I was watching a holiday movie the other night where in one
scene, the older Mom is working on a project with her visiting grown daughter,
when the daughter comments that the traditional family activity that they were
involved with reminded her of her Dad who had passed a few years before. Then after a moments hesitation, she softly
asked her Mom if there are things that reminded her of him as well, and without
a second thought, the Mom replies, “I see your Father in everything!”
At the time, I was sitting on the leather couch with the
dog comfortably snuggled up against me with his head on my leg and I
immediately raised up my left arm with a closed fist and exclaimed, “I hear
ya there Sister!” The dog lifted his
head and looked up at me, and as I patted him gently, I told him
with a tearful nod, that I too see Piper in everything… especially as
the Holiday Season has come upon us.
In many respects this Holiday Season seems to be harder
than was the first one without Piper. As I looked back to the end of the last year, I realized that I was in
shock during the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations since it had only been
a few months since Piper’s homegoing. I
had spent Thanksgiving alone with the pooch and then was able to fly to
Oklahoma to spend the Christmas week with three of our four children.
Don’t get me wrong in that I had a wonderful time with our
children and can’t imagine going through that first Christmas minus Piper,
without the loving support of our kids surrounding me. But this year… I have had a lot more
time to think about it, have had a lot more time to experience the emptiness
that has settled into the pit of my heart without hearing Piper’s familiar voice,
see the familiar smile that would instantly melt my heart on a daily basis and feel
her love in the encouragement of the words that regularly flowed from her sweet
lips.
But much growth has also occurred over the year since her
passing. I moved to Oklahoma, purchased
a beautiful new home into which I am moving next week, have found a wonderful
church, and get to spend time weekly with our kids, their spouses and our
granddaughter!
So, what more can I say on this Thanksgiving Day? I suddenly understood this morning as I was
studying in my Bible, just how good the Lord has been to me… not only through
the hardships of the last few years… but throughout ALL of my
life! I had to put down my Bible, grab
my notebook and jot down that “I am thankful for all the marvelous,
wonderous and miraculous things that God has done in my life… things like my joyful
upbringing, my outrageously wonderful life for 48 yeas with Piper, our
children, our granddaughters, Piper’s and my ministry together, seeing our
adult children’s accomplishments and lives of faith, my new house and for my
new future!”
Picking back up my Bible I read from the end of 1Timothy
were the Apostle Paul is encouraging his son in the Lord Timothy… and as you
read this right now, personalize it by inserting your own name and pray
it as a declaration of your faith for this Holiday Season and for the upcoming
New Year as well, saying:
“But I, ________, as a man or women of God: Run
for my life from all this. I choose today, to pursue a righteous life—a life of
wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. And to run hard and fast in
the faith. To seize the eternal life, the life I was called to, the life I so
fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses.” (I
Timothy 11-12 MSG)
Sure, my life has changed drastically. It has turned a direction that I, in my
wildest dreams, would have never imagined.
But my extreme comfort and joy comes from the FACT that HE
hasn’t changed. Hebrews 13:8 tells us
that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (God’s
Word ©) His Word is just as powerful and just as truthful for me… and for
you, as it was yesterday, is for you and me today and will be into our
futures!
Colossians 3:15 tells us to “let the peace of God rule
in your hearts… and be thankful.”
So, I choose on this THANKSGIVING DAY… and I pray that you
will as well… to let His peace rule or be the “umpire” in my life as
Robertson’s Word Pictures defines the word “rule” in this verse, and be THANKFUL
for all the things that God has and will continue to do in my life!
How About you?
Have a blessed, fun and enjoyable THANKSGIVING
today as you celebrate with family, friends or even if it’s just you… for you’re
never alone with HIM, for HE is ALWAYS
at your side!
- Jim
I have a confession to make… I
played hooky today and stayed home from church.
And let me tell you… for someone who has practically lived in church for
the vast majority of their life, it wasn’t an easy task to accomplish! But I have been in sort of a tailspin this
last week with all the new house goings-on and it seemed to be the only logical
break that I could take before resuming my super-busy schedule tomorrow.
Since last Sunday, I have been getting up and out early
everyday, in order to get everything done.
Yesterday morning, I had the honor of leading the discussion at the men’s
Connect Group from the church that I have been attending for a few months. It was quite the blessing and I couldn’t help
but spend the time on the drive home from the restaurant loudly praising and
thanking the Lord for His ability, peace and anointing to accomplish the
job! I was so excited and tired when
they handed things over to me that I had a hard time deciphering my handwriting
on my notes and had to stop and explain how busy I’d been all week. Then everything focused, the anointing hit
and off we went… what fun!
Once I returned home and took Fiver out for a long walk,
the rest of the day was like a foggy dream.
My daughter and granddaughter picked me up around 1:30 and we went
grocery shopping for a couple of hours.
