Repeat alert: I bought this book for my daughter over a year ago. It sit on her selves until this last month when my oldest granddaughter, freshly graduated from college picked it up to read. The effect it had on her is why I am reposting it. It moved her to tears. Why? This is my opinion, based on the fact I have read the book. The truth and honesty combined with the power of the Holy Spirit to convict causes a God-felt response in our soul since we all are too easily offended. If I was rich, this is the one book I would send to everyone in the world.

I really like to read book reviews, especially when the person writing the review tells how the book affected them.

First of all, on a scale of 1-5, I give this a 5+.  Second I had never heard of Brant Hensen but I am now reading my second book by him,  Blessed are the Misfits.

Third, most books I read are people who are in ministry full time. But this guy is a radio host and a full-time Christian.

Fourth, what made me buy it was he writes on a subject that is dear to my heart and yet the subject that can destroy my life if I let it, anger.

Let me just give you a couple of the questions from the back of the book jacket, it might draw you in like it did me.

Isn’t taking offense normal?  Aren’t we supposed to get offended?

Isn’t anger at sin justifiable?  If God gets mad, why can’t we?

Brant Hansen asks a radical, freeing question.  What if Christians were the most “unoffendable” people on the planet?  And He offers a life-changing idea: “righteous anger” is a myth, and giving up our “right” to be offended can be one of the most healthy, simplifying, relaxing, refreshing, stress reliever, encouraging thing we can do.

Now here is how this book has helped me, but first let me say, he says nothing new or anything I did not already know.  The pastor I got saved under always said, repetition is the best way to learn and I totally agree.  I have read countless books on “anger”, Hansen formula is not new, people have been writing about it since the beginning of writing things down.  Ever since the first sin of unbelief when Eve was challenged if she really believe what God said about eating that one fruit, the results of it begin to manifest itself in anger,  which led to wrath and a brother killing a brother, and the host of all sins.

Hansen puts it simply, I can choose to be offended.  Right off the bat he lays it back on me, not the one who offended me, but little old me.  We do not have the right to be angry, we are told to forgive.  Both cannot exist together.

Personally I can remember believing I had every right to be angry, (offended) at how my Dad treated me, my mother, and two brothers growing up.  Let me give you a little taste of the word he used to describe us, “pitiful”.  Start every day of your life with that word bouncing around in your head.  He was a drunk, abusive father with no affection toward us or anyone for that matter.  Don’t you think I have the right to be angry about what he did to us?

Had God not come into my life and I believed He sent His Son to die for me I would still be living with that anger boiling inside me.  That was just the start of a journey of learning forgiveness trumps anger any day.  If I could trust God for my eternal salvation I had to trust Him for the whole package..

I love the way Hansen put God’s spin on, “righteous anger”.  ” I quote, “we like being angry. We don’t like what caused the anger, to be sure; we just like thinking we’re “got” something on someone. So and so did something wrong, something horribly wrong, and anger offers us a sense of moral superiority.  Righteous anger is tricky, it turns out I tend to find Brent Hansen’s anger more righteous than others anger, This is because I am so darn right”   ( you have to read this book so you will get the full effect of this principle that God laid down from the beginning, it’s the principal of GRACE. )
More from Hensen:  The thing that you think makes your anger “righteous ” is the very thing you are called to forgive.  Grace isn’t for the deserving.  Forgiving means surrendering your claim to resentment and letting go of anger.  Anger is extraordinarily easy. It’s our default setting. Love is difficult. Love is a miracle.

Back to how this book personally affected me.  I have noticed my awareness is keener when I get angry.  Hansen never says we will ever get to where we never get angry but when our thinking changes we can lessen the time it sticks in our mind.  Like our pastor said, you cannot keep the birds from flying over your head but you can keep them from building a nest.

The nest of hurt from my Dad has affected me all my life. I try to deny it by saying I have forgiven him and I have but here is how it manifests itself in the present day.  I transferred that hurt over my Dad to all men.  Being a survivor from an abusive home is hard to get over.  Trusting is a major problem for me.  Let me define that more, trusting any man is a problem for me.  Any man includes my husband.  Learning that I was to be submissive to him even when I did not agree was like an electrical shock going through me. If I agree with him no problem. I tell him all the time we women understand submissive on a deeper level.  I don’t believe that as strong as I use to but if I am not careful I will use it as my default to not forgive him.  I can, like everyone else, submit and not forgive at the same time.  Forgiveness goes deeper then submission or so I think.

