Breaking Open the Flask

I love music of most nearly all genres! My mom, my Piano Teachers: Miss Tinnie Strickland and Charlotte Lyons, her husband, Tommy Lyons, my Music Minister and my High School Choir Director, Barbara Hanning all poured into my life giving me such a love for music.   This time of year especially, I find music floods my heart with such JOY!  Shouldn't it be that way?  Christ the Baby, "born that Mankind no more may die!" " Joy to the World , the Savior reigns!" On a very cold night during World War II, men from very different countries with very  opposing viewpoints were once united for a just a few moments while with one voice on Christmas Eve they sang from their frozen trenches Silent Night, Holy Night .   All is calm, all is bright. Round yon virgin, mother and child. Holy infant so tender and mild.  Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.  And I will never forget the female voice of one of the 1979 kidnapped Americans who sang these words...

Interesting read today out of Deuteronomy 6:4-9 I'm currently using Portraits of Devotion  by Beth Moore in my personal study time.  The insight she provides on the Jewish culture and practices intrigue me to dig deeper.  This morning in particular, I broke down what it means to pass on the love for God's Word to our children; hence the title, "Teach, Talk, Bind and Write" A few of the stand outs for me: TEACH , sharpen or whet the appetite of their heart and mind; TALK : declare, pray, warn, discuss bless, encourage, sing, speak well, utter, promote, give, wish, stir up, affirm, describe, quote, lament, pass on, friendly; present it in love; it makes a difference; stir up their interest. BIND : to gird physically or mentally; bind together with their hearts; actively pursue. WRITE : entrances, door posts, side posts, door frames of their hearts. The Law of the LORD (Yaweh, Covenant Maker, Covenant Keeper) the first thing we awaken to think of, speak of,...

In July, 1998 when Meme (my mom) was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, she did what most of us would do and asked God why her, why now?  In her desperation to make sense of it all, God reminded her in His Word, that He already knew the # of her days and therefore a cancer diagnosis was no surprise to Him and simply a part of her Sanctification process.  Ultimately then, her days were not going to be cut short by disease.  Meme began to feel more settled with her diagnosis and receive it as part of His Greater Purpose for her life.  In that, she asked God to allow her to testify on His behalf to His goodness to her throughout this "storm".  In return, she asked of Him, that one could come to know Christ as Savior by way of her testifying.  About 10 days before she passed, Meme learned of the One she had prayed and asked God for.  It was a simple connection through her hobby, quilting that established the friendship.  The friend shared that Meme's 9.5 y...

The BGG's had our second session together last week.  I already love these ladies so much!  You're enthusiasm ignites a new passion in me for "Believing God".  I'm so excited to see what God will do during the course of the next 7 weeks! Just a few months after my Mom and my Daughter's Best Friend had passed and three short months before we learned the serious nature of My Mother-in-Law's vision issues.  I can't tell you how significant a God Stop moment it was when I read Ephesians 1:17 on Day One of this study!  That verse appears in part on my Mom's Headstone. In the NIV it reads,  "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better."  Six simple words, That you may know Him better."  This was my Mom's wish for her children, grandchildren, and their children to "Know Him Better".  Little did I know what God ...

September 15th, 2015 began my second semester as a Bible Study Leader in my church. I am humbled and blessed to have the opportunity to allow Christ to use me to be instrumental in the Molding, "Shedding & Shredding" sometimes even Bending of His "Believing God" Girls.  We are all in this TOGETHER.  The title of our study is Believing God, Experiencing a Fresh Explosion of Faith by Beth Moore.  I've chosen to blog throughout this semester in the hopes that it will encourage "as many as He deems necessary."  (You'll hear more about this prayer phrase soon.)  Maybe, you will even decide you are ready for a Fresh Explosion of Faith... I began this study on March 8, 2008 the very first time.  It had been a difficult 9 months prior that ultimately led my path to cross with this study.  Let's backtrack to 2007 for a minute.  Early that year, both my parents were fighting cancer.  I was overwhelmed to say the least.  What with carting the...

Friendships,,, connections,,, sometimes the circumstances that create them are unbearable. Isn't that a part of the purpose God intends throughout our life... friendships and connections brought about only by circumstances?  Though many of those friends if mine are miles and miles in distance from my present home, the connections remain as strong or stronger to this day. You know what I'm saying?  Isn't it just like God to give us something so special at one crossroad in our life and then boom, the circumstances change; time & miles create distance but the friendship deepens all the more.  I just love that about God. Oswald spoke so deeply to this today.  Life with Jesus is like a Romance... uniquely brought together by special circumstances and boom we are in another place, distance comes but the moment we say, "Speak Lord," pause a moment and take the time to listen, He's right there speaking to us in the same way as before; as if we'd never skippe...

I Peter 1:3-7 Today's passage got me through one of the most difficult seasons in my life.  vs. 7, "These have come so that your faith of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire   - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed."   Though I would never have chosen the circumstance that brought that season, I would never change them!   Oh to bring honor to Christ in my praise through a storm!