"Real and Free"

What's real, free, answers every problem, surprises us, is all we need and so many other things???

It's the grace of God! I Corinthians 15:10 says, "But by the grace of God I am what I am and His grace toward me was not in vain...." As we reflect on the events of 2009 and look forward to 2010, those of us who understand who we are in God's economy, not the world system, can say, "BY THE GRACE OF GOD I AM WHAT I AM!" It is His grace that has brought us safe thus far and His grace will lead us home. His grace is amazing and it is greater than all our sins! It has to be greater than our sin or we couldn't be saved by it. His grace draws us, saves us, keeps us, promotes us, and strengthens us.

In this coming New Year, let us be aware of and sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and hear His voice over the din of the world. As we hear and do His will, we ensure that His grace towards us is not in vain. Let us live our lives to honor Him and through His blood which sanctifies us let us renounce the sins that bind us. Let us be strengthened by His Word and sent forward by His Spirit into a world that is dying for lack of the knowledge that He has given us.

Happy New Year to all my friends and family.

Carla

I Wish You Feathers

What a wonderful time to be alive. I bought an IPhone today. I can literally read my email, send a text message to my friend in Washington, DC (got snow?), find the route to my stepdaughter' new house and see my own house from street level. All of this while I am eating chicken and dumplings at Folks! I didn't have to stand in line nor pay $600 for it as those did when it first was introduced to the American public a few years ago.

But that's not what I wanted to say. I wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and wish you "feathers." Feathers?? yes. Psalm 91 reads: "Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will dwell in the shadow of the Almighty. They say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from deadly pestilence. He will cover you with His FEATHERS, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

May your New Year be filled with His feathers as He provides for you, protects you, leads you, guides you and shields you from the snares of the enemy.
Be blessed today and always.

"Scandal of Particularity"

Today could be the day...it could be the day when you lose your job, your hair or your way. It could be the day when the week is longer than the paycheck, the aggravation is longer than the patience, and the waist is bigger than the waistband.

Or it could be the day when the Lord of Glory steps out onto the portals of heaven and with the sound of the shofar calls us home to be with Him.

There is a "theological" term, "scandal of particularity," that I find intriguing. The term is referring to the belief that Christians have of God's coming to earth as a human baby born to a virgin at a time when the world was in chaos. The Bible refers to the event happening "in the fullness of time." At a "particular" time, in a "particular" place, to a "particular" woman, for a "particular" purpose, this absurd birth happened. How could the God of Heaven stoop so low as to become one of us?

There will be another "fullness of time," another "particularity" that will come to humankind, and, according to the signs, it won't be long. Jesus IS coming to earth again, only this time, He will NOT come as a human baby, but as the Kings of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He will come as the Conquerer once and for all defeating death, hell and the grave.

Christmas is not just for remembering that He came once but also knowing and anticipating that He will come again for those who wait and watch for Him.

"The strength of the Lord is my joy"

Yes, you heard the title right: "The strength of the Lord is my joy." I know that the Scripture says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." I understand the need for strength, but sometimes even knowing where my strength comes from, that is from "the joy of the Lord," I have no strength. Sometimes putting one foot in front of the other is a challenge. Maybe the Scripture isn't talking about physical strength, but I suspect it is, at least partially. The Lord's joy is a spiritual joy, so maybe the strength is a spiritual too.

Sometimes I have no physical strength because my hemoglobin is below 9 and I just need a Procrit shot! Sometimes it is spiritual strength; it is then I need the Holy Spirit to do His work in me.

Joy, however, is a choice. But where does it come from? --- this "WILL TO JOY"? It comes from knowing the One who gives the joy is the Lion of Judah. He is the strong and everlasting King of Glory. He holds all things together by the power of His Word. He is and will be the Great and Final Champion. If we do not chose to "joy," we in essence are rejecting Him--He who is the source of joy and of life and of love.

"The Yellow Shirt" borrowed from a friend

I have shared with my readers a couple of times items that have come to me as email. I find this one today to be very touching since our Mother passed away two years ago this week. She never did anything quite like the Mother of this story, but she loved us with all her heart, soul and mind. We miss her and always will.
I hope you enjoy this little story as much as I did.
________________________________________

