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On March 9th, my mom lost her battle with cancer. Yet I have many reasons to give God praise! 1. During her last days, my mom gave her heart to Jesus! 2. God showed me the angels that were standing at her bedside in ICU. 3, My husband and I were able to pray with mom, read Scriptures to her, and sing hymns to her before her home going. 3. She did not have a prolonged death. She was only in the hospital about 48 hours. 4. God gave me the grace to do the funeral service. I was able to tell the gospel story, to tell about how He longs for us to enter into a loving relationship with Him, to family and friends. 5. God gave my husband the grace to do the graveside service. And he did a wonderful job! 6. Dan, a former neighbor and "adopted" brother, came to the funeral. He also heard about God's love. 7. God is restoring relationships within our family. 8. As my mom was going from this life into the next, the nurse stayed with us. My husband told mom it was graduation day. He told of how Jesus would be waiting for her and how there would be no more pain or suffering. God used this to show this nurse, who does not know Him, about what awaits after this life. Her life was touched by what Matt said. 9. As I was at the wake and funeral, I literally felt as if God was standing behind me with His arms around me. I have NEVER felt His presence more strongly than during those days back home. Jesus did as He promised. He told me that she would be saved before she died. And He did much more than I ever could imagine! Although we may not understand why it has to be so hard, we can always rest in His promises! For they are yea and amen! God deserves our praise - even in the midst of the storm!
Yes, I know. When compared to eternity, 50 is like a drop in the bucket. But today, I am feeling old (there is no mood indicator for "old", so I chose "full of life"). My mom turned 77 a few days ago. In 5 days, my half brother will be 67. In 10 days, my next to youngest will turn 20. Next month, my youngest will be 13 and I will be 51. Ugh! Most of the kids in the youth group are taller than I am. Some of my children's church kids are taller than I am!!! My adult children tell me to turn my music down because it is too loud! But I know that God's purposes for my life are just as real today as they were when He first revealed them to me. And though I am old and gray...er...box blond-headed, He will see His purposes for me through to completion. A pastor once said it this way....He was walking on a beach in Florida. He said he could see the beach for miles before and behind him. The beach seemed to go on forever. So, God told this pastor to pick up the amount of grains of sand according to the life span he thought he would have. Then, he very carefully chose 75 grains of sand and lifted them up to the Lord. God spoke to his heart and said, "You give me what is in your hand, and I'll give you the beach." Lord, I may be feeling old, but I lift my life up to You once again. Thank-you that by Your Spirit I can do all things that You call me to do. Oh, and Lord, thank-you for the beach!
Today is the one year anniversary of Cape Cod's freak winter "hurricane". That day began with some rain. By noontime, the sun had come out, complete with a rainbow. Unfortunately, tempers were flaring in my cellar. My two youngest sons were in yet another argument. The 18 yo decked the 11 yo and then came up to announce that he needed to take a walk to vent. I agreed, but told him to take his coat. He walked out of the house with his coat on, which was miracle number one in a day of miracles. Within 30 minutes, the clouds returned and it began to snow. At first, it was just flurries. I became a bit concerned, since the weatherman had called for only rain that day. But I figured my 18 yo had walked to one of two places. So, I continued to work on the computer. "Mom, where is Andy?" my oldest son asked nervously. As I began to respond, he opened the curtain. It was whiteout conditions! Quickly, I moved to the phone, but as I began to dial, I found that the cable was already dead. No internet and no phone = no way to find my son. My daughter returned from work a few minutes later, another miracle in whiteout conditions. She had seen Andy walking towards his grandmother's, which is eight miles from our house, but she didn't think to pick him up and bring him home. By now I was extremely worried. And with the driving the way it was, I could not risk my daughter going after him in the car. The route Andy was taking was near a strip mall. We hoped that he had enough sense to go into one of the stores for shelter. So, we sat and prayed. Everytime I would get upset and bring my concern before the Lord, I would hear His still, small voice saying that Andy would be fine. So, I finally left Andy in God's hands and began to get things ready in case we lost power. My husband made it home from work a few hours later - another miracle. He said that Andy had left a message on his cell phone that he was at his grandmothers. We called him the next day and he had quite a story to tell. When the snow began to blow, he turned around, figuring that the country route with all the trees would give him better shelter from the storm. (Not my first or last choice!) It worked well unitl the last 3 miles. His jacket was soaked through. As he came to a few clearings. he was literally picked up by a few wind gusts and thrown on his backside - twice. But he knew that he had to keep going. As he neared a main road, he saw fire engines, police cars - and power lines down all over the road. As he started out onto the road, he was stopped by the fire chief. Andy explained that he only had a mile and a half left to go. The fire chief explained that the road was impassable until the power lines were either fixed or the power was cut. But the chief saw that Andy was freezing and soaking wet. He asked if Andy wanted to be checked out by an EMT. Andy said no, he just needed to get warm. So, the chief told him to get in his truck. He turned the heat on in his truck, gave my son his coffee, and told him he would soon return. Andy woke up about an hour later as the chief was profusely apologizing for leaving him alone for so long. The power had been cut, and the Yarmouth police were going back to their station. They would give Andy a ride the rest of the way. In the midst of flaring tempers, in the midst of mistakes in judgment, in the midst of a raging storm....when you can do absolutely nothing....God is and always will be faithful!