It was really strange though, as I kept feeling like it was much later
in the day than it actually was. But we
made it through the store, Fiver and I got another couple of walks in and the
evening went off well… although I turned the light out at 9:30 after dosing
on the bed for a half-hour!
So, today I got up before 7:00 AM, took Fiver out for his
morning constitutional and went back to bed! My plan for the rest of the day is to do absolutely
nothing… but knowing me, I doubt that this will actually happen. I’ve already started a couple of To-Do Lists
for the week, am making a move plan and am thinking about starting to pack!
I was telling one of my daughters last week that this new
home is different from the last two houses that Piper and I purchased over the
years. After searching all around our
home town and one of the neighboring towns for houses, we purchased our first
home north of Santa Rosa and got to watch it being constructed. Then we built parts of the back fence, poured
the cement patio (with the help of many friends from work) and planted
the front lawn. And except for needing
window coverings, that’s about all we had to do on that home.
The second home in North Carolina had many upgrades and was
ready to move in and enjoy! The previous
owners had recently done some remodeling in the kitchen and master bath and replaced
just about all of the light fixtures with fancy fan lights. Then one of their parent’s passed away
suddenly and with the tax laws in North Carolina, they found it to be more
cost effective to sell their home and move into their father’s which was just
down the street! With our situation,
that house was perfect because I didn’t have much extra time to do any major
changes. Therefore, I got to enjoy
myself and work off my stress at the same time by working in the yard!
This new house is like a blank canvas. It was built in 2008 and has had one owner
who moved in when she was in her eighties.
And let me tell you, this place is immaculate! From what I can tell, everything is original
except for a few of the kitchen appliances.
It reminds me of the 2009 Mustang we bought that looked brand new with very
little miles on it, even though it was over six years old at the time. The one thing I did notice on Friday as I
spent a good portion of the afternoon there, waiting for the water company to
show up, was that except for the bright colored kitchen walls, the paint scheme
for the rest of the house makes it look like its an old lady’s home… which
is exactly what it was!
So, like my oldest daughter agreed when I conveyed this observation
to her, I have lots of times of creativity and painting ahead… to which she
added “Well, it’s a good thing that you’re surrounded by a creative family
who can help you out!”
You know? I am
happy, excited and thankful for all the fun projects ahead! In many respects, it’s like the Lord is
telling me that the story, character and ambience of this home will be
created alongside and in agreement with the story, character and ambience of
my new life here in Oklahoma!
I found a portion of scripture that seemed to perfectly
express my feelings on this new adventure ahead during my Bible study today. It also confirmed the fact that although
Piper had no physical input into the selection of this home, that she is
looking down upon me with a huge smile.
These verses are the perfect portrait of the way Piper lived her life
and is the way that I have tried to continue to pursue mine now and into my
future without her.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “Be cheerful no
matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. (for) This
is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.” (The
Message) So, yeah… I’m being cheerful, I’m staying in an attitude
of prayer and I’m doing my best to be thankful in
the midst of everything. According to
the Apostle Paul, this is a winning attitude… and if I learned anything from
spending 48 years on this earth with Piper, it is to ALWAYS keep up this
winning attitude in everything, during everyday and in the midst of every event
that we experience in this life!
How about you?
Have a great week!
You may have noticed that I’ve been way off my normal Monday, Wednesday,
Friday posting schedule, and it’s probably gonna be that way for the rest of
the year with the upcoming move and settling in. But stick with me and I’ll get out posts and
or updates whenever I can! In the
meantime, say with me… “I am expecting to be cheerful, prayerful and
thankful in the midst of any experience ahead!”
I was thinking this morning that one of the reasons that I have
come to enjoy Southern Gospel music since our move to the south in 2014, is due
to the beautiful harmonies by many of the groups. I am not sure what it is, but something in me
just goes “ahhhh” when a majestic harmony is perfectly executed by a
musical ensemble. It is just a very
moving experience for me.
For as long as I can remember, I have always been drawn into
the melodies and sort of mystic of music.
I must get that from my mother as my Dad couldn’t hold a tune in a
bucket… but he didn’t let that stop him from singing at church or even in jest when
my Mom played the piano at home when I was young!
But it wasn’t until Piper and I started singing together that I began to gain a greater understanding and love for beautiful
harmony. When we would practice for a
special that we had been asked to sing at church, she would stop in different
places and say… “try singing it this way” and then demonstrate a great
sounding harmony that blended in perfectly with the notes she was singing and
playing. Many times, she would point out
the notes on the music or write out the notes if not already written down, of
the harmony that she was suggesting as she sang it to me. She had a way of encouraging me to stretch the
little bit of talent I had and make me sound good… so that I thought that I
knew what I was doing!!!
