WHY ME LORD!
Some years ago Kris Kristopherson recorded a song that hit high on the charts. A song that everyone could relate to whether you were worldly or belonged to the Lord. It is the type of song that causes you to stop and think about your spiritual condition. Even now, when you hear it, your ears perk up and it hits a spot in your gut that spills all over you. The question we all ask at one time or another is; "Why me Lord?"
Of course when we think about ‘why me’, we are usually feeling sorry for ourselves. This song is a puzzlement to most because it is asking the question; "How can you love me Lord? Why did you choose me when there are so many in this lost world that deserve you and your love"?
To refresh your memory here are a few lines from this song that will give you goose bumps. Goose bumps because you know that God knows where you have been and who you were and he has chosen to sacrifice Himself to give you a bridge to cross over.
"Why me Lord; what have I ever done to deserve even one of the blessings I’ve known?" "Tell me Lord; what did I ever do to deserve love from you or the kindness you’ve shown?" "Lord help me Jesus, I wasted it so; help me Jesus, you know what I am!" "Now that I know, I needed you so; help me Jesus, my soul is in your hands!"
Yes, I have asked this same question; Why me Lord! I have felt insignificant and have pondered God’s love for me. I have not only found answers to this question in God’s word but I have found it in songs. I love words to songs! From my youth and until a few years ago I was a soloist and sang in choirs and duets with my husband. My favorite songs to sing were songs about Jesus. Words that I can identify with. Words that express what I feel and couldn’t seem to say. "I love Him because He first loved me". (Jesus; He is the Son of God); "Jesus, Jesus, He’s everything to me. Yes, He’s all the world to me". Another Jesus song ends with; "Where would I be without Him"! And then there is an old favorite; "I belong to Jesus, He set me free!" . I am so glad that; "I belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God"; 1 Corinthians 3:23.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life"! John 3:16. Can’t you see that God loves you? I am amazed that although we say; "God is Love", we hesitate to abide by His words. We want to accept His love, but we question how can this be? "Why me Lord, we ask." Although we are not and never could be worthy by ourselves, God made us worthy when His Son went to the cross. His love makes us worthy! His act upon the cross has brought us this far. As I abide in His love today; I say to myself; "Thank you Lord for loving me so!" I am thankful that I am a sinner saved by God’s grace. Jane Ann
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
WHY NOT ME!
Why do I hurt so bad, Lord? Why did he have to die, Lord? Why does everything happen to me, Lord? Why is God letting this happen to me? I must live under the ‘Murphy’s Law’ because everything that can happen will happen, to me; "Why Lord?" These questions goes on and on! Many times I say; "Why not me?"
"From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." Genesis 2:16b_17. We know the story of Eve, the serpent and the fruit from that tree. We know how Eve gave the fruit to Adam and he also did eat. Immediately, verse 17 became a reality and Adam and Eve began the dying process and it has continued throughout the generations of all mankind and will continue until our Lord comes again.
We all agree that death should come to those who are old. We all agree that life should be lived to the fullest and with good health. We all agree that it would be great if we really were invincible. Most of the time we live as though we are invincible, but we are not! We have been walking in the valley of the shadow of death ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. So I ask the question; "Why not me?"
Some are born with unhealthy bodies; defects. Some develop unhealthy bodies; disease. Some live to ripe old ages; perhaps taking an aspirin a day. I like to think I will meet again on the other side of heaven, those I have loved this side of heaven,. I like to think that those I have met while passing through this world will join me in the heavenly places where we will be playing in the angel band and singing in the heavenly choir. Celebrating all day, every day because there is no night!
I have lost many who I have loved in my life time and I have many more that will pass on before I do. I don't like it! It hurts to the bottom of my core! Whining about my situation will not change it. Embracing it can make it easier for those around me. I know that words are just words. I want what I say to be more than words. I want to put into action the things that I say because I know God is real and His promises stand forever. His promise of strength is mine!
Sometimes we question whether we are born in sin or if we are born with sin. I suppose many are conceived in sin but we are born with the condition to sin. The scriptures are very clear that all will sin. The scriptures show us the way to God through the sacrificial Lamb on the cross. The cross covers all sin past, present and future but we are to confess those sins daily. The promise of forgiveness comes to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and are obedient to His word. Don’t get me wrong! If we willingly continue in sin without confessing and forgiveness, we will be lost. Do not procrastinate! God’s grace is the cross!
As I get closer to my day of joining the band and the choir I want to leave knowing that where I am going is better than where I have been. My dear friend, Betty, said; "Because of so many complications, I am going to discontinue dialysis! The Doctor said I will just go to sleep and we know where I will wake up."
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all healing/comfort; He comes alongside us when we go through hard times. He then brings us alongside those who are going through hard times so that we can comfort them just as God is there to comfort us" 2 Cor. 1:3-4. Have you played the game; "What if"? What if this happens? What if I have an accident? What if I go blind? This game brings fear into our lives. Knowing Jesus, should take away the fears of living. Knowing Jesus, should take away the fear of dying and death. Knowing Jesus, is what life is all about! Jane Ann
Why do I hurt so bad, Lord? Why did he have to die, Lord? Why does everything happen to me, Lord? Why is God letting this happen to me? I must live under the ‘Murphy’s Law’ because everything that can happen will happen, to me; "Why Lord?" These questions goes on and on! Many times I say; "Why not me?"
"From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die." Genesis 2:16b_17. We know the story of Eve, the serpent and the fruit from that tree. We know how Eve gave the fruit to Adam and he also did eat. Immediately, verse 17 became a reality and Adam and Eve began the dying process and it has continued throughout the generations of all mankind and will continue until our Lord comes again.
We all agree that death should come to those who are old. We all agree that life should be lived to the fullest and with good health. We all agree that it would be great if we really were invincible. Most of the time we live as though we are invincible, but we are not! We have been walking in the valley of the shadow of death ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. So I ask the question; "Why not me?"
Some are born with unhealthy bodies; defects. Some develop unhealthy bodies; disease. Some live to ripe old ages; perhaps taking an aspirin a day. I like to think I will meet again on the other side of heaven, those I have loved this side of heaven,. I like to think that those I have met while passing through this world will join me in the heavenly places where we will be playing in the angel band and singing in the heavenly choir. Celebrating all day, every day because there is no night!
I have lost many who I have loved in my life time and I have many more that will pass on before I do. I don't like it! It hurts to the bottom of my core! Whining about my situation will not change it. Embracing it can make it easier for those around me. I know that words are just words. I want what I say to be more than words. I want to put into action the things that I say because I know God is real and His promises stand forever. His promise of strength is mine!
Sometimes we question whether we are born in sin or if we are born with sin. I suppose many are conceived in sin but we are born with the condition to sin. The scriptures are very clear that all will sin. The scriptures show us the way to God through the sacrificial Lamb on the cross. The cross covers all sin past, present and future but we are to confess those sins daily. The promise of forgiveness comes to those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and are obedient to His word. Don’t get me wrong! If we willingly continue in sin without confessing and forgiveness, we will be lost. Do not procrastinate! God’s grace is the cross!
As I get closer to my day of joining the band and the choir I want to leave knowing that where I am going is better than where I have been. My dear friend, Betty, said; "Because of so many complications, I am going to discontinue dialysis! The Doctor said I will just go to sleep and we know where I will wake up."
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all healing/comfort; He comes alongside us when we go through hard times. He then brings us alongside those who are going through hard times so that we can comfort them just as God is there to comfort us" 2 Cor. 1:3-4. Have you played the game; "What if"? What if this happens? What if I have an accident? What if I go blind? This game brings fear into our lives. Knowing Jesus, should take away the fears of living. Knowing Jesus, should take away the fear of dying and death. Knowing Jesus, is what life is all about! Jane Ann
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
WE ARE ALL BORN WITH A DEFECT
Our #2 grandson, was born in 1991 with a defect. Our tiny little baby had a problem with a very big name; White Parkinson Wolf Syndrome. Ryan’s defect was a form of tachycardia, a heart condition. In other words he had an extra natural pacemaker which would cause his heart to beat rapidly and erratically. His Mom called him, her miracle baby!
When our daughter, Jennifer was going into the 7th grade she became afraid which caused her to be sick. I took her to see the Doctor for a thorough examination. He checked her all over. He asked her to open her mouth. He then asked her to stick out her tongue. He wanted to check her throat, tongue, tonsils etc. He asked her again to stick out her tongue! After the third time he turned to me and asked; "doesn’t she ever stick out her tongue"? I thought for a moment and said; "I don’t think I have ever seen her stick her tongue out"! His diagnoses was perhaps she was allergic to milk. Cut out milk products for a while and see what happens.
That school year a young Speech Therapist called me and asked if I had ever looked inside Jennifer’s mouth. "No I haven’t", I said! "However, she has been to see the Doctor many times and just recently was examined by the Doctor and they always looked in her mouth". "Why, I asked"? The Therapist said; "Tonight, I would like your family to look into each others mouths, especially around the tongue and then look into Jennifer’s". "She has a thickness under the sides of her tongue which restricts her speech process. I believe, if that is clipped, Jennifer would be able to speak much more clearly and easier". All her young life, Jennifer had great difficulty talking. In every grade, she required speech therapy. Jennifer was born with a defect!
Bud, my brother-in-law, had a younger brother who was born deaf. Because he was deaf, he had to be taught differently . Eventually he could talk and when he tried to speak, he spoke with a labored slur and disjointedly. He could sign brilliantly! He lived in a world that gave him peace and quiet but he could see that all around him was activity of sound. Denny was born with a defect!
Many are born with a noticeable and sometimes not readily apparent defect. Ever since
sin came into the world, the defects appeared and would take many forms. Sickness is born of sin! Not our individual sin but because of sin in the world. Sin brought death to man and now man must die because man will sin! Sometimes we look at disease and illness and say; why me? "All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God". Romans 3:23; In 1 John 1:8-10 it says, that some may want to disagree with that and say that they do not sin. However, we only deceive ourselves. To say we do not sin only makes us a liar and also calls God a liar, who says that all have sinned. 1 John 3:5 tells us that Jesus came to take away sins, because in Him there is no sin. Back in 1 John 1:9 it says, that God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins.
Even so we must be careful, because in 1 John 3:9-10 it tells us that one who is born of God cannot sin. This means that we won’t want to sin! It goes further to say you can always tell who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. The proof is in the pudding so to speak. "Whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother"!
Some say that we are born with an empty hole inside of us. We are born with a defect! Christ Jesus is the only one who can fill that empty hole. Because we live in a sinful world we will experience what this world has to offer. Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself for us, defects and all! No matter what physical defect or disease we experience, God has promised to make us whole! Our sinful nature can make us defective but Christ can take those defects and we can become the person He has created us to be. What a Savior! Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/10/08
Our #2 grandson, was born in 1991 with a defect. Our tiny little baby had a problem with a very big name; White Parkinson Wolf Syndrome. Ryan’s defect was a form of tachycardia, a heart condition. In other words he had an extra natural pacemaker which would cause his heart to beat rapidly and erratically. His Mom called him, her miracle baby!
When our daughter, Jennifer was going into the 7th grade she became afraid which caused her to be sick. I took her to see the Doctor for a thorough examination. He checked her all over. He asked her to open her mouth. He then asked her to stick out her tongue. He wanted to check her throat, tongue, tonsils etc. He asked her again to stick out her tongue! After the third time he turned to me and asked; "doesn’t she ever stick out her tongue"? I thought for a moment and said; "I don’t think I have ever seen her stick her tongue out"! His diagnoses was perhaps she was allergic to milk. Cut out milk products for a while and see what happens.
That school year a young Speech Therapist called me and asked if I had ever looked inside Jennifer’s mouth. "No I haven’t", I said! "However, she has been to see the Doctor many times and just recently was examined by the Doctor and they always looked in her mouth". "Why, I asked"? The Therapist said; "Tonight, I would like your family to look into each others mouths, especially around the tongue and then look into Jennifer’s". "She has a thickness under the sides of her tongue which restricts her speech process. I believe, if that is clipped, Jennifer would be able to speak much more clearly and easier". All her young life, Jennifer had great difficulty talking. In every grade, she required speech therapy. Jennifer was born with a defect!
