Making Beautiful Music

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all your lands.  Ps. 100:1 (NKJV)

Alexandra, my ten year old granddaughter, set up the music stand, adjusted her sheet music. She aligned her fingers on her trumpet.  She glanced around the room to make sure we (mother, father, brother and me, her grandmother, plus the blind family dog, Magoo), were paying attention and ready to listen. She proceeded to play “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star”.

After the first few notes were played, MaGoo tilted his head back and howled – a long loud howl. We broke up in laughter. Alex, seriously offended, stopped playing. She beckoned, “Stop laughing.”  We apologized, blamed it on MaGoo, and asked her to continue.

Alex proceeded to play her trumpet and she was determined to finish, but the dog howled and we laughed. She looked at us, mortally wounded, and stopped playing. “You’re not listening to me. You only want to laugh at MaGoo.”

Laughing at her expense was not good. We ushered MaGoo outside, apologized to Alex and asked her to start over. We listened and encouraged her with applause.

Do we often let ourselves get distracted with unimportant things when the Lord wants your attention? Are we wondering where we will have lunch while the minister’s giving the message?  Does the “bed howling” prevent us from rising a little earlier in the morning to spend time with the Lord.

Dear Lord, forgive me for not paying attention and falling so short in glorifying you. I pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit and be your faithful servant. Amen

(c) 2012 Lois Gosley

My Father

"Do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven." Matthew 23:9 (NIV)

When I was a child of four, my mother moved my two sisters and me from Georgia to Baltimore. She had divorced my dad. I can only recall one time that he ever took an interest in my two sisters or me. He was a stranger that we soon forgot.

Mother later married a man she worked with at a defence plant in Baltimore. He also became a man living in our house who paid no attention to us. He and Mother had a stormy eight and a half year marriage. His heavy drinking and infidelity ended Mother's second marriage.

By this time my sisters and I were teenagers. I was very shy and lonely. I really missed the relationship between a male parent and child. Mother tried to fill both parental roles.

When I was thirteen, Mother married a third time to a man twelve years her junior. Although he was a good man and loved my mother very much, he was too young to be the father I longed for. Having a real father was never to be. I envied other girls who talked about their dads.

It wasn't until I was in my late fifties that I finally had a Father that loved me. I learned through Bible study that Jehovah God, the Father of Jesus, was also the Father of all mankind. He loved us enough to sacrifice His own Son's life so that we could live with Him in heaven. At last my longing was satisfied. I had a real Father to talk to and love me unconditionally.

Thank You, Father Jehovah, for loving me as Your daughter. Amen.

(c) 2012 Evelyn B, Ryan

Armor On?

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

Finally, after three years of anticipation, this summer our Wolf River apple trees were loaded with fruit. When the dwarf trees were planted, we were told that in three to five years they’d produce an unbelievable amount of grapefruit size apples. Each one- pound apple would be enough to fill a pie!  Now, we only had to wait until September to pick the apples and get cooking.

The varmints beat us to it. A large black buzzard perched on the top of the trees, yanking at the stems and poking its beak and claws into the fruit. Squirrels climbed from the bottom of the trees, grabbing an apple at a time, taking a few bites, and tossing the rest for the groundhog, opossum, and raccoon. What they didn’t devour, the deer did.

We hadn’t given thought to protecting the apple trees from wildlife. They were thriving, and we had our hearts set on pie. Now the trees are stripped of fruit.

God knew that we’d need to be protected from what might prey on us. He provided us with “armor,” so we can stand strong in Him and live fruitful lives.  Of course, as with our apple trees, the armor needs to be in place before any threat or opposition. God’s armor (righteousness, the gospel of peace, faith, salvation, and the Word of God) can be “put on” daily through prayer, meditation, and Bible reading.

Father, help me to consistently wear Your armor, so I can stand against anything that might interfere with or challenge my being fruitful for You.

© 2012 Nance

The Day The Lord Went to School

                                                                                                  

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat

and a little child shall lead them.” Isaiah 11:6 (NKJV)

My daughter, Chrisi, was making me a cross, during Art Class in elementary school, to attach to the zipper of my Bible cover.  She cut many pieces of cross-shaped construction paper, glued them together, making a ¼ in. thick cross. She punch a hole at the top and in bold letters, printed PTL down the long side.

Each day she returned to Art Class, dipped the cross into varnish, then hung it up to dry. The first day someone asked her, “What does PTL stand for? Is that your mother’s initials?” Chris replied, “It means Praise The Lord.”  The next day in Art Class, as she was submerging the cross in varnish, again someone asked, “What does PTL stand for?”  This went on for every art session.

The last day, as she again dipped the cross in varnish and hung it to dry, which by now was thick, and glossy golden amber brown, and extremely attractive, she was asked, “What does PTL stand for.”  Chris entire work table chorused, “PRAISE THE LORD”.

Who said, God’s not allowed in school?

There are rules about prayer and other religious activities in our schools that we abide. Our responsibility is to teach a child the way he/she should go, and he/she won’t depart from it wherever they go. 

I pray our children will be little sermons by what they do, and they won’t need to preach.

Lord Jesus, Give your angels charge over our children no matter where they travel. Thank you they are ready witnesses. Use us all to our fullest potential to glorify you.  Amen

©2012 Lois Gosley

The Choice of a Lifetime

…choose for yourself this day whom you will serve… (Joshua 24:15) NIV

I asked my three and five year old granddaughters which flavor of ice cream they wanted. I offered them vanilla, strawberry, or vanilla with strawberry topping. Evidently these options were more perplexing than I thought. They left the room to discuss the issue in private before making a final decision.

As they grow, I hope to expand my granddaughters, ability to examine the possibilities presented to them and make good decisions. In fact, it is my desire to teach them that above all else there are three life choices that once resolved and acted upon will direct the course of their entire lives.

First, make the choice to follow the one true God. When that decision is clear in one’s mind and spirit, all other steps that are taken in life revolve around His teachings and His assistance.

The second choice involves the persons and perhaps one particular person with whom we spend the time God has given us.

The third choice also requires direction from our Lord. That is, yielding to the occupation we are called to and the work He has for us.

Many choices will present themselves in the journey of life. Sometimes the world and the flesh seem to cover life-changing possibilities in a fog of deception that prevent us from making the best choice. If our first decision is to follow Jesus, He will be there with us to clearly see what is the best decision for us in every instance.

Father God, be with all of us as we face the many important choices in our lives. Help us to find our way to You and Your choices for us.

© 2012 Christy Struben

 

 

Roots

If you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it. Genesis 4:6b (NIV)

A news story captured my attention recently—not that it was unique: a young man gunned down in the street, another young life wasted. But was it really a waste?

His mother’s response captivated me. Of course she grieved for her son and desired justice; but her son had loved people so she determined to show love, even in the cloud of darkness that must surely have threatened to engulf her. She would not allow hate to take root in her heart.

Their story made me ponder. Why do we do what we do? There are many things I have never done and probably never will do; things like taking a life, committing fraud, or robbing a bank. I have, however, thought evil of others, lied, and coveted. It made me realize that no matter how insignificant or horrifying a sin might seem, its root is the same.

My thoughts wandered to another story. A Father’s Son hung on a cross. Was His Son’s life wasted? He loved too, crying out for His Father to forgive—but forgive whom? Did He plead for those who physically nailed Him there, or me? After all, He sacrificed Himself for my sin so that the seed of righteousness could take root in my heart and produce the fruit of the Spirit.

Lord, comfort and bless the woman who lost her son. Let Your love shine in her situation, touching even the hardest of hearts. Help us follow her example, weeding out those things that threaten our faith. Help our roots go deep and water them with your word so we will grow in truth.

© 2012 Katherine A. Fuller

Evacuate!

With the coming of dawn, the angels urged Lot, saying, "Hurry! Take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away." Genesis 19:15a (NIV)

Hurricane Irene was on its way up the east coast. The news media warned the people living on the eastern seaboard to evacuate Ocean City as well as neighboring towns. Many heeded the warnings and left all they owned, but about 300 people stayed in the face of danger. Some did lose their lives, partly due to reluctance to leave all possessions behind.

The angels of God warned Lot and his family to leave Sodom and Gomorrah because the cities would be destroyed. Lot took his wife and two daughters and escaped just as God reigned fire down on the twin cities. Against the warning of God, Lot's wife looked back, desiring the things left behind, and she became a pillar of salt.

Today, God uses people to warn us when danger approaches. We have the television and the radio to announce warnings so preparations can be made before danger arrives. God also forewarns us from His Words in the Bible. He uses our conscience to warn us of sinful decisions. He helps us change our direction from dangerous steps we might have made to ones that are safe on our journey through life. Reading the Bible sharpens our conscience and assures us that we are going in the right direction.

Heavenly Father, help Your children heed the signposts and warnings You give as we journey through life. Amen.

(c) 2012 Evelyn B. Ryan