At the end of Philippians 4:9 the Apostle Paul tells us that,
“…God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent
harmonies.” (The Message) As I read that verse this morning, I paused
for a moment in contemplation thinking that since Piper’s homegoing, my life
has definitely felt like it has been “off-key” or “out of harmony”
from the way it used to be. And to be
honest… it doesn’t feel real good… kinda like after Piper sang a harmony
for me and then I’d try it with her singing the melody… and be slightly
flat! Uhhhhhh! It tends to leave one with a sour taste in
their stomach… and a slight irritation in their ear!
But then, just like Piper, who would be very gracious and complement
me anyway, saying “that was good, you almost got it. Listen to me and then sing it again with me,”
I believe that God is working His patience and graciousness with me while I flounder
around a bit, until I get my life back in harmony with His
current picture for my life.
I’ve also realized that many of the actions that I have
been taking lately, have simply been out of habit from my Christian training
and the lifestyle of faith that Piper and I lived… but now, without much
feeling or understanding. In many
respects, I’m just doing what I know to do… the things that I have heard,
learned and practiced over the previous 49 years of my Christian walk. But maybe that’s not a bad thing?
Previous to Paul’s talk of being in God’s “most
excellent harmonies” he tells how to achieve that goal by explaining that
the first action one has to take is to, “Put into practice what you learned
from me, what you heard and saw and realized…” and
after that, “God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his
most excellent harmonies.”
So… while I may not have a lot of feeling and/or
understanding of everything that’s currently going on around me… I am assured
that if I keep doing what I am doing… that eventually my life will get back in
sync… or flow into a new synchronization that produces “His most excellent harmonies”
once again in me!
And those harmonies are beginning to form even today as I
did my final walk through on our new house and close tomorrow! I really sense that this home will prove to play
a foundational role in my new life out here!
If anything, it is causing an excitement in me that I haven’t felt for a
few years now! I went to the Lowes near
the new house yesterday and looked at carpet samples, paint and other supplies
for many of the ideas that have been percolating in me for a few weeks. I felt like a kid in a candy store. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever feel that way again…
How about you? Are you possibly in a dry place? My advice… is to do what Paul said and do
what he has taught us in our Bibles… whether you feel like it’s doing any good
or not! From my experience, you don’t
have to feel it but just know that God is working behind the scenes…
doing something deep inside that will one day show forth for you!
Have a great week, and as you do, say with me… “I am
expecting God’s Word to work for me as I work it in my life!”
I had the pleasure of taking our oldest daughter out to
breakfast in honor of the birthday that she celebrated earlier in the week. We went to a ‘50’s style restaurant called “Tally’s
Good Food Café” in south Tulsa. As
soon as you walk in the door there is a life-size statue of Elvis to greet you
and along the walls are period pictures of well-known movie stars, sports
figures and other items that make you wish that you could have lived in that era! One of the booths near the counter is built
around the front of a 1957 Chevy! It was
a pretty great experience.
Near the end of our meal there was a sudden “boom” followed
by what sounded like the breaking of dishes and glassware coming from the
kitchen. Many of the patrons immediately
jumped up and ran to the back to see what happened. Then we quickly found out that a truck had
run into the building… and that NO one was hurt, inside or outside of the café. As we were walking out to our cars afterwards,
Jamie and I talked with the owner of the café while he was taking pictures of
the damage to his building and the two vehicles. It turns out that an older couple was driving
into the restaurant parking lot and instead of hitting the brakes, the driver pressed
the accelerator, hit a parked truck and pushed it into the building! I am so glad for God’s protection and that
everyone was okay.
It was fun catching up with Jamie. We shared all kinds of good news and looked
again at the pictures of the gorgeous house that they are closing on this
afternoon! It is a beautiful two-story
brick and wood siding home in Broken Arrow, that sits on a large attractive
piece of property that backs up to a creek.
The backyard looks like a park! And
I’m happy to report that my favorite riding mower has found a good new home in
the family! My new yard is too small for
it and their spacious lawns and tree filled yards will be happy to see the
mower and maybe even more so… the attachable leaf sweeper! While eating breakfast, I got the call from
my realtor giving me the good news that my home purchase was finally approved
by HUD and that we’ll close early next week!
Isn’t God Good!
That last phrase… “Isn’t God Good” seemed to thread
itself into almost everything that Jamie and I discussed yesterday. She shared about their new place, the church
they are attending, her husband’s great new job and many other positive items while
I shared some of the blessings, I’ve recently heard of from her three siblings
as well as some of my own good news.
I shared with her of how all of the good family reports
that I’ve been hearing have practically brought tears to my eyes on multiple
occasions. For it had suddenly dawned on
me when hearing of a big financial miracle that our youngest daughter shared
earlier in the week, how exciting and meaningful it was for me to see our kids
receiving many of the same types of God-sent, God-expected miracles as
did their Mom and I throughout the years!
