Holding Faith

Congratulations!

2009-09-11T03:22:00.006-04:00

Please join me in congratulating my daughter, Grace, on her engagement to Anthony Carter! Anthony has been courting Grace for six months, and finally asked her to be his wife on Friday night. We are thrilled that God has brought them together and they will walk down life's road side-by-side.

Anthony and Grace are planning a May 29, 2010 wedding.

"‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’. So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” --Matthew 19: 5 - 6

Names of God

2009-07-31T02:34:00.003-04:00

I found Wordle.net tonight while looking for something else. It's fun!

Holding Faith,

Blog Troubles

2009-07-24T03:08:00.001-04:00

Obviously, I am having formatting issues! My daughter is trying to help me figure out what went wrong, so bear with me until I get this fixed!

Holding Faith,

"Grace Will Be My Song"

2009-07-12T01:46:00.005-04:00

Grace Will Be My Song

Jesus Jesus Jesus
You ransomed one like me
Jesus Jesus Jesus
Your blood, my liberty
And now my shame is gone
And grace will be my song

Jesus Jesus Jesus
Lover of the weak
Jesus Jesus Jesus
With strength to carry me
And now my shame is gone
And grace will be my song

Glory Glory Glory
To the one who saved my soul
Glory Glory Glory
To the Everlasting Lord
Glory Glory Glory
To the King who sits enthroned
Our God

Sing

--Steve Fee
from the album We Shine

Here's the requisite video; actually, it's a picture to look at while the song is playing.

Another YouTube video, this one with three songs: Grace, Grace Will Be My Song, and The Stand. The second song starts about four minutes in.

Holding Faith,
Ginny

Biblical Faith

2009-07-10T01:08:00.000-04:00

Nearly every Sunday night, I think about posting my notes from that evening's sermon. But the week goes by, and I never do it. Not this time!

1. Faith is not recognized by how things turn out, by the outcome of the issue.

Heb 11:33 who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
Heb 11:34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.
Heb 11:35a Women received back their dead by resurrection...

These verses speak of good and miraculous outcomes. Compare them to:

Heb 11:35b Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
Heb 11:36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
Heb 11:38 of whom the world was not worthy--wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life.
Heb 11:36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated--
Heb 11:39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,

In these verses, the believers were not spared hardship. Yet, they had faith (v 39), and an eternal reward (35b).

We cannot look at a situation to determine whether someone has faith.

2. Faith does not demand a certain outcome.

Heb 11:39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised,
Heb 11:40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

3. Faith always looks to the future, to eternity. See verse 35b above. Our responsibility is to glorify God.

4. Faith seeks God's approval. Verse 39. It can be harder to be faithful in the tough situations; for instance, not being healed.

Heb 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Heb 11:2 For by it the people of old received their commendation.

Conclusion: The purpose of man is to glofiry God. The object of our faith is Jesus Christ.

Heb 12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

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You can listen to the entire message here or watch it on video here.
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All Scripture verses are taken from the English Standard Version.

The Purpose of Christianity

2009-06-25T02:13:00.000-04:00

The purpose of Christianity
is not to avoid difficulty,
but to produce a character
adequate to meet it when it comes.
It does not make life easy;
rather it tries to make us great enough for life.

-- James L. Christensen

Holding Faith,

2009-05-26T04:13:00.002-04:00

25 years ago, I promised to walk through life beside this wonderful man. Together we've raised two beautiful daughters (one of whom is now contemplating marriage, but that's another post), weathered many storms, and now live each day reminded of our commitment to stay together "in sickness and in health".

Phil, it hasn't been an easy 25 years, but by God's grace, we've walked "down life's lumpy road together", as Pastor Newhart is fond of saying. I thank God every day for you. Your love for me is overwhelming, your support and encouragement inspire me, and your commitment to me is amazing, for I surely do not deserve it. You demonstrate agape love to me daily, which would not be possible without your passionate commitment to our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, and the work He has done in your life.

I am thrilled at the changes God has wrought in our marriage these past few months. My prayer is that we will continue to draw near to God, and to each other. I love you more than words could ever express. Thank you for staying beside me these 25 years.

Holding Faith,

Guest Post

2009-05-12T00:01:00.000-04:00

Please stop by my daughter Sarah's blog today and read my guest post on fibromyalgia.

Holding Faith,

Mother's Day

2009-05-10T00:52:00.002-04:00

Holding Faith,

"The Motions"

2009-04-21T01:49:00.004-04:00

"And as he was setting out on his journey,
a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him,
"Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good?
No one is good except God alone.

You know the commandments:

'Do not murder,

Do not commit adultery,

Do not steal,
Do not bear false witness,

Do not defraud,
Honor your father and mother.'"
And he said to him,
"Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth."
And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him,
"You lack one thing:
go, sell all that you have and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."

Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful,

for he had great possessions."

-- Mark 10: 17 - 22, ESV

The story of the rich young ruler is well known. He wanted desperately, I believe, to know that He would spent eternity in heaven. He knew the commandments. He knew Who to ask. But Jesus, Who can see deep into our hearts, knew what stood between this man and the salvation of his soul: his riches. His wealth was this young man's passion. He was unwilling to part with it, even to gain eternal life.

"Whoever finds his life will lose it,
and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."

-- Matthew 10: 39, ESV

Jesus demands our all. Nothing else will do. So the question is this: are you willing to lose your life - to give up everything that is precious to you without reservation - and follow Christ, or are you, like the rich ruler, going to walk away because the cost is too high? What is it that you are holding to so tightly? Is it a possession? Your spouse? Your children? Lay it at the feet of Jesus.

If you've followed this blog, you know my passion for music. I highlighted Matthew West's song, You Are Everything in this post. His latest single, The Motions, speaks of giving everything for Christ instead of simply "going through the motions", pretending to be His follower.

"I don’t wanna spend my whole life asking
What if I had given everything?
Instead of going through the motions"

Holding Faith,

He Speaks to Us

2009-03-26T06:48:00.000-04:00

Do you ever stop to truly contemplate the wonder of the Lord God Almighty - His great love for us? I've been doing just that this past week or so.

I got out of bed an hour ago because I'm in pain . . . I will be calling the doctor later. A habit I've tried to cultivate is that whenever I can't sleep, I pray. This morning was no exception. After praying for a while, I started listening to worship music on my iPod. One song that I've been playing a lot is When You Speak To Me by Twila Paris. As it played a bit ago, the tears just started running down my cheeks as I thought about my God who loves me so much that He will speak to me. But am I still enough to hear? We live such hurried lives, don't we? Even when we sit down, we're never still. At least I'm not - I always find some reason to get up. But I'm realizing that I must take the time to sit still and be quiet, listening for the voice of God. "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10, ESV) How we need that reminder!

Take time to be still and listen to the Lord today. You might be surprised at what you hear, and how it affects your life.

When You speak to me

When I take the time to listen
There is more than what I think I feel
When You speak to me
When I sit and still the motion
There is nothing left but what is real
There is an answer to every question
The answer is You

CHORUS:
And the heavens open when You speak to me
Pouring light into my waiting heart
And the music fills an ocean silently, quietly
When you speak to me

When You speak to me
When You call me and surround me
There is peace to cover any pain
When You speak to me
When You place Your word inside me
I am filled and I am strong again
There is a reason for every longing
The reason is You

Holding Faith,

2009-03-24T03:13:00.000-04:00

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say,

"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty,

who was and is and is to come!"

And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who is seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

"Worthy are you, our Lord and God,

to receive glory and honor and power,

for you created all things,

and by your will they existed and were created."

Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice,

"Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and

wisdom and might and honor

and glory and blessing!"

And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying,

"To him who sits on the throne

and to the Lamb

be blessing and honor and

glory and might forever and ever!"

And the four living creatures said, "Amen!"

and the elders fell down and worshiped."

~ Revelation 4: 8 - 11, 5: 11 - 14 (ESV)

Do you long for the day when you join with the heavenly host to praise and worship God continually? Our worship here on earth can be wonderful and exciting, but it comes from our sinful hearts. What a day it will be when we see God's face and worship Him in heaven!

"No longer will there be anything accursed,

but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it,

and his servants will worship him.

They will see his face,

and his name will be on their foreheads.

And night will be no more.

They will need no light of lamp or sun,

for the Lord God will be their light,

and they will reign forever and ever."

~ Revelation 22: 3 - 5 (ESV)

Holding Faith,

What Jesus Taught About Prayer

2009-03-21T03:46:00.002-04:00

Several weeks ago, the Sunday evening sermon was entitled "What Jesus Taught About Prayer." (You can listen to it here, or see the video here.) Here are some of the important points that Pastor Tom made:

Prayer is our greatest privilege.
Do not pray to be heard of men. "Public prayer without private prayer is a sham." (Source unknown.) We need to pray in private, in a quiet place. "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward." (Matthew 6: 5)
To grow, we must spend time in God's presence, regularly and privately. "But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6)
Matthew 6:7 - "And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words." Don't pray with meaningless repetition. Make your prayers your own; God wants to hear from our hearts.
God knows what we need before we ask. But we must ask!! And sometimes, we need to ask what we need to be asking. "Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew 6:8)
"Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name" (Matthew 6:9) The Jews didn't pray "Our Father" - they prayed "Lord." "Father" is an intimate term. God is in heaven, and we are invited to enter His throne room. Prayer does not change God's mind, but it changes us. God's name is above every name.
God is preparing His kingdom: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) God has a plan that encompasses eternity. He will tell us what to do when we listen to Him.
We need to realize where our bread comes from: " Give us this day our daily bread," (Matthew 6:11) The example of George Mueller was given. Read Chapter 14: God Will Supply here.
"and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Matthew 6: 12) Real prayer acknowledges our debt/our sin and makes it right with the person we've sinned against. Meeting with God daily helps keep us from sin and bitterness.
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." (Matthew 6: 13) It is important to turn your back on situations where temptation is rampant. We need to pray this verse!
The passage begins and ends with the kingdom.
Do not be weary about praying. Pray that whatever it takes to bring us closer to God, He would do it.

I know I need to spend a lot more time in prayer. Because of my fibromyalgia, I have trouble sleeping, and during those hours that I lay in bed awake, I try to pray. I'm thankful that God understands my wandering mind! Romans 8:26 is a verse that I cling to: "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Thank God for the privilege of prayer!

Holding Faith,

A Lesson From Jane

2009-03-01T01:59:00.002-05:00

Early in 2008, PBS aired adaptations of Jane Austen's novels. I thoroughly enjoyed watching these movies, and since they aired, we have bought a number of them. Who could tire of Elizabeth Bennett, Elinor Dashwood, Mr. Knightley, or Fanny Price?

