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| Grandboy and "Jack" 2016
"They did not keep the covenant of God and refused to walk in His law." (Psalm 78:10)
Yesterday, after a lesson on "sin" at Memaw's Bible School, I asked the grandboys, "What's it called when we break God's rules?"
Without hesitation, the five-year-old shouted, "Rude!" And I wholeheartedly agree.
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| my boy and unhappy grandboy 2018
"He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God..." (Psalm 40:2-3)
O Lord, I'm sorry I threw myself a pity party yesterday—all decorated up in "I can'ts" and "I wants." Like Ben said at five years old when I took him on a Scream-Machine rollercoaster ride: "This is NOT fun!"
Thank You, Jesus, for crashing the party and taking my mind to better places—namely to You and others and all the many blessings You've showered on me. I love You, Lord, and today, I set my mind on things above.
In a pity party, beloved? Take it to the Lord in prayer.
What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prewar!
Have you trial and temptations?
Is there trouble everywhere?
We should never be discouraged,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakened,
Take it to the Lord in prayer.1
1 WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS. Joseph M. Scriven, 1855.
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| my son and a serpent early 1990s |
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| my son and a serpent 2019 |
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| Grandgirl 2011ish
"Therefore this is what God, the Master says: You've been more headstrong and willful than any of the nations around you, refusing My guidance, ignoring my directions. You've sunk to the gutter level of those around you." (Ezekiel 5:7)
Last week, after a series of unanswered emails, text messages, and phone calls, through clinched teeth I complained, "Argh! Lord, I do not like to be ignored!" To which God promptly answered, "Neither do I!"
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, PLEASE STOP IGNORING GOD!!!!
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| Grandgirl reading Mr. Greenleaf's Unforgettable Summer 2015
"Jesus called out, 'Come with Me, and I will teach you to catch people.'" (Matthew 4:19, Good News Translation)
One of the many lessons about book writing that I've learned over the past eight years is to create a what-happens-next hook at the start of the story so readers will read all the way to the end.
For example: In my humble opinion, the 1936 Newbery-Medal-winning children's fiction, Caddie Woodlawn, was well-written in its description of everyday life for pioneer children, but there was no hook to keep me reading to the last page.
On the other hand, in Hatchet, the 1987 Newbery-Honor-winning novel, writer Gary Paulsen had me hooked from the get-go when thirteen-year-old Brian Robeson becomes the lone survivor of a bush plane crash in the Canadian wilderness.
The most spectacular creative Writer of all times across all literary history is the Author of a best seller that you most probably have more than one copy of sitting on your bookshelf. His name? God. His Book? The Holy Bible. Statistics report that, in the United States alone, there are more than 168,000 Bibles sold every day!
God's story quickly moves through the creation of the universe and mankind to the fall of Adam and Eve in a perfect paradise, the Garden of Eden. As God pronounces judgment upon the cunning serpent (Eve's deceiver), He brilliantly plants the what-happens-next hook in Genesis 3:15: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, and you shall bruise Him on the heel." The rest of the story, as Paul Harvey used to say, plays out in the following sixty-five books-within-the-Book (sixty-six total when you count Genesis) with a slam-dunk, Good-News, happy ending for God's children. The "He" introduced in Genesis 3:15 becomes (spoiler alert) the KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS, a.k.a. Jesus Christ, in Revelation 19:16, and the serpent, a.k.a. the devil, finds himself in a burning lake of fire tormented day and night forever and ever. Beloved, are you discouraged, fearful, hopeless, or down-hearted? Pick up God's best seller and read the whole story—all the way down to the last Amen in Revelation 22:21. |
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| grandboys 2017
"Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up." (Luke 18:1)
For several years, I prayed for a boy living in the inner city, but as time passed, I moved on to the next troubled soul and stopped praying for him. I was shocked this week to learn that he had been shot and killed. I felt heartbroken and convicted to never stop praying. Thankfully, his dear mother told me that he'd recently given his life to God.
Have you lost hope, beloved, and stopped praying? Take heart. Keep praying. Never give up!
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| my superman still water skiing at 64
"Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." (Ephesians 5:24)
Okay, wives, who do you ask first?
Yesterday, I had an important decision to make, so I asked my superman his advice. He answered, "No, I don't think that's a good idea. We just don't have enough information."
In my Bible study groups, I often ask young wives, "Who should you ask first, your husband or God." The majority of the time, they answer God. I beg to differ. Now, hold on before you stone me. I'll state my case.
