Way to Go!

Wedding Day "wrestling match"
My kids, April 3, 2004

"Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You. Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You!" (Psalm 143:8)

          Through the night, I wrestled with whether to do "next step" treatment after radiation that is highly recommended by my doctors. This morning, I pleaded with the Lord to please declare the winner in my tug o' war. 
           Jesus gently reminded me to simply cast my cares on Him and trust that surely He will show me the way to go.

         Are you at a crossroads - wrestling with which way to go? Talk to Jesus, cast your cares on Him, and confidently trust Him to show you the way to go.

"...He will show favor to you at the sound of your cry; when He hears, He will answer you...your Teacher will not hide Himself any longer. Your eyes will see your Teacher, and whenever you turn to the right or to the left your ears will hear this command behind you: 'This is the way. Walk in it.'" (Isaiah 30:19-21)

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Patience

Four illustration for Hoot Owl Hollow
by talented artist, Ben Glassco
(my boy)

"Therefore, brothers, be patient until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth and is patient with it until it receives the early and late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts because the coming of the Lord is near." (James 5:7-8)

       Our microwave society has cultivated impatience, and I admit being infected with the I-want-it-now syndrome. In the making of a storybook, after a manuscript is completed, it's really difficult for me to patiently wait for the artist to finish the illustrations. 
       In the 40 Days with Jesus booklet, Sarah Young wisely writes from God's perspective, "Enjoy the tempo of a God-breathed life by letting Me set the pace." 

      Two thousand years ago, James, the half-brother of Jesus Christ, declared that the coming of the Lord was near. The apostle Peter added in his second epistle that, in the last days, mockers will say, "Where is the promise of His coming?" Peter answered, "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:3-9)

Are you impatiently demanding God's promises now? Perhaps He's patiently waiting on you! Hmmmmmm...

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Prepare for the Storm

My favorite grandDAUGHTER
(and, by the way, my one-and-only grandGIRL)

"Anyone who listens to My teachings and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against the house, it won't collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears My teachings and doesn't obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods came and the winds beat against the house, it will collapse with a mighty crash!" (Matt. 7:24-27)

         Alabama's a bit on edge today amidst predictions of severe weather approaching. In the sermon on the mount, Jesus clearly taught His followers how to prepare for life storms: listen to Him and do what He says.

     Wanna be prepared for severe life storms? Listen to God by reading the Holy Bible and then be "a doer of the word, not a hearer only" (James 1:22) - OBEY!

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Casting Off Restraint

Jesus, Phillip, and me, September 10, 1977
"A cord of three strand is not quickly torn apart." (Eccl 4:12)

"I shall give thanks to You, for You have answered me, and You have become my salvation. [Jesus], the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it!" (Psalm 118:21-14)

       One of the sweet radiation therapist at Kirklin Clinic and I attend the same church. When Beth's on duty during my treatments, she always plays Christian praise music for me over the sound system. Yesterday, because I can't move during radiation, I seriously had to restrain myself from lifting hands in worship to Jesus as this song played:

My hope is built on nothing less

Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame

But wholly trust in Jesus' name.

Christ alone; cornerstone

Weak made strong; in the Savior's love

Through the storm, He is Lord

Lord of all!!!

When darkness seems to hide His face

I rest on His unchanging grace

In every high and  stormy gale

My anchor holds within the veil.

Christ alone; cornerstone

Weak made strong; in the Savior's love

Through the storm, He is Lord

Lord of all!!!1

O Christian, cast off all restraint and lift your hands in praise to Jesus now!