One of the lines that always stands out to me from Pride and Prejudice is one that is uttered by Mr. Darcy when he, Elizabeth Bennett, Miss Bingley, and Mr. and Mrs. Hurst are in the drawing-room after dinner. (This is chapter 11.) Mr. Darcy says:

"I cannot forget the follies and vices of others

so soon as I ought, nor their offences against

myself. My feelings are not puffed about with

every attempt to move them. My temper

would perhaps be called resentful. --

My good opinion once lost is lost for ever.''

(emphasis mine)

By contrast, God speaks to this many times in His Word. (All verses are from the ESV.)

"Good sense makes one slow to anger,

and it is his glory to overlook an offense."

(Proverbs 19:11)

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,

forgiving one another, as God in Christ

forgave you."

(Ephesians 4:32)

"... bearing with one another and, if one

has a complaint against another, forgiving

each other as the Lord has forgiven you, so

you must also forgive."

(Colossians 3:13)

"For I will be merciful toward their iniquities,

and I will remember their sins no more."

(Hebrews 8:12)

Aren't you glad that, as that last verse says, God no longer remembers our sins? He does not hold them against those who have trusted His Son for their salvation.

What about you and me? Do you forgive those who have offended you? Are you resentful? Or are you like Mr. Darcy? Examine your heart. If you are holding anything against anyone, make it right today.

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and

there remember that your brother has some-

thing against you, leave your gift there before

the altar and go. First be reconciled to your

brother, and then come and offer your gift.
(Matthew 5: 23 - 24)

Holding Faith,

Please Pray for Naomi

2009-02-19T16:48:00.002-05:00

A young woman in our church was involved in a serious car accident on Monday. Her name is Naomi Hannah, and she is the daughter of our associate pastor and his wife. Naomi is in serious condition with a head injury, internal injuries, and a broken pelvis, and at this time, the doctors are unsure of her prognosis and actual condition. Please keep Naomi and her family in your prayers.

The Hannah family has set up a Caring Bridge page for Naomi. Please read more of her story at http://caringbridge.org/visit/naomihannah.

Holding Faith,

Another Great Song

2009-02-13T21:03:00.002-05:00

I was listening to K-Love this morning, and heard a song called Where I Am Going, which was sung by Glen Campbell. (Anyone else remember him?) I really like the words, which are to me another reminder that the life after this one is worth waiting for.

WHERE I AM GOING
(written by Jimmy Webb)

Feel like I'm coming out of the storm
Watching dark clouds drift away
Saying goodbye to all the pain I used to know
It's time to let it go

Just can't seem to make myself conform
To what the world wants me to be
But the difference doesn't hurt me anymore
I know they'll welcome me

Where I am going there will be no compromise
No tears will come to cloud my eyes
Where I am going
And all the precious world I've had to sacrifice
Will be given to me twice
Because He paid the price
And it's worth it all just knowing
Where I am going

Do you want to go riding with me
To a place that lasts forevermore
Please don't think that you are one among the few
I'm different just like you
Where I am going there will be no alibis
No might-have-beens or sacrifice
Where I am going

And all the questions still unanswered in my mind
Lord, I'll leave 'em all behind
I'll only find the answers
I'll only keep on going (Keep on going)
Where I'm going
(Where I am going) There will be no compromise
No tears will come to cloud my eyes
Where I am going
And all the precious world I've had to sacrifice
Will be given to me twice
Because He paid the price
And it's worth it all just knowing
Where I am going
(Where I am going there will be no alibis)
Where I am going
(Where I am going)

Holding Faith,

Sunday Evening Church

2009-01-26T01:21:00.001-05:00

We had 16 (or 17, if you go by our pastor's count) people baptized tonight! Siblings, married couples, and an entire family. Amazing!
Holding Faith,

From the Psalms

2009-01-04T02:06:00.003-05:00

On Friday night, I was reading Psalm 33 and 34. Some things jumped out at me:

34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Do you give God honor and praise all the time?

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

I know I boast about a lot of things other than the Lord. The early 1800's Bible scholar, Albert Barnes, had this to say: "[The psalmist's] joy would spring from the fact that there was a God; that he was such a God, and that he could regard him as His God." Nothing else we have or do is worthy of boasting.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

Shall we join together and do this?

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
5 Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps around
those who fear him, and delivers them.

I find a great deal of comfort in these verses. God always answers when we seek Him - the answer might not be what we want to hear, but He will answer. And when we do look to Him, he will make our minds calm, and that will be reflected in our countenance.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

The word "taste" here simply means to give God a try. Have you done that? You will find that He is good.

13 Keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from speaking deceit.

This is something I desperately need to work on. How often I say things that I shouldn't, and those words can be deceitful.

15 The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous
and his ears toward their cry.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.

Another precious promise. God is always watching over His children, and listening for our groanings. He will deliver us. I know from experience that deliverance while we are here on the earth doesn't necessarily mean that all troubles will simply disappear, but God will always guide us through the problems and give us peace as we seek His face.

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.

This is another promise that I have personally experienced. Since the diagnosis of my husband's incurable cancer three years ago, I have known the nearness of the Lord. I know that sometimes it is only His arms that hold me up, that get me through the days. God always understands the miseries we face. Isn't that great to know?

I will post my comments on Psalm 33 later this week.

Holding Faith,

2009-01-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

May 2008 be a year filled with blessings from the Lord for you and yours.

The LORD bless you and keep you;

the LORD make his face to shine upon you
and be gracious to you;
the LORD lift up his countenance upon you
and give you peace.

~ Numbers 6: 24 - 26, ESV

Holding Faith,

Happy Birthday!

2008-12-28T01:41:00.000-05:00

Our firstborn, Sarah Elinor, turns 22 today. Where have the years gone? Sarah, you are a joy to our family. Your dad and and I appreciate your garden produce, your pizza sauce, and your frugality. Most importantly, we are thrilled that you are following and serving the Lord. Happy birthday, Sarah!

Love,
Mom

Blessed Christmas

2008-12-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
All things were made through him,
and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life,
and the life was the light of men.
The light shines in the darkness,
and the darkness has not overcome it.
He was in the world,
and the world was made through him,
yet the world did not know him.
He came to his own,
and his own people did not receive him.
But to all who did receive him,
who believed in his name,
he gave the right to become children of God,
who were born,
not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,
but of God.
And the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us,
and we have seen his glory,
glory as of the only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.

~ John 1: 1 - 5, 9 - 14, ESV

May the true meaning of Christmas - the birth, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ - be real to you this year. If you have never entered into a personal relationship with Him, may today be the day you start your new life.

Holding Faith,

In Loving Memory

2008-12-18T00:28:00.001-05:00

In Loving Memory

Elsie Elinor Loibl Uebel
November 26, 1914 - December 17, 2008

Beloved Grandmother & Great-Grandmother

You will always be in our hearts.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #'s 23, 24, 25, 26

2008-11-26T22:13:00.002-05:00

#23 - Honestly, I don't remember much about Sunday. I was able to eat some of Sarah's pizza, which was great after so many days of an upset stomach.

#24 - Grace needed to go to the After Hours clinic, but I wasn't up to driving, so Sarah drove through a very wet snowstorm, and safely.

#25 - I felt well enough to go out with Sarah to do some errands. We believe we narrowly missed an accident. I have tried to have a different perspective on being slowed down when driving for some time. You never know.

#26 - Thank you, Lord, for the promise of eternal life to those who trust in Your Son.

This has been a difficult month, with making a treatment decision for my husband, having a cold, then a stomach bug, and dealing with a nasty reaction to a medication. Then today we found out that my only surviving grandmother had a massive stroke. The prognosis is unknown. In all this, though, God has remained by my side, He has remained faithful and true. I think those are the things we need to remember every day of our lives.

My Redeemer Is Faithful And True

(Steven Curtis Chapman and James Isaac Elliott)

[Psalm 103:17]

As I look back on the road I've travelled,
I see so many times He carried me through;
And if there's one thing that I've learned in my life,
My Redeemer is faithful and true.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

[Chorus:]
My Redeemer is faithful and true.
Everything He has said He will do,
And every morning His mercies are new.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

My heart rejoices when I read the promise
'There is a place I am preparing for you.'
I know someday I'll see my Lord face to face,
'Cause my Redeemer is faithful and true.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

[Chorus]

And in every situation He has proved His love to me;
When I lack the understanding, He gives more grace to me.

[Chorus]

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #22

2008-11-23T02:27:00.004-05:00

Today I am thankful for the changing seasons. Although I dislike winter's cold and snow, I love the crispness of new-fallen snow, the beauty of a red cardinal against the white snow. And as much as I'd love to have summer all year round, I think eventually I'd get bored and long for the changing colors of fall, the spring flowers, and yes, even the beauty of winter.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #20 & 21

2008-11-22T03:01:00.002-05:00

#20 - My hubby's birthday. I am so thankful for him! Since I wasn't feeling well, we ordered pizza and wings. It was nice just to be together.

#21 - I am thankful to be feeling better! Also for a semi-warm house. (It has been unusually cold - 22 on Friday!)

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #17, 18, & 19

2008-11-19T21:14:00.002-05:00

It's cold and virus and flu season. Yeah, you guessed it: I've been sick.

#17 - Phil and I were invited to share dinner with my parents. I was really tired, and the coffee I'd had earlier in the day left me jittery. (Usually, I don't even know I've had caffeine; sometimes it leaves me a little wired, but this reaction was extreme.) It turns out that was actually good: it had been snowing off and on, although the roads were clear. Until I hit a bridge, going 40 mph, and suddenly became aware that people were stopped. The car slid, and Phil kept saying "Hit 'em", which I interpreted as him wanting me to hit the car in front of me, which I thought was strange. Turns out "Hit 'em" meant "Hit them", meaning the antilock brakes! I think I pumped the brakes out of habit, but the important thing is that I was able to get over in the shoulder of the road and stop the car. For that, I was grateful. (Especially since last January we had an accident with a deer . . .)

#18 - I had been nauseated when I went to bed, but woke up definitely sick. My hubby took good care of me, listening to me moan when I got a fever, and Sarah stayed with me while we watched the first four episodes of season one of Stargate Atlantis. (Our first DVD from the Netflix gift membership we got last year. Yeah, we were slow to activate it.)

#19 - My fever is gone, but I'm still not feeling 100%. But I'm thankful that my fever is gone, and that I'm well enough to sit in the recliner.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #15 & 16

2008-11-17T01:26:00.002-05:00

#15 - Sarah and I spent another wonderful afternoon together. I got some Christmas shopping done, and found some items at the mall that saved us extra stops on the way home.

