Sunday, November 1, 2015

Seeing Him In The Way



. . . . He had seen the Lord in the Way (Acts 9:27)


Just because we are God's child doesn't automatically keep the trials and storms of life away; but . . . .the blessing is  He is (with us in the way) of our trials and storms. As we come to the end of our wits, self dependence, self assurance and self-confidence we learn by faith and lean upon his truths the Lord is with us ( in the way)  on our journey.  Apostle Paul had witnessed to the fact he had seen the Lord in the way.  Just as 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises that it is HE who will provide (a way) of escape as grace guides us to  trust in his ever abiding presence and through our spiritual eyes of faith, we come to learn that God is sovereign in every step  of our journey. . . . . .
.And He had seen the Lord in the way ---


 ~ ~ ~ ~
poem from
Streams in The Desert


In the time of our deepest sorrow,
When life seems without a hope of rays
And our wounds are fresh and opened,
Can you see Him  being  "In The Way?"

When our plans, dreams and dearest projects 
Shattered fell and broken lay,
And you vainly try to mend them,
Can you see Him  "in the way?"

The tmes our prayers remain unanswered
And we almost cease to pray,
Feeling that the heavens are brazen -- 
Can you now see Him  "in the way?"

When our dearest hopes have vanished,
And our friends forsake and betray,
All all our earthly props are broken --
Can you see  Him   "in the way?"

Broken rays soon become a rainbow;
Broken clods, a fruitful meadow;
Pruned vines bear their richest clusters;
Cut and polished gems, are now rare luster's;
Harvests rise from buried grain'
Lives are born through grief and pain; --
God resides and dwells in the fragile broken clay,
He alone now leads. . . . having seen Him
"in the way."   ___   


Acts 9:27
*  *  *  *  *

Father -  sometimes in life I don't have the presence of mind, nor the
wisdom of which path to take, thank  you for being in the way and
redirecting my wayward steps.  In Christ love ___  Amen 

 


 

Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Wasting Our Waiting



WASTING  OUR  WAITING
Help us Lord not to spend the remainder of our earthly days longing
for our Heavenly Ones 

Wasting The Waiting
In Touch Magazine
by Dallas Hazelrig

Dallas shares when he was in college he was living in a perpetual state of waiting - waiting
to graduate - to get a job - to get married - finding a place to live etc. He lived in a contiunal state
of waiting.  He said "as Christians we are tempted to do the same with our faith, we spend our
every awakening moment and days upon earth longing for our heavenly ones".   

Tania Runyan of In Touch Magazine says, "But what's the problem?  As believers shouldn't we view 
death as the good beginning anyway?  If we are not of this world, why should we seize these broken days?"
She then realized one day in her senior year of college while driving home a song came on the radio -
"While I'm Waiting I'll Serve You"  
I'll be running the race  even while I wait I will serve you.  She says  "I began to pray asking God for peace and joy during my waiting process, then when I got home I made a list of the blessings in my life.  I began to make a habit of fighting the restlessness I was experiencing with gratitude (Proverbs 23:7).  The next time I felt that way, I began to remember the things on my list like a sunset, hugs, and flowers.  It wasn't an immediate change, but over time, I began to enjoy the present".  

***
From the time we are born until we are called home so many changes come into our lives, Apostle Paul reminds us we are changed from glory into gloryWe come through one trial after another and even while  we haven't  had time to process the last trial, you're hit again.  While being addled and somewhat incoherent  you ponder on the past.... the would of's - the could of's and should of's and if not careful you get stuck in wasting our waiting. 

 I must confess I struggled with wasting my waiting and ask God for his grace to lead me and help me to embrace and enjoy the present gift of today, this time, this place and to use me where ever I am needed.   I heard a wise lady once say "if you have a pulse then you have a purpose" 

Dodi 

Grant  us grace and strength Lord to press on and embrace the present and
what matter's most for now and eternity ~

Thursday, July 2, 2015

A Sacred Space



Poem
Grief Speaks Out
 

Oh, what to do with the emptiness
That death so permanently created?
The ache so deep inside my heart
The space so suddenly vacated

Others wish the hole to fill
The distractions were so varied
But in the quiet of the night
I felt the vacancy I carried

As time passed I felt a twinge
That I was not at all expecting
Love and joy gently held the space
Surrounding and protecting

It isn't that the space is filled
Nor the pain of death now gone
This space is quietly held sacred
Reminding me that love continues on


~by 
Tanya Lord
taken from (Grief Speaks Out)

   

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Father's Day Tribute


CELESTIAL  REUNION
written Father's Day
June 16, 2013

It seems just like today
you quietly slipped away
I've cried until there are
no tears left
But when I think of the
fullness and joy of 
your life and how very
happy you must now be
I can smile through my
tears
Awaiting that glorious day,
when we will see each other again

I rejoice knowing that all your
sorrows, trials and hurts
are all behind you and 
thinking just maybe you
have a front row seat
In heaven . . . .

