Doing Good Deeds - Let Your Light Shine

I've been pondering a statement made a little while ago that daddy wouldn't be pleased with the work we are doing in our community with the Foundation because we are bringing attention to ourselves.  Even though daddy is no longer with us, I still want to please him and I find myself gauging some of my life's decisions based on what I think would make him proud and would meet his approval.  So of course it is critically important that what we do within the organization for which he is the inspiration honors his memory and glorifies Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd.

Daddy had a gift of recognizing a person's need without their asking.  He also had that "charisma" about him that drew folks to him.  Robert Phillips told me, "you just wanted to be around him".  He went about fulfilling needs in a very unassuming and quiet way and never did it for his own glory.  He always wanted to be last. We have pulled together as a group to seek to accomplish the tasks of meeting the needs of our neighbors, although not in the exact way daddy did it, but still with the same motivation. Neighbors helping neighbors - "doing good deeds".

The Tuscaloosa News published an article on June 22, 2002 about daddy's inspiration and motivation for putting a 6 foot statue of The Good Shepherd in his yard.  In the interview, daddy is quoted as saying, "I didn't do this because I wanted glory.  I did it to glorify The Lord".   He hoped it would "get people to think and do good deeds."  When we publicize an event we are doing as a group, it is not for the purpose of bragging or bringing glory to ourselves, it is 1. to share the love of Jesus Christ; 2. to encourage those who are down on their luck; and 3. to motivate and inspire others to do good deeds.

So in summary, The Johnny Williamson Good Shepherd Foundation, The Little Closet Community Food Pantry and Shepherd Hill Opry will continue to let our light shine on Shepherd Hill.  “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16 NKJV  

Visi Wellness

I have struggled with gradual weight gain over the past few years.   I have been taking Synthroid for over 15 years and I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis several years ago.  I am 55 years old.  About 2 years ago, I began experiencing the “wonderful” symptoms of menopause and at the same time my father passed away abruptly.  Needless to say, I had so many issues, emotional and physical, that I didn’t know what was causing what!  Joint pain, loss of energy, no vitality, grief and yes I’m sure there was some depression in there as well. 

A little over a month ago, my dear friend, Lane Wiggins, who also happens to be my pharmacist introduced me to a new line of products by Visi.   With hesitation, but because I trusted Lane so much, I agreed to try.  Within a week, my joint pain was diminished.  I began to notice that I felt better in the mornings and was excited to get about all the duties of my day.   As an added bonus, I dropped 12 pounds in one month without “going on a diet”.

I am not a sales person and I’m definitely a skeptic about “the next gimmick” out there trying to convince me of a miracle of some great magnitude.  As a follower of Jesus Christ, I know only God himself can do miracles.  I believe He has answered my prayer to heal my body through my friend Lane and Visi products.  Together my husband and I have four children and nine grandchildren.  I work fulltime for a financial advisor and I volunteer many hours for a non-profit that my siblings and I started in our community.  So, I need energy and a strong body to be able to perform those duties to which I believe I am being called.

My outlook on life is so much better because of better health, I feel I now have to tell others about Jesus and Visi!

I would love the opportunity to talk with you in more detail about the Visi line of products and tell you "my story"!   visiwellness.org

Memories of growing up in Samantha

OUCH!!!!!!

I was reading the article by Joshua Becker: "Those Things By Which We Get Embarrassed" and he made this statement: "What if, instead of being embarrassed because our house is too small, we became embarrassed over the amount of unused space within it?"

As I read this article I thought about my visit with a dear neighbor, Jesse Ann, this past weekend. She lived next to us when we were small and has continued to maintain her parents' house next to daddy's (my house), even though they have been gone many years. She spends Wednesdays and Saturdays each week at the old homeplace. What a wonderful visit we had - talking about days gone by and some more recent memories of daddy, which brought us both to tears.  The Weavers were such good neighbors. Oh the magic of ordinary days!

The inside of the little farm house still looked much like I remembered it as a child growing up.  The beautiful pine wainscot paneling in the "front room".  Jessie Ann gifted me with some absolute treasures that belonged to her parents that I will cherish and I hope my children will too after I'm gone, knowing "the history" behind them and the memories attached..  A couple of old (1930) churns and other collections that she wanted me to have.

Among them were two old books about the history of Fayette.

