A LETTER TO MY READERS

 

            Last January we greeted the year 2020 and thought we had a perfect vision of how the year would go. Little did we know. The year was still a babe when everything went askew. In February I had the type A flu even though I had gotten the flu shot. It was the worst flu ever, says me, who holed up in the spare bedroom. Happily, hubby didn’t take it. I know it was the flu because I was tested.

            Then we heard about a new virus called Corona, later shortened to Covid-19. By the first of March, everything was shut-down and we were all shut-in. Easter dinner was canceled. Eggs hunts were canceled. Thankfully, I had a project of making photo albums for all the grandchildren. If I hadn’t had that, I probably would have been locked away and it wouldn’t have been in my house. Hubby got out only when necessary to run errands.

            2020 has been the year I fell in love with Walmart grocery pick-up. Why did it take so long to arrive? Never mind, it’s here now and I’m overjoyed.

            Then in April, our 11^th great-grandchild arrived, Everett Dean. We were so tickled. But a day or two afterwards, his mother and wife of our grandson, had a stroke. The prognosis was grim. We didn’t know if she’d even survived. After a week, the doctors said she would live, but painted a sad picture of her being bed-fast in a nursing home. God’s people rallied and a special time of prayer was called for her Miraculously, after that prayer session, she began to get better, improving rapidly. Today, she is almost as good as new and is even back to her artistic painting. We all rejoice, praising God every step of the way for the “Miracle of healing.”

            The pandemic got a little better in the spring and summer, especially the latter. I didn’t get to make my trip to visit relatives, but it’s so like God to bless us even in the hard times. That is just what He did. I went with our church youth group to a Christian Conference Center in Green Lake, Wisconsin. The camp was closed, but they were allowing in work teams to keep the grounds cleared. The youth worked and I tagged along to write.

            Let me explain what that trip meant to me. The year was 1988 and I was enrolled in a writer’s conference at Green Lake.  I spent a lot of time in prayer and meditation. It turned out to be a mountaintop experience where God placed a call on my life to write for His kingdom. I hadn’t been back since that time, and this gift of being able to return meant the world to me.   The next good thing that happened was our three granddaughters who live in New Mexico, Texas, and Alabama, brought their combined nine children—our great-grandchildren and came home for a visit. That was a super-duper nice surprise for us. While they were here, I hosted a garden party (tea) for the women of the family as we celebrated summer birthdays and remembered Grandma’s (my mom) summer birthday as well. How fun was that!   Summer was enjoyable. I spent long afternoons reading in the backyard surrounded by the beauty of nature. Hubby stayed busy mowing yards and this & that.

            The fall has not been quite as pleasant as once more the Covid numbers zoomed and many of our friends were stricken, including one of my sisters, who passed away. Again, people began to debate about canceling holiday activities.           

            Then there was the angry election. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget how angry and hateful people have been and are over the election; nor the anger over whether the Cornavirus was a hoax or not; or whether to mask-up. Friendships teetered on the brink of dissolving and families began to bicker over this or that. So, as I walk steadily towards a new year, I’ll gladly say goodbye to the angry part of 2020.

            I wish I could say it was the year, and that when we ring in 2021, the strife will all be over--that we will all sing the song from Frozen, “Let it go,”--and that hard feelings will disappear. But I’ve lived long enough to realize, that grudges may be held and bitterness may carry over into the New Year. How sad is that?

            I ask myself, what would Jesus say to us, and I hear Him speaking once again words from the Scriptures, “Go and sin no more,” “Do not worry,” “As much as possible, be at peace with everyone,” “Love one another.” “God is in control,” and I’m encouraged.

            2021 may start out a little rough around the edges, but God is in control. He’s already written the ending and those in Christ know the outcome. May we all relax and be at peace. God’s got this. Can I hear an Amen?

 

Wishing you and yours a Merry Christmas

and

a New Year filled with Peace & Love

 

May love abide and peace prevail.

            Where chords clash, be the harmony.

            Where darkness weaves its tentacles, spread the light.

            Where people are broken, spread the blanket of compassion.

            Where the stench of inhumanity remains; give the sweet fragrance 

            of  JESUS.

            Where life has lost its flavor, try God, He will bring back its zest.

                                                                                           -Janet Teitsort

                                                                                     

If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Romans 12:18 ESV

           

           

 

The Fruitfulness of Abiding in Jesus

What do peas in a pod, a caterpillar in a cocoon, a heavy statute, and a Christian have in common? Abiding. Webster defines abide as 1. remain; continue 2. dwell. 3. stand firm

During the growing season, the peas remain snug in the pod until the time of harvest. As a caterpillar undergoes its metamorphosis, it dwells within the snug cocoon. A heavy statute stands firm through all kinds of elements, refusing to budge, and a Christian remains, dwells, and stands firm in faith waiting, anticipating, and expecting fruit in their life.

I first learned the spiritual meaning of abiding while at a writer’s conference. My first book had come out and already people were asking about the 2^nd one. What if there wasn’t a 2^nd one? The panic began to mount. Then my eyes fell upon John 15.

I realized that my stewing would not give me another success; it was only going to steal the joy of the first one. All I needed to do was abide in the arms of my sovereign God. If He wanted me to have another, it would happen. If He wanted me to bear other kinds of fruit, I would. I remember my sense of peace in that moment of revelation.

What is the role of an abiding Christian? We must follow him in our lives, but trust HIM for the outcome. As we stay connected, the sprouts of trust begin to breakthrough discouragement. The Holy Spirit can produce His fruit in us because we are abiding.

How might this fruit appear in the life of an abiding Christian? (Galations 5:22-23)

Love—An abiding Christian loves his fellowman, encouraging and helping, plus he is always pointing people to Christ.

