Sorry for the delay in getting my Sharing God's Love out but the surgery affected my vision and there are days that I cannot see very well and can hardly even check e-mail. So "Sharing" is a more than one day project anymore. Please be patient. I still have some facial deformities (drooping) but can have visitors if you would like to come by.......................................................
This week, I have been somewhat amused and yet quite pleased with Debbie's http://anything-but-typical.blogspot.com . I remember thinking when she was younger that I would not know what kind of mother I was until the finished product became an adult and now I know that my finished product (Debbie) has turned out just as I wished. I don't think I would change anything about her. (When I get older and she has to decide about which nursing home to put me in I may change my mind and that day may be getting sooner than I wish to think.)
Debbie now attends an Episcopal church. She is Christian through and through. Her doctrine is Baptist even though she enjoys the formality of the service of the Episcopal church and the friends she has made there. Personally, I like her pastor; he is a Christian, is VERY mission minded, and Her friends also are nice but I am not ready to leave my Baptist heritage and would not drink real wine for any reason I can think of. I also like a more informal church service so for the time being I will stay where I am.
You really have to read Debbie's blog entry entitled "An unrepentant Lent" to understand where I am going with this but it has to do with HONESTY.
Every parent wants their child to tell them the truth.I expected Debbie to be truthful with me as she was growing up. I was less apt to punish her if she told me the truth about something but if she lied to me she was going to be punished until I felt I could trust her again. (Punished did not always mean getting spanked.) Debbie learned early on that it was better just to tell Mama the truth and for that reason, we had very few big arguments. Debbie had to confess in her blogspot that she had not kept what she had said she would do during Lent for her to have peace in her heart. It would have been better if she had just given up spinach. She could not pretend something to appear religious. She had to be honest to herself and I think God has been smiling about the whole thing. He will really be smiling when she gets the CD her daddy ordered for her: John Starnes, "Let the Hallelujah's Roll". (Debbie actually played Keyboard for John Starnes when he came to the church they attended in Raleigh, NC.)
It is also absolutely true that God gives women a special sense that lets them know when someone is trying to pull something over on them whether it be a child, husband, family member or friend. The closer you are to someone the harder it is to be dishonest to them and if you believe the one who has been dishonest, the dishonesty will put a hole in the wall of trust between you.
The closer one is to God, He will also give one a special feeling or sense about whether or not someone is trustworthy and it pays to pay attention to that Inner Voice. The Holy Spirit will keep us from being in a lot of trouble or hurt that we do not have to suffer.
Debbie has been trying to teach this to our Rachel and David. I hope our grandchildren learn about honesty as well as their mother has. Our dear son-in-law is one of the most trustworthy people I know.
Jesus came for the whole world. He loved the whole world. He treated everyone, every color, creed, nation - the whole world - the same. He loved and died for the world. He spoke honestly. He showed no favorites. John was called the disciple whom Jesus loved probably because he was so young but nowhere do we read that Jesus loved one of the disciples more than another. He taught all of His disciples the same. They were all taught to go into all the world to teach the things that He had taught them, baptizing in the name of the Father, Son and Spirit.That is what we need to be doing as best we can. We need to be honestly and truthfully,
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Sunday, February 4, 2007
e-mail 1/30/07
For some reason this morning I am up early, thinking about Cindy and have already been praying for God to give her he peace she needs for the surgery she is having today. I love my pastor's wife and I do pray that her doctor will insist that she take some time off and take care of herself. Lifting those heavy mail packages and riding in that cold mail truck for 8 hours is not going to be in her best interest so I ask you to intercede with me on behalf for Cindy. She is the best pastor's wife I have had in quite a while. She is a great help-meet for Bro Gregg. God has a great sense of humor, he gave Bro.Gregg someone like Bob (calm and smart,)for his helpmate and he gave Bro.Gregg someone with with some of my character traits (not finished yet and taking a little longer in the oven). We are so blessed with their friendship.
Someone who travels with the Gaither Vocal Band is a lady with a deep vocal voice named Lynda Randle. The first time I heard her sing this song, I wept through the whole thing because she reminded me of so many things in my past. I have spent so many days on the mountaintops and wanted to stay there and I have also had those days in the valleys. I wanted to stay on those mountain top experiences and stay.
Bro Gregg described his absolutely favorite idea of a vacation of cabin in the mountains, snow outside, warm inside and snow. I thought to myself, somebody had better be outside chopping wood and finding someway to get me out because I am going to get claustrophobic being shut up inside a cabin with nothing to do. Then I thought of my own favorite vacation and I have had several of these and I already know that none of you would find this appealing but to me it was like going to Heaven itself. Bob and I have spent several of our summer vacations going to Ridgecrest North Carolina to Sunday School Conferences or to WMU Conferences and either camped or stayed at a Motel in the area and we would get up early and go down to the conference center to sit in conferences where we could learn what worship is, learn how to have a better quiet time with God, how to pray for missionaries, how to lead our Sunday School classes to grow, how to minister more effectively to those in our classes and we would attend morning worship for 1 1/2 hours, go to lunch, then come back for another conference or two or we could take the afternoon off and see some sites like the Billy Graham Cove and then back for an evening of Worship that lasted for a couple of hours.