The yellow shirt had long sleeves, four extra-large pockets trimmed in black thread and snaps up the front. It was faded from years of wear, but still in decent shape. I found it in 1963 when I was home from college on Christmas break, rummaging through bags of clothes Mom intended to give away.
'You're not taking that old thing, are you?' Mom said when she saw me packing the yellow shirt. 'I wore that when I was pregnant with your brother in 1954!'
It's just the thing to wear over my clothes during art class, Mom. Thanks!' I slipped it into my suitcase before she could object. The yellow shirt be came a part of my college wardrobe. I loved it.
After graduation, I wore the shirt the day I moved into my new apartment and on Saturday mornings when I cleaned.
The next year, I married. When I became pregnant, I wore the yellow shirt during big-belly days. I missed Mom and the rest of my family, since we were in Colorado and they were in Illinois . But, that shirt helped. I smiled, remembering that Mother had worn it when she was pregnant, 25 years earlier.
That Christmas, mindful of the warm feelings the shirt had given me, I patched one elbow, wrapped it in holiday paper and sent it to Mom. When Mom wrote to thank me for her 'real' gifts, she said the yellow shirt was lovely. She never mentioned it again..
The next year, my husband, daughter and I stopped at Mom and Dad's to pick up some furniture. Days later, when we uncrated the kitchen table, I noticed something yellow taped to its bottom. The shirt!
And so the pattern was set.
On our next visit home , I secretly placed the shirt under Mom and Dad's mattress. I don't know how long it took for her to find it, but almost two years passed before I discovered it under the base of our living-room floor lamp. The yellow shirt was just what I needed now while refinishing furniture. The walnut stains added character.
In 1975 my husband and I divorced. With my three children, I prepared to move back to Illinois . As I packed, a deep depression overtook me. I wondered if I could make it on my own. I wondered if I would find a job. I paged through the Bible, looking for comfort. In Ephesians, I read, 'So use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will be standing up.'
I tried to picture myself wearing God's armor, but all I saw was the stained yellow shirt. Slowly, it dawned on me. Wasn't my mother's love a piece of God's armor? My courage was renewed.
Unpacking in our new home , I knew I had to get the shirt back to Mother. The next time I visited her, I tucked it in her bottom dresser drawer
Meanwhile, I found a good job at a radio station.. A year later I discovered the yellow shirt hidden in a rag bag in my cleaning closet.
Something new had been added. Embroidered in bright green across the breast pocket were the words 'I BELONG TO PAT.'
Not to be outdone, I got out my own embroidery materials and added an apostrophe and seven more letters.
Now the shirt proudly proclaimed, 'I BELONG TO PAT'S MOTHER.' But I didn't stop there. I zig-zagged all the frayed seams, then had a friend mail the shirt in a fancy box to Mom from Arlington , VA. We enclosed an official looking letter from 'The Institute for the Destitute,' announcing that she was the recipient of an award for good deeds.
I would have given anything to see Mom's face when she opened the box. But, of course, she never mentioned it.
Two years later, in 1978, I remarried. The day of our wedding, Harold and I put our car in a friend's garage to avoid practical jokers. After the wedding, while my husband drove us to our honeymoon suite, I reached for a pillow in the car to rest my head. It felt lumpy. I unzipped the case and found, wrapped in wedding paper, the yellow shirt. Inside a pocket was a note: 'Read John 14:27-29.. I love you both, Mother.'
That night I paged through the Bible in a hotel room and found the verses: 'I am leaving you with a gift: peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't fragile like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. Remember what I told you: I am going away, but I will come back to you again. If you really love me, you will be very happy for me, for now I can go to the Father, who is greater than I am. I have told you these things before they happen so that when they do, you will believe in me.'

The shirt was Mother's final gift. She had known for three months that she had terminal Lou Gehrig's disease. Mother died the following year at age 57.
I was tempted to send the yellow shirt with her to her grave. But I'm glad I didn't, because it is a vivid reminder of the love-filled game she and I played for 16 years. Besides, my older daughter is in college now, majoring in art. And every art student needs a baggy yellow shirt with big pockets.




















________________________________________

Prayers for a Friend

(Before I forget it, let me invite you to watch the new show "Sing-Off" beginning next Monday night. A group of young people from our flagship university, Lee University, will be competing. They are called the Voices of Lee.)

I went to a very nice reception/roast today for a dear friend that I hired twenty years ago to teach at Oakwood High School. Her Ed. D. is being conferred on Saturday. She literally has been working toward this for twenty years. I am very proud of Shari Atkinson and her accomplishment. She and her husband, Tom, are in need of our prayers. He has MS and is completely disabled now. Shari's faith is strong and I know that they will make it. Shari-it is the crisis in our lives that make us strong. I know that you have heard that there are two Chinese characters that mean "crisis"; one means "opportunity" and the other means "danger."

Theologically speaking a "crisis" is a time of decision in our lives. It's a time when we "step up to the plate" or get out of the game all together. We have to decide that the risk is worth the reward. Remember, as a child of God, everything that happens to us goes through Him first. He really isn't going to put onto us "more than we can bear." He will strengthen us enough that we can bear the crisis which in turn builds our character and relationship with Him.

I have to share this blessing!

I received this email from a student today. It blessed me so much that I just have to share it with you. I am not doing this for any self-aggrandizement, I hope that you know that.

"It’s another day and the Lord has been gracious. His mercy He has extended to us, not because of any good that we have done, but because He loves us unconditionally. Dr. N., you are the subject of divine decree. Hence, the eyes of the Lord are upon you. In spite of the long days that you have experienced, God, your God has not ceased to love you unconditionally. Remember also, you are the object of God’s special affection. I am praising the Lord for you even as I write this email. Continue to be a blessing. Continue to shine the light of God. You are blessing."

It's Temporary

I have a new mantra: "It's temporary." Regardless of what it is, it's temporary. Riches, poverty, health or sickness--it's temporary. There are so many things in life that we dread: trips to the dentist, shots for the pet, scheduled surgery, paying for Christmas extravagances, getting let go at work, spending time with the in-laws, writing the final paper,__________________. You can fill in the blank.

But--it is all temporary! This too shall pass! Crying lasts for the night, but joy comes in the morning! God's mercies are new every morning!

We wait for so many events to transpire: the car to be paid for, the bone to heal, the son to get a job, the daughter to make a committment, the chemotheraphy to be over, the light to turn green. It's temporary. Those things will happen in due season.

The only thing that is not temporary is eternal life. And we spend so little time preparing for the most important part of our life, the part after life; The part that truly isn't temporary. Won't you spend some time today preparing yourself for eternal life? Make sure that your heart is fixed and that your purpose is clear. Make sure that your "account is settled."

El Roi

My goodness! It has been a long time since I have written. I apologize to my faithful readers (you know who you are!)

There is a beautiful Hebrew word in Genesis 16:13; the word is "El Roi"; the "God who sees me." The angel of the Lord has just spoken to Hagar regarding the birth of Ishmael who will "live in hostility toward all his brothers." Hagar says, "You are the God who sees me...I have now seen the One who sees me."

In 2004, Ben and I were on our way to Cleveland, TN, to attend the last class of my seminary experience. Just over the Tennessee line on a two lane road, Ben had just passed two slower cars; there was a big yellow semi-truck in from of us. Suddenly Ben swerved off onto the right shoulder just as the semi in front of us jack-knived into the bank of rocks on the left. Ben had seen what I couldn't see: a small red car coming head-on into the truck. As we hit the shoulder, the red car hit the truck, the truck hit the rocky bank and the two cars which we had just passed hit the right shoulder. Everyone, except us, was involved in a horrible accident. Immediately I called 911. The operator wanted to know the extent of the injuries, so I ran back to the little red car which had come to rest in the middle of the road about 100 feet or so behind us. The gentleman in the red car was covered with blood.

