It all started with Bad Guys...

Gracie is now six years old. This is fun and sad, too. I've had a total ball watching her grow and listening to all of her "Gracie-isms". You'd think by six, she'd outgrow them, but praise Jesus, they just keep coming.

It all started with Bad Guys. She was two at the time. We spent every moment together. I played various kinds of classical and opera CDs in the morning while I did the dishes and she played. When lunchtime rolled around I was usually ready to get out of the house. Every now and then we'd go to McDonald's and get some
French fries. Gracie really enjoyed those runs to Mickey D's. That's the only thing we'd get there. One day I told her they tasted really good, but they're not good for you. She asked me, "Are they Bad Guys?". I laughed out loud and said, "Yeah, they're Bad Guys".

Pretty soon it became a ritual for her to go into her room some days and put on her own little shoes and come running in to me screaming, "Bad Guys! Bad Guys! Come on, Mama, let's go get some Bad Guys!"




It wasn't long after that that The Old Horsey rode into town. "Come on, Daddy. Let me ride on The Old Horsey!" Poor Old Horsey...he moans and groans with every step. His youthful rider screamed in delight, "Giddy-up, Old Horsey! Giddy-up!" We just love our Old Horsey!

The next thing I noticed was "Short-sleeve pants". She never referred to her shorts as "shorts". They were always short-sleeve pants. Still, even now..."short sleeve pants". I bought her six pair of "short-sleeve" uniform pants yesterday. She marched right into school this morning and said to one of the teachers, "Look, I have new short-sleeve pants! Summer is coming soon!" Bless her heart, that kid just HATES winter. Inside where it's warm, I allow her to wear her summer clothes. But when it's time to bundle up and get ready for the weather outside, you should just hear the extreme whining!




Which leads me now to "Noodle straps". Can you guess what Noodle Straps are? You guessed it...Spaghetti straps. She has several little tops with spaghetti straps. I put them in her top drawer thinking, "She'll never find them up here." Silly me. She just dragged her little red lacquer upright piano over to the dresser and came out so very proud of herself wearing her "Noodle strap" shirt.










Perhaps the funniest Gracie-ism came last week. The school requires uniforms to be worn on most days. They do, however, have what they refer to as Dress Down Day. Last Friday was one such day, where the students are allowed to wear a school T-shirt tucked into five pocket jeans. Gracie loves wearing her jumpers to school, so I don't even tell her about casual days. But, she saw the words written on her school calendar: Dress Down Day. And she, the budding reader, asked me what those words said. I told her and she had a look of horror on her face when she asked, "Why would I want my dress undid?" I pictured her literal take on Dress Down Day and burst out laughing. That kid is comic relief.



Don't we need a little of that right now? So many people sorrowing. So many people lost. A marketing blitz touting the latest book by the "rock star pastor" that could send millions hurtling into a very real place Jesus called Hell. Where the worm does not die and the fire is not quenched. My heart breaks just thinking about all that blood on the rock star pastor's hands. And I pray fervently that most...no all...of his readers will sense the sheer futility of his many words. Proverbs says "In the multitude of words, sin is not absent." This is particularly true in the man who speaks in circles and never answers the interviewers' questions. I am troubled.

I am troubled by loved ones who go to these kinds of churches that preach the "I'm okay, You're okay, It's all okay" message and ignore the Bible or worse, much much worse...take it out of context.

I am troubled by hurting people in Japan and New Zealand and Haiti and...here. I need to chuckle over Bad Guys, Noodle Straps and Short-Sleeve Pants. Don't you?

After all, God's precious, Holy and TRUE word tells us that "A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." Proverbs 17:22 Amplified













Keep praying, dear ones. I believe there are other tsunamis coming. And I'm
not just talking about water. Stand strong and remember Who you belong to.

Love,
Jenn

Still Counting...

Count your many blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done!
Count your blessings!
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done!

Lord, I thank You that my dishwasher still works like a champ. I thank You that my washer and dryer are still running fine, too. Thank You for continued electricity all winter long. Thank You the heat pump is still pumping! Thank You that Gracie's flu finally left her fever-free! Thank You that Rod's flu (that he surely caught from his overly exuberant kissy daughter) finally left him fever-free! Thank You that Rachel's sore throat was only that and not STREP throat! Thank You, Lord for continued provision, protection and peace!

Thank You for the new car. Thank You for giving us a way to move on from our old car that seemed to be plagued with the mysterious disease of "I might not wanna start this time"! Thank You for all the comforts of home and family. Thank You for full cabinets, fridge, freezer and bellies. Thank You for not just one but two dogs. Thank You that they are good dogs, house-trained and loving.

Thank You for giving me a husband who loves You more than he loves me. Thank You for giving me two beautiful daughters...so different, but so wonderfully charming in their own sweet ways. Thank You for filling me with prayers for all of them. Thank You for letting me have a good relationship with my mom who loves You so much. Thank You, LORD, for hearing her prayers and helping her in so many ways. Thank You for Your loving faithfulness to each of us. Thank You for giving me sisters who encourage me and brothers who inspire me. Thank You for friends who love me and make me laugh and cry! Thank You for the gift of loving my neighbor as myself, too, LORD. That is all due to You!

Thank You, LORD, for opening wide the door to part-time employment for me. Thank You for giving me the strength and stamina to do the job. Thank You, LORD, for giving me favor at that job. When two people were let go last week, they kept me...the newest employee. That was YOU, LORD. Only You! Thank You, also, LORD, that my new boss gave me one extra day off each week, in addition to the Saturdays and Sundays that I requested at my interview. Thank You that she gave me an extra hour off each day, too, so I can go home and rest up in expectancy of my daughters' arrival home from school.

