Grandma's Touch

This morning I sat out on the front porch, wrapped in a blanket because of the early chill. As I sat there I got to thinking about Rodney's grandmother. We now have her patio furniture, from their back porch, on our front porch. The frames were yellow, which is not us, so I painted them a hammered pewter. This has seemed to help make the flowered cushions seem more modern. No way, right now, that we can afford to replace all the cushions. But maybe I don't really want to. We would lose some of Grandma if we did, because as much as Grandpa loved his tools, Grandma loved flowers.

She loved them so much she even worked at a florist. I am not sure how many weddings from the family she worked on, but I know she made the bouquet for mine and Rodney's wedding. Her front yard was beautiful with wonderful flower beds and her porch was decorated with pots filled with gorgeous combinations of flowers.

She even had a flowered couch in her living room. Beautiful flowers were just her thing. Grandma was just like her flowers. A beautiful woman, inside and out. Sweet natured, gentle with the touch, seemed filled with wisdom and everyone loved her. I think I was really drawn to Rodney's grandmother because she was so much like mine. Grandma Inez was beautiful inside and out too. She loved to grow things, she was as gentle as she was beautiful and I can't think of anyone who didn't just love her to pieces. 

My grandmother loved my twin sister and myself more than I can even say. She was even willing to raise us from age two till seven. She almost had a nervous break down when my Dad remarried and we moved out. I have to say that all I remember from my grandmother is softness, gentleness, love and teaching. She was always trying to get us to learn to be self sufficient.  

Whenever I am doing all the girly grooming things and a bit of pain becomes involved, such as a tangle in my hair, I can just hear her say, "Beauty is painful Sweetheart, but worth it". Makes me smile every time. My Dad was a wise, wise man and I learned so many things from him (that's for another blog), but Grandma just had a way of nurturing two little girls that made everything she taught us stay with us forever. One of my favorite things that has stuck is remembering how she could make everything better with her wonderful back rubs. I know my men like that I have learned this.

Both of these women loved their God. It showed in every area of their lives. Rodney says he remembers getting little notes from his grandma concerning scriptures she had been reading that she thought would be beneficial to him. My grandma was a prayer warrior from way back. She was the one who taught me that prayer can change anything.

These two were truly women who lived up to these verses.....

   
Ecclesiastes 8:1

Who is wise? And who knows the meaning of anything? A person’s wisdom brightens the expression; it changes the hardness of someone’s face.

James 3:13

If you are wise, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth. And if you don’t brag about them, then you will be truly wise!

As I grow more and more into maturity I truly hope that I can be, if only by half, as humble and wise as they were!

Maybe we all should be wishing for the same thing.

Blessings!!!!!

Angels Among Us!

Every year, at this time, my husband and I have an open house at the parsonage. We enjoy having friends and family, from all over, coming and visiting.  This Christmas month Rodney has been preaching about Words From a 2nd Class Angel. In his sermons he has been using clips from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life". So my over all theme this open house is "Angels". We are having angel food cake, wings, cookies that look like clouds, hot wing dip, frothy punch, etc. I usually have so much fun getting ready for each open house.

But this year I have a rather gimpy knee and am having to use a crutch most of the time to get around. This makes cleaning house tough and I was beginning to think that everyone would be seeing the dust and clutter that true family living brings, instead of the sparkling parsonage I most want to present . But I have angels of my own who have come to rescue me.

Two sweet friends have gone out of their way to help with the cleaning. They have vacuumed, mopped, dusted and even helped clean our bathrooms. Others are helping with some of the food preparation. I am truly blessed and can't even express how grateful I am to have such sweet ladies as my angel friends.

All through the old testament scriptures and the new testament scriptures we read of angels being sent by God to minister, serve, and tell of the great things that God has done or will be doing. 

One of the most important jobs we see angels do is to take care of Jesus...

Matthew 4:11

The Message (MSG)

11 The Test was over. The Devil left. And in his place, angels! Angels came and took care of Jesus’ needs.

Another thing that we see angels doing is reporting to God about us humans and reporting to us the messages sent from God....

Matthew 18:10

The Message (MSG)

10 “Watch that you don’t treat a single one of these childlike believers arrogantly. You realize, don’t you, that their personal angels are constantly in touch with my Father in heaven?

Matthew 1:20-21

Common English Bible (CEB)

20-23 While he was trying to figure a way out, he had a dream. God’s angel spoke in the dream: “Joseph, son of David, don’t hesitate to get married. Mary’s pregnancy is Spirit-conceived. God’s Holy Spirit has made her pregnant. She will bring a son to birth, and when she does, you, Joseph, will name him Jesus—‘God saves’—because he will save his people from their sins.

Luke 2:8-14

Common English Bible (CEB)

8 Nearby shepherds were living in the fields, guarding their sheep at night. 9 The Lord’s angel stood before them, the Lord’s glory shone around them, and they were terrified.