To choose and I praise Him for the gift of choice, to choose to not be offended is exactly what Christ did as they crucified Him and He said, Father forgive them, they know not what they do.  The day I looked at my Dad, all broken, in a wheelchair, his mind gone and realized through God’s power that He died for my Dad,  and He shed the same amount of blood for him as He did for me was where my journey of shedding my anger, one step into truth at a time started.

 If you looking for a book to challenge your heart over being offended, look no more.  His book along with many others and sermons is what keeps me daily reminded this is a journey and it will not be over till Jesus calls me home.

Read a good book lately, could you leave the title in a comment please and if you wish a brief or long reason why you liked it, what did it help you with.  Or if you are like me, did it make you want to give it to someone so it can help them also.  I love to pass on good books to others.  Hope you do also.

Cause and Effect

How does one handle a college graduation that has been cancelled? Four whole years and no climactic ending, no throwing caps in the air, no parties, no recognition for all the hard work you did. No hearing your name called for being a four-year honor roll student.  No closure or so it seems and on top of that, the crisis still goes on.  

I have not written much on this latest crisis on Facebook or my blog just because life has been busy for me. Not that it hasn’t affected me, it has, but I like to search issues out before spilling my emotions.  So below is a little research I found which has helped me.  How do different experts define a crisis?  A number of different approaches and definitions exist.  Many focus on how a person deals with the event rather than with the event itself.     “People are in a state of crisis when they face an obstacle to important life goals—and obstacle that is, for a time, insurmountable by the use of customary methods of problem-solving.” (Caplan)     “…an upset in equilibrium at the failure of one’s traditional problems-solving approach which results in disorganization, hopelessness, sadness, confusion, and panic.”  (Lillibridge and Klukken)     “…crisis is a perception or experience of an event or situation as an intolerable difficulty that exceeds the person’s current resources and coping mechanisms.”  (JamesandGilliland)____________________________________________________________________________________

The one word that came to my mind as I read the experts definitions is, “control.”  So, my non-expert definition of crisis is….anything that I cannot control.  Now, that could be the store being out of chocolate ice cream if I am craving it. Or if the village next to us in Papua New Guinea is being burned by men who want the villages gone.  Or not being able to get my hair cut.  Or,  mountains in Bolivia we had to drive over to get to a city had a mudslide.  Or not being able to drive a new car you want to buy.  Or riots in the streets of Santa Cruz, Bolivia and the students are beating on the cab you are riding in.  Or not being able to work due to my workplace not being essential.  Or having to stay at home while they take your loved one to the hospital with a possible heart attack.  Or my number one granddaughter not having a ceremony after four years of college.  

Trust me, I do not mean to make light of all the things I named or the ones I did not or whatever was important to you.  There is a cause and effect to any crisis, small or large, ones caused by others or yourself, makes no difference, control is the core.  We respond when we lose control.

 In the last few months, like you, I have heard and seen some bad responses and praised God for some good ones too.  Hate the bad responses, love the good ones.  I want to be counted as being a good responder even if I am crying inside because I cannot control life.   Thats where self-discipline comes in.  What good does it do to have a fit, or meltdown as I call my fits.  Meltdown sounds so much softer, don’t you think?  If you have gotten through this last few months without a meltdown, pat yourself on the back.    I have not, so, no pat on the back for me. Here is a little bit more research I have picked up that has been a help concerning different kinds of crises.

Developmental crises occur as part of the process of growing and developing through various periods of life. Sometimes a crisis is a predictable part of the life cycle, such as the crises described in Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development.

Situational crises are sudden and unexpected, such as accidents and natural disasters. Getting in a car accident, experiencing a flood or earthquake, or being the victim of a crime are just a few types of situational crises.

Existential crises are inner conflicts related to things such as life purpose, direction, and spirituality. 