Thank You, LORD, for the Spring-like weather You have blessed us with this past week. It's been such a blessing to all of us, LORD. Thank You for Your precious birds, squirrels, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, and the hope of the blooming of those tightly bound bright green daffodils buds. I look forward to seeing Your handiwork explode there beneath the giant maple tree in vivid yellow whenever You call them to unfurl!

Thank You for encouraging my husband with his upcoming trip to his hometown in California. Thank You for putting it on the pastor's heart there to invite my Rod to preach three services in his childhood church. Please put Your Holy Words into his heart and mouth and may Your precious name be glorified and magnified when he tells Your people there the good news of The Risen Savior Who makes His people whole!

Thank You, LORD JESUS, for ripping off the blinders from my eyes. Thank You for filling me with Your precious Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord, that all of my life I longed deep down inside to understand Your word and You took pity on me and revealed Yourself to Me. Thank You for causing my eyes to see and my ears to hear. Thank You for giving me a heart that pants for You. Thank You for forgiving me and making me new, for giving me a future and a hope. Thank You, my sweet and wonderful Father, for never leaving me or forsaking me...even when I've resisted You and You've had to come after me with a bit and a bridle. Thank You for coming after me. Thank You for not letting me run off. Thank You for hearing me when I call. Thank You for loving me and letting ME LOVE YOU.

Thank You for the hope that You keep simmering in my heart that one day, one day...one perfect day I will behold You with my own eyes and hold You in my arms at long last! Thank You, MY GOD, for all You've done for me and mine. Thank You for all You are doing and thank You for all You're going to do.

My heart is bulging with gratitude for You, Your Word, Your ways. My soul is filled with a peace that passes all understanding. Thank You for choosing me to receive You.

















"My soul magnifies the LORD,
And my spirit has rejoiced
in God my Savior.

For He has regarded the lowly
state of His maidservant;
For behold, henceforth all
generations will call me
blessed.

For He who is mighty has done
great things for me,
And holy is His name.

And His mercy is on those who
fear Him
From generation to generation.

He has shown strength with His
arm;
He has scattered the proud in the
imagination of their hearts.

He has put down the mighty
from their thrones,
And exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with
good things.
And the rich He has sent away
empty.

He has helped His servant Israel,
In remembrance of His mercy,

As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and to his seed
forever."
Luke 1:46-55

The Feast!

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good..."

It has been a wonderful time of feasting with the LORD lately. It all began around two weeks ago when the announcement was made at church that we would be having a Ladies' Dinner. Someone asked me if I would host a table. I said yes first and then asked, "What does that mean...host a table?" I was asked to bring my best dishes and set one of the tables for six for the soup and salad dinner on Friday night.




Since I have inherited my Dad's (and Mom's) beautiful china, I was eager to get them out and use them. I rummaged through the basement carefully pulling out one cobalt and gold rimmed plate after another, but there were no bowls. My mother left these dishes behind when she and my father parted ways more than a dozen years ago. I called her up and asked her about the bowls. "No bowls," she said. "I never bought them." Bummer. How on earth are we supposed to eat soup with fine china and no bowls?








I fretted over this fact for a tiny bit and then I just gave it to the LORD. "I need bowls for the soup, Lord. And I need You to provide them." We went shopping (me and Him). I started at the Kitchen store. My budget was beyond tiny (Rod is still unemployed). I know you're thinking, "You are BUYING bowls when your husband is unemployed?" I was on a mission...from God. I could feel a major blessing coming on.

The only thing the Kitchen store had to offer in my price range were clear glass bowls. They were functional, ninety-nine cents each and very boring and ugly. They would look actually quite disgusting with my mother's beautiful Fitz and Floyd Renaissance Cerulean Blue bone china. But, if I did not find anything better I was going to have to stick with these. I went to the dollar store. YES, the dollar store. Sometimes you can find really abstract good things at the dollar store. (Years ago I bought six cobalt blue glass stemmed water goblets on sale at the dollar store for fifty-cents each!) But on this day, all the dollar store had to offer were ceramic bowls with snowmen in the middle and Happy Holidays around the border. Nah. They wouldn't do, even if they were twenty-five cents a pop. I resisted the "good deal"...honestly, mostly because of the Happy Holidays part. I don't like that.

On to the next store. I began talking to my Shopping Partner more fervently. "I really need something nice and within "our" budget. Please, LORD, be merciful to me." We went to TJ MAXX. Now, I have had tremendous success with the Home Store part of TJ. I never have clothing success there, but the Home Store has been a treasure trove for me many times.
















I marched right in and I saw the most breathtakingly beautiful dishes I have ever seen in my life. (No, not those up there.) When my mother told me how she came to buy the blue dishes and hide the plain ivory and gold ones her mother had purchased for her...I didn't understand until that moment. My grandmother bought my mother a full set of Lenox Tuxedo, Ivory and gold bone china dishes (above) when she married the first time. My mother secretly hated this pattern. BORING. (I think they are quite elegant, myself. They are plain, but elegant.) When my mom "grew up" into the woman who knew what her tastes were, she purchased the blue Fitz and Floyd. They are flashy and bold...definitely NOT boring. Very much the opposite. I wondered myself, if I would ever discover what MY taste was when I "grew up". When I stood there in TJ last Thursday, I discovered the answer: YES! And they were like neither of the sets of dishes my mother had.



These beauties were covered with gorgeous red roses and the brightest pink peonies with all kinds of green foliage clearly depicted as though they were works of ART! I began coveting those dishes instantly. I picked up one of the tall coffee cups and carefully upturned it looking for a price. Ouch, $7.99 (TJ price). Totally out of my price range for a coffee cup. Still, to sip my precious morning Joe out of this enchanting porcelain piece would really be something so...so...oh, the soup bowls. "Yes, LORD, I'm going to stop fantasizing and get back to business."


