It’s Easter Sunday

He held my sins in His hands as the nails were pierced through… wow!  So many thoughts come to mind, but it humbles me to think that Christ suffered such pain and disgrace for me.  I need a Savior – I’m the first to admit it.  To say thank You just seems insufficient and unimpressive.  I understand now that the Lord doesn’t want fancy words.  He wants my life to reflect my relationship with Him.  Actions really do speak louder than words.

What does the resurrection of Jesus Christ mean to you?  When God raised Christ from the dead (yes, He was dead – not stunned), He paid our sin debt!  There is no greater love than that!  This means that through Christ, we are able to claim complete VICTORY!  God doesn’t do anything halfway.  The price is paid, and all we have to do is claim the victory.  Accept the sacrifice He made at Calvary and live like the blessed child of God you are.

We are blessed and even though temptations and yes, sin sometimes gets in the way – we know that Christ will help us get total victory over all of it.  He didn’t save me just to leave me standing in a cold, dark place.  He saved me to guide and direct me closer to Him.  We will mess up sometimes – whoppers of messes sometimes!  But we know whatever comes along, the sacrifice that Christ made for us is greater than our sins.

Should we linger on the sins we’ve committed?  No.  Satan would like nothing better.  Lingering on the sins is polarizing!  Ask God to forgive your sins – and keep moving, leaning on Him to help you out of sin and closer to Him.  Trust that God forgives you and move on.  There’s not a thing you can do about yesterday.  Just make tomorrow better with God’s help.

Jesus Christ is ALIVE – ready to help us live in total VICTORY!!!  Will you seek Him?  There’s not a sin He can’t forgive.  There’s not a temptation He can’t overcome.  Plea the blood of Christ over it, know it’s covered, go on to the next thing.  Praise God for the victory through the resurrection of Christ!  Hallelujah! 

Not that I want to mention April Fool’s Day and Easter in the same sentence…  but someone challenged Lucinda to write a poem about it.  And, well…  she nailed it!  Take a look at this:

Isn’t that great?  There’s no FOOLIN’ about it!  Happy Easter, everyone!  🙂

 

 

 

 

Always Remember

Well, it’s day number 7 of 2018 – how’s it going?  My new year is fantastic!  I went in for my final appointment with the surgeon – and I got cut loose!  I’m officially mobile and getting into trouble again on a regular basis.  It’s great to be up and going again!

God wants us to know that no matter what circumstances we face, He will be by our side, take our hand and guide us through it.  There are no endings while we rely on the Lord to lead us down the pathway.  There are only endings when we decide to let go of His hand and give up.

^10-11 This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s seventy years are up and not a day before, I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  – Jeremiah 29:10-11

Have faith in God – you know He has come through in the past – so of course, He will make a way now.  He didn’t bring you this far to leave you alone!  I love the part of this Scripture that says, “I’ll SHOW UP and TAKE CARE OF YOU AS I PROMISED AND BRING YOU BACK HOME.”  I also love the reminder that He knows what He’s doing!  I sure do need to be reminded of that once in a while.

I love this poem by Lucinda Berry Hill:

Our God keeps every promise He makes to us.  We know our joy is not dependent on our circumstances – but it hinges on our faith in the One who is worthy!  Thou art worthy, oh Lord!  

Don’t let the enemy of your soul steal your joy because you’re focused on circumstances instead of keeping your spiritual eyes open with your physical eyes studying God’s precious Word.  It’s through His Word and the time we spend with Him in prayer that keeps us filled with His joy, hope, peace and love.  Trust your relationship with Jesus, and the sovereignty of God.

Isn’t she wonderful and encouraging?  I hope and pray we all have a wonderful 2018, and that the sovereign God that we put our trust in no matter what – will bless us beyond measure in our lives.  🙂

A COMMENTARY FROM THE HEART

I love Christmas so much, especially as a Christian!  As far as I’m concerned, Christmas lasts all month-long and rightly so since we have so much to celebrate!  We need a whole month to celebrate the reason for the season, Christ Jesus, our Lord and Savior!  God’s plan was for His Son to be born in a lowly manger, to be the path to salvation and everlasting life for every one of us.  If that isn’t the greatest HOPE of Christmas, I don’t know what is!

³ Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.  – 1 Peter 1:3-5

There are so many situations that have happened in our world that can attempt to steal our hope.  We need to keep a firm grasp on Jesus’ hand and remember that He is the source of all the hope in our lives!  Let’s start encouraging one another with words of hope from God’s Word.  Let’s begin praying for one another, asking that God send bundles of hope into daily situations.  We don’t know what’s going on in a Christian friend’s life.  Most of us like to keep all the negative things happening in our lives to ourselves – we don’t want to be a “downer” to everyone else.  We should never assume that everything in our Christian friend’s lives is going well just because we’re not told differently.  Let’s ask God to heap blessings on one another!  The blessings from our Lord are the hope we count on every day!

I refer to Christian friends, but you know what?  I have some non-Christian friends as well – and whether they like it or not, I pray for them too!  God hears and answers our prayers.  He knows the intentions of our hearts and He knows the thoughts in our minds as we pray to Him for all people.  His desire for us is to love Him and to love each other.

 

I want to share this truth with you:  In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade.  I offer these words of encouragement to you so you can find hope on this first Sunday of Advent.  Because of Christmas, there was an Easter.  Because of Easter, there is eternal HOPE – and He holds us and cherishes us so much!

Let’s celebrate hope on this first Sunday of Advent.  Ask Jesus to hold to you tightly and show you HIS HOPE!  He loves you and wants to do that for you.  ❤

 

 

A COMMENTARY FROM THE HEART

Do you know a control freak?  Maybe you ARE a control freak.  Who determines what you will do today?  I think sometimes, especially here in America, we’re so accustomed to being FREE and having that FREE WILL in living, it’s easy for us to believe we are in complete control of every aspect of our life.

Some people think if they hit the gym every day and pulverize some veggies to replace home cooking – they will somehow hang on to youth and vitality in life.  You do know that even America’s toughest trainer will one day grow old, get weak, and die, right?  There comes a point when we will all be dependent – and that scares some people.

Now, that’s not to say that we just curl up and give in…  I’m sure not a fan of that either.  God wants us to be happy and healthy and take care of ourselves – and He doesn’t mind if we are independent as we live our lives – He just doesn’t want us to be detached from Him.  He created us because He wanted someone to talk with – and through prayer, we talk and listen to our Heavenly Father.  Do you ever wonder though – why does God want to be my friend?  What is so interesting about me that He should care?  I don’t know the answer, but I’m sure glad He does care, aren’t you?

Oh I like that devotional so much!  I use a lot of those old sayings, because I learned them from my parents – lol.  I don’t think it’s a bad thing to say them as long as we know that they are old sayings – and NOT the gospel truth from God’s Word.

Isn’t it sad when people ignore God until they need something – or get in a bind?  God wants to hear from us on a regular basis – and He wants to hear about laundry day just as much as He wants to hear how much money I need.  He always wants to hear praises to Him – He inhabits our praise!  We love and praise Him all the time, whether there are needs to share with Him or not.  Every day is Thanksgiving in a Christian’s life.  🙂

FROM MY HEART TO YOURS

February is a rough month for me – I’ll just admit it.  It’s a time when I remember a lot of happy times that I’ll never get back.  My mom’s birthday was the 15th and my dad’s birthday was the 21st – just a week apart!  I always baked a heart-shaped cake for my mom – and put pink or red icing on it with little red-hot candies.  We never had fancy celebrations, but we had each other and that’s what really mattered.  I can’t remember any of the gifts I gave her, but I remember the love in the room while she opened each of them.  ❤

My dad loved German chocolate cake – and I’m not a baker – so to the boxed cake aisle I’d go to pick up a mix and some icing – although I’m not sure you can call that icing – I suppose it is…  that coconut concoction.  LOL!  Dad’s cake was a simple 9×13 sheet cake – I never made a cake that had to be stacked – I’m practical – and if that puppy had to ride in the car with me – it was going to be a sheet cake!  ❤

Dad’s Birthday 2-21-85

I have memories recorded on 8mm film – which a few years back I had put on DVD.  There’s no sound, but I can read lips just fine.  I remember every word, even though I can’t hear their voices.  I can’t hear their voices…  but I will hear them again.  I’m not without hope – nope.  ❤

