The Lord rules

In the future, the future of yesterday, of today, of tomorrow, in the future, as in the present and the past, the Lord rules. Not people. International disputes will be settled by the Lord, not You, not Me. Wars will stop. Alliances made with people from other countries that are out to destroy will meet their own destruction. The Lord rules. The Lord has the final say. Idol worship will end. Idols will be destroyed.

A new study

I received a new translation of the Bible for Christmas - the New Living Bible and on Jan. 15 started a study of Isaiah.

Do not return to your old ways

Being made right with God comes by faith, not by any requirements a church or individual adds. We should not return to our old ways. It is those ways that get us in trouble. We need to look to the Lord for our answers, not to our past. The past is part of who we are, the present is also part of who we are and the future is part of who we are as well. To be complete, we need to be in Christ. With faith in Christ, we have a bridge to a new you, a new me.

It's New Year's Eve

10:38 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006. The last day of this year. A year of new beginnnings, new starts, new life is but minutes away. Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior. You don't have to wait until next year. Do it now. Believe He died for you, for your sins. He died so that we may live. Jesus is the Messiah! Jesus is the only way anyone will get to heaven. If you believe you are going to heaven and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you are mightily deceived. If you do not know the Lord and die without Him, you will surely know it at your death. But by then it will be too late! Death seals your fate. Don't wait for tomorrow to come. Don't put it off for another time. It is later than you think.

He got an "A"

Jimmy got an "A" in his seminary class "History of Christianity II. We received his papers and grades in the mail today. Hallalujah!

Onward we go

Well, we're not going to have a Korean child in our midst - Josh nor his mother are comfortable with being in a home that has a bunny as a house pet. Perhaps another time, but not now.

Jim did receive a call when we got home this afternoon from a local funeral home requesting his services. So he will meet with the family Tuesday afternoon and the funeral will be on Wednesday morning.

Tomorrow - Sunday - is Christmas Eve Day. Christmas is in the heart, not what's on the ground. But you know, if you grow up with snow at Christmas time you tend to think of it as going hand in hand. But not so really. You also tend to think of families and Christmas going hand in hand. But that's not so either. Traditions we acquire are a result of families ... and friends ... and snow.

But I don't miss the slippery streets of snow or ice. Or unhappy thoughts. My family, albeit small, is enough, and I have Jesus ... and that makes life worthwhile. Jimmy, my husband; BeeJay, our dwarf bunny; me and Jesus.

We hope you have accepted God's gift and will have a

M E R R Y

C H R I S T M A S !!!!!!!!

What have I to give?

Good question. Reminds me of the song "The Little Drummer Boy" - poor as I am what have I to give? I'll give Him my heart, I'll play my best for Him.

I only worked 4 days this week and it was the longest week in history I thought. And now I am off today, Saturday, Sunday and most of Monday - Christmas Day. Jesus's Birthday - the day we Christians celebrate His birth.

Later this morning I have to take the bus to the women's center at the hospital - for a mammogram. Our health insurance deductible has been met, therefore I don't have to worry about paying for it. Thank goodness! This afternoon my husband and I are going to a funeral visitation for one of Jim's hospice patients. And then later we are having friends over for homemade chicken soup and bread and veggies and a gift exchange. It should be fun.

Today, this morning, I will hear whether our desire to be a host family to a Korean boy has been approved or not. It seems there is a concern about the type of house pet we have - which is a bunny. He weighs just over 1 pound. Apparently in Korea, dogs and cats are common, but bunnies are not. God knows best. Whatever. It's frustrating to say the least.

Saturday morning we get our regular 6-week hair cuts.

Sunday - Christmas Eve. In the morning we have Sunday school and church, then more friends are coming over afterward for Kentucky Fried chicken, cranberry salad, veggies, etc. Then we will return to church for evening services.

Yesterday, Dec. 21, was the one-year anniversary of Jim's dad's death, my daddy-in-law.

Monday - Christmas Day. It will be Jim and I and BeeJay and Jesus.

God's greatest gift

God had promised for years, centuries that He would send His messiah to deliver His people. But the way He did it and when resulted in many many people questioning, disbelieving.