Bud, my brother-in-law, had a younger brother who was born deaf. Because he was deaf, he had to be taught differently . Eventually he could talk and when he tried to speak, he spoke with a labored slur and disjointedly. He could sign brilliantly! He lived in a world that gave him peace and quiet but he could see that all around him was activity of sound. Denny was born with a defect!
Many are born with a noticeable and sometimes not readily apparent defect. Ever since
sin came into the world, the defects appeared and would take many forms. Sickness is born of sin! Not our individual sin but because of sin in the world. Sin brought death to man and now man must die because man will sin! Sometimes we look at disease and illness and say; why me? "All have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God". Romans 3:23; In 1 John 1:8-10 it says, that some may want to disagree with that and say that they do not sin. However, we only deceive ourselves. To say we do not sin only makes us a liar and also calls God a liar, who says that all have sinned. 1 John 3:5 tells us that Jesus came to take away sins, because in Him there is no sin. Back in 1 John 1:9 it says, that God is faithful and just, and will forgive us our sins.
Even so we must be careful, because in 1 John 3:9-10 it tells us that one who is born of God cannot sin. This means that we won’t want to sin! It goes further to say you can always tell who are the children of God and who are the children of the devil. The proof is in the pudding so to speak. "Whoever does not do right is not of God, nor he who does not love his brother"!
Some say that we are born with an empty hole inside of us. We are born with a defect! Christ Jesus is the only one who can fill that empty hole. Because we live in a sinful world we will experience what this world has to offer. Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself for us, defects and all! No matter what physical defect or disease we experience, God has promised to make us whole! Our sinful nature can make us defective but Christ can take those defects and we can become the person He has created us to be. What a Savior! Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/10/08
Monday, April 27, 2009
HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU? 4/27/09
This week we are going to be looking at our possibilities. The possibility of becoming a real member of the body of Christ or a member of the worldly congregation. We all have a beginning when we are born, but what do we do with it and how far do we let God take us.
HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU?
In the summer of 2000, Jim purchased a new chain saw. His old one, which was purchased 30 some years ago after we moved to Oregon, finally bit the dust!. He was pretty excited! He opened the box and took the case out and as he opened the case you could see the anticipation of something new on his face. He put everything together, took it outside and filled the tank with the engine oil and gas then proceeded to pull the starter rope. Nothing happened! He thought he had done something wrong in the assembly so he retraced the steps that were on the directions. Everything was as it should be so he pulled the starter rope again. Nothing happened!. Jim is a patient man but was frustrated because he felt he did something wrong. So he set it aside and thought perhaps he should let the gas & oil mix a little bit more before trying again. A few days later he pulled the starter rope. Nothing happened! He re_boxed it and took it back to Wal_Mart. Their return policy is very easy. They told him to get another one and bring it to the Customer Return Counter. This time he picked out a box that had not been opened before. We took it home and he again went through all the same procedures. Took it outside and filled the tank with the engine oil and gas and then pulled the starter rope. After the second try it took off just as the instructions said it would. What a relief.. It worked!. The interesting thing about this story is that Jim never returned anything. Many times, we have purchased something that didn't work or didn't fit, didn't look right, wrong color, to big, to small, didn't like it etc. etc. and never returned it to the store. We either gave it away, put it in a yard sale, threw it away but never returned it.....We have many times settled for what something could do instead of what it was suppose to do. In returning the Power Saw we came to the conclusion, it had a faulty base.
Life is like that! God created us to be launched from a spiritual base connected to Him. Early in life many people know nothing about the need for a spiritual base, but in time begin searching to fill some void in their lives. An itch they can't scratch. They try many avenues such as money, men, women, successful careers, friends, drugs, alcohol and material possession. Nothing seems to work. It is as if an invisible vacuum was sucking out everything they tried to pour into it. Nothing works when you are disconnected from God! Happiness does not just happen. True happiness comes from God. There is no electrical power surg unless you plug it in or turn the switch on! Sometimes we are like that. Too often we settle for what appears to be productive, spinning around in the same place when in fact we were created by God to fly as noted in Isaiah 40:31. One of the ways we can fly is through reading God’s word and prayer.
We have a frame on the license plate at the rear of our car. It reads; "Real Men Read The Instructions". In other words, real followers of God "Read the Bible". The Bible has our answers to every question or thought. It is full of action, blood & guts, lots of gore and yes, sex. If you are in it long enough you will find your answers and revelations beyond your imagination. In fact, The Bible gives us the keys to a Godly life and instructions for a productive prayer life.
When Jim was putting the chain saw together, the instructions were correct _ but it had a faulty base. My question to you is How is your base? As you follow God's instructions, how is your heart? Remember, even if we follow God's instructions nothing works unless our heart is right....We must be CONNECTED TO GOD on a personal basis for all things to work . "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose"; Romans 8:28. If you have followed God’s instructions and nothing seems to work, could it be that you are still not connected to God. Is your phone line dead? Trust in the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul! Jesus is the Son of God! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/08
HOW CONNECTED ARE YOU?
In the summer of 2000, Jim purchased a new chain saw. His old one, which was purchased 30 some years ago after we moved to Oregon, finally bit the dust!. He was pretty excited! He opened the box and took the case out and as he opened the case you could see the anticipation of something new on his face. He put everything together, took it outside and filled the tank with the engine oil and gas then proceeded to pull the starter rope. Nothing happened! He thought he had done something wrong in the assembly so he retraced the steps that were on the directions. Everything was as it should be so he pulled the starter rope again. Nothing happened!. Jim is a patient man but was frustrated because he felt he did something wrong. So he set it aside and thought perhaps he should let the gas & oil mix a little bit more before trying again. A few days later he pulled the starter rope. Nothing happened! He re_boxed it and took it back to Wal_Mart. Their return policy is very easy. They told him to get another one and bring it to the Customer Return Counter. This time he picked out a box that had not been opened before. We took it home and he again went through all the same procedures. Took it outside and filled the tank with the engine oil and gas and then pulled the starter rope. After the second try it took off just as the instructions said it would. What a relief.. It worked!. The interesting thing about this story is that Jim never returned anything. Many times, we have purchased something that didn't work or didn't fit, didn't look right, wrong color, to big, to small, didn't like it etc. etc. and never returned it to the store. We either gave it away, put it in a yard sale, threw it away but never returned it.....We have many times settled for what something could do instead of what it was suppose to do. In returning the Power Saw we came to the conclusion, it had a faulty base.
Life is like that! God created us to be launched from a spiritual base connected to Him. Early in life many people know nothing about the need for a spiritual base, but in time begin searching to fill some void in their lives. An itch they can't scratch. They try many avenues such as money, men, women, successful careers, friends, drugs, alcohol and material possession. Nothing seems to work. It is as if an invisible vacuum was sucking out everything they tried to pour into it. Nothing works when you are disconnected from God! Happiness does not just happen. True happiness comes from God. There is no electrical power surg unless you plug it in or turn the switch on! Sometimes we are like that. Too often we settle for what appears to be productive, spinning around in the same place when in fact we were created by God to fly as noted in Isaiah 40:31. One of the ways we can fly is through reading God’s word and prayer.
We have a frame on the license plate at the rear of our car. It reads; "Real Men Read The Instructions". In other words, real followers of God "Read the Bible". The Bible has our answers to every question or thought. It is full of action, blood & guts, lots of gore and yes, sex. If you are in it long enough you will find your answers and revelations beyond your imagination. In fact, The Bible gives us the keys to a Godly life and instructions for a productive prayer life.
When Jim was putting the chain saw together, the instructions were correct _ but it had a faulty base. My question to you is How is your base? As you follow God's instructions, how is your heart? Remember, even if we follow God's instructions nothing works unless our heart is right....We must be CONNECTED TO GOD on a personal basis for all things to work . "All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose"; Romans 8:28. If you have followed God’s instructions and nothing seems to work, could it be that you are still not connected to God. Is your phone line dead? Trust in the Lord with all your heart, mind and soul! Jesus is the Son of God! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/08
Friday, April 24, 2009
Every moring my prayer list seems to grow and grow. So much heartache is going around and it touches all families. Our Father has said that he will never leave us nor forsake us. How comforting to know that no matter what our condition, our Father will always love us. I find that it is important to seek the face of our Father not only in our lows but in our highs. Seeking His face and knowing that we will always find Him makes these heartaches easier to face.
LET’S JUST IMAGINE!
Have you ever closed your eyes to relive something that happened to you that was so wonderful you wanted to relive it over and over again. I have! I remember the first time Jim kissed me. A week before, I had told him I liked him but that was all. I knew I had hurt him which made me hurt. The following week he brought me home from the College and Career’s group. I walked up the steps and turned to say good night and he took a hold of my shoulders and kissed me. He kissed me twice and then he turned around and walked away from me. I stumbled into the house and just stood there! Then I sat down and that is where my sister found me when she arrived home. I couldn’t get that kiss out of my mind and to this day I remember it most vividly.
Have you ever imagined what you would do if you won the Lottery? Dixie, a friend of mine and I had decided that if either of us won the Lottery we would have the church parking lot paved. A big project and very costly but we could afford it if we won the Lottery! Have you ever wanted something so much you could almost taste it, smell it or even pretend you already have it? Every time I want something I go through that! When we found our first house and thought perhaps we weren’t going to get it, I was devastated! Trying to find floral carpet but at the time they only sold it to restaurants. They still don’t have a good quality for homes! Instead of buying off the lot, we ordered a car and then had to wait! How about before ultra sound, and you are pregnant! You want whatever comes but you already have 3 boys! Our eyes are always bigger than our stomachs but we can’t help wanting anyway.
Have you ever closed your eyes and let your mind drift so that you could picture something that could and would be ultimately pleasing to you? Let’s do that! After you read the following, I want you to close your eyes and let these words wash over you with a memory that will never leave you. Imagine Jesus, Himself, stooping down to wash your feet - to serve you. Imagine yourself sitting near the front door and Jesus walks over to you with a basin in hand and towel draped over His arm. As He kneels in front of you, you catch your breath and with a sigh allow Him to pick up your right foot. As He places your foot in the basin, you feel the warm water cover your foot as he begins to wash away the dust and grime that had gathered there from your days journey. He speaks softly to you, so soft that you strain to hear His precious voice as He comforts you. He lifts your foot out of the water and takes the towel and carefully dries your foot. He places your dry foot on the floor and picks up your left foot. He repeats the same process with this foot as He did the other. Again He speaks to you with words of encouragement and thankfulness. After He finishes He smiles at you and your heart skips a beat when you realize that Jesus had just given you His okay. His assurance! His appreciation! WOW!!!
A favorite scripture is Isaiah 40:28-31 It tells me that when I continually remember my Lord and willingly serve Him, He will give me continually new strength and it will be as though I have wings and can fly like an eagle. It says that I will be able to run and not grow weary. That whatever I do in the Lord’s name and by His might I will keep, keeping on and never stop. To feel Jesus so close to me as to wash my feet seems unthinkable. But in our imagination it can become so real! He has promised to be with us always! He has declared His love for us and has shown us His eternal glory! Lift your hearts in thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness and promises which are things we do not need to imagine because they are real. Praise the Lord for who He is and who you have become because of Him. Our day is near! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/1/08
LET’S JUST IMAGINE!
Have you ever closed your eyes to relive something that happened to you that was so wonderful you wanted to relive it over and over again. I have! I remember the first time Jim kissed me. A week before, I had told him I liked him but that was all. I knew I had hurt him which made me hurt. The following week he brought me home from the College and Career’s group. I walked up the steps and turned to say good night and he took a hold of my shoulders and kissed me. He kissed me twice and then he turned around and walked away from me. I stumbled into the house and just stood there! Then I sat down and that is where my sister found me when she arrived home. I couldn’t get that kiss out of my mind and to this day I remember it most vividly.