10 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid! Look! I bring good news to you—wonderful, joyous news for all people. 11 Your savior is born today in David’s city. He is Christ the Lord. 12 This is a sign for you: you will find a newborn baby wrapped snugly and lying in a manger.” 13 Suddenly a great assembly of the heavenly forces was with the angel praising God. They said, 14 “Glory to God in heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors.”

Wow, what a wonderful message that was. Can't you just imagine how excited those angels were to get to be the ones to get this job!

Angels most and above all love and praise our Lord.....

Revelation 5:11-12
Common English Bible (CEB)

11 Then I looked, and I heard the sound of many angels surrounding the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. They numbered in the millions—thousands upon thousands. 12 They said in a loud voice,

“Worthy is the slaughtered Lamb
to receive power, wealth, wisdom, and might,
and honor, glory, and blessing.”

Revelation 7:11
Common English Bible (CEB)

11 All the angels stood in a circle around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God....


I don't know about you but I find myself in awe that God would think us silly humans important enough to send us these messengers of help and peace. They have so many other important things to be dong!!. 

So in this wonderful season of the year be sure to keep an eye out for the angels God sends your way. 

Hebrews 1:14

Amplified Bible (AMP)

14 Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?


Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Blessings!

Women in Combat!

Hi girls, I am on my soapbox again....

Women, are we ready to head into ground combat? Does the government really think that this is a good idea? I don't know if any of you have gotten the scoop on this, so here is part of an article from the Center For Military Readiness.....

On January 24, 2013, the Obama Administration set in motion a long-term plan to unilaterally abolish 
military women's exemption from direct ground combat (DGC) battalions. Unless Congress intervenes, this 
incremental process, concluding in January 2016, will impose unprecedented social burdens that would 
compromise training standards, reduce combat effectiveness, increase violence against women, and put both 
men and women at greater risk. In addition, federal courts eventually could issue orders making unsuspecting 
civilian women subject to Selective Service registration for a possible future draft on the same basis as men.


Do not get me wrong. I know that we as women have the strength and the brains and the fortitude to do most anything that we set out to do. There are many areas in the military that women can serve quite well. We have women who are serving, at this very moment, who are doing a wonderful job protecting our country. God has made us equal to men in so many ways but I think that sometimes we need to say "let our men be men"!

Adult males need to feel like protectors. They were made that way. Just tonight while we were out on our family walk Rodney turned protector when he thought a car wasn't going to stop as we were crossing the street.  

Men and women are different there is no doubt on this.....

Our men need to be treated like men as much as we need to be treated like females. I am not sure what we, as women, are worried about in this area. There are places in the lives of men where we women do not need to go as much as there are areas in our lives where we wouldn't want men to tread. I kind of think that hand to hand combat is one of those areas.

The scriptures seem to say this too!

1 Samuel 4:9
Common English Bible (CEB)
9 Pull yourselves together and act like men, Act like men and fight!”

Zechariah 10:5
English Standard Version (ESV)
5 They shall be like mighty men in battle,
trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;
they shall fight because the Lord is with them.

Men are stronger in stature than us women. That doesn't mean we are the weaker sex it means we are just stronger in other areas. It is nothing to get mad about and we sure don't have anything to prove by always trying to do what men do.  I know I love being a woman. Wouldn't change that for anything.

Yes there are times when womanhood needs defending but manhood is really taking a beating. It seems to keep spiraling into all areas. I think we need to use the wisdom God has given us and really think this ground fighting thing through. 

Proverbs 24:5English Standard Version (ESV)
5 A wise man is full of strength,
and a man of knowledge enhances his might,

Proverbs 4:7
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
7 The best thing about Wisdom
is Wisdom herself;
good sense is more important
than anything else.

I know that no family, surely even the President's, wants to think about their little girls being included in the Selective Service. It hurts bad enough having to worry about their sons.

Let's all pray for that wisdom!!

Blessings!

The Watch!

My weather alarm just went off. 

We keep it up in the master bedroom so we can hear it in the middle of the night. It has been a handy thing to have, even this last winter. The alarm has been very accurate in keeping track of severe weather. We live in Indiana so you never know when the weather will change. Kind like when I was growing up in Kansas.

Anyway the alarm was telling me of a severe weather watch. 

So now we watch!

This reminds me of life. We always need to watch ourselves everyday to make sure our mouths don't get us into trouble. We almost need an alarm to go off in our heads to keep us from being, well.......stupid. Sorry to be so frank, sweet friends, but hey, the truth hurts sometimes. 

                                        

But wait we do have an alarm. It's called the Holy Spirit. If we let Him he can push the warning button of our conscience and remind us to change whatever we are about to say, and keep us out of trouble or from hurting others around us. 

The book of Proverbs has some great insight on this.......


Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:

5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
Pretty straight forward huh? I need to read this all the time. 

We as Christians know how to live but the human side of us gets in the way sometimes. And we as women can really let our mouths get in the way. We can be petty, we can admit it. 

There I go being to frank again!

Showing the love of God is so much easier when we let the words of our mouth build up instead of tear down! Let's be wise and let understanding raise her voice!

It can be tough but we can do it!!!

Blessings!