The only thing that happened to our car was a small hole in our front window from where debris had hit us. We know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God saw us that day and protected us from injury. Even before that day I had had a sense of my angel protecting me. I knew that day what his name was---El Roi.

Don't let it jump up and bite you!

We have had a new experience this weekend--a cat bite! We have had the pleasure of entertaining a beautiful black female cat. She gradually warmed up to my husband (could it be because he started feeding her?? DUH!!)On occasion, she has even jumped into his lap for petting. Until Friday, all was well! On Friday morning as I was at chemo lab, she jumped into his lap and sat there purring until something spooked her. Ben thinks that it was probably static electricity caused by an acrylic sweater he was wearing and the rubbing of her fur. Whatever the cause she clamped her sharp little teeth on his right hand. By Friday night the hand had begun swelling and by Saturday morning we were at "doc-in-the-box." Again this morning, instead of going to church, we saw the Doc again. He's a bit better and an open trap is waiting on the deck for black kitty.

Ah! The moral to the story...when something black jumps up in your lap and starts purring, you better know what you are getting in for. My advice do not receive this unknown "thing" into your lap because it just might bite you!

God made them pee their pants

Now don't get upset with me! It's in the Word. Check it out in Ezekiel 7:17; "Every hand will go limp; every knee will be wet with urine." In the midst of the most dire of warnings from God through the Prophet Ezekiel, comes this little humorous prediction. Ezekiel has said that the end is near and warned the Israelites that they will be repaid for their "detestable practices." They'll die by the sword and famine and plague. And they will be so scared they will pee in their pants!! (I don't think that they wore pants, but you get the point.)

I remember several years ago a dear Indian brother (K K Johns--some of you might know him) was telling us a story of an incident that had happened in India. Brother Johns was on a train that was hijacked. From the pulpit he said he was so scared that he peed his pants. Our pastor just about fell out of his chair.

Okay, so this wasn't my most inspirational blog, but maybe it brought a chuckle to you this day.

Jeremiah--Crying

I was reading in Jeremiah one morning this week chapter 30 precisely and read this beautiful promise from God to His children: "But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds" (v. 17). I know that there are different takes on who God was talking to in the Old Covenant with some saying those promises are for the Children of Israel. Others say that, "Every promise in the Book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line." I find myself vascillating between these two opinions; however, I want to take this promise that He will restore me to health and heal my wounds as my mantra. He will restore me to health and He will heal my wounds. With that belief I get through the day--without crying.

I'm Baaaaacccckkkk!

I have been gone from my work for a few days, not just writing this blog, but from reading and grading my students' papers. My chemotheraphy last week was rough and it left me quite weak and sore. But that's in the past. Like everything else, it's temporary! I stayed home from church tonight even though we have special guests from Lee University. Instead I am resting and recovering for the week that is ahead. I am watching a special about Appalachia. I am an Appalachian American so the program greatly interests me. It is a shame what we have done to the land, raped and pillaged, I think are two terms that fit. Anyone who has been to the beautiful mountains of West Virginia knows that God has been there and left His indelible mark on those beautiful hills. I always cry when I cross the state line "going home."

The Next Century

I am concerned about the next generation, especially of the Christian/Pentecostal witness. Young people today are so beseiged with voices crying for their allegiance. The world's pull is very strong on them. If we don't equip them with the truth now, we will lose them for the future. One of the ways we can equip them is to mentor them and replicate ourselves in them. I have a young friend at church who is my prayer partner during our prayer time on Sunday morning. During our altar time Sunday night, the pastor had us pray for our young people. I sought out my young friend, prayed for her and laid a heavy on her. I told her I wasn't going to be here forever and I needed someone to take my place. I asked her if she would be the one. She said she would. Now it is my responsibility to pray for her, to encourage her and to do whatever I can to help her make it as an adult woman into the next generation.

Go Vikings!!

Ben and I have just returned from a short trip to Cleveland, Tennessee, visiting Lee University for Homecoming. We so much enjoy this yearly jaunt. The scenery is beautiful, the activities are always first class and the music festival which caps off the weekend is the most exciting of all. More than five-hundred different young people sang and played instruments to the glory of God. It "never ceases to amaze us" at the talent of these fine young people. They are among the best of the best that the Church has to offer. When we hear of the terrible acts of deranged, mad persons, when we witness stupid, inhumane behavior, when we see the depraved lifestyle that satan must be totally delighted in, we are so grateful for Lee University's being a beacon of light for young people in this crazy world.

The Him in Me

There are three great powers in the universe, I am told: God, satan and the human mind. God creates and destroys; satan destroys; humans basically can receive the truth and act upon it or just screw everything up. When God created us, He created us in His image. We were whole, holy, and healthy. Unfortunately when we chose the apple over obedience, we became like satan--unwhole, unholy, and unhealthy. It is only through the shedding of the blood of God's Son that we can regain the image of God. Only through the wooing of God's Holy Spirit can we turn to Him for our salvation. The beauty of this operation is that Jesus is in God, we are in Jesus and that becomes a Trinity of holiness. We play a part in the work of salvation. We enter His presence through our worship and He enters our life through the work of grace. The Him in me is the Hymn in me: Jesus love me, this I know!