I scoured the aisles carefully searching for just the right thing. And I needed at least six of them. Finally, I saw something very strange...right at eye level. A box of four soup bowls on clearance for $7.00. They were white with a gold rim. They were china and not ceramic. There were two boxes and that was all. I started to walk away thinking, perhaps there is something else, something cheaper. As I moved away from the eight bowls I heard the LORD speak, "Where are you going?" "Well, LORD, I don't know. I'm just..." He said, "Those are your bowls. $1.75 each. Two boxes. Eight bowls. They match your china. Buy the bowls." Now, I have to admit. I hate to shop for clothing. Really, I do. So, that's why you all get to see me in the same clothes you have ALWAYS seen me in, ever since you've known me. I know this is true, because I have the same clothes I've had since 1991 when I moved here from California. But, I can't resist "THE HUNT" when I'm searching for something fun...like for the kitchen or the perfect gift for someone. But, my search was over. And I needed to get home and keep up with that mountain of laundry in my basement. So, I bought the bowls and praised Him all the way home..."You really do love me! You really do!"

When I opened the first box and washed the bowl, I took it downstairs to see how it would look with one of the plates. Perfect, absolutely perfect; as though the bowls were MADE to go with the china. He is Ssssssssssssssssssooooooo GGggggooooooooodddd!!! I just love Him. And I love it when He goes shopping with me! Because He is the best One to go shopping with ever. He never complains that His feet are hurting and He never knocks anything over and breaks it! (Smile.)

The ladies' dinner was such a blessing. Everyone's tables looked so beautiful. We enjoyed so many delicious soups, salads and wonderful fellowship. I thanked the LORD again and again for His precious presence with us. Fran Osigian gave us the most wonderfully inspired object lesson about what we stuff into our Temple. And how many times, we only slip in a tiny bit of the Word of God. Sad, but true.













Pastor Billy decided that we, as a church, would begin reading aloud the entire New Testament beginning on Monday night. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday nights from 6pm to 8:30 pm we would come together and take turns reading the New Testament through. I was so excited, I began praying immediately. What a privilege, what a joy, what an honor that we still live in a country where we CAN legally read God's word aloud in a public setting!

So, we gathered last night at six o'clock. Pastor Billy prayed and each of us who wanted to read a chapter from the book of Matthew did. We ate and ate and ate God's word until ten til nine when we finished the first book. Some of us were in tears. I was, in particular. It always crushes my heart to read how my Love was beaten, maligned, crushed and crucified by people He was sent to save. My sin cost my Love His life. But His precious resurrection secures mine! I'll never get over it.

Little Gracie is only six years old. She was the youngest person in the room. She knew what was expected of her: sit still, be very quiet and remember what I told you, "Jesus said, he who has ears to hear, let him hear." Bless her little heart. She did very well. She writhed around on the floor next to me when she finally grew tired of drawing and writing her letters and numbers. She tried to follow along with me, dotting her tiny finger along the red words. She is only learning to read and this was a feat for her. She crawled on the ground some more and discovered with delight a ladybug hiding under one of the chairs. She played with the poor thing until we took a break. Miss Juanita told her to go put the bug on a plant and she joyfully obeyed. She ate a bite or two of carrot cake...her daddy hogged the frosting, "too much sugar for you." And she curled up with me and comforted me as the tears dripped down my face for the last three chapters.











When she finally went to bed, Rod found the Matthew tape from her box of Bible tapes and popped it into the player. She got out of bed about ten minutes later and came into my room. "That's the same words on my tape that I heard in church tonight." (Oh, LORD, You're so good.) "Yes," I said, "you're right. Now go to sleep, okay? I love you." She gave me a sweet exhausted smile and went back to bed.

There is no telling what this FEAST of the WORD will do in our hearts. Specifically, I am thinking of Gracie. She is being saturated with God's word instead of feeding on the trash of the world. My prayer for both of my daughters (both of them) is that they would develop their own relationship with the Lord and that they would want to serve Him joyfully, willingly with all of their hearts for all the days of their lives. That's not too much to ask, is it? I mean, it's my prayer. And God promises us that His word will NOT return to Him without His intended results. It's like a slam-dunk prayer I'm praying, right?

"So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it."

What a BOLD and WONDERFUL PROMISE!

I am looking forward to the rest of The FEAST this week, and on into next week. And I am so grateful that I read this devotion in Streams in the Desert right when I did. Because lately I have been FEASTING on His presence, too. Here's what I read:

"We find the expression 'the living God' many times in the Scriptures, and yet it is the very thing we are so prone to forget.

We forget that He is now exactly what He was three or four thousand years ago, that He has the same sovereign power, and that He extends the same gracious love toward those who love and serve Him.

We overlook the fact that He will do for us now what He did thousands of years ago for others, simply because He is the unchanging, living God.

What a reason to confide in Him, and in our darkest moments to never lose sight of the fact that He is still, and ever will be, the living God!

Be assured, if you walk with him, look to Him, and expect help from Him, He will never fail you." Streams in the Desert by LB COWMAN, January 17

Dr. John Adams said that his "greatest spiritual asset" was his "unwavering awareness of the actual presence of Jesus."

"Nothing sustained him as much as the realization that Jesus was ALWAYS actually present with him. This realization was totally independent of his own feelings, his worthiness, and his perceptions as to how Jesus would demonstrate His presence."

