Thursday's Thought

Hebrews 13:8

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

Greetings, family and friends!

Once again, I find myself at the end of the day and just now finding time to blog. Today started off really good but a call from my husband brought a cloud into my day. A friend of mine, an evangelist's wife like myself though younger by a few years, passed away in her sleep. I was stunned. Although I hadn't talked to her in quite some time, I immediately remember the times we did talk and the times we were together; and now, she was gone.

This wasn't supposed to happen - it wasn't to be.... if you were to ask me.

But, God, the only One who knows all, understood why He chose her to leave us at this particular time. My heart bleeds for her husband who loved her dearly, and her children, and grandchildren. If I am hurt, then they are devastated. The death of a loved one is a deep, deep pain.

My daughter lost a dear friend last Friday, and today I lost a friend. 

As I have often told friends and family members, one of the points I took to heart from the book entitled The Purpose Driven Life, written by Rick Warren, was that this life isn't heaven. There will be pain here until the Lord Jesus Christ returns for His church. Then, and only then, will we have eternal life. But, until then, we must trust our lives into His capable hands.

Which brings me to a dear, old song....

Until Then

by Stuart Hamblen

Verse One

My heart can sing when I pause to remember

A heartache here is but a stepping stone

Along the trail that's winding always upward

This troubled world is not my final home

Chorus

But until then, my heart will go on singing

Until then, with joy I'll carry on

Until the day my eyes behold that city

Until the day, God calls me home

Verse Two

The things of earth will dim and lose their value

When we recall they're borrowed for awhile

And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble

When remembered up there, they will only bring a smile

God bless you all.... hope to see you again tomorrow with another spoonful!

Wednesday's Whisper

Psalm 68:19 - King James Version

 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Good evening, one and all....

Once again, I am about to end another day without a blog post, and that simply cannot happen! Today has truly been a Wonderful Wednesday, and I am enjoying being with my daughter, Heidi, son-in-love, Heath, and their three children... Nathaniel, Isaac, and newborn Chloe. We are all doing our best to adjust to life with a newborn baby!

Life is good all because God is good. In all of life's ups and downs, God remains faithful. Every day may not be good, but there is some good in every day. The Psalmist David said it best when he wrote that the Lord "daily loadeth us with benefits". We are given tremendous blessings as each new day dawns. 

Sometimes, God blesses us with BIG blessings... like miracles... of healing, prayers answered, etc. Then, there are the times when God gives us a blessing that only those who have walked in our shoes can understand its worth. Yesterday was one of those days for my parents and their children. My dad, who has been in two different rehab facilities (or a nursing homes) for over a year, was able to be moved back to the first facility. For a year, we had prayed that he could come back to where he first started receiving treatment for his dementia, but yesterday was the answer to those prayers. And, Dad seemed to adjust to the move! We cried over this special blessing, as the first facility was much closer to where my mother and brother (and his family) live. Overall, it was a much better place for our Dad.

I just want to close this Wonderful Wednesday by saying, "Thank You, Jesus!" The God of wonders whispered sweet words to us and we're grateful. He performed something BIG for us; He once again caused us to say, "WOW! Would you just look at God!"

Hopefully, I can write earlier tomorrow.... Good night, family and friends!

Tuesday's Tidbit

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Good morning, everybody!

Trusting that today will be a Terrific Tuesday! I have been wanting to share a beautiful song with you for several days now, along with a sweet memory.

We attended the dedication service of a new church in Ball, LA, last Friday night. While a slide show was playing, I noticed the lyrics of the background song, so I Googled this morning to obtain the lyrics. The song was about the church sanctuary being God's house, and oh, how true that is; yet, our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost once Jesus comes to abide therein. Just as a church sanctuary is dedicated for the glory of God, so must our bodies be dedicated to Him.

We are not our own. We have been bought with a great price. The Apostle Paul admonished the church at Corinth to "glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's". What a great responsibility lies on our shoulders - to glorify God with this temple that He has given us and cleansed through His blood. We are HIS so we need to show the world around us whose we are!

I'd like to share the lyrics now from that song....

