Friday, July 18, 2014

Father's Table Grace

Father's Table Grace

As we sit at the table - our family's heads bowed low
My thoughts returned to childhood and the finest man I know.
He didn't speak eloquent English.  He was just a simple man
But when he's talking to the Lord, even a little child can understand.

I was young and restless but the thought still comes to me,
When I told my dad I felt I was old enough to leave.
He sat there at the table and a look came on his face.
And he never spoke another word til he said the table grace.

He said, our precious Heavenly Father - we're all gathered here today
To give Thee thanks for blessings so humble we pray.
My oldest son is leaving, but I'm sure he knows what's best.
But just in case would you stand by and help him stand the test.

Lord he's awful neglectful about church on Sunday morn
And if he gets with the wrong crowd, would you let him hold your arm?
And if he flies too high - would you clip his wings..
But don't let him fall too hard.  I'm sure Lord you can handle things.

I've tried my best from day to day to teach him right from wrong.
And he's grown to be a fine young man and he's always blessed our home.
We pray Thee Lord for guidance, that he won't build upon the sand.
But we won't worry half as much if we know he's in Your hands.

And oh yes Lord - it won't be long til I'll be coming home.
Don't make me wait too long.
We pray Thee Lord for guidance. Please cleanse us from our sins
So we can all be together in Heaven.  In Jesus' name Amen.

The table was silent as tears streamed down my face.
And from that day on I based my life on Father's Table Grace.

This is an old old song but I heard it a few days ago for the first time.  Of course what attracted it to me was the title "Father's Table Grace".  As I listened to it over and over, there were so many thoughts that flooded my mind.  My memories of daddy praying are at church when I was a very small child and there was a period of time when he gathered us all to the living room for family devotion.  He would kneel down and read scripture out of a Big Black family Bible we kept on the coffee table and then he would pray before we would go to bed.  Now that I look back on that, prayer was something daddy enjoyed and did mostly when he was alone.  I believe he felt it was a very personal time between him and the Lord.  However, I do have many, vivid memories of family dinners at the table at the end of our day.  We ate together everyday when I was growing up. I can see him in his white t-shirt, his hair wet and combed back, face shining.  I see him chewing and remember how he moved his food around his plate with his fork.  Daddy was a man of few words that spoke volumes of lessons!

Although this is just a song - IT speaks volumes.  The lesson that jumped out at me the first time I heard it - and I have listened to it over and over - is that the  son's life changed course because of his father and the prayer that he "heard" him pray.  Hearing his father pour out his love for him to our Father made an indelible mark on him that he could never escape.  Wow!  What a lesson for us!  Prayer shouldn't be a ritual but simply verbalizing our feelings to our best friend, Jesus.  And it not only impacts our lives but the lives of those who hear it.  I thought about Larry of course, since he is the oldest of our family.   We listened to this song together last night.  He bowed his head and even though I couldn't see his eyes, I believe I could read some of his thoughts.    I cherish moments like we shared then. We are prodigals.  Daddy was prodigal.  Same as eccentric!  Jesus was prodigal.  God is prodigal.  Did God not spend his resources freely and recklessly on us?  He gave His Son!!

 prod·i·gal
adjective
  1. 1.
    spending money or resources freely and recklessly; wastefully extravagant.

  2. 2.
    having or giving something on a lavish scale.


When the woman broke her alabaster box of oil on Jesus wasn't she recklessly extravagant?  While all the "religious" folks were saying how wasteful she was!  When it comes to Jesus and his purposes, we should be willing to do and give on a reckless scale!!!!

When I was typing the lyrics a new thought came to me.  When the father prayed he said "we".  It was about "we" -  family.  The less we use the word I, the better we are even in our prayers. How often are my prayers so encased with "I".

The Lord has been working with me about my prayer life for several months.  Like daddy, I mostly do it when  alone.  Keep it private. And  don't do it near enough.  And sadly it's too canned, formal and ritualistic. And somehow I have a mindset that I have to set aside time to pray.    I believe daddy (and the Holy Spirit) is telling me through this song - don't keep it so private!  It is the same as ignoring someone you love.  Acting like they don't exist. And that those I love need to hear it. It might change the course of their life.  So, if you hear me talking but you don't see anyone else around, just know that I am talking to my best friend Jesus.  Because He is always with me where ever I am.

I also have memories of walking up on daddy while he was working or doing a task and he would be talking and I thought he was just talking to himself.  :)


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

The Music of My Heart - The Symphony that Calms my Fear

And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind (having a fresh and mental attitude). Ephesians 4:23

When I'm bone tired in my soul from all of life's activities and relationships, music is an avenue the Holy Spirit uses to renew my mind.  And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind...Romans 12:2.

The Holy Spirit speaks to me through music.  On the way to work this morning it was raining and the song "Bring on the Rain" comes to my mind so I pulled over to the side of the road to search for this song. And, yes, it is a song my daddy used to encourage me more than once.

Another day has almost come and gone.  Can't imagine what else could go wrong.  Sometimes I'd like to hide away somewhere and lock the door.  A single battle lost but not the war. Tomorrow's another day. And I'm thirsty anyway So bring on the rain. It's almost like the hard times circle 'round.  A couple drops and they all start coming down.  Yeah, I might be defeated, And I might hang my head.  I might be barely breathing - but I'm not dead, no ('cause) Tomorrow's another day and I'm thirsty anyway so bring on the rain. I'm not gonna let it get me down.  I'm not gonna cry.  And I'm not gonna lose any sleep tonight ('cause) Tomorrow's another day and I am not afraid, so bring on the rain.   Bring on the Rain by Jo Dee Messina

While this song is playing, I hear my daddy say "come on with it" which is a statement he would use when he had to face a challenge.  And also, "you might as well pull up those boot straps" which is what he said to me when I was growing up and he had given a task that I dreaded.