The Word of God clearly instructs wives to submit unto their husbands in everything as the church submits to Jesus Christ. Therefore, if I ask God first and He says yes, then ask my husband and he says no, we have conflict. When I ask my husband first and follow his advice, I am obeying God's command and the answer my husband gives me is then between him and God. (Exception to the rule: if a husband gives sinful instruction such as go rob a bank, then the wife must defer to her higher authority—Almighty God.)
Have a decision to make, beloved? Follow God's politically-incorrect-but-absolutely-true lines of authority.
"But I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is the man, and the head of Christ is God." (1 Corinthians 11:3)
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| my brother, Mark, and me 1961
"You will be able to tell wonderful stories to your children and grandchildren about the marvelous things I am doing." (Exodus 10:2)
"You and Uncle Mark have so many stories," Rebecca said. "Mama, you should write a book about your childhood."
My brothers, Rocky and Mark, and I grew up in the 1960s. Our house hung (and still does) on the bluff of Lookout Mountain overlooking the sleepy town of Fort Payne, Alabama.
Hot summer days were spent playing barefooted in the woods and summer evenings, catching lightning bugs under a rising moon. Windows were always open because we had no air conditioner. Every night, a noisy frog-and-cricket choir sang us to sleep.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for sweet, precious memories. Help us live today making precious memories for tomorrows.
Precious father, loving mother
Fly across the lonely years
And old home scenes of my childhood
In fond memory appear.
Precious memories how they linger
How they ever flood my soul
In the stillness, of the midnight
Precious sacred scenes unfold. 1
1 PRECIOUS MEMORIES. Traditional gospel song by J. B. Wright. 1925.
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| birthday grandboy
"And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men." (Luke 2:52)
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear grandboy!
Happy 5th birthday to you!
Grandboy #3, may the Lord bless you abundantly on your 5th birthday, and like Jesus, I pray that you continue to grow in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men by loving the Lord, obeying His voice, and holding fast to Him all the days of your life. I love you SO much! Memaw
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| grandboys
"Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You." (Psalm 119:11)
On Christian radio yesterday, I heard the story of a seminary professor who challenged his students to find 50 truths in one Bible verse. When they finished the assignment, the professor said, "Now, go find 50 more."
Wanna give it the old college try, beloved? How many truths can you find in this verse (I'll help you get started):
"...that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved..." (Romans 10:9)
Ready, set, go!
Truth#1 - Jesus is Lord.
Truth#2 - Father God raised Jesus from the dead.
Truth#3 - Salvation requires personal belief in resurrected Jesus.
Truth#4 - Saved (Greek: sozo) means delivered, protected, healed, made whole.
Keep going!
Truth#5 -
FYI - Professor Sparrow and the Clear Creek History Mystery now available at: www.DeepSeaPublishing.com |
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| the grandboy teaching Sunday School 2015
"You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God's word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food." (Hebrews 5:12)
For months now, our dear friend, Dan, has searched unsuccessfully for someone to teach a Bible study at the VA nursing home in North Little Rock where he lives. Time after time, men have promised to come and teacher but never showed up. Yesterday, I joined the Bible-teacher-search team and emailed two churches in Little Rock. So far, no responses, but we shall keep praying and persevere until the teacher is found! Stay tuned...
The writer of Hebrews was also in search of Bible teachers. In his commentary on Hebrews, Pastor John MacArthur writes: "Every believer is to be a teacher. Colossians 3:16 says, 'Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all wisdom He gives.' If the Hebrews had really obeyed the gospel of Christ, they would have been passing that message on to others."
A world lost in darkness is searching for teachers of truth, beloved. Are you passing the message of Christ along on to others?
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| grandboys Birmingham Zoo
"So commit yourself wholeheartedly to these words of Mine...Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." (Deuteronomy 11:18-19)
Today is the first day of Memaw's Summer Bible School for the four Birmingham grandboys.
O Father God,
Please teach these little boys to know and love You and grow them into mighty men of God who will love You, obey Your voice, and hold fast to You all the days of their lives.
Teach them to praise You, worship You, and serve you with gladness. Teach them to love Your word and hide it in their hearts so they will not sin against You. Teach them to enter Your gates with thanksgiving and Your courts with praise.
Teach them to not conform to the wicked ways of this evil world, but transform them by the renewing of their minds so they will know and do Your good and perfect will and bring You glory.
