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| feeding the chickens at our friends' farm "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again — my Savior and My God!" (Psalm 42:5)  Antidotes for the blues:
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". . . God has a surprise for you . . ." (Luke 1:30)
We've planned for weeks . . .
And the day is finally here . . .
Back story:
My favorite and only living Aunt Mary Grace is cleaning out their old home place and decided to sell the baby grand. In the middle of the night, the Lord whispered, "Jill, you need to buy that piano for your grandgirl."
We did and found a terrific piano moving company to transport it from Alabama to Indiana. Our family kept the secret well, and grandgirl's younger brother made the great reveal plan . . .
He sneaked downstairs after school today and started playing . . .
Because there wasn't a piano downstairs when she left for school this morning, she hurried to investigate . . .
Surprise!
"Where did you get it???" she asked.
"It dropped in from heaven," her daddy said.
Thank You, Lord Jesus!!!
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| Grandboys "But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthly bodies into glorious bodies like His own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which He is putting everything as it should be, under and around Him." (Philippians 3:20-21) Wanna hear some Good News? If you have been made alive in Christ Jesus, although your past and present are amazingly great, the best is yet to come! AMAZING PAST: "As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins . . . But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:1,4-5) "In [Christ] we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." (Ephesians 1:7) God saved us from the penalty of sin! GREAT PRESENT: "And we know that in all things God works for good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son . . ." (Romans 8:28-29) "How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" (Hebrews 9:14) God is saving us from the power of sin! THE FABULOUS YET TO COME: "Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed." (1 Corinthians 15:51-52) "When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory!" (Colossians 3:4) God will save us from the very presence of sin! Isn't that fabulous news? Have a great day with Jesus, beloved! |
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| Our Dan and Mrs. McClanahan First Baptist Church preschool Pine Bluff, Arkansas 1990 "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name." (Exodus 20:7) "Glorify the Lord with me, let us exalt His name together." (Psalm 34:3) Once upon a time as a young mom and preschool teacher, I taught my children and students that we are to say capital G "God" only when we talk to Him or about Him but never as a mere expression or byword. Beloved, always exalt God; never disparage Him. Selah. "I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your law is within my heart." (Psalm 40:8) |
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| Granddaddy, babygrand, and me |
". . . [God] guards the lives of His faithful ones and delivers them from the hand of the wicked." (Psalm 97:10) Today is babygrand's second birthday. Because hiking through the woods and Paw Patrol are two of his favorite things, Memaw made him a Paw-Patrol-hike-through-the-lollipop-woods birthday cake.  Granddaddy and I would lay down our lives to guard this little fellow from the hand of the wicked. Come to think about it, Jesus already has. Selah. |
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| Grandgirl sketching "This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you . . ." (2 Timothy 1:6) God gave my 13-year-old grandgirl the gift of art. It's fascinating to watch her use it.  Beloved, God gives the gifts, but it's up to us to fan them into flame for His purpose and glory. Are you fanning?  |
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| Grandboy and poodle pup "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to God's will, He hear us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him." (1 John 5:14-15) What a promise! If we ask anything according to God's will, He hears us, and we have what we ask. So . . . how do we know God's will? Easy peasy. We know and obey God's word. God says: "Be strong in Me and in My mighty power." (Ephesians 6:10) We ask: "Lord make me strong in You and in Your mighty power." God says: "Trust in Me with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Me, and I will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3:5-6) We ask: "Lord, help me trust in you with all my heart. Help me submit unto you in all my ways, and please make my paths straight." God's word, beloved, is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path in prayer and in life. The Bible: read it, obey it, pray it, live it! (And what's the connection between today's picture and today's post? Nothing. Just thought you might enjoy two specimens of cuteness.) |