Thomas, your life taught me so much,
So many times you looked at me and
said "I don't deserve you -
you are God's gift to me"
The truth is I felt the same thing
that is . . . I didn't deserve you
I had always heard about the love of Christ
but never truly saw him until I married you....

You showed me everyday in every way
the love of a child of God, I saw the Lord
living, laughing, loving, walking, talking
through your everyday life
. . .God has now given me time
to realize that you never knew
 how very special you were
and....as they say 
"God only calls home the very best"       
and promises to all his children 
a  joyous 
Celestial Reunion

I grieve your physical presence,
 spiritual wisdom and aura,
your gentleness and kindness
 but I do not sorrow
for God has promised us in his word.....
that one day we will know, even 
as we are known . . . .
and  to live is Christ and to
die is gain 

I do believe that one day
there will be a
Celestial Reunion
where we will meet again
and.....
so shall we be forever 
with the Lord.

So until then.......
not good-by
just a simple good-night

until then ~

L / Dola  




  

Friday, May 22, 2015

Poem of Heart

POEM OF HEART
by Thomas 

Thomas lived everyday from his
heart and soul as his words were also  ~

One day as I was resting
These thoughts came to me
how could I love the world so much
and not remember Calvary
As I lay and wonder
another thought crossed my mind
that all my life could end at once,
and all my worldly treasures
would be left behind.
then I cried Dear Lord, you gave
this life to me -
but my mind was on worldly things
not on eternity -
Then a voice from heaven,
seem to speak to me,
I loaned them to you for a while
now don’t you remember Calvary,
then I remembered once again,
that all I had forever more
was the thought that Jesus died
and all my sins he bore
yes on that cross, my
Savior went and there
forgave my sins,
he died for me,   if not alone
then for all the sins of men.

I still sometimes think about
all the things I thought I owned,
but my mind soon thinks on
Jesus and remember it was
just a loan.

I only wish to convey this thought,
that God has given to me,
the thoughts of all the LOVE
he showed,
when he went to Calvary

by:  Thomas J. Bivins - 1983
             written while working on a river barge
             before attending Mortuary College & Seminary

Monday, January 5, 2015

Sorrow Turned Into Joy



Your Sorrow Shall Be Turned Into Joy
John 16:20

 I've thought many times about the disciples and the inward grief they must have experience after the Lord's crucifixion.  The pain of his absence, missing the one who showed to them and demonstrated on a daily basis  the love of God the father, walking, talking and eating with them. witnessing his miracles.    The Lord had so lovingly prepared his disciples for his departure telling them they  would weep and lament, but thereafter their sorrow would be turned into joy.  

About two weeks after Thomas's  passing the Funeral Home brought to me his brief case and  all of his belongings from his desk in a large box.  I set them aside for a couple days not wanting to deal with the raw emotions I was still experiencing, it was too painful.   Then a few days thereafter - I  went through his brief case and removed all his business files and folders.  It was then I came upon two unfolded white piece's of paper turned inward towards  each other, I separated  them and it was a poem titled -

"If Tomorrow Starts Without Me"

I believe he knew God was about to call him home, Thomas had indicated for the past couple months statements about his declining health.   As I was reading the poem the Lord made me realize this was Tom's way and love for preparing me and Myra for the inevitable, not thinking of himself (as always) but of us.  The poem is very lengthy and  beautiful......
 here are a couple stanza's that  comforted my heart . . . . .. ..

I thought of all the yesterdays,
The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all that we shared,
And all the fun we had

If I could relive yesterday,
Just even for a while
I'd say good-bye and kiss you
and maybe see you smile

But then I fully realized
That this could never be
For emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me

And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss some tomorrow
I thought of you, and when I did
My heart was filled with sorrow

But when I walked through heaven's gates
I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me
From His great golden throne

He said,This is eternity
And all I've promised you'
Today your life on earth is past,
but here life starts anew 

I promise no tomorrows
Because today will always last,
and since each day is the same way,
There's no longing for the past

So when tomorrow starts without me,
don't think we're far apart,
For everytime you think of me,
I'm right here in your heart.  ~

~

In John 16:20 the Lord told his disciples  "the world would rejoice but you will weep and lament and  be sorrowful"  but then concluded with this wonderful promise - " but your sorrow shall be turned into joy"   Can't you just imagine after the Lord's resurrection and when for the very first time  the disciples realized it was him and how their hearts almost exploded with joy.  All our sorrows will be transformed into joy and only for a little while will we weep and be sad.   Even though my frail  mind can't comprehend it ,  I believe it is so . . .. thank you Lord for your wonderful promise - you will- 

 turn my sorrow into
J O Y