Our afternoons that we were free we could wade in the water at the Prayer Garden or we could climb the mountain that seemed to reach all the way to Heaven and I never made it to the top. He was like atrip to Heaven to us - the perfect Vacation spot. No Mickey Mouse frills or expensive rides making us fill like our brains had been scrambled but our hearts and souls came home refreshed from our dream vacations. I remember my pastor Bro Vernon Clifton telling me after one trip up there, "Peggy, You've been on the Mountain Top but now you have to come back down into the valley with the rest of us." I admit that I am a junkie when it comes to those things, those meetings, and those studies that lift my heart and soul to the heavenlies.
Lynda Randle's song sings about being on the mountain and having peace of mind. I think this is something we all want because Life is easy while we are up there. We are so filled with God's Spirit, we think we can find that special spot and just fly away to Heaven.
But then reality sets in and we are back in the valley and that four letter word FEAR slips into our lives and all of us struggle not to have it because we don't want to lose our faith. We know in our hearts that God is not going to leave us but we still wear flesh and we are not perfect.
We must constantly remind ourselves that God is on the Mountains but He is also in the valleys with us. He never promised that He would just stay with us just as we go through the good times but also through those times that are tough. So we hold on to our faith with all we can while fear snips at our heels.
My dad died 14 years ago this week and I remember walking down his halls and telling God" Lord, this is one of the darkest days I have ever gone through, but I will never stop believing in you."
Don't lose faith by Lynda Randle
Life is easy when you're up on the mountain,
When you've got peace of mind
Like you've never known
But when things change
And you're down in the valley
Don't lose faith
For you'e never alone
And the God on the mountain
Is still God in the valley
When things go wrong
He'll make them right
And the God of the good times is
Still God of the bad times
The God of the day is still
God of the night
We talk of day when we're up on the mountain,
But talk comes so easily when life's at it's best
But in the valley of trials and temptations
That's when the faith is really put to the test.
Remember no matter what you go through today, find a way somehow to show and share God's love,
Peggy
Someone who travels with the Gaither Vocal Band is a lady with a deep vocal voice named Lynda Randle. The first time I heard her sing this song, I wept through the whole thing because she reminded me of so many things in my past. I have spent so many days on the mountaintops and wanted to stay there and I have also had those days in the valleys. I wanted to stay on those mountain top experiences and stay.
Bro Gregg described his absolutely favorite idea of a vacation of cabin in the mountains, snow outside, warm inside and snow. I thought to myself, somebody had better be outside chopping wood and finding someway to get me out because I am going to get claustrophobic being shut up inside a cabin with nothing to do. Then I thought of my own favorite vacation and I have had several of these and I already know that none of you would find this appealing but to me it was like going to Heaven itself. Bob and I have spent several of our summer vacations going to Ridgecrest North Carolina to Sunday School Conferences or to WMU Conferences and either camped or stayed at a Motel in the area and we would get up early and go down to the conference center to sit in conferences where we could learn what worship is, learn how to have a better quiet time with God, how to pray for missionaries, how to lead our Sunday School classes to grow, how to minister more effectively to those in our classes and we would attend morning worship for 1 1/2 hours, go to lunch, then come back for another conference or two or we could take the afternoon off and see some sites like the Billy Graham Cove and then back for an evening of Worship that lasted for a couple of hours.
Our afternoons that we were free we could wade in the water at the Prayer Garden or we could climb the mountain that seemed to reach all the way to Heaven and I never made it to the top. He was like atrip to Heaven to us - the perfect Vacation spot. No Mickey Mouse frills or expensive rides making us fill like our brains had been scrambled but our hearts and souls came home refreshed from our dream vacations. I remember my pastor Bro Vernon Clifton telling me after one trip up there, "Peggy, You've been on the Mountain Top but now you have to come back down into the valley with the rest of us." I admit that I am a junkie when it comes to those things, those meetings, and those studies that lift my heart and soul to the heavenlies.
Lynda Randle's song sings about being on the mountain and having peace of mind. I think this is something we all want because Life is easy while we are up there. We are so filled with God's Spirit, we think we can find that special spot and just fly away to Heaven.
But then reality sets in and we are back in the valley and that four letter word FEAR slips into our lives and all of us struggle not to have it because we don't want to lose our faith. We know in our hearts that God is not going to leave us but we still wear flesh and we are not perfect.
We must constantly remind ourselves that God is on the Mountains but He is also in the valleys with us. He never promised that He would just stay with us just as we go through the good times but also through those times that are tough. So we hold on to our faith with all we can while fear snips at our heels.
My dad died 14 years ago this week and I remember walking down his halls and telling God" Lord, this is one of the darkest days I have ever gone through, but I will never stop believing in you."
Don't lose faith by Lynda Randle
Life is easy when you're up on the mountain,
When you've got peace of mind
Like you've never known
But when things change
And you're down in the valley
Don't lose faith
For you'e never alone
And the God on the mountain
Is still God in the valley
When things go wrong
He'll make them right
And the God of the good times is
Still God of the bad times
The God of the day is still
God of the night
We talk of day when we're up on the mountain,
But talk comes so easily when life's at it's best
But in the valley of trials and temptations
That's when the faith is really put to the test.
Remember no matter what you go through today, find a way somehow to show and share God's love,
Peggy
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Sound of Music
I cannot say when music became so important to our family since Bob and I can barely turn on the radio and get the right tones to come out right but we have both loved music since the beginning of our time together. The Psalms have always had special meaning to us especially the one that says, "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord.". I think that is what we have done most of our lives. we have tried to make joyful noises unto the Lord.