I told JoAnna that I pictured Piper dancing in thankfulness
and glee in front of the throne of God in heaven! While she was with us, reports of God’s miraculous
workings would quickly set Piper off into rejoicing… and I am sure it is no
different now as she watches over us from above.
I came across another “You Know” verse in the
Bible this morning. But opposite to the “You
Know” that we discussed in my last blog post, which talked about us knowing
when something isn’t right for us… this verse talks about what YOU
should KNOW and EXPECT to happen when you believe
and actively trust in God and His Word!
In Ephesians 3:20 in The Message Bible, Paul boldly and
with great emphasis declares:
“God can do anything, you know—far more
than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does
it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and
gently within us.”
I mentioned to Jamie that if our children learned anything
from their Mother and I, it would be to fully EXPECT the
things that you have prayed over and are actively believing God for… and you know…
it warms my heart tremendously, to see the fruit of the life that Piper and I
always strived to live before our children!
Isn’t God Good!
I can’t help but get excited when one of the kids calls and
begins the conversation with something like: “Guess what God did for us…” What do you think about that? What is the legacy that you’ve left and/or
are currently building for your family to be a part of?
Not sure? Well, I also
happen to personally believe that it is never too late to start building
or planting the seeds of a legacy of faith for your family…
Have a great weekend, and as you do say with me, “I am expecting
to expect God to do far more than I could ever imagine or guess or
request in my wildest dreams… today… and every day!”
I got to smiling and tearing up yesterday morning as I was
shaving… not that I have much to shave since I’ve grown my beard back, so I
have to think fast… that Piper was ushered into glory, walking with me on
the frontiers of our faith! I also
learned that it is not wise to get emotional while wielding a razor blade in
your hand… Ow!
But putting that painful mistake aside… It
dawned on me that almost every step we took during those last eight years of
her earthly existence were done in faith!
From quitting my secular job and going it on my own by doing yard work,
fence repairs, putting new roofs on sheds and rebuilding a deck or two so that
Piper could be with me, and then moving to North Carolina to be closer to the
majority of our children… and everything else along the way… each step
began with prayer, obeying that small-still voice on the inside and then walking
each and every day in faith. It also
took much diligence in keeping the Word of God ever before our eyes, in our
ears and coming out of our mouths! After
all that… I can honestly report that Romans 10:17
where it says, “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of
God.” (EMTV) really works!
I also realized that as soon as we took our very first
step, that the enemy of our faith immediately came in and did his best to steal
and/or simply muddle our faith through the fear of others! I read a few verses in Galatians chapter five
this morning that seemed to perfectly sum up what we went through. Paul was upset with the churches in Galatia
for falling into the mistruths of a different gospel than he had originally
taught them. In verses seven and eight he
bluntly stated, “You were running superbly! Who cut in on you, deflecting
you from the true course of obedience? This
detour doesn't come from the One who called you into the race in the first
place.” (The Message)
I had to pause after that statement as I said “Wow! That’s exactly what happened to us!” When we sought to follow His call into the
race that He had for us to run, we quickly were hit with seeds of doubt,
unbelief, intellectualism and fear from others who didn’t or couldn’t see
things the way that we did.
The next verse really brought it home for me today
though. Galatians 5:9 tightens up his
thought saying: “And please don't toss this off as insignificant. It only
takes a minute amount of yeast, you know, to permeate an entire
loaf of bread.” (The Message)
By the time we left Oklahoma in 2009 to return home, Piper
and I knew that we were literally in the fight for her life. We knew that with no medical cure
known to man for the dreaded disease of Alzheimer’s, that God was our only
hope! So, we were ready to follow
His course, His plans, and the dictates of His Word… and not those of anything
or anyone else who stood contrary to what we believed was His will. Therefore, we took nothing that was said lightly! We stayed alert to the deflection of others
and were well aware that it only takes a little bit of yeast to permeate and
destroy our faith.
I think a key phrase that Paul used in verse nine was “YOU
KNOW!” Paul was telling his
readers that deep down inside, they knew that the lies that they were
falling for were wrong! Have you ever
had someone tell you something that sounded really good, perhaps quite logical
and maybe even right… but yet wrong for you?
I had that happen just a week ago. I heard someone sharing something that was
really positive, made a lot of sense and was a good plan… but yet I just
couldn’t shake the uncomfortableness that kept popping up in me! The next day I went to the Lord in prayer and
asked Him why it just didn’t set right with me.
After awhile I sensed Him saying that while everything that was shared
was right and good… it just wasn’t the right time for me to join in on the
plan that was being proposed. You
see, the words and ideas were great… but yet I KNEW that it
wasn’t right for me… and when I finally realized it, my entire being was
flooded with peace!
Piper and I KNEW back then that the contrary “advice”
that we were receiving was not right for us and the plan that we KNEW
that we were to follow… and by not doing it, we stopped that attempt to muddle
up our stand of faith. And looking back,
I can’t help but rejoice that we weren’t “deflected” off His course
because of all the miracles we witnessed along the way!