I’ve made a sort of study out of this grief journey.  This blog is one manifestation of my grief experience.  I hope it’s made me more empathetic to others, if nothing else.  When people you love die, you don’t have anywhere for that love to go anymore.  This month I went out to the cemetery and replaced the flowers – but there were no hugs, no smiles, no warm greetings.  Thankfully, there was no snow, or it would have been colder still.  There’s nothing quite so cold and, well, dead…  as a cemetery.  Without faith to sustain, it would appear that it’s all over and there’s no hope.  Ah, but there is faith – there is hope.  I’m not without hope – nope.  ❤

One of these days my Savior will come for me and all who have asked Him into their hearts and lives.  Whether I have the opportunity to live out a full life and die – or get snatched up and fly away…  it really doesn’t matter because I’m going to see Christ face to face.  These memories I hang on to for now…  well, I won’t need those anymore.  I’m not going to pretend to know exactly what lies ahead – but I trust God, through my Savior – and whatever it is…  it’s okay by me.  ❤

Here’s what I do know.  I will see my family again – and it’s going to be great because there will be hugs, smiles, and warm greetings – and we will never have to say good-bye again!  ❤

A Prayer for the Grieving

Lord, please come sit with me today. I need you now as I’m so sad. My heart can’t take much more. Just let me feel again. God, please heal my broken heart. In the quietness, I feel closest to you. Help me to serve others despite the pain. Let peace and love surround all who grieve today, tomorrow and always. I trust you to carry me through this long journey of grief and pain. Thank you for allowing me to share the life of my precious loved one. Please give me comfort in my pain, your love to see me through, and your strength to keep me going. Amen.

When they died, I thought I might too.  But somewhere along the way, the memories took over where the pain was once so raw I thought I couldn’t stand it.  ❤

You know, everyone in school was a bit jealous of me because I was an only child and didn’t have to “share” anything with siblings when I was at home – but let me tell ya…  there’s a flip side to being the only one – it’s lonely when you realize you’re responsible for everything.  I relied so heavily on my parents, not only for moral support, but for spiritual support.  I knew they prayed for me every day.  I miss those prayers so much.  ❤

 

PSALM 9:1 ON 9/1

For the director of music. To the tune of “The Death of the Son.” A psalm of David. I will give thanks to you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.  – Psalm 9:1 

Sometimes the most difficult thing to do is live your life in spite of the broken dreams that lie strewn behind you.  No, I’m not suicidal – don’t worry…  but it’s been a challenge lately to grab ahold of real purpose for living.  I suppose part of the problem is that I keep seeing my friends on facebook…  some of them I’ve known since high school.  They have raised their children and are now spoiling their grandchildren.  It’s as it should be and I’m very happy for them!  I just question LORD…  why is that not the way my life turned out?

I wonder what I’ve done that was so awful to be overlooked.  I am not perfect by any stretch, but neither are those who have been blessed with people in their lives.  They have big people, little people, dysfunctional people, quiet people, loud people…  what a blessing!

Does anyone else think this verse holds a great deal of irony?  I mean, do the words and the tune really mesh up?  The tune is called “The Death of the Son” – but the wonderful, uplifting praiseworthy words are…  I WILL GIVE THANKS TO YOU, LORD, WITH ALL MY HEART, I WILL TELL OF ALL YOUR WONDERFUL DEEDS.

Wow…  epiphany!  Here’s the key to living a happy, good quality life!  Regardless of the cards you are dealt in life, you find the good parts and PRAISE GOD FOR HIS GOOD DEEDS.  Although there are shattered pieces of dreams behind me, I wake up every morning and praise GOD for HIS goodness, for HIS love, for HIS grace, for HIS mercy, for HIS provision in my life.  He is all-sovereign, all-strong, all-powerful.  He is all I need in this life.

There are situations and circumstances I’ll never understand…  but then I remember that regardless of my circumstances, the LORD has done wonderful deeds in my life.  That is when I can be thankful to the LORD for my life.  Maybe He’s not done with me yet.  I’m just being still and know that HE is GOD and HE holds my simple little life in the palm of HIS great big hand.