Bob grew up with an aunt that was quite musical and could play the piano. I grew up with a dad who could play the guitar and sing - of course in those early years the songs were mostly by Hank Williams, Sr about "Your Cheating Heart" and "Moaning the Blues" but in this little girls heart he was just as good as Hank. Later, he got a guitar and taught himself to play. I was in the hight school band and found that from some secret source I had a natural ear for music and learned to play flute. My parents bought a piano and I could pick out anything with my right hand but my left hand spoke a different language.
Eventually, as God intended, our home was blessed with true joyful sounds when Debbie was four years old. She began playing the piano for real. She took lessons and became the protege' for her teacher and completed her first book in only 6 weeks. At 5 she received her first standing ovation at her first recital and she was playing from the Baptist Hymnal (still her favorite Hymn Book) Saturday nights at our house was filled with such joy because of the sounds of Heaven as she sang with her dad with her perfect soprano voice from the old Blackwood Brothers songbooks. They would sing one song after another and it was Heaven come down and full of glory. It was Saturday night at the Hughes' house and nobody complained.
When Deb was 12, she was the pianist at Friendship Baptist and on a Sunday evening, she was playing from the hymnal when Wendy Mann called out "Victory in Jesus". We all held our breath because we had not heard her play this one before. It wasn't even in the book at that time. Deb told him that it wasn't there and his response was "just fake it" (what faith he had) and fake it she did. She played her heart out as though there wasn't enough keys on the piano to handle it all. God had given her what she needed because he had given her the talent and expected that it be used for Him. She's never looked back or said I can't play something.
Too often we fail to take what God has given to us and use it for His glory. He gives us so much and we think it is all for us to use for ourselves to make us happy but that is a somewhat selfish view of God and His will for our lives. He has a plan and will for our lives. Each of us should think about ourselves and consider where it is that God would have us serve Him and join Him in where ever Her is working using the gifts He has given to us. Your gift may not be the same as mine and I am certain that mine is not the same as yours. If mine were playing the piano, my left hand would speak the left-hand piano language (I took lessons for 6 months just for my left hand).
The one gift that each of us has that is the same for all is
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
Bob grew up with an aunt that was quite musical and could play the piano. I grew up with a dad who could play the guitar and sing - of course in those early years the songs were mostly by Hank Williams, Sr about "Your Cheating Heart" and "Moaning the Blues" but in this little girls heart he was just as good as Hank. Later, he got a guitar and taught himself to play. I was in the hight school band and found that from some secret source I had a natural ear for music and learned to play flute. My parents bought a piano and I could pick out anything with my right hand but my left hand spoke a different language.
Eventually, as God intended, our home was blessed with true joyful sounds when Debbie was four years old. She began playing the piano for real. She took lessons and became the protege' for her teacher and completed her first book in only 6 weeks. At 5 she received her first standing ovation at her first recital and she was playing from the Baptist Hymnal (still her favorite Hymn Book) Saturday nights at our house was filled with such joy because of the sounds of Heaven as she sang with her dad with her perfect soprano voice from the old Blackwood Brothers songbooks. They would sing one song after another and it was Heaven come down and full of glory. It was Saturday night at the Hughes' house and nobody complained.
When Deb was 12, she was the pianist at Friendship Baptist and on a Sunday evening, she was playing from the hymnal when Wendy Mann called out "Victory in Jesus". We all held our breath because we had not heard her play this one before. It wasn't even in the book at that time. Deb told him that it wasn't there and his response was "just fake it" (what faith he had) and fake it she did. She played her heart out as though there wasn't enough keys on the piano to handle it all. God had given her what she needed because he had given her the talent and expected that it be used for Him. She's never looked back or said I can't play something.
Too often we fail to take what God has given to us and use it for His glory. He gives us so much and we think it is all for us to use for ourselves to make us happy but that is a somewhat selfish view of God and His will for our lives. He has a plan and will for our lives. Each of us should think about ourselves and consider where it is that God would have us serve Him and join Him in where ever Her is working using the gifts He has given to us. Your gift may not be the same as mine and I am certain that mine is not the same as yours. If mine were playing the piano, my left hand would speak the left-hand piano language (I took lessons for 6 months just for my left hand).
The one gift that each of us has that is the same for all is
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
Monday, January 22, 2007
Loving God and each other
A popular song that is sung by the Gaither Vocal Band is called "Loving God and Loving Each Other". I suppose that if Bob and I had a title for the 44 years that we have been married (January 20), it would be that we have loved God and each other and in that order. It is the secret to a long and happy marriage.
I remember well one Sunday when as a young bride that Bob was asked to supply for a country church. After the service, I told Bob that I was pleased with his message and his reply to me was, "I am glad you liked it but more important was whether or not God was pleased with it." His comment stung a little but I probably would have said the identical thing to him after the Better Speaker's Tournament just before we married when I had won with my Speech "Be Thou Faithful". The point here being that our dating and our marriage were based on loving God first in our relationship. Our dates were mainly going to church instead of to movies or were sitting at home talking and getting acquainted with our families. Our genuine love for God was the cement that made us love each other.
When Bob and I first met, I was walking to church and stopped by my best friend's house. Bob and his best friend was there and my best friend (Jill) and Bob's best friend were getting married and Jill's mother was making homemade do-nuts. I already walked about 6 blocks and only had one block to go but Mrs.. Yaun insisted that Bob drive me to church. A couple of years ago Mrs. Yaun went home to be with the Lord but she was a great lady.