#16 - Two blessings: first, we got to church, and Pastor Tom had a great message which was perfect for our situation. Second, day two of the new chemo drug, and Phil is still feeling ok.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #14

2008-11-15T02:23:00.003-05:00

#14 - Since my husband was kicked off our good health insurance and onto Medicare (solely because of being on dialysis), we've been faced with a lot of medical bills that we've had to try and get help to pay. It's humbling. Today's blessing is that we didn't have to pay anything for his new chemo pills. Thank you, Lord.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #12 & 13

2008-11-13T23:21:00.002-05:00

#12 - For another day to be alive and serve my Lord and Master, Jesus Christ.

#13 - For my friend, Cheri, with whom I get together to cross stitch a couple of times a month.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #11

2008-11-12T00:39:00.003-05:00

My blessing for November 11 is that we finally made a decision about my husband's next cancer treatment. I am thankful for organizations like the International Myeloma Foundation (we called their hotline), for the wealth of information on the Internet, and for Phil's oncologist.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #10

2008-11-11T01:33:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful for music. I find that music soothes my soul, and God often speaks to me through good, Christian music.

I was listening to Hillsong United today. One of my favorite songs from their With Hearts as One/The I Heart Revolution CD is Joel Houston's Where the Love Lasts Forever.

Your mercy found me,
Upon the broken road,
And lifted me beyond my failing,
Into Your glory,
My sin and shame dissolved,
And now forever Yours I’ll stand.

(Pre-Chorus)
In love never to end,
To call You more than Lord,
Glorious friend.

(Chorus)
So I throw my life upon all You are,
‘Cause I know You gave it all for me,
And when all else fades,
My soul will dance with You,
Where the love lasts forever.

(Bridge)
And forever I will sing,
Lord forever I will sing,
Of how You gave Your life away,
Just to save me, Lord You saved me.

With You, where the love lasts forever.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #9

2008-11-10T00:24:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful that God has allowed man to discover various medications. I've been miserable with this cold - terrible sinus pressure and pain, which I managed to get some relief from with Sudafed and pain medication.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #8

2008-11-09T01:55:00.002-05:00

Today is one of those days when it's difficult to find blessings. I'm tired; my fibromyalgia is acting up, making even doing the laundry difficult; I still have a cold, and I'm miserable. But I didn't have to make dinner because Sarah did, I'm married to a wonderful man, and God is still God. What more does a gal need?

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #7

2008-11-08T02:26:00.002-05:00

My blessing from today (or yesterday, depending on how you look at it) is that I got to spend the afternoon and most of the evening with my daughter, Sarah. We haven't been able to do this too often now that she babysits three days a week. We went to the new Hobby Lobby, and did errands. We also shared a pizza at Sam's Club - they make terrific pizza!

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #6

2008-11-06T21:32:00.002-05:00

Today I am thankful I did not visit my mom after her surgery yesterday. (The surgery went well, so thank for praying.) That probably sounds like a strange blessing, but I have come down with a nasty cold; it would have been awful to pass it on to someone trying to recover from surgery. It still amazes me sometimes how God orchestrates everything, like having Mom leave the hospital yesterday before we could get there

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #'s 4 & 5

2008-11-05T23:47:00.003-05:00

Last night, I went to bed early because I wasn't feeling well, so I missed my blessings post.

#4 - My husband, with whom I enjoyed dinner at a local Mexican restaurant on Tuesday night.

#5 - The wonderful doctors that my husband has. His nephrologist (kidney doctor) and oncologist are caring and compassionate, and spend the time needed with us at appointments.

Holding Faith,

Pray for My Mom

2008-11-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

Please keep my mom, Kathy, in prayer as she has surgery on her shoulder this morning. The extent of the surgery is yet to be determined. One thing's for sure - recovery will be long and difficult. Thanks.

Holding Faith,

Daily Blessings #'s 1, 2, & 3

2008-11-04T01:10:00.002-05:00

Well, I blew it. Again. I forgot that I was supposed to start my friend, Lori's, Thankfulness Challenge on November 1. So, without further ado, here are days 1 - 3:

1. One of our utility bills' monthly budget payment was set to nearly double. We were able to pay off what we owed them, but still the monthly payment was to be $47 higher than it had been. Today we called to make sure our large payment had been credited to our account, which it had, and the woman Phil spoke with told him that the new budget amount would be 0nly $17 more than what we had been paying. Hooray!

2. Our dear friends, Luke & Jennifer, had their first baby on Monday - a little girl named Aubrey Grace.

3. We decided to get someone to plow snow for us this year; with both of our daughters working, and both Phil and me dealing with health issues, it seemed a good idea, even though we'd have to come up with the money. But before Phil could call the man we'd decided to go with, we received a call from someone else who told us that he found a note in his door today saying that they would be paying the cost for him to plow for us! We have received several anonymous gifts this year, and are so humbled and thankful for them. God is so good!

Holding Faith,

The Value of a Life

2008-11-03T02:19:00.003-05:00

Tuesday is election day in the United States. For many, this election is not about issues; rather, it is about electing an idea. It is about the opportunity to put a "black"man in the White House.

I will not presume to tell you who to vote for. But I'd like to bring your attention to one issue - the value of life.

The following editorial ran in our local newspaper on August 3, 2008. It is by conservative columnist, Cal Thomas.

THE PRICE IS (NOT) RIGHT

on July 30, 2008 2:56:57 |

THE PRICE IS (NOT) RIGHT

By Cal Thomas

Tribune Media Services

Most inhumanities start small, like the beginning of a tsunami, but then build, as they head toward inevitable and unstoppable destruction.

It is difficult to pinpoint the precise beginning of the cultural tsunami that has devalued human life. Did it begin with the subjugation of women? Did it begin with slavery? The Nazis made their contribution with the Holocaust and Josef Mengele’s hideous human experiments. Surely unrestricted abortion added to the growing list of inhumanities.

Now we have the next wave. Randy Stroup is a 53-year-old Oregon man who has prostrate cancer, but no insurance to cover his medical treatment. The state pays for treatment in some cases, but it has denied help to Stroup. State officials have determined that chemotherapy would be too expensive and so they have offered him an alternative: death.

Oregon’s physician-assisted suicide law allows taxpayers to pay for someone to kill Stroup, because it’s cheaper than trying to heal him. How twisted is this? Some have called this a “chilling” corruption of medical ethics, but medical ethics have been in the deep freeze for some time. The American Medical Association, which once strongly opposed abortion, now buys into the “choice” argument despite Hippocrates’ admonition that physicians make a habit of two things — “to help, or at least to do no harm.”

How much is a human life worth? Body parts and bone marrow can fetch some pretty high prices, but a human life is more than the sum of its body parts. The reason this is important is that the federal government is now placing a price tag on individual lives and if government ever gets to run health care from Washington, bureaucrats will start making decisions similar to the one made for Randy Stroup.

Various government agencies contribute estimates for a concept known as the “Value of Statistical Life.” Like housing prices, the value of life has gone down in the eyes of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA says human life this year is worth $7.22 million. That’s a drop from its previous estimate of $8.04 million. The Department of Transportation calculates the value of human life at $5.8 million, an increase from $3 million. At the Consumer Product Safety Commission, human life is unchanged from the last estimate of $5 million.

According to The Washington Post, several federal agencies have come up with figures for the dollar value of a human life to analyze the costs and benefits of new programs they believe will save lives.

Saving lives is the announced intention, but if government gains the power to determine when a life is no longer “worth” saving and orders the plug to be pulled or the death pill to be administered, then what? This is the future of the socialized medicine that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the Democratic Party wish to impose on us.

In a culture that values all life, difficult decisions can be made about a life that is at an end and should be allowed to “go.” That is a far cry from having a government bureaucrat or panel of “experts” play God and decide, based on cost alone, when your or my life no longer has value in the eyes of the state.

How we view and value ourselves affects how we view and value others. If we are mere evolutionary accidents with no moral value greater than cole slaw, then we quickly begin viewing others as part of the vegetable family. But if we are something far more special, even to the point of having a Creator who has “endowed” us with value beyond that of gold, silver and paper money, then should we not be treated as such, even by the state?

The Randy Stroup case won’t be the last of its kind. Just as Jack Kevorkian’s illegal assisted suicide preceded its legalization in Oregon, so, too, will Randy Stroup be the test case in what amounts to mandated medical euthanasia ordered by the state.

When pro-lifers warned about the “slippery slope” more than three decades ago, they were dismissed as alarmists. Not anymore. Their prophecy is now being fulfilled.

(Direct all MAIL for Cal Thomas to: Tribune Media Services, 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, N.Y. 14207. Readers may also e-mail Cal Thomas at tmseditors@tribune.com.

(c) 2008 TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES, INC.

Frankly, this scares me. There are many proponents of government health care, who claim it would eliminate the problem of the uninsured, and give access to health care to everyone in the country. But when has a government program done what it was designed to do, and in a fiscally responsible manner? The Social Security program is in trouble; FDR's "New Deal" pushed this country into deep debt; the Welfare program is fraught with waste and deception. Why do we think that universal health care, funded by our government (i.e., you and me, through higher taxes), will really do what it is supposed to do? I'm afraid that there would be many more Randy Stroup's - people with curable illnesses who are denied care simply because it's going to cost too much.

My husband has Multiple Myeloma, which is a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow. Although it is treatable, and new drug therapies are being discovered every year, the disease is ultimately fatal. And MM is an expensive disease to treat. One of the most popular treatments is a drug called Revlimid, which costs in excess of $6000 per month. Can you imagine the federal government paying out $72,000+ a year for one drug for one individual, especially if the patient will ultimately die? And what about when another drug must be added to Revlimid . . . we're talking tens of thousands of dollars more.

What is the value of a life? Who decides who gets treatment, and who doesn't? Do you want a bureaucrat in Washington playing God, denying treatment to my loved one or yours simply on the basis of cost? When you step into the voting booth on Tuesday - and preferably before you do, stop to consider the candidates' views on the value of life. Then vote accordingly. You never know if you'll be the next Randy Stroup.

Holding Faith,

October 31

2008-10-31T00:01:00.001-04:00

Today is Reformation Day, the day that Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany, sparking the revolution known as the Protestant Reformation. You can read more about it at this website. If you're interested in what Luther wrote, check the widget in my sidebar which displays his theses.

Now I know that many in the United States choose to celebrate All Hallow's Eve today. Wikipedia has an interesting article about the origins and meaning of Halloween. Many see the donning of costumes, begging for candy, carving faces on pumpkins, displaying skeletons, tombstones, ghosts, and the like to be harmless fun. But is it?

As a Christian, I became convicted that I didn't want to have anything to do with this evil day, and my husband concurred.

". . . Halloween is serious business for Satanists and witches.
Those who oppose Christ are known to organize on Halloween
to observe satanic rituals, to cast spells, to oppose churches
and families, to perform sacrilegious acts, and to even offer
blood sacrifices to Satan."

There was a woman in our previous church who was saved out of Wicca (witchcraft), and who testified to the truth of the above quote. You can read the entire article here.