I bet that you KNOW a lot more about the
right and wrong things to do than you will admit. The real test comes in following
that KNOWING! Are you up to a
good challenge? I have to say that from
our experience… the results are very much worth the effort!
Have a great rest of the week, and as you do, say along
with me… “I am expecting to be more confident in following what I
KNOW on the inside of me!”
Brrrrr… Fiver and I just came in from his semi-long walk
for the day. I decided to take it earlier
than normal as the temperatures outside are dropping like a rock! When I took him out first thing this morning before
7:00, it was 41 degrees with 14 mph winds from the north… which means that
they are cold winds coming down the plains from Canada.
When we went out again at 10:15, it was 34 degrees with 25
mph winds, compete with a winter mix of sleet and snow. According to my weather app, that equates to
a wind chill factor of 20 degrees. Yikes! But you know?
It really didn’t feel that bad as long as we kept moving. Fiver tends to thrive in the cold
weather. He loved the snow in North Carolina
and seemed to be enjoying the icy rain this morning! Of course, he is part Great Pyrenees and has
that extra thick coat. My young neighbor
across the stairway from us calls him “Fluffy!” She has a Huskie/Wolf mix who is about the
same size as Fiver called “Zeus!” So far, he and Fiver seemed to get along well.
I had a pretty good weekend, how about you? I went to a men’s event at our church on
Saturday morning and then the regular church services on Sunday. It’s feeling more and more like home there. Afterwards I went to the apartment and picked
up the dog and had lunch at JoAnna, Jeremiah and Sarah’s. Then we came home for a short nap. Well at least I tried to nap! But nevertheless, I guess I rested a
bit. My sleeping patterns are still way
off, although I am beginning to wake up less at night.
After the nap I pulled out my DSLR (digital single lens
reflex camera) that I bought before moving out to North Carolina and dusted
it off. I had been thinking about
hobbies while laying on the bed and instantly recalled my love affair with photography
which goes back to my childhood. When my
favorite photo subject got sick, I lost my inspiration and creativity that
having a camera in my hands, always evoked in me.
I especially have had a fondness for black and white
photography. I had my own darkroom for
many years, first in a shed in my parent’s backyard, then in the second bedroom
of our first little apartment and we eventually purchased a bigger shed and erected
it in the backyard of our first home. I
enjoyed the color wedding photography and the outdoor portraiture that we did
on the side for years, but my heart has always been with tones of black, white
and grey! I now regret donating all my darkroom
equipment before we moved to Oklahoma in 2006 and have often though about
looking on eBay for some good deals on used equipment.
But that’s where the DSLR comes into play. I recently bought a comprehensive book on
digital black and white photography written by a professional photographer I am
familiar with and thought that this just might open up a whole new world for
me! So, I’m excited about delving into and
expanding into a new phase of this hobby again!
And speaking about a whole new world… I’ve
been learning a whole lot about Jim Berruto these last five months in
Oklahoma. When your world is totally
turned upside down because the one you’ve always associated yourself with since
you were a teenager is gone… it definitely gets you thinking about what’s
left and/or who you are… today! In Galatians 2:16 Paul says that, “Convinced that no human being can please God by
self-improvement, we believed in Jesus as the Messiah so that we might be set
right before God by trusting in the Messiah, not by trying to be good.” (The
Message)
When I first read that this morning, my initial thought was
“Who was I in my past?” and “Who do I want to be in my
new world?” Paul was talking about
people depending on their own ability to improve themselves in
order to please God and I was wondering if I did the same in my past? I’m finding in my day by day, one step at
a time progress over these last few months, that I don’t want my will for my
new future but His. I’m also discovering
that this means that I have to let go of my way and yield my everything
over to Him. And you know what? On somedays that seems like it’s taking WAY
too long! I want it all to happen RIGHT
NOW! I’m sure that I am the only
one that feels that way though… right?
I realized late yesterday afternoon as I drove home from the
Braums restaurant across the street from my apartment with a juicy burger, fries
and a diet coke on the seat next to me… and an excited dog in the back, salivating between
the seats while looking at the bag of food… that there are some signs of things
that are beginning to slide into place in my new life. I can most definitely see the hand of God continuing
to guide the direction of my life in this new season! So yeah, maybe its not moving as fast as I
think I want it to but that’s probably a good thing! When I really look at it, I can see how He is
changing parts in me that need changing, healing parts that have been pretty
raw, and slowly preparing me for each step ahead.
I’m realizing that He knows better than me… what’s
best for me and when! I always felt
that Piper knew me better than I knew myself and I can be fully assured that God
knows me a lot better than she did! So,
if I’m gonna trust anyone… it would make sense that it be Him… in His
perfect timing and in His perfect settings!
How about you? Where
is your trust… in your own ability to improve yourself or your situation or in
His?
