worried about how to feed the people following them around, and they worried for Jesus.  So, he restated part of the master plan of his father.  Become like children. 

 

So, tonight on the eve of my birthday, I am going to celebrate my children and grandchildren.  And thank Jesus for the gift they are to me.  So that I can be reminded that I need to listen and learn and live in that childlike faith and trust.  And not fret or worry about anything - including my age. 

 

Jesus, thank you for reminding me that your plan is for us to enjoy each stage of our life and to live everyday for you and your Kingdom.  Help all of us to be able to celebrate your life in us, no matter what age we are!  Thank you for my mom and the wonderful mom and grandma and great grandma that she was.  What a blessing to be able to learn so much from her example.  Jesus, let me be an example like that for my kids and grand kids and for future generations.  Thank you for reminding me and everyone reading this blog, to become like little children.  Amen

 





 

dreams of heavenly battles......

Over the years I have had some pretty interesting dreams.  It seems that when Jesus really wants to get my attention, he will use a dream.  I guess I have fewer "filters" when I am sleeping so the message gets through to me quicker!  However sometimes it takes a bit of time to actually understand what the message is!  In the last couple of weeks I have had some of the usual back to school dreams - you know, the showing up to school in pajama dreams, or forgetting your locker combination.  My most vivid back to school dream last week was what I call a "nanny-dream" - my current version of back to school.  I had a dream that I forgot the way to drive the kids to school.  And then when I got to the school, I couldn't figure out the car line for drop off!  I was seeing the scene from the movie "Mr. Mom" in my head, when the main character is trying to drop off his son for the first time.  Over and over his son says, "Dad, your doing it wrong!".  And of course, he WAS doing it wrong.  You see, for anyone who has never done a school drop off/pick up line, there is a right way and and a wrong way to do it!  Fortunately for me, I have actually been doing the car line for 5 years now, so it is old hat.  But thanks to this dream, my heart went out to all of those "first timers" who were "doing it wrong!" 

My dream last night was far bigger than the car line.  I had a dream about a battle that is raging in the heavens.  There was a dark cloud hanging in the atmosphere.  It looked BIG and enormous.  There were words written on the cloud - words like pain, sickness, agony.  Things like hopelessness, depression and anxiety.  There were words of doubt and fear and anger.  I saw selfishness, pride, control, ego.  And together all these things made up one very big enemy.  The amazing thing was that the source of this darkness was coming from the earth.  It was coming from dark spirits that had wrapped themselves around people.  Some of the people did not know this darkness was even around them.  But there was a strand of darkness connecting the people to the big darkness in the heavens.   Then I saw the arrival of an amazing host of heavenly warriors.  These magnificent angels had golden armour and huge swords.  They surrounded the big cloud of darkness, and as if on cue, they began to swing their swords.  Each time that the swords made a mark in the cloud, I saw the darkness around the people on earth, lessen.  It was as if the evil was losing its grip on the person.  Over and over the warriors cut through the darkness and the clouds around the people began to lift.  I saw the cords from the darkness just snap as the angels worked on and on to dissipate the cloud.  There was a moment when the darkness was gone and the warriors swords stopped and then there was singing and rejoicing as the Son came out in full force!   There was golden light just streaming down.  Simply amazing.

Today, as I have been reflecting on this dream, I realized that the war was going on for ALL people on the earth.  It was not just for a select few - those that know that they are under some kind of oppression.  The battle was raging for everyone - even those that had welcomed the evil around them.  Isn't that a great comfort?  Many of us have loved ones who are walking in scary places and dabbling in dangerous stuff.  Some of us may know people who really don't understand how very real this spiritual battle is.  Yet, we can know that the Father has sent out his heavenly hosts to do battle.

If you have been sensing a dark cloud over your family or your home, enter into this wonderful vision.  See that Jesus is sending the troops to fight this battle.  It is not yours to fight. Keep pressing in to Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal this truth to you.  Keep looking up at Jesus, until you see the victory that is his.  Enter into the rejoicing and bask in the amazing light. 

Yahweh, thank you for using dreams to remind us of your work in the heavenlies.  Thank you Jesus for sending forth the warriors to do battle, even when we aren't aware of the war and don't know that we need your help.  Holy Spirit, draw those who are suffering under these dark clouds, closer to Jesus.  Turn their eyes to the heavens, where their help comes from!  Thank you for the celebration that is ours to enter.  Hallelujah!   Amen

unexpected results of a detour

So what it is about road construction that makes me think that those who plan these projects just don't have any common sense????  Why do they chose to dig up and repair several parallel roads that are main arteries at the same time?  And then throw in, that it is the first week of school and there are many new bus drivers on the road that are struggling with new routes and all of those kids!