Ultimately, what you decide is between you and God. Carefully consider these verses:

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness,
but instead expose them. For it is shameful
even to speak of the things that they do in secret.
-- Ephesians 5: 11 - 12, ESV

Also many of those who were now believers came,
confessing and divulging their practices. And a number
of those who had practiced magic arts brought their
books together and burned them in the sight of all.
-- Acts 19: 18 - 19, ESV

With Joshua of the Old Testament, we say: ". . . choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." -- Joshua 24:15, ESV

Holding Faith,

Keepers at Home

2008-10-25T02:40:00.003-04:00

Let the aged women likewise be in reverent behavior,
not slanderers, not enslaved by much wine, teachers of good;
that they may train the young women
to love their husbands, to love their children,
to be discreet, chaste,
keepers at home,
good, subject to their own husbands,
that the Word of God may not be blasphemed.

--Titus 2: 3 - 5, MKJV

I think that the art of keeping a home has been lost. It's much more than dusting, vacuuming, washing dishes, doing laundry. It's creating a warm, relaxing, and welcoming place for your family, as well as your friends. Most importantly, the home of a Christian woman should reflect the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in her life; the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control (Galatians 5: 22 & 23) - should be evident from the moment one crosses the threshold.

This type of home can't be created unless a woman is invested in her role as a homemaker. It takes time - not just a few hours after a day of working for someone else - but all her waking hours. Her husband should look forward to coming home to a haven of peace and rest after a day of working to provide for his family. Her children, if she is blessed with them, should want to spend time at home, and have their friends come to their house. It is a "kick off the shoes and sit and relax" kind of place.

I hasten to say that I have a ways to go in this pursuit. I am full of excuses - my health, homeschooling (which I've completed), and now my husband's serious illness - but I need to do my best by God's grace regardless of my circumstances.

So how about you? Is your home a haven, or a place of havoc?

Holding Faith,

Prayer in the Midst of Pain

2008-10-21T21:19:00.002-04:00

One of the hallmarks of fibromyalgia, from which I have suffered since 1994, is neck pain. Sometimes I will awaken in the early morning hours in terrible pain. No matter which way I lay, or how I support my neck, the pain doesn't subside, and I am left to lie there until my pain pills kick in and I am able to go back to sleep.

On these occasions, I try to spend the time in prayer. I Thessalonians 5:17 commands us to "Pray without ceasing." John Gill explains this verse as follows:

"Not that saints should be always on their knees, or ever
lifting up their hands, and vocally calling upon God;
this is not required of them, and would clash with, and
break in upon other parts of religious worship, and the
duties of civil life, which are to be attended to, as well as
this, and besides would be impracticable; . . . But the
meaning is, that believers should be daily, and often
found in the performance of this duty; for as their wants
daily return upon them, and they are called to fresh service,
and further trials and exercises, they have need of more
grace, strength, and assistance, and therefore should daily
pray for it . . . do not leave off praying, or cease from it
through the prevalence of sin, the temptations of Satan,
or through discouragement, because an answer is not
immediately had, or through carelessness and negligence,
but continue in it, and be often at it; . . . the reason for
this rule of praying with frequency and constancy is,
because the saints are always needy, they are always in
want of mercies of one kind or another, and therefore
should continually go to the throne of grace, and there
ask for grace and mercy to help them in time of need."

It is easy to go through our days without praying much. We miss opportunities to "bend the knee," sometimes because we think we need to be in a certain place, or adopt a certain posture. But God doesn't require anything other than a willing heart. I think that He often allows times of pain so we don't forget what is important, and that is communing with Him.

The next time you find yourself unable to sleep, try talking with God. And let me know what happens!

Holding Faith,

Thankfulness Challenge

2008-10-20T00:21:00.002-04:00

What a wonderful time of worship in song we had at church Sunday night! I am so appreciative of our newest worship leader (we have two) and the band under his leadership.

My friend Lori, who blogs at Musings of a Proverbs 31 Wannabe, has issued a challenge:

"I'm going to challenge you AND myself: from November 1 until
Thanksgiving Day, I challenge us to either post somewhere - my
comments section is fine! - or journal one thing a day you're
thankful for. Some days will be difficult to find something nice,
I know. :D But there's no better way to be in a place of gratitude
than to take the time to recognize how much we are, truly, blessed."

I'm going to take Lori up on her challenge - as long as I can remember to start on time and write a short post every day! Anyone want to join us?

Holding Faith,

God of This City

2008-09-21T01:42:00.002-04:00

How often do you think about the unsaved people in your neighborhood, your suburb, your city, the country you live in? I am ashamed to say that I rarely do. Yet I need to be as concerned for their salvation as I was about that of my two daughters. God can do great things in your city and mine, but only if we pray (I Thessalonians 517), do not quench the Holy Spirit (I Thessalonians 5:19), and share the Gospel (I Corinthians 15: 3 - 4) as God leads us.

God of This City
(Words and Music by Bluetree)

You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You Are

Bridge:
For there is no one like our God
There is no one like our God

Chorus 1:
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here

Verse 2:
You're the Lord of Creation
The Creator of all things
You're the King above all Kings
You Are

You're the strength in our weakness
You're the love to the broken
You're the joy in the sadness
You Are

Chorus 2:
Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Where glory shines from hearts alive
With praise for you and love for you
In this city

Greater things have yet to come
Great things are still to be done
In this city
Greater things are still to come
And greater things are still to be done here

And the requisite video:

Image of Rochester, New York skyline (my city) courtesy of Wikimedia Central.

Holding Faith,

2008-09-17T21:51:00.002-04:00

Catherine, who blogs at Catherine Wheels, shared a great quote from C. S. Lewis today:

"The great thing, if one can, is to stop regarding all the unpleasant things as interruptions of one's "own" or "real" life. The truth is of course that what one calls the interruptions are precisely one's real life - the life God is sending one day by day: what one calls ones "real life" is a phantom of one's own imagination. This is at least what I see at moments of insight: but it's hard to remember it all the time - I know your problems must be much the same as mine (with the important difference that mine are of my own making, a very appropriate punishment and, like all God's punishments, a chance for expiation.)"

From The Collected Letters of C. S. Lewis.

Holding Faith,

Music That Inspires Me

2008-09-16T02:27:00.003-04:00

We sang a couple of new-to-me songs on Sunday night. This one - The More I Seek You - expressed the cry of my heart. There's a YouTube video at the bottom of this post.

The more I seek you,
the more I find you
The more I find you,
the more I love you

I wanna sit at your feet
Drink from the cup in your hand.
Lay back against you and breathe,
Hear your heart beat
This love is so deep,
It's more than I can stand.
I melt in your peace,
It's overwhelming

Holding Faith,

New Template

2008-09-12T04:06:00.003-04:00

Please let me know what you think of my new blog template! I found it at The Cutest Blog on the Block, and followed their super simple instructions for installation. The hardest part was trying to find colors that would show up on the template. I like it. Do you? (Oh, I guess I'd better change my live signature to another color!)

No Greater Joy

2008-09-12T02:37:00.003-04:00

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." ~ 3 John 1:4 (ESV)

Do you have children? God has blessed my husband and me with two lovely daughters, both of whom are walking with and serving the Lord.

God is presently doing a phenomenal work in my 18-year old's life. She is being stretched, challenged, and molded in remarkable ways as she responds to God's call to recklessly abandons herself to God. And it thrills this mother's heart. I truly have no greater joy that to know she is walking with her Lord, and to hear reports from others in our church of the impact she is having as she serves there.

"Let [us] thank the LORD for his steadfast love,
for his wondrous works to the children of man!
~ Psalm 107:8 (ESV)

Graphic courtesy of Snapshots of Joy.

Abandoned To God

2008-09-09T23:42:00.002-04:00

This song is on the latest Hillsong United album, The I Heart Revolution. Unfortunately, the lyrics are difficult to understand, so I looked them up, and found that Joel Houston has written another wonderful and thoughtful song. It expresses the thoughts of my heart; namely, that when we consider who God is, what He has done through His creation, and by providing a way of salvation for fallen man, our response should be to fall before Him and offer all we are and all we have in praise and worship or Him forever, to totally surrender and abandon ourselves to our amazing God.

As usual, I've gone to YouTube to find a video for you to watch. The lyrics are after the video.

The Stand

lyrics and music by Joel Houston
-----------
You stood before creation
Eternity in your hand
You spoke the earth into motion
My soul now to stand

You stood before my failure
And carried the cross for my shame
My sin weighed upon your shoulders
My soul now to stand

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, Oh God
Completely to you

So I'll walk upon salvation
Your spirit alive in me
This life to declare your promise
My soul now to stand

So what could I say?
And what could I do?
But offer this heart, Oh God
Completely to you

I'll stand
With arms high and heart abandoned
In awe of the one who gave it all
I'll stand
My soul Lord to you surrendered
All I am is yours

A New Blog

2008-09-03T02:57:00.002-04:00

My daughter, Grace, has started a new blog. It's called Recklessly Abandon Yourself to God. Check it out!

A Contemporary Psalm

2008-09-01T02:50:00.002-04:00

Perhaps I should rename this blog Music That Inspires Me. God often speaks to me through songs, which lead me to His Word. Chris Rice has written a beautiful psalm entitled Hallelujahs that I want to share with you today.

Praise the LORD!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD!

~ Psalm 150: 1, 2, 6 (ESV)

I found a lovely video on YouTube, and the words to the song are below that. (I have had difficulty understanding them unless I turn the volume up loud, but perhaps it's just my aging ears.)

A purple sky to close the day
I wade the surf where dolphins play
The taste of salt, the dance of waves
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

A lightning flash, my pounding heart
A breaching whale, a shooting star
Give testimony that you are
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

O cratered moon and sparrow's wings
O thunder's boom and Saturn's rings
Unveil our Father as you sing
And my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

The pulse of life within my wrist
A fallen snow, a rising mist
There is no higher praise than this
And my soul wells up
O my soul wells up
Yes my soul wells up with hallelujahs

Oh praise Him all His mighty works
There is no language where you can't be heard
Your song goes out to all the Earth
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

O hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!

Whoa

2008-08-21T03:19:00.002-04:00

While trying to write a review of Hillsong's new CD - This Is Our God - I was at their website, and read the following:

"20 August 2008
In the past 24 hours it has been brought to our attention that Michael Guglielmucci’s illness is not what we have been led to believe.

Michael has confirmed that he is not suffering with a terminal illness and is seeking professional help in Adelaide with the support of his family.

This news has come as a great shock to everyone including, it seems, his own wife and family.
Please pray for the Guglielmucci family during this difficult time."

I highlighted Michael's song, Healer, in this post. It remains an awesome song, even if the story behind it is a fabrication. Nonetheless, God has, and I believe, will continue to touch lives through the song.