"You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, and I extol You! Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His lovingkindness is everlasting!" (Psalm 118:28-29)

1 Hillsong United's "Cornerstone"

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Journey of Faith

My Rebecca, Stephen, Ben, and Dan
Mother's Day hike, 2004

"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going." (Heb. 11:8)

My kids at the top of the mountain

"For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who  by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight!" (Heb. 11:32-34)

My Ben running down the mountain

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance  and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith!" (Heb. 12:1-2)

        For years, hiking a trail at Oak Mountain State Park was our Mother's Day family tradition. In these pictures taken in 2004, Rebecca and Stephen were newlyweds, Ben was a first-year kicker at Tusculum College, and Dan was headed to U.S. Marine Corp bootcamp at Parris Island - all, like Abraham, embarking on untried journeys, not knowing where they were going.

       In 2011, the Lord called me to the land of children's storybooks. His instructions: "Stay close to Me and do everything I tell you to do." Though I'm still uncertain as to where He's taking me, this I know for sure -

Those who hopefully trust in the Lord will not be disappointed. (Isa. 49:23)

Faithful is He who called me, who also will do it! (1 Thess. 5:24)

and

Not one of the good promises which the Lord has made will fail; all will come to pass. (Joshua 21:45)

       Faith, we are told, is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Heb. 11:1). Go forth, O Christian! Run where He calls, making disciples and teaching them to obey everything He commands us to do! For lo, Jesus is always with us, even to the end of the age!

From soon-to-be-released Hoot Owl Hollow:

Andi took another bite of the smoked turkey sandwich. If the ad’s still there, I’m applying tonight, she resolved. Checking over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, the attractive, young woman snatched the Atlanta News off the break room table and searched the classified section. “Here it is,” she whispered. Her heart raced at the very notion of carrying out such a risky escapade.

WANTED: Male DVM willing to work in rugged conditions.

Apply to: Dr. Sam Parks, 202 Buckeye Rd., Bottle Knob, GA  30546

She jotted the name and address on a notepad and buried it in her coat pocket. 

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Saved from our Enemies

My Dan
Iraq desert dust storm, 2009

"Though I am surrounded by troubles, You will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You will reach out Your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me." (Psalm 138:7)

        God warns us in 1 Peter 5:8 that our adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Although unseen, Satan, the enemy of our souls, is real, alive, and on mission to kill, steal, and destroy the followers of Jesus Christ.
        Yesterday, peace came over me after several days of oppression. "Something" had taken place in the spiritual realm on my behalf, and I am grateful to my Shield and Defender, our Ancient of Days. 

        In Psalm 18, King David sang, "I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge...I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies...He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of deep waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy...He rescued me because He delighted in me."

        O Christian, when the devil presses you down, lift up the name of Jesus. He is your Deliverer, and you are His delight!

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Stuck

"Miss Sunbeam"
(Pine Bluff, Arkansas)

"I am the Lord, and I WILL bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I WILL deliver you from their bondages. I WILL also redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. Then I WILL take you for My people, and I will be your God; and you shall know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians." (Ex. 6:6-7)

        "Miss Sunbeam" has been swinging atop an animated  billboard at the foot of Main Street in Pine Bluff, Arkansas for about 65 years - swinging her little heart out but not going anywhere. 

         Many people are working their little hearts out everyday, but like "Miss Sunbeam", not going anywhere - STUCK in the ditch of routine and ordinary, if you will. I just finished reading Pastor Chris Hodges' new book, Four Cups, God's Timeless Promises for a Life of Fulfillment. From God's four promises in the Jewish Passover meal, this bestselling author and my pastor says, "No matter where we are on our spiritual journey, these four cups of promise [salvation, deliverance, redemption, and fulfillment] provide a simple, powerful, unforgettable way of reaching our potential and growing closer to God."

          Want to know your God-given purpose and live a fulfilled life? Go after God with your whole heart, surrender to the Master's redeeming hand, and fulfill the dreams God has for you! (If you need practical "how tos", read Chris Hodges' Four Cups!)

"I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)

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Stand Firm. Be Brave. Be Strong.