Today I had an amazing drive home from work.  That is an interesting sentence!  My drive home is usually painful and long.  After having a TERRIBLE drive home earlier this week, (see paragraph number 1 - road construction everywhere) I decided to take a different way home today.  I have never taken this particular route because, in my head, it seemed longer.  I really thought it was a much longer distance.  But I was wrong!  In spite of the fact that there were actually non-functioning traffic lights at two intersections, I got home in 1/2 the time it usually takes on a GOOD traffic night. 

This has caused me to reflect this evening on what is sometimes so GOOD that comes out of a bad situation or event.  I know that I might never have taken this other route home, if it were not for that road construction.  And now I have a great new route that will save me lots of time and headaches.   I thought about taking a different route home yesterday, but it seemed easier to just go my usual way.  So I was extra tired and frustrated after spending an additional 30 minutes getting home.  

Isn't that crazy?  Why do we do things like that?  I have been thinking of the many times I have chosen the "normal" route or done the same old thing.  Even when I was frustrated and even angry, it wasn't enough to move me to make a change.  Yep, change is good!  Tonight I am going to celebrate making changes.  Instead of just being paralyzed into inactivity I will purpose to find a different way!

Yahweh doesn't want us to be stagnant and unchanging.  He is a great and awesome God that, while HE never changes, his Kingdom is always INCREASING!  And that increase means there are changes happening.  His river of life is not a stagnant pool of sitting water.  It is a life filled river that flows from the throne onto all of us and all of creation.  The Kingdom is on the move! Hallelujah!
And I want to be on the move also. 

Yahweh, thank you for speaking so clearly to me, in the midst of my mundane life driving in road construction.  Jesus, thank you for reminding me that your judgement for us is BLESSING and you have more for us ahead.  Give us all courage to take a new route.  To go a different way and experience new things.  Help us to be bold to step out and celebrate you Jesus.  Thank you for your love and care and concern - even in the smallest things.   Amen

Happy 100th Birthday Dad!

Today would have been my dad's 100th birthday.  I love that Jesus reminded me about this several days before it actually came.  This picture is obviously me and dad on my wedding day (which, by the way is almost 40 years ago!!!) I have loved thinking about dad and remembering things that are often forgotten.  The last thing that has been on my mind is how amazingly musical my dad was.  I am sure that many people who knew my dad never knew this about him.  In the later years of his life it wasn't very apparent.  But the truth is, he loved music and he was GOOD at all music.  My mom told me that in the early years of their marriage, my dad was the "go to" soloist for daytime funerals.  It seems that all the old folks in the church wanted him to sing at their funerals!  I have heard so many stories about my dad and mom singing during long car rides up to Lake Maud.  I, however, can't ever remember hearing my dad sing in the car.  Apparently my dad loved to sing with my oldest sister Karen, who also had an amazing voice. By the time I came along, Karen had already moved away from home.  (I remember my mom saying right after Karen died, that she was sure that dad and Karen were harmonizing up in heaven!)  Since I did NOT inherit that singing talent, dad never sang with me.  However, some of my best memories are of special family get togethers at one of my cousin's house, when we lived in St. Paul.  My cousin put on some of the most amazing dinners in the most humble surroundings.  I remember one particular holiday get together when there must have been at least 75 of us in this rather small house in Minneapolis.  There was an old upright piano and my dad sat down and started to play and sing.  Soon several of my cousins joined in on accordions and other instruments.  My dad could ROCK that piano.  I also saw my dad pick up a trumpet and a trombone and just play.  And he loved hymns.  His favorite hymn was "How Great Thou Art". 

 

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

 

I remember being introduced to this hymn in Sunday School when I was in about second grade.  They had a "big book" with the words and really amazing pictures that we used during our opening service.  I begged to borrow that big book and took it home one week.  My dad loved it. 

 

As I said, I did not get that wonderful singing voice and I did not inherit the ability to play instruments.  But once again, I love seeing how much my kids are expressing these wonderful seeds of our generations.  Both Gwen and Doug sing and play various instruments.  I am humbled and really in awe of their abilities. Gwen sang and played flute and piano throughout high school and college. Whenever Gwen and I went to church with my mom she would always sit next to Gwen.  She said she loved hearing her sing!  My mom listened to Doug play jazz on saxophone and then go to his room and play drums.  She would say he was certainly like his grandpa!  And I am seeing that love of music in my grandchildren. 