The song that came on next was amazingly just what my mind needed:  As I go along life's journey, I'm reaping better than I sow, I'm drinking from my saucer, cause my cup has overflowed.  I thank God for all His blessings, and mercy He's bestowed.  I'm drinking from my saucer cause my cup has overflowed.  So Lord, help my not to grumble about the tough rows I have hoed. I'm drinking from my saucer, cause my cup has overflowed.  Drinking from my Saucer

And next, Nicole C Mullen sings Music of My Heart:  I'm not ashamed to tell the whole world, without You, I'm nothing at all, that I have strings in need of mending.  I'm out of tune in certain parts.  So strong the chords of mercy.  Restore my soul completely.  Lay Your hand upon me.  And this instrument will breathe.  'Cause You're the music of my heart....

The symphony that calms my fear.
Music of My Heart by Nicole C Mullen

Friday, April 18, 2014

What's So Good about Good Friday?

Today is set aside to remember the death of our Savior.  But it seemingly comes and goes quietly.  It's the day we plant our garden and for some it's a holiday from work.  I was thinking how it compares to the all the attention and memorial services given to the 911 and Boston Marathon deaths.  The media starts talking about it weeks ahead.  Now don't get me wrong, I fully agree and morn with these families.  But, why is it this way?   Afterall, our Savior's death was the most horrific punishment of all.  He surrendered.  For love.  My daughter sent me these words from a song that says it all:

"This is amazing grace
This is unfailing love
That You would take my place
That You would bear my cross
You lay down Your life
That I would be set free
Oh, Jesus, I sing for
All that You've done for me"

It is my prayer that my heart will be continuously quickened with the amazing sacrifice that my Savior made for me.  It was the ultimate act of love.


Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A Legacy of Love: The Good Shepherd Statue

March 2014 Issue of Druid City Living Article about The Good Shepherd Statue on page 23.

The article I submitted to Druid City Living in March 2014 issue had to be edited by the newspaper to fit the page.  One main point I really wish had been left in is when Daddy was teaching me about the meaning of the statue to him, he told me to read Joshua 4.

Joshua 4 tells us to set down markers in our life.  Markers serve three purposes:  to help us remember what God has taught us; to help us teach our children and grandchildren what God has taught us; and to glorify God.

Click on the photo to enlarge.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

The Big Lie: "God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle"

People mean well when they say this to you, but the fact is - it's not true!  The scripture they use is   I Corinthians 10:30, "For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation  has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently."  Amp


This scripture is talking about temptations, not burdens.  

II Corinthians 1:8 says, For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.


If we could bear our own burdens, we would not realize our need for Christ.  In fact, it is during those difficult times, that we come to know how much Christ loves us.

The following blog is a really good on this subject.  Please click on the link:







Keep "The Son" in your eyes.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Intuition or Holy Spirit Led?


Recently I have been part of and overheard several conversations involving intuition vs Holy Spirit.  Then I saw some comments in a group on Face Book about trusting in your own intuition…higher wisdom…conscience... to lead you through life.  Some of the answers and comments I read were interesting and some concerning, but it certainly begs the questions…what exactly is “intuition”?   And is “being moral” an acceptable standard to God?  (Sacred Echo) 

God has given us common sense at birth.  We are born with it. (Granted, some more than others it seems).  As we age and mature, we develop the ability to use our five senses to discern a situation and act accordingly.  We “learn” our morals.  As Christians, after accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and receiving the Holy Spirit into our lives we then also have God’s direct guidance into our lives.  The Holy Spirit is God.  He takes up residence in us when we accept His gift of salvation.  When we receive new life from God our intuition is resurrected. 

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.  John 14:26   Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  I Corinthians 6:19 
If we reduce the function of the Holy Spirit to either intuition or reasoning skills, we are denying that the Holy Spirit truly is the Spirit of God!

What then are people who are thinking in more “New Age” terms meaning when they say they are using their “intuition”? Essentially, they are using the term “intuition” to mean their higher self.  Trusting intuition in this way is a slippery slope.  Opening our minds in this way, we are susceptible to the deception of demonic spirit beings masquerading as angels of light. 

But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned
I Corinthians 2:14
To know things in our intuition is what the Bible calls revelation. Revelation is the Holy Spirit enabling a believer to apprehend a particular matter by indicating the reality of it to his spirit. God does not reveal himself via man's reasoning or rationalization.  The Holy Spirit enables our spirit.

So can I be just a "good moral person" and go to heaven?

No. To think that one can be saved as a good moral person is to think that one can be saved apart from the blood of Christ.  New birth is not just a term, nor is it purely a moral alteration but the life of God actually enters our spirit and quickens our intuition. 

Who defines "a good moral person"? In other words, how good is good? Is the standard different for each person? Most likely, in the eyes of the one who has determined for themself that that they are "good moral persons," it is a standard that each  has set for himself. Undoubtedly it has been set at a level that they know they can reach. If God is to determine that which constitutes a "good moral person," we have already failed the test, "for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  

I am a perfect sinner!