Jesus had come. God's greatest gift was here, is here. BUT he was mocked, beaten, crucified. Mankind thought that was the end of him, that he was no one special, spectacular, but they, we were proved wrong.

Jesus died and was buried, but HE rose again.

Of course, why wouldn't he? He is God's own son.

So many have missed the boat - I'm so glad I didn't.

Thank you Lord Jesus for coming into my life, for giving me new life. Amen.

Love

Love bears all things. Love covers another's sins. It does not have an easy tolerance of wrong but extends compassion to the wrongdoer.

Love believes all things. Love places faith in God and chooses to believe the best about others -- to give them the benefit of the doubt. It is an attitude of trust.

Love hopes all things. It does not have unrealistic optimism or rely on positive thinking but faces the future with confidence in God's ability and faithfulness.

Love endures all things. It has the sense of bearing up under a load, of being able to deal with pressure without collapsing. Love faces hardships and perseveres.

Arthritis - how good is Fosamax?

My husband has recently been diagnosed with arthritis - rheumatoid and osteoporosis. This morning he started taking Fosamax and within 30 minutes started getting a severe headache and a sour stomach. Is this a side effect? He doesn't need more problems just to feel better for another. None of us do. I pray the Lord will help him cope and for us to know what to do.

"Facing the Giants"

My husband and I went to the movies this afternoon and saw "Facing the Giants," a Christian film produced by a church in Atlanta, Ga. If you have not seen it, we recommend you do. It's wonderful. Its about football but yet its not about football. It's about facing your fears, having faith, believing in God, believing in what He has for you, remembering what your purpose is here - why are you here? It's not about YOU. It not about ME. It's about Him. It's about giving glory and honor to our Father in heaven. It's about God - with God all things are possible. Nothing is impossible when God is driving, directing, leading and we are following.

Census dropping

My husband works in home care, specifically with men who are dying. Today we found out one of his patients is in the hospital and will probably be moving to a nursing home instead of back home. It's becoming too hard for his wife. Another of Jim's patients died this morning.

I get used to a routine, whether I like it or not, but when something comes along to disrupt it, then fear sets in.

My prayer this morning is this:

Dear Lord,
Keep the fear growing within me away. Keep me mindful of you Lord, help me not stray from your guidance. Remind me of the promises you have made to me, your daughter, keep me mindful of them daily. You know all, are all, you know what will come my way, our way, keep your loving arms around me so I will be comforted and forever and always surronded by your boundless love. Help me, show me how to best utilize the money you have given us for your glory.
In your precious name I pray.
Amen

Listening

God is always listening to His sons and daughters when they are abiding in His will. Sometimes, maybe frequently, God's answers are no or wait, and we are so brazen as to wonder if God is listening at all, because we think the answer is so clear. When he doesn't respond the way we think He should, we open ourselves to questioning doubt and worry. What we perceive is not necessarily an accurate picture. We need to trust, have faith in the Lord to bring good through whatever we are dealt. He is always in control.

"Not ours to know the reason why

Unanswered is our prayer,
But ours to wait for God's own time
To lift the cross we bear." - Anonymous

Psalm 51

This morning I read Psalm 51 from The Living Bible paraphrased. One part of verse 12 especially caught my eye -- "..., and make me willing to obey you."

God does not care about the sacrifices we bring to His altar (feet) if our attitude is not right with Him. The ritual is only a mockery - it is not real, it is not because of who we are in Christ, but only because we think this is what we are supposed to do. Those who are not Christians think this way (and possibly some Christians do too, I don't know) - that God requires a sacrifice to become one with Him. Not so.

God wants our repentance, being truly sorry for our sins, not merely getting caught, but truly sorry for what we've done against our Father.

It is only when we have turned from our sin, repented, asked for the Lord's forgiveness and for Him to make us whole and one with Him again that our right relationship returns.

Thanks be to God when all is well between you and your Father in heaven.

Brilliant thinking ... or stupidity?

I should not have bought the chocolate mix earlier in the week. Hot chocolate is one thing, but this is NOT it. A bargain buy does not mean it is an appropriate buy, nor in reality, a real bargain. It's just something I bought that I didn't need, that was 60% off the original price. This is without a doubt a place where many of us find ourselves. Thinking we have a bargain when we really don't.