 

Sadly, my dad and I never had a chance to really talk about Jesus or faith at all.  It is something that I regret.  But the fact that he loved that hymn so much, brings me great comfort. The words of that hymn are the story of the Bible.  Yahweh, the creator, Jesus the savior, and the Holy Spirit that brings a song to our souls.  I am convinced that my dad was following the path that Yahweh had for him. And I believe that he is, indeed, singing in heaven with my sister Karen.    

 

So, in honor of my dad's 100th birthday, I challange you all to talk to those around you about Jesus.  Have those hard conversations with people that you love.  Make sure that you take the time to listen and hear their stories.  Most of all, be willing to share your own story.  We have forgotten how valuable our testimony is!  Be a transmitter today, for me and my dad! 

 

Yahweh, thank you for my dad.  Jesus bless all those who hear that wonderful song "How Great Thou Art" and use that song to bring many to know your story.  Yahweh, you are great!   Amen

 





More about my dad - part two

Okay, so I was looking back on my blog posts and I have already mentioned many things about my dad.  But, in addition to the things I wrote about yesterday, and his building things (post about Lake Maud),  there is another thing that I always think about.  My dad loved photography.  I can picture him with his camera around his neck.  And I am so grateful for all the photos that he took. Most people my age are lucky to have a few pictures.  As I said before, we had BOXES of pictures. Here is a photo from one of those boxes..... 

This picture is exactly what you are thinking it is.  But look closely...........  Yes, that is scaffolding all over Mt. Rushmore.  This picture was actually taken during the construction of this national monument.  How many people have this kind of picture in their family album?  My dad was traveling around to various Montgomery Ward stores in the late 1930's and his route took him right past Mt. Rushmore.  I am so thankful that he had that camera with him and took the time to stop and take this photo.  I was so blessed to actually be with my dad on a family vacation in 1964 when we visited Mt. Rushmore.  I remember clearly my dad talking about taking this photo.  I couldn't imagine seeing this being built.  My dad also took spools and spools of movies.  I am also blessed to have these movies as videos (thanks to my brother Jerry for this very BIG project of converting these to videos that included having my mom narrate a voice over of the silent films - what a priceless project).  All of my siblings will remember those dreaded Christmas movies and pictures.  They were never done on Christmas, but usually just before we were taking down the tree.  I remember my mom telling me that often, the Christmas toys were already broken before we ever got the movie done.  My dad would pull out that huge light bar that blinded anyone in the room.  We all had to sit and pose and wave, and of course smile.  But I am so thankful for those movies. And the photos.  The good thing about those Christmas pictures, is that usually, we got at least one picture that included my dad. 

This is Christmas 1955 and I am the one on the stool. (By the way, that was a little yellow stool that my dad made and it was around all of my life.  As far as I know, someone in my family, now has custody of that little stool!)

There are two things that come to my mind as I write this.  The first is that people often say you marry your dad.  And in so many ways, I am seeing that this is true for me.  Ken loves all things electronic and he seems to have been born with a camera in his hand.  My dad loved Ken so much.  It was such a blessing to me that my parents really embraced him and made him a part of our family. So I suppose I can see how that saying might be true for me.  The second thing that is on my heart, is the entire photography thing.  Just today Gwen posted an instagram Iphone photo of my granddaughter Lia, with a really big and expensive digital camera pressed to her face, taking pictures.  I am convinced that Yahweh is really showing me something in all of this.  There is meaning and value in taking photos and preserving (think scrapbooking) our life experiences.  And I believe that it is a part of the plan and destiny for my family. I am so blessed to be able to look at my children and grandchildren and know that these traits of my father are living on. 

Thank you Yahweh for reminding me about my dad and bringing me to an increased revelation of your plan and destiny for me.  Thank you so much for the ways you have brought me to this time and place of understanding in a better way, more about my dad.  Jesus you have sown seeds into my life and into my children and grandchildren.  Holy Spirit, thank you for watering and nurturing those deep things in us.  Yahweh, help all that read this blog, to see what you have sown into their generations.  Bring greater revelation that gives hope, joy and peace for today.  Amen

PS - Final installment (for now) about my dad tomorrow - on the 100th anniversary of his birth. 

