GO READ MY OTHER BLOG

Tripp and Jackson

I just wrote on my other blog, Bec's Blurb.  Go read that one, too!!

I love you,
Mom

FULL SURRENDER

Your dad and I have a short devotion before he leaves for work Mon-Fri and then first thing on Sat and Sun.  We have been doing this since the beginning of this year.  I highly recommend that you do this when you get married.  AND I highly recommend that you initiate it. 

Today I want to share our devotion with you.  We are using a little book, HOPE FOR EACH DAY, Words of Wisdom and Faith by Billy Graham.

August 14
FULL SURRENDER

Whoever loses his life for My sake. . . will save it.  Mark 8:35

A police sergeant once asked me the secret of victorious Christian living.  I told him there is no magic formula.  But if any one word could describe it, it would be surrender.

You may ask, "How can I surrender my life?"  It is surrendered in the same way that salvation comes to the sinner.  There needs to be confession of sin and a complete yielding of every area of our lives, personalities, and wills to Jesus Christ - plus faith that Christ will accept that commitment.

It's not enough for us to be confirmed or to make a decision for Christ at an altar.  We cannot walk successfully in the glow of that experience for the rest of our lives.  We need to return and renew those vows and covenants with the Lord.  We need to take inventory and have regular spiritual checkups.

Jesus said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).  Daily surrender - that's the key to daily victory.


Are you daily surrendering to Christ?  Are you spending time in prayer that's not on the fly?  Are you spending time in the Bible? 

My prayer for each of you today is a DAILY SURRENDER first thing in the morning!

I love you Tripp and Jackson!

Mom

REJOICE WITH THOSE WHO REJOICE

Romans 12:15

     Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

A couple of days ago I was talking on the telephone.  Someone I am very close to told me some glorious news she had received.  I was very happy for her for a moment. 

That's right I was VERY HAPPY for A moment.

The news she had received was the very news I have been waiting to hear for myself for three years.

Instead of staying in the moment of rejoicing with her;
     Instead of embracing the joy that news brought her;
          Instead of celebrating the answer to one of her prayers;

I turned it into a moment of mourning.

Mourning for the news I haven't heard;
     Mourning for the frustration of my waiting;    
          Mourning for my prayer that has yet to be answered!!

As soon as we hung up the telephone, I heard a whisper in my soul.  Truly in the very depths of my soul.

  BE HAPPY WITH THOSE WHO ARE HAPPY!!

My heart was broken and humbled at that moment.  I asked for forgiveness.  I asked the Holy Spirit to help me never forget how I had taken away at least part of her joy, her celebration, her rejoicing.

Romans 12:15 is a command right in the middle of 13 verses (Romans 12:9-21).  God does not ask us or tell us to rejoice with those who rejoice if we feel like it; God does not ask us or tell us to mourn with those who mourn if we feel like it.  God tells us, he commands us to do these things.

Is it hard to be happy with others when you're sad for yourself?
Is it hard to be sad with others when you're happy for yourself?

YOU BET IT IS!!!!!!

We have a lesson here in Romans 12:15

 

Our lesson is that there will be times that those around us are rejoicing and we truly don't feel like rejoicing.  

Our lesson is that there will be times that those around us are mourning and we truly don't feel like mourning.

Our lesson is that in those times we are to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we can truly -
   

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.

 

LOOK ON THE INSIDE

I asked you to look at this picture and tell me what you noticed.  Here is the beginning of what I noticed.

A couple of weeks ago I was on vacation.  I spent 3 nights/4 days in NC by myself.  I am still thinking about that time.  I am remembering little things about my time alone with God.  Things that didn't seem significant at the time.  BUT I knew this moment was significant when it happened.


As I was walking on the beach I saw this.  The shiny black shell caught my eye immediately.  I picked it up.  I brushed it off.  I turned it over in my hand.

It actually took my breath.  So quick was the thought:

                            Don’t look on the outside of a person, look on the inside.

My lesson is one that I have heard over and over.  Only God truly knows the heart of a person.  I don't know how He is working in the life of a person.  In Philippians 2:13 it says, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose".

I don't know how God is working in the lives of you, my two sons!  I don't know what your conversations with God have been lately.  I don't know if you've been in conversation with God lately.  

What I DO KNOW is found in 2 Timothy 1:12.  Paul wrote about his suffering.  I do suffer each day to pray for you because I truly believe the second part of this verse.

     "That is why I am suffering as I am.  Yet I am not ashamed, because 

I KNOW WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED, AND 

AM CONVINCED THAT HE IS ABLE TO GUARD 

WHAT I HAVE ENTRUSTED TO HIM FOR THAT DAY".

I love you boys,

Mom

What Do You See?

What Do You See

I wrote this entry 3 years ago.  I wrote it on my computer just for me.  I read it this morning and decided to finally add the pictures and then post it here.  I hope God will speak to you through these words today.