Give them the grace and faith to believe in Your Son, Jesus Christ, to one day call upon You in His name and be saved, forgiven, and receive the free gift of eternal life.
In Jesus' name I pray, Father,
Amen and amen.
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| grandboy "Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong." (1 Corinthians 16:13)
After bumping his noggin on the car door, the three-year-old grandboy announced while rubbing his head, "Ouch, I bumped my head, Memaw, but I'm still brave."
Got a few knocks and bruises from life, beloved? Stand firm in the faith. Be strong. Stay brave in Jesus.
"Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the LORD." (Psalm 31:24)
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| sweet daughter-in-law and grandboy one of my favorite mothers
"Charm is deceitful, beautify is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." (Proverbs 31:30)
Dear mothers,
Happy Mother's Day just doesn't cut it; you deserve a humongous round of applause!
Thank you for every prayer you pray and every Bible story you tell.
Thank you for every runny nose you wipe.
Thank you for every stinky diaper you change.
Thank you for every boo-boo you kiss and every hour of sleep you miss.
Thank you for every book you read aloud over and over and over and over again.
Thank you for every song you sing and favorite blanket you mend.
Thank you for every meal you cook and cookie you bake and toilet you clean and dirty sock you wash.
Thank you for chauffeuring the school "bus" and monitoring new-math homework and gluing a science project together.
Thank you for every handclap and every cheer at every football game and baseball game and soccer game and basketball game and gymnastic meet and swim meet and Irish step-dance performance and piano recital.
May your children rise up and call you blessed; may your husband praise you and love you like Christ loves the church.
May you hear God's voice behind you saying, "Daughter, I am not unjust as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward My name, in having ministered and in still ministering to My saints" (Hebrews 6:10).
Thank you, mothers, and happy Mother's Day!!!
Jill
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| bicycle-built-for-two and me Waterside Inn, Sanibel Island
"So [Ruth] departed and went and gleaned in the field after the reapers; and she "happened" to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech." (Ruth 2:3)
Dear Sue,
A highlight of our Sanibel vacation was meeting you and your friends, Bonnie and Lisa. Thank you again for serving mankind as dedicated nurses.
I believe our meeting the three of you wasn't merely happenstance but a divine appointment—God ordering our steps for His good purposes. For the Bible says in the book of Acts 17:26 that God who created us also determines our appointed times and places. A beautiful story of His divine guidance is found in the the book of Ruth where He led a young Moabite women into the fields of Boaz to later become the great, great, great, times four, plus eight grandmother of Jesus. Yes! Jesus Christ!
So, what might God's good purposes have been for our paths crossing? Perhaps it was a gentle whisper from heaven reminding us that God sees us. God cares about us. God loves us. In fact, God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to earth to live and to die on a cruel cross in our place. That's hard to imagine isn't it?
Why in this world would God send His only Son to die for you and me? Because, sadly to say, we are sinners. All of us. Every last one. Every person on this earth has done things God said not to do, and we have all neglected to do things He said to do. The Bible clearly teaches that the wages or payment for our sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23). For God so loved the world—He so loved you, Sue, and me—that He gave His only Son, Jesus, that whosoever believes in Him [believes that Jesus took the punishment for our sins] shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send Jesus into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through Him. And whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned by their sins, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God's one and only Son (John 3:16-18).
I enjoyed our talks about God, Sue, but I ask your forgiveness that I never asked if you know Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life. Perhaps God will guide you to this blog. I hope so.
May the Lord bless and keep you, my friend. May He make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace. May you walk this journey of life hand and hand with Jesus till the day you meet Him face to face.
God bless you!
Jill
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| Last night's sunset Sanibel Island
"...All glory to [Christ Jesus] who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us...Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see Him—even those who pierced Him." (Revelation 1:5-7)
Last night's sunset shouted, "Glory to God!"
The sky shall unfold
Preparing His entrance
The stars shall applaud Him
With thunders of praise.
The sweet light in His eyes,
Shall enhance those awaiting
And we shall behold Him,
Then face to face.
O we shall behold Him,
We shall behold Him
Face to face in all of His glory.
