Vacationing

I am on vacation... I will see you on July 26th when I get back...

love you all....

The Saint That Fell Into Grace

The Saint that fell into Grace….

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.” (Matthew 7:5)

Did you hear about…? Or so and so…. Or I hear that another Pastor lost his…

It’s becoming such a common theme we do not even cringe. We are becoming desensitized. Or is it we are thankful that it is someone other than ourselves?

Oh, not because we are innocent although we might some times forget what our own “fleshy desires” might be.

Recently, a dear friend of ours fell and fell hard. His own flesh took its toll. He took a path of a non-fruit bearing life and yes, with his Jesus by his side (See, Jesus never leaves us). Our friend lived in the lie for many years which led him into a life of self-loathing. Eventually, our friend tried to take his own life. But God was not ready for him. He is alive but not without much pain to him and his family. And there are always consequences of our choices. He may now be on dialysis for the remainder of his life.

I learned that another friend that I have always looked up to is not perfect. Imagine that?! Do you think the song, “Don’t look at me, look at Him” brings tremendous merit here?

I am always on my husband about his own flaws or one in particular. In hit me and hit me hard this week that it is not my place to worry about that any longer. Matt 7:5 slapped me so hard, I truly felt dizzy. For my husband has his own journey with Jesus and who am I to interfere? I thought what about my own weaknesses, my own problems that keep me apart from perfection?

Oh, flawlessness, that is right, we are not the perfection that God speaks of when He thought of Someone as the perfect Lamb that gave His life! Otherwise, what did we need Jesus for! And as in Galatians 2:21, God reminds us that Christ did not die in vain.

But I still wonder, so many people, Godly people are falling into the fleshly desires. Despair. Pain. Disease. Disappointment.

I have my own weaknesses that keep me on my knees, weak and praying. It keeps me forever giving grace to my friends and family as I am aware of my own limitations. The plank in my eyes help blind me to the pride I think I once carried(s) and helps me to reflect on an inner love that can only come from God. Spiritual blindness! Not an accident but part of God's plan.

It is almost as if to say, in some daily reminder, we are nothing apart from HIM.

Daily we fall into grace. Daily we are reminded that we cannot live without HIM.

And as the battles rages… and it will--Satan wants us to give up… He wants us to throw in the towel and feel helpless, crying out, “Why bother, dear brother!”

On the other side, God is standing in, not surprised, not anxious but calmly waiting… He already knows where this is going….

You and me, all of US--Into the arms of our precious Savior…

As we--Fall into Grace, His Grace…

And when we stand before our Lord, we will know… we will worship… we will praise… HIM

He will only see us through the love of His Son and the forgiveness of the CROSS.

Grandbaby #2

It's official....

we are going to be grandparents AGAIN....In January...

Here is jack jack.. (Jackson).. our first grandson....

and our oldest daughter Whitney...now with Baby #2 on the way....

They are so special... Jackson--the first thing he does when he gets here is go water a plant on our stone wall.... and then he and the cat fight over the scratch post... smile

The Peacemaker

Fairly simple, hey?

The God of Love? 1 John 4

But what happens when I don't get that and it doesn't flow over to my friends or even family.

Someone has misjudged me. They have hurt me. I don't feel loved by anyone. Life just isn't fair, is it?

I want justice immediately. I want to be vindicated. AFTER ALL, it is MY RIGHT!

We have rights, right?

What? Jesus didn't? oh yea, He surrendered all.

OK, I can see where this is going.

But God, I'm really hurt, I was innocent and they need to apologize to me.

Yes, I know Your Son was innocent too.

From The Father's Heart:

Charles Sagle

LET ME VINDICATE

Luke 6:27-30

Pressured Peacemaker,

Let Me vindicate you. Allow Me to be the Lord you have confessed Me to be. Stop worrying about your brother's opinion and go on doing what I have called you to do.

You have sought to gain the understanding of one who has much to learn before any of your words can even begin to make sense to his mind. You have tried to win his heart. Well done. You have tried--earnestly tried-- and I have seen it and I AM pleased. Now will you leave the results to Me?

Cease all self-castigation's, all self-justifications and all your rationalizations now. Henceforth, I will do the correcting, the defending and the explaining. And you? You will be happy again. And I do think it's time you were....

Truly!

Dad...

Happy 4th of July

Happy 4th of July

May God Bless you all....

and all the men and women fighting for our freedom...