Today let’s take a cue from David…  no matter how far you think you’ve sunk – and no matter how many tiny pieces of broken dreams lie scattered on the path behind you, trust God for answers and for hope.  Yesterday is over.  Press on, knowing that God has a wonderful plan for your future!  🙂

A COMMENTARY FROM THE HEART

Formula for success…  rise early, work hard and strike oil!  – Unknown

At 7:00 pm, the Wichita Heights High School commencement ceremony will be held at Koch Arena on the Wichita State University Campus.  While I doubt if anyone from the 2016 graduating class reads this blog (I’d be very surprised), I want to wish graduates everywhere the very best wishes and say God bless you as you move on with your life.  🙂

Here are just a few positive affirmations and blessings to take with you as you go out into the world to make your way.

There is a good reason they call these ceremonies “commencement exercises.”  Graduation is not the end; it’s the beginning.  – Orrin Hatch

 

Don’t live down to expectations.  Go out there and do something remarkable.  – Wendy Wasserstein

I was a Falcon at Heights – class of ’79!  I know…  I know – that’s a really LOOOOONG time ago.  But some things never change.  When I graduated it was so amazing because it felt like I had accomplished something important.  So many people don’t get to finish school – I feel blessed to have that diploma (yes, it is discolored a bit now – LOL!) 

Things turn out best for the people who make the best out of the way things turn out.  – Art Linkletter

One thing I will tell you is that you are not finished learning yet.  You will never be finished learning, so keep an open mind when you enter the workplace.  Even if you took every class in high school to prepare yourself for your chosen field, always respect and listen carefully to the folks who have worked in the field for years.  No amount of classroom exposure can prepare you for the real life experience you will gain in the workplace.

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.  – Judy Garland

God made you an individual, unlike anyone else.  Take your unique version of shine into the workplace with you.  Others will appreciate your contribution and your good attitude.  Don’t be the one who drags yourself in to work and starts complaining about everything from the moment you walk in the door.  Nobody really wants to be there, but everyone wants to gravitate toward the person with the most shine in their aura, so to speak.  Be the shiny one with the bright attitude and quick wit.

Do not follow where the path may lead.  Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.  – Ralph Waldo Emerson

You have been given one life by your Creator.  Make the most of it whether it seems you are a success or a failure.  It’s not easy to fail, but most of us have to learn lessons the hard way.  It’s not getting knocked down that matters, but it’s not getting back up that matters.  Don’t let life keep you down for long.

It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves.  – Edmond Hillary

Once you have learned the basics of your chosen field, look for ways to improve or enhance it.  I’m not necessarily suggesting that you find shortcuts, but if there is a better way to do something, speak up and let your ideas be heard.  Just because doing things one way has been the status quo doesn’t mean it’s the only way to do it.

There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.  – Beverly Sills

You are the key to the future.  The class of ’79 is starting to retire now.  We have worked hard and are ready to enjoy life and sleep in – lol.  It’s your turn now.  It’s time for you to find your wings and follow your dreams.

High expectations are the key to everything.  – Sam Walton

I pray for you as you go out into the world to serve others.  May God richly bless your life from this moment on.  🙂

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I’m the only one in my family that eats black-eyed peas on New Year’s Day.  It’s a tradition that began when I was just a little girl.  Today I’ll eat a bowl all by myself, but I’ll be thinking of my parents, who put enough butter and black pepper on their peas to drown out the natural flavor.

Whether you eat black-eyed peas or not, this day represents the dawn of a free slate – a fresh start – a new beginning!  There are no mistakes in this day yet.  Well, unless you count that I forgot to put the cap on the toothpaste this morning – okay that was a goof.

But the point is, we have the choice to begin from here and LET GO of all our past transgressions and missteps.  Honestly, to hang on to that stuff – especially the things you will never EVER have the power to change – well, that can just make you bitter and angry and very cranky toward others.  Is that what you really want?  It’s not what I want! 

So today I want to encourage you to literally let the past go…  release it into the vastness of space where it can rise up so far that it eventually breaks into millions of tiny pieces and evaporates completely.  Life is too short to huddle up with past hurts and tons of regret that serve absolutely NO purpose in your life today.

