GOD USES CRACKED POTS

This beautiful new hymn on You Tube makes me think of several things.  When John the Baptist said in John 3:30, " He must increase, but I must decrease,” he was saying that everything he said and did was to point to Jesus.  In other words-- Christ be all.  Also, I noticed a cracked pot in the animations on the screen.  This illustrates that God uses weak vessels. My favorite lyrics are at the end--  "until every tribe and tongue can sing may Christ be all."

Grace Worship gives this explanation of their work --  "Before Jesus went to the cross, he prayed that His church would be one (John 17). We desire to write songs that advance this mission. By pulling from the rich heritage of Christian hymnody and integrating the culturally-sensitive church songs of today, we hope to make much of Jesus’ unifying mission through music that equips the church for worship across generations. Whether a church accents a past generation or a current one -- whether the label is formal or informal -- Jesus has not forsaken any in his church. These songs aim to celebrate that unifying gospel message. Every story and generation matters, because each represents unique ways in which God is displaying his glory through his Body and Spirit. We hope these songs point you to Jesus, help you understand and commune with Him often, and offer opportunities for you to stand beside your brothers and sisters of all ages and backgrounds in joyful, united praise."

A MERRY HEART

The above You Tube is from the movie "You Can't Take It With You."  Reminds Chris of my family.  Davy and Wayne did like to blow things up and I liked to dance.  Most everyone played an instrument. Evy was 1st chair in the school band.

I always knew that our family was a little bit different from other families.  Our mom knew that we were all perfect and would never make poor choices.  Family life was freewheeling with few boundaries or rules.  Promises were never kept-- such as we will have a chicken dinner tonight--  but the dinner turns out to be hot dogs instead.  (They must have found a good sale.)

My dad would do things such as take the bridesmaids for his brother, Ernest's, wedding out for ice cream, and show up late for the wedding rehearsal.  He never wore a watch.  Things just fell into place in an easy manner. 

One summer our family was all loaded into our VW Microbus for a trip from Alexandria to Spokane.  Grandma and Grandpa S. started to get worried after we had been on the road 15 days.  Uncle Hollis predicted that we had gone by way of Texas.  Sure enough we had.

L to R-- Mom, me, Jay,Davy,Evy, Dad. I think this was the Nash Rambler Mom and Jay drove to Spokane one year.  Wayne must have been asleep when the picture was taken.

Life was not stressful at our house.  I felt free to borrow our dining room chairs for a play we put on at the high school.  My mom did object to the paint we got on one of the chairs though.  

I don't remember any disagreements with my siblings.  I did hear that when Wayne was two he became irritated with Davy's teasing one day and decided that he was going to hit him.  Davy ran into our folk's bedroom and locked the door.  Wayne sat outside the door.  Davy tattled to Mom that Wayne was going to hit him.  Mom chose not to get involved.  Davy climbed out the bedroom window to escape.  (Davy says it was the upstairs bathroom he locked himself in to and he climbed out that window.  He said Evy played 1st chair music but sat in second chair.)

So we lived Proverbs 17:22 in those days-- "A cheerful heart is good medicine."

A GOOD SLEEPER

Cousin Stewart 1932

I remember shoe boxes full of correspondence Grandma Isabel and Grandpa Claude had received and saved over the years.  They kept them neatly in one of their basement rooms at 2811 Lamonte in Spokane.   My mom preserved many of them.  

Uncle Jay, Grandpa Claude's brother, was married to Aunt Anne.  In Aunt Anne's letters many family traits are revealed.  One such letter from Aunt Anne to Grandma Isabel was written just after Uncle Jay's and Aunt Anne's son, Stewart, was born, and Grandpa's and Uncle Jay's mother, Sarah, had just died.  She mentions how their sister, Grace, would be so lonesome now after losing her mother. Aunt Anne writes how Stewart, as a new born, would not wake up to eat.  She had to wake him up or he would never eat.  I experienced this same thing with our son.  He was a good sleeper.  Here is the letter:

 My dad referred to himself as a slow sleeper.  I got the impression that this meant that he was good at sleeping.  My dad did not appear to have any dementia so maybe being good at sleeping prevents brain deterioration. 

Now back to Stewart.  Stewart and his wife and three boys lived in Hartford, Conn. when we visited them in 1960.  I thought they were a good looking bunch and tried to talk the oldest, John, into coming down to Alexandria and taking me to my Senior Prom.  No such luck.  I believe John never married.  The next brother Jim moved to North Carolina and that is where Stewart lived when he passed away.  

I'm attaching a news clipping about Stewart's visit to Spokane in 1936:

J.C. BROWN AND COMPANY PHOTOS

Grain barge passing through Snake River, Idaho locks. Photo by Chris.

We now have 199 photos for sale on Getty Images.  Most photos were taken by Chris, but some were taken by me, daughter Heather, and daughter-in-law Jessica.  If you would like to see our portfolio click here.

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE PUT ON A SILLY HAT

Moms in Prayer -- Donna, Me, Joyce celebrating Joyce's birthday

Cousins celebrating our birthdays at Loon Lake.  Danny, Dorothy, me, Kathy, Charlie

"Where did that truck go?" I say.   You might ask, "What truck?" "The one that just hit me," I reply.  