"Furthermore," he said, "Christ was the center of his thoughts. Whenever his mind was free from other matters, it would turn to Christ. Whenever he was alone, and no matter where he was, he would talk aloud to Christ as easily and as naturally as to any human friend. That is how very real Jesus' actual presence was to him."
-This also is from Streams, January 17th.

After I read this I couldn't help thinking about Isaiah 26:3,

"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You. Because he trusts You."

LORD, I pray that You would continue to reveal Your presence to me as I realize You are actually with me, presently. I pray You would continue to hear me and guide me as I speak with you as naturally and easily as I would talk with any human friend. I thank You again for the extreme privilege of knowing You, loving You, and the precious promise of our eternal relationship. Thank You for making that possible for me and all of the others who love YOU and claim You as their Lord and Savior.

Please bless the reading of Your wonderful word as we continue on with You.
Maranatha, my King!
Thank You for THE FEAST!

Quenching Thirst and New Clothes

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink - even if you have no money! Come take your choice of wine or milk - it's all free! Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul!

Come to Me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake. I am ready to make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the mercies and unfailing love that I promised to David. He displayed My power by being My witness and a leader among the nations. You also will command the nations, and they will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.

Seek the LORD while you can find Him. Call on Him now while He is near. Let the people turn from their wicked deeds. Let them banish from their minds the very thought of doing wrong! Let them turn to the LORD that He may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.

"My thoughts are completely different from Yours," says the LORD. "And My ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts higher than your thoughts.

















The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace. The mountains and the hills will burst into song, and the trees of the field will clap their hands! Where once there were thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where briers grew, myrtles will sprout up. This miracle will bring great honor to the LORD's name; it will be an everlasting sign of His power and love." Isaiah 55 NLT

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Me." John 14:6 NKJV


On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:37-38 NKJV

Now it came to pass at the end of seven days that the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me: 'When I say to the wicked, "You shall surely die", and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.

Yet, if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul." Ezekiel 3:16-19 NKJV

The angel said to his attendants, "Take away the filthy clothes this man is wearing." Then he said to Joshua, "I have taken away your sin and will give you new clothes to wear." Zechariah 3:4 TEV










I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10 NKJV


He brought them out and asked, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"

And they answered, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well." Acts 16:30-31 (v. 30 NLT, v. 31 AMP)

(Jesus said) "Therefore do not worry, saying 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Matthew 6:31-33 NKJV

Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. And keep in step with God's love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind He is by giving you eternal life. Be helpful to all who may have doubts. Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds. Jude 20-23 CEV















And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you from stumbling, and who will bring you into His glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy. All glory to Him, who alone is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to Him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen. Jude 24-25 NLT

(Jesus said)
"See, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to repay all according to their deeds. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End."

Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. Outside the city are the dogs--the sorcerers, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idol worshipers, and all who love to live a lie. Revelation 22:12-15 NLT

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come." Let each one who hears them say, "Come."
Let the thirsty ones come -- anyone who wants to. Let them come and drink the water of life without charge." Revelation 22:17 NLT

A Challenge for You

The thing I look forward to most each New Year is beginning my read-through of the Bible. Awhile back I posted that I had an emotionally-charged battle to bring my departed Dad's New Living Translation Bible out of my basement office and into my bedroom to begin reading that. I had not finished reading it when I felt surely the Lord telling me to give it to one of my Dad's closest friends with a challenge to READ IT and not just allow it to become a dusty memento from his dear friend.

Parting with my dad's now very marked up Bible was difficult for me. But, my dad's friend needed the Bible much more than I do. And it is my firm belief that he may well read that Bible simply because his friend read it and it changed his life. So, I prayed over it and lovingly packed the Book up and mailed it off. What he does with it could possibly change his whole life. And not just his, but the whole scope of people that his big life touches. He is a very busy man. God knows who he is. So, please lift him up in fervent prayer. Call him "Bob's friend".

Too many people do not read their Bible. Christians and non-believers both have these Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth in their possession and yet, they fail to open it up and begin the challenging task of learning about God as He has revealed Himself to man.

We run in to many people who have a very skewed philosophy and therefore their lives show it. They know one or two verses of scripture...one or two things they think are scripture but are definitely not...and a few things they've learned along the way from here or there added in with something their Grandma told them about God. This is a spiritually toxic cocktail to live your life out on.

But, the Bible tells us that mankind was made in the image of God: male and female did He make them. And He didn't just make us and leave us to figure it all out on our own. He gave us His word. A book of loving instruction on how to live this life the right way. A way that blesses God and a way that blesses others and at the same time, you get blessed, too. Miraculous. I think people really do believe that God is a made 'em now I'm done with 'em God. Sad. He wants so much to be involved in every aspect of our lives.

Once you read His word you begin to see that is what His heart is. So much is this His passion, that He sent His Holy Son away from paradise to inhabit flesh on earth and dwell among sinners and then, after a short life season of teaching us about God's ways (which are not man's ways, that is in Isaiah), God told His Son to take the ultimate punishment for all mankind and allow Himself (His HOLY, SINLESS self) to BECOME SIN! Why? The Bible as a whole indicates to us that God loved the people of the world so much that He couldn't bear the thought of paradise without us. Without you.

The first act of disobedience on the part of the First Couple plunged all of mankind after them into spiritual separation from our God. A spiritual death. Adam and Eve WALKED IN THE COOL OF THE DAY WITH GOD. When we read that in the Bible it seems as though this was a daily occurrence. Can you imagine walking and talking with (not just to) God Almighty? But, God had warned them: don't eat it or death will be the consequence. And separation and death did come. And it keeps on coming. And for those outside of Christ (non-believers) there is not one death but TWO! Oh, who can save us? What is the answer? Only God can fix such a huge problem!