My mother and daddy, April 1944
Riverside, California

"Behind the cloud the starlight lurks, through showers the sunbeams fall; for God who loveth all His works, has left His hope for all."  John Greenleaf Whittier


          Seventy springs ago, Europe had been invaded, Pearl Harbor had been bombed, and American troops were advancing across the Pacific; yet in a one-room apartment near his military base, a young bride happily gazed into her new husband's eyes with great hopes and plans for their future. As radiation treatments become a bit more challenging, my lived-life-well mother inspires me to stand firm in Jesus, be brave, and be strong (1 Cor. 16:13).

      In life's raging storms, I encourage you to joyfully gaze into the eyes of your Savior, Jesus, and discover great hopes and plans for your future. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).

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Worthy is the Lamb

"baby lambs"
(photo by my Rebecca)

John saw Jesus coming and said, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29)

My grandson and his little friend

            Recently, my grandchildren frolicked in the countryside with precious, little lambs on a shepherd's farm. Over twenty times in the book of Revelation alone, Jesus Christ, the awaited Messiah and Savior of the world, is called the Lamb of God.

            Peter wrote: "If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on earth; knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold...but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God" (1 Peter 1:17-21)!

Ladies and gentlemen, the Lamb is risen! He is risen indeed!

O Lamb of God, "worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slaughtered, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation...Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing...To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever! Amen" (Rev. 5:9,12,13).

Thank You, O Lamb of God, that today my friend, Elaine, is in paradise with You - absent from the body, at home with the Lord! (2 Cor. 5:8)

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The Day of Paradise

Our little  preview of paradise
Chancellor Ferry Farm

"My beloved responded and said to me, 'Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come along. For behold, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The blossoms have appeared in the countryside; the time of singing has come, and the turtledove's cooing is heard in our land...Arise, my darling. Come away, my beautiful one.'" (Song of Solomon 2:10-13)

        Under the gentle stir of angels' wings, my friend, Elaine, awaits her Beloved's call to Paradise. It could be today.

        A sign was fastened above Jesus with these words: "This is the King of the Jews." 
        One of the criminals hanging [on the cross] beside Him scoffed, "So you're the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving Yourself - and us, too while You're at it!"
       But the other criminal protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn't done anything wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom."
       And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you will be with Me in Paradise!" (Luke 23:38-43)

        "All have sinned and come short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23). Mankind has been sentenced to die a death we deserve for our sins. But the Man who did no wrong willingly died in our place - in your place. Won't you fear God in your condemnation, call out to Jesus, and be pardoned? If you do, I assure you that one day you will be with Him in Paradise! 

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Author of Abundant Life

Our little princess, April 2007

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] came that they may have life, and have it abundantly!" (John 10:10)

        Four treatments down and sixteen to go! Yesterday, I asked the radiologist, "So how does radiation work anyway?"
        She explained that radiation damages the DNA of all cells. Since cancer cells have the ability to reproduce rapidly but cannot repair themselves, they are destroyed by radiation. Healthy cells, on the other hand, have the ability to repair damaged DNA and, therefore, continue to sustain LIFE!

         The devil, like cancer, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour, kill, and utterly destroy. Jesus, on the other hand, humbled Himself, came to earth in the form of a man, willing died on a cross, and rose to LIFE again so that all who will call on His name in faith will have LIFE - eternal life - and have it abundantly!

Want ABUNDANT LIFE? Call on the name of JESUS CHRIST today!

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Glory to God!!!

My Ben's first sketch for the Hoot Owl Hollow illustrations

"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16)

       Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. Writing Christian storybooks for families is one work I believe God called me to do, and illustrating book #3 is a work I believe God called my Ben to do.

        The greatest work ever performed by man on this earth, however, was death on a cross. Though Jesus was God, He chose not to exercise His deity but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men, humbled Himself in obedience to the point of death on a cross (Phil. 2:6-8). 
       The night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed to the Father, "I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do" (John 17:4). Hours later, He said, "It is finished!", bowed His head, and gave up His spirit (John 19:30). In Jesus' finished work, we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of our trespasses. We were snatched from darkness to the light, and from the dominion of Satan to God.
         "For this reason, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of JESUS, every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9-11)! 