THIS IS YOUR HOUSE

As sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

Chorus

This is Your house, Father, come and dwell

This is Your house, a holy house of prayer

Where the lost and the lonely

Bring their burdens and their cares

This is Your house

This is Your house

Come and dwell

Verse One

We dedicate this temple to You, Lord

Let Your glory fill this sanctuary

Be enthroned on the praises of Your people

Lord. We agree in unity

Verse Two

Holy Spirit overflow this place
Decorate our walls with grace and mercy
And healing and redemption, find searching souls
Lord have your way, we humbly pray.

This is another day that the Lord has given us to work, to love others, to enjoy His blessings, and to let our lights shine!

God bless you, one and all, and if He is willing, I'll return tomorrow with another spoonful!

Monday's Moment

Deuteronomy 6:7

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

Marvelous Monday.... what's left of it... to all of you!

Shortly after I blogged yesterday morning, my very pregnant daughter, Heidi, called with news that she thought her little daughter was going to arrive earlier than planned. April 5th had been set for the day that she would be delivered through a C-section procedure. At the time of her call, my daughter and husband were en route  to take food to the facility where they were to have a church dinner after Sunday School. I was in the process of blowing drying my hair - my flight was supposed to be on Saturday, April 2nd! We weren't quite ready for the baby!

Oh, but babies don't wait until just the right time to be born - oh, no! They come when they want to. But, with joy my daughter, son-in-love, and their two sons, welcomed the arrival of Chloe Renee Flowers, 7 pounds 8 ounces, 19 1/4 inches long, at 12:20 PM on Easter Sunday. Someone commented that they received some more Easter Flowers!! Cute!

I was able to change my flight, so I arrived in Dallas from New Orleans around 11:00 PM on Sunday night. Wow! What a day had transpired. We were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ all over the world.... and we celebrated new life in our family the same day!

This is another baby girl born into a God-loving, God-fearing Christian home... where she will have the privilege of being taught about One God! What a privilege my children have to plant seeds of truth in yet another little child. 

As midnight approaches, I just want to write about this new addition, and to just say how blessed I feel to be a Mimi one more time! When I held her, it brought so much joy. To God be the glory for all He has done for us!

Until tomorrow... which isn't far off.... 

Sunday's Specialty

Luke 24:1-8

1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.

8 And they remembered his words,

Good morning, and a Happy Easter to you all!

While the story of the crucifixion bothers me greatly, the story of the resurrection thrills me. The agony was over for Jesus and, early on the first day of the week, He arose - victorious over death, hell and the grave! Because HE lives, we can live also!

Imagine being one of the women walking toward the tomb, wondering who will roll away the stone, only to find it already rolled away! They came to anoint the dead body of their Savior, but He was no longer there! 

The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus is a symbol of our born again experience - we die out to our sins through repentance at an altar, then we are buried with Him through baptism in the name of Jesus Christ, and receiving the Holy Ghost is the resurrection to walk in newness of life!!! As Christ was victorious over death, we are victorious through Him over sin!

I'm glad to serve a risen Savior, and I believe I'll add the song that my daughter is using for her Sunday School class this morning:

Celebrate

by Don Moen

Celebrate Jesus, celebrate

Celebrate Jesus, celebrate

Celebrate Jesus, celebrate

Celebrate Jesus, celebrate

He is risen

He is risen

And He lives forevermore

He is risen

He is risen

Come on and celebrate

The resurrection of our Lord

May our Easter Sunday be a wonderful celebration, but may it become a daily celebration - Jesus lives!!

Lord willing, I'll return tomorrow for another spoonful.....

Saturday's Snippet

Philippians 1:21

 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Good morning, one and all!

Our dear friend, Carmen Hood, after much suffering, left this life for a better one yesterday. She was a true Christian lady. Her young husband, an evangelist, preceded her in death just one year and three months ago. Their young seven-year-old daughter has been left an orphan. Life hurts.

Those of us who knew her will miss her deeply, and such is the hardest part - the parting. Her suffering is over, and her race is won, but we're still in the race. One day, we will see each other again, when Jesus returns for His church.

