Walk on Your Storm

My precious son, the minister, is now ministering to me.  I thought I would share what he brought to me a while ago seeing how upset I had been over a situation that I was allowing to consume me.

Most of us are familiar with the story of Peter walking on water to meet Jesus in the midst of the storm.
Matthew 14:
 24But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

25Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea. 

26And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.

27But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”

28And Peter answered Him and said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”

29So He said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
30But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”

31And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 

32And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.

33Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God.”

Shane says to me "Momma, don't get your eyes on the wind.  Keep your focus on Jesus and what He has called you to do.  God wants you to walk on your storm just like Peter did until he started noticing the wind.  When he focused on it he began to sink.  Sometimes God brings or allows a storm because He wants to teach us to SEE Him. Put blinders on like Pawpaw used to do when he plowed mules so that you can stay focused on Jesus and the task He has given you and whatever "wind" is distracting you won't make you sink.  Jesus wants you to stay focused on Him."   

I can't tell you how true Shane's words were and they were anointed by God.  Whether the storm is caused by Satan to destroy us or allowed by God to teach us, the instructions are the same: Focus on Jesus.  And no matter WHAT the storm is, we can walk on it!!!  If we do this others will see the One who calms the storms just like those in the boat saw it was the Son of God.  

Easter - Holy Week - What does it mean?

Most people are familiar with the celebration of Easter. However, only very few people and devout Christians are knowledgeable about Lent and the Holy Week leading up to Easter. Below are the details of the long journey that leads up to the celebration of Easter. 

Ash Wednesday - period of fasting begins on Ash Wednesday which is 46 days before Easter Sunday. It's a day of penitence to clean the soul before the Lent fast. Roman Catholic, Anglican, and some other churches hold special services at which worshipers are marked with ashes as a symbol of death, and sorrow for sin. 

Lent-- This is a 40-day (not counting Sundays) period of sacrament and fasting to share the grief by Jesus Christ by self-denial. Today, only a small number of people fast for the whole of Lent, although some maintain the fasting on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. 

Palm Sunday -- the last Sunday of Lent and the first day of the Holy Week. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphant arrival in Jerusalem where he was welcomed with open arms. It is also the basis for the Palm Sunday processions. 

Holy Monday and Tuesday -- The cleansing of the temple at Jerusalem supposedly took place on Holy Monday. The Holy Tuesday is the day when the famous incident between Jesus and Pharisees took place where an attempt was made to get Jesus to commit blasphemy. 

Spy Wednesday -- This is the day when Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Jesus who betrayed him told the chief priests where they could find Jesus. Just after Palm Sunday, the Sanhedrin gathered together and plotted to kill Jesus, even before the feast of Pesach.  On the Wednesday before his death, Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the Leper. As they sat at the supper table, a woman named Mary anointed Jesus' head and feet with costly oil of spikenard.  The disciples were indignant, asking why the oil was not instead sold and the money given to the poor. But Judas wanted to keep the money for himself.  Then Judas went to the Sanhedrin and offered to deliver Jesus to them in exchange for money. From this moment on, Judas was looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus.

In reference to Judas Iscariot's intent to betray Jesus, formed on Holy Wednesday, the day is sometimes called "Spy Wednesday".

Maundy Thursday-- This is the day of the Last Supper before crucifixion, when Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples and held the ceremony known as the Eucharist. The night of Maundy Thursday is the night on which Jesus Christ was betrayed by Judas in the Garden of Gethsemane. The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the command given by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper, that we should love one another. 

Good Friday --This is the day when Jesus was crucified outside the walls of Jerusalem, at the top of Calvary Hill. This day is marked by solemn thoughts, fasting and abstinence to commemorate the pain and suffering of Jesus Christ. 

Easter Eve --This is the Holy Saturday and Easter Eve. It is a traditional time for baptism. 

Easter Sunday -- This is the day of resurrection and the big feast. Jesus Christ is said to have risen from the dead after crucifixion. He also joined his disciples for a meal and told them to carry on his works in his absence.

Williamson-Jones Cemetery Clean-Up Day 11/1/14

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.  :)

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

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.

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.