 

 June 2009

Have you ever been in that time in your life where you just don’t know what to study in God’s word.  You’ve just completed a study with friends; you have learned so much new information about God, about yourself, about how others interrupt God’s word, about life.  Or you’ve decided to try the new way of studying that you’ve learned about on your own to see how to really dig out what God is trying to teach you in your life at this time. 

Well, that’s where I am at this point.  I’ve been there about 10 weeks now.  It’s been a very busy time in my life.  My older son graduated from college, a cousin’s daughter was married, a nephew graduated from law school and then we celebrated his engagement a couple of weekends later by attending his party, at work we went through an accreditation, my younger son graduated from high school, and a niece graduated from high school.  Through all this, I have not been grounded in a particular study so my quiet time has been jumbled which has led me down some very interesting paths, some very definitely God’s paths, but some of my very own choosing which as you may know lead to stresses that could have been avoided.  I haven’t been still so that I could listen and follow but I finally slowed down enough to hear what God was saying at this time in my life and I invite you to slow down enough today to hear what I heard.

On Friday, June 12, 2009, I left my house so early, about 6:15 am.  I had to buy a graduation card for my niece, nothing like waiting to the last minute, fill my car with gas, get a biscuit from Hardee’s and go to work.  I chose that day to take my bible with me and have my quiet time in my car in the parking lot at work.  As I sat there, eating my biscuit (don’t tell my doctor, the biscuit is definitely not on a diet to reduce cholesterol) I poured out my heart to God.  You see I really needed to confess about not allowing his glory to shine through at work.  It’s the hardest place for me to shine.  I’m organized at work ( not very much anywhere else).  I like to do things in order, maybe a little OCD, to the point that I allow myself to be very frustrated at times.  So back to God’s direction.  I decided to read Jeremiah and to follow Anne Graham Lott’s study method of looking at one verse at a time. 

I got to Jeremiah 1:11, 

“The word of the LORD came to me:  “What do you see, Jeremiah?”  “I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.”

I have to admit that my first thought was, “What do you see?”  How does that apply to me right now.  And then it hit me.  How much am I missing because I am so caught up in whatever is happening around me, that I am not seeing what God is showing me.  How much am I missing because I am not listening?  How much am I missing because I am not looking?

So I looked as I sat there at what I could actually see.  I read the verse and literally looked at the world right in front of me and beside me.  I saw a tree.

The night before, we had a brief but pretty strong wind/rain storm.  This tree lost a pretty big branch in that storm.  It was the perfect example of life and of God’s word. 

This branch was attached to the trunk on Thursday, standing tall and proud.  Thursday night it was hit by a storm and it just couldn’t stand firm with the tree.  It fell.  It will never be attached to the trunk again.  I got out of my car and took the picture.  And then I started to really look at the tree.  The branch that fell, when I looked closer had already begun to leave the trunk.  The outer part of the branch had been dying but no one could see it, it was covered up by the bark and by the fact that the very center of the branch was still getting fed by the trunk.  (How often do we show the world an outside that doesn’t go along with the inside)

I looked closer still and noticed because the branch had fallen, it broke other living branches as it went down.  My tears began at this time. 

 But I looked even closer and saw the fruit of the tree on this branch and the others that were no longer connected. 

This fruit would never develop, it would never go on to produce other trees, it would never accomplish its purpose.  Tears trickled down my face as I stood and looked and heard my God say to me, “What do you see, Beckie?”

I saw that life is full of storms.  I may be walking down the perfect path of God but there will be storms, the wind will blow.  I saw that I didn’t want to be the branch that is dying and will fall when the wind is strong.  I saw that I didn’t want to be the branch that causes another one to break and fall.  I saw that I didn’t want to be the branch whose fruit will never accomplish its purpose. 

There are so many lessons in these pictures.  Look at them, look at yourself.  Talk to God.  Be the branch that is still standing, be the branch that remains connected to the trunk, be the branch whose fruit will grow and accomplish its purpose. 

I LOVE YOU

Just wanted to tell you and the world:


      I LOVE YOU!!


Mom

Be Where You Need To Be

I haven't thought of a new post in the past couple of days.  Lot's of things have been happening on both sides of our family.  SOOOOOO my advice for you this day is when you get married and there are THINGS going on in your family and in your wife's family:

BE WHERE YOU NEED TO BE. 

That means that sometimes you do things with your family while your wife does something with her family.  Yesterday your dad needed to be at the beach to help his parents.  I could not go with him because of work.  So I did the next best thing, I prayed for him all day long and when he called me I made the time to listen to him.  Last night I needed to be with my mom.  Did I want your dad to be there.  YES, I did.  But he was exhausted from the business he had to be a part of.  So even though he needed me to be with him because of the day he had, he understood I was needed more by my mom for a couple of hours.  When I got home, we made time to listen briefly to each other and then relaxed.  We will probably talk about our yesterday today.  Did that sentence make sense?  We will be supportive of the trying times we both had yesterday by listening to each other today.

So love your wives with your whole heart and by doing that together you will figure out in the trying times WHERE YOU NEED TO BE!

What Catches Your Eye?

I want you to look at the picture.  Don't take a long time to study it.  Just look at it and then tell me in the comment section what caught your eye.  In a few days I will tell you what caught my eye and why.

I love you both,
Mom

OPEN THE BLINDS

In the morning, open the blinds. 

There is just something about welcoming a new day by opening the blinds in your home.  If you get up early enough, you may just witness the sun rise.  If you get up later in the day (something I have rarely done in my life), then you will fill your home with light all at once.  On a rainy day just opening the blinds brings more light into your home.  It just makes your home brighter.  AND I just see better when there is A LOT of light. 

Because of my love of light, I open the blinds as soon as I am dressed everyday.  It is a wonderful habit I would like to pass on to you, my sons.

We are told in scripture that we “are the light of the world”.  (Matthew 5:14)  We are, also, told in scripture that Jesus said “to the people, I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  (John 8:12)

When I look at those two scriptures, I am reminded of opening the blinds.  When Jesus saved me, He became the light of my life.  He opened the blinds of my heart.  So I no longer walk in spiritual darkness.  Because I am walking with Jesus, the light of life shines through the opened blinds of my heart. 

Because of my love of Jesus, I open the blinds of my heart every morning when I spend time with Him.  It is a wonderful habit I would like to pass on to you, my sons.

So Open the Blinds twice in the morning.  Open the blinds of your home and your heart.

I love you both,

Mom

No Secrets in the Medicine Cabinet

Several years ago I was talking with a friend.  In our conversation she told me she and her husband had gone to dinner at someone's home that I know.  She told who was there, what they had to eat and drink, and then added this:

"While I was there I went to the bathroom.  I always open the medicine cabinet when I use someone's bathroom.  It tells you so much about them. You wouldn't believe what I found?  There was a 

bottle of Viagra in there.  I can't believe they need that."

So why am I telling you this?  

First, don't open other people's medicine cabinets.  For that matter, don't open closets or cabinets or refrigerators or drawers or anything in someone's home unless you are invited to do so.  When you are invited into someone's home it is a privilege.  And I don't care if it's your best friend from high school and he's living in his first apartment.  It is still his private stuff in those places.

Second, some people (friends included) are going to be nosy.  They just might open your closets or cabinets or refrigerators or drawers or anything else.  If there is something that is personal, something you want to keep private then you just need to find a really good hiding place for it.

The title up there "No Secrets In The Medicine Cabinet" means just what it says.  There are no secrets in the medicine cabinet.  So clean your medicine cabinet and keep it clean.

Hebrews 4:13 

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. 

Just like your medicine cabinet is not closed to people who come into your home, your life is not closed to God.  He sees it all.  You can never find a really good hiding place for anything you want to hide from God.  He sees it all.  Please go read Psalm 139.  And just like I told you to clean your medicine cabinet and keep it clean, I tell you clean your heart and keep it clean.

I love you,

Mom

 

A BEGINNING

Dear Sons,

On Wednesday, I heard a mother talk about her MAN child. I may have heard that expression before but I don't remember when. That comment made me think of the two of you. You are my MAN children.

You know that I spent Saturday-Tuesday in NC by myself. You know that I spent most of my time praying for your dad and the two of you. Actually I prayed for me, too. What you may not know is that before we came home from the hospital after you were each born, I prayed over you. I committed both of you to the LORD. I prayed knowing in whom I believed, I prayed convinced He was and is able to guard you - you are what I entrusted to Him, until that day He returns or calls you home. (That is based on 2 Timothy 1:12)

While I was in NC, this verse came to my mind:

Train a child in the way he should go,and when he is old he will not turn from it.
Proverbs 22:6

Even though you are both MEN, you are still my children. Even though you are both MEN, my responsibility in training has not stopped. It has just changed. So I created this blog for you.

I am asking you to check it out every day. It's from me to you. It will be God led.

Today I want you to know that I pray for you both EVERY day

Every day is different. It is different because every day is new. God's mercies are NEW every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23). So depending on what is happening in your life and depending on how the Holy Spirit leads my prayers I pray for you.

I pray that you will be men who walk with God.
I pray that you will be men who pray to God.
I pray that you will be men who listen to God.
I pray that you will be men who will be the spiritual leaders of your households.
I pray for your future wives to be women of God.
I pray for you to be safe.
I pray (still do this) that if you are doing anything that you shouldn't be doing
that me and your dad will find out so that we can assist you in stopping.
I pray for you to laugh hard.
I pray for you to love each other. (Read Psalm 133)
I pray and I pray and I pray for you both.

I love you,
Mom