Have you ever imagined what you would do if you won the Lottery? Dixie, a friend of mine and I had decided that if either of us won the Lottery we would have the church parking lot paved. A big project and very costly but we could afford it if we won the Lottery! Have you ever wanted something so much you could almost taste it, smell it or even pretend you already have it? Every time I want something I go through that! When we found our first house and thought perhaps we weren’t going to get it, I was devastated! Trying to find floral carpet but at the time they only sold it to restaurants. They still don’t have a good quality for homes! Instead of buying off the lot, we ordered a car and then had to wait! How about before ultra sound, and you are pregnant! You want whatever comes but you already have 3 boys! Our eyes are always bigger than our stomachs but we can’t help wanting anyway.
Have you ever closed your eyes and let your mind drift so that you could picture something that could and would be ultimately pleasing to you? Let’s do that! After you read the following, I want you to close your eyes and let these words wash over you with a memory that will never leave you. Imagine Jesus, Himself, stooping down to wash your feet - to serve you. Imagine yourself sitting near the front door and Jesus walks over to you with a basin in hand and towel draped over His arm. As He kneels in front of you, you catch your breath and with a sigh allow Him to pick up your right foot. As He places your foot in the basin, you feel the warm water cover your foot as he begins to wash away the dust and grime that had gathered there from your days journey. He speaks softly to you, so soft that you strain to hear His precious voice as He comforts you. He lifts your foot out of the water and takes the towel and carefully dries your foot. He places your dry foot on the floor and picks up your left foot. He repeats the same process with this foot as He did the other. Again He speaks to you with words of encouragement and thankfulness. After He finishes He smiles at you and your heart skips a beat when you realize that Jesus had just given you His okay. His assurance! His appreciation! WOW!!!
A favorite scripture is Isaiah 40:28-31 It tells me that when I continually remember my Lord and willingly serve Him, He will give me continually new strength and it will be as though I have wings and can fly like an eagle. It says that I will be able to run and not grow weary. That whatever I do in the Lord’s name and by His might I will keep, keeping on and never stop. To feel Jesus so close to me as to wash my feet seems unthinkable. But in our imagination it can become so real! He has promised to be with us always! He has declared His love for us and has shown us His eternal glory! Lift your hearts in thanksgiving for God’s faithfulness and promises which are things we do not need to imagine because they are real. Praise the Lord for who He is and who you have become because of Him. Our day is near! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/1/08
Thursday, April 23, 2009
BLONDS ARE DIZZY?
On our first visit to Oregon my brother Lloyd took us to the famous Southern Oregon Vortex. He couldn't tour with us because he would not be able to walk on the uneven walk ways nor would he be able to stand within the spherical field of force that would surround us. So we took off by ourselves. After we moved to Oregon we went again, many times. The second time we went, we were amazed. Things had changed! I felt light headed and a little dizzy. When we approached the building that had slid down the hill, I had to hold on and steady myself before trying to go in. The events this time were changed because of the effects from Mt St Helen’s eruption which caused the magnetic force to change the spherical field of force. They had trouble getting the broom to stand on end. We could still see the change of height simply by changing places with each other and the golf ball still rolled up hill only a little slower.
Since I retired I have experienced vertigo! This is an inner ear imbalance which is caused by free floating debris getting into the Filicales. Three times I went to the ER. The last time I treated myself with head exercise and medication that had been given to me the previous times. Nobody likes being dizzy, especially when it is accompanied with nausea and discomfort. The best thing I found was to sit with my head planted to the back of the chair and try not to move it. Being dizzy is not fun nor is it something you desire to be!
I know you have heard about dizzy blonds and probably retold many of the made up stories about their empty headedness and their crazy antics. However, I have known many blonds who were very intelligent and creative. Being a dizzy blond is merely a colloquial for being confused and giddy whereas being dizzy is having vertigo.
When writing a will or other important documents requiring a mentally stable person, it
begins with; "being of sound mind". When we make important decisions it is necessary for us to be of sound mind. Not confused, giddy, caught in a spherical field of force or dizzy! Many times we let our emotions make important decisions when we should be using our heads. Our emotions fluctuate with the moment whereas our minds should be steady and know the benefits and /or the repercussions to follow. Our minds are the processors of pointing out facts, disclosures and to reveal what is truth.
I love Proverbs because it always says what man will do and then says what God will do. Like in Proverbs 16:9; " A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps". How about Proverbs 14:33; "Wisdom abides in the mind of a man of understanding, but it is not known in the heart of fools". In speaking about tongues, Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 says that when he prays with the spirit he also prays with the mind; when he sings in the spirit, he also sings with his mind; but when you speak in tongues, your spirit may speak but your mind remains still. In Romans 8:5-8 Paul reminds us that those whose mind is on the flesh is hostile to God and they shall face death. But those whose mind is set upon the spirit will have life and peace. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God! One of my most favorite scriptures is Colossians 3:2; "I should set my mind upon the things above and not on the things of this earth". These words, get me through trials and sends Satan packing when he thinks he has made residence in my mind.
Next time you are in worship don’t let the emotion carry you away but listen to the words of the songs, hear the prayers and the scriptures that would be read and set your mind on things of God and His glory. We need to prepare our minds before we worship and take communion. Feel His presence ever near and know that being in the house of the Lord can be one of the most spiritual places on earth. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/23/08
On our first visit to Oregon my brother Lloyd took us to the famous Southern Oregon Vortex. He couldn't tour with us because he would not be able to walk on the uneven walk ways nor would he be able to stand within the spherical field of force that would surround us. So we took off by ourselves. After we moved to Oregon we went again, many times. The second time we went, we were amazed. Things had changed! I felt light headed and a little dizzy. When we approached the building that had slid down the hill, I had to hold on and steady myself before trying to go in. The events this time were changed because of the effects from Mt St Helen’s eruption which caused the magnetic force to change the spherical field of force. They had trouble getting the broom to stand on end. We could still see the change of height simply by changing places with each other and the golf ball still rolled up hill only a little slower.
Since I retired I have experienced vertigo! This is an inner ear imbalance which is caused by free floating debris getting into the Filicales. Three times I went to the ER. The last time I treated myself with head exercise and medication that had been given to me the previous times. Nobody likes being dizzy, especially when it is accompanied with nausea and discomfort. The best thing I found was to sit with my head planted to the back of the chair and try not to move it. Being dizzy is not fun nor is it something you desire to be!
I know you have heard about dizzy blonds and probably retold many of the made up stories about their empty headedness and their crazy antics. However, I have known many blonds who were very intelligent and creative. Being a dizzy blond is merely a colloquial for being confused and giddy whereas being dizzy is having vertigo.
When writing a will or other important documents requiring a mentally stable person, it
begins with; "being of sound mind". When we make important decisions it is necessary for us to be of sound mind. Not confused, giddy, caught in a spherical field of force or dizzy! Many times we let our emotions make important decisions when we should be using our heads. Our emotions fluctuate with the moment whereas our minds should be steady and know the benefits and /or the repercussions to follow. Our minds are the processors of pointing out facts, disclosures and to reveal what is truth.
I love Proverbs because it always says what man will do and then says what God will do. Like in Proverbs 16:9; " A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps". How about Proverbs 14:33; "Wisdom abides in the mind of a man of understanding, but it is not known in the heart of fools". In speaking about tongues, Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15 says that when he prays with the spirit he also prays with the mind; when he sings in the spirit, he also sings with his mind; but when you speak in tongues, your spirit may speak but your mind remains still. In Romans 8:5-8 Paul reminds us that those whose mind is on the flesh is hostile to God and they shall face death. But those whose mind is set upon the spirit will have life and peace. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God! One of my most favorite scriptures is Colossians 3:2; "I should set my mind upon the things above and not on the things of this earth". These words, get me through trials and sends Satan packing when he thinks he has made residence in my mind.
Next time you are in worship don’t let the emotion carry you away but listen to the words of the songs, hear the prayers and the scriptures that would be read and set your mind on things of God and His glory. We need to prepare our minds before we worship and take communion. Feel His presence ever near and know that being in the house of the Lord can be one of the most spiritual places on earth. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 10/23/08
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
ONCE UPON A TIME.....
As a little girl most of the childhood stories began with "Once upon a time". Usually the story ended with "And they lived happily ever after". I had my favorites and I would read them over and over again. Some were scary and some were adventurous but mostly I read the stories where the prince would find the princess in distress. They would fall in love and he would carry her away. How romantic! For a time in my young adult life I would read stories that were classified as ‘gothic’. They usually found the heroine being held in the mansion which was run by the austere landlord who turns out to be wonderfully misunderstood. They fall in love and of course lived happily ever after. At some point, I discovered that even though I couldn’t put a book down until I finished it, I often did not read and re-read it again. Perhaps that was when I fell in love with God’s word, because that was when everything changed for me.
In the 4th or 5th grade I discovered a little book called "The Boxcar Children". I would check it out of the library and I must have read it many, many times. Then I grew up! Through the years I would look for this book so I could read it to my children but decided it was out of print. About six years ago for my birthday, Jennifer gave me four little books. Book #1 was "The Boxcar Children" and the other three were more adventures of The Boxcar Children. I was so thrilled and surprised! In my 60's, I read the book, The Boxcar Children again.
Today, I find it difficult reading fiction and somewhat difficult reading Christian fiction. I love reading true short stories that reveal God. Throughout my adult life I have found that being in God’s word and teaching God’s word has the same affect on my soul as food is nourishment to my body. With God’s word I find myself going back to the same passages and reading it again and again and each time I do I am refreshed and excited because it is always as though I just read it for the first time. Something new jumps out at me and I continue to learn..
A few years ago I discovered the key to the scriptures. I had memorized this verse as a child and probably it is the most memorized verse in all of Christendom, outside of John 3:16. Genesis 1:1; "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". If you only read the first four words it gives a whole different perspective to this verse. "In the beginning God!"
These first four words are the key! We must first believe and have faith that God is! If we do not truly believe that God is, there is no way we can believe God’s word. When we read Psalms 19:1 where it says; "The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork" and do not believe that God is, we fall into the hands of the evolutionist. When we read Hebrews 11:3; "By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear" and do not believe God is, these words are worthless and we begin to believe in the ‘big bang theory’. Psalms 14:1 says; "The fool says in his heart, there is no God"! The truth is that you decide, "there is no God". You are not born that way regardless of what the Atheist says.
John 1:1 says; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". He was with God in the beginning! In verse 14 it continues with; "The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us". In our minute minds it is hard to comprehend, Jesus has always been alive and is Himself God. In fact Jesus created everything - nothing exists that He didn’t make. Even eternal life is in Him! God has made it possible for us to know Him. Through His creation, His Word and His Son. To know God is to love Him! If you want to live happily ever after, you must believe that God is and not just once upon a time.
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/9/08
As a little girl most of the childhood stories began with "Once upon a time". Usually the story ended with "And they lived happily ever after". I had my favorites and I would read them over and over again. Some were scary and some were adventurous but mostly I read the stories where the prince would find the princess in distress. They would fall in love and he would carry her away. How romantic! For a time in my young adult life I would read stories that were classified as ‘gothic’. They usually found the heroine being held in the mansion which was run by the austere landlord who turns out to be wonderfully misunderstood. They fall in love and of course lived happily ever after. At some point, I discovered that even though I couldn’t put a book down until I finished it, I often did not read and re-read it again. Perhaps that was when I fell in love with God’s word, because that was when everything changed for me.
In the 4th or 5th grade I discovered a little book called "The Boxcar Children". I would check it out of the library and I must have read it many, many times. Then I grew up! Through the years I would look for this book so I could read it to my children but decided it was out of print. About six years ago for my birthday, Jennifer gave me four little books. Book #1 was "The Boxcar Children" and the other three were more adventures of The Boxcar Children. I was so thrilled and surprised! In my 60's, I read the book, The Boxcar Children again.
