35 Two Trains Collide...brokenness...pain...death

There are many many scriptures that declare God’s love for us:

One verse  tells us that He  (God) chose us from the beginning of the world.  Eph 1:14

Another verse says  He adopted us.  Verse 5

Vs 11 sez we have obtained an inheritance (done!)

Vs 13 sez we were bought by Jesus blood and sealed with the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is our guarantee of this inheritance.

For God so loved the world……Jn 3:16

These are just a very few that declare His presence with us, His peace upon us, His mercies, new every morning...His word is sure and He is not a man that He can lie.   So what in the world are you getting at this day, Margaret?

My TRAIN of thought, if I pay attention to the above verses, is  absolutely the biggest ole’ freight train that can come down the track… absolutely unstoppable, nothing can de-rail this train!!! 

Agree?  Sure!!!

So the other TRAIN is just a paper mache toy running wildly down the track, driven by the winds, and the storms of life with NOOOOOOO substance at all.  There is no place to find shelter, nothing to keep you safe and in the distance you see  BIG OLE’ TRAIN,  coming straight for you…you realize you are definitely on the wrong train, on the wrong track and you are soon to be history. 

Why is this?  

We know the Scriptures, we play them over and over but we just don’t believe them--that they are for us.  There is going to be a collision, and yes we are going to be broken, hurt, yes even killed in the train wreck.  

We can’t believe The One who created us, and we believe the lie that the devil keeps placing in our minds  that He isn’t going to do for you what He promises.   How in the world can we get on the right train of thought and stay there?

He has brought us into the Banquet of His Word, pulled our chair up close to the table, everything setting within arms length.  

Are we to look at it?   

I guess if  that is what you want.   

Are we to reach out and partake?   

Absolutely...when we choose to receive what God has for us. 

 

Oh God, today, help me to fully put my trust in the God of the universe, who is always good, even if we cannot see  your goodness, even when it hurts so bad and we can’t see or FEEL your arms around us…open our eyes Lord, open our ears…Oh God send angels to minister to my precious son, Greg.. it is so hard to hang on!

Editorial note:

I received a link from a friend just a couple days ago that I just have to insert here.  I think it is a perfect complement to the train theme.  From Nashville, with love:  CLICK HERE TO PLAY

32 He is Waiting

Hi Greg...want to see just what bad choices your Mom makes? 

   

I hate to break this to you, but they are  sometimes quite disgusting.

 

I say,  'I want to spend  time with you Jesus...I want the desire to not be able to put down Your Word...I want to grow in You...'

   But as I read in the Old Testament,  I find I am just like the Children of Israel, when faced with a "little" decision  (like spending time with the LORD) 

they chose to go their own willful way, and  do what was easier or more pleasant than what God was asking them to do.

What did I do this a.m. before spending  my quiet time with the Lord ?    I went to the computer to look for an e-mail about Saturday...

And when the system didn't come up----what did I do?

 

 I sat there and played 3 or 4 games of 'free cell'.   

Was that wrong? 

No...not in the sense of sin.....But when I chose that

rather

than time with the Lord...well, yes.  

The Word says, 'Him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it IS sin.'

I think I tend to be a  pretty willful, undisciplined  person, and I really need to work on that...not so I can be so heavenly minded that I am

 no earthly good, (smile)  but in essence I am asking for LIFE and choosing DEATH, and weakness.

The Word is health and strength to our bones!  That's what it sez.  So today my choices  looked like I  am choosing to become less 

than what God wants and weaker spiritually...think?

Is He mad at me for my poor choices?  

Nope, He is just an encourager...He wants the best for me and you.

Beth Moore said it best, "Jesus is sitting by our bedside...waiting for us to wake up in the morning and keep Him company---so when the alarm 

goes off,  He sez,  "No! No!  don't hit the snooze button...I've been waiting all night to spend time with you.!"

Makes me think about another little snippet...

Years ago, Forrest Sr. introduced me to a little booklet, called 'My Heart Christ's Home" by Robert Unger.  