People have asked us "how have you made it work?" That is probably the easiest of answers. "Love God first, then love each other. Each of you give 100% of yourself in love and devotion at all time to the other, thinking of the other first in all times, and your marriage is guaranteed to work. If a decision needs to be made, the husband should seek God's answer and it will always coincide with Scripture...not with wants...God will give a decision based on His will and what is best for the family.
His way will always be best for all. Too often we are not people willing to do that. We like to have our own way. Debbie had a kid's song on an album about Princess Prunella when she was a toddler that said "I want what I want and I want it now" and unfortunately that is why so many marriages fail today. We never grew up. We sometimes forget about what is best for our mate or our families because we want what we want and we want it now.
We forget that the most important thing there is is Loving God - loving Him with all our heart, mind and soul. We must never be jealous because our mates love God before us because God tells our husbands to love us as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for us. There is no greater love. What woman could not love the husband back who is so attentive and loving back to someone who loves her that much. I love the relationship I have with my husband. I love the kids who laugh at two old people still holding hand - not holding each other up - but out of genuine caring. I love my husband opening the car door for me. I love him kissing me every time he leaves the house. I love him calling me just to check on me to find out how I am feeling and asking if I need anything from the store. I love him turning down the bed at night and helping me with things around the house even when I feel like doing it myself. I love that he knows how to start the dishwasher. I love our quiet time every evening and reading a portion of Scripture and talking about it because he is a wise man who can be trusted with wise council. I love that he is my best friend and seldom loses his temper because he treats me with the same gentleness and tenderness that Christ treats the church.
I do not know why I was chosen to be Bob Hughes wife....but it has been my blessing. Because of Loving God first and loving each other, God blessed us with a beautiful child who has a family who is practicing the same principles, Loving God and Loving each other. They are teaching these to our grandchildren.
What would the world be like if Loving God and Loving each other became the theme for the nation beginning in our homes and our church? Until the word gets around, the best I can do is to continue to
Share God's Love,
Peggy
I remember well one Sunday when as a young bride that Bob was asked to supply for a country church. After the service, I told Bob that I was pleased with his message and his reply to me was, "I am glad you liked it but more important was whether or not God was pleased with it." His comment stung a little but I probably would have said the identical thing to him after the Better Speaker's Tournament just before we married when I had won with my Speech "Be Thou Faithful". The point here being that our dating and our marriage were based on loving God first in our relationship. Our dates were mainly going to church instead of to movies or were sitting at home talking and getting acquainted with our families. Our genuine love for God was the cement that made us love each other.
When Bob and I first met, I was walking to church and stopped by my best friend's house. Bob and his best friend was there and my best friend (Jill) and Bob's best friend were getting married and Jill's mother was making homemade do-nuts. I already walked about 6 blocks and only had one block to go but Mrs.. Yaun insisted that Bob drive me to church. A couple of years ago Mrs. Yaun went home to be with the Lord but she was a great lady.
People have asked us "how have you made it work?" That is probably the easiest of answers. "Love God first, then love each other. Each of you give 100% of yourself in love and devotion at all time to the other, thinking of the other first in all times, and your marriage is guaranteed to work. If a decision needs to be made, the husband should seek God's answer and it will always coincide with Scripture...not with wants...God will give a decision based on His will and what is best for the family.
His way will always be best for all. Too often we are not people willing to do that. We like to have our own way. Debbie had a kid's song on an album about Princess Prunella when she was a toddler that said "I want what I want and I want it now" and unfortunately that is why so many marriages fail today. We never grew up. We sometimes forget about what is best for our mate or our families because we want what we want and we want it now.
We forget that the most important thing there is is Loving God - loving Him with all our heart, mind and soul. We must never be jealous because our mates love God before us because God tells our husbands to love us as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for us. There is no greater love. What woman could not love the husband back who is so attentive and loving back to someone who loves her that much. I love the relationship I have with my husband. I love the kids who laugh at two old people still holding hand - not holding each other up - but out of genuine caring. I love my husband opening the car door for me. I love him kissing me every time he leaves the house. I love him calling me just to check on me to find out how I am feeling and asking if I need anything from the store. I love him turning down the bed at night and helping me with things around the house even when I feel like doing it myself. I love that he knows how to start the dishwasher. I love our quiet time every evening and reading a portion of Scripture and talking about it because he is a wise man who can be trusted with wise council. I love that he is my best friend and seldom loses his temper because he treats me with the same gentleness and tenderness that Christ treats the church.
I do not know why I was chosen to be Bob Hughes wife....but it has been my blessing. Because of Loving God first and loving each other, God blessed us with a beautiful child who has a family who is practicing the same principles, Loving God and Loving each other. They are teaching these to our grandchildren.
What would the world be like if Loving God and Loving each other became the theme for the nation beginning in our homes and our church? Until the word gets around, the best I can do is to continue to
Share God's Love,
Peggy
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
e-mail 1/14/7
This morning a very special friend came to me and encouraged me not to stop writing my Sharing devotional. She will never know how much I appreciate the encouragement even though I never had any intention of ever stopping completely from writing the "Sharing God's Love" Devotion. This has been initiated by God from the beginning and I knew it. But just the kindness was appreciated.