Jesus is God's answer to that spiritual separation. He became God's ONLY acceptable solution to the problem between God and man. Jesus is God's way of handling our problem. I hesitate to put a lower-case "o" there, because the "our" I speak of is God's and ours. I mean, we're in this thing together. He designed us for that. Jesus is God's solution for reconciling sinful man back to Himself.

When a humbled person admits their sinfulness to God and confesses that sin and announces their belief that Jesus took the punishment for sin upon Himself (like your big brother taking the beating you know you deserve) and then the sinner confesses that Jesus is LORD, a Holy Legal Transaction takes place in the Spirit World. God has a book filled with the names of His children. It's called the Lamb's Book of Life and as a believer in Jesus Christ, your name gets recorded there. And then, there is no more condemnation for those who are IN Christ Jesus. If your name is in that book, then you have eternal life.

If your name is not written in that book, why not? What are you waiting for? What is so fantastically wonderful here that you aren't willing to say to God Almighty: "I screwed up. I'm sorry. Please forgive me and help me not to do it again. I trust You. I believe You are who You say You are. I need You. I want You. Please help me walk this life every day from now on." ?

Jesus said He came to give us life and that life more abundantly. We were talking about abundant life recently in church and it occured to me at that moment that the abundant life that Jesus is speaking of happens inside your heart. Peace with God IS abundant life. Coming to God HIS way and not mine is abundant life. Trusting that God is alive and on His throne and intensely interested in my life, my cares, my worries, my health, my loved ones and my best is abundant life. KNOWING that I know that I know that I know that the moment my last breath comes and goes I will be in the presence of God in Heaven is abundant life.

I didn't get the abundant life by confessing my sins and becoming a Christ follower. It took years of trials and trusting God and praying and hoping and believing in Him and His promises and His power and waiting and watching Him come through over and over that gave me part of it. The other part of it...the other half of it...came from reading my Bible and daring to believe what I read.

There are parts of God's word that will absolutely rock your world. There is such an intensity of scandalousness in there, that I am still shocked and sometimes even disgusted when I read it. But, God doesn't leave out the ugly sin of man. He includes all of it and He deals with it. He doesn't always handle the same sin the same way twice. But the promise is there: "Be sure your sin will find you out." Makes me shiver.

When you read the Bible you discover how God is amazing and so powerful! and the way He does things through the people's lives in the scriptures is astounding. When you read it you realize God loves people. And He wants to be loved in return! Hates our sin, but He loves us. And you realize God is Holy. He cannot tolerate sin because He is God...all good, completely uncompromised, full of justice and righteousness. And He tells us that all of our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. That's what God thinks about your good deeds apart from Jesus Christ. The only thing you can impress God with is being cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb.

And so, I read the Bible every day to LEARN HOW TO MAKE JESUS MY LORD, not only my Savior!

Q&A:
How can I know what to do with my life now that I am a Christian?
Read your Bible!

I'm scared...all those TV evangelists are talking about the end of the world!
Read your Bible!

How do I handle this problem?
Read your Bible!

If God is so loving how come He let's all these bad things happen?
Read your Bible!

I want a closer relationship with God but I just don't feel it!
Read your Bible!

You lament and say, "But, I don't understand it! I've tried to read my Bible and I just don't get it." I say, buy a Bible translation you CAN understand and pray before you read it and READ it every day of the week!

Every day?
Yes.
Even Sundays??
YES, especially Sundays. Because once church is over and all the ooey-gooey feelings leave, you still have a closer walk with God because now you are filled with not only His Holy Spirit but also His Word.

So, here's my challenge for you. Read your Bible all the way through this year.

Get a Bible you like (that is a very important first step.) It's kind of fun, just go to the bookstore and get a Bible that you LIKE. Make sure the font isn't too tiny. Study Bibles are good. Also, don't get something too big to read comfortably (that's my advice). My mom has this ancient white Family Bible...it's bigger than Webster's dictionary. It does have beautiful art, but it's not the thing you want to climb into your comfy chair with.

PRAY over your Bible before you begin to read it. Tell God how you feel. Whether you're scared or unsure or still think you can't understand it. God hears you. He loves you and I'm sure He's tickled pink you want to read HIS WORD! Ask Him to help you understand it every time you read it.

Make a plan. This was my plan when I first started reading my first Bible I bought for myself (an NIV Student Bible, by the way). I got five ribbons and I placed them in these places:

Genesis
Psalms
Proverbs
Matthew
Acts

The ribbon that was attached to the Bible I placed wherever the Pastor left off last time we were in church.

Every morning I read one chapter in each of those five places. (Sounds like it must take a long time to read five chapters of the Bible, but really...it takes about fifteen to twenty minutes on average.) When I was finished with a book I moved onto the next book. Except for Psalms and Proverbs. I just read them again and again. And the Matthew ribbon...I stay in the Gospels continually: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. You always need to keep your finger on the pulse of Jesus. You'll see new things all the time, even though you've read it before. God's word is ALIVE!!

(Tell you what, email your address to me and I will send you five hand-braided bookmarks for you to use...just to encourage you in this challenge!)

PLEASE, take your Bible to church! Don't leave YOUR BIBLE at home. YOUR Bible LOVES to go to church with you. And bring a pen.

Please go to a Bible believing, Bible teaching church. If the pastor doesn't crack open the Bible during the sermon...that's a bad sign. Find a church that believes and teaches the flock the ESSENTIAL WORD OF GOD!

Don't be afraid to mark in YOUR Bible. I use a yellow crayon to highlight passages that speak to me (my crayon works better than any other "Bible marking pens" out there. Crayola is best, trust me.) Write some notes with your pen in the margin. Take it from me, I read notes that I wrote about something in 2002 and I'm still benefiting from them.