Today, I find it difficult reading fiction and somewhat difficult reading Christian fiction. I love reading true short stories that reveal God. Throughout my adult life I have found that being in God’s word and teaching God’s word has the same affect on my soul as food is nourishment to my body. With God’s word I find myself going back to the same passages and reading it again and again and each time I do I am refreshed and excited because it is always as though I just read it for the first time. Something new jumps out at me and I continue to learn..
A few years ago I discovered the key to the scriptures. I had memorized this verse as a child and probably it is the most memorized verse in all of Christendom, outside of John 3:16. Genesis 1:1; "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". If you only read the first four words it gives a whole different perspective to this verse. "In the beginning God!"
These first four words are the key! We must first believe and have faith that God is! If we do not truly believe that God is, there is no way we can believe God’s word. When we read Psalms 19:1 where it says; "The heavens are telling the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork" and do not believe that God is, we fall into the hands of the evolutionist. When we read Hebrews 11:3; "By faith we understand that the world was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was made out of things which do not appear" and do not believe God is, these words are worthless and we begin to believe in the ‘big bang theory’. Psalms 14:1 says; "The fool says in his heart, there is no God"! The truth is that you decide, "there is no God". You are not born that way regardless of what the Atheist says.
John 1:1 says; "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God". He was with God in the beginning! In verse 14 it continues with; "The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us". In our minute minds it is hard to comprehend, Jesus has always been alive and is Himself God. In fact Jesus created everything - nothing exists that He didn’t make. Even eternal life is in Him! God has made it possible for us to know Him. Through His creation, His Word and His Son. To know God is to love Him! If you want to live happily ever after, you must believe that God is and not just once upon a time.
By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/9/08
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
SECRETS CANNOT BE KEPT FROM GOD!
While shopping, have you ever put something into your pocket? I was shopping at
K Mart. Jim was pushing the cart and I picked up an eye liner. If I put it in the cart it was going to roll right out so I put it into my pocket and asked Jim to remind me when we were at the check out. Well, we checked out and were getting into the car when I put my hand into my pocket and there was the eye liner. Of course I blamed Jim. Before he could say anything, I told him I would go back in to take care of this. I went up to the clerk and told her what had happened and paid her the two dollars. She watched me as I walked out and I thought to myself; I suppose that doesn’t happen to often. To me it was a matter of my integrity!
I cannot keep a secret! When someone says to me; "don’t tell anyone", the first thing for me is to say; "I am not good at keeping secrets"! Many times if I had bought something early for a loved one, I found myself giving it to them long before Christmas or the birthday. I have kept secrets but it is so hard for me. When I do something I shouldn’t do and no one is around, I find myself compelled to tell Jim.
Heaven knows that I am not perfect! My sister Joyce and my brother Larry, both younger than I, were discussing sin and how sinful they were. They turned towards me and I jumped into their conversation with; "we are all sinners!" They laughed! Joyce turned to Larry and said; "If she is a sinner, then what does that make us." The sad thing in life is, we will always feel guilty of our sins, if we do not learn to bring them before the Lord. We cannot pull ourselves up out of the muck and mire, but God can!
God wants us to understand that the secret things must stop because He knows they are there. Because God is pure, He desires for us to be pure, even in secret. Sometimes we are afraid of what others will think when we reveal our mistakes. I have found, they will get over it! But God desires us to be clean before Him and He doesn’t get over it until we confess it. God does not refuse to hear our prayers because we are guilty of sin, but He would so much love to have us approach Him with confidence and peace. When we do not confess our sin it causes us to hide. We think God will not see our sin. It keeps us from being personal. It causes us to separate ourselves from God and His people. When we begin to practice sin again, we have a tendency to stop participating in Christian fellowship and even attending worship.
In 1 John 1:8-10 the scriptures are pretty direct. If we say we do not sin, we actually do two things. We lie and we call God a liar. In verse 9 it says we must confess our sin. When we do God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sometimes we are not comfortable in prayer because we have not gotten rid of the sin. Oh we have confessed but we are still sinning. John says we are to stop doing that! Guilt is one of God’s gifts to us! If we do not feel guilty we don’t feel the need to repent. The Holy Spirit shows us our guilt and causes us to feel it. What a gift! Without the gift of guilt we will die in our sin!
David shows us in Psalm 51:10-12 how devastated he was when he sinned. He felt unclean! He also felt that the Lord would leave him. He begged God; "don’t leave me and don’t take thy Holy Spirit from me". He wanted his salvation restored and he wanted a willing Spirit. The Holy Spirit had come upon David and could be taken away. Jesus promised that when we believe in Him and obey His commandments, the Holy Spirit will dwell within us. The Holy Spirit will not leave us! It is said; "confession is good for the Soul"! It has also been said; "the Soul longs for peace"! Can you have one without the other? Come before the Lord with praise and thanksgiving because He is always there, ready to pick up the pieces when we fall. Nothing we do is a secret to God! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/08
While shopping, have you ever put something into your pocket? I was shopping at
K Mart. Jim was pushing the cart and I picked up an eye liner. If I put it in the cart it was going to roll right out so I put it into my pocket and asked Jim to remind me when we were at the check out. Well, we checked out and were getting into the car when I put my hand into my pocket and there was the eye liner. Of course I blamed Jim. Before he could say anything, I told him I would go back in to take care of this. I went up to the clerk and told her what had happened and paid her the two dollars. She watched me as I walked out and I thought to myself; I suppose that doesn’t happen to often. To me it was a matter of my integrity!
I cannot keep a secret! When someone says to me; "don’t tell anyone", the first thing for me is to say; "I am not good at keeping secrets"! Many times if I had bought something early for a loved one, I found myself giving it to them long before Christmas or the birthday. I have kept secrets but it is so hard for me. When I do something I shouldn’t do and no one is around, I find myself compelled to tell Jim.
Heaven knows that I am not perfect! My sister Joyce and my brother Larry, both younger than I, were discussing sin and how sinful they were. They turned towards me and I jumped into their conversation with; "we are all sinners!" They laughed! Joyce turned to Larry and said; "If she is a sinner, then what does that make us." The sad thing in life is, we will always feel guilty of our sins, if we do not learn to bring them before the Lord. We cannot pull ourselves up out of the muck and mire, but God can!
God wants us to understand that the secret things must stop because He knows they are there. Because God is pure, He desires for us to be pure, even in secret. Sometimes we are afraid of what others will think when we reveal our mistakes. I have found, they will get over it! But God desires us to be clean before Him and He doesn’t get over it until we confess it. God does not refuse to hear our prayers because we are guilty of sin, but He would so much love to have us approach Him with confidence and peace. When we do not confess our sin it causes us to hide. We think God will not see our sin. It keeps us from being personal. It causes us to separate ourselves from God and His people. When we begin to practice sin again, we have a tendency to stop participating in Christian fellowship and even attending worship.
In 1 John 1:8-10 the scriptures are pretty direct. If we say we do not sin, we actually do two things. We lie and we call God a liar. In verse 9 it says we must confess our sin. When we do God will forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Sometimes we are not comfortable in prayer because we have not gotten rid of the sin. Oh we have confessed but we are still sinning. John says we are to stop doing that! Guilt is one of God’s gifts to us! If we do not feel guilty we don’t feel the need to repent. The Holy Spirit shows us our guilt and causes us to feel it. What a gift! Without the gift of guilt we will die in our sin!
David shows us in Psalm 51:10-12 how devastated he was when he sinned. He felt unclean! He also felt that the Lord would leave him. He begged God; "don’t leave me and don’t take thy Holy Spirit from me". He wanted his salvation restored and he wanted a willing Spirit. The Holy Spirit had come upon David and could be taken away. Jesus promised that when we believe in Him and obey His commandments, the Holy Spirit will dwell within us. The Holy Spirit will not leave us! It is said; "confession is good for the Soul"! It has also been said; "the Soul longs for peace"! Can you have one without the other? Come before the Lord with praise and thanksgiving because He is always there, ready to pick up the pieces when we fall. Nothing we do is a secret to God! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 5/2/08
Monday, April 20, 2009
POTLUCK 4/20/09
This week we are going to look at a variety of devotional thoughts. I always have a good time remembering when and hope that these bring up your own memories of similar situations. God is good to me and I can't imagine a time that He hasn't been there when my life was full of laughter and when I have been sad and even afraid.
WHEN THE WINDY CAME!
For mothers day around 1965, Jim bought me a tree. It was a young tree but was well on it’s way when sometime in the fall the rains came and living close to the coast the wind followed. One evening the wind was so strong our young tree was being blown to and fro and surely would break if we didn’t do something. Jim got rope and stakes to secure the tree, but while he was preparing I was to hold the tree up to prevent the inevitable damage. My struggle was great because the wind was strong! When Jim secured the tree the winds began to subside and I was tired.
When the kids were 7 and 8 we drove along the Oregon coast because now we didn’t live near the ocean but many miles away. One afternoon we decided to take advantage of one of the viewpoints. It was beautiful out and we could see that the wind was blowing but we had no idea how much it was blowing. Jim parked the car and I opened my door! It flew open and papers began to fly around inside the car. We should have understood the significance of all that but the kids jumped out the back door and immediately the wind began to spin them around. I began yelling for Jim to grab them, and all the while, I was trying to get a hold of Jennifer and keep myself from flying away.
Another time we took the three grandsons along with Jennifer for a bike ride. This particular bike path ran along Bear Creek and the sides of the path were filled with many trees and ground foliage. Not long after we got onto the path we noticed the sky becoming dark and the wind began to pick up. Jennifer and Adam went on ahead! The rest of us had not gone far when the wind turned into a fierce gale with branches falling all around us and we were unable to steady our bikes. Up ahead we could see that Adam and Jennifer were peddling back as fast as they could. Later on as Jordan who was about 6, was telling the story he said; "And then the windy came"!
We can’t see the wind but we see the evidence of the wind and we can feel it. No one can deny when the windy comes. We read often John 3:8 where Jesus says; "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit". Do you know what Jesus is saying? He had just told Nicodemus that; "Ye must be born again"! Jesus was saying that we must be born of the spirit. Being born of the flesh was not enough! Let’s rephrase John 3:8; "The spirit comes from where it is and you feel it but you do not know how it comes and from where. Neither do you hear the sound of it but you feel it. More importantly you can feel and see the results of its presence in you". Jesus was likening the wind around us to the Spirit within us. You can’t see it, touch it, or smell it but you can see the evidence of it; you can feel the presence of it; and you can experience the results of it.
Remember the story in Luke and in Mark 4:35-41. Jesus was asleep while the Apostles were experiencing a fierce gale of wind. They were afraid! They woke Jesus up and said; "Master, do you not care that we are perishing"? Jesus said to the wind and the sea; "Hush, peace, be still"! The winds and the waves immediately were calm and then Jesus said; "Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have so little faith"? They became even more afraid and said to one another; "Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him"? We need Jesus! We need to follow His commands and become one of those who the Holy Spirit indwells! Walking in faith can be ours when we have the presence of the Spirit within us! We run for cover when the windy comes, but we are safe in the Spirit. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/25/08
WHEN THE WINDY CAME!
For mothers day around 1965, Jim bought me a tree. It was a young tree but was well on it’s way when sometime in the fall the rains came and living close to the coast the wind followed. One evening the wind was so strong our young tree was being blown to and fro and surely would break if we didn’t do something. Jim got rope and stakes to secure the tree, but while he was preparing I was to hold the tree up to prevent the inevitable damage. My struggle was great because the wind was strong! When Jim secured the tree the winds began to subside and I was tired.
When the kids were 7 and 8 we drove along the Oregon coast because now we didn’t live near the ocean but many miles away. One afternoon we decided to take advantage of one of the viewpoints. It was beautiful out and we could see that the wind was blowing but we had no idea how much it was blowing. Jim parked the car and I opened my door! It flew open and papers began to fly around inside the car. We should have understood the significance of all that but the kids jumped out the back door and immediately the wind began to spin them around. I began yelling for Jim to grab them, and all the while, I was trying to get a hold of Jennifer and keep myself from flying away.
Another time we took the three grandsons along with Jennifer for a bike ride. This particular bike path ran along Bear Creek and the sides of the path were filled with many trees and ground foliage. Not long after we got onto the path we noticed the sky becoming dark and the wind began to pick up. Jennifer and Adam went on ahead! The rest of us had not gone far when the wind turned into a fierce gale with branches falling all around us and we were unable to steady our bikes. Up ahead we could see that Adam and Jennifer were peddling back as fast as they could. Later on as Jordan who was about 6, was telling the story he said; "And then the windy came"!
We can’t see the wind but we see the evidence of the wind and we can feel it. No one can deny when the windy comes. We read often John 3:8 where Jesus says; "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit". Do you know what Jesus is saying? He had just told Nicodemus that; "Ye must be born again"! Jesus was saying that we must be born of the spirit. Being born of the flesh was not enough! Let’s rephrase John 3:8; "The spirit comes from where it is and you feel it but you do not know how it comes and from where. Neither do you hear the sound of it but you feel it. More importantly you can feel and see the results of its presence in you". Jesus was likening the wind around us to the Spirit within us. You can’t see it, touch it, or smell it but you can see the evidence of it; you can feel the presence of it; and you can experience the results of it.
Remember the story in Luke and in Mark 4:35-41. Jesus was asleep while the Apostles were experiencing a fierce gale of wind. They were afraid! They woke Jesus up and said; "Master, do you not care that we are perishing"? Jesus said to the wind and the sea; "Hush, peace, be still"! The winds and the waves immediately were calm and then Jesus said; "Why are you so afraid? How is it that you have so little faith"? They became even more afraid and said to one another; "Who is this that even the wind and the sea obey Him"? We need Jesus! We need to follow His commands and become one of those who the Holy Spirit indwells! Walking in faith can be ours when we have the presence of the Spirit within us! We run for cover when the windy comes, but we are safe in the Spirit. By Jane Ann Crenshaw 11/25/08
Saturday, April 11, 2009
HAPPY EASTER!
First time in my life we will not be at our home church for Easter service. Nor will we be involved in the Easter celebration as up-front people. First time in my life we will be traveling during this Christian season. However, because Easter celebration takes place every first day of the week for me, I can do this without trepidations or feeling bad. Instead I am looking forward to visiting with my sister Joyce and her family at their church for Easter. I am looking forward to traveling once again with Jim and my daughter Jennifer. I am looking forward to seeing other members of my family and of Jim’s family, that live far away from us.
Needless to say, I will not be writing in my blog this next week. I am comfortable doing this at home but I am not computer literate enough to do this while traveling. I often wish I knew who were regular followers of Morning Glory. But I leave that up to the Lord! I just tell the stories and He fills in the blanks.
If you are a follower, I will be back on Monday, April 20th. That week will be a series of devotionals that I call potluck. A little of this and a little of that but all will taste good as you savor the goodness of our Lord through His word. If you are just tuning in for the first or second time, take this week to look at previous devotions and the weekly discussions. The first blog you read is always the end of the week so you will have to scroll down to the beginning of a week to start the thought rolling.
I would like to give you something to think about for tomorrow. In the Ukraine at Easter time, they refer to it as ‘the great day’. They greet each other with; "He is risen"! The response is; "He is risen indeed"! How do you refer to Easter? How do you greet each other at this time? How do you respond to a greeting of Easter?
Remember in John 20, when Mary sees the two angels sitting in the tomb? "Woman, why are you weeping?; verse 13. Remember when Jesus comes to Mary and says; "Whom are you seeking?; verse 15. Remember when Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener? Remember when he says to her; "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.!"; verse 17. Do you remember what Mary’s response was? Upon realizing it was Jesus she ran to tell the Apostles; "I have seen the Lord"!; Verse 18.
One of my many favorite scriptures, is when Christ spoke to Thomas. "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are they who have believed and not seen"! John 20:29. You know, I have believed and not seen and yet I can say with all my heart; "I have seen the Lord!" Jane Ann.
First time in my life we will not be at our home church for Easter service. Nor will we be involved in the Easter celebration as up-front people. First time in my life we will be traveling during this Christian season. However, because Easter celebration takes place every first day of the week for me, I can do this without trepidations or feeling bad. Instead I am looking forward to visiting with my sister Joyce and her family at their church for Easter. I am looking forward to traveling once again with Jim and my daughter Jennifer. I am looking forward to seeing other members of my family and of Jim’s family, that live far away from us.
Needless to say, I will not be writing in my blog this next week. I am comfortable doing this at home but I am not computer literate enough to do this while traveling. I often wish I knew who were regular followers of Morning Glory. But I leave that up to the Lord! I just tell the stories and He fills in the blanks.
If you are a follower, I will be back on Monday, April 20th. That week will be a series of devotionals that I call potluck. A little of this and a little of that but all will taste good as you savor the goodness of our Lord through His word. If you are just tuning in for the first or second time, take this week to look at previous devotions and the weekly discussions. The first blog you read is always the end of the week so you will have to scroll down to the beginning of a week to start the thought rolling.
I would like to give you something to think about for tomorrow. In the Ukraine at Easter time, they refer to it as ‘the great day’. They greet each other with; "He is risen"! The response is; "He is risen indeed"! How do you refer to Easter? How do you greet each other at this time? How do you respond to a greeting of Easter?
Remember in John 20, when Mary sees the two angels sitting in the tomb? "Woman, why are you weeping?; verse 13. Remember when Jesus comes to Mary and says; "Whom are you seeking?; verse 15. Remember when Mary thinks Jesus is the gardener? Remember when he says to her; "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.!"; verse 17. Do you remember what Mary’s response was? Upon realizing it was Jesus she ran to tell the Apostles; "I have seen the Lord"!; Verse 18.
One of my many favorite scriptures, is when Christ spoke to Thomas. "Because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are they who have believed and not seen"! John 20:29. You know, I have believed and not seen and yet I can say with all my heart; "I have seen the Lord!" Jane Ann.
Friday, April 10, 2009
REUNIONS
In the 60's my family had a reunion. Again in the 80's my family held a bigger reunion. Jim’s family had been getting together on Christmas Eve ever since he could remember. After we moved to Oregon in 1970 we weren’t able to go to these gatherings, but those who could, did! Jim’s Mom came to live with us and after she passed away we began to travel to see my family and then attend Jim’s annual, family get together’s.
Reunions are always fun! You talk and talk, trying to get caught up. You eat and eat until you are bursting at the seams. Camera’s are clicking and a flashing making snapshots to put into albums and/or slides for ‘picture nights’. Moving camera’s moving from one group to another being narrated by the camera man for another time called ‘movie nights’.
Family gatherings are always a good time! My family are friends! Jim’s family are friends! I believe that is what God wanted for family life. I remember reading how families should treat each other. As though they are guests! Interesting idea, huh?
When company is coming we always put our best foot forward. Using our best towels and a new bar of soap. We put the newest sheets on the bed along with fragrance that will permeate the air and will please the company and show that we think of them as being special. Recently Jim and I began preparing a small guest room. We had turned our two little rooms into a paint studio for Jim and the other one as an office for me when we moved in. We have company coming and thought it was time to prepare a guest room.
Our guests will be my brother Lynn and his wife Kathleen. Their friends Leon and Kathy are coming also. I went to high school with Leon. Lynn met up with him some years ago and now they are family. We have had a good time getting this room ready for our guests and even though they are family we want to treat them with all the special touches you give those you consider close friends. Most times we treat family with familiarity and friends with specialities. Why is that? Why can’t we do both?
The Lord loved his chosen Apostles and the disciples that followed him. He always took time to walk, talk and to eat with them. Jesus planned a special Passover with them before he was to be taken away. This is where He instituted what we call "The Lord’s Supper or Communion". "And as they were eating, he took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. "Take, eat for this is my body"! And he took a cup and when he had blessed it he gave it to them and they all drank of it; He said to them; "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many"; Mark 14:22-24. In Luke 22:19c Jesus says; "This do in remembrance of me"! "I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom"; Matthew 26:29. Today, Jesus sits with us at the table! WOW!
Where I attend worship we come around the Lord’s table weekly. Some congregations do this once a month; some once a year. Our memories are short! God knew our memories would be short! He also knows we like to gather around the table and eat. God instituted a table that we could share memories of what He did for us. What He did for me! The communion table is a time of remembrance. It’s a time of taking that picture out that we hold close to our heart and look at it once again. Jesus on the cross! Giving His life for us!
I love the way the Worship Team brings us up to the table. Pushes our chairs in close and leads us to that place of holiness where we can find peace. We can shed tears of sadness and of joy! I am disappointed many times when my thought is interrupted with ‘good morning’ or ‘Hi! How are you today? It breaks my connection I had just reached and causes me to falter. This service is not the time for us to begin preparing ourselves. It is a time to be prepared to meet our savior and gather around his table. Jane Ann
In the 60's my family had a reunion. Again in the 80's my family held a bigger reunion. Jim’s family had been getting together on Christmas Eve ever since he could remember. After we moved to Oregon in 1970 we weren’t able to go to these gatherings, but those who could, did! Jim’s Mom came to live with us and after she passed away we began to travel to see my family and then attend Jim’s annual, family get together’s.
Reunions are always fun! You talk and talk, trying to get caught up. You eat and eat until you are bursting at the seams. Camera’s are clicking and a flashing making snapshots to put into albums and/or slides for ‘picture nights’. Moving camera’s moving from one group to another being narrated by the camera man for another time called ‘movie nights’.
Family gatherings are always a good time! My family are friends! Jim’s family are friends! I believe that is what God wanted for family life. I remember reading how families should treat each other. As though they are guests! Interesting idea, huh?
When company is coming we always put our best foot forward. Using our best towels and a new bar of soap. We put the newest sheets on the bed along with fragrance that will permeate the air and will please the company and show that we think of them as being special. Recently Jim and I began preparing a small guest room. We had turned our two little rooms into a paint studio for Jim and the other one as an office for me when we moved in. We have company coming and thought it was time to prepare a guest room.
Our guests will be my brother Lynn and his wife Kathleen. Their friends Leon and Kathy are coming also. I went to high school with Leon. Lynn met up with him some years ago and now they are family. We have had a good time getting this room ready for our guests and even though they are family we want to treat them with all the special touches you give those you consider close friends. Most times we treat family with familiarity and friends with specialities. Why is that? Why can’t we do both?
The Lord loved his chosen Apostles and the disciples that followed him. He always took time to walk, talk and to eat with them. Jesus planned a special Passover with them before he was to be taken away. This is where He instituted what we call "The Lord’s Supper or Communion". "And as they were eating, he took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. "Take, eat for this is my body"! And he took a cup and when he had blessed it he gave it to them and they all drank of it; He said to them; "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many"; Mark 14:22-24. In Luke 22:19c Jesus says; "This do in remembrance of me"! "I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom"; Matthew 26:29. Today, Jesus sits with us at the table! WOW!
Where I attend worship we come around the Lord’s table weekly. Some congregations do this once a month; some once a year. Our memories are short! God knew our memories would be short! He also knows we like to gather around the table and eat. God instituted a table that we could share memories of what He did for us. What He did for me! The communion table is a time of remembrance. It’s a time of taking that picture out that we hold close to our heart and look at it once again. Jesus on the cross! Giving His life for us!
I love the way the Worship Team brings us up to the table. Pushes our chairs in close and leads us to that place of holiness where we can find peace. We can shed tears of sadness and of joy! I am disappointed many times when my thought is interrupted with ‘good morning’ or ‘Hi! How are you today? It breaks my connection I had just reached and causes me to falter. This service is not the time for us to begin preparing ourselves. It is a time to be prepared to meet our savior and gather around his table. Jane Ann
Thursday, April 9, 2009
MIDNIGHT SNACKS
I heard recently, by a Doctor who appears once a week on a nightly news show say; "It is not the snack that will cause extra weight gain, it is the type of snack that will cause extra weight gain". She indicated that pizza’s and/or ice cream with cookies are not a good snack. The good snack that I remember her mentioning had celery in it. I suppose celery with peanut butter would be good but I think I would just do without if it was just a snack of straight celery. Don’t get me wrong, I like celery!
