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When Loved Ones Die Lost

5/11/2023

As of today, I know three men who died on 5/11.

The first I am sure knew the Lord. Although my initial thought was, oh that is so sad, I soon found comfort in knowing that he was in Heaven. My prayers go out to his family in their loss, but oh, what a victory was won for Christ.

Now that his loved ones have said goodbye to him they "do not mourn as the world mourns, as those without hope." Their "hope" is faith in the assurance that Jesus paid the price for his sin, therefore, he is waiting for them in a place that knows no goodbyes.
But what about those family members who die openly and adamantly rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ? How can we, as Christians who understand the gravity of this scenario, find peace when a loved one is forever lost to us?

1. Remember that God is full of compassion. He is perfectly just but He desires mercy. He works in the confines of His holiness and mercy. He will be lenient as far as His mercy allows without violating His perfection and holiness. Be thankful for this because if He wasn't this way then there would be no assurance for any of us at all.

2. God's judgments are always correct. God recompenses sin in a just and fair way. Once we step outside of time, we will become aware of how little we understood of eternal matters and we will see that every judgment made by a merciful God after time ceases to be, is perfect and right. Even those who are lost will see, know and accept this truth. I don't quite understand why, but this thought brings great comfort to me.

3. God will comfort us. We will not forget but we can rest in knowing that everything God does is perfect. We can trust Him to always do what is right. There is no shadow of turning with Him. He is trustworthy and pure.

If there was ever a time to shamelessly, relentlessly, and adamantly share the gospel with others, it's NOW! Today is the day of salvation. No one is guaranteed tomorrow.
Not your neighbor who is lost.

Not your boss and co-workers who do not acknowledge God outside of using His name as a cuss word.
Not your children's bus driver.
Not the new person at church who you haven't taken the time to meet.
Not the person you pass every day on your morning walk.
And no, not your beloved family members.

They need to know! Christ deserves for them to know! We can never go back and change a single thing, but we can go forward, as lights in a cold, dark world, and dedicate ourselves to leading as many as possible into the light!

Saturday Follies

4/25/2023

Meet "The Relics!" These are two of my favorite ladies on the planet! They are my Mother-in-law and my husband's aunt. They are both in their 80's, full of wisdom, overflowing with God's love, and about the two most fun people you'd ever want to meet. We travel to see them at least once a month. Every trip is filled with lots of road-beating fun. Honestly, one weekend, they had us in four states. We are exhausted by the end of the day but we have SO MUCH FUN!

We hit the local Mennonite farm markets, sometimes go visiting, take every back road we can find-especially the ones we've never been on before, go out to lunch, and just generally have a great time together. No graveyard is off limits with these two. They know someone in almost every single one. It's a delight to watch them peruse the grave stones and get excited when they find someone they knew. We've learned all about people who never wore summer clothes, sang off key, swallowed a dime in church, and did things I won't mention on my blog. LOL! What a time we have with them!

This past Saturday, we wound through the backwoods of Franklin county to Biglerville to see a round barn my husband had spotted on Facebook.

Although no longer in use as a dairy/horse barn, it houses an extensive farm market on the bottom floor and the top is used as a wedding reception facility. (We were delighted to meet the furry fellow in the photo above too.) We were fortunate enough to be there on a day when there was no reception, but they were preparing for one the following weekend so we got to get a idea of what it would be like inside for such an occaision. I can just imagine by the time all the lights, crystals and chandeliers are hung and the doors and windows are closed, it would be magical inside. What a place to have a reception!

We spent most of our time in the farm market below. The inventory was all locally sourced or at least sourced from PA. In some of the photos you can see black u-shaped bars at the back of the shelves. These are the old stanchion stalls where the cows heads came through to the feeding trough, which is now the walkway through the market. The design was quite ingenious. The barn could hold 60 cows and 15 horses when in use. We left with some fresh baked peach bread, a postcard, some apple cider bread mix, a heart shaped succulent plant, a surprise birthday gift for someone, and a whoopie pie. Whoopie pies are part of every weekend in Pennsylvania, at least for us anyway.

While driving around, we were thankful that we were on the Franklin county side of the mountain. The clouds sitting on the other side of the mountain range looked omnious, to be sure. As you will see from some of the photos, we did have some rain, but in general it didn't dampen our plans or our spirits. Franklin county's growing season is running full force while ours has barely begun. The farmers were already cutting their grass cutting to prepare the fields for corn planting. Even the wheat was tassled already. Ours is barely out of the ground. It was an absolutely beautiful day to be out and about!

We stopped for lunch in Gettysburg, taking a route that led us across the battlefield. We stopped to pay our respects at one of the monuments.

We also passed the Totem Pole Playhouse which was originally owned and operated by Jean Stapleton, otherwise known as Mrs. Archie Bunker. She spent her summers there and times when All in the Family was not filming. The playhouse is still in operation even though she has passed away.

Much of what we saw was on Rt. 30, The Lincoln Highway, which is a historical road through Pennsylvania. We are planning to devote an entire Saturday to the tour even though we have seen many of the stops along the way.

AND NOW, WHAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR! We see the wierdest things on our outings and this weekend was no different. We ran into wild elephants in the Michaux Forest, a runaway circus horse on the backroads of Franklin county, and a repurposed gas pump on The Lincoln Highway. We live in an odd state!

Life is Full

4/5/2023

Birthday parties, snow geese, tundra swans, hidden chapels, old barns, wolves, doggie days, sweetie pies, roses, snow trips-life is full!

It's been awhile since I've chronicled our travels. Boy, have we gotten around. (Photos have captions, if you're interested.)

