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I look up to the mountains; does my strength come from mountains? No, my strength comes from God, who made heaven, and earth, and mountains (Psalm 121:1-2 MSG)

The Apostle Peter encouraged me while reading 1 Peter 4:11. “If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.”

I don’t have to do life in my own strength! And that’s good because I have very little.

When my body yearns for a nap my strength comes from God. When my patience runs thin my strength comes from God. When the tapping of the cane has tackled my last nerve my help comes from God. When my computer refuses to turn on my help comes from God. When my landline phone hasn’t worked for two weeks my strength comes from God. When . . . I look at the mountains and hills and remember God created it all. If He can do that He can carry me through whatever comes my way.

Praise be to God!

“Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:32).

My fingers have been itching to write but fatigue seems to be my constant companion these days.  I want to write to encourage you, my readers, but I’m the one who needs the encouragement to keep going. This past month brought many changes to my life. On June 27 a neighbor knocked at my door and said he drove by my dad’s house and found him lying on the ground. It was one of those hot days and he was not in the shade!  Thank God for alert neighbors. Two other men came by also and they’d already put pillows under his head and found an umbrella to shade his face. They had called 911 and tried to get him to drink some water.

Once Daddy was alert enough to know what was going on he wanted to get up but was very weak. He wouldn’t go to the hospital in the ambulance so I took him later to the local clinic and from there to the hospital. We were concerned about the pain he was having in his leg.  Nothing was broken but they discovered a severe bladder infection and of course he was dehydrated.  After a night in the hospital Daddy had had enough and wanted to come home. He came to my home. As you can imagine this has been a learning experience for both of us-stubborn characters we are!

Daddy gets up several times a night and sometimes wants to get dressed at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning. Dementia is getting worse, as we noticed before his fall. So after a week of not getting much sleep, my sister-in-law and I knew we needed help. We hired someone to stay for 8 hours at night and a few mornings as well. We are reassessing the need and decisions must be made soon about what happens going forward.  I don’t think Daddy can live on his own again without 24 hour care and that may not be a good option.  

Daddy is making good progress with both occupational therapy and physical therapy so he’s getting stronger. He wants to get back to using his cane instead of a walker. His therapists think he can.

The Bible says, “Honor your father and mother–which is the first commandment with a promise–that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth” (Ephesians 6:2-3).  I hope I can do this, with God’s help and the help of others. Daddy has lived 95 years and this community knows him as a faithful Christian and a man of integrity. In the past he did carpentry work in numerous houses in this area and is known for his good work. He also kept his farm going, making hay and tending cattle in recent years. It is hard for Daddy to accept the fact that he is no longer able to do what he once did. He sometimes thinks of himself as useless, which he is not! He has fathered 5 children and lived an exemplary life before us. I thank God for a Christian dad!

“By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible”(Hebrews 11:3).

I was blessed this week by a visit of my youngest daughter and her family, along with their two cats. They left this morning after an almost four-day stay. I have another flower garden mulched and some clean windows that are too high for me to reach. I have new memories of games of Spinner and Contract Rummy, conversations (meaningful and otherwise), and just the joy of having grandsons, daughter and son-in-law close by for awhile.  My other daughter (TN) just had her second foot surgery so prayers are lifted in her behalf. I will travel there soon to help during her recovery.

Reading the book of Hebrews is another blessing I’m enjoying this summer. Most are familiar with the faith chapter (11) which lists so many of the Old Testament God followers and how their faith made them useful to Almighty God. With their faith they pleased God and carried out God’s purpose for their lives. What a great encouragement for us!

As I read verse 3 it dawned on me that our faith must start with accepting the fact that all that exists came from God’s command. We have to believe there was a time (which wasn’t really time. God started time when He created the world in six days.) when nothing we see existed. There was God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. It was God’s command that brought what we see into existence.

The Hebrews writer goes on to say in verse 6, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” 

God exists. He made everything else that exists.  We believe that, and seeking God we look forward to the reward that awaits us. Those saints of old suffered greatly for their faith. Yet, they remained faithful even though they didn’t receive what was promised (verse 39). Jesus came later.

“God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect” (Hebrews 11:40).

Through Jesus we have a way to the Creator. We can be a part of the faithful ones receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken (see Hebrews 12:28). What we see now will no longer exist. We look forward to the heavenly Jerusalem, thousand of angels in joyful assembly, and to the church of the firstborn.

One day time will end. The calendar will reveal its last month, our planners will run out of days and weeks, and clocks will no longer measure minutes and hours. God is creating a new heaven and a new earth where we, who remain faithful to the end, will join the faithful saints mentioned in Hebrews 11. Hallelujah!

“But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).