O we shall behold Him,
Yes, we shall behold Him
Face to face,
Our Savior and Lord! 1
1 WE SHALL BEHOLD HIM. By American Southern gospel singer-songwriter Dottie Rambo.
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| Waterside Inn Sanibel Island, Florida
"My Father is always at His work to this very day..." (John 5:17)
Newly improved Waterside Inn on Sanibel Island has been our very favorite getaway destination for eleven years now—an oasis for physical, spiritual, mental, and marital refreshment.
The Gospel of John tells us that in Jesus-day Jerusalem a pool called Bethesda sat near the Sheep Gate. One day at this pool known for its healing qualities, the Savior approached a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years and asked him, "Do you want to get well?" After the man answered that he had no one to help him into the pool, Jesus said to him, "Get up! Pick up your mat and walk." At once the man was cured.
Because the healing took place on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute Jesus. In self-defense He said to them, "My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working."
Beloved, never believe that you have no one to help you. The Father and Jesus are at work to this very day!
Cordage of the cares of life twine
Round about this heart of mine
And creep into my thoughts at night,
Invade my soul and choke it tight.
Then one day my toes touched sand
Along the shore beside my man
And rode a bike built just for two
Then watched the sun drop out of view.
In one short while I was astounded
My vines of woe could not be founded
Somehow they slipped away from me
And silently drifted out to see
Ahhh
How grand 'twould be to walk about
With no fears, no woes, no doubt
With heart at peace and mind at rest
My disposition at its best.
Then these words I did recall
An invitation for one, for all.
"Give Me your cares," My Jesus said.
"Lie down in peace upon your bed.
For I am greater than the sea.
Let go, let woes drift up to Me."
OUT TO SEA, by Jill Watson Glassco. Written on Sanibel Island, 2012.
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| Cedar Key, Florida
"There is the sea, great and broad..." (Psalm 104:25)
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| Great Spirit Mountain ("haystack") Manitou Cave Fort Payne, Alabama
"Now in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan...to the house of the LORD saying, 'Go...deliver [the money] into the hand of the workmen...who are in the house of the LORD to repair the damages of the house'..." (2 Kings 22:3-5)
In my hometown of Fort Payne, Alabama, a hot tourist spot in the 1960s was Manitou Cave—a historical cavern located near the "Trail of Tears" where Sequoyah, the creator of the Cherokee written language, was believed to have lived at one time. The Native-American syllabary is still visible on the walls of this ancient, God-crafted museum.
Sadly, the cave closed to public tours in 1979. The once beautiful grounds became overgrown with tall weeds and trees, and the old gift shop fell into severe disrepair.
Yesterday, while visiting dear friends in Fort Payne, on a whim, I said, "Let's go see if we can find Manitou Cave."
Not only did we find the location, we met the delightful, new owner, Annette Reynolds, who is working through a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization to restore and preserve this historical, national landmark! Visit: www.manitoucaveofal.org
In the Old Testament book of 2 Kings, we find the story of Josiah, an eight-year-old boy crowned King of Judah, a kingdom in disrepair. Across his thirty-one-year reign, the righteous king renovated the house of the LORD, rediscovered the book of the law, and restored the wayward nation back the to ways and laws of God.
Today, we live in a nation and world of disrepair—far from the ways and laws of holy God. Be encouraged, beloved. A time for restoration is coming! "Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the LORD; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed to you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets in ancient times." (Acts 3:19-21)
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| grandgirl 2015
"Have mercy upon us, O LORD, for we are in trouble..." (Psalm 31:9)
O Holy Father,
Please have mercy upon the United States of America for we are in deep trouble. You are the great and awesome God who keeps covenant with those who keep your commands, but we have sinned, acted wickedly, and rebelled. We have turned away from Your commandments, and we do not listen to Your voice, doing what seems right in our own eyes.
Righteousness belongs to You, O LORD, but to us open shame. Please bring us—democrats and republicans, red and yellow, black and white, male and female, old and young, rich and poor—back to our knees in fear of the LORD.
May Your people who are called by Your name humble ourselves and pray and turn from our wicked ways. Please hear our prayers, O LORD, forgive our sins, and heal our land. Make us once again one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. So help us God!
In Jesus' name we pray,
Amen and Amen
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| Captain Grandboy
"God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us." (Ephesians 3:20 The Message)
To you and me, it's a treehouse in the woods at the farm; to the grandboys, it's a sea bound pirate ship!
In his letter to the Ephesians, the apostle Paul proclaims that Almighty God is able to do far more than we could ever imagine. Never stop imagining, beloved, what God can and will do for you. He is more than able!!!
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