We've had the good fortune to be able to spend more time with grandkids.

Weekends have found us roaming roads that we have never traveled before. We've found many old churches and little towns in obscure places. Sometimes we had no idea where we were but we figured that if we kept driving, we'd end up somewhere. How I love those Saturday excursions. They never cease to leave us with good memories.

Hubby had a birthday so we took a trip to see the snow geese. Of course there was lots of food and ice cream involved. We never cease to be amazed at the snow geese. It truly is a bucketlist worthy trip for everyone to make at least once in their lifetime. We also found another old chapel on an old country road.

We've always wanted to see the wolf sanctuary and they happened to have just enough room to squeeze us in. And as always, there is always something just odd. I used the smallest bathroom I've ever been in. On the way home, we passed the Sportsmens Show at the PA Farm Show Arena and although we were already exhausted, we stopped so that hubby could get his gun fix.

A few days later was Valentines Day and I received a beautiful bouquet that I put in my grandmother's antique vase and enjoyed for many weeks!

Around my birthday, we traveled over to Black Moshannon to see the tundra swans that were migrating through. You couldn't see them from the observation deck so we found a dirt road and got as close to them as we could and then, forgetting our age, we bushwhacked through 100 yards of blueberry bushes that were over our heads to try to get a gander at the swans. I maxed out the zoom on my phone and managed to get a sorta photo. I don't know what we were thinking at the time but we decided that it isn't something we would ever try again. LOL! On our way back to the car, we found a beaver dam! What a treat! We've always wanted to see beavers in the wild. Unfortunately, they were still sleeping but spring is coming and now we know where they live.

We are excited about what 2023 holds for us. There are many new experiences on the horizon. We found a church that we love. We're making new friends. I'm volunteering for a worldwide ministry and loving it! I'm also adding more freelancing opportunities to my repetroire. I'm looking forward to warmer weather, getting outside, taking photos, walking with my hubby, and traveling wherever the roads might take us.

Life is surely busy but our hearts are also full! We are thankful!

Revival and Hot Chocolate

2/24/2023

"Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith." 2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT

I don't usually use the NLT. I'm a NASB girl mostly but I do examine other translations from time to time. After studying this verse, I like the way they paraphrased this verse except for the last part where most translations say that "Christ is in you", not among you. But I guess if you fail the test, then He's only in others around you, but not really in you. Hard truth.

With the recent happenings at Asbury University, I thought it fitting to share some writings from Charles Wesley, the major influencer of the Methodist movement and whose beliefs are part of Asbury University's doctrinal statement. Francis Asbury was appointed as a circuit preacher by Wesley and served in England from 1765-1771 until coming to the United States. It doesn't surprise me that a move of God started there as the beliefs of Wesley guide the university's statement of faith.

Examining ourselves means that there has to be some kind of criteria to examine ourselves against. In the science field, that would be called a standard. A standard is something that establishes a baseline or the greatest level of purity to test other like substances against.

Of course, our standard is the Word of God and the life that Christ lived when he was here on earth. That's quite a standard.

When Charles Wesley was a college student he had a small group. Some call it The Holy Club, others the Chocolate Club. I think that combining the two would be optimal in practice, not in name. LOL! There's nothing holy about chocolate (except for some). If that is you, please see the 10 Commandments #1.

For their private devotional time, they used a list of questions for self-examination. I have had those tacked on the front page of my Bible for many years and I use them regularly in my devotional time, especially when I feel that something is not as it should be or could be in my spiritual life. I thought I would share them with you today in hopes that they might help you in your walk with the Lord. And perhaps, by examining these questions and praying through them, we could also experience the personal revival that the students at Asbury are experiencing. It's undeniable that America needs spiritual help.

Here they are. I pray you are blessed as you pray through them.
~Am I creating the impression that I'm better than I am? Am I a hypocrite?
~Am I honest in all of my acts and words?
~Do I break confidence-tell other's secrets? In other words, am I a gossip and a liar?
~Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, habits?
~Can I be trusted? Would I trust myself with my deepest, darkest secrets?
~Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying? Do I allow myself to be a victim or justify my sin by what is happening to me at the time?
~Did God's Word live in me today? Did I give it time to speak to me?
~Am I enjoying my prayer time?
~When was the last time I shared my faith?
~Do I pray about the money I spend and the way I use my other resources?
~Do I go to bed on time and get up on time?
~Do I disobey God in anything?
~Do I have an uneasy conscience? On the other hand, do I feel shame for no reason?
~Am I defeated in any part of my life?
~Am I jealous, impure, critical, touchy, irritable or distrustful?
~Am I proud?
~How do I spend my spare time?
~Do I thank God that I am not like others?
~Is there, anyone I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, disregard, or resent?
~Do I grumble and complain
~Is Christ real to me?

A Pot of Chicken Soup and So Much More!

1/12/2023

Tonight I fixed a simple meal, bread, and soup. As I stirred the soup, I watched the onions, celery, carrots, and chunks of chicken turn over and over in the pot. My mind took me back to a day when having chunks of chicken in the soup wasn't normal, it was a luxury. Money was tight those days and the closest things to meat in the soup were the bullion cubes I threw in for flavoring and that one-quarter-inch cube of chicken product Campbells threw into the can so that they could legally call it CHICKEN noodle.

January is a time when many are busy looking ahead to dreams, plans, goals, and expectations. The years that lay behind are passed and put away. Yet, as I stirred that soup and reflected back, it struck me how what used to be an impossibility was now my new normal. I was happy in my old normal. I wasn't looking for anything new. However, I love my new normal much more. The process of letting go of the old and embracing the new was not easy. The one constant in it all was the faithfulness of God.

