HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD

     Happy Father's Day to my Dad.  Yes, I admit I'm a spoiled daddy's girl.  He does his best to provide me with everything I need or just want. He used to go on many business trips and always brought me something back.  One time, I think from Denver, he brought back on the plane with him a life size Papa Smurf.  I bet that got a few looks, lol.  I can say he was strict enough for me to never consider sneaking out my easily accessible bay window as a teenager but generous enough to teach me about the joy of giving.  We are alot alike in that we are few on words, think over things too much at times, have a humorous wit and we are both genetically earmarked.  I love you, Dad.

Vacation

     Most of my church is leaving for Rock Haven church camp tomorrow.  The kids look forward to it every year.  It is a chance to get away from the hum-drum of everyday life.  It is also a chance to learn more about God's word and apply it in daily life.  Even tho friends are there, it is different to be with each other for a whole week.  I think this frog reminds us to not let little arguments get out of control but to let things go.  We must pack wisdom to take with us on trips, as well as clothes.   Remember, you may be the only Bible some people ever see.

Truly Live

     Some people think that living a Christian life means a mundane, boring, and restricted life.  That is certainly not the case.  I would ask 'what sin is it you don't want to give up that is worth risking eternity for?'  I'm not saying the Christian's life is sin-free but instead forgiven.  With our Savior by our side, we are freer to experience the joys of life and handle the hardships.
     I had a discussion with a friend about this very topic.  According to her, the life she has is self built and self attained.  She is uncertain of eternity and feels this life may be all there is.  She wants to live it up in this life with her rules as her guide.  Well that's foolish thinking.  Hebrews 11;1  ''Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.''  Everything comes from God or He allows it to draw you to Him.  As the ant prepares for harvest, we too must use this life to prepare for eternity, not selfish gain.  God has prepared a place for believers but are you prepared to go there?
     You can live to the fullest with less fear when your burdens are laid at the Cross.

Exaggeration

     Do you know people who embellish the truth?  It makes you doubt some of the things they say in general.  Now did this little rabbit see a real giant carrot, a plastic carrot, a carrot grown in Alaska or is it a carrot he dreamed up?  I wonder if he's trying to rally the other rabbits into Mr. McGregor's garden with his impressive tale.
     When we are known to be truthful, people will take you at your word.  Exaggeration tho can lead to distrust.  Is exaggeration an attempt to get attention?  I'd rather hear your story, even if it's boring, in truth than with false embellishments.
     There is also the 'one-up' factor.  Some people feel the need to tell their better story as soon as yours is over.  I hate that.  It gives the impression that you didn't even care about the first story but that you just want to tell yours.  The Bible says do not boast on anything but the Lord.
     Just tell it like it is and say 'and that's that.'  No more and no less equals out to be just enough.

     Proverbs 12;19  ''Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.''

Way Back Wednesday---Happiness

     What a way to wake up!  I wish I could say this is how I get up each day but that is not the case.  I can say that this is how I envision the happiness I will feel when I get to heaven.  I was probably about 4yrs old here with not a care in the world.  I didn't care about a fancy bed or room, but was humble enough to be happy to wake up to loving parents.  Was that the age for me to not yet know the ugliness of this world?  Children at this age are often trusting, forgiving, and oblivious to the dangers of this world.  When we come to know our Savior, we too can turn to Him to regain these characteristics.
     Matthew 18:2-4  ^''He called a little child, whom he placed among them.  And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes a humble place—becoming like this child—is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.'' 
     My desire is to be like this little girl again, who is filled with love.

Forgiveness

Psalm 130;3-4  ''If you, Lord, kept a record of sins,

    Lord, who could stand?  But with you there is forgiveness,
    so that we can, with reverence, serve you.''

     This was one of the verses in my daily Bible reading today and I thought this caption went well with it.  I think this verse not only points out our sinful nature but the forgiving nature of God.  There is no one but God that is good so we need His saving grace.  His love for us keeps no record of wrongs.  We want that kind of forgiveness for ourselves but do we give it to others?  I read yesterday that 'forgiveness is a promise not to use the sin/hurt against them in the future.'  Woah, now.  I've forgiven people of things but to never ever recall it to them.. hmm, can I do that?  How can we ask for what we're not willing to give to others?  You can't.  We are to forgive just like God has forgiven us.