Years ago I would go to the movies with a friend of mine. Doris and I would always stop at an all night eatery and have breakfast. Why not? It was usually very late in the evening or on the early side of morning. Breakfast always sounded good to us!
When Jim and I married one of the things I discovered about him was that every evening, perhaps a couple of hours after I would have served him his dinner, he would have a snack. A bowl of wheaties! I was happy to discover right away in our marriage that he liked wheaties so I didn’t have to fix him a big breakfast, but it hurt my feelings that he would want a bowl of that after I had slaved over his evening meal.
Late in the 20th century following the advent of television, snacks became a household staple. In my growing up years, popcorn cooked in a skillet was something to look forward to. I remember taking brown paper bags of popcorn to the movies. Those were the days!
Today, there are so many different kinds of snacks on the market that it is hard to have favorites, because you are trying something new almost every night. However, I do have favorites! I have always been partial to Frito’s but I can settle for classic potato chips. I also like garlic and herb crackers. Mix nuts are next and I can even help Jim eat his Cheezit’s.
I have found that as the years have passed by, my constitution isn’t adjusting very well to these evening morsels. I know that if I don’t eat anything after 7:00 pm I sleep better or at least I don’t have to take as many Pepcid’s as before.
I am one of those who prefers to go to bed as soon as it get’s dark or at least by 9:00 pm. You know the old adage; "Early to bed, early to rise; makes a girl heathy, wealthy and wise"! However, I remember a time during my political activities with the young adults from my church. We would be having so much fun with putting up and taking down posters; hosting BBQ’s with the intent of enticing others to become involved and just sitting around discussing various topics. Once, our hosts went to bed while the rest of us sat around talking, laughing and inspiring one another to do good works.
"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow and he prolonged his speech until midnight"; Acts 20:7. Do you recall a communion service lasting that long? "A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer and being overcome with sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead"; Acts 20:9. I have to admit I have struggled to stay awake during the preaching of many preachers but never fell down dead. "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him"; Acts 20:10. Paul continued with the communion service and then departed in the morning.
Many times I wake in the night and can’t seem to get back to sleep. Those of us who experience sleepless nights also discover we have this in common with David, the shepherd boy and with Paul and Silas. "At midnight, I rise to praise thee, because of thy righteous ordinances"; Psalm 119:62. "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God"; Acts 16:25a. Substituting singing and praising God for eatable snacks is a very good thing. " In the silence of the night we seek your face"! Jane Ann
I heard recently, by a Doctor who appears once a week on a nightly news show say; "It is not the snack that will cause extra weight gain, it is the type of snack that will cause extra weight gain". She indicated that pizza’s and/or ice cream with cookies are not a good snack. The good snack that I remember her mentioning had celery in it. I suppose celery with peanut butter would be good but I think I would just do without if it was just a snack of straight celery. Don’t get me wrong, I like celery!
Years ago I would go to the movies with a friend of mine. Doris and I would always stop at an all night eatery and have breakfast. Why not? It was usually very late in the evening or on the early side of morning. Breakfast always sounded good to us!
When Jim and I married one of the things I discovered about him was that every evening, perhaps a couple of hours after I would have served him his dinner, he would have a snack. A bowl of wheaties! I was happy to discover right away in our marriage that he liked wheaties so I didn’t have to fix him a big breakfast, but it hurt my feelings that he would want a bowl of that after I had slaved over his evening meal.
Late in the 20th century following the advent of television, snacks became a household staple. In my growing up years, popcorn cooked in a skillet was something to look forward to. I remember taking brown paper bags of popcorn to the movies. Those were the days!
Today, there are so many different kinds of snacks on the market that it is hard to have favorites, because you are trying something new almost every night. However, I do have favorites! I have always been partial to Frito’s but I can settle for classic potato chips. I also like garlic and herb crackers. Mix nuts are next and I can even help Jim eat his Cheezit’s.
I have found that as the years have passed by, my constitution isn’t adjusting very well to these evening morsels. I know that if I don’t eat anything after 7:00 pm I sleep better or at least I don’t have to take as many Pepcid’s as before.
I am one of those who prefers to go to bed as soon as it get’s dark or at least by 9:00 pm. You know the old adage; "Early to bed, early to rise; makes a girl heathy, wealthy and wise"! However, I remember a time during my political activities with the young adults from my church. We would be having so much fun with putting up and taking down posters; hosting BBQ’s with the intent of enticing others to become involved and just sitting around discussing various topics. Once, our hosts went to bed while the rest of us sat around talking, laughing and inspiring one another to do good works.
"On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow and he prolonged his speech until midnight"; Acts 20:7. Do you recall a communion service lasting that long? "A young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer and being overcome with sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead"; Acts 20:9. I have to admit I have struggled to stay awake during the preaching of many preachers but never fell down dead. "Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him"; Acts 20:10. Paul continued with the communion service and then departed in the morning.
Many times I wake in the night and can’t seem to get back to sleep. Those of us who experience sleepless nights also discover we have this in common with David, the shepherd boy and with Paul and Silas. "At midnight, I rise to praise thee, because of thy righteous ordinances"; Psalm 119:62. "But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God"; Acts 16:25a. Substituting singing and praising God for eatable snacks is a very good thing. " In the silence of the night we seek your face"! Jane Ann
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
BANQUETS
In the church I grew up in we held many banquets. We had potluck’s but our banquets were grand. There were the Mother’s and Daughter’s Banquet, the Father’s and Son’s Banquet, the Birthday Banquet and even an annual Youth Banquet which was held on Mission’s weekend. These occasions with a theme, decorations, guest speakers, music and dressing up were looked forward to with great anticipation. With paid reservations and tickets in hand, our meals were served and it was a super night out for all.
The Birthday Banquet was the most attended at the church. There would be a table for each month of the year which was decorated by that months committee. They would provide a special cake for their table and prizes would be given out for the various categories. This banquet was a potluck, but no one minded because it was always so much fun and special.
The Mother’s and Daughters Banquet sometimes would be held in the school cafeteria because it was the largest Banquet. Women love to show up in their very best and to especially show off their daughters. My Mother often won the prize for the most daughters present!
In my youth I was involved in many of the Youth Banquets. It was a well attended affair because we not only had a great youth program but our youth also had many friends whom they would invite. Tickets were sold! I remember once borrowing decorations from a dress shop in town. Our programs were always fun and well received. Our speaker would be the visiting missionary. Our favorite meal served was Swiss steak! The steak was browned and sauteed in gravy, along with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and of course, dessert. Our ladies knew how to cook!
Even now, when I hear there is going to be a banquet my ears perk up and I want to know more. Jesus liked banquets! He attended many and just because they knew Jesus was coming it was always well attended.
"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready"; Rev. 19:7. We, the church are the bride and we are to be clothed in all our finery of righteous deeds. "And the angel said to me; Write this, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb"; Rev. 19:9. The church is held in high esteem because we are the Bride of the Lamb!
The scene now changes. It is a frightening and repulsive scene that makes an Alfred Hitchcock movie like The Birds seem about as tame as Walt Disney’s Donald Duck. What a contrast! At the marriage banquet of the Lamb the saints dine personally with Jesus. At the ‘great supper’ the sinners are the feast for the vultures. "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in mid heaven; "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great"; Rev. 19:17-18.
When we think of being around the table we are thinking of being among friends. At God’s two banquets; "The marriage supper and/or the great supper of God" we are perplexed and wonder, just what that could mean. Christ’s victory over evil will be final! The joy of the church, the Bride, will be complete. However, if we refuse the invitation to the marriage supper, you will be attending the great supper. Christ already paid for your reservation, will you accept it? What’s it going to be; the marriage supper or the great supper of God? What’s it going to be; heaven or hell? Jane Ann
In the church I grew up in we held many banquets. We had potluck’s but our banquets were grand. There were the Mother’s and Daughter’s Banquet, the Father’s and Son’s Banquet, the Birthday Banquet and even an annual Youth Banquet which was held on Mission’s weekend. These occasions with a theme, decorations, guest speakers, music and dressing up were looked forward to with great anticipation. With paid reservations and tickets in hand, our meals were served and it was a super night out for all.
The Birthday Banquet was the most attended at the church. There would be a table for each month of the year which was decorated by that months committee. They would provide a special cake for their table and prizes would be given out for the various categories. This banquet was a potluck, but no one minded because it was always so much fun and special.
The Mother’s and Daughters Banquet sometimes would be held in the school cafeteria because it was the largest Banquet. Women love to show up in their very best and to especially show off their daughters. My Mother often won the prize for the most daughters present!
In my youth I was involved in many of the Youth Banquets. It was a well attended affair because we not only had a great youth program but our youth also had many friends whom they would invite. Tickets were sold! I remember once borrowing decorations from a dress shop in town. Our programs were always fun and well received. Our speaker would be the visiting missionary. Our favorite meal served was Swiss steak! The steak was browned and sauteed in gravy, along with mashed potatoes, green beans, salad and of course, dessert. Our ladies knew how to cook!
Even now, when I hear there is going to be a banquet my ears perk up and I want to know more. Jesus liked banquets! He attended many and just because they knew Jesus was coming it was always well attended.
"Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready"; Rev. 19:7. We, the church are the bride and we are to be clothed in all our finery of righteous deeds. "And the angel said to me; Write this, blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb"; Rev. 19:9. The church is held in high esteem because we are the Bride of the Lamb!
The scene now changes. It is a frightening and repulsive scene that makes an Alfred Hitchcock movie like The Birds seem about as tame as Walt Disney’s Donald Duck. What a contrast! At the marriage banquet of the Lamb the saints dine personally with Jesus. At the ‘great supper’ the sinners are the feast for the vultures. "Then I saw an angel standing in the sun and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly in mid heaven; "Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great"; Rev. 19:17-18.
When we think of being around the table we are thinking of being among friends. At God’s two banquets; "The marriage supper and/or the great supper of God" we are perplexed and wonder, just what that could mean. Christ’s victory over evil will be final! The joy of the church, the Bride, will be complete. However, if we refuse the invitation to the marriage supper, you will be attending the great supper. Christ already paid for your reservation, will you accept it? What’s it going to be; the marriage supper or the great supper of God? What’s it going to be; heaven or hell? Jane Ann
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
PICNIC’S
The very first picnic I can remember was when I was in the single digits. We lived in Council Bluffs Iowa. I don’t believe that Larry and Jeri had made it on the scene but Lisle, the eldest was there along with the rest of my siblings and Mom and Dad. The location was somewhere near ‘Big Lake’ but we did not picnic there. I remember going in a car along a dirt road and coming to a clearing with lots of tall green grass. Lots of trees and nobody else was there. Several blankets were spread out and the food was placed on one of them.
All the rest of my remembered picnic’s were in parks with tables, water fountains and lots of green grass to spread out blankets. Jungle gyms and ball fields were there along with sidewalks and other walking paths. Usually our picnic’s were to celebrate Memorial Day or 4th of July.
My first home with Jim had a good size back yard and many times we would host a fish fry and/or 4th of July BBQ’s. Once we even had a ball game using a child’s ball and bat. I thought if I laughed any harder than I did then I would never survive. Great times are mixed up with having family picnics.
I remember reading Ann Lander’s where a woman wrote in complaining about her husband who loved Sunday picnic’s but he always wanted to go to a cemetery. She loved her husband and she loved being with him on a picnic but she thought something was wrong with him because he preferred the cemetery to a park. Ms Lander’s reply was simple and to the point. Obvious to her, this man loved the outdoors and picnic’s but apparently didn’t like crowds or chaos. Enjoy the picnic and his company and when asked to go on a picnic to a park, say yes!
