"Sticks and Stones"

  This is the title of the sermon our pastor, Marty, delivered last Sunday.  It keeps running through my mind so I feel compelled to write on it.  The Scripture he based the message on is James 3:2-12 and begins, "We all make many mistakes, but those who control their tongues can also control themselves in every other way." Then 7 & 8 say, "People can tame all kinds of animals and birds and reptiles and fish, but no one can tame the tongue.  It is an uncontrollable evil, full of deadly poison."(NLT)  AMEN!  He goes on to say that words are 3 things (I love sermon note sheets):  #1 - Words are Powerful.  (Prov. 18:21 & 10:19); #2 - Words are Dangerous.  (James 3:3 & 3:5-6).  Words are dangerous because: - We are inconsistent people.  (James 3:9), and - We are all different.  And, #3 - Words are Memorable.  (Prov. 12:18 & 16:24).  Why do people (we) say the things they do?  And why do we believe them?  In "Pretty Woman", Julia Roberts' character is telling Richard Gere's character about how she grew up, always being told what was wrong with her and how worthless she was and she said, "Why is it that the bad is always easier to believe?"  THIS IS SO TRUE!!!  We (I) can receive many compliments and just blow them off but when someone says one mean, hateful, hurtful thing we remember it word for word forever.  It's too easy to say hurtful things, we can do it unintentionally.  I remember saying something to my son that I meant to be encouraging but it wasn't received as encouragement, it hurt him.  If my sweet daughter-in-love hadn't had the courage to tell me, it might have destroyed our relationship!  My children are my life, I would never intentionally say anything to hurt any of them - but it still happened.  Words have so much impact and once they are said they can't be taken back.  We can fall to our knees and tearfully and heartfully beg forgiveness, and even receive that forgiveness, but those words have still been said and will probably be remembered.  I think this message had so much impact on me because I have been hurt so often by words and it's hard to let go of them.  I try so very hard not to do the same to others, I pray that I succeed at least most of the time.  Kindness is a legacy I would hope to pass on to my precious children and nanchildren - I love them ALL so very much!!  And I hope that they will remember me as the Mom and Nana who loved and cherished them and said sweet, encouraging words over them - this is my prayer.  

Stay safe within His loving arms! 

One Hit Wonder

We had a substitute in Sunday School yesterday and I thought, "ok, this will be a boring, overdone lesson that I've heard a thousand times before."  Boy was I wrong!  The LORD kicked me in the pants and gave me 'a fresh Word', as Beth Moore would say.  Michael taught on Luke 16:19-31, which is Jesus' parable about the Rich Man and the Beggar, Lazarus.  He began by saying that we all have our heroes that we look up to and want to be like and in the Christian world we may say that "he/she is a great man/woman of God" or "he/she is blessed of God".  In our culture today the "blessed of God" are those who are successful or prosperous in their career &/or financially or they seem to have the perfect life or family.  But, he said, sometimes the "blessed of God" don't look like it from the outside looking in - this is what this parable teaches.  The parable is about Lazarus, the beggar, who was laid at the Rich Man's door daily longing for scraps from his table.  He was diseased and covered with sores that the dogs licked.  They both died - the Rich Man went to the place of the dead and Lazarus was carried by the angels to be with Abraham.  The Rich Man, in torment, saw Lazarus with Abraham and asked Abraham to have pity and send Lazarus to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue because he was in anguish in the flames.  Abraham explained why this wasn't possible (verses 25-26) so the Rich Man asked him to send Lazarus to his warn his brothers so they wouldn't also end up in that place of torment.  Of course, that wasn't happening either (verses 27-31).  Michael said the main point of the parable is often missed - it is NOT to tell us what heaven and hell is like.  He pointed out that the Rich Man is never named and a person's name is very important, on the other hand, "Lazarus" means "God helps".  This parable has 3 principals: 1) Being rich and healthy does not mean you are in God's favor.  2) Being poor and sick does not mean you are NOT in God's favor.  3) God may or may not heal the righteous.  He said that Christians get sick and die, they have financial problems and other problems but they/we are still "Blessed of God"!!  Hallelujah!!!  God sees the whole picture that we are not able to see when we are in the middle of something, He is in control and He's knows best!!  How awesome to be reminded that even we are not feeling very blessed when we are going through difficult times, we are still the "Blessed of God".  THANK YOU JESUS!!!  OH HOW I LOVE YOU!!!      

3 DOWN, 32 TO GO

  I just finished 2 incredible Intercession classes.  One was Adoption Issues & Answers and I learned so much.  I discovered that there is a huge need for adoptive parents right here in the United States, that there are birth mothers looking for "forever families" to love their babies.  The feelings I had about birth mothers from the experience my children had with Jaxon's have now changed - it seems that the majority of birth mothers are not like her.  I learned about foster parents and how difficult it is for children in DHS foster care.  I just want to take them all in and love on them.  I need to do something to help these children when I graduate.  The other class was Children and Grief and was full of information about helping children with the losses in their lives.  Whether it's from the death of a loved one or from divorce, children still grieve and need help dealing with their grief.  It shouldn't hurt to be a child but too often it does. The LORD has blessed me with an incredible family and has filled me with so much love that I need to lavish it on someone.  I am continually amazed at my Father's goodness and mercy and I want to share it with His littlest lambs.  I love my children and nanchildren so much that sometimes I think I will explode from it.  It doesn't matter whether or not I've given birth to them or if they've married into my family or been adopted into my family.  I LOVE THEM!!  And I know that the LORD has given me this love for them.  Thank you, Jesus, for these precious children and nanchildren!!!  Help me to know what You want me to do with all this love inside me.  I LOVE YOU!!!