     We are like this little kitten.  We know what we've done and the guilt can hold us back.  Forgiveness can free us from those burdens.  Aren't you glad that with a repentant heart God will not turn from us in continued anger?  Have you ever thought  'well sorry, just isn't good enough.'  We can never repay our debt of sin ourselves with good works, good behavior, or good words.  The Law in the Old Testament could never be lived up to.  Only one way was our debt paid, Jesus' death on the cross.

    Acts 13;38  “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.''

Don't Give Up On It

     Okay before I begin this story, let me preface it by saying my professor wasn't terrible.  I took Physics in high school so I wasn't too worried about taking it in my first semester in college.  Well it was a whole new ball game at college level and some courses are to weed out the weak.  Well my first physics test was humbling to say the least.  My test score was 20, yes out of 100.  ACK!  How could one recover with a start like this?  Well it was comforting to know that my score was the average for the whole class.  The professor put his ego in his pocket and took part of the blame for the low scores.  He retaught the material, retested us and we all got  dramatically improved scores.  I respected the teacher for doing this and took his class for physics 2 also.
     Failure is a given in this life at times, even when we try.  Should we give up at the first opportunity?  No.  It is our chance to learn and improve from our mistakes.  I certainly had some classes that it would have been easier to drop and try something else but I never did.  I'd rather have a hard earned C than an easy A, if it involved not quitting.
     Don't give up when the waters get rough, just keep paddling thru it.  ''Some thru the water, some thru the flood, some thru the fire but all thru the Blood.  Some thru great sorrow but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.''

Urgency

     There are times in our lives when the sense of urgency leaves no time to explain.  Sometimes we just have to   trust and act on instinct.  I'm going to share one of those stories with you today.
     After I moved back here, I could still transfer independently from my scooter to a chair.  One day my parents were outside and I attempted to get in my recliner to watch tv.  I put my portable phone on the chair, just in case.  Well the case turned out to be that I got stuck in mid-air between seats.  My foot got caught on the bottom of the scooter.  So I assess the situation, I can't swing back to the scooter seat and if I just fall then my leg will not give and break.  So, I called 911 with one hand while bracing myself with the other.  The 911 operator couldn't hear me so I just hung up and redialed over and over.  The cop soon came in our driveway and told my dad 'someone keeps calling 911 from this address.'  My dad took off running for the basement with no further explanation needed.
      One day there will be no time left to explain the importance of putting your trust in Jesus.  Your time will be up and your name will be in the Book of Life or not.  God will not permit you to explain why you never chose Him.  He will just say 'I never knew you.'  The urgent time is now.

Wisdom

     Okay some of you may not agree with my choice of captions for this blog but it's to say all babies are precious and beautiful.  Personally, I think this little one is cute as ever.  I had a stuffed animal named Baby Hugo that it reminds me of.
     Mothers are very protective of their young and want the best for them.  When reading of the mother in the Bible whose baby had died and she swapped another mother's baby with hers, I am glad Solomon had the wisdom to know how to reveal who was the real mother.  The real mother would sacrifice her desire to raise the baby in order to save the baby's life.  She had protective wisdom too.
     Solomon was already wise when he was able to ask anything from God and yet chose discernment.  Is wisdom more precious to you than silver or gold?  I've heard it said  ''You can know the price of everything but the value of nothing.''  By learning wisdom thru God's Word, we can make right decisions, see our mistakes and stay on our narrow path.
     Psalm 110;11  ''The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.''

Acknowledgement

      When I saw this caption, I felt like it was so me.  Often times I'm not in a position to have a conversation with someone even though I'd like to.  It might be too noisy, I might have my air mask on or the other person may always have trouble hearing me.  Regardless of the situation, I like to let the person know I see them and show a friendly gesture, like a smile and a wave.
      Sometimes people don't want to talk, they just want an acknowledgement of their presence.  Southerners have a knack for smiling and waving as we drive down the road.  Sometimes if I can't get my hand up in time or don't recognize the friend in time, I feel guilty and hope they don't think I was being rude.
      As a kid, I remember giving the big rig drivers the honking sign thru the car window.  They would often smile and wave at me before they blew their horn for me.  I think they got a kick out of it as much as I did.
      It doesn't take much to shine a little light into someone's path.  Just a smile and a wave can make someone's day.