Book Quiz

2008-08-07T02:42:00.000-04:00

Ok, I usually don't put much stock in these things, but this one was interesting. Take the book quiz and find out which one you are! I am:

You're Confessions!

by St. Augustine

You're a sinner, you're a saint, you do not feel ashamed. Well, you
might feel a little ashamed of your past, but it did such a good job of teaching you
what not to do. Now you've become a devout Christian and have spent more time
ruminating on the world to come rather than worldly pleasures. Your realizations and
ability to change will bring reverence upon you despite your hedonistic transgressions.
Florida will honor you most in the end.

Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Christ Shares His People's Sorrows

2008-08-06T00:00:00.004-04:00

Christ Shares His People's Sorrows

O child of God this grief
That bows your spirit low
Is yours but half, for Christ Himself,
Still shares His people's woe.

His wisdom planned it out
Then bore it on His heart
Till gently on your untried back
Love laid the lesser part.

So take it all with joy,
Together bear the cross
For while you suffer He distills,
A heaven from your loss.

Beneath His secret will
Subscribe with ready pen,
Add to this sorrow God has sent
A resolute "Amen."

Each day spend out in faith,
Nor prove His labor vain;
Cast still on Christ the pressing weight
Who only can sustain.

To Lady Kenmure
On the death of her son
October 1639
Letter 287

Faith Cook, Grace in Winter: Rutherford in Verse (Carlisle, Pa.: Banner of Truth Trust, 1989), 37. Quoted by Fitzpatrick, Elyse, A Steadfast Heart (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2006), 66 - 67.

Desert Song

2008-08-02T02:04:00.000-04:00

In yesterday's post, I shared two videos from the new Hillsong album, This Is Our God. Here is another video from that same album. This song, Desert Song, also spoke to my broken heart. I hope it also speaks to you.

Zechariah 13:9 "And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" (ESV)

Isaiah 54:17a "No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed." (ESV)

Romans 8:37 "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
(ESV)

Healer

2008-08-01T01:51:00.003-04:00

Edited to add, 8/24/2008: Please read the post here BEFORE reading this entry. I debated whether to delete this entire post, but decided to leave it.

We received the bad news late Wednesday afternoon that my husband's cancer numbers are higher now than when he started treatment in April. We are pretty discouraged, but still trusting the Lord. There are so many times we don't understand the why's of this life, but we must choose to either trust that God is still God, and He is in control, or that He is not. That alternative - turning our backs on the Sovereign God of the Universe - is just not an option. And at these times, God often leads us to Scripture, songs, people, etc. that confirm what He is doing in our lives. Last night was just like that for me. Here is the first of several videos that spoke to the depths of my heart. This is the testimony of Mike Guglielmucci, who wrote the song Healer that appears on This Is My God, the latest project from Hillsong Church in Australia.

Here is the video of the actual song being performed.

A Tribute to Old-Fashioned Girls

2008-07-25T02:38:00.002-04:00

Mrs. Wilt, over at The Sparrow's Nest, posted this You Tube video today. As you watch it, ponder these verses of Scripture:

The king's daughter is all glorious within: her clothing is of wrought gold.
~ Psalm 45:13 ~

Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.
~ Proverbs 31:29 ~

Even a child makes himself known by his acts, by whether his conduct is pure and upright.
~ Proverb s 20:11 ~

Fearfully and Wonderfully

2008-07-16T00:32:00.003-04:00

I am watching the Discovery Health channel - a program about problems with twin pregnancies - and they're showing amazing intrauterine pictures. I am reminded of God's words in Psalm 139, verses 13 - 16 (CEV)

You are the one who put me together inside my mother's body,
and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.
Everything you do is marvelous!
Of this I have no doubt.
Nothing about me is hidden from you!
I was secretly woven together deep in the earth below,
but with your own eyes you saw my body being formed.
Even before I was born,
you had written in your book everything I would do.

Every conception is a miracle, every birth amazing. We are indeed fearfully and wonderfully made!

(Picture from Generations for Life.)

Grace's New Mexico Trip

2008-07-09T21:15:00.002-04:00

Would you take time to pray for my daughter, Grace, and the team from Open Door Baptist Church as they minister to the people of Grants, New Mexico? They left on July 4, and will be there until next Monday. There are several small groups, and they are running Backyard Bible Clubs and Youth Rallies throughout the week. Grace is being challenged as she deals with the other members of the team, and the children and teens she comes in contact with every day. She is also dealing with her physical afflictions - a kneecap problem and a very hard motel bed.

Grace was able to lead a young boy to Christ on Tuesday!

Visit Grace's blog to see some pictures!

Liberty

2008-07-03T23:06:00.003-04:00

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,
because the LORD has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and the opening of the prison to those who are bound . . .

~ Isaiah 61:1, ESV

These words were quoted by Jesus, the Messiah, when he entered the synagogue to publicly begin his earthly ministry (see Luke 4:18.) They remind me that true freedom is found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ and the liberty that comes through living a life free from the guilt of one's sin.

On this 232nd Fourth of July, I am thankful for the liberties I have through living in the United States, and most importantly, through my relationship with Jesus!

Singing Praise

2008-06-23T00:49:00.002-04:00

I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,
and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

-- Psalm 7:17, ESV
**********************************

Sunday was an awesome day! Grace and I had gotten permission to sing a special during evening service (because the worship teams lead music at night, we don't normally have specials then.) As it turned out, the other female vocalist wasn't going to be there, so the worship leader asked me to fill in. I was apprehensive, knowing that (based on Grace's testimony as their keyboard player) things tend to be a bit lax in the group, and that there wouldn't be a lot of practice time - it's just the way things are. I went to practice on Thursday, but the guitar player wasn't there, so it was very difficult to rehearse, and I went away feeling ill-equipped for Sunday night's service. Fortunately, after initially experiencing severe butterflies, my stomach calmed down, and we were able to practice enough before service that I thought I could get through it.

And get through it I did. There were some rough spots, and as usual, the sound guys didn't have the balance right (my husband and I have complained about this for a while), but God blessed. I was blessed. I worshiped. I felt I was serving the Lord and the congregation, something I haven't felt since changing churches almost two years ago. (There's not a lot one can do without being a member, and even if we were, my priority is taking care of my husband and family.) And, I hope, the congregation was blessed.

Oh, and our special went wonderfully! We sang Beautiful the Blood by Steve Fee and Louie Giglio. (Click for the lyrics.)

Psalm 145

2008-06-22T01:46:00.002-04:00

It's been quite a while since I posted here. I am still struggling spiritually, although I have times that are filled with the love and worship of God.

I recently finished reading through the Psalms. Each time I do, different things jump out at me. This time, when I reached Psalm 145, my heart was rejoicing as I read. It was as if I'd never read it before. Here is the text from the English Standard Version. (Paragraph divisions and emphases are mine.)

**************************************

A Song of Praise. Of David.

I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.

All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you! They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power, to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. (The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.) The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

**************************************

What a marvelous song of praise!!

God of All

2008-06-01T01:39:00.002-04:00

My intention is not to turn this blog into a lyrics site, but since God often speaks to me through songs, I naturally want to share them.

I recently downloaded the album This is My Cry by Kees Kraayenoord, a Dutch worship leader (available from the iTunes Music Store.) The song below, God of the Moon and Stars is almost an afterthought on the album, coming at the very end, and apparently not recorded live as the rest of the album is. (You can see a video of Kees singing the song here.) I have listened to this song many times, and the thought that keeps coming to my mind is that God is indeed the God of everyone. Not just the ones who have trusted in Christ as Savior. Colossians 1:16 says: "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him." All things. Everyone. He is God of all, even if they don't acknowledge Him. It's one of those things that I know, but the depth and breadth of that truth hadn't sunk in. Read these words, then let me know what you think.

God of the Moon and Stars

God of the moon and stars
God of the gay- and singles bars
God of the fragile hearts we are, I come to you
God of our history, god of the future that will be
What will you make of me, I come to you

God of the meek and mild,
God of the reckless and the wild
God of the unreconciled, I come to you
God of our life and death
God of our secrets unconfessed
God of our every breath, I come to you

God of the rich and poor
God of the princess and the whore
God of the ever open door, I come to you
God of the unborn child
God of the pure and undefiled
God of the pimp and pedophile, I come to you

God of the war and peace
God of the junkie and the priest
God of the greatest and the least, I come to you
God of the refugee
God of the prisoner and the free
God of our doubt and certainty, I come to you

God of our joy and grief
God of the lawyer and the thief
God of our faith and unbelief, I come to you
God of the wounds we bear
God of the deepest dreams we share
God of our unspoken prayer, I come to you

God of a world that´s lost
God af the lonely cross
God who has come to us, I come to you

Follow the Son

2008-05-16T18:47:00.003-04:00

This afternoon has been spent trying to catch up on blog reading - not too successfully. Too many rabbit trails to follow! Anyway, instead of mindlessly watching TV (more listening than watching), I decided to put in some of my music videos; specifically, two of the four Hillsong ones I own. I started with God He Reigns, and am now enjoying Mighty to Save. There are several songs on that one that are not on the CD, including the one I've quoted below. I was unable to find out who wrote it, but the words spoke to my heart today.

Follow the Son

You are the light
That guides my way through fear
I know my path
Will lead me to the King
And all the world
Will bow to worship You

You are the God
Who changed the world through one Holy Son
You gave everything
So all the world
Will bow in awe of You

You came down through grace
To show a better way

I follow the Son
You’re the only One
Let Your kingdom come
I’m giving it all
To the One I love
I follow the Son
Jesus holy One
Let Your will be done
I give it all to You
You are everything to me (4x)

He Holds It Together

2008-05-14T15:45:00.002-04:00

Everything was created by him [Jesus Christ], everything in heaven and on earth, everything seen and unseen, including all forces and powers, and all rulers and authorities. All things were created by God's Son, and everything was made for him. God's Son was before all else, and by him everything is held together.

-- Colossians 1: 16 - 17, CEV

My daughter, Grace, showed us this amazing video clip from Louis Giglio last night. It makes the meaning of the verses from Colossians take on new meaning.

2008-05-08T23:50:00.003-04:00

In Mid-March, Grace and I attended a Casting Crowns concert. The pre-concert acts were John Waller and Leeland. God spoke to me during one of Leeland's songs, and for some reason, I've been thinking about that today, so I looked up the words and wanted to share them with you.