Focus on this day – this present moment – this is what you have, and tomorrow it will be part of the past as well.  The older I get, the less I hang on to.  I just closely filter the things I choose to get my knickers in a knot over – and it’s never over anything that I cannot change.  I cannot waste my time and my energy trying to re-write history.  What’s done is done and it can’t be replayed with a different outcome – so why leave the tape in your head?  Get it out of there – and refocus your mind on the things of today – the new challenges and the new adventures that lie ahead in this new, fresh exciting year!

We have important choices to make in the future – we have to choose a president for our country!  We have new jobs to learn, new skills to hone, new paths to tread – and right beside us is our constant companion, God!  He will see us through anything He brings us to in life.  HAPPY NEW YEAR!  God’s got this!  🙂

MATTHEW 10:26 ON 10/26

But don’t be afraid of those who threaten you. For the time is coming when everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.  – Matthew 10:26

This is the time of year when some folks gather with family and friends at the Field of Screams, a corn field turned spooky field.  I’ve not been there myself and will never go – I’ll just take their word for it.  When I was younger I had my share of spook houses and even helped put a few of them together for younger kids.  That sort of fear is all in good fun and we know that it won’t last – it will most assuredly pass and our lives will go back to normal.

When we are afraid of those who threaten us, it has the potential to be paralyzing – it can literally hold us back from accomplishing anything.  I have to confess that I am afraid that Hillary Clinton will be elected president.  I fear that she will make my quality of life drop to an all-time low that I’ve never known before.  I have to confess that fear to God every day and ask Him to take it from me.  God’s Word tells us not to be afraid of those who threaten us.  If I let that feeling creep in, I have to stop and confess it again – and hand it over to God.

Does it bother you that she thinks she is above the law – and that folks think too much is being made of the email scandal?  It really bugs me!  And Benghazi is a real DISGRACE.  The families of those 4 men killed deserve answers – real answers.  It won’t bring their loved ones back – but that’s not the point.  Her response of WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE just made my blood boil.  So…  when she messes up we’re just supposed to say OH WELL and go on?

Then there are those who say BEFORE YOU JUDGE, MAKE SURE YOU’RE PERFECT.  Well – that’s not the point either.  She broke the law – and she will get away with it because she is above the law.  She thinks so and everyone else thinks so too!

Then we read on… everything that is covered will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all.  We have to believe that even if American law fails to deliver justice, God will not. 

Hillary just does not pass the sniff test…  she just keeps getting away with things that are clearly illegal.  The Clinton’s just get away with anything – ANYTHING.  Then there’s that arrogance that goes along with it…  grr…  but – I have to hand it over to God.  His court is not fooled.  🙂

 

THANKSGIVING DAY

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.  – Psalm 95:2

What is Mel thankful for?  Well, God healed him of terminal leukemia in 1998, so it’s obvious that he is very thankful for life.  He’s also thankful for the Holy Ghost.  He’s thankful for another day to praise God for His goodness!

How many ways can we thank God for all the blessings He has bestowed on us?

If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.  – Meister Eckhart

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High.  – Psalm 50:14

Thanks be to God for all the miraculous deeds He has done in my life.  I don’t know why He is so good to me, but I’m sure glad He is!

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say “thank you?”  – William A. Ward

What would Thanksgiving be without Charlie Brown.  Put on your jammies and fuzzy socks.  Grab your favorite snack and watch this cute cartoon with me.

 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.  –  Psalm 26:7

This day and every day I will lift my hands to the heavens and praise the Lord for all the many blessings He has bestowed on me.

As each day comes to us refreshed and anew, so does my gratitude renew itself daily. The breaking of the sun over the horizon is my grateful heart dawning upon a blessed world.   – Terri Guillemets

This is a cute little song –  you’ll be singing this all day!  You’re welcome.  😉

I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.  – Psalm 69:30

Shine Your everlasting light in my perpetual darkness, heavenly Father.  May everything I do be for Your honor and Your glory, for there is no other reason to do anything I do.

For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve made Monkey Bread in the past, but this Apple Monkey Bread looks so delicious!  I’m always thankful for the food on Thanksgiving Day – aren’t you?

I’m thankful for food, shelter, love of friends and family and Charlie Brown cartoons around the holidays.  All of these things bring to mind happy times of the past and provide hope for the future.  I hope you will take some time today to let your friends and family know how much you love them.  Take time to let God know you love Him too.  ❤