Helping

     Okay, I just have to say this first about this caption... I prefer, no I insist, that all of my helpers have clothes on...lol.  This picture also reminds me of Marge Nosek for some reason.  She liked hot tea and I often saw her at her dining table.
     Helping others is a way to show God's love to others.  One day we will all be defined as old, like me, by what the Bible says...John 21;18 ''Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.”  I think aging is part of the transformation of ourselves into Christ's image because it takes patience, humility, kindness, self-control, and more patience.
    I can tell you if those helping hands aren't motivated with love, they aren't as much help.  I saw a sign yesterday while shopping that said,  ''If things get any worse, I'm going to ask you to STOP HELPING!''  We've all heard it or said it after a disaster occurs, ''I was just trying to help.''  We can't say love wasn't intended because accidents do happen but there are those times when you rush the help just to get it done.  Not so love motivated, huh?
    1 Corinthians 13; 1-8  ''If I speak in human or angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
    Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.''

Way Back Wednesday---Stuffed Animals

     This picture was taken in February 1980 in our home in Stuttgart, AR.  I was 8years old here.  I have always been a fan of stuffed animals. I was never that much into dolls.  This bear looks so big but when I went thru my collection, not too long ago, he didn't look the same as I remembered...he shrunk!  My bedroom used to be what is now the office.  The ceiling was once covered with stuffed animals hanging from fishing line.
     My largest stuffed animal was Gordy. [ yes, they all had names]  He is a large gorilla that I won at Libertyland amusement park in Memphis.  It was the game where you throw rings on milk bottles.
     Some of you may not understand this but as an only child, my stuffed animals were like my 'chosen' siblings. I talked to them and shared with them both my joys and frustrations of childhood.  Don't get me wrong, I was never one who wanted or longed for a sibling.  My parents asked me at age 10, if I'd like a brother or sister?  I didn't even have to think about it.. Nope!  I'm sure some will say I don't know what I'm missing but I'm okay with that.
      God gives us all what we need in life.  I have friends that are my true sisters and brothers in Christ.

So? What About Me?

     Have you ever came home to this kind of greeting after a bad day?  Your kids or your spouse meet you at the door with 'their' list of needs that need attention right this very second?  All you need is five to ten minutes to collect yourself, right?  Locking yourself in the bathroom seems like a reasonable option.
     So let's say you do get those few minutes to yourself, what's the best way to use that time?  Recount all the bad things that happened that day?  No.  Prepare your outlash remarks for when you do come out?  No.  Take the time to pray for a peaceful disposition, a righteous attitude and a forgiving heart for those you felt wronged you that day?  Yes, most definetely the best use of your time.
     For those waiting at the door ready to ambush you with requests, Patience.  Timing can make a world of difference in the response you get.
     We all have responsibilities that must get done but when we think and care about each other's needs first, it can be done alot smoother and peacefully.

SPRING RECITAL SONGS

     For those of you who didn't see my video at the recital, here they are.  'In Christ Alone' and 'Day by Day' are the two songs I've been working on with Phillip.

FBF MISSIONARY PRAYER REQUESTS FOR JUNE 2012

PRAYER REQUESTS FOR JUNE 2012


LESLEY WOLFE--

(1)  Sometime this month (June) I hope to make a trip to Liberia to take 15 chapters through the next step of the translation process.  I’ll be working in Exodus with Isaac (an animist) and in Mark with Joe (a true believer).  Pray for our time together, that God will speak to these two men through His word as we work together.
(2)  Pray for the “Felix family” --- Felix is an elder in our village, and an animist.  His 5 sons, however, attend the Assembly of God church in our village.  Pray that God will have His way in the lives of these five young men:  Kwia (32 yrs old), Kuro (30 yrs old), Francis (28 yrs old), Michael (24 yrs old), Kwamle (19 yrs old); plus his grandson, Caesar (16 yrs old).

TED AND PRISCILLA CLARK--

We have our Parents in Action camp.  Please pray for enthusiasm among the families, and that this would result in a zeal

among the parents to work diligently with their children, teaching them the ways of the Lord and studying the Word with

them daily.

Continue to pray with us for Lourdes and her family, who come faithfully to church, but we are uncertain

as to their commitment to Christ.

MARTIN AND HANSY TUOHY--

1. As we continue to wait for clarity on whether or not we should go to Mexico, please pray that God would fill us with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we might live worthily of the Lord and please Him in all respects...Col 1:9b-11

2. Blessings on the new Bible study in Romans, may it stimulate great spiritual growth in those who attend.

 

MONICA SERNATINGER

 

1. Continue to pray for Guille and her daughter Nancy. After the extortion, they have not come back to the ladies meeting. May the Lord strengthen their faith in His goodness and faithfulness, and may Antonio, Guille's husband, come to know our Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior. May the Lord give us the wisdom as a church how to reach out to them in love and compassion.