What made me want to write this post was listening and watching my number one granddaughter who just graduated from college.  She finished her courses at home and even worked her college job at home.  She got up every morning, dressed, got ready for class, walked over to her grandma’s to a room she set up upstairs.  There she had her online classes, wrote her final papers, did her telephoning job.  She did go back over to the college and got the rest of her stuff, and saw friends and teachers.  She loved college and worked hard to be productive.  She now is in the process of filling out job applications for the field she wants to go into.  All during a crisis she has no control over.  Yet, she has stayed sweet, helped others, increased her reading, and we have had several great discussions.  The effect I see in her is trusting the Lord more than she ever did.  I am sure you have seen this in others too, it’s that good response and we all have a choice on our response in a crisis that goes on and on no matter our age or station in life.  

Crisis is real, whether it developmental, situational, or existential, crisis is as old as time.  But so is control and when the two clash, watch out, our true colors will show.

 Let me introduce you to our grand daughter, Scarlett Rose Sutton,  2020 graduate of Concordia College, Honor Student.We are proud of her achievement in college but more proud of how she has grown into a courageous wise hearted woman.

Stirred Nest

Think with me for a moment.  Do you live a life of blessings or complaint? It is so easy to grumble. It is so easy to find fault.  It is so easy to be discontent.  It is so easy to find things that are less than you want them to be.  It is so easy to be irritated and impatient. It is so easy to groan and moan about the difficulties of life.  It is so easy to be dissatisfied. 
At street level, it is tempting to live a God-forgetful me-istic existence. If you put yourself in the center of your world, you will find plenty of things to complain about.   Paul Tripp———————————————————————————

Moving or huge change brings out of me all the things the quote talks about.  I know I am not alone in this,  I don’t like my nest being messed with. 

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For the past 41/2 years our nest has been sharing a house with our son and family.  We had our own living room, bedroom, bathroom, only shared a kitchen. It was a great set up and having the grandkids around was special, loud but special. They bought a small house that at this time will not accomadate us living with them.  So with much prayer we believe its time for us to move to Minnesota where our daughters lives. There is a cabin on their property which they want to fix up for us to live in, a permanent place when we need it.   We will live in our rv for the summer as they get it ready.   We can continue our ministry in any region of the country.

This process has been going on for over a month and in that month I have had a couple of meltdowns that shows my wanting to have things my way. I tell you , God is so gracious to me.  Despite my bad attitudes at times He has brought blessing after blessing into this stirring of the nest. 

A few days after we helped move our son stuff, Ace woke about 2 am one morning struggling with his heart.  It got bad enough he called the ambulance and they took him off to nearest hospital thinking he could be having a heart attack.  They left me at home alone to wait this out.   He already has one bypass, five stints and a difibulator in him  to help his damaged heart.  After a angiogram and several other test, they rules out another heart attack, no more new blockage.  The doctor adjusted his difibulator and put him on a stronger med for the racing of his heart and told him to go live.    HUGE PRAISE

We were in the middle of looking for  newer vehicle too since our old Buick, 2005, 2 hundred thousand miles was going to cost more then it was worth to fix for travel. 
Because of a huge gift toward another vehicle we purchase a 2017 Toyota Highlander SUV, capable of pulling a lightweight RV for our ministry.   HUGE PRAISE. 
Because our kids are worried about their Dad driving  to Mn. God has provided someone to go with us and help with the driving.   PRAISE THE LORD.  

  I think the buying the SUV was the most nerve racking.  We have not bought a car from a dealer since the 70’s or been in debt for one since then.  My husband  likes for me to go with him to look,  but after looking for days and a number of truck then SUV’s I was not a happy wife.  My,  just get it done now,  personality wanted to quit looking after the third one.  Thank God Ace loves to look,   because he found a great vehicle, good price with very low mileage.    

Today is the day we start loading the Uhaul Box…it’s about 93 degrees outside.  

