Old and gray

My husband had a birthday this week.  We laughed and reminisced on time of our youth.  Time of church camp where neither of us knew the other existed yet we were at the same location by the nature of where we lived.  We didn't know each other, we did not attend the same church and we did not live on the same street.  That was 40 years ago.  We have entered a new [albiet fun] phase.

There have been many changes in our lifetime.  One of those is music.  We often listen to a radio station that my parents listen to KHCB 105.7.  We love some of the pastors and love the sermons.  We also like the traditional music.  What happened to the days of Victory in Jesus and Nothing but the Blood? 

I love the music and often hear it in English and singing it in Spanish.  Those were the hymns I grew up with.  I can remember being young and going to church with my grandmother.  She loved Jesus and would often share scripture with us as young children. 

There were no safer arms than those of grandma.  I have a picture of her on my fridge and think of her often.  I want to be like her.  I want to make an impact on the lives of others.  I want to share Jesus to a world that is crazier now than it was in the 60's. 

I recall my grandmother walking around the house singing a song like My God is Real or It is Well with my Soul.  I would often join in and sing with her frail thin voice.  Although I miss her dearly, I am grateful she has not had to witness our world of tolerance and changes in our society. 

I choose to hold on to her memory of singing softly and speaking to me through song. 

On a different note, I have a friend that writes songs.  Yes, she writes songs.  I don't know to what extent (music or lyrics only) but I do know she is always looking to write a song.  I often read a good idea that she has posted and know that she will succeed with a great song. 

I have thought of going to her and asking her to write a song on my most recent "favorite verse." After all, many songs are scripture inspired Strong Tower [Prov, 18:10]; You are My Hiding Place [Psalm 32:7] and so many more. 

So my favorite verse might be sung :

Even when I'm old and gray do not forsake me M-y God;
Let me declare your power; let me declare your power; let me declare your power
to the next, and the next and the next generation!

I love it.  Okay so if you don't like my song, imagine my grandmother singing it. It seems like an Old Lady's song but that is my prayer! I will have a birthday soon and I have quickly fallen from society's mold of "youth" but I stand ready to continue my journey of "declaring the Lord's power" to the next generation. 

My grandmother cared enough for me that she would not stop until she declared God's power to the next generation....me! 

My friend that writes songs still has children at home and now has another generation of grandchildren.  Who will minister to them, who will speak to them, who will share the Word of God if our current generation doesn't?  We will.  We are never to old to share the message that Jesus is Lord!  Sing it, say it, live it....anyway you can, deliver the message.  You will never be to old or to gray regardless of what society says!

Even when I am old and gray do not forsake me my God, til I declare your power to the next generation.  Psalm 71:18


Counting on Eva Wilson to make it happen.

Still standing

A few weeks ago I was travelling to my father-in-law's house and on the way, I passed a Nativity set in a front yard.  It was that white wood material and it was the silhouettes of the individuals.  There were three kings, a shepherd, Joseph, Mary, some sheep and of course, baby Jesus. 

Travelling this road frequently I had seen it often.  I love the lawn decorations that represent the true meaning of Christmas.  On this specific day there had been strong winds.  I was exhausted from life events and was on my way to clean his house.  As I approached the yard with this scene, I noticed that the decorations had been disturbed.  All of the silhouettes were laying on their side.  I imagined that the strong winds had knocked them over. 

They were all lying on their side except the baby Jesus.  I thought to myself "how amazing that the baby Jesus of all things would survive the strong winds."  I then put real meaning into it.  As I walk through the desert, Jesus is there; as I struggle with personal issues, Jesus is there;' though others may mock, ridicule, criticize and gossip about me, Jesus is there...through the strong winds of my life, Jesus still stands!

When you are in a trial and you feel alone, remember that Jesus will never fail you.  Those in your life that you "count on" may disappoint you, but Jesus will never fail you.  If you walk through that valley, rememember He is with you and one day....one glorious day, that valley will be a testimony.  I do not take that lightly.  I have walked that valley and today, God is using that to His glory.

A personal journey travelled makes the best testimony.  While it is painful at the time, Jesus is standing right next to us.  Do not give up, endure the storms and strong winds.  Even if you fall, Jesus will still be standing and He will not let go!

Kings and rulers will fall but the King of Kings will stand forever!

Jesus answered "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going.  You judge by human standards, I pass judgment on no one.  But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone.  I stand with the Father who sent me.  John 8:14-16

Be ready

Yesterday we were packing some things at my father-in-law's house.  I discovered a small piece of paper with a shopping list on it.  I'm certain it was written long before my father-in-law's trip to the nursing home. 

As I reviewed it, I noticed he had specifics listed on it.  He had things he was getting at Randall right down to the price:  Country Style Ribs .99 cents a pound, Babyback Ribs-1.49 a pound and so on.  Below that he had written Kroger: Kroger Oil-1.99; Avacados-2 X1.00, etc.

He poured over the weekly advertisements or "sales" as he put it and would hunt for just the right the price.  He knew one of us would pick him up and drive him to where he needed to go and he was not going to be caught unprepared.  I remember when I would call and say "I'm on my way" he would reply "I'll be ready."

Life is an everyday adventure that calls for us to be ready!  We know that one day Christ will come to collect his people and we do not want to be saying "Wait...I still have unfinished business." 

Today is the day to make those preparations.  Is there someone who covets your forgiveness?  Do you need to set your heart in line with God's plan?  Is there a relationship that is not right in the eyes of God?  Today is the day to take care of that. 

Like my father-in-law, make those preparations today.  When God comes calling, I want to be ready!

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.  But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.  So you must be ready because when the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.  Matthew 24:42=44

What will it be?

If you have ever been on a cruise you know that every night when they come to service your cabin, they leave chocolates on your bed and a towel.  A towel!  One might ask "Why a towel?"  The answer to that is "to show their creativity."

If you picture a towel, you might picture a hand towel or bath towel that is used to dry off or clean off something that is wet.  So why would someone leave a towel on your bed when you already have a set of towels in your cabin?  Well, if you look at this flat, long piece of terry cloth fabric, when you see it on your bed at night, it is hardly recognizable. 

We have walked in to see rabbits, frogs and even elephants shaped from towels laying on our bed.  It is funny to see what can be created and the anticipation of what we will see each night is exciting.  Someone has actually taken a towel and shaped it into a new thing, a beautiful thing. 

It only took having an extra towel available.  So as I think of that towel being shaped and the individual shaping it, I wonder how it would change things if there no extra towels available for this added luxury.

This year, I pray that I will present myself available to Christ like that flat towel and that I will allow Him to shape me into something beautiful in his work.  Some of that work may be easy and quick and like these towel animals, some of it may be extensive and take a longer time. 

Whatever the case, I pray that God shapes me into something that will bring happiness to his kingdom and that I may somehow impact others. I pray that I will be filled with anticipation of how He will shape me and  that the shaping will be so intense that others would not recognize what I once was.  I pray that I will willingly turn myself over to Him and allow Him to work in my life and ultimately let go to the point of asking "What will I be after God gets through shaping me?"

Happy New Year all!

Yet you Lord are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter, we are the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.  Jeremiah 18:4