Sitting there in the small farmhouse having conversation with Jessie Ann, I thought about how life seemed so much more simple in days gone by. Memories came to me of running barefoot along the path from our house to theirs.  She must have thought I was such a country bumpkin.  "Probably still does".  It seems that people were much more relational then.  And even though life was hard, the hurried pressures of day-to-day life that we live under now were non-existent.

We have enjoyed reading the stories about the history of Fayette - some from the 1900 - such comical entries in the local paper about events such as "fisticuffs"  and items like "demijohns" which I had to seek the definition.  As I was reading those stories it was even more magnified how much more connected folks were then and my soul longs for that.   They worked hard "together" and they celebrated accomplishments together.  It seems to me that folks were less interested in themselves and their personal interests.  It was more about "community".

You know, I guess we can just "wish" for a simpler life with days of enjoying lemonade with our neighbors after a hard days work OR we can purpose to create those times in our own life today.

Somehow, I think we believe it's either one or the other - work OR play.  But one huge important thing our daddy taught us - work and play go together!  "Many hands make the work load light!" And even fun.   Make a party out of everything!!

To quote Johnny Williamson, "It's very simple.  Now I didn't say it was easy, but it's simple.  You just have to make up your mind to do it."

Always keep "The Son" in your eyes.
Becky

A little interesting history

Divine Porta Potties

Does anyone else hear that buzzing sound?  Bzzzzzz - it's all around!  Well, it's me busy as a bee.  Hehe.  And you know what happens when you get too busy and and you start to hear that sound in your head because you are running in circles? You become counter-productive!  And you forget important details.  Well this is a story about divine porta potties in the middle of the busy details.

It's Friday night before a Saturday night concert at Shepherd Hill Opry.  Ricky, Lawanda, Benny and I are sitting around Mother's favorite bar discussing what's left to be done the next day to get ready.  "We're in pretty good shape".  Snacks - check, drinks - check, performers confirmed - check, house cleaned for overnight guests, check, grass cut - check, etc., etc.  Suddenly a grave thought came over me - I FORGOT TO ORDER THE PORTA POTTIES!  Panic set in.  Immediate phone call to my normal contact John.  He will see what he can do - "drivers don't work Saturdays!"  Of course they don't.  Well, all you can do is all you can do, right?  Folks will just have to hold it for 2 or 3 hours.  Hopefully, they will go before they come and if we are lucky they will forgot to take their blood pressure medicine just this one day, right?

LaWanda says as they are going out the door, "we will just have to pray about it tonight."  So, after they left, I told the Lord -(like He didn't already know), "Look, I've messed up but I really need some porta potties and I don't know how to fix this but you know we need them."

Normally, on Saturday night, I type Shane's message that he will be delivering on Sunday morning.  But since we were having the concert, he comes early Saturday morning instead.  As I am typing and we are discussing "stuff" I told him what his jughead mother had done.  FORGOT TO ORDER THE PORTA POTTIES.  He says, well maybe Jay would have some suggestions since he is over PARA.  He sends Jay a text.  Jay responds immediately with a contact and further adds, "if this one doesn't work I'll try another one."  I make the call and explain my dilemma.  His response, "we don't normally do this on Saturday but since it's for Jay, we can make it work.  What time do you want them delivered?"

Three hours later, two bright orange porta potties are set up on Shepherd Hill and ready for use!!!  

A few hours later we are enjoying a beautiful outdoor concert in the open air, under God's beautiful sky, with wonderful folks.  Building community.  Planting shade trees in the lives of others.

The Lord cares about every detail of our life, even our mistakes and shortcomings.  He knows what we need.  Did the porta potties fall from the sky?  No.  But - they did come through his servants, Shane and Jay,  by way of Spanky's.  Divine?  Absolutely!!  I learned several lessons in this.  One is that I need to slow down, take my time and be more thorough.  And also, to NOTICE how God works in the details of my life.  There are no accidents.  He has chosen to accomplish His work through us.  He could have dropped porta potties from the sky, but instead He chose to supply my need through others.

Every time I saw someone walk toward the porta potty that night I was reminded of where they came from.  God made sure this little group in my little community of Samantha, Alabama had everything we needed and for a few short hours we forgot about all the toil and "busy-ness" of life and relaxed to listen some good music, enjoy fresh buttered popcorn and a nice cold coke.

Martin Luther said, Beautiful music is the art of the prophets that can calm the agitations of the soul; it is one of the most magnificent and delightful presents God has given us.

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters; in the assembly I will sing your praises.”  Hebrews 2:12

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