Coping v Conquering

There is a beautiful old hymn that has this line: "Lo, He is the mighty Conquerer since He rent the veil in to." What does it mean to "conquer"? It means to win, to subdue, to beat the odds, to come out on top. Years ago I heard a preacher talk about the important of coping with life and the battles on the journey. I was struck then and still am with the subtle difference between coping and conquering. To cope means to accept what is in your life and work around it. One has to have certain "coping mechanisms" in order not to be defeated. For me, I want to conquer, not cope. I want to win, not settle. I want to be on top of the circumstances,not under them. In order to conquer, I need to know the Great Conquerer of the universe. I need His power, His strength, His wisdom, His peace. I need His ever-abiding Spirit dwelling in my temple to which I have invited Him. Lo! He IS the Mighty Conquerer!

Poor Chloe needs some lovin'

Just after I got home from major surgery in August and Ben was still in the hospital for congestive heart failure (Man! August was rough!), my sister called me. She knew that I had wanted a papallion puppy for ever. She occasionally would email me pictures that she had found on Craig's List. But this call was special. That night she had found a papallion on line whose owner was leaving the next morning for Florida and the puppy had to be picked up immediately. Well, what was I to do? I couldn't go get her; I didn't want to bother Ben with the decision. So my sister picked her up for me. No chew toys, no crate, and one cup of food. I was assured that she was crate and paper trained. Nope! I kept her about a month, taking her outside in the rain when she cried to do her business. Nope! She just wanted to go outside. The last few nights before I gave her away she cried all night long. I took her to the farthest corner of the garage and let her cry. Finally I decided she had to go. I gave her to a family at church who had just lost their dog in a house fire. I found out this week they gave her away too! Before you get a pet find out what you are getting in for! Papallions, I now know are very stubborn and fiesty! I just need me an old dog that wants to lay around like I do, eat and sleep and sleep and eat some more.

"Lord, Prepare me to be a Sanctuary"

In the book of John, we find the words of Jesus, "I go to prepare a place for you...." While we recognize that this place is heaven, there is another place that He prepares for us--right here on earth. The place He is preparing in heaven will be a beautiful, amazing place. The place(s) that He prepares for us here can be very messy, very uncomfortable places--places we would not choose to go if we had a say in the matter. One of those places is illness; another might be poverty; another grief; another loneliness. The one that I know about is illness. I would never have selected cancer as a destination; it was selected for me. I have never doubted that the Lord knew what He was doing when I started on this journey. He did not leave me and He will not forsake me now. He is already in my future and knows exactly what my tomorrow will be like. He will give me strength and grace to face the day just like He did today. No, I haven't been comfortable today and I won't be tomorrow either. But the fact that He has prepared the day for me means He will prepare me for the day!

"The Red-backed Hymnal"

I know that there is not a Church of God member (and other denominations, also) who is not familiar with the old "Red-backed Hymnal." If you check out the contents, you will find that the preponderance of topics is heaven. I love the old, old story told in the pages of that book. "When we all get to heaven," "Heaven's Jubilee": the list goes on. When we sing about heaven, we start thinking about heaven. This world is not my home: I'm just a passing through. These songs make me want to "go home." Having a chronic disease like ovarian cancer makes me want to go home, too. I am reminded of how temporary this life is. There is comfort in that fact!
Yesterday we sang "Victory in Jesus" although it was "off the wall." Nobody remembers that it's really page 120. In the last stanza we find the words: "...the Old Redemption Story..." It's an old story that's still new and fresh and exciting. To know that God sent His Son to be my Savior is the greatest miracle in the world. In the wonderful plan of redemption, He knew that I needed a Savior and Jesus was willing to give His life for me. Thank You, Jesus!

"The Scent of Water"

Job 14 is a sorrowful lament with memorable lines like, "Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble." There is a little internal story comparing the death of a tree to the death of a man. Job is very hopeful for the tree but not so hopeful for the man. The tree is cut down and is dead! BUT "At the scent of water"...just the scent...the tree begins to live again. For man--for Job who laments the loss of hope, the loss of life--it is not so. Man dies--he's is buried...but wait, here is the hope: there is a time of "change" coming. This is not the promised political change; this is not change that anyone with feet of clay can bring about. It is the change that will occur on "THAT" day, the day of the LORD when we will be changed: we will be like Him!
At the scent of the Living Water, at the sound of the Shofar; at the sight of His glorious appearing, we will be changed! (See Job 14:14)
This journey that we are on is all about preparation for our coming change, for the "day of the Lord when we shall see Him and we shall be like Him." These days I am praying for His swift return. Maranatha!

"The Glory of the Lord"

I was reading this morning in 2 Chronicles, Chapter 5. The last two verses say: "And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud. So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God."
This recounts the story of King Solomon when he assembled the Israelites as they brought the ark into the temple. Rather than comment on this, I want to offer a prayer: Oh, God of David, of Solomon, of the saints throughout the ages, be as real to us as you were to the Israelites on that grand day. Show up in our hearts, in our homes, in our churches, in our world. Be so real that we fall on our faces and fill Your fleshly temples with Your mighty presence. Be a palable presence, one that we can see and feel. Come in on the wings of our praises to You. We need you this hour in our world and in our homes. We anxiously await Your mercy and manifested presence. Amen!

God's Gifts

I prayed this morning with a beautiful young woman. I am not sure how old she is but probably 17 or 18. She said that she knew God's calling on her life was in the area of leadership and other young people were coming to her with their problems. She said the problem with that was that she had problems of her own that she didn't know how to deal with. I told her to believe in what she had received from the Lord, then act on it. God does not call only perfect, prepared servants. He prepares the called; He doesn't call the prepared. Whatever He calls us to He will equip us for. We miss out on many opportunities to do His will because we think that we are not worthy, not ready, not smart enough, courageous enough, old enough, good enough. If He has placed a burden on our hearts of a person to speak to or of a task that He needs us to do, then we must risk trusting Him that He will do what He said He would do: He'll never leave us or forsake us. He is looking for a people to show Himself mighty through. We just need to step up. He has prepared the very resources that we need for the task He, Himself, has prepared.