However, sometimes life is overwhelming. We try to do the right things. We try to say the right things and yet there is always somebody standing around with a pin to burst our bubble and walk away without caring that they may have really hurt us badly. Sometimes, I wish I could just go back to those days when I could tell my little brother and he would take care of the situation because he was the one with a temper. He would punch somebody in the nose just because he liked it especially if somebody hurt his sister and I was about the same way with him only I did not enjoy it as much as he did. Now as adults we both are just big kitty cats who let people say whatever and we take it. We avoid conflict at all costs if people will let us.
Sometimes we try to do the right thing because we believe it is the right thing to do when it is not the thing that God wants us to do. Last week I actually began to wonder if "Sharing God's Love" was something God wanted me to do or something I wanted to do. I needed confirmation from God. I had to pray about it. As I prayed, people saw me at church and began telling me how they had used it to minister to other people in their families who were not Christians and they lived in other places. Others e-mailed me from out of state that I was saying what their churches needed to hear, others just said "Don't stop, keep up the good word."
Regardless of what some might choose to believe, my taking some time to pray has not been about "Quitting". It is about getting priorities straight. It is about being on track with Jesus and my Heavenly Father and staying there. Sometimes I would like to stop the world and just get off. But God has put me here for His purpose and as long as He gives me breath I will do what He tells me to do as long as He wants me to and when I quit, it will be because He has given me something else to do. He does not put us in one place for one job for all this life. That would make this lifetime too easy. Instead on this road we travel there are many side-roads, turns, detours and interstates. And all maps are not the same.
Right now, TODAY, my purpose is to work in missions by engaging in mission action, praying for missions, teaching Biblically based missions and always doing this while I am.....
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
Thanks "J". I needed our chat.
However, sometimes life is overwhelming. We try to do the right things. We try to say the right things and yet there is always somebody standing around with a pin to burst our bubble and walk away without caring that they may have really hurt us badly. Sometimes, I wish I could just go back to those days when I could tell my little brother and he would take care of the situation because he was the one with a temper. He would punch somebody in the nose just because he liked it especially if somebody hurt his sister and I was about the same way with him only I did not enjoy it as much as he did. Now as adults we both are just big kitty cats who let people say whatever and we take it. We avoid conflict at all costs if people will let us.
Sometimes we try to do the right thing because we believe it is the right thing to do when it is not the thing that God wants us to do. Last week I actually began to wonder if "Sharing God's Love" was something God wanted me to do or something I wanted to do. I needed confirmation from God. I had to pray about it. As I prayed, people saw me at church and began telling me how they had used it to minister to other people in their families who were not Christians and they lived in other places. Others e-mailed me from out of state that I was saying what their churches needed to hear, others just said "Don't stop, keep up the good word."
Regardless of what some might choose to believe, my taking some time to pray has not been about "Quitting". It is about getting priorities straight. It is about being on track with Jesus and my Heavenly Father and staying there. Sometimes I would like to stop the world and just get off. But God has put me here for His purpose and as long as He gives me breath I will do what He tells me to do as long as He wants me to and when I quit, it will be because He has given me something else to do. He does not put us in one place for one job for all this life. That would make this lifetime too easy. Instead on this road we travel there are many side-roads, turns, detours and interstates. And all maps are not the same.
Right now, TODAY, my purpose is to work in missions by engaging in mission action, praying for missions, teaching Biblically based missions and always doing this while I am.....
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
Thanks "J". I needed our chat.
e-mail 1/10/7
Someone very special came to me yesterday at lunch and said that she really appreciated our devotion and wished that I could send it out everyday. I tried to explain to her that I wished I could too but I had said when I first started writing that I would only write when God gave me something that He wanted me to say. The devotion does not go to any one church or denomination, it goes to at least 8 different states across our country and even outside our country that I am aware. Now it is on a blog that I did not set up and I have no idea how many people will be reading it. I have been asked for back issues and those will be available on the blog as they are added in. When I sit to write, I have no concept of what it is that I am going to write, what I will put down or the direction it will take in the end. I will be as surprised at the conclusion of this one as you will be.
I have been up early this morning thinking about the lesson that was to be taught at Toni's today about Creation and why we are here? The tune we sing about "Oh how He loves you, Oh how He loves me, Oh how He loves you and me." seems to play through and through my head. I am not yet sure what this is about but am sure that before this devotion is over, I will know so I am trying to get whatever God is giving down before He takes it away.
I only sleep about 4 hours each night so I am usually up early with a lot of things going through my head as I read my Bible, sit and pray to begin my day. This morning as I sat in my chair, snuggled under my blanket, I had about 2 minutes of sharp pain in my heart. When I tell my cardiologist, she says my heart is being stressed, when I tell my family doctor, he says it is arthritis, so I just don't panic about it anymore. When the pain last longer than two minutes, I go to the hospital. If I don't make it, my family knows where I will be. Bro Gregg's part would be the hardest as he will have to struggle to find a few pleasant words to say over a closed casket and act like he likes me and sing "I Can Only Imagine". JUST KIDDING!
I was so busy yesterday that I forgot to take my morning meds and realized it last night. The cardiologist had doubled the heart meds last week for morning and night and the diastolic was in the red zone so I probably need to put up a sign to remind me to actually take the meds when the alarm goes off instead of turning it off and going about my business until I have time and think about it later.