Ok, lets get to the nitty gritty.  We see God all over this move, all over the heart issue, all over the car issue, all over not enough help, all over it all.  Yet…even with Him all over it, we have had our tense moments.  It frustrating and humbling to have so much good happening in such stressful time and I so want to act grateful and humble.  To get bent out of shape over some “stuff” not going to fit in the Uhaul box sounds so petty in light of all we have been blessed with.  And on top of that, we have moved over 30 times, wouldn’t you think we would have it nailed down and all would be easy as butter?  Since I started this blog we have moved five times, this will be the 6th.  

Here is the bottom line…WE ALL ARE STILL DYING TO SELF.   And it is painful to be made aware of the frailities in our charecter.  That the ME-ISTIC is alive and well in me.  Here is the best part, God still loves me and so does my family and Ace and I are not getting a divorce.  

We will get moved and soon I will be writing most of my blogs from Minnesota or on the road.  I would like to end this post with another quote from Paul Tripp.  It’s my prayer for this quote to be active in my life. 

If you have quit being defensive and are now willingly and humbly approachable, you know that transforming grace has visited you.  Paul Tripp

Eternal Thoughts

Going through some notebooks where I write quotes or thoughts down and this one screamed, post me, post me. I know the,”WHY” this resonates in my life so much because I have had to forgive much but not as much as Jesus had to forgive me. To be owned in my mind by past hurts, to make them present hurts is to be controlled by those hurts is a prescription for anger and depression. It’s not worth my health, my mind, my body, family and friends and my whole life to let it fester in me. I have always counsel others and myself that if you wake up with a thought, go to bed with the same thought and it’s killing the in-between, you need to get some help to get over it.  I think the below quote is the best prescription for this.  Wise Hearted. 

There comes a time when you need to make what Jesus did for you, bigger than what someone did to you. E.J. Lanham

What say you?

Exhaust Man

I know Easter is right around the corner and here I am writing about truck exhaust. If you’ll stay with me on this, there is an Easter story in my post.

The smell hit me before I seen where it was coming from. Memories washed over me and for a instant I was back in my teen years, riding the country roads of southern Illinois. When I looked up, there it sit, an old white Chevrolet truck, rusted all over, paint missing in quite a few place. You could tell it had seen its better days. It was running with no one in it, as if the person only meant to run into Walmart for just one thing.

But, it was the smell that got me! Not just because it was a truck because I have smelled it on old cars too. You know, gasoline, exhaust from too loud mufflers, a dark gray smoke puffing from it’s behind. Shuddering at times like it was going to quit running but never did. It needed a tune up job for sure and I am betting the man who drove it knew, but why spend money on something that still runs. I would also bet it was a man who drove it, not a women, it smelled like a man’s truck, maybe a work truck.

When I was a teen I had a few of those kind of trucks or car pull up in front of my house full of friends to pick me up. You could hear them coming a half mile away. The friends that I had did not drive new trucks or new cars. It was young men who worked at gas stations, drove a tractor, baled hay, and some worked in the oil field, like my boyfriend who became my husband. Most of them could work on their own cars and trucks too, a dirty job but saved money and taught them to fix things.

I know this sounds crazy but I love that smell of gasoline, and the sound of a loud muffler. Here was the thing, I don’t remember thinking back then it was cool, it was just a fact of life. But that smell reminds me of men, men who knew how to take a car tool and change a tire, fix a carbonator, or change a muffler, or put a louder one on. Men who knew how to work, who would work two jobs if that’s what it took to get a car, even an old one that needed some work. The people I ran with never thought about asking their parents to buy them a car or truck.

My oldest Grandson is one of those men. He has always known his folks could not buy him any kind of car. So, he worked hard all through his junior and senior years of high school and saved his money for one. His Grandpa started looking for something that an 18 year old man would like. A truck would be nice but then Ace found this black older jeep that you could take the top off and runs those country dirt roads if you wanted to.

As soon as he graduated from high school he got a job for a company that paved parking lots. Dirty hot work but it paid pretty good and there was tons of over time. It was nothing for him to work 16 hours seven days a week. First thing he did to his jeep was put the loudest radio speakers and mufflers that you can hear a mile away. All the girls want to ride in it and all the boys want to drive it.

Right now he is in his first year of University of North Dakota and his job is not a dirty job, but its cold, snow removal. We are all thankful he is not afraid to work and strives to pay his own way. He does not mind that his jeep needs a paint job, drink gas faster then one can drink a cold coke, it’s his, paid for by sweat and dirt and a little help from his Grandpa.

Are you wondering where I am going with this since I told you the Easter story was in the exhaust. When Jesus came to earth as a baby, through the body of a women, took on humanity He took on exhaust. If He had come during this time span I don’t think he would have drove a new truck or car, I mean a donkey was his mode of travel but mostly His feet took Him everywhere He went. I guess what I want to say is, I love the humanity in our Savior. It causes my heart to swell with love for Him. Makes me want to help Him. He worked all His life, learned a skill as a carpenter, sit underneath the teaching of the Word, He was a man’s man. He was not high and mighty and prideful like the priest with their fine clothing and jewelry.

For those that stood near when He carried the cross up Calvary they knew He was in pain and toment, yet He took it like a man, a flesh and blood man, He fell under the weight of the cross so the human part of Him did not have superman strength. He was exhausted, beat to the bone, and the part I love the best of this story is, He did it for us.

Dropping Out and Then Back In Process

Do you ever feel like dropping out of everything and just doing nothing, no cleaning, cooking, going anywhere, talking to anyone, no going to church, bible study, shopping, eating out, meeting with a friend, ETC? 

I don’t get that way often, thank God, but actually it’s gotten more often in the last few years.  A few days ago I talked to a friend about some of my feelings, she suggest seeing  a doctor which I thought was good advice.

Today I walked into my doctor office determined to be so honest and raw since I always say I am fine when ask.  Which is so dumb cause who goes to the doctor when they are fine?

Since I have come this far I need to put a middle to this so you won’t start wondering what terrible thing has happened to Betty.  I do have some family that have some serious illnesses.  I do have friends who are struggling with illness, heartaches over children, marriage issues.  In fact, as I think about it, most folks I know have something going on in their life that could make them feel like, ‘dropping out.”  And by “dropping out”, I don’t mean doing any harm to myself but just not being bothered by life.  But I don’t often feel this way. So when I do, I know it’s time for some deep soul searching. 

If I could put one  word to where I am right now, it would be aging.  I hate even spelling the word…but I hate worst what it means to me or has done to me personally.  Woe is me, the victim of aging.  I hate that look I get from the doctor right before she says, things change as you age, she is 40 years younger than me.  Or that look my husband gives me when I cannot for the life of me remember something or fell again, or don’t move as fast as I use to.  It’s that, nursing home look or tone which he coined because its the reason we no longer serve overseas.  At that time it was him everyone was using that tone with.  Now it’s me…I hate it.  I hate aging.  I know we are not suppose to use the word “hate” but dislike does not match my feelings right now.  Maybe by the end of this post I can get back to that kinder word.

Just gonna throw this next paragraph in to give more understanding to my context of this post.  

THIS IS NOT ABOUT DYING.  “YES, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING JESUS FACE TO FACE, YES, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING FAMILY AND FRIENDS, YES, I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO NO MORE SIN.  LET ME SAY IT AGAIN, THIS IS NOT ABOUT DYING, IT’S ABOUT LIVING WITH LIMITATIONS”.
In Philippians 1:6 Paul say, I  am confident of this  very thing, that He, who begun a good work in you, (me ) will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.  I find a lot of feeling wrapped up in this verse.  When I was younger, say about 8 years ago I felt excitement at starting new stuff, doing old stuff, just plan doing anything the Lord wanted.  And 8 years ago I could pretty much do anything or at least felt like I could. I have lost that excitement about change I know the Lord is bringing into our lives which is brought about by “aging”.  Today I read part of a sermon on Phil. 1:6 which stirred my depressed heart.  

God always finishes what He starts.   We, on the other hand, do not always finish what we start.  Our lives are often filled with loose ends—home improvement tasks begun but not finished, books begun but not finished, promises made but not kept, intentions begun but not followed through on.  Our lives are often replete with would-have-beens, should-have-beens, and could-have-beens.

God’s work of salvation does not depend on whether or not you hold onto your faith; it depends on the fact that even if you can’t hold onto your faith, He never stops holding onto you.  That’s why Paul wrote to the Thessalonians: “May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this” (I Thessalonians 5:23

I turn to music often when I am struggling.  Today I found the song that fit the Lord’s heart in me.  And nobody can sing it like Mahalia Jackson. 

Lord don’t move the mountain
But give me strength to climb
Lord don’t move my stumbling block
But lead me around

You didn’t say, Lord, that it would be easy
For when our tribulations get too light
We tend to stray from Thee
Have mercy

Lord don’t move the mountain
But give me strength to climb
Lord don’t move my stumbling block
But lead me around

After listening to this about 10 times I can say without a doubt I don’t hate aging, I do dislike it, but no hate.  This day is almost over and I am one day closer to seeing the one who is finishing His work in me on a daily bases.
Got a mountain you want moved? 

The Best Is Yet To Come

For the last five years we have been making trips to Arizona because it’s one of the states we cover as Member Care Reps for Ethnos 360 Mission, formerly New Tribes Missions.  Several times I contacted this blog brother, Floyd to see if we could connect.  Either he was gone or we had too many meetings or for what ever reason it did not work.  The Lord would always whisper, just wait.  
When you want something really bad it’s so hard to wait for it.   And ever since we moved back to the states from Papua New Guinea I have wanted to meet up with  some of those folks whose blogs I follow. Just to say to them face to face, thank you.  Thank you for the wise words you wrote that pulled me out of a struggle, or gave me courage to continue to write, or deepened my walk with the Lord.  Honestly, after reading their blogs, those who are real about life and me sharing my life you feel like you have known them for years.
The waiting finally came to an end this past January as we made our way to Phoenix, Arizona where my brother Gary lives, he kindly puts us up and we just use his place as a base to travel out of.   
This time we had about four planned visits but actually was able to connect with several more after we got there. Our main goal is to meet up with missionaries on home assignment from many countries.  Just to see how they are doing, listen to their stories, see if we can help them in any way.  No agenda really, just to be an encouragement, to Member Care them as our mission calls it, to say thank you for being a part of reaching the unreached. 
This blog friend, Floyd, who I had never met  was able to come apart from his busy life for lunch.  He is a contractor of several companies and we had a lunch time free and there we were finally, meeting face to face.  Ace was with me which was a huge blessing to me for I wanted them to meet.  I sense so many times in Floyd writings he was a man after my husband heart.  Ace does not write a blog but I read many of Floyd’s to him.  It was like meeting someone we known all our lives.  So much in common, especially our love for our family.  Our conversation was easy, it flowed into one thing after another, and the common ground was Jesus and His love for us despite all our failures. I felt no separation as one was better than the other , we stood on the same ground at the cross and on the other side of the cross. 
All too soon we had to part, Floyd to work, us to our next meeting.  I think we were all three glowing from being together because of the fourth one who had joined us, Jesus.  Meeting Floyd, has deepen my goal to reach out to others I blog with when I am close.  Oh I know we will meet in heaven but why not enjoy life here.   As much as I love reading Floyd’s post the best was sitting across from him face to face, seeing him smile,  hearing his voice as he talk about his family.  He is not just words on paper now, he is real in my mind and heart and Ace and I are grateful to the Lord to have someone like him praying for us.  Thank you Floyd.  

Just wait, the best is yet to come.

For the last five years we have been making trips to Arizona because it’s one of the states we cover as Member Care Reps for Ethnos 360 Mission, formerly New Tribes Missions.  Several times I contacted this blog brother, Floyd to see if we could connect.  Either he was gone or we had too many meetings or for what ever reason it did not work.  The Lord would always whisper, just wait.  

When you want something really bad it’s so hard to wait for it.   And ever since we moved back to the states from Papua New Guinea I have wanted to meet up with  some of those folks whose blogs I follow. Just to say to them face to face, thank you.  Thank you for the wise words you wrote that pulled me out of a struggle, or gave me courage to continue to write, or deepened my walk with the Lord.  Honestly, after reading their blogs, those who are real about life and me sharing my life you feel like you have known them for years.