2. Baptisms: Praise the Lord! Juan (who was picked up by the federals a couple months ago, thanks for praying!) and Erika are getting baptized this Sunday! Please, continue to pray for their marriage and their spiritual growth. Erika has been too busy to make it to the ladies studies, but Juan continues to faithfully attend the men 's study, and helps to serve the Lord's supper. Also, Laura is taking this step of obedience after 16 years of having confessed to be a believer (she was one of the reasons that brought us to minister here in Puruandiro 14 years ago). May her husband Jose, her two teenagers Rafa and Reni, and her daughter Diana, experience her sincere love and gratitude for her Lord and Savior.  

Call It What It Is

     Good grief, I hate the promotion of socialism here in the US.  I am referring to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wanting to ban super-sized soft drinks available at restaurants, arenas and movie theaters. Any sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces would be prohibited in this new law.  If it begins here, where does it end?  If they make you drink less, then surely they'll limit how much toilet paper is on a roll next, right?  Will the Seinfeld line 'Can you spare a square?' become a reality of daily life?  Yes, it sounds ridiculous but so does the idea of making me buy two drinks instead of one to get the desired amount I want at double the cost.  Why aren't people outraged at the mere thought of limiting our freedoms?  Why aren't the avid recyclers balking at creating more waste?  Oh sure, they claim it's for our benefit.  The media is even promoting it as an effort to curb obesity in society by telling us how many calories and grams of sugar are in a certain amount sized cup.  I've also heard that they are shrinking the size of candy bars too.  Let's call it what it is!  It's government control of your individual rights!
     A missionary friend of mine now lives in the Ukraine.  He and his wife had to go two weeks this winter without hot water because it is government controlled.  Is that what you want from your government?
     If I could say one statement to Bloomberg, it would be ''Don't try to make decisions for me and DON'T MESS WITH MY SWEET TEA!'

Koalafied?

     This caption makes me think of all the people who claim to be Christians but their lives don't reflect it.  Yes, we are saved by grace and not by works but there should be evident fruit of the Spirit.  John 15:5  “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'' Our lives should be distinctly different than one with a worldly view. ''If we could earn our salvation, Christ would not have died to provide it.''  There is no act or series of good acts that can redeem us from our sin other than belief in Jesus' life, death and resurrection.
     ''Some people have an assurance of salvation based on faulty thinking. They believe that church attendance, baptism, or just being good will gain them approval from God. But our thinking is faulty if it isn’t based on what God says in His Word. God says that “all have sinned” and that we are His enemies. But through the death and resurrection of His Son, we can be made right with God (Rom. 3:23; 5:8-10). By faith in what Christ has done, we can have peace with God (5:1) and the assurance of eternal life in heaven.''  from ourdailybread.org
     Don't be like the koala who thinks he's a bear but really isn't according to the definition. The Word tells us how we can truly be saved according to God's definition. John 3;18  ''Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.''  Ephesians 2;8  '' For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.''
    

Way Back Wednesday---Blue Hawks Mascot

     Here I am in the 4th grade as the mascot for the Blue Hawks football team in Stuttgart.  I don't remember how this came to be.  I recall the cheerleaders as being a little bit older than me but somehow they let me be the younger mascot.  I couldn't do their flips and jumps but I did get to join in with them on the cheers.  The two cheers I remember are 'Pork chop, pork chop, greasy, greasy, we can beat your team easy easy' and 'Our team is red hot, just look what we got, we got T-E-A-M...yea team.'  I do remember it as very fun to be a part of something.  I think uniforms of any kind give you a sense of belonging to something special.
     Maybe I've always been an encourager, I'm not sure.  I have though always wanted to be a participator.  I'm not a bench warmer by choice. It's never been my goal to be number one at physical activities but just to play a part.  We played kickball in elementary P.E. class and my goal was never to score a point.  It was to kick the ball in the opposite direction and maybe make it to first base.  That's making the most out of reality.
     Even with my limitations today, I want to participate.  Sometimes I even join in by volunteering my dad on my behalf..lol.  I think it's important to be involved with something.  I can't sign up for the cleaning schedule at church but instead I found a project that I could do... missionary prayer requests.
    You can sit on the sidelines and watch the world pass by.. and it will.. or you can get involved and have some fun.