If you are seeking something that is real, look for Jesus. He is ALL you will ever need. Keep your mind set on Him and Him alone, He will bring you through all sorts of trials you undergo. Jesus is the real bargain. He paid a BIG price for our salvation. Don't go off and look elsewhere. There is no bargain to be found. Jesus paid it all. Our allegiance is to Him.

Memorial Keepsakes

It's been nearly a year since starting my business of laminating obituaries. The process itself is not a new thing, but there are many newspapers and/or funeral homes who do not provide this service. It is my hope that the word will get out, particularly in the Cedar Rapids, Iowa area, and that people who are seeking this service, will find me.

God knows

It's amazing - God knows our limits and He never permits more than we can bear. He knows far more, far above anything we think we ourselves know, because we frequently think our strength is nothing, that we have far more to carry than we ought and our burdens seem so so heavy at times. They range from health to jobs to education to our children, our siblings, our parents to ... anything. When we ask God for help - He offers - and we accept it, our burdens are less heavy, our footsteps are not as downtrodden for we have Jesus in our midst, guiding us on the way, making pathways straight, and light.

Thank you for being my protector heavenly Father.

Control

I lack self-control, especially when it comes to eating the wrong stuff. I have no problem eating that which is good for me. I practice it day in and day out. Unfortunately, I also have no problem eating that which is not good for me. I don't do that daily - that's good! but it would be better if I didn't do it at all, or allowed myself a sweet only as a special treat and not whenever I felt like it.

Today's Scripture reading was Titus 1: 1-9, but I read the entire 3-chapter book. My devotional book said this: When we discipline ourselves to keep our ordinary desires under control, we make a habit of virtuous living and practice the reality of Romans 6:18 -- "And having been set free from sin, you become slaves of righteousness."

Giving Christ control over everything is a daily thing or minute thing. Whenever we realize we have taken over the reigns, we must give it back, because we can do nothing of ourselves, only through Christ who strengthens us. I know this, I'm more than aware that this is true. Yet I allow Satan to tell me its not gonna hurt you, chocolate is not a problem, you won't gain any weight. Who am I fooling? Life is more than eating.

Endurance

In Sunday School we have been studying 2 Timothy. Today's devotional reading was 2 Timothy 3, which was part of yesterday's S.S. lesson as well. Verse 1 says "In the last days perilous times will come." Last days... the days before Christ returns ... many hundreds of years have already passed; perilous, grievious times will come - have come - there will be / we are in its midst.

I generally read the New King James version of the Bible, but occasionally The Living Bible paraphrased provides a clearer understanding. Here is what verses 1-9 say:

"You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshipping God. They will go to church, yes, but they won't really believe anything they hear. Don't be taken in by people like that. They are the kind who craftily sneak into other people's homes and make friendships with silly, sin-burdened women and teach them their new doctrines. Women of that kind are forever following new teachers, but they never understand the truth. And these teachers fight truth just as Jannes and Jambres fought against Moses. They have dirty minds, warped and twisted, and have turned against the Christian faith. But they won't get away with all this forever. Some day their deceit will be well known to everyone, as was the sin of Jannes and Jambres."

We are to persevere. God allows trials in our lives not to impair us but to improve us. Sometimes its hard to see, usually its hard to see what God has planned for us. But He knows best. Some of you may remember that old TV show, "Father Knows Best." Well, its true. Our Father does know best. Our heavenly father, the one who is always looking out for His children, for what is best for them.

Memories

This afternoon my husband and I drove from Cedar Rapids to West Branch to see the 60's exhibit (before it closed) at the Herbert Hoover Museum & Library. Admission was $12. Some of it was quite a fun trip down memory lane when we were teenagers, with the TV shows, music and dress. But, there was a lot of pain and sadness during those years, things I had forgotten or had buried - such as Kent State, riots, black inequality, Vietnam. Some things today have not changed much. Some things remain the same, we just get older, not necessarily any wiser.

I changed my post name to LauraMae Joy. Why? Laurie or Laura has always been a favorite name. I always thought if I was to have children, a girl, I might name her Laura Mae - Mae was my mom's first name and my middle name. But it didn't happen. There were/are no children. I like the name Joy as well. In my dreams, my imagination, my blog I can call myself whoever I want. So I am.