The waiting finally came to an end this past January as we made our way to Phoenix, Arizona where my brother Gary lives, he kindly puts us up and we just use his place as a base to travel out of.   

This time we had about four planned visits but actually was able to connect with several more after we got there. Our main goal is to meet up with missionaries on home assignment from many countries.  Just to see how they are doing, listen to their stories, see if we can help them in any way.  No agenda really, just to be an encouragement, to Member Care them as our mission calls it, to say thank you for being a part of reaching the unreached. 

This blog friend, Floyd, who I had never met  was able to come apart from his busy life for lunch.  He is a contractor of several companies and we had a lunch time free and there we were finally, meeting face to face.  Ace was with me which was a huge blessing to me for I wanted them to meet.  I sense so many times in Floyd writings he was a man after my husband heart.  Ace does not write a blog but I read many of Floyd’s to him.  It was like meeting someone we known all our lives.  So much in common, especially our love for our family.  Our conversation was easy, it flowed into one thing after another, and the common ground was Jesus and His love for us despite all our failures. I felt no separation as one was better than the other , we stood on the same ground at the cross and on the other side of the cross. 

All too soon we had to part, Floyd to work, us to our next meeting.  I think we were all three glowing from being together because of the fourth one who had joined us, Jesus.  Meeting Floyd, has deepen my goal to reach out to others I blog with when I am close.  Oh I know we will meet in heaven but why not enjoy life here.   As much as I love reading Floyd’s post the best was sitting across from him face to face, seeing him smile,  hearing his voice as he talk about his family.  He is not just words on paper now, he is real in my mind and heart and Ace and I are grateful to the Lord to have someone like him praying for us.  Thank you Floyd.  http://theregoi.com/

The Big Picture

I often say, if I was younger I would study to be an astronaut because then I could see the earth from a distance.   It’s beautiful hanging on nothing surround by the darkness of space.  The bible talks about how God hangs the earth on nothing and that is an awesome thought that has helped me during hard times. He does not have to spend any of  His time keeping it hanging on nothing either so I know He cares for me more then the creation.

The farther out in space you go the more you see…or do you?

Those space pictures do not show people even though we know for sure God put humans on earth, along with the animals.  Flying in a jet is as close as I will get to space travel.  Once that jet is at its cruising altitude you see God creation, a bigger picture, the tops of mountains become visible, the colors of earth change, the rivers wind their way through the colors of earth, green, brown, blues, whites.  But no people.

Then that jet starts to descent and you can see cars on roads, houses as it goes through clouds at different levels.  Then before you know it, the biggest picture comes into view, people, kids playing in yards, people driving their cars and you before you know it, you are down and hugging the big picture.

The farther out one goes from earth the big picture get smaller because it leaves the most important thing to God out of sight, people.  He did not send His son to die for the ball of earth we live on, or the suns, moons and other planets, it’s people in His big picture.

I am so not against going into space, love watching any space documentary, but I am more excited when I hear someone got saved.  When I hear that, my world picture  gets bigger.

God has a plan for all of us and when we come to know Him through His Son it starts to be revealed. For us it was foreign missions, two countries we were privilege to work in, and now we serve stateside with Ethnos 360 as Member Care Reps.  But before we did all that we were involved in a local church, taught a Sunday School class, sing in the choir, my husband taught children church, was a youth pastor.  We were involved in mission, always taking them out to eat when needed, giving them a place to lay  their head at night and financially supporting them.

What I hope these short clips do is show you the need, how God is fulfilling it through people just like you.  Ask Him what part He wants you to play in the big picture of seeing those tucked away in remote place hear the gospel.  Blessings.

Leave Your Boots

Today is my 73 birthday which is hard to believe. Lots of things have changed as I have aged. As Paul said, I am who I am by the grace of God, comfortable in who God has made me. He even knows what kind of music I love to listen to. 

https://youtu.be/AGgEzfbn5No

If you  know me you know I am country. As soon as this man started singing he was my choice to win the Voice. He’s got that pure country sound and does a love song that makes you want to be with the one you love. I am glad that age does not dim the glow a great love song gives. I’ve been leaving my boots at the same man bed for 55 years. 