First, some background from the Scriptures:

"Jonathan, the son of Saul, had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel, and his nurse took him up and fled, and as she fled in her haste, he fell and became lame. And his name was Mephibosheth. . . And David said, "Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and they called him to David. And the king said to him, "Are you Ziba?" And he said, "I am your servant." And the king said, "Is there not still someone of the house of Saul, that I may show the kindness of God to him?" Ziba said to the king, "There is still a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet." The king said to him, "Where is he?" And Ziba said to the king, "He is in the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar." Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir the son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. And Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, son of Saul, came to David and fell on his face and paid homage. And David said, "Mephibosheth!" And he answered, "Behold, I am your servant." And David said to him, "Do not fear, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan, and I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always." And he paid homage and said, "What is your servant, that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?" Then the king called Ziba, Saul's servant, and said to him, "All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master's grandson. And you and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him and shall bring in the produce, that your master's grandson may have bread to eat. But Mephibosheth your master's grandson shall always eat at my table." Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. Then Ziba said to the king, "According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so will your servant do." So Mephibosheth ate at David's table, like one of the king's sons. And Mephibosheth had a young son, whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba's house became Mephibosheth's servants.
So Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem, for he ate always at the king's table. Now he was lame in both his feet." (I Samuel 4:4; 9: 1 - 13; English Standard Version)

Now the song (you can listen to it here):

Carried To the Table

Wounded and forsaken
I was shattered by the fall
Broken and forgotten
Feeling lost and all alone
Summoned by the King
Into the Master’s courts
Lifted by the Savior
And cradled in His arms

REFRAIN: I was carried to the table
Seated where I don’t belong
Carried to the table
Swept away by His love
And I don’t see my brokenness anymore
When I’m seated at the table of the Lord
I’m carried to the table
The table of the Lord

Fighting thoughts of fear
And wondering why He called my name
Am I good enough to share this cup
This world has left me lame
Even in my weakness
The Savior called my name
In His Holy presence
I’m healed and unashamed

REFRAIN

You carried me, my God
You carried me

Words & Music by Leeland Dayton Mooring, Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd / © 2006 Meaux Mercy (BMI) / Meaux Hits / Never Say Never Songs (ASCAP) / New Spring (ASCAP). All rights for the world on behalf of Never Say Never Songs administered by New Spring (ASCAP) / Meaux Mercy / Blue Raft Music (BMI)

As I listened, God whispered to my heart, "That's what I did for you." Tears coursed down my cheeks. Yes, like Mephibosheth, I was broken, not only before I came to know Christ as my Saviour, but broken by the daily battle of life. And my God did not leave me alone. No. He carried me.

When I looked up the lyrics tonight, I found this "Behind the Song" information:

Inspired by the story of Mephibosheth, a man blessed by David in Second Samuel, Leeland Mooring explains. “We’re broken people. We have sin in our lives and we outcast ourselves from God’s kingdom. But God’s love is constantly chasing after us, kinda like how David sought out Mephibosheth. I think when we are taken in by God’s love, we are brought into his kingdom and brought to his table. We’re saved by grace. No one can see that we are hurt because we’re covered by the blood of Jesus. That’s so relevant to us even now.”

Thank you, Jesus.

God's Care

2008-05-03T02:09:00.002-04:00

"And he came there to the cave, and lodged there; and behold, the Word of Jehovah came to him, and said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? And he said, Being zealous, I have been zealous for Jehovah the God of Hosts, for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; they have thrown down Your altars, and they have killed Your prophets with the sword, and I am left, I alone, and they seek to take my life. And he said, Go out and stand on the mountain before Jehovah. And, behold, Jehovah passed by, and a great and strong wind tearing the mountains and breaking the rocks in bits before Jehovah! Jehovah was not in the wind. And after the wind was an earthquake, but Jehovah was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake was a fire, but Jehovah was not in the fire; and after the fire came a still, small voice. And it happened when Elijah heard, he wrapped his face in his robe and went out and stood at the cave opening; and, behold, a voice came to him, and it said, What are you doing here, Elijah? And he said, Being zealous, I have been zealous for Jehovah, God of Hosts for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant; they have thrown down Your altars, and they have slain Your prophets by the sword; and I, I alone, am left; and they seek to take my life."

(I Kings 19: 9 - 14; Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)

Elijah was depressed.

He had faithfully served Jehovah, doing everything he was told to do.

And now his life was in danger.

Who wouldn't be depressed?

Elijah wanted to hear God's voice, to know God understood how he felt, to have reassurance that God would take care of him.

God sent a strong wind, then an earthquake and a fire. But God was not to be found in them.

Instead, He spoke in a still, small voice.

When we're down, when we're not sure where God is, we often want Him to show Himself in a mighty way. Sometimes He does, but more often, it's in little ways. We may think we need to be ministered to in a certain way, and can't understand why God doesn't meet that need, only to be humbled when He does the unexpected.

That's what God has done for us. In the past two weeks, we have received two anonymous monetary gifts. We got our income tax refund in a mere three weeks (it offsets what we had to pay to the state of New York.) I scored some awesome deals at the grocery store. We've had three people respond to our plea for help with lawn mowing. We've also gotten money from other sources.

No, these aren't the things I thought I needed from God. But they do show that He cares about me, and if I'm honest, the increased costs of food and fuel are a source of stress for me. (I realize that everyone is dealing with these things and many are having to choose between _______ and gas for their cars.)

So today I rejoice in God's still, small voice. And I pray that I can stop and listen for it. As God commanded Job:

"Stand still and consider the wonderful works of God."

(Job 37: 14; LITV)

Words to Live By

2008-04-23T19:48:00.002-04:00

God is the one
who began
this good work in you,
and I am certain
that he won't stop
before it is complete
on the day
that Christ Jesus returns.

-- Philippians 1:6, CEV

Many years ago, I chose this as my life verse. Every time I read these words, I am awed that God chose me "before the foundation of the world" (Ephesians 1:4), that He is continually working in me, and that He won't stop until Jesus Christ returns in all His Glory.

What a precious promise!

Counting It Joy

2008-04-18T01:35:00.002-04:00

"Count it all joy, my brothers,
when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith
produces endurance.
But let endurance have its perfect work,
that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

-- James 1: 2- 4, EMTV

The Message puts it this way: "Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides."

Joy? A gift? Whatever was James thinking? How can anyone think of troubles in this way?

Only through the work of the Holy Spirit and by the renewing of our minds! God's people are commanded to respond in a way that is the total opposite of the world's response. Anger, fear, depression - these are not options we are to entertain. Rather, we are to be joyful.

Why is that to be our response? Because our trials will produce endurance or patience, which will eventually lead to maturity in Christ!

"For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." -- II Peter 1: 5 - 8, ESV

Here, the same Greek word that James used is translated steadfastness. In Greek, it is hoop-om-on-ay', which means cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).

But back to the trials. They are not something to be shied away from, but embraced. They are for our good, used by our gracious heavenly Father to mature us.

So next time you have a week like we've had, be joyful.

"For our present trouble,
which is only for a short time,
is working out for us a much greater weight of glory;"

-- II Cor. 4:17, BBE

Counting My Blessings

2008-03-30T23:52:00.004-04:00

Two months ago, I posted that I was hurting spiritually. With some encouragement from friends, and a resolve to get my life back together, I am pleased that God is answering my prayers to once again grow close to Him. I'm not where I should be, but I'm no longer where I was. I started reading my Bible again - faithfully - going through the Psalms, which have been a source of encouragement many times in the past. This time through, I am seeing many new things, probably because my situation is different. I am awed once again by God's lovingkindness as expressed so eloquently by the various Psalmists.

I found myself counting my blessings the other day as God brought many things to my mind. Some of them include (in no particular order):

~ A friendship that was mended, I believe because of Phil's illness;

~ My two beautiful daughters, who both love the Lord and want to serve Him. They haven't had it easy, having grown up with a mom who is handicapped because of fibromyalgia, and now having their dad suffer from kidney failure and incurable cancer. Nonetheless, this has helped shape their character and make them who they are today;

~ The company my husband worked for since late 1986, which allows medically disabled employees to keep their benefits even through their employment is terminated. I can't imagine where we'd be financially if we hadn't been able to keep our medical insurance. And even though that is changing for the worse because of federal law which mandates that dialysis patients go on Medicare after a certain number of months, things could be much much worse;

~ Pastor Lloyd and his wife, Cheri, whom we met at our very first church after we were married, then didn't see for about 15 years, then came back into our lives when we went to our new church. They know firsthand about incurable cancer;

~ Wonderful friends that I've met over the Internet, especially the ladies from Stamp and Scrap 4 Joy;

~ Having no debt. Thanks to my grandfather, we own our house free and clear;

~ A husband who has and is enduring more than I could ever imagine, yet whose faith in God does not waiver;

~ My parents and in-laws, who have supported us in innumerable ways.

Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Refrain: Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by. Refrain

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. Refrain

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end. Refrain

Listen to it here.

Resurrection Sunday

2008-03-23T01:15:00.002-04:00

If I read about eggs and bunnies on one more blog where the author claims to be a Christian, I think I will scream. It probably should make me sad, but instead it makes me angry. We are supposed to be celebrating the miracle of Christ's resurrection from the dead, of His atoning sacrifice on the cross of Calvary. Instead, many are participating in the pagan worship of Astarte, goddess of fertility. I'd urge you to read What is the Origin of Easter?

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but continually be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you may be able to determine what God's will is-what is proper, pleasing, and perfect. (International Standard Version)

II Corinthians 6: 14 - 17 Do not become unequally yoked with unbelievers; for what participation is there for righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion is there for light with darkness? And what agreement is there for Christ with Belial? Or what part is there for a believer with an infidel? And what union is there for the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God, just as God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." Therefore "Come out from the midst of them and be separated," says the Lord. "Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you."
(English Majority Text Version)

My prayer is that you are remembering Jesus Christ and Him alone today and every day.

Bad News

2008-03-09T01:58:00.003-05:00

We found out early Friday evening that my husband's cancer is no longer in remission. It stinks. In my head, I know that Romans 8:28 is true, but I'm not feeling it in my heart. I don't want to go through this again - the treatment, the feeling lousy. The strain it puts on me to transport Phil to treatment. It's been a terrible couple of months for me, with my fibromyalgia giving me more pain, stiffness and fatigue than I've had previously. I can only hope that I will feel better once it's warmer.

If you're interested, you can visit the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation or International Myeloma Foundation for information on Multiple Myeloma and treatments. You can also go to Phil's Caring Bridge site and read the journal I've kept on Phil since June 6, 2006 (nearly six months after his initial diagnosis on Dec. 16, 2005.)

To this promise I must cling.

A Tribute

2008-03-05T22:24:00.002-05:00

If he had lived, my grandfather would have turned 102 today. For some reason, I have always remembered his birthday, even when I can't recall those of my in-laws. (Shame on me.) Grandpa died when he was 96 (I believe), and up until the last few years of his life, he was active and healthy.