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| Oldest grand and superman Lake Monroe trail "...strengthen your weak knees." (Hebrews 12:12) At Bible study yesterday morning, we studied Hebrews 12:4-13, a passage describing God's discipline for His children. The unknown author emphasized that no discipline is fun while it's happening, but afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living if we're trained by the discipline of the Lord. Therefore take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees. Last evening, while sitting down, my knee suddenly got sore and stiff for no apparent reason. Hmmm...interesting. In light of the day's lesson, I prayed, "Train me, Lord!" This morning, I read 1 Timothy 6:11-12, "Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith" and Jude 1:20, "Build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit." And my point is? God uses trials to train His children. Therefore, submit to Him in your pain, beloved, and learn from the Master Teacher. |
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| DeSoto State Park campground at dark "For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age." (Ephesians 6:12) In Psalm 55, David cried out for God's help against his enemies. "I am terrified," he said. "I see violence and riots in the city, surrounding it day and night, filling it with crime and trouble. There is destruction everywhere; the streets are full of oppression and fraud." Sound familiar? Paul reminds us in the sixth chapter of the book of Ephesians that our enemies are not people. Our enemies are dark, wicked spiritual powers in the heavenly realm. Election Day is two weeks away, beloved. If you're a Democrat, don't pray against the Republicans. If you're a Republican, don't pray against the Democrats. Pray against the true enemy: the unseen, dark, evil forces attacking our land. Cry out to God for help! "Then the LORD thundered from the sky; and the voice of the Most High was heard. He shot His arrows and scattered His enemies; and with flashes of lightning He sent them running." (Psalm 18:13-14) |
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| Smoky Mountains, Tennessee "The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He will." (Proverbs 21:1) O Lord God, Father of mercies, please turn our national leaders' hearts' toward you! |
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| Indiana grands (Today's hike at Lake Monroe) For the beauty of the earth For the beauty of the skies For the love Which from our birth Over and around us lies Lord of all to Thee we raise This our joyful hymn of praise! 1 1. FOR THE BEAUTY OF THE EARTH. Folliott Sandford Pierpoint, 1864. |
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| Troll Bridge |
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| Little River Road Great Smoky Mountains National Park "Through [Jesus] all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3) A quick post between hiking and biking. |
Because superman had to have minor surgery a few weeks ago, we postponed our September anniversary trip to October.
With that delay came sweatshirts and jeans, splashes of red, yellow, and pumpkin-orange under bright blue skies, and goldenrods and Black-eyed Susans waving in the meadows.
Sometimes, beloved, delay is better than on time. Father God knows best! Trust Him.
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| cross at Hope Haven "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13) "...You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful..." (Nehemiah 9:17) On Wednesday, I told you that the salvation of a soul in his last hour was at the tiptop of my prayer list. Yesterday, just in the nick of time, he called on the name of Jesus! Yesterday, Jesus saved that lost and dying soul! Praise the Father! Praise the Son! Holy Spirit, three in One! Wonderful merciful Savior Precious Redeemer and Friend Who would have thought that a Lamb could Rescue the souls of man Oh You rescue the souls of man, Counselor Comforter Keeper Spirit we long to embrace You offer hope when our heart have Hopelessly lost our way Oh we've hopelessly lost the way. You are the One that we praise You are the One we adore. You give the healing and grace our Hearts always hunger for Oh our hearts always hunger for. Oh mighty infinite Father Faithfully loving Your own Here in our weakness you find us Falling before Your throne Oh we're falling before Your throne.1 1 WONDERFUL MERCIFUL SAVIOR. Eric Wyse and Dawn Rodgers, 1989. |
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| Our Daniels, 1986 L-R my nephew Daniel, my son Daniel ("Dan") "In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent) who was made ruler over the Babylonian Kingdom...I, Daniel,...turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes." (Daniel 9:1-3) In 1985, my sweet sister-in-law and I were expecting babies at the same time and had the same boy name picked out: Daniel. (In those days, you didn't know if you were having a boy or girl until the birth day.) Because our baby was due first, I boasted, "Well, if we both have boys, whoever has the baby first gets the name." When their Daniel came early and our baby was late, I asked Phillip, "Now what are we gonna do if we have a boy, too?" My superman said, "Name him Daniel. One will be Daniel Watson in Kentucky and the other Dan Glassco in Louisiana. It won't be confusing for anybody but your folks." Now, on to the point of the post. After overthrowing the Assyrian Empire and its capitol of Nineveh in 612 B.C., Babylon led by King Nebuchadnezzar defeated the Egyptian armies in 605 B.C. and moved on to besiege Jerusalem. Young Daniel was among the captives carried back to