Have a terrific week, and as you do, say with me… “I am
expecting to slow down and put my trust completely in Him!”
Like I do on most mornings, I turned on the local Christian
radio station soon after getting up today.
After showering and getting ready, I sat on the coffee table to put on
my shoes when, for some reason, I perked an ear when I heard an ad asking for
donations for the Tulsa area’s “Meals on Wheels” program. I paused for a moment with one shoe half on
and laughed aloud as I remembered a neighbor that we had years ago who would
share her little plastic containers of fruit cocktail with our family, that she
received with her daily “Meals on Wheels” deliveries. That got me to thinking…
When we first moved into our house in Santa Rosa on Putney
Drive where we lived for about ten years before moving to Oklahoma to attend
Bible School, we had an older neighbor on one side of us that others on the
block warned us about. She was a lady in
her late seventies or early eighties, spoke English with a thick foreign accent
and was not known to be very friendly.
In fact, most of the adults and especially the kids on the street gave
her house a wide berth when they passed by it.
Well, if anything, the comments of those good-meaning folks
only seemed to encourage my wife even more, to stroll right over to the
neighbor’s house whenever she saw her outside.
Piper just had a way of seeing right past the tough front that some
people put up. She laughed when they
tried to be irritable and with her cute smile, sweet words and abundant humor… and
patience… eventually won them over in quick order. Come to think of it, she did the same thing
with the couple across the street! But that’s
a whole story of its own! So, let’s
stick to the little lady who I think was from Poland.
Before long, Piper knew her whole story of how she lived
alone and felt sad that her family who lived out of town didn’t visit her much. She quickly realized that the gal was highly intelligent,
had strong opinions when it came to politics, was concerned about how things were
changing in our country but yet was very thankful to be here as it was so much
better than the living conditions and economy in her country of birth. She was also hard of hearing so you had to
speak loud and slowly when you talked with her!
We would laugh at times when she would turn up the volume on her large
screen TV so loud that it felt like we were in her family room with her… while
we were sitting on the deck in our backyard!
Since Piper was homeschooling and was home during the day,
our neighbor would come over fairly often and bring little treats for Piper and
the children. I think that our kids
began to see her as their friendly, but yet pushy, distant aunt! I don’t recall her name, but I remember that
it was unusual and started with a “V.”
The little fruit cocktail containers became a silent joke for us because
she was so pleased to be able to share them with us, except none of us liked
them! They just had a funny, stale,
flat and super sugary taste, but since we didn’t want to spoil her joy of
giving, we would all smile big and thank her profusely!
Piper even got to know her family when they started visiting
more often when it became increasingly apparent that she couldn’t stay in her
big house anymore and finally had to move out of town with one of her children’s
family. Piper spent a fair amount of
time consoling the lady about the move and encouraging her about the good
things ahead!
I was again reminded of our special neighbor while reading
from 1 Peter 5:6-10 later this morning.
It’s the section where the Apostle Peter is talking about our need to
humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God and cast all of our care upon
Him. But the part that really got my
attention was when he continued and talked about the enemy of our faith telling
us to:
“Be sober, be watchful; your adversary the
devil walks about as a roaring lion, seeking someone he may devour.
Resist him, being steadfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings are
experienced by your brotherhood in the world.” (I
Peter 8-9 EMTV)
The part about walking around “as a roaring lion” is
what got me remembering our neighbor! People
on our block tended to stay away from her because she walked around just like
that! But she was all noise. Yes, her tone could be pretty scary at times…
but she had no bite! Once you took
the time to get to know her, as Piper did, she was quite sweet… pushy…
but sweet! Now, don’t get me
wrong! I’m not saying that the
devil is sweet underneath all his hate and deception… not at all! But he sure does put up a scary front at
times!
But like my neighbor, once you get familiar with his
tactics, his lies and the way that he likes to twist the facts of God’s Word… he’s
got no bite… It’s just a lot of noise!!
Afterall, doesn’t I John 4:4 tell us that “greater is He that is
in you, than he that is in the world?” (EMTV) Jesus Himself gave the final word concerning
the devil’s power saying: “The thief (the devil) does not come except to
steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (but) I have come that they (you and
me) may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John
10:10 EMTV)
So, just because someone or something is a little scary and
noisy… it doesn’t mean that they or it can have any power over you or your life! I Peter 5:9 tells us simply to resist them or
it with and/or through your stand of faith!
Simple right… but not always easy! It takes a commitment, determination and an unfailing
trust in God and His Word! And it IS
possible!
Have a wonderful weekend!
It is supposed to be cool but sunny here. I hope it is terrific wherever you are… and
if you come across some disturbing noise… don’t let it fool you! Just say with me… “I am expecting the
truth of God’s Word to silence any fake roaring lions in my way today!”