I've talked a lot about the past decade and how literally everything that was normal to me a few years ago is not part of what is normal to me now. The process was hard, difficult and at times agonizing, but as I look back and reflect on those years, the one thing that shines through all the changes and the rearranges (Yes, I know that's not a word), the breaking and the shaking, the crying and the sighing, and the dying, is the faithfulness of God. I'm where I am today simply because of the faithfulness and grace of God.

Our culture has lost the art of reflection on past events. We are told to push forward, full steam ahead, get rid of the old to make room for the new, and look ahead not behind! In many instances that is good advice. It is not good to dwell on things from our past that tried to destroy us, that stole from us, or that hurt us but as I stared at that chicken swirling around and around, I realized that as lean as those years had been there had never been a day when we went without a meal. There had literally been days when I set plates, cups, and silverware on the table, prayed for a meal, and waited because there was no food in the cupboard. On those days, God never failed to send an unexpected dinner invitation, a bag of groceries dropped on our front porch, or friends stopping by to share a pot of something they made that day that "made too much" and they would never eat it all.

As I read scripture I see how meticulously Israel recorded their history so that they could purposely look back. We have the stories of deliverance from Jonah and Moses, the miracles of the prophets, the power of God's protection in Daniel, the providence of God in the story of Joseph, and the revelation of God's heart to the world through Jesus Christ. They are more than just stories to tell our children in Sunday school. They are mile markers of the faithfulness of God as He journeyed with Israel through His wonderful plan. None of those stories seemed good while they were happening but they were necessary to bring Israel into what God had promised them.

And today, as I look to an uncertain and uncharted future, I have hope, not in the desire for things to be better, or fuller, or easier but because of the evidence of God's faithfulness that lies behind. I remember that God has never once failed to come through and I can look ahead with great peace and anticipation even to the things in my future that will replace my new "normal" because the faithfulness of God is my one constant, no matter what else is going on or how things might change. I need not fear the changes or the rearranges because "He who has promised is faithful." (Hebrews 10:23)

I pray that your new year is full of reflection on the One who has brought you safe thus far and abounding in the grace that will lead you home.

My Verse for the Year 2023

1/2/2023

2 Corinthians 1:12b
""...that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you."

There can be nothing more important in life than walking in, through, and by the Spirit of Christ. This is evidenced by the words we speak, the things we do, and how we treat others, especially in the body of Christ.

I don't look for "A WORD" or "A VERSE" for the year. It's not some kind of spiritual new year's resolution that I feel I have to come up with. This verse just happens to be, by the providence of God, one that the Lord illuminated to me as I traveled through the New Testament. It has stuck with me over the last couple of weeks leading up to 2023 and is one I will continue to ponder, meditate on, study, and pray about in the coming weeks.

This verse speaks several things to me:
1. About the nature of man
2. About motives
3. About power
4. About conduct

1. The Nature of Man
The natural nature of man is total depravity before Christ. There is NOTHING good in man. But when we receive Christ, we are then called to become HOLY. Holiness comes to reside inside of us as God puts His HOLY Spirit in us. When we are saved, we are changed by the power of God. We become holy simply because Christ is in us. Holiness is not a movement, an outward expression such as dressing weird or wearing a Christian t-shirt, it's not even something WE can work at and accomplish for ourselves. It's something we allow HIM to do and be in us. As we step more and more out of the world, we step more and more into His holiness. Paul desired for Christ to be formed in the Galatians. Christ doesn't need forming or reforming, we do! What Christ forms in us is holiness.

2. Motive
Because Paul was holy, his motives were pure for ALL that he did. They were Christ-centered, God-honoring, and Kingdom-forming. There was no selfishness or self-centeredness in what he wrote or said. He was not trying to gain anything for himself. He was completely sincere and that sincerity was rooted in and grew out of the holiness in his heart and his total trust in God. He had no ulterior motives. He simply gave himself completely over to God in trust and love.

3. The Power
The power for his life and ministry was the grace of God. He did nothing, said nothing from His flesh-not his intelligence, not his position, not his education, not his assets or wealth, not even his past experiences and lessons he had learned. He lived in the here and now and everything he did was out of the grace that God provided him at that moment. He was totally reliant on the Holy Spirit's leading at every moment.

4. Conduct
All of this is what formed his conduct toward those in the world and in the church. His conduct wasn't always pleasant or approved by others, but it was never fueled by hatefulness, selfishness, or insincerity. Paul was free to be who God had made him to be without reservation or fear of rejection.

So as I surrender to God to form holiness in me, then I can walk in godly sincerity toward others, not by the flesh, but through grace!

I am often challenged by people I meet who are exceptionally kind or caring. I envy their ability to put people at ease and communicate genuine concern and care with a sense of sweet abandon. Scripture tells us that the true mark of a Christian is the love they have for one another. Love loves. What else can it do? It has no other recourse, nor does it want to.

I feel that I love people but I have a hard time trusting them. My experiences in life make it difficult for me to truly trust anyone. For me, trusting people is like stepping off a cliff and hoping that I don't fall. It defies the laws of nature. I know this way of thinking is neither good nor right but I have enough knife holes in me to be mistaken for a piece of swiss cheese. But you know what? So did Paul. So did Christ! And yet, they continued to love with holiness and godly sincerity. Christ didn't entrust Himself to people because He understood what is in man (Jn. 2:24), and yet He still gave His life for them. He even washed the feet of Judas, knowing full well that he would betray Him. He still put Himself out there every day knowing full well that He would be betrayed, maligned, lied about, used, and hated. In his humanness, that must have been hard, but in His holiness, it was the only way to truly share His love, and the love of the Father, with the world. That really speaks to me.

My desire is to not only have godly sincerity as I deal with others but to be able to trust that they have godly sincerity too. I try to make room for people to be "peopley", to fail, to be different than I am, and to make mistakes because heaven knows I do all those things, but I catch myself isolating my emotions as a means of self-protection if someone tries to get a little too close. I don't think that serves me or the body of Christ well.

Now I think God is saying 2023 is my time to be free from the bondage of distrust and to step out and know that He will always hold me up, even when others fail me. It's gonna happen, you know. People will fail me. I will fail others. It's the human condition. But as I surrender my distrust of others to Him, as I choose to trust Him, He will develop holiness in me and free me to walk in godly sincerity, by His grace. I guess this is part of the dying-to-self process. And I'm so ready to be free of distrusting people needlessly.

One thing I have learned is that God can be trusted, ALWAYS! And when my security is totally in Him, I can be fearless, vulnerable, and sincere (while using wisdom) in my relationships with others AND I can afford to believe that they are that way too. Who knows? Some of them might surprise me and that would be really, really good.

Thankful November Conclusion-The Scope of Things

12/2/2022

I know it's December 2nd. The last couple of days were a bit painful from a flare-up of whatever it is that I have. The doctors are clueless but that's okay. God knows and He still heals. I've had to face the reality that I can't eat things that I've always eaten, at least for a while. But that's okay too. I can adjust. I've had to realize too that as foreign as it feels to me, I have to take time every day and do some things that take care of me so that I can be available to help take care of those I love. This is a first for me. I've always put everyone ahead of myself so having to say no sometimes to take care of me feels weird, almost sinful. But that's okay. I'll get used to it.

Thanksgiving was not what we had planned. Originally there were going to be 17 people at our gathering. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, we were down to 8 and the location of our dinner had changed too. But it was okay. The food was yummy, the company pleasant, and we still had a lot to be thankful for.

In the grand scope of things, I have nothing to complain about. Life is life. The Bible doesn't promise us a rose garden, it just promises us that the Lord will walk through every step of our journey with us if we are completely dedicated to Him. Even if I. like Paul and Silas, were chained to the floor in a Corinthian jail expecting execution, I could still sing and worship God because what I have cannot be stolen from me by pain, suffering, family issues, busted plans, uncertainties concerning the future, or even death. I am not of this world, I'm just in it and as long as I'm here I will share my faith story with whoever will listen because God is good and nothing on this earth can change that!

Because of Him, I have hope and a bright future. When I think of eternity I realize that this life will be no more than a quick blink of an eye compared to the glory we will have with Him. We really tend to take life way too seriously.

Today and always, I am thankful that God has saved me from my sin and has given me a bright future. I can never praise Him enough.

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Thankful November #27-Driving Skills

11/27/2022

Something happened on the way to church tonight that made me very thankful. It was raining hard. We were on the interstate near where it ends and joins another interstate. Right at that junction is a place to turn left onto a country road, where our church is located. For the next month, I will be going to choir practice before the evening service. We haven’t been attending all the Sunday evening services because that is the time our family gathers for a meal each week, so we are in somewhat of a quandary. I had planned on going for practice and then leaving to come home. For some reason, my husband decided mid-afternoon that he wanted to go to church tonight so we canceled the family meal and left for church.

The traffic was still very congested from yesterday’s football game at the local university. I have no idea why people were still in town that late but traffic was backed up right where the two interstates meet. It really isn’t a great place to have to make a left turn and the rain made it all that much more difficult. We were almost to the spot where we could get into the left turn lane when the car in front of us jammed on his brakes. My husband had to swerve to miss it but we didn’t have an accident and all was well.

My hubby drives a school bus so he has really good situational awareness. Me, not so much. I realized that if he had stayed home as he planned and I had driven myself to practice, I would have run right up that guy’s tailpipe and we would have gotten to meet and make friends. Plus, my beautiful, nearly new truck would have gotten all smashed up.

I don’t know if the Lord put it on my husband’s heart to go to church to protect me or if God protected us because we put Him first and went to church but I am so thankful that I wasn’t driving tonight.

Today, I am thankful for my husband and his driving skills, for the Lord’s protection no matter how He chooses to provide it, and for Christmas choirs because I am really loving singing in a choir again.

Thankful November #26

11/27/2022

Today we went on an unscripted adventure. After breakfast, we took the road less traveled back to town because that’s how we roll. We had roads to discover. One was a dead end. The other was a beautiful stretch of mountain road that led to a quaint village we were unfamiliar with.

Very often, our present-day experience correlates to something God is doing in our spiritual life. I don’t think I ever stopped to notice before because I was too busy "doing" Christianity. Now, since life threw a few wrenches in my "normal", I’m content just to just "devote" with God every day, no matter what adventure He has planned.

I’ve never believed that “devotions” are a book, a block of time, or a program. For me, daily devotion is a lifestyle where at the end of the day I can honestly say that I’ve been with God and He’s been with me, whether through the Word, worship, prayer, intercession, or supplication.

When we live this way, God can show us the roads in our lives that are leading to dead ends. And it’s also there that God will guide us into “uncharted” territory taking us to new places that we've never been in Him before.

God's been showing me that there is so much more to being His child than what I know or have experienced. He is beckoning me to travel those unknown roads with Him and discover the beauty I will find there. As Voddie Bachum once said, "We don't know what we don't know."

Philippians 3:12-14 says "Not that I have already grasped it all or have already become perfect, but I press on if I may also take hold of that for which I was even taken hold of by Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters, I do not regard myself as having taken hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Today, I am thankful for uncharted territory and surprising destinations.

Thankful November # 25-God is Writing My Story

11/25/2022

Thankful November #25

Is your life turning out as you planned?

That question makes me giggle. It probably makes most people giggle. Before coming to Christ I aspired to be a doctor until MSATS chemistry. Enough said.

Then my husband and I got saved and he got called from tending the herd (dairy) to tending the flock (ministry). Definitely not in my plans because that made me a "Pastor's Wife!" I'm not sure I ever really adjusted to that role to anyone's satisfaction. I'm just glad I survived.

Very little in my life has turned out the way I prayed it would or thought it should. What I have learned is I'm not in control. God is. There have been several times when not even that thought was very comforting or encouraging to me because I didn't like the chapters He was writing at the time.

I never read much of Max Lucado's writing until the last couple of years. The thing that fascinates me about his writing is how he starts out with the main thought and takes you so far away from it in a few paragraphs that you can't remember what the thought was. Even if you do remember, you can't imagine how he'll ever bring you back around and make all the detours somehow support his main point. But he always does it in blaring clarity. When it comes to a chapter, he is a master craftsman.

That pretty much describes where I've been for the last 39 years. Unfortunately, it's only been in the last couple of years that I've quit trying to grab the pen from God's Hand and show Him quite plainly that He isn't writing my story in the correct way. God let the chapters get so far from my main expectations that all I could do was cling to Him until He brought me to that point of clarity where it all made sense.

This involved learning to not just say, "I trust God" because that's what us Christians do you know, but to truly learn to trust Him, even in the midst of devastation, chaos, change, and seeming defeat.

Some of my chapters are really ugly and I don't understand why they had to be written, but I trust the author and I know the end of the story. It ends with "They all lived happily ever after."

Today, I'm thankful that God is writing my story.

Thankful November #23

11/23/2022

Thankful November #23-Are you Ready?

Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

More importantly, are you ready should the Lord come tonight? Please consider this as you prepare for your dinner.

There is a dinner much more glorious in your future. Is your table setting reserved?

Today, I am thankful that I am ready!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thankful November #22-God Had A Tree

11/23/2022

This is a repost from last year but enjoy while I'm busy in the kitchen!

Max Lucado wrote, "God is for you. Turn to the sidelines; that's God cheering your run. Look past the finish line; that's God applauding your steps. Listen for him in the bleachers, shouting your name. Too tired to continue? He'll carry you. Too discouraged to fight? He's picking you up. God is for you. God is for you. Had he a calendar, your birthday would be circled. If he drove a car, your name would be on his bumper. If there's a tree in heaven, he's carved your name in the bark. We know he has a tattoo, and we know what it says. 'I have written your name on my hand,' he declares (Is. 49:16)." "

Although I appreciated the sentiment, a thought immediately struck me. God did have a tree! He hung Jesus there. And God carved my name on His Son.

In my mind, I pictured my name carved in the skin of Jesus. As the blood flowed from that wound, my name got bolder and bolder. Eventually, there was so much blood that it flowed down to the ground, covering my name as it went. My name was gone. My sin died with Him and was washed away by His sacrifice. Thanks be to God!

Jesus paid it all
All to Him I owe
Sin had left a crimson stain
He washed it white as snow

Today, I am thankful that God had a tree.

Thankful November #21-This Good Friend

11/22/2022

Thankful November #21-This Good Friend

I love this photo of me and one of my best friends. Here she was expounding on the complexities of life in her own quirky way as we took a walk in nature on a chilly day. Don't you just love the hands going?

I really love this woman. She has stuck by me through the hardest times of my life. She never judges. She doesn't pull away if things get awkward. She never criticizes anyone even when it would be easy to. She always makes me laugh or just feel really, really loved especially when I don't feel very lovely or lovable. I mean seriously, all I have to do is sneeze and she is at my front door with chicken soup.

She has a reputation for being "that woman" that has everything in her purse that anyone would ever need at any time. On this particular day, she had a snack display in the back of her car that rivaled Walmart. I was glad about that after our hike to the top of the mountain.

She's always reading a good book that she's more than willing to share. She knows how to endure hardship. I've seen her weather storms that I pray I will never have to face with strength, grace, and faith, all the while keeping her sense of humor and a positive outlook. She has a ZEST for life! Quite honestly, I don't know what I would do without her.

She knows who she is and today, I am thankful for this good friend.

Thankful November #20-Rest

11/22/2022

It's Sunday, the day of rest. So I rested. Just as you see in this photo, I plunked down and propped up my feet and rested.

I hope you did too!

Today, I'm thankful for rest!

Thankful November #20-The Comforter

11/20/2022

Life has a way of hitting us right in the heart from time to time. Situations, circumstances, consequences-they can all leave our hearts needing the spiritual cardiac care unit.
There is nothing worse than living with a heavy heart. That crushing feeling makes it hard to think, to have joy, and to breathe, or to function.

Psalm 34:18 tells us that “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those that are crushed in spirit.” I love that when I feel that I’ve been deserted and that I’m all alone in something, the Lord is close. I may not feel Him, but faith tells me that He is near and that I am never alone. What better companion could we have through all of life’s heartbreaks than the Lord? “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Ps. 147:3 And if we let Him, He will fill us with the sense of His presence right in the middle of our sorrow. He is, after all, The Comforter and no one does it better than He does.

Today I am thankful for the comfort of the Holy Spirit.

Thankful November #19-Blessed Hope

11/19/2022

Our first snowstorm of the winter season descended on us last week. Three to four inches of sticky, wet snow made everything look so magical. But the sleet that came with it stuck to everything, closing mountain roads, leaving many stranded on the side of the road or in ditches, and putting my husband in danger as he drove out into the county to take school children home from school.

Here in PA, winters can be brutal. In 1995-1996, we never saw our lawn from the week before Halloween until mid-April. It seemed as if winter was never going to end. But the week after Easter, the snow receded and we saw the tips of the grass poking through the snow bringing hope and anticipation that a new season was on its way.

Just as there are winter storms, there are life storms that come to us all. Some seem as brutal as our winters. Some seem as if they will never end and life will never look normal again. If we didn't have the Lord; if we didn't know that our lives are in His Hands; if we didn't understand that He is all-powerful, merciful, and perfectly good in all of His ways, how would we make it?

Knowing Him changes everything. Even in the harshest of storms, we can experience peace and solid footing.

When Peter walked on the water he stayed on the solid ground of the Word of Jesus when He said "Come". All around the storm was raging, he was WALKING ON WATER, for heaven's sake, but Peter had peace as long as his eyes were fixed on the Lord.

Is. 26:3 assures us that we can walk in perfect peace if our eyes are fixed on the Lord, no matter the storm, no matter the danger, no matter the intensity, and even if it appears that life as we know it is over. He is the author and finisher of our faith story and nestled between every page is hope. I love that our hope in God is not a pipe dream or even an “I hope so!” When He tells us to hope in Him, we can know that He will do exactly what He said.

Today, I am thankful for the hope we have in God.

Thankful November #18-Beautiful Provision

11/19/2022

Autumn is passed and the trees are bare. As I walk in nature, the landscape looks a lot different now. Some might say it's not as pretty. Some may lament that the wind seems to blow a little harder and harsher since the leaves are not there to buffer it. Others escape inside or to the gym instead of braving the elements for exercise. Not me!

As I walked today, I saw more bluebirds and cedar waxwings than I saw all summer. I'm guessing that they are some of our northern friends on their way south for the winter. As I walk along the paths I notice that many of the bushes are filled with berries that provide much-needed energy for their flight, even though the foodstuffs in our area are becoming more limited. Not only the berries plentiful, they are also beautiful as they adorn the landscape with bright reds, blues, and purples.

I love Mt. 6:25-34. In a season when my life was changing, in ways I neither planned nor wanted, God spoke verse 6:25a to me. "Do not be worried about your life..." That's all He said. "DO NOT WORRY about your life..." I read through the rest of the passage. "Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?"

As I walk in the woods and see all the provision that God has left there for the animals and even the sojourners, it is a constant reminder to me that I too am a sojourner on this earth. Currently, like the birds, I'm in transit from one season to the next.

In a broader scope, this world is not my home. Like Abraham, I am looking for a city whose builder and maker is God. Both journeys I am on are temporary. While one is uncertain, the other is assured. God Himself has placed every provision in the paths He has chosen for me to walk. As I look and see the birds in the bushes eating what the Lord has provided for them, their song seems to say, "Do not worry, do not worry", and I smile and say "Thank you Lord!"

Today I am thankful that my heavenly Father has placed my provision within all of His beauty.

Thankful November #17-Power In Possession

11/18/2022

I've just started reading the book of Acts. It's hard to put down.

The first recorded miracle post-resurrection is of Peter and John going to the temple to pray and coming upon a 40-year-old man who was lame from birth and who regularly begged at the gate of the temple for alms.

Peter and John had no money, or not enough money to truly help the man financially, but instead, they gave him what they did possess, healing in the power of Jesus's name.

This same principle is true in our lives today. We cannot give to someone else what we do not possess ourselves. In my writing group, I always encourage others to put knowing God first in their lives because out of what they possess of Him, they can write powerful words that will change lives. It is His name and His power that the world needs to know. Our writing ability, our successes, our education or training, may impress people, but it cannot change them. Only Jesus can change a heart. If we are full of Him, then He can spill out of our lives and into the lives of others bringing the clarity of His truth and salvation to their souls.

Our writings will not be preserved in Heaven's library. The only writings will be His Word and the names written in the scrolls. How we walk with what we possess can make a difference in the balance of those books.

How about you? Do you know what you possess? Do you walk in what you possess?

Today, I am thankful that I am in possession of the power of Jesus Christ through faith in His Name! May God grant me the grace to give what I possess to others!

Thankful November #16-Guardrails

11/17/2022

In my latest Fall Follies blog, you saw that we ended up on an "Unmaintained Road" in the mountains of Pennsylvania.

Although I made light of it, it was anything but trivial. The rocks jutted out of the road so high that only careful maneuvering kept us from getting stuck or damaging my truck. The several-mile-long road was one lane. One side was the rock wall of the mountain and the other was a sheer drop-off to the valley if you managed to miss the trees on the descent. There were no guardrails. Neither the map nor the sign adequately indicated how treacherous the road ahead was, but once we were on it, there was no turning back or backing up. We had to press forward to a better road.

In 1999, while traveling with my kids, we slid at a curve covered with black ice on an “unmaintained” country road in southern PA. We hit a telephone pole that lipped the van on its side and caused us to slide down an embankment. There were no guardrails. Three of our four children ended up in a trauma unit, two of them hanging between life and death. The prognosis, should they survive, was not good. Had there been guardrails, our story would have been a non-event as I was traveling at a very slow rate of speed.

Just as maintained roads with guardrails are important for our physical well-being, so is a well-maintained spiritual life necessary to live Godly and avoid disaster. Acts 2:28 says:
“Thou hast made known to me the ways of life: Thou wilt make me full of gladness with Thy presence.” That could also be translated as “Thou has shown me the characteristics of a blessed life/the life that satisfies.”

His laws are our roadmap. Everything we need to live life successfully is found in the pages of His Word. It is our guardrail.

While most like guardrails on highways, many hate the guardrails of scripture not realizing that they keep us from harm, ensure that we will arrive at our desired destination, and will fill our lives with gladness along the way. Many complain about God's laws because they misinterpret them as being restrictive. when in truth, they are a blessing.

Today I am thankful for God's guardrails.

Thankful November #15-The Perfect Love

11/16/2022

Thankful November #15

Do you ever feel unloved? Do you ever feel unlovable? Have you been rejected, betrayed, or used? I know I’ve felt that way and it’s a terrible feeling.

It’s tragic how we allow the responses of others to color the perception that we have of our own worth. The day that I gave my life completely over to the Lord, I was sitting in a church service, having a discussion in my head with God. I felt that I had at pretty much everything and I was lamenting to Him about my sorrow, but I honestly didn’t think that I could ever please Him enough that He would find me lovable or lovely. I had failed to meet the expectation of others in my life and it had totally destroyed my self-esteem, self-worth, and self-confidence. I felt worthless and I was sure that God saw me that way too.

You know what God said to me? He told me that He loved me and wanted to have a loving relationship with me, not in some perverted way, but in the way that only He could love me-in total perfection. Just think of it. We run all over looking for love, we listen to the world’s script of what true love looks like, as the song says;

“Lookin’ for love in all the wrong places
Lookin’ for love in too many faces Searchin’their eyes Looking for traces Of what I’m dreaming of”

In actuality, God had been waiting for me to get to the end of myself because truly, I have absolutely nothing of value to offer Him. God was waiting on me to die to myself so that He could fill me with His perfect love.
PERFECT LOVE! Not love based on getting His needs met. Not love filled with unrealistic expectations or demands. Just perfect love. The kind of love that casts out fear and fills me with joy. The kind of love that stays, no matter how good or bad I think I’m doing. Love that will last for eternity and will never change.

People will always fail us, because people are people-ly but if our love and trust are in God, we can know that He will never fail to do the right thing, He will never cease to do everything in a way that is best for us, His love will never change. I’m not loved because I joined His club. I’m saved because I’m loved.

Today, I’m thankful for the perfect love of God.

Thankful November #14-God Hear, Cares, Responds & Acts

11/15/2022

Thankful November #14

I have a report I get on my phone telling me about my usage. To be honest, some weeks the report shocks me.

I could justify my phone use by saying that I’m exercising my brain with games, building up my spirit with worship music videos, using Bible study tools, and working, and in some ways that would be true. However, social media is a time waster, pure and simple.

For me, it’s all about communication or lack of it. For most of my life, I haven’t felt as if anyone is listening to me. I’ve never felt “heard”. I’ve always felt invisible to everyone but myself, therefore I grew to feel worthless. It’s not even that I think I have so much to say or share that’s noteworthy, because I don’t. You might be thinking that sounds crazy considering that I am a writer but to be honest, writing first appealed to me because it felt like someone was listening. Now before everyone starts responding and saying flowery things to encourage me, just stop. That is not my purpose for this post. I don’t need or want anyone’s validation. I’m not an insecure adolescent/young adult anymore.

I first came to the Lord because I was explaining to Him what a nothing I was and to my surprise, He spoke to me. I realized that He was listening. He showed me that He will take ”a nothing “and make it into “a something”, in fact, God requires nothingness because something-ness needs somewhere to reside.

I came to know that not only does He listen and respond, but that He cares. He is available to me 24/7, in fact, He is yearning for me to come and talk with Him.

Then I found out that not only does He care, but He acts. He fulfills every promise, breaks every binding chain, knocks down every barrier, supplies every need, and makes a path over every mountain and through every valley.

But the best part is that He is with me and in me! What a thought!

Today I am thankful that God hears, He responds, He cares, and He acts!

Thankful November #13-Living Bread

11/14/2022

Thankful November #13

Today was week two of an expository look at 1 John. He’s not using 1 John to enhance another subject or to prove an outside point. First John IS the subject! For some reason, that kind of preaching just fills me to overflowing. I can munch on it all week. I re-read the scripture, re-write my notes, listen a 2nd time, and pray through all the material. What I heard in one 40-minute sermon can last all week.

I remember the days when my kids were small. I don’t think I did anything in the bathroom totally alone for 5 years. Prior to that, I spent hours studying, if I chose to, but once those 3 little ones came along in rapid succession, I struggled to find an uninterrupted hour. Satan heaped piles of guilt on me and made me feel barely saved because I wasn’t reading or praying enough. Believe me, I was praying a lot. You won’t survive 3 kids in diapers if you don’t pray without ceasing! You mothers know what I mean! Still, I felt that somehow I had failed God.

One day all the kids were miraculously asleep at the same time. I desperately needed a shower and the thought of standing under the hot water until it ran out was more than I could resist. Of course, as soon as I stepped into that warm, steamy shower, the devil tried to make me feel guilty for not using that time for God. It was then that God brought this scripture to my mind:

"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD.” Deuteronomy 8:3

It was then I realized that God knew where I was in life. Just as I fed my children, He would feed me. Just one word from Him could feed me for an entire day, if necessary. Oh, what freedom that brought. Instead of worrying about the amount of time I was spending, I relished every minute that I got to spend with God because I knew whether it was fast food or a buffet, God would feed me everything I needed that day. Oh, how wonderful it is to live in His care.

Today, I am thankful for the Bread of Life.

Thankful Day #12-Present Blessing, Future Hope

11/13/2022

Thankful November #12

I love my new-to-me-dog, Kai. Kai came to us not having many “basic life skills.” He couldn’t do steps or catch treats. Water running from a spigot totally baffled him. He didn’t understand why when he gave me a 150 lb. nudge, I fell down. He didn’t know the difference between chew toys and shoes, books, recliner handles, porch swings...., you get the picture. He wasn’t housebroken, but to his credit, he hasn't made any messes in the house. He stares at his reflection in the back door for hours, thinking that there is a dog on the back porch. When we open the door, he runs outside to meet our visitor and is confused when he can’t find him.

Kai wasn’t well when we got him, so for a few weeks, I didn’t walk him. Now that he’s better, we walk a 15-minute loop around our park. Halfway through the walk is a small park. Kai figured out that from the park, he can see our street and our house. I can see the cogs turning and if I’m not close to him, he takes off trotting across the park, up the street, and to the front door. So now, I clip on his leash and start him around the bottom part of our loop. He stops and gazes up the street. I can just imagine that he’s thinking about home, i.e. dinner, water, and a soft bed.

I guess I’m a bit like Kai. I try to keep an eternal perspective. Some days I sit and think of Heaven. When I am in pain from what Covid-19 did to my body, I think about what a glorified body will feel like. When my heart is in pieces, I long for the place where I’m promised there will be no more tears or sadness.

There are some days when I wish the Lord would return right now and others where I am thankful that my unsaved loved ones have one more day to repent and turn to Him.

I’m so grateful that I don’t have to worry about tomorrow, next week, or 100 years from now. “…for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day.” (2 Timothy 1:12)

Today, I am thankful for the many blessings in my life and for those that lie ahead in glory!

Thankful November #11-Disaster Grace

11/13/2022

Thankful November #11

There was an old show on TV called the A-Team. The leader of the team coined the phrase, “I love it when a plan comes together.” After facing all kinds of obstacles, their plan always achieved their main objective and the day was won!
Today was one of those A-Team days at our house. At 10:30 AM, I heard a big boom that was followed by the power going out. I immediately called it in and they assured me that it would be fixed no later than 2:40 PM.

Thankfully that was in time for me to clean and prepare for the 13 people and 1 very excited almost 9-yr-old that were descending on my house for a birthday party. The day was dreary, rainy, and cold so even finding a window with light enough to read was a challenge but I relished the extra reading time and the nap! I’m not the panicky type but when it was T-2 hours until party time and the house was still dark, I began to realize that things weren’t looking good. The house was dark and powerless. The birthday gift had not arrived. The operating status of the grill, although back in a standing position after being upended by a 150 lb. dog looking for a piece of wood to chew, was iffy. With no grill and no stove, the party would have to be moved to a different date.

I don’t know how it is with your family, but I have 3 children with families of their own, so scheduling can be a bit of a bugaboo. Tomorrow was out. Sunday was out. Monday was out. Tuesday was out. Wednesday was out. Thursday would have rendered the steaks and cupcakes inedible. That would never do!

Around 4:20, my husband texted me and jokingly said to sing “We’ve Got The Power In The Name of Jesus” to try to throw some humor into the situation. (That’s one thing I LOVE about him. He makes me laugh every day, regardless of what is going on.) My daughter had never heard that song, so I began to sing it to her, and SHAZAAM!, the power came back on! Within minutes, the FedEx man came, and although it took some doing and some singed bangs, the grill started up! And we all partied happily ever after!
Today, I’m thankful for plans that come together and for grace when they don't!

Thankful November #10-My Roadmap To Peace

11/11/2022

Thankful November #10

Do you ever feel like you're lost in a time warp? That's how I feel during the holidays.

Before Halloween is even here, Christmas decorations start to appear in retail stores. As far as two weeks before, Halloween decorations can be found in the clearance aisle because the seasonal aisle is already full of Christmas items.

Thanksgiving, barely acknowledged, is relegated to a small display of baking supplies and frozen turkeys. Yet, to get to Christmas from Halloween, we must first pass through Thanksgiving!

PHILIPPIANS 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be ANXIOUS about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. And the PEACE of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Pay attention to the progression of the highlighted words. Just as Halloween, with all its evil, gives way to Christmas, the season of hope, peace, and goodwill, so scripture shows us that to get from the problem to the answer, we must pass through thanksgiving!

~Thanksgiving changes our perspective and gets our eyes off the problem and onto the problem solver.

~Thanksgiving helps us live in the present and see bright hope for the future.

~Thanksgiving lifts us to a higher plain where we see with spiritual eyes instead of natural eyes that the battle is the Lord's and that it's no contest.

~Thanksgiving exercises faith and faith moves the hand and heart of God.

~Thanksgiving breeds gratitude, ushering in contentment and peace.

~Thanksgiving defies the lies of our enemy and throws the enemy's chaos back into his court.

~Thanksgiving keeps us from envy because we count our blessings instead of what we lack.

We may not always have something to be anxious about, but we always have something to be thankful for and we can never express a sufficient amount of thankfulness to equal what we possess in Christ.

So today, I'm thankful that I can always be thankful and that thankfulness is my roadmap to peace!