Because I was a country singer when I got saved it was natural for me to go into country and southern gospel music.  Country tells a story, some of them are heartbreaking stories but the heart understand them because we have all had our heart broken a time or two. Which is why we are in need of someone to mend our hearts.

 
Now with southern gospel there is a story too. The story is always the same, God’s love for man, man is a sinner in need of a Savior, God sends His Son to die for man sin. Here is the best part, He did not stay dead , love for us brought him out of the grave.   At age 35 I believed the story of the gospel and I have parked my boots in heaven and someday when He is ready for me, the lover of my soul will call me home and I shall see Him face to face.  Now that’s a divine love story that never fails.  


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Leave Your Boots

Today is my 73 birthday which is hard to believe. Lots of things have changed as I have aged. As Paul said, I am who I am by the grace of God, comfortable in who God has made me. He even knows what kind of music I love to listen to. 

If you  know me you know I am country. As soon as this man started singing he was my choice to win the Voice. He’s got that pure country sound and does a love song that makes you want to be with the one you love. I am glad that age does not dim the glow a great love song gives. I’ve been leaving my boots at the same man bed for 55 years. 

Because I was a country singer when I got saved it was natural for me to go into country and southern gospel music.  Country tells a story, some of them are heartbreaking stories but the heart understand them because we have all had our heart broken a time or two. Which is why we are in need of someone to mend our hearts.  

Now with southern gospel there is a story too. The story is always the same, God’s love for man, man is a sinner in need of a Savior, God sends His Son to die for man sin. Here is the best part, He did not stay dead , love for us brought him out of the grave.   At age 35 I believed the story of the gospel and I have parked my boots in heaven and someday when He is ready for me, the lover of my soul will call me home and I shall see Him face to face.  Now that’s a divine love story that never fails.  

The Gift That Was Nailed To A Tree

  Nothing like a wrapped present to build excitement in the heart of a child.  Our grandchildren ask us every time they are over if they can open their presents.  Ace and I get excited too for we know what the presents are and we know they will love them.    They did not shop for their gifts or pay for it,  we did, it’s theirs, free and clear.  We don’t expect them to pay us back, or buy us something in return.  

You know I am still excited over the gift I opened on Oct. 20th,  1980. In fact I want to give this gift to all I meet.  Instead of being under a tree this gift was nailed to a old rugged cross,  it’s package of flesh torn and bleeding.  The bow made into a crown of thorns dug into the wrapping.  There was nothing pretty about the package and the way it was presented.  Yet it contain everything to give me eternal life. 

 I believe God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit gets excited when ever this gift is presented to someone.  They wait, hoping it will be accepted.  

There is no plainer truth taught in the Word of God than salvation being a “free gift” (Romans 5:15,18; 6:23). If I were to offer you a Christmas present, but with the stipulation that you must be willing to take a bath, it would not be a gift. Why? Because I have clearly implied that I expect you to take a bath to get the present. A gift is defined as something given voluntarily without any payment in return. 

The thief had nails through both hands, so that he could not work; and a nail through each foot, so that he could not run errands for the Lord; he could not lift a hand or a foot toward his salvation, and yet Christ offered him the gift of God; and he took it. Christ threw him a passport, and took him into Paradise. D.L. Moody (don’t you just love this quote?)

One more quote from Mary DeMuth book, Everything. 

We cannot fully satisfy a holy God. Our redemption is an outrageous, initiating act accomplished by God alone. He pursued humanity to such an extent that His feet landed on earth, and He chased after us until He rescued us at the cross. We did not climb onto those wooden beams. We could not receive the nails that pierced those holy hands. We who are not kingly wore no crown. We could not drink the cup of God wrath. “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Rom. 5:6. God did what we could not . He sent His beautifully sinless Son to take our place, to satisfy for all time God’s wrath upon sin. “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. II Cor. 5:21

God transforms, He creates, He  thinks otherworldly thoughts,  He dares to redeem an obstinate world. If we camp in that place, remembering the gift we could never, ever pay back, we will live astonished lives, and our growth will be the best kind—the kind that emerges from gratitude, from thinking rightly about God.

What a gift! Merry Christmas

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