Tonight I went to the wake of a man (Jack) in our church. For those outside of New York, the wake is going to the funeral home. I am friend's with Jack's wife and have spoken with him on many an occasion as well. It was a real shock to hear he was dead. I had just seen him on Sunday.
It's strange how a person is touched by death. For people like me, it makes me think. I thought of my children's other grandfather (Groff-- who is still alive). As I thought about Jack and my children's grandfather one word came to mind with both. That word is respect. These are men who lived their lives before God. Jack loves to praise God. I use the present tense because I believe that he is present before God. I believe that Jack is enjoying God and mixing his voice with the multitude around the throne of God saying "Holy, Holy! Worthy is the Lamb" and much more.
I believe at the end of life, what will matter is how I lived my life before God. I don't believe He will ask what so and so thought about this or that that I did. I want to hear "Welcome good & faithful servant! Enter into the joy of the Lord". I am certain that is what Jack heard. I am going to miss Jack, but I know that he is rejoicing in the presence of the Lord.
Friday, September 21, 2012
Saturday, September 8, 2012
The Rifleman
For some time, my husband and I have been watching the oldie tv stations like Me TV, This etc. One show that I really like is the Rifleman. Watching an episode today, I was thinking of the devotion that Mark McCain had for his dad Lucas. Nothing stood in Mark's way when his father was hurt.
That is the devotion we should have for our Heavenly Father.
My father wasn't exactly a rifleman, but he did hunt every year with some of his friends. I remember antlers and even a deer hoof or two. My mother canned some of the meat. The deer meat helped to keep my family alive. Dad would go to Franklin, PA the first day of deer season to hunt with his buddies. Seems like a lot of dads buddies were named Bill.
One year things changed. We didn't know what happened for many years. My father didn't bring home a deer. Strange things started happening. His gun jammed one year. It's been a while so I don't remember it all. Dad never got another deer.
My younger sister had begun to pray that dad wouldn't get a deer. God answered her prayers.
I want to have the kind of devotion to God, that Mark McCain had for his earthly father. I want nothing to ever stand in the way of my love for God. I want to be like the shunamite woman in the Song of Songs. I want to satisfy His (God's) love. I want to spend the rest of my life growing closer to God.
That is the devotion we should have for our Heavenly Father.
My father wasn't exactly a rifleman, but he did hunt every year with some of his friends. I remember antlers and even a deer hoof or two. My mother canned some of the meat. The deer meat helped to keep my family alive. Dad would go to Franklin, PA the first day of deer season to hunt with his buddies. Seems like a lot of dads buddies were named Bill.
One year things changed. We didn't know what happened for many years. My father didn't bring home a deer. Strange things started happening. His gun jammed one year. It's been a while so I don't remember it all. Dad never got another deer.
My younger sister had begun to pray that dad wouldn't get a deer. God answered her prayers.
I want to have the kind of devotion to God, that Mark McCain had for his earthly father. I want nothing to ever stand in the way of my love for God. I want to be like the shunamite woman in the Song of Songs. I want to satisfy His (God's) love. I want to spend the rest of my life growing closer to God.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Celebrating Life
When I was 13, my father went to preach at a church where his father had also preached. Actually, if my memory serves right, Grandpa Miles Stewart helped to build Reash United Brethren Church. By build I mean, he helped to lay the blocks and build the building. However, I am sure he also helped to build the church (as a dwelling place for God) as well. One of the things that was done back in the day, was testimonies. One night one of the elderly ladies had a cute testimony. She was telling how she liked the sunshine, but she also liked the moonshine. She actually used the word moonshine. However, she wasn't referring to bootleg liquor but to the light the moon gives off as it reflects the sun. Everyone got a real chuckle out of her testimony. She was a very sweet and kind lady. I have fond memories of her and of the Reash U.B. Church.
What is really amazing is that our Heavenly Father created the whole universe, and He did it with such precision. He set it up so that the earth would sustain life. If earth were closer to the sun, we would burn up. If the earth was just a small amount further away we would freeze. God places the earth in exactly the correct place. Then God gave the earth a moon. The moon has so many functions, that it could fill a book on the facts alone. Think about a dark night when the moon is behind a cloud. The cloud moves and all a sudden there is light. Certainly not to the degree that the sun gives directly on the earth, but light nonetheless. Often we do not realize the amount of light a small light source gives.
My father used to tell of when he was in boot camp. This was back in World War II. They took all the soldiers out on a very dark night. Far away, they had someone light a match. The lesson for the soldiers was to take care, as a small amount of light can be seen a great distance away. The point I am trying to make is that even a small amount of light is light. Jesus said that "You (we) are the light of the world." You may not think your little candle makes a difference in the world we live in. But it does! Don't hide your light under a basket. You may catch the basket on fire.
What is really amazing is that our Heavenly Father created the whole universe, and He did it with such precision. He set it up so that the earth would sustain life. If earth were closer to the sun, we would burn up. If the earth was just a small amount further away we would freeze. God places the earth in exactly the correct place. Then God gave the earth a moon. The moon has so many functions, that it could fill a book on the facts alone. Think about a dark night when the moon is behind a cloud. The cloud moves and all a sudden there is light. Certainly not to the degree that the sun gives directly on the earth, but light nonetheless. Often we do not realize the amount of light a small light source gives.
My father used to tell of when he was in boot camp. This was back in World War II. They took all the soldiers out on a very dark night. Far away, they had someone light a match. The lesson for the soldiers was to take care, as a small amount of light can be seen a great distance away. The point I am trying to make is that even a small amount of light is light. Jesus said that "You (we) are the light of the world." You may not think your little candle makes a difference in the world we live in. But it does! Don't hide your light under a basket. You may catch the basket on fire.
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