Saturday, December 29, 2018

New Year New You Posts Abound

You see it on Facebook, on magazine covers, in newspaper articles, hear it on morning talk shows - the new year new you thing. Does it grate on your nerves or elicit an eye roll? I think having dreams and goals is a wonderful thing. Resolutions can be a positive thing in your life, however, you became new when you accepted Christ as your Savior. 

II Corinthians 5:17 tells us: 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Verses 18-20 add the context, God gives this to us and reconciles us to Himself:

 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;  that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.  Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

So I urge you in 2019, to grow in the love of Christ and each day remind yourself you are a new creation in Christ, you are loved, and you are an ambassador for Christ. 

Seek Him and His will for you. 

Happy New Year! 

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Christmas Tree

I had decided to forego a Christmas Tree this year. December has been busy in unusual ways. I bake little these days, holidays are less complicated as I rarely cook complicated meals due to several interruptions as I try to cook. So the busyness was not the holiday hustle and bustle just weird stuff with caretaking.

I decorated my dining room and the mantle above the fireplace. Hung icicle lights in the windows and a wreath on my front door and decided that is it, enough holiday cheer for the season.

Saturday as I performed a few household chores, I thought well Annette, the day has been pretty quiet, drag out the ornament boxes and tree and get to it. So I assembled and decorated the tree. All the lights worked the 1st time. No searching for the 1 missed cord in the midst of the branches.

As I sit here on this dreary morn and look at the pretty lights on the tree, I am so happy I decided not to be treeless this year.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas!

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”

Monday, December 10, 2018

Advent 2018

I've been away from the old blog for 6 months. Life as a caretaker is mundane in many ways, trying, stress-inducing, time-consuming, and joyful when you see a spark of your care recipient's real personality. For one brief moment, Alzheimer's is gone.

As we prepare for Christmas, am I preparing my heart to receive more of Him? Is Advent a season of expectancy for me or another season of the mundane? Life circumstances should not colour my relationship with the Lord. However, at times I let them. At times I think would like to  __________. Fill in the blank. A vacation, a new job, to visit with friends in person.

If you celebrate Advent, I pray it is a season of expectancy. Come Thou long expected Jesus.

For to us a child is born,
    to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
    and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Sunday, June 3, 2018

Praise



Merriam-Webster's definition of Praise - to glorify (a god or saint) by the attributions of perfections

I look at my life and think what or Whom do I glorify? Is it always the Lord or an idol? Sadly, at times it is an idol. In my case the solution after repentance is praise.  Dedicated time in praise to God not asking Him for anything, not thinking about my to-do list, praise and praise alone. 

A verse which really speaks to me in this area is because it is the desire of my heart:

Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Two more verses concerning praise I love:

Hebrews 13:15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Revelation 4:8 The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:
“Holy, holy, holy,
Lord God Almighty,
Who was and is and is to come!”

(NKJV)

Ladies, join me in praising His Holy Name. 

O Gracious Father, You are holy and worthy of praise. You alone are God, the Father of Jesus our Savior and King. You are mighty, You are love, You are merciful, You are the Ancient of Days and so much more. Glory and honour are Yours Yaweh, the Great I Am. We praise You in the mighty name of Jesus.

Saturday, May 5, 2018

Alzheimer's is Ghastly

I spent much of April trying (at times successfully others unsuccessfully) to meet the increased needs of a loved one diagnosed with Alzheimer's 16 years ago. I met some days head-on, others only because of a sense of duty. There is no reasoning with the person, time/days of the week has no meaning for someone that far along in the disease, hard to plan ahead because each day presents its own challenges. There is no constant...

But wait,  there is a constant, our Savior. We find His promises in Scripture. He tells us (Matthew 28:20) He is with us always, even to the end of the age:

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Hebrews 13:8 clearly states Jesus does not change: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

The world changes by the second, our life circumstances may seem to change like shifting sand or on the other hand like nothing will ever get better. 

We need to make sure our foundation is anchored in Christ and not the things of the world. As hard as it is some days to see light at the end of the tunnel, the light is there. Hang on tight because no one or nothing can snatch you from our Heavenly Father's hand.

If you have doubts, write out John 10:28-30, carry it around with you on an index card, say it out loud like you mean it, memorize it:

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.  I and My Father are one.”