Joy—An abiding Christian is joyful as they follow the Lord. Joy will bubble up and out of them in their daily life.

Peace—An abiding Christian is contented and at peace they are in God’s will.

Patience—An abiding Christian is patient as they await the answers to their prayers, be it a week, month, or years.

Kindness—An abiding Christian encourages and treats mankind as they want to be treated.

Goodness—An abiding Christian’s goodness springs unselfishly from the heart as they serve their family and fellowman.

Faithfulness—An abiding Christian believes the one who calls them is faithful; that the seed planted will come to fruition. They keep on keeping on.

Gentleness—An abiding Christian presents the truth not with a preachy tone but with gentleness and boldness of spirit.

Self-Control—An abiding Christian will not let negative emotions trip them up, but will burrow in the Word and stay intimate with the Lord.

Is it always easy to abide? No, in our humanity, we need encouragement. Although we need to learn to turn to God first for our encouragement, we need each other. I once heard about a little girl who was afraid of the dark. Her mother told her not to be afraid, that God was with her in the dark.

The little girl replied, “But Mommy, I need someone with skin on.” Thus it is with all of us, and that’s why joining with other believers is helpful in learning to stand firm and abide. What will you decide? Choose now to let the Holy Spirit’s fruit blossom in your life, abide in HIM and join with other believers? Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer. Hebrews 10:25 GNT

Exercise your faith and watch for those sprouts of fruitfulness. Stay in the Word and don’t forget to pray. Live a fruitful life. Make your time on earth count.

                                                                                                               

FLIPPING HOUSES & DRY BONES

He asked me, "Son of man, can these bones live?"

I said, "Sovereign LORD, you alone know."

Ezekiel 37:3 NIV

            Flipping houses has long intrigued me. I love watching Chip and Joanna Gaines of HGTV’s hit show “Fixer Uppers” and all the other shows where someone takes an old house and breathes new life into it. Even in the small town where I live, people are starting to take a structure down to the studs and do a few do overs. I’m always wowed! The outcome is mind boggling. People who do this seem to have a sixth sense regarding transformation. They see something unique in the bones of the house.

            I’ve seen this valuable asset in the encouragers of life. They can sense the potential in others and they encourage them—whether the individuals are in a valley or just beginning their journey—to step up to the challenge, go the extra mile, and do whatever it takes to live the best life they can.

            In the biblical book of Ezekiel, chapter thirty-seven, God allows Ezekiel to have a vision of dry bones in a valley. We can assume that if there are dry bones, the skeletons are really dead.

He asks Ezekiel can these bones live again? 

            I would have probably been like Ezekiel and shook my head, muttering, I don’t know. Then he tells Ezekiel to start prophesying to the bones, saying listen to what the Lord says.

            But the story is about Israel whose hope is gone. They are the dry bones in this vision.

Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the

people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and

our hope is gone; we are cut off,’ Ezekiel 37:11 NIV

            The vision is symbolic as God assures Ezekiel that yes indeed, new life can be breathed into Israel. God could see Israel’s potential, just as he can see each person’s potential. He can breathe new life into you, and you, and you. If your hope is gone, he can restore it so don’t give up. And that lost individual you’ve been praying about, God loves them even more than you do and it is not his will that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9). Just keep praying and trusting. God can see down to the bones and he can make dry bones live again!

Touching Hearts: THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET. . .

Touching Hearts: THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET. . .: “There’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza, dear Liza, there’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza, a hole,” so sings Henry in the old Engli...

THERE'S A HOLE IN THE BUCKET. . .

“There’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza, dear Liza, there’s a hole in my bucket dear Liza, a hole,” so sings Henry in the old English nursery rhyme. Liza tries to come up with numerous ways to mend it, but Henry always finds it won’t work.

Many of us humans go through life, trying to fill the hole, or rather the emptiness within. We try to fill up the gaping hole with activities and busyness. We run here and there, and like poor Henry, we find the hole is still there. The busyness was just a passing fancy and didn’t fill our void.

Then we try accumulating stuff. Stuff is all the things that give us pleasure—that is—pleasure for a bit, then the emptiness is back. We buy baubles and bangles, the latest fashions, the latest cars, or any little thing our heart desires. Our houses get bigger, fancier, we want the latest of everything, but nothing fills that hole. Next, we might try traveling and oh, what beauty, what pleasures we see. We go to concerts, we recognize the actors by name, and we know all about their latest marriage, their latest child—but still it doesn’t fill us.

We surround ourselves with friends, acquaintances. We become the life of the party, and party we do. But often we feel the emptiness in a room packed with people, so the search continues for a way to plug the hole. Will we find it in drink, street drugs, or prescription meds? No, those things don’t work either. We are empty, empty, empty.

Sometimes, we try to plug the hole with food, or maybe the opposite. We fill it with exercise; after all, it’s good for us, isn’t it? Just like the nursery rhyme song, it goes on and on until like Henry, we’re back mourning about the hole within us—nothing makes us fill better.

Finally, when we’re at our wits end, we hear it—that still small voice that says, “Come unto me all ye who are weak and heavy laden and I will give you rest for your soul.” Ah, that sounds good. Could it be that I’ve just heard the voice of God. “Come to me all you who are thirsty, come to the water.” I’ve heard of God. I grab the book that is supposed to be about him and discover promise upon promise. What would happen if I believed them? What would happen if invited him in?

The hole in your soul would be filled, dear child, dear child. You would be full and running over. Take my hand and let me fill your emptiness. I love you and I’ve been waiting for you so long…

Scriptures: Matt 11:28 &

Isaiah 55:1