"Jesus said; "They need not go away, you give them something to eat". "They said to him; "We have only five loaves here and two fish". Bring them here to me!: He took the loaves and the fish. He blessed it". Jesus broke the fish and small loaves into pieces and fed the crowd. "And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children"; Matthew 14:13-21. There were twelve baskets left over!
Another time Jesus found himself with a hungry crowd. The crowd wouldn’t leave him long enough to eat. Again Jesus wants to feed them but his disciples said to him; "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" Jesus asked them what they had. They said; "Seven loaves and a few small fish." Again Jesus took the loaves and fish and having given thanks, broke them and this time he fed four thousand men, not to mention women and children. Matthew 15:32-38.
After the first picnic with Jesus, you would have thought the disciples would be so excited to see Jesus do it again. You would have thought they would be expecting such a great miracle again. You would have thought they would be running through the crowd to find the fixings and would have brought it to Jesus long before dinner time. Instead Jesus had to ask them; "How many loaves have you?"
I don’t believe we ever ran out of food on a picnic but I also never remember bringing home more than we took. Our picnic staples were and still are fried chicken, potato salad and baked beans. I have often thought about the times when Jesus fed these people. I have often wondered what the people thought about it. Jesus found fish and small loaves of bread to be the staple of the picnic’s he held. I think I could easily enjoy bread and fish if I knew that Jesus would be there sharing my table. How about you? Jane Ann
The very first picnic I can remember was when I was in the single digits. We lived in Council Bluffs Iowa. I don’t believe that Larry and Jeri had made it on the scene but Lisle, the eldest was there along with the rest of my siblings and Mom and Dad. The location was somewhere near ‘Big Lake’ but we did not picnic there. I remember going in a car along a dirt road and coming to a clearing with lots of tall green grass. Lots of trees and nobody else was there. Several blankets were spread out and the food was placed on one of them.
All the rest of my remembered picnic’s were in parks with tables, water fountains and lots of green grass to spread out blankets. Jungle gyms and ball fields were there along with sidewalks and other walking paths. Usually our picnic’s were to celebrate Memorial Day or 4th of July.
My first home with Jim had a good size back yard and many times we would host a fish fry and/or 4th of July BBQ’s. Once we even had a ball game using a child’s ball and bat. I thought if I laughed any harder than I did then I would never survive. Great times are mixed up with having family picnics.
I remember reading Ann Lander’s where a woman wrote in complaining about her husband who loved Sunday picnic’s but he always wanted to go to a cemetery. She loved her husband and she loved being with him on a picnic but she thought something was wrong with him because he preferred the cemetery to a park. Ms Lander’s reply was simple and to the point. Obvious to her, this man loved the outdoors and picnic’s but apparently didn’t like crowds or chaos. Enjoy the picnic and his company and when asked to go on a picnic to a park, say yes!
"Jesus said; "They need not go away, you give them something to eat". "They said to him; "We have only five loaves here and two fish". Bring them here to me!: He took the loaves and the fish. He blessed it". Jesus broke the fish and small loaves into pieces and fed the crowd. "And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children"; Matthew 14:13-21. There were twelve baskets left over!
Another time Jesus found himself with a hungry crowd. The crowd wouldn’t leave him long enough to eat. Again Jesus wants to feed them but his disciples said to him; "Where are we to get bread enough in the desert to feed so great a crowd?" Jesus asked them what they had. They said; "Seven loaves and a few small fish." Again Jesus took the loaves and fish and having given thanks, broke them and this time he fed four thousand men, not to mention women and children. Matthew 15:32-38.
After the first picnic with Jesus, you would have thought the disciples would be so excited to see Jesus do it again. You would have thought they would be expecting such a great miracle again. You would have thought they would be running through the crowd to find the fixings and would have brought it to Jesus long before dinner time. Instead Jesus had to ask them; "How many loaves have you?"
I don’t believe we ever ran out of food on a picnic but I also never remember bringing home more than we took. Our picnic staples were and still are fried chicken, potato salad and baked beans. I have often thought about the times when Jesus fed these people. I have often wondered what the people thought about it. Jesus found fish and small loaves of bread to be the staple of the picnic’s he held. I think I could easily enjoy bread and fish if I knew that Jesus would be there sharing my table. How about you? Jane Ann
Monday, April 6, 2009
AROUND THE TABLE 4/6/09
AROUND THE TABLE!
This is Easter Holy Week, Let’s look in on the various tables we sit around and how Jesus makes sitting around the table a part of the Christian walk. A part of being together in one mind!
After my Dad passed away and we moved to a three bedroom house, there were only 9 of us at home. 4 boys, 4 girls and Mom. Jean and I shared the middle bedroom in twin beds! I was 15, she was close to 30. I had finally arrived!. Not really sure what that meant exactly but I felt grown up. Most of the cooking in my youth was done by my brother Lloyd, Mom and Daddy. Mom always worked! Daddy worked off and on! Lloyd didn’t work until he became employed by Knauss Bros. cleaners. Lloyd became the pickup and delivery man which meant he didn’t cook during the week anymore.
In my sophomore year I became involved with GAA, the Girls Athletic Association. In Gym I played basketball as a guard which was a laugh because I was 4'10 ½ . But the game was played a little different then. I was trying out for volleyball in GAA and found my name on the alternate list to play when Mom hit me with a bomb shell. I was to get home after school and prepare the evening meal. I didn’t know how to cook! She said I would learn!
She had a chalk board on the kitchen wall and every afternoon after school I would read my instructions and try to put the dinner together. Once it read; "cook the spuds in their jackets"! What were spuds and what were their jackets? Rule No. 1; "never call Mom at work". I called her anyway! "They are potatoes! Cook them with the skins on!"
Lonnie would come home just about the time I was beginning to make gravy. At first, because I didn’t know how, I would ask him to show me. He would take me through the steps and then I would finish it up by stirring it until thickened. I liked that! Every night as he walked in the door, I would ask if he would help me again and every night he would stop and get me started and I would finish. Afterwards, he would always fix a sandwich and go into the livingroom and eat it, because he never ate lunch.
I was thankful I wasn’t cooking in the other house while there were so many at home. We always would have, meat, potatoes, vegetables and salad. Sounds normal, but the size of each dish was immense. Roasts, fried chicken were served only on Sundays. Potatoes filled the largest pot we had and the largest bowl in the house and it was mounded high. Everything was huge and Jean would put all left overs in a pot on Saturdays and call it glop. I still fixed the same four foods but in smaller amounts, set the table and we would all sit down together as we always did. Except for Lonnie who would fix his plate and take it into the livingroom to watch TV.
In Genesis 2:24 it says; "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh". Mark 10:8 adds; "and the two shall become one". This was the beginning of a family. Husband and wife! Children, usually is the result of this union and gives meaning to family life. Jesus loved the children! In Mark 10:14b Jesus says; "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God".
In Proverbs and in many scriptures throughout God’s word He gives instructions on how we are to treat each other within the family. Even though it does not say exactly, sit around the table; Eat together; Talk about your day with each other! Sitting around the table is a great memory for me!
I have heard that families that do not sit together around the table are considered a dysfunctional family. Sometimes highschool gets in the way of families sitting together around the table. Teens become involved in many extra after school activities. The table is a familiar place and it can always be found again. I have heard that a family that prays together stays together. Perhaps it should be said that the family that sits around the table also stays together. I think both work for me! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/7/08
This is Easter Holy Week, Let’s look in on the various tables we sit around and how Jesus makes sitting around the table a part of the Christian walk. A part of being together in one mind!
After my Dad passed away and we moved to a three bedroom house, there were only 9 of us at home. 4 boys, 4 girls and Mom. Jean and I shared the middle bedroom in twin beds! I was 15, she was close to 30. I had finally arrived!. Not really sure what that meant exactly but I felt grown up. Most of the cooking in my youth was done by my brother Lloyd, Mom and Daddy. Mom always worked! Daddy worked off and on! Lloyd didn’t work until he became employed by Knauss Bros. cleaners. Lloyd became the pickup and delivery man which meant he didn’t cook during the week anymore.
In my sophomore year I became involved with GAA, the Girls Athletic Association. In Gym I played basketball as a guard which was a laugh because I was 4'10 ½ . But the game was played a little different then. I was trying out for volleyball in GAA and found my name on the alternate list to play when Mom hit me with a bomb shell. I was to get home after school and prepare the evening meal. I didn’t know how to cook! She said I would learn!
She had a chalk board on the kitchen wall and every afternoon after school I would read my instructions and try to put the dinner together. Once it read; "cook the spuds in their jackets"! What were spuds and what were their jackets? Rule No. 1; "never call Mom at work". I called her anyway! "They are potatoes! Cook them with the skins on!"
Lonnie would come home just about the time I was beginning to make gravy. At first, because I didn’t know how, I would ask him to show me. He would take me through the steps and then I would finish it up by stirring it until thickened. I liked that! Every night as he walked in the door, I would ask if he would help me again and every night he would stop and get me started and I would finish. Afterwards, he would always fix a sandwich and go into the livingroom and eat it, because he never ate lunch.
I was thankful I wasn’t cooking in the other house while there were so many at home. We always would have, meat, potatoes, vegetables and salad. Sounds normal, but the size of each dish was immense. Roasts, fried chicken were served only on Sundays. Potatoes filled the largest pot we had and the largest bowl in the house and it was mounded high. Everything was huge and Jean would put all left overs in a pot on Saturdays and call it glop. I still fixed the same four foods but in smaller amounts, set the table and we would all sit down together as we always did. Except for Lonnie who would fix his plate and take it into the livingroom to watch TV.
In Genesis 2:24 it says; "Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh". Mark 10:8 adds; "and the two shall become one". This was the beginning of a family. Husband and wife! Children, usually is the result of this union and gives meaning to family life. Jesus loved the children! In Mark 10:14b Jesus says; "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God".
In Proverbs and in many scriptures throughout God’s word He gives instructions on how we are to treat each other within the family. Even though it does not say exactly, sit around the table; Eat together; Talk about your day with each other! Sitting around the table is a great memory for me!
I have heard that families that do not sit together around the table are considered a dysfunctional family. Sometimes highschool gets in the way of families sitting together around the table. Teens become involved in many extra after school activities. The table is a familiar place and it can always be found again. I have heard that a family that prays together stays together. Perhaps it should be said that the family that sits around the table also stays together. I think both work for me! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 2/7/08
Friday, April 3, 2009
GOODWILL OR TRASH!
Throughout my life, I have experienced many things that have brought pleasure and also grief. This week we have talked a about the pleasures of life through accumulating things and memories. Today I want to touch on one aspect of grief! Coming from a large family I have experienced many of my siblings dying along with my Mother and Father. Recently, my sister Jewel passed away after many months of the realization of illness, discouragement, pain and then the ebbing away of her life. When it came time to go through her things, several of us came together to help her children do this unpleasant task.
Shortly after we began I soon realized that a long and active life, soon became a matter of ‘Goodwill or trash’. I knew how Jewel felt about some of her things because I too am there in my life. To the naked eye they are viewed as good enough to be used again, so they went to Goodwill. Some were viewed as; " why was she keeping this?" and into the trash it would go.
I took some things as mementos for my children, for myself and others. Some had chips, some were faded and some wondered why I would want that. Many times someone would yell, Janie do you want this? I would respond with ‘okay’! I didn’t even know what it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to say; "No, I don’t want what Jewel had loved and kept all these years".
The reality of it all is that these were her memories and her treasures. She was not here to appreciate them any longer and decisions were needed. Jewel would have understood that!
I didn’t like taking what was left of Jewel’s life and reducing it to Goodwill or trash. I didn’t like handling her precious memories as though they meant nothing. I didn’t like losing yet another sibling and placing her on my memory wall. However, this comes to us all!
I went home and began to look at my memories and treasures. I have begun to exercise ‘Goodwill or trash’ and I will continue to do that until I too leave this place for my heavenly home. I can do this! Whatever is left, my loved ones will already know that I will expect the rest to go to Goodwill or trash with my blessings and they will be able to do it without remorse or second thoughts. They will know that I just had to keep them a little bit longer. I expect to be placed upon the wall of memories!