Forever Friends

I saw a friend today that I hadn't seen in several years, but because of good times we have had in the past it seems just like yesterday that we were close. If you are reading this, Ali, just know that I still love you! ("Do not go in there!") We had wonderful times in Mexico on mission trips!!
I have two other older friends (I started to say old friends!) but they are both younger than I. We see each other about three or four times a year and always over lunch. I love those gals. I have another friend who has been my friend for 50 years. We see each other maybe once a year or every other year. But I still love him.
My very best girl friends are my three sisters. We have wonderful times together--usually at family birthdays or holidays. They know all my faults but love me still. But my very best friend is my dear husband. He has been my friend for nearly 43 years. Our life together has been so blest!
Although I love all these people and I know they love me, it is with human, fallible love. The "bestest," really forever friend, is my friend Jesus. His love is agape love. Human love can fail but His love is a forever love and He is a forever friend.

BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is breast cancer awareness month. Every month should be cancer awareness month because nearly every family I know is touched by this dreaded disease. Do you remember when we used to hear the word "cancer" it was almost a "dirty word"? You only knew one or two persons or families that were affected and most times you didn't know the person on a "personal" basis? That is all in the past now. It seems that every week someone new that we "personally" know is "stricken" with the disease. Cancer has truly become a PERSONAL disease.
When I see a woman who is wearing a baseball cap or a scarf with the telltale signs of baldness underneath, I make it my business to approach the woman and ask, "Are you doing chemotherapy?" I encourage her and sometimes offer a prayer. We were leaving IHOP last night after church and passed by a couple and obviously the woman was wearing the "uniform" of a chemo patient. I didn't say anything to her. We got outside and my son said, "I'm suprised that you didn't say anything to that woman." I turned on my heels and immediately went to the woman with my questions and encouragement. It turned out that her cancer was ovarian and she used the same doctors that I use. She had just finished her chemotheraphy. I've still got several to go!
I am having my nails painted pink this week all except the nails on my pinkies. They will be teal in "HONOR" of ovarian cancer. Maybe a little pink ribbon in the middle of them!!
We need to specifically petition God to grant to someone or several someones the ability to find a cure for cancer. Will you join me in this important prayer? Oh, Great Father of us all, please in Your mercy will you allow some researcher somewhere on this planet to discover the cure for cancer? We know that You know; would You allow this wisdom to come to us? You are ultimately our Healer, we know, but right now Lord, grant to Your servant(s) this special gift. Amen.

The Wooden Bowl

The Wooden Bowl

(Another stolen blog. This is just so beautiful that I wanted to share it with those of you who are reading my blog. God bless you and open your heart to the heart of others.)

I guarantee you will remember the tale of the Wooden Bowl tomorrow, a week from now, a month from now,
a year from now.

A frail old man went to live with his son, daughter-in-law, and four-year-old grandson.
The old man's hands trembled, his eyesight was blurred, and his step faltered

The family ate together at the table. But the elderly grandfather's shaky hands and
failing sight made eating difficult. Peas rolled off his spoon onto the floor.
When he grasped the glass, milk spilled on the tablecloth.

The son and daughter-in-law became irritated with the mess..
'We must do something about father,' said the son.
'I've had enough of his spilled milk, noisy eating, and food on the floor.'

So the husband and wife set a small table in the corner.
There, Grandfather ate alone while the rest of the family enjoyed dinner.
Since Grandfather had broken a dish or two, his food was served in a wooden bowl.

When the family glanced in Grandfather's direction, sometimes he had a tear in his eye as he sat alone.
Still, the only words the couple had for him were sharp admonitions when he dropped a fork or spilled food.

The four-year-old watched it all in silence.

One evening before supper, the father noticed his son playing with wood scraps on the floor.
He asked the child sweetly, 'What are you making?' Just as sweetly, the boy responded,
'Oh, I am making a little bowl for you and Mama to eat your food in when I grow up.
' The four-year-old smiled and went back to work..

The words so struck the parents so that they were speechless. Then tears started to stream down their cheeks. Though no word was spoken, both knew what must be done.

That evening the husband took Grandfather's hand and gently led him back to the family table.
For the remainder of his days he ate every meal with the family. And for some reason,
neither husband nor wife seemed to care any longer when a fork was dropped, milk spilled, or the tablecloth soiled.

On a positive note, I've learned that, no matter what happens, how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.

I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles four things:
a rainy day, the elderly, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.

I've learned that making a 'living' is not the same thing as making a 'life..'

I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.

I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands.You nee d to be able to throw something back sometimes.

I've learned that if you pursue happiness, it will elude you
But, if you focus on your family, your friends, the needs of others,
your work and doing the very best you can, happiness will find you

I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.

I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.

I've learned that every day, you should reach out and touch someone.

People love that human touch -- holding hands, a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.

I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.

I've learned that you should pass this on to everyone you care about .I just did.

FRIENDSHIP CANDLE

NOTICE AT THE END,
THE DATE THE CANDLE WAS STARTED.
GONNA GIVE YOU GOOSE BUMPS.


I am not going to be the one who lets it die. I found it believable --
angels have walked beside me all my life--and they still do

*********************

This is to all of you who
mean something to me,
I pray for your happiness.

The Candle Of Love, Hope & Friendship


This candle was lit on the
15th of September, 1998

Someone who loves you has helped
keep it alive by sending it to you.

Don't let The Candle of Love, Hope and Friendship die

Pass It On To All Of Your Friends
and Everyone You Love!
May God richly bless you!

Stolen from the Web

'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'

Broken Orchids

My dear husband came into the bedroom where I was resting a few minutes ago with a great apology. He had in his hands a broken orchid blossom, the last one that was alive. He said, "I am so disappointed in what I did." He knows how much I love my flowers. I assured him that this was not a great tragedy and was not his fault. I took the blossom and showed him where the stem was dried and told him that the blossom was not getting any nourishment from the "mother" plant and it was just a matter of time that the blossom would have dropped off soon anyway.
Of course, you can see where I am going with this one! And, of course, the converse is true. Stay attached to the mother/father plant, receive nourishment and live!
Thank you, Jesus, for the nourishment that you give us as we are grafted into the Vine. Thank you for our daily bread, for new mercies every morning, for the strength that is returned through a night of restorative sleep. Thank you for wholeness and holiness!