Body and Soul

      In this world, we tend to think of body and soul together.  They are different though and our soul should take priority.  Many people have a plan in place to maintain their bodies thru vitamins, diet and exercise.  How is it that you keep your soul in shape as well?
      The disease I have that affects my nerves and muscles is progressive.  Therefore, abilities that my body could once perform have weakened or disappeared entirely.  As my life's journey has progressed, it certainly has strengthened my soul as my body fades. It has helped me differentiate the two with ease. That's the goal tho, to transform our souls for eternity's sake.
      I think it's always neat to hear pilots say there are x number of souls on board.  If the plane crashed, the bodies would remain but the souls would be taken.  It points out what is really at risk.
      Matthew 10:28  ''Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.''
      I encourage you today to work on a plan to keep your soul on the healthy, narrow path.  'Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.'   1 Peter 1;24-25  ''All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”

Memorial Day Weekend

Below is the story of my friend's dad.  Twylia wanted to share the story of her favorite soldier of all.  It tells of the sacrifices veterans often make so that we may enjoy the freedom of peace-enjoyed everyday living.  May we all remember those of the past and present.  Veterans---They all give some but some gave all.

With Memorial Day fast approaching, I am thinking of my dad, Harley N. (Bud) Gray, a WWII soldier, who enlisted in the U.S. Army in early June, 1941, just after he had married my mother, Ruby Burchell Gray, on May 17 in Crossett, Arkansas.  May 17 would have been their 70^th wedding anniversary.

After boot camp at Camp Robinson in Little Rock, my Dad served in the Asiatic Pacific Campaign and was severely injured at Guadalcanal on May 11, 1943.  Prior to that he had been stationed in the Fiji and Solomon Islands with other men in his company, many from Ohio and West Virginia.  When injured, he was near a soldier who stepped on a land mine and Daddy was hit directly in the throat and legs by shrapnel.  A large piece of shrapnel literally cut his throat and shattered his jawbone….he lost his bottom teeth and his tongue was exposed through his neck.  A buddy, Sgt. E. A. (Dave) David, held him up so he would not strangle on his own blood.  He was so badly injured, they left him under a mosquito net for three days waiting for him to die.  When he didn’t, he was transported to Auckland, New Zealand where he began a long 23-month journey to recovery.   A bone was grafted from his leg to his face to reconstruct a new jawbone and his mouth was wired shut for eight months.  During that time, he was on a liquid diet and suffered a severe weight loss (see picture).  He returned to a hospital in the United States…in San Francisco…in July of 1943 and then was transferred numerous times to various other hospitals within the states….including army hospitals in Pennsylvania, Texas, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas.  He was honorably discharged after his full recovery on April 2, 1945 (though he carried the scar underneath his chin and the shrapnel in his legs for the rest of his life).  He opted not to have plastic surgery, after my mother told him if he could live with the scar so could she.  From the letters that I have of my mother’s from Sgt. David and from the stories that we have heard from other Army buddies (though they did not talk about it often), we understand that Daddy had a very strong desire to live and return to Mother so that they could have their life together.  Sgt. David wrote, “The fortitude he has shown has won for him the admiration of all who came in contact with him.  I have yet to see a man more courageous than he. You, yourself, Mrs. Gray, gave him the inspiration and the will to recover.” I am not kidding when I say that “I am here by the grace of God”, but then I suppose we all are.

Sgt. David and my dad were never reunited after the war, although Daddy did reunite with many others from his company fourteen years later, and remained in close contact with some of them until his death on January 4, 1998.  In June of 1995, Dave’s daughter, Carol Falone, called Mother and Daddy to let them know that she had found two letters that Daddy had written to Mrs. David (Dave’s mother) during that same time (1943).  Sgt. David had passed away that year (1995) and the letters were among his possessions.  Carol was born in April of 1946; she is just four months older than I am.  I found her letter to Mother after my mom passed away on May 1, 2000….I called Carol on Memorial Day of that year and we “met” over the phone and shared our thanksgiving for our fathers.  I still have the letters she sent.

Though my father did not see a lot of battle, and actually was not killed during combat, he is a hero to me, as he served to preserve our freedoms just as those who were on the front lines did.  Daddy remained a very proud veteran of the U. S. Armed Forces throughout the remainder of his life and was always totally supportive of veterans and men and women in service to our country.  He never complained about his injuries, though I know they did cause him hardship at times.  Because of his service and the example he set for me, I too am a blessed U. S. citizen who cringes at the thought of anyone who wants to burn the American flag or criticize this land of liberty.  I know for a fact, and from Daddy’s suffering, that our freedom has come at a great cost and a great sacrifice.  I am deeply appreciative to Daddy and to all the other men and women who have contributed, and who are still contributing, to preserving our country.  We truly cannot thank them enough!