So, that's it.
Ring in the new year, the new month by reading your own Bible all the way through. Make a commitment to stick with it. I promise you that if you do it, you will never be the same. And next year, read a different translation.

Oh, very important...Satan, your enemy, does NOT WANT you to use this particular piece of God's armor (read Ephesians chapter six). He will make the dog chase the cat, the baby cry, the phone ring, etc., etc., etc., to try to distract and derail you from reading the Bible. Don't let him get away with it.

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. This is a promise from your God to you from His book called James.






I'm so excited for you.
God bless you.
Happy reading!
Here's my email address: morrisforjesus@yahoo.com
Love, Jenn
Oh PS...the artwork and photos I downloaded off the internet. That little guy at the bottom is the son of a Sister in Christ from the blog: A Little Busy. Amen!

Expecting Cardinals

I'm glad it's over. There I said it. This is the first Christmas I have ever NOT celebrated (at least a smidge). Every year, the older I get, the longer my walk with the LORD, the less interested in Christmas I become. This year was IT on the scale of absolute disinterest. You're appalled, aren't you? I sound like a pagan, huh?

But, Christ's birth shouldn't be relegated to a day in December and to me, it isn't. I try to read through the Gospels continuously in my daily Bible study. I still keep my Bible marked with my hand-braided bookmarks in five places. Rod still wakes me up before dawn with coffee and a kiss and encourages me to "get some Word in you". And I do, every day. I want to. I get to. I'm glad to.

The green and red glitz in the stores makes me sick. The worldly push to make Christmas all about Santa and gifts is such a major turn off. So, this year...I turned off...in my heart...altogether. I went on a Christmas strike deep down inside. Oh, I showed up at all the expected events. My body was there, but the door to my heart was shut tight against the Christmas creepiness. Are you thinking that in saying "no" to all the yucky excess I ignored the birth of my LORD? Not a chance.













Right now, I need Him more than I ever have before. I'm weak and weary and heavy laden and He knows it. And He is the only One who can really understand and He is also the only One Who can carry me through it.

I know, I pulled the post about the new dog. It was also about Rachel getting her driver's license. I used her first and last name. It wasn't wise. A couple days after I posted it the LORD woke me up at 5:56 am and said, "Pull the post". So, I pulled it at 6:03. He has His reasons. Who am I to argue?

I know you all are praying. I am still fighting my way out of this funk...even though "it's over" (Christmas). But, there are more things brewing and I'm just not sure what He has in mind for us. Two weeks left of unemployment and not a job on the horizon. But, I have no real reason to worry.
My King is on His throne.

David said, "I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread." Psalm 37:25

Yet, I must admit, I have been expecting cardinals when the ravens have delivered the goods. My continuous prayer has been, "Please Lord, give Rod a job." It's become a mantra. That's a bad thing. It feels like it's falling on deaf ears. I begin to feel that nauseating panic rise in my throat and I pray that silly prayer again. He's not deaf. He heard me the first million times. I become annoying. I begin telling the LORD of the Universe just HOW to answer my prayer. I am an"Idiotic control freak"! Now that's something true that could go on my headstone. So, I switch tactics..."Okay, Lord, not my will, but Thy will be done. Just please do SOMETHING!"

Am I immediately grateful that all the bills have been paid? No. Because I want cardinals to bring the provision we need and not the ravens He has sent. I feel guilty that the ravens that He sent to us to pay our bills, buy our groceries and provide Christmas gifts for our kids are not MY preferred method of provision. Does that make sense? God has completely provided everything we need AND MORE. My kids had the "BEST CHRISTMAS EVER!!!" That was according to Gracie who opened gift number 17 delivered by one of those precious ravens who was so concerned that our unemployed state was going to "deprive" my kids of a "decent" Christmas.

I was looking forward to a sweet, quiet, LEAN Christmas (don't ask me why...it probably has a lot to do with my Christmas strike.) God turned that plan of mine inside out and our kids had a hearty, abundant Christmas instead. On December 14th my mom came over and asked, "When are you putting up your tree?" I responded, "What tree?" She gave me the MOM LOOK and said, "You can't do that to the kids. You're going to have to put that tree up for them." I grumbled and did it a few days later.



Praise Jesus! Do you know what God did for us financially over the last month and half? He provided so much money that we were able to pay our bills AGAIN and even gave us enough to go out on a coffee date (at long LAST)! Plus, He arranged to have our entire mortgage note cancelled altogether! People all over the country are losing their homes because the banks are foreclosing and we had our debt completely cancelled! But, the person (yes, not a bank but an individual we know and love) who held the note on our home really NEEDS the money. Yet, she asked us to turn to Deuteronomy 15:1 and read it out loud.

"At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release of debts."

She handed my husband a pair of scissors and the promissory note and told him to cut it up. She said, "It's been seven years since you all signed that note. Today, it's over. You're debt is cancelled." Praise Jesus! She is one of His ravens.

There have been other ravens in the last couple of weeks. These ravens need the food themselves (in my opinion) but the LORD knows best. I found myself telling Him exactly how to take care of us until I heard Him tell me one recent early morning, "Please stop telling Me HOW to take care of you. I'm taking care of you, right?"

So, I started thinking about the ravens. They are fine flying in flocks. And He has been providing a lot at once. This requires more than one raven at a time. Cardinals are territorial and not really flock oriented. They stick out like a sore thumb, too. The ravens are less obvious and they blend in with the landscape. Kind of like a diamond in the rough. And if you ask my mother, those "crazy cardinals are in love with themselves". She has a male cardinal who constantly moons over himself in the side-mirror on her SUV and leaves his droppings down the side of it, too. She's not too thrilled with the cardinals. And I am really thrilled with my ravens, now that I think about it. How would we ever have made it without them? Heavenly servants is what they are. Unsung heroes who don't wear red and parade about. Humble and obedient. Yes. I think I'll stop expecting cardinals and keep on rejoicing over the ravens He has sent.


Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm certain you do. But, in case you don't...here's one of my favorite stories about God's loving provision for His children.

And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD GOD of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years except at my word."

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying "Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

"And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there."

So he went and did according to the word of the LORD, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan.

The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook.

And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain the land.

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.": 1 Kings 17:1-9 NKJV

The season for free-running drinking water and food provided by ravens did finally pass. But, don't you know that every morning and every evening Elijah looked expectantly upward for the Lord's generous and faithful provision of meat and bread.

Oh dear, I just realized He might send me to a widow next. (Smile.) Just kidding. Right? Hello?



Dear LORD, thank You that You are a merciful and understanding and faithful God. I pray that You would forgive your foolish and grumbling servant for expecting cardinals when You have sent us ravens. Please know that we are eternally grateful for ALL of Your many blessings. Know that we have "tasted and seen" that YOU are good. Thank You for whatever You are going to do for us next. We KNOW that You have it all planned out...be it ravens, widows, jobs, healing, dogs, baby dolls or candy canes. You are the God who sees and hears. You know our needs both materially and more...spiritually. Keep us close, LORD, as we continue to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Hold our hands as we cling to You for protection and kindness. You are our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
We love you and are eternally grateful for all You have done and we trust You for the rest. We are yours, Dear One. In Jesus' precious name we have the extreme privilege to pray. Amen.

He says, "You are Mine"

"But now, thus says the LORD who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel; "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name;
You are Mine." Isaiah 43:1




Yesterday was a hard day. When we woke up it was all gray clouds, chilly winds, and the impending rain. It was the first day without Mom here to run the show. She went home on Sunday after church. I bawled my forty-two year old eyes out and blubbered that God would take away the spirit of anguish and despair that was lingering around my house. God in all His mercy, answered my Sunday afternoon prayer and the evening was peaceful. But Monday morning brought the promise of a lingering rain and dark skies.

Rod got everyone fed, dressed and off to school on time. He came home to my "honey-do" list designed to keep him on track. Start the laundry, dump the dishwasher, clean the bathroom, go to the grocery store (in this rain?). Those are my regular Monday jobs. I sat in my bed and did my Bible study while he hummed around here like a Spring bee.

I hate this feeling of uselessness that I am having while recovering. My doctor said, no cooking, no laundry (except folding light items), no lifting, pushing, or pulling anything over 8 lbs for FOUR WEEKS!
When she mentioned no cooking for four weeks at my pre-op appointment I began to cry immediately. She looked at my husband in wonderment. I eeked out between tears, "But, cooking is my love-language." She laughed and said, "I think you better check that list again. Cooking isn't on there. You cannot cook for four weeks. I don't want you standing in the kitchen long enough to prepare a meal. You're supposed to be RESTING."


So, I'm resting and resting and resting. And everyone else is doing and doing and doing. Rod told the doc that he was going to staple-gun me by my pajamas to the bed. That was supposed to be funny. But, it's been three weeks and I am restless. Still, I am also really, really TIRED. I am amazed how tired any activity makes me. Church service on Sunday morning absolutely wore me out. And I didn't do anything but show up and worship and hear the Word.

I cannot remember how things fell apart yesterday afternoon, but by 2:00 Rod and I were yelling at each other. I was so mad at him I thought of thirty ways he could be drawn and quartered. He said he just wanted to leave and I kept thinking..."Go ahead and go, then!" In the heat of the moment, in the car, in the driving rain, when your whole life has been turned upside down and Satan is breathing down your neck you just don't think straight.

We both forgot the REAL pressure we've been under: unemployment for six months, dealing with an invalid dementia-riddled parent and his pending PERMANENT move into our home, a child with a broken arm and pins that will have to be removed in the office WITHOUT anesthesia, a teenager with grade problems and all the other social creepiness that comes with that age, plus the year of permitted driving is at an end and she is pressuring me to get her actual driver's license (oh dear LORD, I am so NOT READY for that), all the additional chores, physical healing and fatigue, not to mention a total lack of much needed marital date nights for a month straight.












The first two weeks of my recovery my husband was afraid to HUG me because he thought he would hurt me. He's been sleeping on the absolute edge of our mattress for fear that I would need to be rushed to the hospital. Do you think that all of these things are the possible cause for a raucous screaming fight in the car yesterday? (Did I mention that Saturday was our eleven year anniversary and we argued pretty much throughout the whole dinner about the logistics of moving forward with renovating the basement so that Rod's dad could move in?)

Yesterday, I made him take me home. We were halfway to the store. He did, too. He turned that car right around and took me home (gladly, I'm sure). I got in the driver's side and told him I'd pick up Gracie and he could pick up Rachel and take HER to do the grocery shopping. And that's what we did. At one point we were driving side-by-side on the highway, Gracie was waving at her dad with her good arm and I just glared angrily at the wet road in front of me. "There's Daddy, there's Daddy! He sees me, he sees me! Look Mama!" I was growling and didn't want to look at him (anymore!). Idiot. I am an idiot.

Rachel made a good dinner. Rod got Gracie ready for bed, read her Bible story and prayed with her. He came out and reluctantly (in my opinion) asked me to forgive him. I grunted an okay but didn't see the need to ask him to forgive me. He finally went to bed himself. I heard the Holy Spirit whisper, "Don't let the sun go down on your anger." I thought of Sunny Williams. She fought with her brother Nathan one day and they stayed mad at each other until bedtime. Sunny said the Lord spoke those words to her that night and she went and made things right. But Rod was already asleep.

