THE CASE OF THE MISSING CONTACT LENS, NECKLACE, CAT, AND OTHER THINGS

 

1973 Jay and Martha' rehearsal dinner in Asheville, N.C.

Pastor Tom, in his sermon today, encouraged us to tell our children of how God has worked in our lives.  One way to do that is by telling of God's provision in difficult circumstances.  

One story I remember happened when our family traveled from Washington and California to attend my older brother, Jay's, wedding.  On the trip, six of us, Dad, Mom, Wayne, Chris, Heather, and me, drove across country in the old Ford station wagon. We were late setting off for the wedding. Dad suffered heat stroke on the way.  Chris and Wayne finished the drive.  Among all the confusion Heather, two years old, found grandpa's reading glasses which had been dropped on the driveway at Martha's (the bride's) parent's house.  They were right behind the wheel of the station wagon and would have been crushed if we had backed up.  

Another time, back in Spokane, we had traveled to Coeur d' alene Lake to do some sailing.  As we were getting ready to drive home one of my hard contact lenses popped out.  We looked and looked but finally gave up.  The next day we drove back to the lake, and went to the area where I had lost the lens. Chris walked right up to it and found it.  No damage done.

Heather 1981

Heather was a junior bridesmaid in Davy and Sue's wedding.  Sue gave each of the ladies in the wedding party a heart necklace.  We all wore ours for the wedding.  Heather wanted to leave hers on after the wedding.  She played in the neighborhood park for several hours.  We noticed that her necklace was missing after that.  I do remember praying this time that we could find it.  The next day we went back to the park and Chris walked right up to it.

Our cat Twinkles would escape occasionally from our house.  One time the neighbor, Heather's friend Kristi, 8 years old, came over to our house.  She was very upset because her cat, Pepper, was missing.  Twinkles was missing too.  We prayed and soon Twinkles came into the house through the open sliding door and Pepper was right behind her.  Kristi was overjoyed!

When I was about forty-six I was suffering with fibromyalgia pain, and dealing with difficult people.  I said to the Lord--"I need a vacation."  Suddenly Chris started traveling for work and kept his frequent flyer miles.  I had 2 trips to Europe, Ireland, the Carribbean, and even Tahiti.  I then said the to Lord.  I don't need anymore vacations!  

I didn't ask for a lock down because of the Coronavirus but I'm enjoying it.  Because I'm staying home I have a lot less pain!  Sometimes God answers our prayers in unexpected ways.

Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord,

    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

BENJAMIN WATSON -- MY STORY

 

Ever have to deal with perfectionism?  I've never been a perfectionist but I've known some.  Benjamin Watson was a perfectionist. Above is his story.  Below is the trailer for a movie he has produced.  

COME AND SEE

 

GHS Bible Club 1960

In case you don't know it--  God loves you.   From Matthew 10 we learn-- 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 

Christians, (those who have put their faith in Jesus), know that God loves them.  I knew at a young age that God loved me.  I always delighted in attending church.  I knew everybody there loved me.  They had to love me --it's a command from God.  But at school nobody had to love me.  I was a little embarrassed to get up in front of my lunch shift and ring the bell while we asked a blessing.  But I remember what Jesus said in Matthew:10 32 "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." So I rang the bell and led the prayer.  

GHS 1957

 I strove to obey Jesus when He said in Matthew 28:19, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." My idea to evangelize my classmates at Groveton High School back in 1960 was to invite boys to Youth Group at Calvary Presbyterian church. With that in mind I even invited my friend, Nancy (Lukehart), along with two boys, (one was Jimmy Schaal who attended Groveton), to help build the Glen Kirk church camp. 

I am becoming more and more interested in spiritual things as I grow older.  With God's help I will continue to seek Jesus and His Kingdom and His righteousness, and I will invite people to come and see what Jesus is all about.

With the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020) U.S. Supreme Court Justice on September 18, I am saddened.  Only God knows her heart.  But there is only one way to heaven and that is through Jesus, (John 3:16.)  I pray she made her peace with God before she was gone. 

SEPTEMBER 11, 2001

Where were you on September 11, 2001?  I had just attended my Groveton High School class of 1961 reunion back in Virginia.  Of the classmates pictured above two of them have passed away since that reunion.  I have kept in touch with several others.  We had concluded that reunion on Sunday, September 9.  Many had headed for home.  My husband, Chris, and I were staying in Alexandria and had planned to go into Washington D.C. and do some sight seeing with our friends Nancy Lukehart and Charlie Pavey.  We managed to take in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on Monday the 10th.  On Tuesday the 11th we hoped on the train to head in to DC.  Suddenly someone said to somebody on their phone, "I can't believe they bombed the Pentagon."  We looked in that direction and saw the black smoke.  We looked at each other and said, "Today is not a good day to go into the city."  We got off at the next stop and headed back to Alexandria.  

Enjoying a meal with Nancy and Charlie

To make a long story short we were trapped in Alexandria until Saturday before we could get a flight back to Seattle on the day of my cousin Heather's wedding at Ft. Lewis.  We arrived just in time for the wedding.  Chris and our daughter Heather took the pictures. 

Heather and her dad

I found out later that I have two cousins where were born on September 11.  I will never forget their birthdays again.

Laurie has a September 11 birthday

Diana has a September 11 birthday

James 4:13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

SOUND WORDS

Samantha's baptism

My grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins on the day of my cousin Bob's baptism.

Believers baptism--  Grace, Mary, Wayne

I was baptized as an infant at St. Paul's Methodist church in Spokane.  I remember claiming John 3:16 as a young child and knowing that I believed.  Then at 15, after attending Confirmation Class at Calvary Presbyterian church in Alexandria, VA., and attending church camp, God began convicting me of my sin. I wrote down the sins I was struggling with.  I  put 2 sheets of what I had written behind the mirror over my dresser in my room. They caught in the paper backing and stayed there all through my parent's moves.  When my dad passed away 45 years later I took the mirror to hang in my home.  The backing tore and the 2 sheets of paper fell out.  I saw what sins I was struggling with then.  They were in line with the sins I struggle with now!

Even with all of this background I was biblically illiterate.  My husband, Chris, challenged me.  He said, "You don't know why you believe what you believe." I asked the Lord to make me love studying the Bible.  He did!  Now, after 40 years of studying the Bible I can defend my faith.  I know "why I believe what I believe."  

The "Sound Words" or the "Good News" is much easier to explain to others now.  I am no longer a sheeple--"People who are meekly submissive or easily swayed.  People who unquestioningly accept as true whatever their political leaders say or who adopt popular opinion as their own without scrutiny."  I check to see how different issues line up with the Word of God.  I read and memorize God's Word so that I can discern good and evil. I pray that every Christian will study the Bible and use the Gospel as a plumb line.

WHEN WEARING A PPE MASK YOU ....

My 2020 birthday party

When wearing a PPE mask you...
Can't sip a refreshing drink...

Can't eat anything...

Can't blow your nose...
Can't see my smile...
Can't do vigorous exercise and still breath deeply...
Can't smell my bad breath...

Can't  smell the bad smell in a porta potty...

You can color coordinate with your wardrobe...

What do you do and not do while wearing a mask?

THE IRISH BLESSING

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