This is one of my favorite songs about heaven, and I share it today in memory of Carmen Hood, and for my daughter, Heidi, whose heart is broken at the passing of her dearest friend:

Look for Me

by Rusty Goodman

Verse One

When you finally make your entrance to that City

Of jasper walls and bright golden avenues

As you behold all its beauty and its splendor

Remember, there's just one request I make of you

Chorus

Look for me, for I will be there too

I realize when you arrive, there'll be so much to view

After you've been there ten thousand years,

A million, maybe two

Look for me, for I will be there, too

Verse Two

As you go down your list of firsts

There's no question

You'll want to see your loved ones waiting there for you

And when you feel you've shared your story with the last one

That wants to hear you tell just how you made it through

Chorus

Look for me I'd like to hear it too

I realize when you arrive, there'll be so much to view

After you've been there ten thousand years,

A million, maybe two

Look for me, for I will be there too

May the God of all comfort be with the Hood family, and Sister Carmen's family, wrapping His love all around them. Grief is a lonely, dark journey and truly unbearable if it were not for Jesus Christ!

Lord willing, I'll be back tomorrow with another spoonful.....

Friday's Footnote

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour.

10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.

Good morning...... Fabulous Friday morning, Family & Friends!!!!

Thank God for another day to awaken; to breathe fresh air; to see the sun shine; and to let our lights shine!

I was thinking about friendship this morning, and the importance of this gift. My life has been blessed with many friends, but the close friends are the ones who mean so much. They are the ones who understand you when you're not sure you understand yourself. And, as verse 10 of Proverbs 4 tells us..."but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."

My mind went to a dear minister's wife who is dealing with the effects of chemo right now. I do not know this lady well, having only met her once, but that one meeting touched me, as it seemed I'd known her forever and always. She possessed a quiet, kind, godly spirit, and I loved her right then and there. I follow her blog, and when she wrote of her dark journey of cancer, I began faithfully calling her name out in prayer. I cannot go to where she is as it's too far, but my God is there with her... and I truly want to be the friend who helps her when she is down, if only through prayer.

Another dear friend, who recently received six organ transplants, is dealing with the daily ups and downs from surgery of this magnitude. Each day, I await word from my daughter (as this is her dear friend) to tell me how she's doing. Her name is another that I call in daily prayer. Once again, I cannot physically be there but God can, and when God is all we have, He is all we need.

I just want to say "Thank You, Lord" for my friends! And, I do so want to be a faithful friend to those I love..... 

God bless you this Friday, may it be fabulous with our Faithful Friend & Father!! Let's give Him thanks for every friend we have... especially HIM!

Hope to return again tomorrow to share another spoonful with you.

Thursday's Thought

Ephesians 4:32

 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Good morning, everybody!

Last night, at the end of service, the new convert I wrote about a few days ago, Kay, testified that she had never felt the kind of love like this church had offered her. She said, "For someone who has a hard time believing in herself, this kind of love really touched me." There is no replacement for showing love and kindness. It really matters.

Jesus was love personified. Everywhere He went, He was doing good. He healed. He touched. He spoke words of wisdom, love, and kindness. When He lives within us through the power of the Holy Ghost, then His love is the love that shines forth from us. His love is far-reaching; an all-encompassing love. He leaves no one out. 

The late Barbara Johnson wrote a book entitled, Boomerang Joy, with its overall theme being if you throw joy out, it will have a boomerang effect and come back to you every time. One of her quotes was: "Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved."

Other quotes about being kind are found in Joy Haney's book entitled, Seeds of Success. She shares these quotes:

Doing good to others is not a duty. It is a joy, for it increases your own health and happiness. 

- Zoroaster

When you are good to others, you are best to yourself. 

- Benjamin Franklin

Love cures people - both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it. 

- Dr. Karl Menninger

Life is short and we have never too much time for gladdening the hearts of those who are traveling the dark journey with us. Oh, be swift to love, make haste to be kind! 

- Henry Amiel

The greater man - the greater courtesy. 

- Alfred Lord Tennyson

A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men. 

- Thomas Carlyle

May our focus today be all about showing love and kindness to everybody we meet!

Have a Tremendous Thursday.... filled with doing good, and watching it boomerang back to you!

Hopefully, I'll be back tomorrow with another spoonful!