You may feel like no one understands your situation, the fatigue, the grief, but our Lord does. Don't be afraid to talk to someone whether your pastor or a counselor, there may be a support group available to you, and when you least fee like it, find the time and press into the Word and prayer. Ask your friends to pray with you and for you. 

Jesus loves you and He is with you every step of the way.

Saturday, March 24, 2018

Palm Sunday 2018

Hard to believe Palm Sunday is tomorrow. Jesus' triumphal entry, the crowds waving palm branches shouting:

“Hosanna!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
The King of Israel!”


The crowd knew he came in the name of the Lord, they knew he was the King of Israel, but most did not know he was the Messiah, the Holy One of Israel. 

My heart's desire is to know Him even more day by day, especially as we enter Holy Week. I do not want to take for granted what He did for me, for us, for everyone who has lived, is living, and will live. 

If you are far off from God there is no better time than the present to come near to Him again. He is waiting for you to clasp His hand. 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.


Sunday, March 11, 2018

Option for a Re-ride

Yesterday at Rodeo Houston, a cowboy's horse fell and he was offered the option for a re-ride. His score was 81 which was not enough to advance to the semi-finals so he chose to ride again. 

When we are contrite and confess our sin to God, we turn away from it, we get a "re-ride". 

I John 1:8-10 reminds of us this:

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  

Start today with a clean slate, take your re-ride and confess to God what you need to confess.

Friday, March 2, 2018

Do you see this woman?

Luke 7:36-48 is a familiar passage for many of us. Jesus is dining with a Pharisee when a sinful woman drops by, she brings with her a contrite heart and a costly flask of fragrant oil. She was behind Jesus weeping. She washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair and anointed them with the fragrant oil. The Pharisee was perturbed, to say the least. 

NKJV: Then one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him. And He went to the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to eat.  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil,  and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the hair of her head; and she kissed His feet and anointed them with the fragrant oil.  Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “This Man, if He were a prophet, would know who and what manner of woman this is who is touching Him, for she is a sinner.”

The Pharisee knew the woman was a sinner, why didn't Jesus know???

And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.”
So he said, “Teacher, say it.”
 “There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.  And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love him more?”
 Simon answered and said, “I suppose the one whom he forgave more.”
And He said to him, “You have rightly judged.”  Then He turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has washed My feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head.  You gave Me no kiss, but this woman has not ceased to kiss My feet since the time I came in. You did not anoint My head with oil, but this woman has anointed My feet with fragrant oil.  Therefore I say to you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”
 Then He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
 Jesus asked Simon, "Do you see this woman?" Simon saw her and he formed negative thoughts about her, he judged her. How often in this life have I been a Simon? Whether towards another person or myself. 
Jesus saw the woman with love and mercy. He saw her contrite heart. He forgave her sins. We are called to love people, we are to see them with the eyes and hearts of Jesus. That includes ourselves. 
When you look at yourself in the mirror who do you see? A child of God or a divorcee? The apple of God's eye or an adulteress? A precious pearl or a failure?
God loves you. He is El Roi - the God Who Sees. He knows your heart, He knows your pain. 
If you struggle with seeing yourself as redeemed by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, please talk to your pastor, please ask trusted friends to pray for you, and or find a ministry which schedule prayer time with you. There are many such ministries out there, I can recommend CHM and CHC :
Christian Healing Ministries in Jacksonville, FL - 904-765-3332, Mon-Fri 9a-4:30p EST. 
Christ Healing Center in San Antonio, TX - 210-930-7760, I do not have their office hours. 





Sunday, February 25, 2018

Patience & Grace

A loved one forgot to pay her phone bill, I tried to pay it by phone and online. The phone company's record of the last 4 digits of her SSN does not match what is printed on her SSN card. I suspect the phone company has her deceased husband's SSN on file.

I wanted to shout to no one in particular, all I want to do is PAY her bill!!!!

Technology is a wonderful thing, but at times I want to ditch it for a simple cabin in the woods or a hut on the beach with a few modern conveniences.  You know, be a hermit until I emerge to have my hair colored.

I often wonder if the smart appliances and smartphones add to our quality of life, or are they an equivalent to a butter churn in the long run?

We have grown used to high-speed Internet, high-speed trains in a few countries, zapping coffee in the microwave to warm it. We don't wait often these days unless we are holding for a government agency.

Do we have the same attitude concerning answered prayer? I prayed it 5 minutes ago, where is my answer God?  Obviously, there are some situations in which we need an instant answer because we are in danger or that sort of thing, but mostly we want answered prayers asap because we are no longer accustomed to waiting. I think about my uncles sending my father Victory Mail during WWII, people waited for the mail to arrive from Europe & the Pacific. No phone calls, no e-mail, no FaceTime. Hard to imagine.

Do I think waiting patiently has ever been easy for any generation? No. I do think it is harder today. I think we want grace without making changes in our lives. Many times we want God to act on our behalf without sacrifice and repentance. We imagine a god tailored to our needs instead of knowing Him through Scripture and prayer.

We begin our walk with God as baby Christians, the walk is meant to progress as we mature in Him, we are not meant to coast on our walk with Him. We mature as we wait, as we face disappointments, challenges, and hurtful situations in life.

Remember these words:

Psalm 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!

II Cor 4:7-9
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed

I Tim 6:11-12
But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.  Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

I Thess 1:2-4
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,  remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,  knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

We need to pursue patience and be patient in hope. We need to calm down and be still. His grace is sufficient. We need to know Him and believe Him.

I pray 2018 is the year I truly know Him better and pursue patience while I patiently hope.






Wednesday, February 21, 2018

Rodeo 2018

Rodeo Houston begins next week, 20 days of rodeos, livestock shows, carnival, shopping, and every food you can imagine fried and served on a stick! 

Over a million people will attend the livestock show and or rodeo. Big money will be raised at the livestock auctions for college scholarships. 

It is fun to see the children dressed in western wear. They are so cute in their hats and boots, usually with cotton candy in 1 hand and their other hand held tightly by a family member.

Have you ever thought about the Lord holding your hand? John 10:27-29 (NKJV) tells us:


My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Jesus tells us we cannot be snatched out of our Heavenly Father's hand. We may loosen our grip, we may let go, but we cannot be snatched from His grasp. 

Remember when times are tough to hang on to the One Who loves you so much, He sacrificed His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will spend eternity in heaven. 



Saturday, February 17, 2018

We had Plans

Well over 25 years ago I had 2 jobs, office job by ay 9a-4p, ballet and pointe teacher by night 6p-9:30p 4 nights a week. After a few months of working this schedule, I dropped the ball with housework and my husband hired a maid to come once a week. Her name was Lupe. She arrived after dropping her children off at school and worked until it was time to pick them up in the afternoon.

She would walk in with a big smile on her face and say Good Morning, Mrs. Harper and I would tell her to call me Annette, have a great day, your money is on the table and I was out the door for work. She cleaned my house for years, yet I barely knew her, I knew other people she worked for the other days of the week, but I did not know her. Then one weekend I saw her in a restaurant, she joined me and we discussed everything under the sun including the Lord. We discussed the Bible, talked about Christian books, and prayer. That day a friendship was born. I am the richer for it.

She was married to a naturalized citizen who wanted to move back to his hometown, so off they went. When she came to our area to visit her children and later on grandchildren, she called and we would meet and sometimes for extra money, she would clean her former clients' houses during the day since her children were at work and grandchildren were in school. Her husband died from complications of diabetes and she moved back to America. Lupe found a job she loved at a Christian school. We would meet for coffee at the donut shop. She loved coffee, she loved donuts, about the only time she ate junk was at the donut shop a couple times a month. 

Every now and then, I needed help with housework and would call her. After Harvey, her school was closed for a few weeks and she called to see if she could come help me, and I said yes! 

We had plans to get together this year, she retired from the school at the end of 2017, she wanted to work part-time during the day, preferably not past 4p. I asked her if she would be interested in helping my family care for an elderly relative 4 to 5 hours a day, Monday-Friday. She said yes. 

I contracted pneumonia in January, was too sick to talk to her when she called me, I told her I would call back when I was well. Toward the end of January, she called, I was almost fully recovered, I apologized for not calling, she said she had been in the hospital for 2 days. Her neck began aching so bad one night, she could not stand it and went to the ER. She was diagnosed with Stage 4, Metastatic Squamous Neck Cancer. She had no symptoms until the neck pain. She could eat, sleep, work, had not lost weight. The doctors were shocked how well she felt. 

She breathed her last breath as she slept a few days ago. She did not suffer from horrendous pain and side effects from treatment for which I am so grateful. But my brain cannot quite comprehend I will not hear her voice on the phone or see her again on this planet. 

