Hidden

When we were kids, playing hide and seek was one of our favorite games. Especially, if it got to be dusk outside and other neighborhood kids joined in. Everyone wanted to hide! Nobody wanted to seek...it wasn't as fun.

Finding a great hiding spot was key. Sometimes, we had it in the back of our minds even when we weren't playing hide and go seek. If we saw a good place to hide somewhere while we were out playing, we'd remember to go there the next time we played because it was a new spot to hide and we probably wouldn't be found!

Why was hiding well - so fun? I'm not sure but it was, that's for sure.

It's kinda funny because what got me to thinking about hide and go seek was...sin.  Particularly - hidden sin.

I've been reading "The Message" which is the Bible in novel form and am in the book of Deuteronomy at the moment. When I finished Leviticus, I was so very thankful for Jesus. There are so many rules and sins (intentional and unintentional) and offerings to be made for the multitude of sins, etc. It is daunting!

Thank God for showing us our need of a SAVIOR.

But I'm disturbed by those who think the sin made public is worse than their HIDDEN sin. Why do some think that because they don't admit to the sin or if nobody knows about the sin then it's better in some way?

It's NOT.

Your hidden sin is not any better or worse than those who sin in some other way and it becomes public knowledge.

We are ALL sinners. There's NO getting around it.  

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23

Do we like to hide?  Yep...

It Takes Three...

In 1955 these two married each other.

Travis and Rachel met at a roller skating rink in Hopewell, Missouri. Mom’s account is that he came in and caught her eye. She gave him a closer look when she skated past him standing there with two of his brothers. 

The next time she skated by, she winked at him. (She openly admits that she was a flirt…lol) Then she pointed him out to her mother sitting nearby and said, “I’m gonna marry him.”

I don’t think Dad knew what he was in for because she made up her mind that day - he was the one for her. I’m not sure how the story went from meeting to marrying except that Mom asked Dad instead of the other way around.

Technically, they were married in a double wedding ceremony with another couple and when their friends were talking about getting married, they suggested my parents get married, too. Then Mom said to Dad, “You want to?” I reckon he said yes because it’s now 2016 and they have been married for 60 years.

It seems today, it’s an incredible thing if a couple sticks it out for 60 years and I agree that it is an incredible thing!

But I will tell you a secret…it wasn’t just these two who got married that day in 1955. When they were married, there were three involved. (No, she wasn’t pregnant...)

You see, they entered into marriage with each other but also with God. He was included in the vows and promises made that day. Without Him, it would have been impossible to keep those promises for 60 years. Too many hardships and difficulties came their way for them to have made it through in their own power.

They lost their third child at three months old, Annie Marie Eye. She died of crib death. My parents were both completely crushed and devastated by this. But they trusted God to get them through the heartache and were blessed with a total of ten children counting her.

Dad answered the call to preach which was a blessing but also put pressure on the marriage. Mom didn’t marry a preacher but many years into the marriage, found herself married to one. Dad grew deeply in his relationship with God and she was along for the ride whether she wanted to or not.

I was born in 1968 (child number 7) and it was shortly after that, we began attending a Primitive Baptist Church and Dad soon became the pastor. We drove every Sunday to churches in our association. No church was closer than an hour drive away from our home in Potosi, Missouri.

Usually, on the fifth Sunday of the month, we drove to a church in Rector, Arkansas. We got up before the crack of dawn and piled into the old station wagon and we kids went back to sleep as Dad drove to the little church there.

It was an ordeal to drag us kids all over Missouri and Arkansas to go to church. Not only that but when we went to church, there was always lunch afterwards. So, Mom had to cook food to take with us for lunch. This was a big sacrifice on her part I now see, because it was a lot of work for her just to go to church.

All the while, Dad worked in the lead mines to support his family. Sometimes, different shifts. Plus he was a part time pastor. Mom worked when she needed to but mostly took care of the family and home. There were strikes and lay-offs, picket lines and health issues due to Dad’s full time job. Not to mention raising nine of their ten children and the stresses that adds to life.

Midlife came with all of its testing and difficulties. Praise God they made it through and God blessed them with the desires of their hearts. They were blessed with the land Dad had longed for his entire life and built a new house there.

What a testimony to God and His intertwining of grace, mercy and forgiveness into marriage. It cannot survive without those beautiful things. He has extended those to us and we must extend the same in marriage.  Believe me, it can be the hardest thing to do.

So I want to say thank you for the incredible example set forth, for all of their children and many, many grandchildren, of a picture of marriage and how it takes more than two to make it work.  It takes three.

If they die...

In March 2011, my nephew, Brandon Bourbon came to visit me in Tennessee with his girlfriend, Nicole. I was so excited because I don’t get visitors from home often and he wanted to go to church with me. I’ll never forget proudly introducing him to fellow church members at Temple Baptist Church in White House, Tennessee where we were members at the time. I introduced him to the Pastor, the Youth Pastor and anybody else who noticed my tall, good-looking, football playing nephew!