What a Day, Glorious Day That Will Be!

I haven't "blogged" in a couple of days. Chemo Friday was pretty rough so I have laid low since then. I missed a fantastic service this morning at church. We are celebrating along with our Jewish families the Feast of Tabernacles. So this morning was Jewish music and dancing! (Watch the service at mariettachurchofgod.org Click on "Resources," then PM services (by date). My dear sister, Oleta, just visited me and brought me a souvenier from "The Holy Land Experience" in Orlando. She and I have plans to go to Israel. Our Jewish lectureer says not to plan to go in 2010 as Israel will attack Iran. Don't think I want to be there then!

This old world is so full of troubles, pain and torment. Every family that I know has been touched by cancer. I never thought it would be me, though. That's one leg of my journey for which there was no warning nor practice. If we would let ourselves we could get discouraged. But inspite of all the battles of life that we face, God is good! And one day we will see Jesus. The old song says, "It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. The trials of life so small when we see Him. One glimpse of His dear face all sorrow will erase. So bravely run the race till we see Him." This crazy world is not my home; I'm just a passin' through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue.

Thank you, Lord for the promise of a home in Heaven with you!

"Don't Leave Your Laptop Lying Around!"

I was checking a group discussion page tonight and discovered that there were some very naughty things in my history. (I don't use Viagra and am certainly not interested in watching certain full lenghty movies with questionable titles. I am not interested in female or male body parts.) I learned a lesson about this: If you leave your stuff lying around, somebody is going to mess with it! We have had workmen in the house this week. I am not blaming them--Oh, yes, I am! That's the only explanation. The laptop was in the bedroom where they were working.
Somethings are just too precious for others to mess with. I am not sure that my laptop counts as one of these "precious" things although these days of recuperation upstairs have certainly made my laptop important to me. My mother used to say, "Don't cast your pearls before the swine." I know that this is Scripture and it is a very curious saying. I am not sure how it "jives" with the Great Commission, either. I know there are some people who would rather ridicule my faith than listen to why they should have a faith of their own. Our faith is precious. Our Jesus is precious. Our God and our Holy Spirit are precious. Our families and friends and our church are precious. We don't want anybody messing with them.
I'm still steamed over somebody looking at porn on my laptop!!
I'm sorry I don't think this is a very inspiring blog, but it's in my heart right now. I'll be better tomorrow, I promise.

"Praying the Word"

Nehemiah 1:10,11. [Amplified] Now these [I] am Your servant and Your people, whom You have redeemed by Your great power and by Your strong hand. O Lord, let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant [me] and the prayer of Your servants who delight to revere and fear Your name (your nature and attributes) and prosper, I pray you.
Psalm 106:1-4. [Amplified] Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!) O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! Who can put into words and tell the mighty deeds of the Lord? Or who can show forth all the praise [that is due Him]? Blessed (happy, fortunate, to be envied) are those who observe justice [treating others fairly] and who do right and are in right standing with God at all times. [Earnestly] remember me, O Lord, when You favor your people! O visit me also when You deliver them, and grant me Your salvation!--

"Wordless Prayers"

Ben and I went to choir rehearsal tonight. We are going to try to make it through Christmas music. We have permission to stay seated. We are both such "old folks" we need the rest! At the end of rehearsal, the director asked if any of us needed prayer. I never by pass an opportunity to be prayed for so I went forward. When they prayed for me, I couldn't pray. I found no words. I just cried a little. But no words, no voice. I felt like I was prayed out. There was nothing new to say except "Jesus, Jesus." I glad that He knows what's in my heart because I couldn't make anything come out of my mouth.
I think our prayers sometimes are either "cut and dried" or they are formulaic. We say the right words maybe for the wrong reason. We beat our breast in the marketplace just a little bit louder and just a little bit longer than the pilgrim next to us when all we need to say is, "Jesus, Jesus."

A Special Prayer

For those of you who are following me on my blog, here's a special prayer request. I start chemo this week and it is quite different from what I have had in the past. I go in two days in a row, Wednesday and Thursday, and then the following Wednesday. I take a week off and then start the cycle over again. I do this six times. One of the drugs I will take produces nausea. I was relatively free from nausea during my last two times. I know that God will help me through this, but I need your prayers. Thanks. Precious Jesus, take care of all of my friends and family. I need them all right now. Amen!

"The Children of the World"

The pastor challenged us last night to get at least one person in our mind that we believed was probably not saved. I immediately thought of Nadia who is the proprietor of Basil Wraps, a Middle Eastern restaurant here in our neighborhood. She is Muslim and is a sweet, kind person. We talk about God because she knows about my faith in Him to help me through the cancer and chemo. We spent some time just last week talking about Christianity and Islam. Of course, she thinks that our "religions" are very much alike. I said, yes, that there were some things that are parallel and that probably our belief in Jesus is the thing that separates us the most. She said, Oh no, that she, too, believed in Jesus, just not that He is God's Son. So pray for me as I hope to open her eyes to the Truth by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Ben's challenge is to witness to the young man who lives in our apartment. He is precious and loving like a son, but he knows nothing about salvation. Ben asked him this morning if he knew anything about John 3:16 and he said that he didn't. Ben told him that he wanted to talk to him about it. He agreed. The world is at our doorstep. A call to the "children of the world" as a missionary effort means just going around the corner for falafel or speaking to your tenant!
Jesus, show Yourself mighty in our lives.