I read it and liked  it so much I gave out dozens of them.  It is a story about Christ coming to live at my house and in My heart.

Jesus  goes thru the house room by room with me,  cleaning it out, so He would be comfortable living there.  The best part of the story is when they

 get to the Library, He says I would like to meet you here every morning, and we will go over God's Word together, and  of course I say YES!

For a few days, weeks, months we attend to this wonderful meeting and it is  a precious  time with Jesus.   Then one morning I got up late, and

 was in a hurry to get to school, or an appointment and I hurry out the door...  Then another morning goes by and I forget again,

 then several days go by, and at last one morning, I stop and look in the library, and there sits Jesus...waiting...  

I am so embarrassed,

 and I slip in and sit beside Him, apologizing and I ask His forgiveness...

He said, "Just remember, even though you don't feel like

 you  need me, I need you!"

When  I DID get to my time with Jesus that morning... we wound up in Hebrews 13:5.... (the Amplified Version)   It sez, 

'Let your character be free

 from the love of money.......and be satisfied with your present circumstances.....For God Himself said,'I will not in any way fail you,

 nor give up, nor leave you without support.  I will not, I will not, I will not  in anyway leave you nor forsake you, or relax my hold on you!

Now isn't that just too  amazing for words?   My good intentions were just that...good intentions...but I didn't follow thru...You have to know 

one of my very  favorite portions of scripture is in Romans 8, verses 38 & 39...

"For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels,

 nor principalities,  nor powers., nor things present,  nor things to come....Nor height,  nor depth,  nor any creature will be able to separate

 us from the Love of God."

Well...Look up!  Hang in there!  Hang on tight to His hand, and we'll see you here, there, or in the air!

Love ya Cray!   

Nanny...Mom...Marker

27 Life Lessons

Well, I had a wonderful lunch/chat with a very Sweet Lady yesterday. We have been wanting to spend some time together, and we finally made it happen.  smile

By the time the afternoon was over, I felt like a truly 'blest woman.'  I was trying not to hog the conversation with all my 'blathering' (we Whitt sisters are well known for that, we can't blame our Mother anymore, she has been gone for years...she sure loved to talk.)

As I was recounting one area that happened in my earlier days, my lunch partner said, 'oh, thank you for that, it was just what I needed. I can handle my situation the same way you did, I can do that too.'  That felt pretty good, because the story I told was one in which I dragged my feet ....with Jesus pulling me, kicking and screaming, because 'it was too hard...too hard.'

 But when it was all over, I definitely had made the right choice, because it effected how Greg responded to the same situation..."Mom, if you can do that, I can too."

Wow...I always want  those who come behind me...to find me faithful...But I don't always make good choices, some I have to go back and do-over, and 'do-overs' are not  easy...and sometimes you have done things that cannot be changed...there they are, hanging there for all the world to see, and cannot be corrected.   Oh, that we could really walk in His presence, every day, every moment, so we wouldn't have to do...do-overs.  smile

Now today, I just talked to Greg (at dialysis) and he had just talked to his kidney Dr., and Greg said that he just couldn't keep taking all these drugs that he is taking.  He doesn't want to go back to those heavy pain killers that are so addicting.  So they decided he would eliminate them and then ask the Lord for wisdom on what he should take.  (The Dr. didn't say ask God for  wisdom, but just maybe, Greg, here is a good time to let God use you as a witness.  Think?)

So our lives are not just something to do, or somewhere to go....We are here, journeying toward Heaven, our ultimate goal, and my Bible said I was put here in THIS generation, for a reason...........what is that reason?  

I can do something that I was made for...you know we are fearfully and wonderfully made...He has plans for us...you, me...individually and we need to be about our Fathers' business....which is not necessarily my choice of business, but like the above story, why kick and scream and leave skidmarks all the way?   

Let us see what the Father’s business means for each of us....not what your friend wants you to do, but what God has planned for you!!

Only one life, t'will soon be past...

Only what's done for Christ will last.

Wow, what a concept?   smile...