Now, let's finish the work God has called us to do for His glory!
        

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Who's On the Mountain?

My Ben at Mount Rushmore National Memorial, 1993

"How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'" (Isaiah 52:7)

My Rebecca, Ben, and Dan
Mount Rushmore National Memorial, 1993

              At the gateway to Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the park ranger stuck her head in our van window and asked, "So, who's on the mountain today?" Without blinking an eye, 10-year-old Ben spouted, "George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln."

          Statistics show that people are 85% more likely to accept an invitation to church on Easter than any other Sunday. God says, "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news [of Jesus]!" So, who's on the mountain this passion week of Christ - inviting someone to church?

"Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?...How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!" (Romans 10:13-15)

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Bye, O Baby Bunting

Our sweet Gabbi carrying "baby bunting"

"Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him." (Psalm 127:3)

     As the timer ticks down for our little bunting-in-the-oven to be fully done, I thought about the old English nursery rhyme my grandmother sang to me while we rocked long days ago:

Bye, O baby bunting

Daddy's gone a-hunting,

Gone to get a rabbit skin

To wrap my baby bunting in.

      The term "bunting" is a term of endearment; and very soon, this Memaw will get yet another bundle of joy to lullaby and kiss and hold and snuggle and rock and rock and rock!

         James 1:17 says, "Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights." Have you thanked God for your precious "gifts" today?  

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Bare-feet, Butterflies, and Springtime

A butterfly and my princess

"For behold the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land; the time has arrived for pruning the vines, and the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land." (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)


Happy 7th birthday, Princess!!!
         Did you know that Jesus knew you long before He gave you to us? You are the Lord's  grand idea! He made all your delicate parts and knit you together in your mommy's womb. He designed you to love bare-feet in fresh, green grass, butterflies dancing on your cheek, and springtime.
      I'm so thrilled that you want to follow Jesus, and like a ewe lamb  behind her shepherd, I pray that you will follow Him all the days of your life! I love you sooooooooooooooo much!
                                                                           Memaw 

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Merrily We Roll Along!

(my grandkids' family portrait - lego medium)

"A merry heart does good, like a medicine, but a broken spirit dries up the bones." (Prov. 17:22)

          As my dear mother used to say, "Life  is  fascinating!" You just never know what surprises may be waiting around the bend! 
          At the radiation center yesterday, to my astonishment, I was stripped down and pressed into a hot, marshmallow bed. Next, a guy on one side and a gal on the other played "tic-tac-toe" on my chest with permanent, black markers and then, if you can believe it, began snapping pictures of their human "game-board"!!! 
          Every ounce of me wanted to be pitiful! But when the Holy Spirit showed me the humor in the cockeyed situation, I laughed out loud, "You're not gonna put those photos on FaceBook, are you?"

          Some tragedy allows for no laughter, but many tribulations offer a choice between tears and joy. May I encourage you, dear one, to always search for the sunny-side of life? A merry heart truly works wonders on the soul.

Exert from my storybook-in-the-making, Hoot Owl Hollow:

Nonie laughed. “Well, first uv all, it ain’t my strength, child; it’s the Lord’s strength in me. And second uv all, ‘tis the set of the sails, and not the gales, that tell us the way to go’,” Nonie answered.

“That’s beautiful, Miss Nonie!” Andi marveled. “Did you make that up?”

Nonie grinned, “Naw. Ella Wheeler Wilcox, an American author and poet, wrote them purdy words. Life comes in seasons, Andi, and some seasons are awful hard. Ain’t nothing’ you kin do ‘bout that, but yer attitude in the midst of the pain is yer choice. The secret is to stay saddled up close to Jesus ever’day. Talk to Him and listen to what He’s got to say by stayin’ under His Word and a goin’ to His church. Then, even when ya got troubles; them troubles ain’t got you! Have ya ever heared of a feller named Jehoshaphat?”

        

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