"To God, there are no foreign countries." &nb sp; - Rev. Ramsey Asfour- I should be asleep, but I can't get this quote out of my mind. God loves each person in every country equally. Therefore, we should do the same. We say that we love fellow believers in other countries, but do we try to understand their culture and their way of worship? Or do we judge them because of our differences? Some cultures have a more contemplative way of worship. For others, even worship songs are sung at full volume and repeated many times. Some whisper prayers one at a time, others in unison, and others shout their different prayers all at once. If we all love Jesus, does it really matter that some worship differently? Does it really matter that the worship song you love so much is sung a little differently than your usual way? Does it matter if some pray in unision and some don't?Does it really matter if a man does not show up to church in a suit and a tie? Does it really matter if a woman wears slacks to church? Can you worship next to someone with rings in his ears, in his nose, and in his tongue? Be happy that they are IN church! When we get to heaven, do we think God will say, "Well done good and faithful servant! You told them the right way to worship/dress/fill in the blank..." Or will He be grieved? To God ..... there are no foreign countries or cultures...... just His children whom He loves equally.
On Sunday morning, I gave everyone an assignment. It is as much for me as for those in the church. Every morning as you wake up pray, "Dear Jesus, today put one person in my path that needs to hear about You." How we could change our world for Jesus - one life at a time! Now there is nothing wrong with revival meetings and evangelists coming to church. But the body of Christ in America tends to rely on that wonderful Christian called "someone else" to do it all. But if we started the day with this prayer, then we would be looking for opportunities to share His love. A friend of ours is a Hospice worker. Last year, she was praying for a creative way to share her faith with her patients. God gave her a great idea! She crocheted snowflakes and glued red gems to them. He also gave her a poem to go with the snowflakes. It told about God's love for us, making us all different for a special purpose, and His death on the cross for us. God gave our friend an opportunity to give one of these snowflakes to a patient. This woman gave her life to the Lord. As the days for her homegoing came closer, this woman clung to her snowflake. It was a reminder to her that a new life was waiting for her in heaven.
If we ask, God will bring opportunities to us! May we be ready each day to fulfil our assignment - to be used in creative ways, to be His hands extended, to reach others with the Good News - one life at a time!
One of my favorite Jamaican worship choruses goes like this: Your grace and mercy Brought me through I'm living each moment Because of You I want to thank You And praise You, too. Your grace and mercy Brought me through As we approach Thanksgiving, I wonder if I fully understand that I am living each moment because of Jesus. Each breath that I take, His grace is extended towards me. Every moment of the day, His grace is available to me. Do I fully understand the joy that His salvation should bring or do I take my salvation for granted? Thank-you Jesus for your grace and mercy! Thank-you Lord for my salvation! May I live each moment for You!
Mounds of laundry The lack of a floor in one bedroom Wrestling matches in the basement Screams of delight and ...uh...not so delight Our house, the dirty dish magnet An empty refrigerator A trail of snack food wrappers Toxic waste sites (read:shoes freshly taken off of feet) Arm pit hugs to the sister Sister hands said brother a punch and a suggestion of deodorant. The triple Pidgeon John dance These are the blessings for which I never thought I would be thankful. My sons are coming home from college this weekend. God is good! 
This was sent to me by Pastor Brian! Thanks Brian!  Obituary Our church was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of our most valued members, Someone Else.
Someone's passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. Else has been with us for many years and for every one of those years, Someone did far more than a normal person's share of the work. Whenever there was a job to do, a class to teach, or a meeting to attend, one name was on everyone's list, "Let Someone Else do it." Whenever leadership was mentioned, this wonderful person was looked to for inspiration as well as results; "Someone Else can work with that group."
It was common knowledge that Someone Else was among the most liberal givers in our church. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed Someone Else would make up the difference.
Someone Else was a wonderful person; sometimes appearing superhuman. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much of Someone Else. Now Someone Else is gone! We wonder what we are going to do.
Someone Else left a wonderful example to follow, but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things Someone Else did?
When you are asked to help this year, remember -- we can't depend on Someone Else anymore.
October was a tough month and the clouds have not yet fully cleared. But in the midst of it all, God has given many blessings. I thank-you God for life. I thank you God my salvation. I thank-you God for being able to see, to hear, to speak, to walk. I thank-you God for a great family and a roof over our heads. I thank-you God for providing for all we need. I thank-you God for improving health. I thank-you God for my sons doing well in school. I thank-you God for my daughter who ministers to the elderly. I thank-you God for all the hard work my husband puts in for our family and the church. I thank-you God for our senior pastor and his family. I thank-you God for the phone call from my friend in Jamaica this morning. I thank-you God for the phone call from my son in FL this afternoon. I thank-you God for friends. I thank-you God for JC Faith. As the Jamaican chorus goes: Thanks, thanks, thanks For all that You have done. I am so blessed My soul is at rest. Oh, Lord, I give You thanks.
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