I don’t remember the sermon that day but I’ll NEVER forget how happy I was to have him with me in the service. 

After church, we took Brandon and Nicole to eat at our favorite Chinese buffet. Then we went home, played soccer in the back yard (where I realized I’m getting too old to play soccer with college kids!) and hung out until evening.  

I’m glad I snapped a picture of him (and Nicole) in our front yard that day. After which, he climbed up the tree next to us, giving everyone a good laugh!

When I was very young, a friend once asked me, “How do you know if you love somebody?” I remember thinking about it a second and then I replied, “If they die and you cry…then you loved them.”  She thought that made pretty good sense and I’ve never forgotten that conversation from my childhood. I guess because it is true.

Since I was a kid, I’ve lost some relatives along the way but nothing hit me as hard as hearing my sister tell me that my nephew, Brandon, had taken his own life. We were all in shock. Brandon was not depressed that any of us were aware of. What is this about? We had tons of questions and nothing made sense.    

We went home for the funeral and I must say how proud I was of our little town of Potosi, Missouri. Brandon was a bit of a home town hero because of his football successes and they wanted to turn on the football field lights for him - one more time. 

The funeral was on the high school football field and it was packed. There were three buses of football players from Kansas University and Washburn University where he played college football. First, his high school teammates went through the line and left jerseys on the casket. Then Kansas University football players went through then Washburn University. I’ve never seen so many big guys with tears streaking down their cheeks.

It was evident that those who spoke, truly loved Brandon. The most touching part of the funeral was at the end when the Superintendent of schools said, “Something isn’t right about this whole thing. Brandon was never on the 50 yard line. He was always at the in-zone.” 

Then Brandon's blockers came up and carried his casket to the in-zone one last time for one final touchdown. There was silence until he reached the in-zone and then cheers erupted in the crowd along with complete breakdowns of tears by some. The whole service completely honored his life.

Brandon was just a really great kid who made everyone proud of him. He was in love with God. His life reflects that and God was all he could talk about according to his best friend, Dylan who spoke at his funeral. I can only imagine the impact he would have had if he would have become a youth pastor or ministered to youth in some way because kids loved Brandon! 

He was the type to play outside with the little kids throwing a football when everyone else was inside talking.  My son, Joseph, came out of his room shortly after Brandon’s death carrying a football with a KU logo on it and showed it to me. He said that he and Brandon were playing catch outside one day and Brandon gave it to him. Now, it is a treasure to Joseph.

There is NO question that Brandon was deeply loved and is already dearly missed.  He was beloved to those of us lucky enough to know him.  

My childhood logic about love stands true, “If they die and you cry…then you loved them.” 

I’ve never seen so many tears.

Love one another deeply, from the heart.  1^st Peter 1:22

The Church Pew

This old dust covered Church pew brings back many Precious Memories. I sat in one of these pews every Sunday (just about) my entire childhood. I listened to countless sermons and sang hundreds of old hymns sitting in a pew in That Little Old Church that I loved so well.

It was where I Decided To Follow Jesus. It was inside this building I first took part in communion (with real wine and home-baked unleavened bread) and kneeled to wash the feet of fellow church members.

It was sitting on one of these pews that I learned about God's Amazing Grace. I'm so very thankful and humbled that God brought me up here... (where my dad was pastor).

Sadly, this church has nearly died out and only a few members remain but they no longer meet at this building. God moved me along many years ago when we moved to Tennessee but I've never stopped loving this little old church. I'd mentioned to my husband and parents that I'd love to have one of the old pews from the church since the building has been sitting empty and unused for years but I really never expected to get one.

We are currently in the final stages of building a house in Tennessee and my husband went to Missouri last weekend to get some barn wood from his grandmother's old barn. We plan to use it to make a barn door for our loft in our new home.

So, my oldest son, Josh and our youngest son, Joseph went with him and they also took in a rally race near our hometown and made a fun weekend of it. I stayed home because the timing was not good for me to be off from work.

They had a great weekend and I was anxious for them to get back home. When they pulled into the driveway hauling a trailer full of barn wood covered with a tarp, I was not surprised. But I was stunned when they pulled the tarp back and there was a pew from my beloved little church in Missouri.

I could NOT believe it! How on Earth did they get one of those pews??

When I heard the story and saw the handwritten note giving them permission to take one of the pews - my heart melted. My husband planned for weeks to bring me a pew home from Missouri without my knowing anything about it. Several people were in on the surprise!

I was tearing up the entire night they returned because of how much effort went into getting the pew for me. I just can't express how it made my heart feel and the precious memories that flooded my soul at the sight of it.

What a treasure it is to me!

These days we attend a church in Middle Tennessee that would be considered a "mega church" - Long Hollow Baptist Church. There are no pews... and the building is huge. A very different place from where I came from.

But the church is not a building or a denomination but God's children who meet together to worship Him and to learn more about Him and for Fellowship.

I'm so very thankful for the pew and the Precious Memories it brings to me.

I was glad when they said unto me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."  Psalms 122:1

On Guard...

It’s sooo easy to be caught off guard by someone or a situation. It has happened to me countless times. To the point that I FINALLY realized God was trying to tell me something about my reactions. 

Even when we are going through life on our best behavior and trying to handle everything in a way that is pleasing to God, we can NOT control what others say or do to us. We can only control our own reactions.

I discovered that when I was caught off guard, I reacted more out of my flesh because I was taken aback by what was said to me. I wasn’t expecting it and my reaction was not what I would have liked for it to be after I had more time to digest everything. 
 

(It was kind of like coming up with a REALLY good come back to a smart remark three days later when it didn’t matter anymore!) lol

How to handle these types of situations?

The main thing I asked myself when God revealed a bad reaction (of mine) to me was "Why did I do that?" Or  "Why did I say that?"

Sometimes, my answer would simply be, "I don't know."


And God, in all of His wisdom, showed me it wasn't what was said or done to me that caught me off guard that was the problem but my reactions were very revealing. They uncovered a bad place in my own heart. An area He saw in me that displeased Him and I was oblivious until He brought it to my attention.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.  Proverbs 4:23

Everything you do flows from it...especially your reactions to others.

God is in the business of making His children like Jesus. When He sees an area that needs work, He points it out. (I guess I'm just slow and sometimes it takes a few times for me to pick up on the problem. lol) But I'm thankful He loves me enough to correct me and to show me where I fail and can do better J

Guard your heart and do not be caught “off guard”…it’s very EASY to do J

COVERED

I can’t believe we got 12 inches of snow in middle Tennessee last week!

It was wild and crazy.

Wild because it was like a blizzard.  ;)

Crazy because we rarely get much snow here these days. They said it broke a record from 1966. 

The last big snow I can remember here was about 7 inches in 2003. We got stranded in Nashville and it took us four hours to get home that day. Luckily, we were in my husband’s four wheel drive truck or we might never have gotten home!

Anyway, the snow fall was wonderful! We enjoyed it thoroughly. Because the snow fell on a Friday, we ended up with a three day weekend with lots of fun snow stuff to do like sledding, taking hikes to the creek in the snow, building a snowman, snowball fights, etc.

I cooked a lot of food and we ate too much, too. Lol

But by Sunday, we were dying to get out of our little town and see what the rest of the world looked like. Church was cancelled so we took a drive and it was amazing.

We took a backroad and drove down the ridge. The snow made everything astoundingly beautiful. I remember looking out at it all in amazement and apparently, at the same time, thought “I don’t have anything to write about.” Then immediately, white as snow crossed my mind and I smiled.

Yes, the snow was lovely but at that moment I was reminded of what is even more beautiful.

As the snow falls and COVERS everything, it makes a beautiful, white sparkling blanket and everything covered by it is beautiful.

Christians are COVERED by Christ and our sins are as white as snow.

“Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

I LOVE what God says.

I LOVE what God does.

He COVERS us and that's a beautiful thing ♡

Rock Solid

One of my favorite church hymns growing up was The Solid Rock.

On Christ, the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand.
All other ground is sinking sand...

(Page 202 in the Old School Hymnal we used in the Primitive Baptist Church I grew up in back in Roselle, Missouri.)

I mentioned in earlier posts that when I hear the word rock or phrases using that word these days - I immediately think of Jesus.

Because recently (2013), He proved Himself to me so powerfully that He skyrocketed to the highest place of worship, honor, respect, trust and deep love that I never imagined even possible in my relationship with Him.  He is the Solid Rock in my life just as the song says - no doubt!

So, when I considered how we sometimes say something is rock solid, I wanted to write a post about Jesus being rock solid.Sort of a play on the old hymn The Solid Rock.

But as I pondered the post I wanted to write, God gently brought to my attention the fact that its ME, not Him, who needs to be ROCK solid.

He does NOT change and He has ALWAYS been the solid ROCK.

But Christians do change as we grow up in Christ. The more we mature - the more Rock solid we should be because we are becoming like Jesus. Hopefully!

So when we find ourselves facing a temptation or situation that we've already been through and wonder, "Am I going to be tested again in this way?"

This is the time to be ROCK SOLID and our answer should be, "I will NOT be tempted in this way again."

Stand firm on the solid ROCK and do not stand on anything else.

Praise be to the Lord, my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. Psalm 144:1