But back to the point. All of us do us do stupid and foolish things like I did with my meds, even when we belong to Jesus. He still loves us. In His prayer to the Father, He prayed, "Father, I have not lost even one of those You gave me". The problems we face in the church and the world today is distinguishing those who have really immersed themselves in Jesus and given 100% of themselves to Him. It is so easy to have good intentions and want to do the right thing but that is not enough. I had the best intentions in the world when Beanie Babies were so popular and gaining in value that I was going to help send my grandchildren to college; so I began collecting. I now have in sealed boxes more than 350 of those little fuzzy toys that cost from 5.00 - 100.00 each and now can be found on E-bay for .99. My intentions were good but right now they are pretty worthless. I can't get David through one class in his Freshman year with Beanie Babies. I can't even buy his books. But I had good intentions. My heart was in the right place and I won't even tell you how far Bob has driven while we were on a search for some I did not have.
"O how he loves me."It is so easy to mouth the words, "Yes I love Him", "Yes, I want to be baptized", Yes,, I want to join the church", Yes, I want to know Him like you do." But total obedience is REQUIRED. Friends and those I love so dearly, it is not an option.
"Oh how He loves you and me." He wants what is best for us and that comes only through commitment and obedience. He wants our bodies, hearts, minds and souls to be submerged in His blood. How does this happen? Through the Holy Spirit coming alive in our being and our not pushing Him aside for personal reasons or pleasure.
Many years go, I taught a group of Girls in Action at another church and on a particular Sunday night a young girl about 12 years old stayed after class and said to me, "Mrs Peggy, I wish I could know Jesus like you do. I said, "You can. You need to love Him with all your heart, you need to trust Him and be obedient to the things that He teaches in His Bible. I will help you to learn." I will never forget. She said, "I can't, it won't work at my house" I talked a little more and she would not make a decision based on her home life. She continued coming to church sporatically and as she became a teenager and experiencing the world, maybe 10 years later she came back to church one night and I asked her to stay after class, (I was teaching young and middle adults) and I asked her if she ever made that decision to follow Christ)and she said no. I reminded her that she was an adult now, she had a child that needed to be raised as a Christian in a better home environment than she had been. She at first said no, then said "OK, if you will walk down front with me, I will do it." I believed that she meant it - I believed because it was what I wanted for her - because "Oh how He loves you and me". I prayed with her in the classroom, at the altar, and the pastor prayed with her. She told the church that she confessed Christ to me in the Discipleship class, she asked for church for membership based following her baptism. She then walked out the door of the church that night and straight back into prostitution and drugs. I don't think she even went home. She went directly to a local bar according to acquaintances.
Occasionally I see her and ask, "Why? Your life could be so different. I would have helped you to understood. You could have gotten an education, you would not have to be on welfare. You would not have the HIV virus." Her response is always, "I love you, Mrs. Peggy and I always knew you loved me but I just could not make that decision."
"Oh how He loves you and me" Do I try too hard? Probably! Do I get too zealous in my attempts to get people to be saved and know the fullness of grace that is available because of what My Lord did on Calvary? I plead guilty! Am I sorry? No! Do I think that people are too callous about church and following the teachings of Jesus and not taking Him serious enough? Yes.
We talk a lot about Discipleship and I do this a lot. I say we need more discipleship then I need to remind myself what discipleship is. I have been in the church so long that I think that people ought to know our "churchy" words. Discipleship simply means to be a student of somebody. In the church, we mean a student of Jesus. Jesus said in His own red words: "Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." I keep looking and have not found yet where it says we get to pick and choose which part of whatsoever I have commanded, and if you know where that part it, please send it to me. Jesus taught: Prayer, Missions, Evangelism and Obedience to whatever the Father asked Him to do.
Hint: The Father never released us from the Ten Commandments. Jesus words, "I came to fulfill the law, not to destroy them".
"Oh how he loves you and me" When Isaiah heard the words "Who will go for us? I believe he did not waste any time in lifting his arms and saying "Here am I Lord, Send me." What love and commitment for his Lord. My prayer is, "If I can't go Father, take me."
You see, for me, it can't be an option, it is a privilege, it's not a duty it is a way of......
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
I have been up early this morning thinking about the lesson that was to be taught at Toni's today about Creation and why we are here? The tune we sing about "Oh how He loves you, Oh how He loves me, Oh how He loves you and me." seems to play through and through my head. I am not yet sure what this is about but am sure that before this devotion is over, I will know so I am trying to get whatever God is giving down before He takes it away.
I only sleep about 4 hours each night so I am usually up early with a lot of things going through my head as I read my Bible, sit and pray to begin my day. This morning as I sat in my chair, snuggled under my blanket, I had about 2 minutes of sharp pain in my heart. When I tell my cardiologist, she says my heart is being stressed, when I tell my family doctor, he says it is arthritis, so I just don't panic about it anymore. When the pain last longer than two minutes, I go to the hospital. If I don't make it, my family knows where I will be. Bro Gregg's part would be the hardest as he will have to struggle to find a few pleasant words to say over a closed casket and act like he likes me and sing "I Can Only Imagine". JUST KIDDING!
I was so busy yesterday that I forgot to take my morning meds and realized it last night. The cardiologist had doubled the heart meds last week for morning and night and the diastolic was in the red zone so I probably need to put up a sign to remind me to actually take the meds when the alarm goes off instead of turning it off and going about my business until I have time and think about it later.