 

 

Thoughts about my dad - part one

So I woke up this morning thinking about the receiver/transmitter word from yesterday.  The first thought I had was that the concept of a "receiver and transmitter" is really very old-fashioned.  I mean who even really thinks about a radio or stereo any more?  I remember my brother having a "receiver" and speakers for his radio when I was very young.  I also remember him "transmitting" over his ham radio.  Now its all cell phones and satellites and cable TV.  What was really on my mind was my dad. I realized this morning, that Tuesday would be my dad's 100th birthday if he were alive.  All this thinking about electronics was certainly a part of the reason I have had him so much on my mind.  So, I have decided to share more about my dad over the next couple of days, in honor of his birth anniversary.  Every time I begin to tell my family stories on this blog, I stop and wonder if my versions of these stories would differ from my own siblings. The only thing I can do is tell the stories the way that I remember them and trust that in them, there is truth. 

(This is my dad, Harry A. Johnson, in 1931)

My dad was born on a farm in a small town near the intersection of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.  He was the 8th child.  I have already told a little bit of the story of his parents (see my blog post  "Modern Miracles").  He grew up working on the farm.  His siblings were quite a bit older than him, so some of them married and/or moved away from home when my dad was young.  He was especially close to his brother, Walfred, who was 20 years older than him. My dad was only 32 when his father died and Walfred was always like a father for him. I remember my dad talking about not being very happy on the farm.  He always told me that very early on, he knew that he did NOT want to be a farmer.  He wanted to go to school.  During high school he lived "in town" above a bakery and worked there to earn some money and go to school.  After his graduation he told his family that he wanted to go into "electronics".  Now my grandfather, still very tied to his Swedish ways, told my dad that he needed to stay at home and help on the farm.  He was sure that there was no future in these new fangled things like radios.  But my dad was determined to follow his own path.  I am sure that Jesus had a part in my dad applying for a job in Watertown, South Dakota, to be an appliance repairman.  My mom was a clerk in that Montgomery Ward store and remembers the day that she and her good friend saw the stranger come in to talk to the store manager.  She told me that he carried a bag that they thought looked like a doctors bag.  So they referred to him as "the doctor".   That bag held his tools and he was hired that day.  Wards would become my dad's home for his entire working career of 43 years.  The only time he wasn't working for them was during World War II.  And he met my mother that day.  Electronics were certainly my dad's life. One of my earliest memories was having a TV when we lived in South Dakota.  There was very limited programming and sometimes we could get a signal from somewhere and see a program.  But we had a TV!  We actually had a color TV in our house before there were any programs telecast in color.  I remember us all sitting around waiting for the NBC peacock to come on in color!  This was the early 1960's.  (We always joked that all we saw of the first color programs was my dad's backside because he would be hunched over adjusting the color settings in front of the television set.)  We had a "radar-range" oven also, before anyone had even heard of microwaves.  One of my favorite summer activities when I had "nothing to do" was to take the very large box of tubes and the big box tube tester.  I would sit for hours, finding the correct slot and plugging in those tubes.  Then flicking that switch and the tube would either light up or not.  Of course even the "bad" tubes were never thrown out.  My dad would always hang on to things "in case he needed them".  Nothing was "junk" to my dad. (When my siblings cleaned out the garage after my dad died, they all laughed when the only empty drawer on his tool bench was labled "junk".  Everything else was full!) These things were something that he knew that someday, he would use.  I am convinced that if my dad had been alive beyond 1985, he would have embraced the computer. He was always keeping up with whatever the new thing was in electronics and appliances.  I had a transistor radio in grade school and everyone in high school was jealous of my 45 record changer.  Yep, he knew about receivers and transmitters. 

What is so amazing to me about this part of my dad's story, is the strength and courage that he had to walk outside of what was expected of him.  He did not just go with the flow and stay on the farm.  He was willing to take risks and follow his heart.  What a blessing it is for me to remember these traits of my dad.  And it is such a blessing for me to see that these spiritual seeds have impacted my own children in so many ways.  I love that Yahweh uses everything to shape us and our lives.  I love that I can trust that the Holy Spirit will remind me of the ways that my ancestors were walking in their destiny.  And it gives me encouragement to step out and try new things.  To not be a "sitter" but to find ways to be a "transmitter". 

Thank you Yahweh for reminding me about my dad.  Thank you for allowing me to see and appreciate more deeply, the roots of my family.  Yahweh, it is so amazing to think about the ways that you have worked in and preserved my family.  Thank you for showing us all what we need.  Jesus, help us to continue to go deeper and to understand more clearly all that you are giving to us as your transmitters.   Amen

 PS -  I just had to attach my son Doug's graduation picture.  I can't get over how much he looks like my dad!   And watch in the next couple of days, for more of my dad's story!