No, a truck did not hit me but I felt like one had.  The stress of financial problems, difficult people, house, children, and on top of that chronic pain; every muscle in my body hurt.  The fibromyalgia pain caused adrenaline and stress hormones to surge through my body.  Calm down I told myself.  Exercise I told myself.  Get the good endorphins going. But no I was not going to be able to do this on my own.  I had been to pain clinics, physical therapy, naturopaths, and every other treatment.  What I needed was God's peace in my life.

Prayer was the only answer.  My friends in my Moms in Prayer group prayed for me.  The prayer chain at church prayed for me. I read through the Bible and claimed God's promises in prayer.  Finally I asked God to cause the stings and barbs that pricked me each day to roll off my back like water off of a duck's back.  My daughter told me to ignore the negative things some people said to me.  It worked.  I began to have peace.

Some other things I would do to combat the negative thoughts in my mind are these ---I would go into a toy store and read through Mary Engelbreits calendar sayings.  I'd stop at the perfume samples in the drug store and smell each one.  I'd listen to my favorite music.  Bird listening and watching outside my window would bring joy to my heart.  I started collecting cards with pictures of two chairs on a beach, overlooking water.  I imagined myself sitting in one of those chairs.  And yes, I would wear silly hats. We know that God has provided every good thing and He wants us to enjoy them.  (Ecclesiastes 5: 19 Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.)

I'm still not peaceful all the time but I'm more peaceful now than in the past.  Here are the Psalms I pray back to God.

But you, O Lord, do not be far off!  O you my help, come quickly to my aid!  (Psalm 22:19)  Make haste to help me, O Lord, my salvation! (Psalm 38:22)

Be pleased, O Lord to deliver me!  O Lord, make haste to help me!  (Psalm 40:13)

You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God! (Psalm 40:17)

Make haste, O God, to deliver me! O Lord, make haste to help me! (Psalm 70:1)

But I am poor and needy; hasten to me, O God!  You are my help and my deliverer; O Lord, do not delay! (Psalm 70:5)

O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste to help me! (Psalm 71:12)

O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! (Psalm 141:1)

HOME IS WHERE YOU HANG YOUR HEART

Our 4th house 1984. Sold in 1989.

We've moved again.  This time to a "Senior Apartment."  We hope this will be our last move.  Our married life has been a roller coaster ride because of all our moves and all our adventures on the high seas. This was our choice as we wanted to live an unconventional life.  God blessed us with these opportunities. But now I see my cousins, who stayed in the same houses, having their travels now.  Maybe they have chosen the better way.

As a child I was uprooted at least five times.  My mom taught all of us that Spokane was God's country.  So in the back of my mind it was my cousins in Spokane I envied.  They lived in one house and stayed put.  At that time I thought I would settle in Spokane and stay there.  But as a college student, and thinking about marriage,  the thought of a white picket fence, grass to mow, flower beds to tend, and housework, I was sickened.  ( My genetics call for minimal responsibilities.) When Chris proposed that we live on a boat I was intrigued.

Over the last fifty-four years we've experienced living in houses, condos, apartments, and boats.  None is or was perfect.  We were looking for a better place-- (Hebrews 11:16  But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.)

It is true that where your treasure is, there your heart will be also, (Matthew 6:21.) Our real home is where we hang our hearts and store up our treasures. So some day, for Christians, we will be where our hearts are-- Heaven.  The street is gold there.

Revelation 21:21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

LET YOUR HEART BE LIGHT

Our first house 1966. Photo by Chris.

Chris has fond memories of Santa, Christmas trees, and many toys from his childhood Christmases past.  After we were married his mom continued to give him a toy each Christmas until we had children. Then she gave the kids toys.

Chris with Santa.

The highlight of my childhood Christmases was when my folks gave me a HopALong Cassidy wrist watch for Christmas. They respected my dislike of girly things.

Photo by Bobbi.

Now our Christmases have been enlarged with our grandchildren.

Sammy and Natalie. Photo by Bobbi.

Sammy and Natalie.  Photo by Chris.

Samantha, Andrew, Natalie 2019 Christmas. Photo by Bobbi.

As they grow we downsize.  

Our small Christmas tree. Photo by Bobbi.

So my thoughts on big and little Christmases I relate with this story-- One year, right before Christmas break, I was in a Bible Study Fellowship discussion group.  A member of the group was bemoaning the upcoming chore of making tons of corn tamales that her family liked for Christmas.  My comment was, "God loves a cheerful giver. If you can't do it cheerfully then don't do it."

   

 (II Corinthians 9: 6 The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully[a] will also reap bountifully. 7 Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.)

Later that year I saw this gal in the grocery store and asked if she had made the tamales.  She hadn't, but she thought she would be up to it next year.

So sometimes we need to give ourselves a break.  Through rest, prayer, and some lighthearted times we can keep up the pace later.  

In our family we have decided to downsize our Christmases.  Again this year we are limiting gifts to $5.00.  Our meal will be a brunch shared in the Courtyard Lounge at our active senior community.  Decor consists of a Nativity scene, a basket of greens, and our musical miniature skating rink complete with skaters. 

Photo by Chris.

Photo by Chris

Whether we are the creative types who love to shop, decorate, cook a big dinner, and have a "big" Christmas, or we are the types who prefer a simple Christmas, "Have yourself a merry Christmas," whether big or little. May our hearts be light and let us seek Jesus -- The Light.