But back to the point. All of us do us do stupid and foolish things like I did with my meds, even when we belong to Jesus. He still loves us. In His prayer to the Father, He prayed, "Father, I have not lost even one of those You gave me". The problems we face in the church and the world today is distinguishing those who have really immersed themselves in Jesus and given 100% of themselves to Him. It is so easy to have good intentions and want to do the right thing but that is not enough. I had the best intentions in the world when Beanie Babies were so popular and gaining in value that I was going to help send my grandchildren to college; so I began collecting. I now have in sealed boxes more than 350 of those little fuzzy toys that cost from 5.00 - 100.00 each and now can be found on E-bay for .99. My intentions were good but right now they are pretty worthless. I can't get David through one class in his Freshman year with Beanie Babies. I can't even buy his books. But I had good intentions. My heart was in the right place and I won't even tell you how far Bob has driven while we were on a search for some I did not have.
"O how he loves me."It is so easy to mouth the words, "Yes I love Him", "Yes, I want to be baptized", Yes,, I want to join the church", Yes, I want to know Him like you do." But total obedience is REQUIRED. Friends and those I love so dearly, it is not an option.
"Oh how He loves you and me." He wants what is best for us and that comes only through commitment and obedience. He wants our bodies, hearts, minds and souls to be submerged in His blood. How does this happen? Through the Holy Spirit coming alive in our being and our not pushing Him aside for personal reasons or pleasure.
Many years go, I taught a group of Girls in Action at another church and on a particular Sunday night a young girl about 12 years old stayed after class and said to me, "Mrs Peggy, I wish I could know Jesus like you do. I said, "You can. You need to love Him with all your heart, you need to trust Him and be obedient to the things that He teaches in His Bible. I will help you to learn." I will never forget. She said, "I can't, it won't work at my house" I talked a little more and she would not make a decision based on her home life. She continued coming to church sporatically and as she became a teenager and experiencing the world, maybe 10 years later she came back to church one night and I asked her to stay after class, (I was teaching young and middle adults) and I asked her if she ever made that decision to follow Christ)and she said no. I reminded her that she was an adult now, she had a child that needed to be raised as a Christian in a better home environment than she had been. She at first said no, then said "OK, if you will walk down front with me, I will do it." I believed that she meant it - I believed because it was what I wanted for her - because "Oh how He loves you and me". I prayed with her in the classroom, at the altar, and the pastor prayed with her. She told the church that she confessed Christ to me in the Discipleship class, she asked for church for membership based following her baptism. She then walked out the door of the church that night and straight back into prostitution and drugs. I don't think she even went home. She went directly to a local bar according to acquaintances.
Occasionally I see her and ask, "Why? Your life could be so different. I would have helped you to understood. You could have gotten an education, you would not have to be on welfare. You would not have the HIV virus." Her response is always, "I love you, Mrs. Peggy and I always knew you loved me but I just could not make that decision."
"Oh how He loves you and me" Do I try too hard? Probably! Do I get too zealous in my attempts to get people to be saved and know the fullness of grace that is available because of what My Lord did on Calvary? I plead guilty! Am I sorry? No! Do I think that people are too callous about church and following the teachings of Jesus and not taking Him serious enough? Yes.
We talk a lot about Discipleship and I do this a lot. I say we need more discipleship then I need to remind myself what discipleship is. I have been in the church so long that I think that people ought to know our "churchy" words. Discipleship simply means to be a student of somebody. In the church, we mean a student of Jesus. Jesus said in His own red words: "Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." I keep looking and have not found yet where it says we get to pick and choose which part of whatsoever I have commanded, and if you know where that part it, please send it to me. Jesus taught: Prayer, Missions, Evangelism and Obedience to whatever the Father asked Him to do.
Hint: The Father never released us from the Ten Commandments. Jesus words, "I came to fulfill the law, not to destroy them".
"Oh how he loves you and me" When Isaiah heard the words "Who will go for us? I believe he did not waste any time in lifting his arms and saying "Here am I Lord, Send me." What love and commitment for his Lord. My prayer is, "If I can't go Father, take me."
You see, for me, it can't be an option, it is a privilege, it's not a duty it is a way of......
Sharing God's Love,
Peggy
e-mail 1/8/7
Recently I have been made even more aware of the importance of my faith in Jesus Christ and what I am willing to do and even what I am not willing to do as an Christian. Some that do not know me will probably think I am a nut or a fanatic. What others choose to think is all right because I choose to be "crazy about my Lord, Jesus Christ. I find that I can sit with anybody and tell them how much Jesus loves them and how they can know Him but when it comes to talking about "Oh how I love Him" the tears come".
When I think about "the Old Rugged Cross" and what it cost for me to have eternal life, my tears well up and the adequate words do not always want to come. How can we not life out hand and hearts when we sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy" if we know the One we sing about? How can we be so flippant when we sing, "What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus?
Many years ago, Bob and I use to attend the Sunday School leadership conferences at Ridgecrest, North Carolina to learn how to be better Sunday School leaders and a better Minister of Education. There was a lady (that I will not name) every year that would sing "Listen to the hammer ring, and praise Jesus". I hated that song with a passion! Instead of feeling like doing any praising, I only wanted to cry during the song because they had someone in the background hitting a hammer on a nail and it echoed through the building and it stills makes me cry to know that my Lord endured that pain for me. He did not deserve that pain He went through. I did! NO! NO! NO! Not HIM! I cannot praise His pain. I am grateful for the love that He endured on the cross for me but to be thankful for his pain, "Oh Father, please forgive us for our carelessness and not understanding and even listening to such". (I did not applaud by the way.)