Self-Control

Out of the fruit of the Spirit, I think the one that we abuse the most is self-control (discipline). Rather, we are gluttons, we indulge all kinds of fleshly appetites, not just food. Indeed, most of us eat too much, "supersize it," "just one more chocolate bar," "do you want butter and sour cream with that?" Many of us grew up in the "clean plate club." We had to eat it because there were starving children in China. I never understood how my eating all of my food exactly helped the starving children around the world. I somehow still feel obligated to finish everything on my plate when we go out to eat. My husband will say, "Carla, you don't have to eat it all." But I do. That's how I was raised!
Self-discipline, of course, applies to much more that eating. We are not disciplined to study like we should, to pray like we should, to witness like we should. (Now, I don't want to get into works righteousness here!) But there are things we should be doing for the Lord that we aren't doing because we don't discipline ourselves to do them. What do I not do? Although I do read and study a lot I don't spend enough time hidden away with Jesus. When I do manage to find a time alone with the Bible, He always speaks to me through the Word. I need to discipline myself to listen to Him more...

Feet of Clay

With my third recurrence of ovarian cancer, one might ask me or at least think, "Aren't you mad at, or at least questioning, God?" "Have you ever thought 'Why me, Lord'?" I am sorry to disappoint anyone, but no, I have not questioned or doubted God whose hand I am in still. Having cancer for the third time has nothing to God's love for me or His calling on my life. In fact, I think that it intensifies His calling on my life. Before the first occurrence in January 2005, I remember having said (to myself), "I am not sure how to identify with those who suffer because I really haven't suffered." I don't think that I got cancer in response to that rumination. I got cancer because I live in a broken world, a world broken by sin. Since God is no respecter of persons and "it rains on the just and the unjust alike," why would I be exempt from cancer? Because I am a Christian? Because I am an ordained minister? Because I pay my tithes? Because I "work" for the Lord? None of these things exempt me from the vagaries of life. I haven't particularly enjoyed this part of my journey, but I have learned some things. One of the first lessons was that He is God and I am not! I have certainly learned about suffering. I wonder if God heard me and just used this part of my life's journey to teach me some lessons. I certainly won't count that out. I am, after all, a human being with feet of clay.

Fun, Fast and Easy!

I went through the "Self-checkout" line at Walmart last night. When I got home, I looked at the receipt and saw this message: "Fun, Fast and Easy." It was, of course, referring to the process of the self-checkout. This is, however, a message by which many modern "self-absorbed" Americans live. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it! We don't have enough time if it isn't fast. And we surely aren't going to get involved in anything that isn't easy! When we compare this mindset to what God is calling us to know, be, and do in this world, we see a complete reversal. Life is not easy and sometimes it isn't fun! The only one of the three that might apply is that life is fast!
Sometimes God calls us to the hard things on our journey. He calls us to suffering; He calls us to aloneness; He calls us to grief; He calls us to poverty; He calls us to sacrifice. None of these are "fun, fast and easy"! But they all build our character and help to make us more like the Master.

Forever In His Grip

One of my students asked me this week about "Grace." He was wanting to know the answer to the question that plagues most of us who were raised in a religious culture that emphasized works, who had mothers and fathers and pastors that kept us in rein with guilt. "If you do that Jesus will not like it (you?). " "God is going to be disappointed in you!" Wow! What Gospel were they reading? We were condemned because we could not keep the 613 Laws of the Torah--and we aren't even Jews. Where was the grace of the New Covenant? Where was the Long-Suffering Savior? Grace either forgives my sins, all my sins, or it doesn't. We seem to grapple mostly with the sins that we will commit in the future. We can accept that He has forgiven in the past and the present, but we struggle about the sins of the future. Why? Do we think that it takes a special dispensation for the Lord to forgive our uncommitted, yet future sins? That His blood is only good for yesterday's and today's sins? And not for tomorrows? I am just asking some questions...Do you have any answers? See my title...

Outta Power!

Hotlanta is wetlanta today! I missed doing everything yesterday. I couldn't talk on my house phone, couldn't watch tv, but most of all I couldn't get on the computer. Somewhere in the flooding that has come to Atlanta and surrounding counties (I live in Cobb, north of Atlanta), Comcast.com was water logged apparently. I missed especially being able to get to my online students. But all is well today at the Northcutt residence. Not so at the horse farm which I can see out of my bedroom window. They were completely underwater; they are below the flood plain so they get wet with an average rain. Yesterday was no average rain. I have heard that perhaps these last few days of rain might be considered the "Hundred Year Rain" that is predicted for our area. It's hard to complain though as we have experienced a bad drought for the last few years. Lord, send the rain; Lord, stop the rain; Lord, send the sunshine; Lord, this drought is killing my yard.
Does anybody see a pattern with what is appening in our land? Earthquakes, floods, droughts, save the Smelt (kill the crops), divers places experiencing out of the ordinary crime sprees. Jaycee Duggard's being kidnapped, raped, and some killed. Is it not a "sign of the times" that I referred to in an earlier post? Lawlessness is the order of the days. The earth is groaning. We are in a period of upheaval. We are poised on the brink of eternity where the Power will never be off. Where the government will be on His shoulders. Where the King of Kings will be "calling the shots"!

Places He Prepares

Ariel said...
One never knows what the journey is or where it may lead us. What we must understand about the journey is that God has already been there and has arranged everything for us. It is His time, it is His purpose, it is His will. He takes us where He needs us, not necessarily where we want to be. But we can be sure that He has made it ready, fluffed the pillows we might say. He takes us to places we would never choose to go and He doesn't leave us alone while we are there. He is there to hold us up, bind the devil for us and show us glimpses of His glory even in the midst of pain.

What was he thinking??