“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the one who appointed him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor than the house itself. For every house is built by someone, but God is the builder of everything. Moses was faithful as a servant in all God’s house, testifying to what would be said in the future. But Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house. And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast” (Hebrews 3:1-6).

That phrase, “hold on to our courage,” keeps running through my mind. I’m not sure why it has stuck in my brain but it seems to have an application to our social and spiritual situation. We’re hearing about churches who have accepted the lies of Satan in place of the truth of God’s Word. Our culture has accepted and given into the demands of a small percentage of our population who live immorally and who no longer respect the rights of Christians to live their faith. A large portion of a whole generation of people has been murdered before they were even born!  

As the writer of Hebrews says, it’s time to fix our thoughts on Jesus.  It has been said, “You are what you think.” If we want to be like Jesus we have to fix our thoughts on Him. Make Jesus more important than anything or anyone else! The author of Hebrews points out that Jesus is greater than Moses. Moses was very important in the history and life of the Hebrew people. He was a faithful servant of God.  Jesus is the faithful Son of God.

God did not allow those, who were led by Moses, to enter into the promised land because of their rebellion and unbelief.  God hasn’t changed. Will we be found faithful to the Son? Will we continue to hold on to our courage and our hope?  We have the best hope ever! In Jesus!  Hold on!

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17)

My blog hasn’t even made it to my to-do list these past couple of weeks. I regret that but I’m discovering I’m capable of doing so much and then I’m done. (Can’t be old age!) I subbed for a teacher who was recovering from surgery for six days, made two trips to Richmond, VA for concerts and graduation of grandson, Ethan, attended a family reunion, a birthday party for a great-nephew, and led Children’s Worship for two Sundays. Today I finally got to my yard and garden work. Weeding and mulching today!

I’m not usually quite so busy, but I took the extra subbing days because the school was close by and the extra income will be helpful for the summer.

The verse from Colossians reminded me of the attitude I should have about everything I do whether I’m extra busy or not so much.  Later in that chapter, verses 23 and 24 state, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

My attitude should consist of working in the name of the Lord, working as though I am working for the Lord, and do it with gratitude. It’s the gratitude part I had trouble with while pulling weeds! It’s easy to be thankful for family events and milestones as well as the extra income. But weeds? Not so thankful! I am thankful I had the strength to do it and thankful for how good it looks when done. Now, if I can just get out of bed in the morning I’ll be thankful for that, too!

God bless all of you as you work at whatever you do.

“Jesus answered, ‘You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.’ ‘What is truth?’ Pilate asked” (John 18:37-38a).

What is truth? This was Pilate’s question as he considered the charges against Jesus. I think he knew Jesus was the truth. He stated, “I find no basis for a charge against him.” Yet, Pilate gave in to the crowd and “The Truth” was crucified. Can we say the truth is being crucified again today, even in the halls of our Congress?

Last week the House of Representatives passed the “so called” Equality Act. We must do all we can to stop such “inequality” from going any further. That legislation would have taken away the rights of any who want to practice their faith with regards to the gender issue. Families and businesses who believe that God created humans as male and female, who believe the Bible teaches that marriage is between one man and one woman, and who practice a moral lifestyle according to the Bible, would be breaking the law to act upon their faith. Where are the rights for the Christians?

Romans 1:25 states that people have exchanged the truth of God for a lie. That has a contemporary sound, doesn’t it? In Old Testament times, Isaiah pronounces, “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” (Isaiah 5:20). In the New Testament Paul refers to those who refuse to love the truth (2 Thess. 2:10). There are those today who refuse to love the truth. Truth isn’t something we make up in our own minds.  Truth comes from the Word of God. And that is where the problem lies. It seems to me, those who refuse to love the truth are also refusing God’s authority.

Perhaps the Christian’s best response to our present-day situation is found in Paul’s words to young Timothy. At least, it’s a good place to start.

“Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Don’t have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (2 Timothy 2:22-26).

Are we willing to accept the challenge?

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).

My mom has been with Jesus for five years this month. I miss her, especially this season of the year. Flowers are blooming and she loved flowers. Many are still growing around the yard where she planted them. Just days before her death, my brother pushed Mom in her wheelchair to the side of the house where a beautiful peony was in full bloom. She was so happy to see those gorgeous blooms.