Rachel came out with a pad of paper and a pen. She said she had a homework assignment for Biblical Womanhood. She was to make up 20 questions to ask her mother about love. (Uh-oh.) Mrs. Teague said to tell the moms to give real answers in her opinion and not "Sunday School" answers. (Yish.) So Rachel began asking me questions.

How many boyfriends have you had? (More than I can count.)

What is your definition of love? (Love is a decision, a commitment...not really a feeling. It is an act that you do, not the way you feel.)
She looked so disappointed.

When did you first experience real love? When I thought about her question, my heart went right to a moment in time that I knew God had brought me to. I tried to think of something more suitable to tell her, but I had to tell her the truth. (When I tried to break up with Rod in front of Cinnabon, before we were married. My throat closed and I couldn't speak. It was like God took away my ability to talk because He had a plan for me and I was going to mess it up. That was the first time I experienced real love. I made a commitment to move forward with someone I was ready to run from.) I could see the hurt in her eye. She was already three years old by then.

"Rachel, when you were born, I wasn't saved. I didn't know the love of God then. I was consumed with myself and I loved you when I first laid eyes on you, but I was more terrified of you than the love I felt. I didn't want to ruin your life. God taught me to be brave and to love you. But, Rod brought God to me and he was my necessary link to love." The memory began to soften my angry heart towards my slumbering husband.

She seemed to accept it and she moved on to the next question.
What is your love language? (Acts of service and quality time.)
"Acts of service, really? Really, Mom? So, how can you be mad at Rod?"

It was a smacker of a question. I grumbled quietly and said,
"Next question , please."

Who do you think of when I say Eros love? Rod, right? (Yeah.)

And Phileo love? (Liz.)

And Agape love? (Jesus.)
"Come on, Mom...no Sunday School answers. Seriously. That's totally a Sunday School answer." (Okay, my Mom. She reminds me of Agape love because she acts like Jesus. She takes off her robe and washes everybody's smelly feet when they don't deserve it. Really, Rachel, Jesus is the only One who is actually CAPABLE of Agape love and Sunday School answer or not, that is the truth. I don't think there is a human being alive or ever has been who is capable of genuine Agape love. It's something we strive for and hope to accomplish but we have too much flesh in the way to really do it.)

She asked me a few more questions that I can't really remember. I answered them still thinking about Rod's acts of service for me...my conscience bothering me. And finally she got to the end.

Last question: What is your favorite verse in the Bible about love? I reached over and pulled my Bible into my lap. I thought of all the scriptures that could be the right answer, John 3:16, and God is love, and even John 14:6. Before I opened the cover I knew what the right answer is for me. I know my scripture of love. I know THE VERSE that when I open my very marked up Bible it is there outlined in several colors of crayon and His words leap off the page at me. I gave her the reference: (Isaiah 43:1.)

She didn't wait for me to tell her what the verse says. She thanked me and left with her notebook. I thought of those beautiful words that tear my heart out every time I see them. You are MINE. Why? Why does He want us? Why does He want me? I didn't open my Bible and look at them because with all that filth in my heart I couldn't at that moment. I'm gonna tell you the truth now, I dare to believe that scripture verse is true for me.

I took a hot shower and got out with a half-grumbly heart. I wanted to wear my favorite pj's to bed and I just "knew" that Rod didn't finish the laundry and they were downstairs in the dryer in the dark and cold basement. He slept soundly as I put on my glasses and opened my pj drawer. There, right on top were my favorite jammies folded up waiting for an ungrateful wife to put them on.

Acts of service.

I don't think there has ever been a time in our thirteen years together that he has put my clothes away in the drawers. I was dumbfounded. I put on my pajamas and climbed in next to him. "You put my clothes away." He mumbled and rolled over, one eye open and a little disoriented. "Do what?" he asked. "Rod, you put my clothes away? You folded all the laundry and put it away in the drawers?" "Well, yeah, Jenn. Why are you waking me up over this?" I threw my arms around my warm and wonderful husband (completely ashamed of myself) and said, "Thank you. Will you please forgive me?" He said he thought we "already settled all that". And he rolled over and went back to sleep. I realized at that moment that there is a very important element to real love that I left out. I had to tell Rachel, "Real love is not just a decision and a commitment. Real love is humility."

I pulled my Bible off the night stand and dared to read the verse again. I thought about how someone said to me a long time ago that those scriptures in the Old Testament are not for us. They were for Israel, God's chosen nation and we've got no right to claim them as our own. And then the LORD in all His goodness let Rod and I experience adoption. Our love for Gracie is as deep and wide and thorough as our love for Rachel. There is no difference at all in the love we have for our daughters. Adoption. God's word says,

"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." (Galatians 3:26-29)

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit into your hearts, crying out, "Abba, Father!" (Galatians 4:4-6)














I've been reading my Dad's New Living Translation through.
And it was the Book on my nightstand.
I dared to believe those lovely verses in Isaiah again.


"But now, O Israel, the LORD who created you says: "Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are Mine.

When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I gave Egypt, Ethiopia, and Seba as a ransom for your freedom.

Others died that you might live. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to Me. You are honored, and I love you.

Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west and from north and south. I will bring My sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth.

All who claim Me as their God will come, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them." (Isaiah 43:1-7)

What a promise to a wretched girl like me!
What a wonderful God we have!
What a glorious Savior is mine!
Praise JESUS!

Art credits: Both the double rainbow photo and photo of my daughters by my daughter, Rachel Karrer. The painting of the man and woman is by Morgan Wiestling.