Grandpa grew up with an abusive father (perhaps some would simply call him old school), played football, and graduated from high school at a time when that was quite an accomplishment. He left Kansas after high school, setting off for the big city of Chicago, where he got a job as a janitor at the Martin-Senour paint company. I believe he went to night school, and soon worked his way up to accountant. When he retired, he was company treasurer. Not bad for a boy from the sticks!

My grandparents had two children: my mom, Kathy, and her brother, Bill, who died in his teens. Although not a man of many words, and not lavish with his praise, he was thrilled with my mom's musical accomplishments. Several years before his death, he helped our family purchase a new piano so that my two girls could further their musical abilities.

Grandpa loved to play golf, and he did so until his legs began giving him a lot of trouble due to spinal stenosis. He even hit a hole-in-one once! He followed all the great golfers, and talked about them whenever he could.

We were blessed to have Grandpa move to our hometown some years before he died. I wish I had spent more time with him, but I treasure the dinners we shared while he lived in a retirement center about 1/2 hour away. That place knew how to plan and serve a fabulous meal, and it cost our family mere pennies to eat with him.

I still remember the day he died. My parents had been away on vacation, and were scheduled to return that day. I awoke to find a message on my answering machine from the nursing home where we had moved Grandpa when it became apparent he could not live alone, asking me to call. I did, and they informed me that he had simply dropped dead in front of the nurse, whom he had gone to see after breakfast because he was feeling "strange." In my shock, I managed to get the needed information, and immediately called my husband, who made arrangements to come home. For some reason, my parents decided to stop at our house on their way home (which they've never done since), and I had the very difficult job of telling them that Grandpa was gone. Apart from learning my husband has incurable cancer, that's probably the most difficult thing I've had to deal with in my 47 years.

During a visit Phil and I had with Grandpa in the last six months of his life, Phil asked him if he knew where he would spend eternity. Grandpa answered that he had made that decision early in his life. Although we didn't get any further information from him, my deepest desire is that he had trusted in Jesus Christ for his salvation and that I will one day see him again.

Happy birthday, Grandpa.

College Education for Women?

2008-02-15T01:53:00.002-05:00

I have just read the most amazing posts by a now 18-year old young woman on the subject of young women attending college. I realize this is a highly controversial topic, and while you don't have to agree with this young lady (or me, since I wholeheartedly echo what is said in these posts), I do ask that you respect my right to hold an opinion which I believe is supported by Scripture.

I did attend college - it was pretty much expected in the circle my family was in (my father was a college professor for many years) - and I was saved in between my first and second years of college, but I was not discipled and did not understand a woman's role according to Scripture until later in my life.

Here are the links to the posts:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

What Is Your Purpose?

2008-02-11T02:05:00.000-05:00

Shortly before Christmas, we ran into an old friend. She was telling us that, like my husband, her health had failed and she is now living on disability. Her next statement, however, made me stop and think: she felt that because she couldn't work anymore, she had lost her purpose.

So what is your purpose? Is it to hold a job? Is it to serve your family? Is it to lead the world to Christ? Consider the following passage from Ephesians 1 (verses 3 - 12):

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! He has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in his presence. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will, so that we would praise his glorious grace that he gave us in the Beloved One. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our offenses, according to the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us, along with all wisdom and understanding, when he made known to us the secret of his will. This was according to his plan that he set forth in Christ to usher in the fullness of the times and to gather up all things in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth. In Christ we were also chosen when we were predestined according to the purpose of the one who does everything according to the intention of his will, so that we who had already fixed our hope on Christ might live for his praise and glory.

For the Christian - a person who has acknowledged s/he is a sinner and cannot get to heaven apart from trusting in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross - the purpose of their life is to bring praise and glory to Jesus Christ. That's it. Yes - your job, witnessing, your family, church attendance - all have the potential to bring glory to God. But simply doing those things for their own sake is nothing more than trying to earn your salvation. When glorifying the Lord, giving Him the rightful place in your life, is uppermost, everything else will fall into its proper place.

So, what is your purpose?

Words of Wisdom

2008-02-02T02:18:00.001-05:00

Spiritual Blahs

2008-01-25T21:40:00.000-05:00

I've been neglecting this blog. It's not that I don't have ideas for posts, but rather that I am in a deep pit where my faith is concerned. Because of my fibromyalgia and my need for a tremendous amount of sleep, I am not able to get up to to to Sunday morning services at church. I do try to go in the evening, but right now, with our car awaiting repair, we can't get there.

Lest I blame the car and my chronic illness for everything, I know that my spiritual health hasn't been good since June, 2007, when my husband started dialysis at home. I was so burned out at that point, having run on adrenaline for 18 months prior, that I seemed to have shut down and have not been able to pull myself out of the slump.

So pray for me - first, that I will get back to reading my Bible, even if just for five minutes a day. Next, that I will have more energy, so that once we have a car again, I can get to Sunday evening services. And lastly for the "joy of my salvation" to be restored.

"Make me as happy as you did when you saved me; make me want to obey!"

(Psalm 51:12, CEV)

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T01:39:00.000-05:00

I say this every year, but it's hard to believe another year is nearly over. The last six months have been much easier than the first six due to my husband's switch to home dialysis in June. Other things I am thankful for:

~ Both times Phil was hospitalized in February all tests came back negative for blood infection;

~ Grace's graduation from high school in June;

~ Sarah's prolific garden and God's provision for us through it;

~ God's sustaining hand on me through those first six months of 2007;

~ Phil's myeloma remaining in remission;

~ Our lovely home and the blessing that a new (built late 2004) house brings in terms of not requiring [many] repairs;

~ My internet friends;

~ A solid church with good preaching;

~ My salvation.

I'm not big on making New Year's resolutions, but I would like to be better about reading my Bible. I think if I can do that, a lot of other things will fall into place.

"And put on the new man, to which God has given life, in righteousness and a true and holy way of living. "
(Ephesians 4:24, BBE)

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T01:07:00.000-05:00

"So, The Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold! The virgin will conceive and will bring forth a son; and she shall call His name Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

"For a Child is born; to us a Son is given; and the government is on His shoulder; and His name is called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

"And it happened in those days, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus for all the habitable world to be registered. This registration first occurred under the governing of Syria by Cyrenius. And all went to be registered, each to his own city. And Joseph also went from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because of his being of the house and family of David, to be registered with Mary, the one having been betrothed to him as wife, she being pregnant. And it happened as they were there, the days were fulfilled for her to bear. And she bore her son, the First-born. And she wrapped Him and laid Him in the manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." (Luke 2: 1 - 7)

Jesus Christ, is what Christmas is all about. Do you know Him? If you do not, or you are not sure, please click here to find out how this can be your best Christmas ever!

"Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words!" (II Corinthians 9:15)

Several Ways to Make Yourself Miserable

2007-12-20T23:20:00.001-05:00

This passage from Elisabeth Elliot's book, Keep a Quiet Heart, was quoted in the "Christian Women Online" blog today. Mrs. Elliot's words are as timely today as they were when she penned them and are worth reposting here:

1. Count your troubles, name them one by one- at the breakfast table, if anybody will listen, or as soon as possible thereafter.

2. Worry every day about something. Don't let yourself get out of practice. It won't add a cubit to your stature but it might burn a few calories.

3. Pity yourself. If you do enough of this, nobody else will have to do it for you.

4. Devise clever but decent ways to serve God and mammon. After all, a man's gotta live.

5. Make it your business to find out what the Joneses are buying this year and where they're going. Try to do them at least one better even if you have to take out another loan to do it.

6. Stay away from absolutes. It's what's right for you that matters. Be your own person and don't allow yourself to get hung up on what others expect of you.

7. Make sure you get your rights. Never mind other people's. You have your life to live, they have theirs.

8. Don't fall into any compassion traps- the sort of situation where people can walk all over you. If you get too involved in other people's troubles, you may neglect your own.

9. Don't let Bible reading and prayer get in the way of what's really relevant-things like TV and newspapers. Invisible things are eternal. You want to stick with the visible ones- they're where it's at now.

Let us purpose in our hearts to act in the opposite way, as Jesus would have us to.

Jesus, You Are Everything to Me

2007-12-12T00:24:00.000-05:00

This is a beautiful song by Matthew West. It expresses how I feel - that God looked down on me, not that I am special, but, in fact, one who made a mess of her life, and He reached out to rescue me from my sin. My response is that God is everything to me, everything I live for, everything I hope for.

2Co 9:8 God can bless you with everything you need . . . (CEV)

2Co 9:15 Thank God for his gift that is too wonderful for words! (CEV)

I’m the one with two left feet
Standing on a lonely street
I can’t even walk a straight line
And every time you look at me
I’m spinning like an autumn leaf
Bound to hit bottom sometime

Where would I be without someone to save me
Someone who won’t let me fall
You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can’t believe is happening
You’re standing right in front of me
With arms wide open
All I know is
Every day is filled with hope
You are everything that I believe for
And I can’t help but breathe you in

Breathe again
Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart
I’m the one with big mistakes
Big regrets and bigger breaks
Than I ever care to confess
Oh but, You’re the one who looks at me
And sees what I was meant to be
More than just a beautiful mess

Where would I be without someone to save me
Someone who won’t let me fall
You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can’t believe is happening
You’re standing right in front of me
With arms wide open
All I know is
Every day is filled with hope
Cuz You are everything that I believe for
And I can’t help but breathe you in
Breathe again

Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart
You’re everything good in my life
Everything honest and true
And all of those stars hanging up in the sky
Could never shine brighter than You
You are everything that I live for
Everything that I can’t believe is happening
You’re standing right in front of me
With arms wide open
All I know is
Every day is filled with hope
Cuz You are everything that I believe for
And I can’t help but breathe you in
Breathe again
Feeling all this life within
Every single beat of my heart
You are
You are
Jesus, You are

You are everything

God and the Snow

2007-12-02T23:50:00.000-05:00

We are under a winter storm watch, high wind warning, and a lake effect snow warning, which will affect us at various times through Wednesday, dumping up to a foot of snow with winds of up to 50 miles per hour. Sounds exciting, no?

What does the Word of God have to say about snow? Here are a few:

"He does wonders, more than may be searched out; great things of which we have no knowledge; For he says to the snow, Make the earth wet; and to the rain-storm, Come down." (Job 37: 5 & 6, Bible in Basic English)

"Have you been to the places where I keep snow and hail, until I use them to punish and conquer nations? From where does lightning leap, or the east wind blow? Who carves out a path for thunderstorms? Who sends torrents of rain on empty deserts where no one lives? Rain that changes barren land to meadows green with grass. Who is the father of the dew and of the rain? Who gives birth to the sleet and the frost that fall in winter, when streams and lakes freeze solid as a rock?" (Job 38: 22 - 30, Contemporary English Version)

"He gives snow like wool; He scatters the white frost like ashes." (Psalm 147: 16, Literal Translation of the Holy Bible)

God control the weather, whether it be snow, rain, wind, or anything in between!

"Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. " (Psalm 51: 7, English Standard Version)

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool." (Isaiah 1:18, English Standard Version)

Our sin, which makes us dirty, black, unclean, becomes whiter than the whitest snow when we come to the Lord Jesus Christ and accept the free gift of salvation which He offers us.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. "For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."" (Isaiah 55: 8 - 11, English Standard Version)

I love this promise. that God's Word never fails - whatever God intends for it to do will come to be. Sometimes we grow impatient, thinking "our" work is in vain. If it is our work, the result is not guaranteed. But when we pray and allow God's Spirit to lead, our obedience - God's work - will have the desired outcome. What a precious promise!

I will leave you with the words to the hymn, I Shall Be Whiter Than Snow, by James L. Nicholson. This hymn, based on Psalm 51: 7, was penned in 1872.

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;
I want Thee forever to live in my soul.
Break down every idol, cast out every foe;
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Refrain: Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,
Apply Thine own blood and extract ev’ry stain;
To get this blest cleansing, I all things forego—
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Refrain

Lord Jesus, look down from Thy throne in the skies,
And help me to make a complete sacrifice.
I give up myself, and whatever I know,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Refrain

Lord Jesus, for this I most humbly entreat,
I wait, blessèd Lord, at Thy crucified feet.
By faith, for my cleansing, I see Thy blood flow,
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Refrain

Lord Jesus, Thou seest I patiently wait,
Come now, and within me a new heart create;
To those who have sought Thee, Thou never saidst “No,”
Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Refrain

The blessing by faith, I receive from above;
O glory! my soul is made perfect in love;
My prayer has prevailed, and this moment I know,
The blood is applied, I am whiter than snow. Refrain

Blog Moved

2007-12-02T01:38:00.000-05:00

I've just finished moving my blog from here to Blogger. Since there weren't too many posts, I have moved those as well; they are labeled with the date they were originally posted. This site still needs work, which I'll do as I am able. I'm trying to complete Christmas gifts, which is keeping me busy. You can read about my projects on my other blog.

Heart Troubles?

2007-12-02T01:16:00.001-05:00

gingram | 26 November, 2007 19:21

Psalm 51:10 (KJV) "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."

Do you have heart problems? How do you know if you do?

Our pastor preached from Jonah chapters 3 and 4 on Sunday night. He listed five symptoms of heart troubles:

1. Failing to rejoice with those who rejoice. Romans 12:15

2. Failing to see God's grace toward you and respond to others as He responds to you.

3. Being more concerned with our own comfort than what God is doing.

4. Being angry toward God.

5. Showing no concern for the eternal souls of others.

Jon 3:1 Then the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying,
Jon 3:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it the message that I tell you."
Jon 3:3 So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh . . .
Jon 3:5 And the people of Nineveh believed God.
Jon 4:1 But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry.
Jon 4:2 And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.
Jon 4:3 Therefore now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live."

Imagine being angry enough to want to die - all because God brought to repentance an entire city?

How is your heart?

You can hear the entire message by clicking here.

Thanksgiving

2007-12-02T01:15:00.000-05:00

gingram | 22 November, 2007 21:07

I have so much to be thankful for! My family, my home, my country, my salvation . . . but without God, none of this would be possible. I was thinking during our car ride home from my in-laws, where we had Thanksgiving dinner, that I am seeing glimmers of hope where my relationship with the Lord is concerned.

Let me explain: in my November 10, 2007 post, I noted that my husband's kidneys stopped working as a result of his cancer and that we endured 18 months of hemodialysis before his switch to home dialysis earlier this year. A lot went on in those 18 months including watching my husband grow weaker and more incapacitated due to his initial chemo, way too many doctor's appointments (Phil's oncologist at the time refused to believe that medication side effects were indeed that and sent him to doctor after doctor trying to find other explanations), preparation for a stem cell transplant and the procedure itself, five hospitalizations, three surgeries, navigating the disability and Social Security disability nightmare, taking over the household responsibilities Phil used to have, taking him to dialysis at least twice a week, sometimes three times and arranging transportation for the Saturdays I didn't take him, keeping the household running, and leaving our church of 16 years. During all this, my faith remained strong and vibrant. Yet when all this was over, and our training for home dialysis complete, my faith began to disintegrate. Not that I doubted my salvation. That never entered my mind. I was so utterly worn out that I just shut down, and I have not recovered. But a couple days ago, I experienced a bit of the excitement I used to have, a few brief moments of worship, a stirring of hope within.

On Wednesday evening, I purchased a fabulous album, the second vocal release by Gordon Mote, Don't Let Me Miss the Glory. Several of the songs resonated with me the first few times I listened to the album. Gordon's rendition of Steven Curtis Chapman's My Redeemer is Faithful and True is one:

[Psalm 103:17 - "But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children", ESV]

As I look back on the road I've travelled,
I see so many times He carried me through;
And if there's one thing that I've learned in my life,
My Redeemer is faithful and true.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

[Chorus:] My Redeemer is faithful and true.
Everything He has said He will do,
And every morning His mercies are new.
My Redeemer is faithful and true.

My heart rejoices when I read the promise
'There is a place I am preparing for you.'
I know someday I'll see my Lord face to face,
'Cause my Redeemer is faithful and true.
My Redeemer is faithful and true. [Chorus]

And in every situation He has proved His love to me;
When I lack the understanding, He gives more grace to me. [Chorus]

(Steven Curtis Chapman and James Isaac Elliott)

Another song, which Gordon sang at the Gaither Give It Away Tour last month (accompanied by majestic nature scenes projected on the big screens at the front of the concert venue), was written by Joe Beck and Carl Cartee. Don't Let Me Miss the Glory has been described as "sweeping," but I would use words such as "majestic," "awe-inspiring," and "majestic." I especially like the reference to Lamentations 3:22 - 23: "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (ESV)

In the view from the mountain

There’s a story to be told

In the crashing of the ocean

There’s a power that no man can ever hold

All the stars in the heavens

Decorate your handiwork

Like a mighty choir, they’ve come to celebrate your worth

[Chorus] Don’t let me miss the glory

Don’t let me miss the grace

And all creation singin’

To the honor of your name

Don’t let me miss the wonder

Don’t let me miss the grand design

The lightning and the thunder

Lord, open up my eyes

Don’t let me miss the glory

In the cry of a baby

In the laughter of love

In the dance of the faithful

You will find the greatness of our God above

In the prayer of the righteous

In the beauty of your grace

In the brand new morning’s mercy

All your memory of my sin has been erased

[Repeat Chorus, Bridge, Repeat Chorus]

So much to be thankful for! Keep your eyes on the One Who is Faithful and True, marvel at His beautiful grace, celebrate His worth, delight in morning's new mercy! Blessed be the Name of the Lord!!

Good Thoughts

2007-12-02T01:14:00.000-05:00

gingram | 16 November, 2007 12:35

Deby, writer of Apples of Gold, brought to the attention of an online list we are both part of a great post from Susan at By Grace. Susan asks "Who - or What - Is Your God? Are we really looking to the Scriptures alone, or are we making trends, movements, or other people's thoughts and opinions our "god"?

Interesting how this ties in somewhat with my previous post on temptation and idolatry.

Tapping Into God's Strength

2007-12-02T01:12:00.000-05:00

gingram | 11 November, 2007 21:49

Lately I've been thinking about overcoming temptation. God's Word speaks of this in I Corinthians 10: 13 - "No temptation has overtaken you that is unusual for human beings. But God is faithful, and he will not allow you to be tempted beyond your strength. Instead, along with the temptation he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to endure it." (International Standard Version) Here, God acknowledges that temptation will be a part of life, but that He will give us a way out. Where I think we get hung up is the part of the verse that says we will not "be tempted beyond [our] strength." We cannot overcome temptation in our own strength, but only by submitting ourselves fully to the Lord in this and every situation and confessing our own weakness to overcome, allowing His strength which shows itself triumphant when we are weak, to overtake us and thereby have victory over the temptation we are facing. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." II Cor. 12:9, English Standard Version

"But how do we do that", you might ask. "What is the formula which I must follow in order to get God's strength and thereby overcome this temptation which I am facing?" There is no formula, no magic words, no special prayer. You must simply acknowledge your weakness before God, your inability to walk through this alone, and ask for His strength. Fall on your knees before Him, give Him praise!

2Sa 22:2 Our LORD and our God, you are my mighty rock, my fortress, my protector.
2Sa 22:3 You are the rock where I am safe. You are my shield, my powerful weapon, and my place of shelter. You rescue me and keep me from being hurt.
2Sa 22:4 I praise you, our LORD! I prayed to you, and you rescued me from my enemies.

Pray the Psalms and other passages of Scripture where God is exalted. Darkness will flee before Him!

One other point to ponder: Temptation which comes again and again may, in reality, be an addiction which you must deal with. Simply substituting another behavior for temptation of this type is not the answer; turning from your idolatry (which is what addiction is because you have made addiction your god) and putting God in His rightful place ("You shall have no other gods before me" Exodus 20:3). This is beyond what I dare tackle here, but I would refer you to the book, Women Helping Women by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Carol Cornish for a Biblical approach to addiction.

My Testimony

2007-12-02T01:05:00.000-05:00

gingram | 10 November, 2007 20:47

John 3:3 - "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." (English Standard Version)

I came to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in August, 1979. I was 19 years old.

As I look back, I can see God's working in my life. I grew up in a mainline denomination church, faithfully attending services, and singing in the youth and adult choirs. During one of my high school years I attended confirmation class and joined the church. I remember thinking "I must be a Christian now", but I still felt the same emptiness that had plagued my life for so long. It was during the summer of 1979 that God brought true, born again Christians into my life. One night after dinner, I went into the kitchen where we had a small television. I turned it on and listened intently as Billy Graham spoke. I realized for the first time that being a member of a church wasn't going to get me into heaven, but confessing my sin and my need of a Saviour would. My heart was opened and God welcomed me into His family,

Several years ago, I had the privilege of being lead female vocalist for o

ur then-church worship team. That experience taught me how to worship God in a real and exciting way, which was another turning point in my life, something I desperately needed.

Events Which Have Shaped My Life -

- Marriage to the most wonderfully patient man in the world on May 26

, 1984.

- Being diagnosed with fibromyalgia in June, 1994.

- Homeschooling my two daughters.

- My husband's diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma (incurable blood cancer) AND kidney failure on December 16, 2005. We endured 17 months of hemodialysis before Phil started on home dialysis in June, 2007. You can read more about Phil's cancer treatment by clicking here.

- Leaving our church of 16 years in early September, 2006. (I'm not going to elaborate out of respect for my husband's desire that we not discuss details.)