She was the loving hands and feet of Christ in her everyday life, no pretense, no legalism, she loved Him with every fiber of her being. What you saw in her was the real deal. 

I am so thankful I had the opportunity to thank her for being my friend and tell her I loved her days before she was diagnosed with cancer. So what is my point with this rambling blog??? My point is this - live out the Gospel, let people know you love them, stay close to God, we never know when we will take our last breath on this planet and the next one in eternity.


 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Sunday, February 4, 2018

Sunny Afternoon

This afternoon while most Americans will be watching the pre-game shows and the Super Bowl, I hope to be pulling weeds and planting flowers. My flower beds are almost a blank canvas due to the snow in December and January's ice storm. The Larkspur, most Snapdragon, and Pansies survived the ice, everything else in the flower beds died. Yet somehow, weeds are rebounding and have emerged from the soil with vigor. One variety is Galian Aparine, also called Sticky Weed and my favorite name Velcro Weed. It sticks to my gloves, blouse, and pants. If I ignore it, it will grow and throw seeds which I will be forced to pick off one by one from my shoes, shoelaces, pants, and shirt. The seeds stick with more gusto than the weed. I plan on pulling every last sprout I can find while they are only 1/2 inch tall.

I can't help but think of the parable of the sower talking about flowers, weeds, and seeds. The soil in my flower beds is good soil. I hope the "soil" of my heart is good and not rocky or thorny. 

And when a great multitude had gathered, and they had come to Him from every city, He spoke by a parable:  “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell by the wayside; and it was trampled down, and the birds of the air devoured it.  Some fell on rock; and as soon as it sprang up, it withered away because it lacked moisture.  And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.But others fell on good ground, sprang up, and yielded a crop a hundredfold.” When He had said these things He cried, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”

Then His disciples asked Him, saying, “What does this parable mean?”
And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, And hearing they may not understand.
Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.  Those by the wayside are the ones who hear; then the devil comes and takes away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.  Now the ones that fell among thorns are those who, when they have heard, go out and are choked with cares, riches, and pleasures of life, and bring no fruit to maturity.  But the ones that fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.


                           

Tuesday, January 23, 2018

Unkind Words

We've all said things in the heat of the moment we wish we could take back. We all have at least 1 memory of unkind words spoken to us. The ripple effects of hateful words are enormous. 

I was taken aback today by a rude comment left on a YouTube video. I thought this would not be an acceptable comment at a dinner party in person, why did the woman think it was acceptable to type? 

Have you ever found yourself on the verge of typing a stinging comment on a social media platform? If so, have you examined what caused you to have the nasty thought and or desire to express it? At times, I am amazed at nasty thoughts (sinful thoughts) that pop into my head about people, at my age, I am successful at keeping the thoughts to myself. I shudder to think back at the "truth" I shared with people in my teens, 20's, and 30's. My excuse for cruel words was it was the truth and they deserved to hear it. 

I do repent and pray when I have sinful thoughts about a person or people or sin with words by straying into gossip. The Bible warns us our words and thoughts can get us into trouble. 

A few verses I find helpful in this area (NKJV):

Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.

Psalm 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer.

James 3:4-6 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.

II Cor 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
Romans 12:9-13 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;  not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;  rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;  distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.




Friday, January 12, 2018

2018!

My husband celebrated the new year with the flu, in an attempt to outdo him, I celebrated the new year with pneumonia. We gaze adoringly at one another over Kleenex boxes. January is almost to the 1/2 way point and I am behind "schedule" already! My Christmas decorations are not boxed up and in the closet, items to donate to Salvation Army are not boxed up and ready to go, and I am several days behind in a reading through the Bible in 90 days plan. However...I am ahead in the weight loss category! (There is always a bright side.)

Time passes so quickly, we do not have the luxury of wasting it, yet I do. That is a habit I hope to break this year. Another habit I want to break is online shopping for items which are available in my area. All those cardboard boxes in our landfills! For years we wanted stores in our area, they open 5 minutes away, we buy online. Our local stores employ local people, online giants do not employ people from my community. I have a few more goals, but due to the fog of pneumonia, I have no idea what they are at the moment. I was so ill I did not drink coffee for a week. If you know me in real life, you know how huge that is.

I hope I live 2018 by loving all people.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor[a] and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.