May 29, 1971 seems like such a long time ago, I can still remember that morning waking up at Mom and Dad's house as tho it were yesterday. I never knew that a young 19 year old girl could or would be lavished with so much love and caring from one young strapping good-looking blue eyed man. Lee and I had met when we were in the 6th grade at our church and it was only for a brief time of meeting him that he moved back to Oklahoma with him Mother and young brother. I didn't think much about it at the time, but just thought Wow, that guy at chuch was so cute and he had to move back to Oklahoma, that was just my luck. Growing up I never really dated that much and even the guys I dated were-well, now looking back losers and as my daughters now say "Mom, what were you thinking?"....I don't know what do you think of when you are 13? Uh....Boys. Well, as the next couple of years would have it I went on with my life and Lee went on with his life in Oklahoma never knowing that God was working behind the scenes (like we would see him work so many times in our future lives) putting these two 19 year old kids together.
In the summer we both turned 16 and were about to embark upon the 10th grade, Lee's Mother decided it was to move back to Tally. Boy was I excited when in the back of the church walked this blue eyed boy with long wavy blonde hair, he almost looked like a blonde Elvis (well to me he did). I was on cloud 9 the rest of the day and for awhile after that, until my cousin announced that she was going out with my guy, my blue eyed, blonde (Elvis) haired boy. I was so sad, I really thought he was for me and that God had set everything up for me just the way I wanted and then she gets him?
Well they didn't last for too long and I was on the prey again, praying and claiming what was rightfully mine. And with some help from a friend I went on my very first date with the blue eyed "Elvis" to a Sunday School party and the rest is pretty much history.
We dated from that moment on and our Senior year of High School he asked me to marry him and the next year we were married on May 29, 1971.
I am rambling on with all this in trying to tell a story, but the real story is that God does work behind the scenes in our lives, even at an early age when he is deciding who our soulmates will be and even when he is deciding what children we will have. God already knows. His word promises us in Jeremiah 29 vs 11 "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to give you a hope and a future".
As Lee and I look back over 40 years of marriage we can see God's plan he has had for us and we look forward to the future to the plan's yet unseen by us that God has planned. He is faithful
In the words of our favorite singer Karen Carpenter:
"We've Only Just Begun To Live"...
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Living Life But Always Watching
There seems to be a whole lot of concern over is today the Day the Lord returns May 21,2011 I can tell you from my standpoint it very well could be. Everyday at any moment it could be the day. God's word tells us in Mark 13 vs.32 "Be on guard! Be Alert! For you do not know when that time will come. Therefore keep watch. Okay so you ask me how do I apply that to my life? Do I get scared or nervous about the return of the Lord. Am I to put my life on hold and sit around and wait? No, by all means I am to keep living the Christian life God has set before me. I am to be a lifeline of his love and continue to share the goodnews of the Lord with others. We are to keep on enjoying our families and honoring God. We are not to live in despair and darkness. Like a single candle that burns in the night and illuminates a room, so are we to be a candle in a dark and confused world. We now more than ever should show people that God is love and not to be scared of his return. Will he come today or tomorrow or next week or year. That is not man's job to predict. The Bible says in Mark 13 vs. 32 "No one knows the hour not the angels in heaven nor the Son, only the Father". So as we go about our Beautiful day today enjoy it, smile more, love deeply but be always mindful that this could be the day of our Lords return. In the words of one of my favorite old hymns - Until then my heart will go on singing until then with joy I'll carry on. Until the day my eyes beold that city umti the day he calls me home.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Heavenly Manna
Exodus 16 vs. 4 "Then the Lord said to Moses, I will rain down bread (manna) from heaven for you. The people are to go our each day and gather enough for that day"
Have you ever found yourself in a difficult time in life, disappointment gathers on every side like a fast coming storm. One moment the sun is shining down, birds are singing, then off in the distant you can smell the rain the air. You are suddenly made aware that somewhere off in the distantance a storm is brewing. The clouds start to gather in shades of gray and the earth trembles with thunder and the storm intensifies around you. Life is a lot like this, your storm could be your finances, the death of a loved one, your own health being attacked. There are all kinds of storms we all face, while a lot of them come with warnings,some of them are just suddenly thrust upon us out of nowhere.
It is how we react to the storms that make the difference in our lives, we can run and be fearful or we can run into the arms of God the one who created us and rains down manna upon us. His word in Exodus 16 tells us that the people had to go out daily and gather enough for the day. God wants us to go out each day and gather his word in our hearts and in our souls and then and only then, will he rain down heavenly manna. We have to be willing to gather and receive his manna by reading his word, praying and trusting him daily for all our needs, even at the darkest times of our lives, when storms are bruing that is when God can do his best work in us. God gives us his strength and he nourishes us on a daily basis. Answers do not always come all at once, but as we yield our storms of life to God's will and allow him to rain down manna on us, he will meet our needs.
I love the lyrics to the song by Casting Crowns "I was sure by now God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again I say, it's still raining, but as the thunder rolls, I barely hear you whisper in the rain, I'm with you. And as your mercy falls I raise my hand and praise the God who gives and takes away. And I will praise you in the storm and I will lift my hands. For you are who you are and no matter where I am, every tear I have cried, you hold in your hand, you have never left my side. And tho my heart is torn, I will praise you in the storm"
While smelling the rain and expecting the storms in life, my prayer is that each of us will be able to remember that God will pour out his heavenly manna and that a rainbow is waiting on the other side of the storm for us to enjoy.
Have you ever found yourself in a difficult time in life, disappointment gathers on every side like a fast coming storm. One moment the sun is shining down, birds are singing, then off in the distant you can smell the rain the air. You are suddenly made aware that somewhere off in the distantance a storm is brewing. The clouds start to gather in shades of gray and the earth trembles with thunder and the storm intensifies around you. Life is a lot like this, your storm could be your finances, the death of a loved one, your own health being attacked. There are all kinds of storms we all face, while a lot of them come with warnings,some of them are just suddenly thrust upon us out of nowhere.
It is how we react to the storms that make the difference in our lives, we can run and be fearful or we can run into the arms of God the one who created us and rains down manna upon us. His word in Exodus 16 tells us that the people had to go out daily and gather enough for the day. God wants us to go out each day and gather his word in our hearts and in our souls and then and only then, will he rain down heavenly manna. We have to be willing to gather and receive his manna by reading his word, praying and trusting him daily for all our needs, even at the darkest times of our lives, when storms are bruing that is when God can do his best work in us. God gives us his strength and he nourishes us on a daily basis. Answers do not always come all at once, but as we yield our storms of life to God's will and allow him to rain down manna on us, he will meet our needs.
I love the lyrics to the song by Casting Crowns "I was sure by now God you would have reached down and wiped our tears away, stepped in and saved the day. But once again I say, it's still raining, but as the thunder rolls, I barely hear you whisper in the rain, I'm with you. And as your mercy falls I raise my hand and praise the God who gives and takes away. And I will praise you in the storm and I will lift my hands. For you are who you are and no matter where I am, every tear I have cried, you hold in your hand, you have never left my side. And tho my heart is torn, I will praise you in the storm"
While smelling the rain and expecting the storms in life, my prayer is that each of us will be able to remember that God will pour out his heavenly manna and that a rainbow is waiting on the other side of the storm for us to enjoy.