Ariel said...
Serena Williams, Joe Wilson, Kanye West--what do they all have in common? Except the need to apologize...although I happen to agree with one of them, he showed a miserable lack of decorum...They all represent the spirit of lawlessness that is a by-product of not having a moral compass which guides people into the right attitude, the right behavior and the right reaction. "Nah, here let me jerk that microphone outta your hands and give someone else the limelight." What was he thinking???Dr. Phil would say. That's the problem; he wasn't thinking. Where did we lose the concept that behavior has consequences. It wasn't this year, this decade or even this century. It was in Eden where it all came falling down on our collective heads. The God image (Imago Dei) was shattered. How can we be like Him if we don't know Him and His nature? How can we be restored to what God originally intended for us? It's only through the reconciling sacrifice of that Perfect Precious Blood, that ram caught in the thickets, that we can be restored to the majesty that He prepared us for. Serena, Joe and Kanye need a dose of old time religion...Serena and Kanye the most. Uh oh, now I have revealed my bias. The cleansing, sanctifiying blood of the spotless Lamb will take out that old sin nature and will restore the image of God in us. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.Tomorrow, I'll write about the chicken catcher.

132 Crayons

Tonight, we sang a song whose lyrics go something like this: "I want to be so close to Him that there's no big change on the day that Jesus calls my name." I'm not sure of the theology of that little bouncey song. When Jesus calls my name, I want to be "blown away" by what He has in store for me. There is nothing to compare on earth to the glory that is awaiting us on the other side of the sunset.
One of my little pleasures is coloring, yes, in a coloring book with Crayola crayons! I do try to find a more mature book to color in. Right now I have a Disney book with complicated fairies to color (Oh, No! not fairies!). I have a box with 64 crayons and I don't have enough colors. (Do you know what a box of 132 crayons cost??? Nearly $12.!) I have heard that in Heaven there will be colors that we cannot even imagine. My son is color-blind. I have told him that I cannot wait to be in Heaven with him when he first beholds colors. What a day. glorious day that will be!!

We all have our ups and downs

September 14, 2009 2:57 PM


Pastor Brooks was talking Sunday about how the devil tries to deceive us. The Scripture says, "Lift up your heads for your redemption draws nigh." (Luke 21:28) What is happening in the world today is just the opposite. We are looking down, down at our keyboards, down at our Blackberries, down at our cellphone while we text, twitter and facebook. It is up where we will see Him. We must be watching and waiting for Him. We watch the skies, not the ground; we wait in anticipation, not in dread. Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus. MARANATHA!

Today is Sunday, September 13. We went to church this morning. That might not sound like much, but for us it was a special thing. I had major surgery just one month ago today and my husband, Ben, has been in the hospital twice during the last month with congestive heart failure. My focused prayer, and I think that prayer should be specific, was that my recovery would be quick. Thank God, He heard my prayer. It's wonderful to be missed by people who love you. I think that we felt a little like celebrities this morning. But I promise that it's not going to my head. I give God all the glory!

Friends in High Places

How enriched our lives become as we gather a bouquet of friends. I see that Jonathan Singh is now following my blog. He is a dear little brother from Delhi, India who stayed with us for a while a few years ago. We continue to pray for his ministy in far northern India. Remember India in your prayers. Christians are being slaughtered there and pray for Jonathan's safety. Our dear Mexican family has added so much to our lives even to the point of their last baby girl being named Carla. Pray for them. They live in such poverty. Our Kenyan family who actually lives in our apartment are a wonderful blessing to our lives. We are Sho-sho and Babu to the baby--Grandmother and Grandfather.
Several years ago when I was in Seminary, a friend came to me and said that he had seen me in a vision the night before while he was in prayer. He said that I was wearing a garment made from the flags of many nations. I think that my extended families and my Patten online students are part of the fulfillment of this vision. I pray the the Lord will continue to enlarge our boarders and that we would be kind to the aliens who live among us--as God instructed the Israelites in the Torah.

God's Nod

Our Mother walked in/by/with/through the Spirit. During the time that our Daddy was in Europe during his service to his country with the Screaming Eagles, the legendary 101st Airborne, Mother became especially burdened to pray for his safety. As she travailed in prayer, she saw Jesus seated at His Father's right hand. Jesus got up from His seat and went and stood in front of God. It was obvious to Mother that Jesus was talking to God. Shortly, she saw God nod. She knew that Jesus had asked for Daddy's protection and God had agreed. Mother was comforted and Daddy returned home safely! What a wonderful thing it is to know a God who cares, a Jesus who intercedes and a Holy Spirit who comforts.

Celebrating Heroes

As I close out the day, I am thinking of the sacrifice of one who died for his "boys." My hat is off and my prayers are with the surviving members of Jared Monte's troup and family. Jared Monte was awarded the medal of honor posthumously today. Over 100 members of his family attended the ceremony today as President Obama awarded the medal for Monte's heroism and loss of his own life as he tried three times to rescue one of his "boys" who was wounded and in the direct line of fire of a group of about 50 enemy troups in Afganistan in 2006.
I am reminded of the Great Sacrifice of God's only Begotten Son who gave His life for me. I need to share with you the short story of one of our church members who had a vision last night. He awoke and sat on the edge of his bed. He saw a blank page, then, suddenly the words "I am coming soon" appeared on the page. He was born, He died, He was resurrected and He is coming back. And all of this for me...and you. I love what Jared Monte did for his "boys," but nothing compares to what Jesus did for us!

Walking in the Spirit

My sister has encouraged me to start a blog through the starting of her own. I am going to join her in her endeavor to lose weight. I sure need to lose my baby fat. Opps, no baby, just fat.
I have named my blogspot "Walking in the Spirit." This is from one of my favorite scriptures in Galatians 5. The amplified version puts it this way: "If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.[If by the Holy Spirit, we have our life in God, let us go forward walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]"
Let us go forward walking in line. Guess who the leader is: the Holy Spirit, our teacher, our comforter and our leader. Sometimes we are led where we do not want to go, have never planned to go and once we are there, we have to figure out just why we are there. That's what I want to share in this blog. I hope that you will join me in this dialog.