I remember:

• Mom washed my long hair at the kitchen sink, while I cried and complained.
• She made homemade bread and butter. I did the butter churning many times.
• Mom cooked for men who came to help Dad on threshing day. The man who owned the threshing machine made the rounds to farmers who needed their grain threshed and more men came to help. After the cooking, there were dishes to wash and I and my mom were the dishwashers.
• On one of those threshing days, my mom’s first electric range was delivered. She cooked on a wood-burning stove until then.
• Mom and Dad invited preachers and families for dinner.
• Mom enjoyed picking wild berries and expected me to tend the baby in the hot berry patch!
• I was the oldest child so I remember my mom nursing and caring for my brothers and sister.
• Mom enjoyed sitting in the front yard in the shade–no air conditioning until later.
• Mom put aside the tithe money in a pretty teapot.
• Helping Mom with canning vegetables and fruits. My job was to wash the jars since my hand would fit inside the jar. I remember wishing my hand would get too big to fit. It never did till I started canning.
• Taking walks in the woods with Mom. We looked for wildflowers.
• Playing the piano for Mom to sing her favorite gospel songs. Oh, how I wish I had enjoyed that more. As a kid I thought more about what I wanted to do.

I have regrets. I guess we all do. I’m thankful for a forgiving mother who loved me in spite of my shortcomings. I’m also thankful to have lived close to her during her last year of life.

If you’re blessed to still have your mom with you, enjoy that blessing and thank her. If your mom is missing on earth, enjoy your memories and thank God for them.

“May your father and mother be glad; may she who gave you birth rejoice!”  Proverbs 23:25

Happy Mother’s Day

”Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9)

It’s that time of year again and the weeds are winning.  I am gaining on them! Yes, there’ll even be a point when I’m ahead, but those pesky weeds keep growing! It’s the struggle I have every summer—weeding my vegetable and flower gardens.

This struggle reminds me of the spiritual struggle in living a Christ-like life. The Christian must be vigilant and vigorous in this struggle to win the victory over temptation and distractions.  Just like those weeds, our sinful nature is still present. Satan doesn’t give up. He will try to get us off track by making the less important things become more important. He wants us to spend our time and resources on selfish desires. The Galatians wanted to make the law more important than the cross of Christ. Paul said, “. . . what counts is a new creation.”

In Galatians, chapter 5, Paul contrasts the sinful nature with life by the Spirit. The sinful nature is in conflict with the Spirit. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25).  The law shows us our sin but it is the Spirit who helps us have victory over sin. Thank God, we do not struggle alone!

We will have a harvest at the proper time, if we do not give up.  If I don’t give up on pulling those weeds I can expect a harvest of flowers and vegetables, in due time. If we do not give up on “pulling” out those pesky sins, we can reap the harvest of spiritual fruit—love, joy peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Keep “pulling”! The struggle is worth it!

“But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-7).

Because of the resurrection of Jesus and my belief and acceptance of His offer of salvation:

• I am forgiven
• I have new life in Christ
• I am a child of God
• I have power over sin
• I have peace in this life
• I have hope of life beyond this life
• I will have a resurrected body
• I have God’s power working in me
• I am a fellow citizen with God’s people
• I have the Holy Spirit dwelling in me
• I have assurance that one day I’ll see my loved ones who’ve gone before me
• I know my suffering and disappointments are only temporary
• I know God loves me

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay’”(Matthew 28:5-6).

        HE IS RISEN!      HAPPY EASTER

I pass an old house on my way to one of the schools where I substitute teach. This week it has been a beautiful scene.  I couldn’t safely take a picture of it without having to walk a distance so I substituted this picture. The old house I pass has a front porch with sagging roof and rotted steps. The yard is a whole landscape of daffodils rather than just one cluster.

I have wondered about the family or families that once lived in the old house. Who planted the daffodil bulbs? Was it the mother? Did her children help or did she remind them not to trample the flowers? Was there a dog who insisted on digging out her bulbs or deer that ate the plants?  How long ago were they planted?

There is a saying about planting trees.

“A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.”

According to Google it is a Greek proverb and I think one with a great deal of truth.  Trees are planted for the next generation. Those daffodils were enjoyable for the one who planted them, but today they are enjoyed by all who pass by. What beauty! I’m thankful for the person who planted them.

 I don’t know if he or she ever gave a thought to what might become of the daffodils decades after they were planted.  I like to think that person was more concerned about what was planted in the hearts of their children. Trees and flowers planted now can be  enjoyed for generations to come, but seeds planted in our children can blossom for future generations as well and will last forever.

Two important seeds to plant in the hearts of children are love and truth. Children need love and they need to know the One who is Love. God is love and He gave us Jesus and His sacrificial death to prove that love.  Jesus said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). God is the source of all truth.

Parents are responsible for planting those seeds with many others helping to water and nurture them along the way. Whether or not a child’s parents are planting those seeds every adult who interacts with that child can. We may plant love and truth through our actions more than through our words. Jesus gave a strong warning about our interaction with children.

“And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:5-6).

Here’s a new saying:

A society grows great when the grownups plant seeds of love and truth into the hearts of children and nurture their growth for the next generation.