Babylon. In chapter 9 of the book of Daniel, some 70 years have passed and the Babylonian empire has fallen into the hands of the Medes and Persians. Still in captivity, now old Daniel prays for his nation: "Alas, O LORD, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant and lovingkindness for those who love Him and keep His commandments, we have sinned, committed iniquity, acted wickedly and rebelled, even turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances ... Righteousness belongs to You, O Lord, but to us open shame...All this calamity has come on us; yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our iniquity and giving attention to Your truth...we have not obeyed Your voice...So now, our God, listen to the prayer of Your servant...and for Your sake...O my God, incline Your ear and hear! Open Your eyes and see our desolations...for we are not presenting our supplications before You on account of any merits of our own, but on account of Your great compassion. O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, listen and take action! For Your own sake, O my God, do not delay, because...Your people are called by Your name." And today, over twenty-five hundred years later, O Lord, we pray Daniel's prayer for the United States of America. O my God, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord take action for Your own name's sake and Your people who are called by Your name! |
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| sunset fishing Coosa River farm "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" asked Jesus. "Yes, Lord." "Then according to your faith let it be done to you." (Matthew 9:28-29) Three things at the tiptop of my prayer list are: 1. Salvation of a marriage. 2. Salvation of our nation. 3. Salvation of a soul in his last hour. Ten years ago, I watched the Lord save a marriage when the couple obeyed God's word. Over three thousand years ago, God saved Israel from Egyptian slavery when His people cried out to Him. Two thousand years ago, Jesus saved a thief on the cross in his last hour when he asked for mercy. Oh, yes, beloved, our God is more than able. The question is: Are we obeying, crying out, and asking? |
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| grandboy "We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about His power and His mighty wonders." (Psalm 78:4) Recently, I pulled out an old, blue sweatshirt hidden in the cedar chest (that I'd painted for my Dan in the 80s) and passed it onto his little boy. In Psalm 78, Asaph urged his people to pass their stories, beliefs, and hope in God onto the next generation: "Oh my people, listen to my instructions. Open your ears to what I am saying, for I will speak to you in a parable. I will teach you hidden lessons from our past— stories we have heard and known, stories our ancestors handed down to us. We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the LORD, about His power and His mighty wonders. For He assured His laws to Jacob; He gave His instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting His glorious miracles and obeying His commands." (Psalm 78:1-7) Is Jesus the Lord of your life, beloved? Pass Him on to the next generation. |
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| 4-year-old grandboy "Children are a gift from the LORD..." (Psalm 127:3) Friday night, our 4-year-old grandboy played his first soccer game ever. Before the game, I told him to score a goal for Memaw. He did and ran to the sidelines grinning. "I got you a goal, Memaw. Sunday afternoon, as soon as the almost 2-year-old grandboy got to the farm, he ran to the ski shed, found his life jacket, handed it to me to put on him, and said, "Boat!" Sunday evening, our other 4-year-old grandboy told his parents, "Mama and Daddy, you need to make a dinner plan, 'cause you take too long and then I'm starving!" Beloved, have you thanked God for your kids and grands today? |
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| South Carolina sunrise photo by my dear friend, Nancy "Jesus said to them: If you have faith as a grain of mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'Remove from hence to hither,' and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you. But this kind [of evil] is not cast out but by prayer and fasting." (Matthew 17:20-21) Election Day is one month away. Beloved, if we truly want the evil in our land to move from hence to hither, we must do what Jesus told us to do: PRAY and FAST in FAITH in HIM! |
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| first graders, Dawn, "Mr. Greenleaf," and me 2015 "I thank God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now." (Philippians 1:3-5) Ding from Dawn: "Good morning. 🌞 Do you have time to visit for a while this morning?" Me: "I sure do! Would you like to take a walk?" Dawn: A walk sounds nice.💕 Dawn and I met several years ago in Bible study and later worked together leading inner-city Bible studies and creating Mr. Greenleaf's Unforgettable Summer, a Christian children's book published in 2015 by Deep Sea Publishing. Dawn illustrated; I wrote.  What a blessed way to start today, walking and talking and praying with my beloved friend and co-working in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Beloved, what are you thanking God for today? |
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