My wife had a favorite saying over the years whenever we
would be discussing some negative interaction that I may have had at work as
part of my managerial responsibilities, or when we would counsel with
individuals at the church who were going through some difficult relationship
issues, or even with extended family members.
Many times, she would pause for a moment of consideration and then say
with almost a deep sorrow and reverence put together, “They really need
to know how much God loves them.”
Of course, at the time, I would whole-heartedly agree with
her, but it was not until later on in life… during what was to become the
most difficult journey in my life… that I really began to grasp the depth
of what she was truly saying.
I was introduced to the God’s Word translation of the Bible
through the eSword Bible Study software that I had downloaded to my computer,
after hearing about it in one of my classes in Bible School. I don’t know exactly what it is, but this
translation, put out by the God’s Word to the Nations mission society in the
mid-nineties, just speaks to my heart.
Over the years since I’ve been using it, I have also come to realize
that it is a pretty accurate translation to the English language from the
original languages of the Bible writers.
That said, the eyes and ears of my understanding of God’s
love and in particular to Piper’s saying concerning that subject, were opened
up one day, a year or two after returning home from Oklahoma in 2009. At the time things were beginning to get hot
and heavy with the battle of Piper’s health and I turned to one of my favorite
books of the Bible for help. And that’s
when I began to study in earnest, Paul’s prayers in Ephesians 1:17-23 and
3:16-21.
I say “began” because I have found myself repeatedly
returning to those verses and in particular, the writer’s words in chapter 3
verse 19. Here Paul prays about our
increasing ability to understand the width, length, height and depth of
God’s love so that:
“You will know Christ's love, which goes
far beyond any knowledge. (And) I am praying this so that you may be completely
filled with God.” (God’s Word ©)
I received a call from our youngest daughter on Saturday
afternoon inviting me to accompany her and our granddaughter for a hike through
the Ray Harral Nature Park just a mile or so from my apartment. I jumped at the opportunity, tightened up the laces on my
hiking shoes and eagerly awaited her arrival.
But a little history might be in order here…
During our initial stay here in Oklahoma, we received an
unexpected phone call from the rental management company. This happened during the Christmas break in
2007. They informed us that the owner
was moving to Oklahoma early in the New Year and that we would need to find
another residence. It wasn’t the best
timing for us for it turned out that her move would coincide with my second
quarter finals that year. We had to act
fairly quickly and finally found a duplex not too far away from where were
living at the time.
After the move, Piper and our daughter and I continued our
tradition of regular walks around the neighborhood. During one of those walks we discovered a wonderful
nature reserve hidden away in the midst of a few neighborhoods. The Ray Harral Nature Park became a haven for
us in the midst of everything that was going on in our lives with school, Piper’s
unfolding medical situation, work and just about everything else! It got to the point during the last year, that
Piper and I went there just about every day!
Once inside the park, the tall trees, flowers, creeks, little critters
and twisting trails totally separated us from the rest of the world! It was a little bit of heaven in the midst of
the shaking that was going on in our personal world!
So… I was a little excited and at the same time, filled
with sorrow at the prospect of hiking the familiar trails that Piper and I
walked, hand in hand, having serious discussions, praying, laughing, dreaming
and wondering what our changing future held.
But as it turned out… We had a wonderful time. The weather was in the mid-sixties, the conversation
with JoAnna and Sarah was great and the trail we took was stunning!
Sure, I had to fight back a few tears, but I loved every
moment of it and look forward to many more hikes there. I especially enjoyed re-experiencing the park
through the eyes and innocent wonder of our granddaughter! Saturday’s adventure left me with a strong
sense of peace as I re-kindled past memories and looked forward to the new
memories to be made ahead.
Colossians 3:15 in The Good News Bible declares: “The peace
that Christ gives is to guide you in the decisions you make; for it is
to this peace that God has called you together in the one body. And be
thankful.” The word translated “guide”
here or “rule” in the King James version literally means “to act as
an umpire.” (Thayer’s Greek Definitions) I like that thought and over the years of my
Christian walk, have come to depend on that inner peace when making many of the
major decisions in my life. Piper was a big proponent of following that
peace and that is another legacy of hers that I plan to continue!
Right now, my life seems to be in a continual flux of new
and at times, big decisions that need to be made. But the Lord reminded me yesterday as I drove
out to northeast Broken Arrow to check out a few other houses, to not be
anxious but simply let His peace be my guide… to let His peace be the umpire
in all the decisions that present themselves before me.
And you know? When I
heard that advice through that small-still voice on the inside of me,
everything seemed to fall into place. I
instantly felt a change in me… right then and there as I drove my Equinox
down South 193rd East Avenue.
What was it? It was His peace and
His rest that flooded my soul and calmed my frustrations! Suddenly I just knew what to do on a couple of
different matters that I had been wrestling with. Isn’t God Good!