Do we already know this?

Yes we certainly do!  

Do we willingly comply?  

No we certainly don't.  

So if what you are going thru, or have been thru, in the past, is going to be used for His glory, (as was tested with our lunch yesterday) if I could have seen ahead, maybe I would have been more willing...He tells us again and again, that He has plans for us, trust Him and relax in Him....He will take us through...whatever it is we are going thru.

This is 'No Easy Road' like the book so entitled, by Dick Eastman, many years ago...

But:   It will be worth it all, when we see Jesus.

          My trials will seem so small, when we see Christ....

          One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase,

          So proudly run the race, till we see Him.

It won't be long,...He sez when you see these things coming to pass....Look Up!!  (look at all the signs)

Your redemption draweth nigh!

Look up!  Hang in there!   Hang on tight to His Hand, and we'll see you here, there, or in the air!!

See you in THE morning!!

Nanny

26 Our Precious Heavenly Father

Last night, Greg, as we talked...I am so amazed at how strong your voice is and my heart is lighter because of it.  Nothing physically has changed, but I think now that you have an apartment close to dialysis, you feel more in control of your physical status.   Yes, you still have issues, yes, you still need a kidney, yes, you are still struggling financially, BUT something has happened, and I think you can think clearer, not so muddled,  and I just want to praise our Heavenly Father for who He is, and whose we are.

Even if we can't see and feel Him, HE IS THERE, when it seems so dark and lonesome, HE IS THERE.  I know this for sure, because the Word sez,  that He is not a man that He could lie, and it also sez He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us. This is the faith part...*smile*

But you also told me a little story when Andy was a little one, and you took him in and put him in his crib, but as you started to leave you reached in to pat him,  and he grabbed your finger...it was sooooooooooo special, that you thought, “if he wants  me close, as long as he holds onto my finger, I will stay here...all night if need be”.  What a special moment with your son.  Then you went on to share just how like our Heavenly Father that moment was...my heart is touched telling it....because God sez...(in essence...*smile*)  if you are touched by your son, MY heart is touched by you...Greg, My son. 

Oh how He loves you and me,  Oh how He loves you and me,,,,,

He gave His life, what more could He do?

Oh how He loves you and me.

One more little story very worth telling:  When we still lived in Yorkville, with the 2 story house....Two of our granddaughters were there when we found a pair of doves, with a nest right on the downspout of the garage.

We quietly placed the ladder and they climbed up to see the two little ones in their nest.

A few days later they were sitting on the garage roof   by their mom and dad, so I reported that to Crissie and Jordan.  Then a few days later I went out to check, and one of the parent doves, started a great chattering...and didn't stop.  I assumed they were saying to their babies, 'Watch  out, here comes trouble.'  After a bit, out in a distant tree, there came a  little bird...flying.....

Now that was wonderful to see, but what happened next was just AMAZING… the Mama dove left her tree close to me, flew right out to the baby, and flew right under that baby bird, all the way up to the top of the roof.

Oh my goodness, if that didn't remind me of our Heavenly Father...it certainly did, and those people who do not believe in a God, who designed this old world, and all that is in it.....they aren't paying attention!!!!!  

Then I knew what that mama bird was chattering about to her baby..."Come on, you can do it...Come on just take off, I promise I will be right there underneath you ....ALL THE WAY! "  

Doesn't that sound like a scripture that you just read?

So Greg, if He takes care of the little dove...He certainly will take care of us!! Not in the way we think is the right way, or the right time....but: 

In His Time, In His time, He makes  all things beautiful , in His time..... 

Look up, hang on tight to the hand that is holding you....smile  

He is a good God!

I'll see you here there or in the air!

You too, sissy Cray...

Nanny, Marker (and all those other names you call me....smile)  

Oh I have a new name,' the backer over the mail box lady'

**editor's note**

Aunt Swede & dearest cousin Greg, 

Here is something I came across that touched and encouraged me, and I can't shake the feeling that I should share it with you both.  Here is as appropriate a place as any.  :)
See video below: