SHARE YOUR MASTER'S JOY!

She finished well--my friend Kay.  She would have been 98 in September.  I've lost my prayer partner of six years.  They tell me that I'm the next Kay.  Only problem is I can't find another me.  We were committed to prayer.  The reason being that we were no longer able to serve in any physical duties in the church  such as kitchen, children's program, musical ministry, women's ministry, and many others.  We were the twins-- attending Bible study, church, and praying together every week.  God has a way of removing someone from your life so that you will depend on Him and not anyone else.  He is moving me on to other things.  

Many of Kay's friends from Martha Lake Covenant church showed up for Kay's memorial this last Saturday.  We were thrilled to see the new flooring, large vegetable garden, and remodeling taking place.  Our former pastor, Bill, preached the perfect sermon. Another church was planted in our building and continued to rent to the Seventh Day Adventist church and several others.  And now we have seen what God has done! Here is what I wrote when MLCC closed several years ago.  

*****

Today I feel as if I have been put through a meat grinder.  Not only am I physically wiped out I'm also emotionally drained.  The reason is that another evangelical church has been returned to dust.  The good people of Martha Lake Covenant church put their minds, souls, and bodies, in to keeping the church and the Awana program alive.  But yesterday, after 70 years of faithful ministry, the church was disbanded--each member to go their own way.  

Vanity. Vanity it is all vanity I remember from Solomon's lament in the book of Ecclesiastes.  God didn’t agree with my vision for the church.  For six years my prayer partner, Kay, and I prayed every Tuesday for our families, the church, our country and the world.  I thought God would bring to us Christian refugees from countries where Christians are persecuted.  We were encouraged when one man, who had moved to the United States 20 years ago from Iran, joined us.  Others thought that after the condos were built across the street from the church that those people would join.  We served free food.  We had “Narnia” nights.  We offered free concerts.  We had some visitors but few stayed.  We put new carpeting and paint in the nursery.  We sent post cards.  I don’t remember what all.  With the Awana program and the Vacation Bible Schools we had good attendance but not many came back on Sunday. 

God has different plans and higher plans than we do.  Maybe what God had in mind for us was just being faithful for a time, to learn perseverance, or even to learn how to suffer for Christ.

I was encouraged by Pastor Bill’s final sermon.  He exhorted us to go out and make disciples, baptize, and teach.  This is how we live a life of significance.  He also gave us an encouraging quote from C.S. Lewis--"now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle.

We may morn and weep for a while but joy comes in the morning.  Some day God will show us how our prayers and good works have made a difference in many lives. 

*****

And we saw it on Saturday with over 130 attending the service to support Kay's family and to celebrate her life.  Jesus is alive! By the power of the Holy Spirit He will achieve everything He has promised. Here are some pictures Chris shot during our anniversary celebration for MLCC a few years ago.  Click Here to see the link to Kay's obit in case you haven't seen it.

Kay and me

Matthew 25:23  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’

HEART TROUBLE

I was shocked when in 1966, as a first grade teacher, I found that my class would not obey me.  They looked so innocent too.  Such cuties.  I didn't have a clue.  This led me to recall that at fifteen I had given up babysitting my two younger brothers.  They had taken apart Mom's Baby Ben alarm clock while I was babysitting.  Mom said, "Weren't you watching them?"  "Yes, " I said.  "I watched them take apart the clock.  It kept them quiet!"  Mom never asked me to babysit again.  

Wayne and Davy 1958

When I left home at eighteen, my compliant sister took over the babysitting.  

Evy at 15

I survived three years as a first grade teacher.  Then I left teaching and was hired to work at a library.  This was much more to my liking.

Three years later when my daughter, Heather, was born I was again flabbergasted.  I knew then that Original Sin was true.  Everybody, except Jesus, is born with sin in his heart.  Each one will have to decide in his heart if he will obey God or rebel against Him.  

Because of my strong-willed child I asked God to help me.  I couldn't quit being a mother.  As a result of prayer I joined a MOPS group.  We read "Help! I'm a Parent," by Bruce Narramore.  We worked on the companion workbook together.  By God's grace Heather turned out great! I now pray with a Moms In Prayer group for my grandchildren.

Small temper tantrum

Because of their rebellion against God we have young men murdering innocent people.  Some day every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.  I pray it will happen soon.

Exodus 20: 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before[a] me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing steadfast love to thousands[b] of those who love me and keep my commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.[c]

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's.”