Have you learned to depend on His peace as the umpire of
your heart? Are you in the midst of
making major or even minor decisions?
Well then, I suggest that you turn them over to Him in prayer and then
allow His peace to guide you. Believe me…
it will save you a lot of personal frustration and anxiety!
Have a great new week, and as you do, say with me… “I am
expecting the PEACE of God to act as the umpire in my life today!”
I had the pleasure of going to the booming metropolis of Choctaw,
Oklahoma (population of about 13,000) yesterday morning. It’s around
an hour and a half from Broken Arrow near Oklahoma City. The trip had a two-fold purpose. First, I was accompanying my son-in-law on a
job as he replaced and recalibrated a camera for a new client’s Golf Simulation
system. And secondly, on completion of
the job, we planned to visit my second son at the pharmacy where he works in
Oklahoma City. I hadn’t seen Jeremy
since July, plus I was
looking forward to seeing some of the sights and sounds of Oklahoma’s State
capital.
Along with a gorgeous countryside filled with old farm
houses and fields occupied by various horses, cattle and pigs, we passed some
pretty fancy looking homes set on hills in the distance. Jeremiah’s client must have been a
professional golfer at one time as the walls in his office were filled with photos
of him at different PGA tournaments through the years. There were also many trophies on the shelves
around his combination office, man-cave, golf simulation play area and garage located in the back of the Real Estate office he most likely owned!
We caught my son on the back side of his lunch hour and
shared some coffee and great conversation with him. We also talked a lot about Holiday visits and
a potential family camping adventure in the near future! Afterwards we went on the hunt for some lunch
for Jeremiah and I. Knowing that I wasn’t
a great fan of Mexican food, he jokingly suggested a great little Mexican cantina
nearby that he had eaten at before. And
to his surprise, I replied that “this was the new me… let’s go!”
Those of you who have known me for awhile would know that I
never really enjoyed Mexican food. I am
not sure if its because of the fantastically delicious Italian food that my Mom
always cooked for us or what… but I just never developed a likable taste for
the south of the border cuisine… which to my dismay… was a favorite of
my lovely wife’s! We found our happy
place of compromise at a Chili’s restaurant in the town just south of our home
town. She could indulge herself with
their Mexican style entrees and I could get a nice steak! This place was also a favorite of ours as they
were always crowded and did not take reservations. So… we’d sign in, get one of the fancy little
black discs with red lights that would blink when our table opened up and go
out and sit on their large covered porch, hold hands and act like teenagers again!
In talking about water baptism, the Apostle Paul declares, “when
we came up out of the water, we entered into the new country of grace—a new
life in a new land! That's what baptism into the life of Jesus means.”
(Romans 6:3 The Message) The act of
water baptism holds a very special significance to me. I’ve actually been baptized three times!
Once as an infant having grown up as an active participant in
the Catholic Church. Once at the Baptist
church we served in as Youth Ministers soon after we were married and then
about twenty years later at the last church where we served as Assistant
Pastors. The Pastor’s sermon preceding a
planned baptismal service later that day, opened up my understanding of the
true meaning of the reasons for baptism.
I remember that my wife and I looked at each other as he spoke that
morning (being one of the few times we were actually IN the adult service as
we were usually ministering to the children or youth on Sunday mornings)
and knew that we wanted to do it again… this time with the full revelation of
its true purpose and the freedom it brings.
I’ve kind of felt like I’ve been slowly coming up out of
the water of a baptism of sorts over this last year with the passing of my beloved
wife. Little by little, day by day, I
sense myself stepping out of the water of my past and entering into a new
country of grace, as our scripture verse describes… “into a new life
in a new land!” It’s definitely
a slow and at times, a very painful process… but one that is, I am glad to
report, moving forward… one short step at a time!
I prayed this morning at the beginning of my quiet time,
that the Lord would show me what to do today, and to help me enjoy myself
doing it… which hasn’t always been very easy over the last year! But hey… a breakout day yesterday with a couple
of taco’s… which weren’t all that bad, hopefully getting a positive
report on the closing of our new home out here, a men’s fellowship breakfast
tomorrow, church on Sunday… and who knows what else lies ahead! It most definitely hasn’t been an easy road
to walk… but I’ve never been one to give up! And even though I have never walked this
particular road before… I am planning to please the Lord, to let go of me
and take a greater hold of Him.
What do you think? Are there similar places that you’re
traveling in your life? If so, just remember
that you don’t have to walk them alone!
One of my favorite scriptures that I am hanging onto for dear life is
found in Joshua 1:5, where the good Lord assuredly tells Joshua (who is also
walking a path he’s never taken before…) “I will never neglect you or
abandon you.” (God’s Word ©) I suggest that you take that verse to heart!
Have a terrific weekend, and as you do, say with me… “I
am expecting to know that I am NOT ALONE as I walk new paths… with HIM…
today!”