For many years I have told my Sunday school classes that they needed to be obedient and committed to Jesus - 100% all the way. Saying we love the church for which He did and making feeble or careless excuses for not coming to hear God word does not make us honest in loving the church. Whatever preacher, deacon or other uncommitted person came up with the idea that Sunday evenings were not for worship should have to listen to the tears of Jesus as He looked out over the city of Jerusalem and wept. Why do you think Jesus wept over the city He loved? I have spent a little time thinking about it and it had to be that His heart was breaking because of the sincere love that He had for them and they took His love like trash and trampled it underfoot. What would He think if He were standing outside our door at any moment of our worship time? Suppose even if he were seated on the cross in the baptistry, I wonder how many people in the congregation would even notice or it would make a difference. What would be His reaction and who would care?
I have heard people at a church lately tell me that if they had discipleship training at the church like they have for Sunday School from 6-7PM and a full Worship Service from 7-8PM that they would come but just for a short 6-7PM service was not worth the effort. I can't say for certain that the people would come or not. I think it all comes down to church leadership and church members who loves Jesus 100% with all their heart, soul and mind and is willing to make a real commitment to put Christ first in all they do. We may think we are getting by but I just read recently that God is keeping records and everything we do is being recorded in the Book of Life. 99%'rs may have themselves convinced that they are alright but when that day comes they may hear "sorry, I never knew you." Jesus doesn't care about your church membership or how many classes you teach or how many committees you have served on. He cares about your love and obedience to Him. He cares about your testimony even when you aren't noticing that somebody else is. Remember your neighbors notice when you are not in church on Sunday nights and Wednesday and that is a testimony and it counts. Your words count and your actions count.
None of us are perfect but as we strive for that perfection we find that we will make fewer and fewer excuses for our lack of obedience and our stubbornness for not being faithful to the church for which He died. I am one happy wife who has a husband who will call around and find a church that is having worship services when our home church calls services off for a mortal holiday. He has my utmost love and respect and I know that his heart is always going to be pleasing to the Father by his actions and that will make him most pleasing to meIt is all about knowing God, knowing His will and
Sharing His Love,
Peggy
When I think about "the Old Rugged Cross" and what it cost for me to have eternal life, my tears well up and the adequate words do not always want to come. How can we not life out hand and hearts when we sing, "Holy, Holy, Holy" if we know the One we sing about? How can we be so flippant when we sing, "What can wash away my sins, nothing but the blood of Jesus?
Many years ago, Bob and I use to attend the Sunday School leadership conferences at Ridgecrest, North Carolina to learn how to be better Sunday School leaders and a better Minister of Education. There was a lady (that I will not name) every year that would sing "Listen to the hammer ring, and praise Jesus". I hated that song with a passion! Instead of feeling like doing any praising, I only wanted to cry during the song because they had someone in the background hitting a hammer on a nail and it echoed through the building and it stills makes me cry to know that my Lord endured that pain for me. He did not deserve that pain He went through. I did! NO! NO! NO! Not HIM! I cannot praise His pain. I am grateful for the love that He endured on the cross for me but to be thankful for his pain, "Oh Father, please forgive us for our carelessness and not understanding and even listening to such". (I did not applaud by the way.)
For many years I have told my Sunday school classes that they needed to be obedient and committed to Jesus - 100% all the way. Saying we love the church for which He did and making feeble or careless excuses for not coming to hear God word does not make us honest in loving the church. Whatever preacher, deacon or other uncommitted person came up with the idea that Sunday evenings were not for worship should have to listen to the tears of Jesus as He looked out over the city of Jerusalem and wept. Why do you think Jesus wept over the city He loved? I have spent a little time thinking about it and it had to be that His heart was breaking because of the sincere love that He had for them and they took His love like trash and trampled it underfoot. What would He think if He were standing outside our door at any moment of our worship time? Suppose even if he were seated on the cross in the baptistry, I wonder how many people in the congregation would even notice or it would make a difference. What would be His reaction and who would care?
I have heard people at a church lately tell me that if they had discipleship training at the church like they have for Sunday School from 6-7PM and a full Worship Service from 7-8PM that they would come but just for a short 6-7PM service was not worth the effort. I can't say for certain that the people would come or not. I think it all comes down to church leadership and church members who loves Jesus 100% with all their heart, soul and mind and is willing to make a real commitment to put Christ first in all they do. We may think we are getting by but I just read recently that God is keeping records and everything we do is being recorded in the Book of Life. 99%'rs may have themselves convinced that they are alright but when that day comes they may hear "sorry, I never knew you." Jesus doesn't care about your church membership or how many classes you teach or how many committees you have served on. He cares about your love and obedience to Him. He cares about your testimony even when you aren't noticing that somebody else is. Remember your neighbors notice when you are not in church on Sunday nights and Wednesday and that is a testimony and it counts. Your words count and your actions count.
None of us are perfect but as we strive for that perfection we find that we will make fewer and fewer excuses for our lack of obedience and our stubbornness for not being faithful to the church for which He died. I am one happy wife who has a husband who will call around and find a church that is having worship services when our home church calls services off for a mortal holiday. He has my utmost love and respect and I know that his heart is always going to be pleasing to the Father by his actions and that will make him most pleasing to meIt is all about knowing God, knowing His will and
Sharing His Love,
Peggy
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