When God asks that we lay up our treasures in heaven, He is asking us to put Him first in our memory banks. "Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord heeded and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and thought on His name"; Malachi 3:16. As I search God’s word, I am more and more convinced that God gave us memories of things to help us to remember. I am convinced that God can easily cleanse us and remember our sins no more. I am convinced God created a memory book full of the names of those who serve Him and are obedient to His word. He remembers them!
Laying up our treasures on earth end up at Goodwill or trash but God’s bank is open 24/7 to house the treasures we have laid up in heaven. Wanting things is okay! Keeping things is okay! Letting things go is okay! "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"; Philippians 4:7. Jane Ann
Throughout my life, I have experienced many things that have brought pleasure and also grief. This week we have talked a about the pleasures of life through accumulating things and memories. Today I want to touch on one aspect of grief! Coming from a large family I have experienced many of my siblings dying along with my Mother and Father. Recently, my sister Jewel passed away after many months of the realization of illness, discouragement, pain and then the ebbing away of her life. When it came time to go through her things, several of us came together to help her children do this unpleasant task.
Shortly after we began I soon realized that a long and active life, soon became a matter of ‘Goodwill or trash’. I knew how Jewel felt about some of her things because I too am there in my life. To the naked eye they are viewed as good enough to be used again, so they went to Goodwill. Some were viewed as; " why was she keeping this?" and into the trash it would go.
I took some things as mementos for my children, for myself and others. Some had chips, some were faded and some wondered why I would want that. Many times someone would yell, Janie do you want this? I would respond with ‘okay’! I didn’t even know what it was, but I couldn’t bring myself to say; "No, I don’t want what Jewel had loved and kept all these years".
The reality of it all is that these were her memories and her treasures. She was not here to appreciate them any longer and decisions were needed. Jewel would have understood that!
I didn’t like taking what was left of Jewel’s life and reducing it to Goodwill or trash. I didn’t like handling her precious memories as though they meant nothing. I didn’t like losing yet another sibling and placing her on my memory wall. However, this comes to us all!
I went home and began to look at my memories and treasures. I have begun to exercise ‘Goodwill or trash’ and I will continue to do that until I too leave this place for my heavenly home. I can do this! Whatever is left, my loved ones will already know that I will expect the rest to go to Goodwill or trash with my blessings and they will be able to do it without remorse or second thoughts. They will know that I just had to keep them a little bit longer. I expect to be placed upon the wall of memories!
When God asks that we lay up our treasures in heaven, He is asking us to put Him first in our memory banks. "Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord heeded and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who feared the Lord and thought on His name"; Malachi 3:16. As I search God’s word, I am more and more convinced that God gave us memories of things to help us to remember. I am convinced that God can easily cleanse us and remember our sins no more. I am convinced God created a memory book full of the names of those who serve Him and are obedient to His word. He remembers them!
Laying up our treasures on earth end up at Goodwill or trash but God’s bank is open 24/7 to house the treasures we have laid up in heaven. Wanting things is okay! Keeping things is okay! Letting things go is okay! "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"; Philippians 4:7. Jane Ann
Thursday, April 2, 2009
During our life time we have learned that what is some one elses trash becomes some one elses treasure. That is the theme of garage and/or yard sales. I love them and have never felt that I brought home somebodies trash, but I am sure Jim thinks we did. Trash! Treasures! Surely it is all in the eyes of the beholder.
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE BANK?
When I was a young girl in the 5th or 6th grade our classroom went on a field trip to the bank. We all opened a savings account with just a few pennies and were given a little book. This was my first encounter with banking. Those who received allowances were able to build up quite a balance in their little books. On the other hand, I never received an allowance so whatever I found on the highways and byways I would take to the bank and was always pleased when my balance grew. I don’t remember whatever happened to the little savings account book, nor do I remember what happened to the $1.68.
There are a couple of old sayings that have always intrigued me; "You can take it to the bank" and "You can bank on it". Both of these sayings mean that you can depend on or build on. It is secure or no worries. We leave our treasures in a bank that have safety deposit boxes. We carry a key in our pocket and we feel safe! We open savings and checking accounts in the banks and feel that our securities are secure. We put our trust in the local savings and loan!
I suppose we have had reality hit us in the face with many financial institutions folding like according doors. We are worrying about our 401K and other retirement funds. We feel the pinch at the grocery stores but we still hang onto the treasures we feel are safe in the deposit box at our local bank.
Ever since I was about 10 years old, I discovered a different kind of treasure box. I have always worn hand me down clothes and have always been drawn to used furniture. I like new things but I don’t have to have new. I don’t like all old stuff but many times I just can’t help the satisfaction I feel when I come across a good deal or bargain. When God says to lay up your treasures in heaven he isn’t talking about old or new. He is talking about important things!
"O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Romans 11:33. When I began to learn about the love of God and how I would become a part of his church, I knew that my accumulated wealth was not in things but in His Kingdom. "Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"; Philippians 3:8a. Paul is telling us that knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior far surpasses all the untold wealth of this world. What a safety deposit box!
With Jesus Christ as my banker I believe "You can take it to the bank" If Jesus is your banker; "You can bank on it" because you can put your trust in Him. "For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you or destroy you"; Deuteronomy 4:31a. I lay up my treasures in heaven and it is not a tax dodge! Jane Ann
WHERE IS YOUR FAVORITE BANK?
When I was a young girl in the 5th or 6th grade our classroom went on a field trip to the bank. We all opened a savings account with just a few pennies and were given a little book. This was my first encounter with banking. Those who received allowances were able to build up quite a balance in their little books. On the other hand, I never received an allowance so whatever I found on the highways and byways I would take to the bank and was always pleased when my balance grew. I don’t remember whatever happened to the little savings account book, nor do I remember what happened to the $1.68.
There are a couple of old sayings that have always intrigued me; "You can take it to the bank" and "You can bank on it". Both of these sayings mean that you can depend on or build on. It is secure or no worries. We leave our treasures in a bank that have safety deposit boxes. We carry a key in our pocket and we feel safe! We open savings and checking accounts in the banks and feel that our securities are secure. We put our trust in the local savings and loan!
I suppose we have had reality hit us in the face with many financial institutions folding like according doors. We are worrying about our 401K and other retirement funds. We feel the pinch at the grocery stores but we still hang onto the treasures we feel are safe in the deposit box at our local bank.
Ever since I was about 10 years old, I discovered a different kind of treasure box. I have always worn hand me down clothes and have always been drawn to used furniture. I like new things but I don’t have to have new. I don’t like all old stuff but many times I just can’t help the satisfaction I feel when I come across a good deal or bargain. When God says to lay up your treasures in heaven he isn’t talking about old or new. He is talking about important things!
"O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" Romans 11:33. When I began to learn about the love of God and how I would become a part of his church, I knew that my accumulated wealth was not in things but in His Kingdom. "Indeed I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord"; Philippians 3:8a. Paul is telling us that knowing Jesus Christ as our Savior far surpasses all the untold wealth of this world. What a safety deposit box!
With Jesus Christ as my banker I believe "You can take it to the bank" If Jesus is your banker; "You can bank on it" because you can put your trust in Him. "For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not fail you or destroy you"; Deuteronomy 4:31a. I lay up my treasures in heaven and it is not a tax dodge! Jane Ann
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
BUILDING MEMORIES!
I remember discussing with Jim’s Mom all the things she had witnessed in her life time. She was born 1891 and died at the grand old age of 90. Her mind was clear and her memory was fluid. She talked about the automobile and her one and only experience behind the wheel. When in her 70's she flew to Texas, she said; "That is the only way to travel"! In reflecting on the sinking of the Titanic she said, she was amazed how big ships could cross so much water and of course, the phenomena, when man landed on the moon. She liked radio but fell in love with television. Loved going to the movies and popcorn was a real treat.
Let’s discuss the camera! There are all kinds of cameras. Some cost lots of money and some don’t. There are disposable camera’s and then there are camera’s on your hand held cellular phones. Cameras are a tool we use to take pictures of memorable things, places, situations and people. These pictures, you can put on a disc and insert into your computer. The photo albums are becoming almost a thing of the past. Some pictures, you just put in a drawer and wish the good fairy would come and organize them for you. In any case, camera’s help us to keep our memories alive. For a long time, camera’s have been one of the ways we use to keep our memories alive.
We always talk about what we would grab quickly if our house should be on fire. I have heard many say; "My pictures! My photo albums!" I haven’t heard anyone say their computer but then if you owned a lap top then perhaps that is an item that could be saved. I know for Jim and me to save our computer is to say we are saving what is also important to us; Jim’s commentary of the Bible and my lesson’s taught over the years and Morning Glory Devotionals. However, Jim said I would be surprised just how fast he could disconnect that computer.
It is important for us to think about the memories we have made. It is important for us to have things that remind us of people, places and things. Our memories influence our children and grandchildren. They actually can become traditions in their lives which instill traditions for many future years. Stu Webber, in his book "Infinite Impact" says; "It is our past that has made us who we are"!
Not many memories are made while sittin, rockin and stairin! Not many good memories are made when we concentrate on the negative and not the positive. Personally, I like good memories! Bad memories make me sad! However, it is never too late to begin creating good, sound memories.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it"; Proverbs 22:6. The Lord says we are to teach our children and our grand children to know God and His ways. In our memory gathering, have we included God? Have we created a memory for our children and our grand children, of our loving God and His ways? Have you given your children and grandchildren this special gift, "The LORD?"
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence O Lord and take not they Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me"; Psalm 51:10-12. This particular scripture we sing by memory. Let it also be a memory we live by! Jane Ann
I remember discussing with Jim’s Mom all the things she had witnessed in her life time. She was born 1891 and died at the grand old age of 90. Her mind was clear and her memory was fluid. She talked about the automobile and her one and only experience behind the wheel. When in her 70's she flew to Texas, she said; "That is the only way to travel"! In reflecting on the sinking of the Titanic she said, she was amazed how big ships could cross so much water and of course, the phenomena, when man landed on the moon. She liked radio but fell in love with television. Loved going to the movies and popcorn was a real treat.
Let’s discuss the camera! There are all kinds of cameras. Some cost lots of money and some don’t. There are disposable camera’s and then there are camera’s on your hand held cellular phones. Cameras are a tool we use to take pictures of memorable things, places, situations and people. These pictures, you can put on a disc and insert into your computer. The photo albums are becoming almost a thing of the past. Some pictures, you just put in a drawer and wish the good fairy would come and organize them for you. In any case, camera’s help us to keep our memories alive. For a long time, camera’s have been one of the ways we use to keep our memories alive.
We always talk about what we would grab quickly if our house should be on fire. I have heard many say; "My pictures! My photo albums!" I haven’t heard anyone say their computer but then if you owned a lap top then perhaps that is an item that could be saved. I know for Jim and me to save our computer is to say we are saving what is also important to us; Jim’s commentary of the Bible and my lesson’s taught over the years and Morning Glory Devotionals. However, Jim said I would be surprised just how fast he could disconnect that computer.
It is important for us to think about the memories we have made. It is important for us to have things that remind us of people, places and things. Our memories influence our children and grandchildren. They actually can become traditions in their lives which instill traditions for many future years. Stu Webber, in his book "Infinite Impact" says; "It is our past that has made us who we are"!
Not many memories are made while sittin, rockin and stairin! Not many good memories are made when we concentrate on the negative and not the positive. Personally, I like good memories! Bad memories make me sad! However, it is never too late to begin creating good, sound memories.
"Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it"; Proverbs 22:6. The Lord says we are to teach our children and our grand children to know God and His ways. In our memory gathering, have we included God? Have we created a memory for our children and our grand children, of our loving God and His ways? Have you given your children and grandchildren this special gift, "The LORD?"
"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence O Lord and take not they Holy Spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me"; Psalm 51:10-12. This particular scripture we sing by memory. Let it also be a memory we live by! Jane Ann
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