Saturday, July 18, 2009
Time Flies!
My grandma always used to tell me the years go by faster the older you get. I did not understand that in my twenties or thirties but I definitely understand it now! They seem to just zip by not sure about the physics of it but I can say that it is true for me today. At any rate, today we are taking Sarah up to Sherman for her dorm preview for college. It seems like just yesterday I married her Dad and his 3 little girls. They have grown into fine young women and I am honored to have been allowed to be a part of their world. It hasn't always been easy being a blended family but it is a joy to watch them grown. So Jeff & I will just have 1 more at home for the next 2 years and then there will be only 2 (me & him) well technically 3 since God is our center but at any rate it will be a whole new adventure with us. Since we have had kids from day one, this will be a new time of getting to know each other just the two of us and I think that will be fun as well.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Rejoice, again I say rejoice! Phil 4:4
When I think about this passage of scripture my heart just does flip flops! I have so much to rejoice about. God has truly blessed me beyond measure. I think sometimes the english language does not truly reflect what our emotions and the original meaning of words should convey.
Modern dictionary meaning
–verb (used without object)
1.
to be glad; take delight (often fol. by in): to rejoice in another's happiness.
–verb (used with object)
2.
to make joyful; gladden: a song to rejoice the heart.
Original Hebrew
χαίρω - transliteration chairō prounounced khī'-rō
1) to rejoice, be glad
2) to rejoice exceedingly
3) to be well, thrive
4) in salutations, hail!
5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
When I think about this passage of scripture my heart just does flip flops! I have so much to rejoice about. God has truly blessed me beyond measure. I think sometimes the english language does not truly reflect what our emotions and the original meaning of words should convey.
Modern dictionary meaning
–verb (used without object)
1.
to be glad; take delight (often fol. by in): to rejoice in another's happiness.
–verb (used with object)
2.
to make joyful; gladden: a song to rejoice the heart.
Original Hebrew
χαίρω - transliteration chairō prounounced khī'-rō
1) to rejoice, be glad
2) to rejoice exceedingly
3) to be well, thrive
4) in salutations, hail!
5) at the beginning of letters: to give one greeting, salute
Friday, July 10, 2009
Does God Still Speak to Us Today?
I have had things similar to this happen in my life, especially when I was raising my kids by myself. Have you? I've also had the honor of being the one that got to bless. It's fun on both sides. I've also had God tell me what is going on with my kids and how to pray for them. He loves us and wants the best for us always. I'm sure some of you have seen this story before, but it's a good reminder of the faithfulness of God.
A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study.The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voiceThe young man couldn't help but wonder, 'Does God still speak to people?'After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, 'God....If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.'As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk.He shook his head and said out loud, 'God is that you?' He didn't get a reply and started on toward home.But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.'Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.' It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, 'Turn Down that street.'This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection.Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street ..At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh.Half jokingly, he said out loud, 'Okay, God, I will.'He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, 'Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.' The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. 'Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid.' Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, 'Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for some thing, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.' He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, 'Who is it? What do you want?' Then the door opened before the young man could get away.
The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. 'What is it?'
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, 'Here, I brought this to you.' The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.
Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face..
The man began speaking and half crying, 'We were just praying . We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk.'
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, 'I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?'
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.
He knew that God still answers prayers.
A young man had been to Wednesday Night Bible Study.The Pastor had shared about listening to God and obeying the Lord's voiceThe young man couldn't help but wonder, 'Does God still speak to people?'After service, he went out with some friends for coffee and pie and they discussed the message. Several different ones talked about how God had led them in different ways.It was about ten o'clock when the young man started driving home. Sitting in his car, he just began to pray, 'God....If you still speak to people, speak to me. I will listen. I will do my best to obey.'As he drove down the main street of his town, he had the strangest thought to stop and buy a gallon of milk.He shook his head and said out loud, 'God is that you?' He didn't get a reply and started on toward home.But again, the thought, buy a gallon of milk.The young man thought about Samuel and how he didn't recognize the voice of God, and how little Samuel ran to Eli.'Okay, God, in case that is you, I will buy the milk.' It didn't seem like too hard a test of obedience. He could always use the milk. He stopped and purchased the gallon of milk and started off toward home.As he passed Seventh Street , he again felt the urge, 'Turn Down that street.'This is crazy he thought, and drove on past the intersection.Again, he felt that he should turn down Seventh Street ..At the next intersection, he turned back and headed down Seventh.Half jokingly, he said out loud, 'Okay, God, I will.'He drove several blocks, when suddenly, he felt like he should stop He pulled over to the curb and looked around. He was in a semi- commercial area of town. It wasn't the best but it wasn't the worst of neighborhoods either. The businesses were closed and most of the houses looked dark like the people were already in bed. Again, he sensed something, 'Go and give the milk to the people in the house across the street.' The young man looked at the house. It was dark and it looked like the people were either gone or they were already asleep. He started to open the door and then sat back in the car seat. 'Lord, this is insane. Those people are asleep and if I wake them up, they are going to be mad and I will look stupid.' Again, he felt like he should go and give the milk. Finally, he opened the door, 'Okay God, if this is you, I will go to the door and I will give them the milk If you want me to look like a crazy person, okay. I want to be obedient. I guess that will count for some thing, but if they don't answer right away, I am out of here.' He walked across the street and rang the bell. He could hear some noise inside. A man's voice yelled out, 'Who is it? What do you want?' Then the door opened before the young man could get away.
The man was standing there in his jeans and T-shirt. He looked like he just got out of bed. He had a strange look on his face and he didn't seem too happy to have some stranger standing on his doorstep. 'What is it?'
The young man thrust out the gallon of milk, 'Here, I brought this to you.' The man took the milk and rushed down a hallway.
Then from down the hall came a woman carrying the milk toward the kitchen. The man was following her holding a baby. The baby was crying. The man had tears streaming down his face..
The man began speaking and half crying, 'We were just praying . We had some big bills this month and we ran out of money. We didn't have any milk for our baby. I was just praying and asking God to show me how to get some milk.'
His wife in the kitchen yelled out, 'I ask him to send an Angel with some. Are you an Angel?'
The young man reached into his wallet and pulled out all the money he had on him and put in the man's hand. He turned and walked back toward his car and the tears were streaming down his face.
He knew that God still answers prayers.
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