There Are No Guarantees in Life. . .OR are there?

 

Benjamin Franklin once said “There are no guarantees in life except death and taxes.”  Well, isn’t that just a cheery thought!  It’s a good thing babies don’t understand words and meanings in the beginning or they would just want to crawl right back in the womb and stay there.  I disagree with this statement and I’ll tell you why.  First, let me tell you what I can guarantee:

 

A cow will moo instead of clucking.

A dog will bark instead of meowing.

When it rains, something will get wet.

If you make bees mad, you WILL get stung.

If you get bit by a mosquito, it WILL itch.

If you break bones, it WILL hurt.

If you build a garden, there will be weeds in it.

If I sang a solo in church, I would never be asked to again.

If you put roller skates on me, I WOULD fall down.

If a woman has natural childbirth with out medications of any kind and says 

   It wasn’t that bad, she’s lying.

If I go into my son’s room as he is falling asleep, he will ask for a backrub.

If I ask my husband to do a job, he will always find a way to accomplish it.

When I talk to my momma on the phone, she will ask “How’s my darlin’”

If you are around someone having a laughing fit, you will at least giggle.

Each spring, the trees will leaf out and the flowers will bloom.

You have a past.

You are living in the present.

You do have a future. (Someone might argue this last one…just hang on)

 

What is a guarantee?  The web offered definition and these were the best:

Anything that assures a certain outcome.

A collateral agreement to answer for the debt of another.

To assume responsibility for a debt.

            (And my favorite)

To undertake, to free the prisoners.

 

I bet a lot of you know where I’m going.  But there are some who don’t and this is who I’m speaking to now.  Someone has given us the guarantee of an abundant life, to have everlasting joy and peace regardless of our circumstances, unconditional love, to never leave us or forsake us, and to give us a home in a paradise one day, Heaven instead of the other awful, fiery alternative. What an awesome guarantee and who could make such a promise?  Jesus Christ.  What is the collateral?  We repent of our sins and give them over to Him, and He takes the guilt away.  Once prisoners to our sin, we are now freed! 

 

The world can be so negative and people can be such downers.  I know, because I’ve been one of them.  Because I let the hurt of circumstances become stronger than my focus on the Lord of my life.  But when I drew my focus back on Him and placed my circumstances in His hands and let go, the peace and joy came back.  I started to move past those circumstances and go on with my life. I didn’t leave them behind.  I put them in the hands of the one I knew could take care of it all and I daily trust Him with the outcome.

I, for one brief moment, took my eyes off of Him and concentrated on what the devil wanted me too.  I wised up and said to him “NO MORE!”.  My eyes are focused once again in the right place, they are wide open, and a smile is back on my face.

 

Are you smiling?  I know bad, gloomy things happen in our lives and He gives us a time to grieve, but when the time is right, it is time to move on. 

 

If you’re wondering how to do this kind of life, it’s really very simple.  You just bow your head humbly before the Lord, repent of your sins asking Him to take them away and come into your heart and be Lord of your life.  That’s all there is to it.  It’s not hard, it’s not complicated.  Then you step forward with a renewed way of living.  Once a prisoner, now set free, no matter where you are sitting.

 

Wouldn’t you like to be debt free?  Wouldn’t you like to be set free? Hand the sin over to Jesus Christ and accept the gift of forgiveness that will last forever.

 

You want a guarantee?  How about John 3:16…’For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”

The Seven Cow Wife

I read this a long time ago, can't remember where, but it struck me as worth keeping. I found it the other day and thought I would share it with you. . .

The Seven Cow Wife

In a small, rural town in Africa, a young man decided to get married. It was the custom in that area that when a young man decided sought a woman in marriage, he would pay the bride’s parents a dowry in cows. If a woman was of average appearance and ability, the dowry might be two or three cows. If less than average, fewer cows. And if a particular young lady was extremely beautiful and talented, a young man might pay as high as four cows. In rare situations, he’d offer as many as five.

How many cows a man was willing to pay for his wife became a bragging point for the women. As the story goes, George found a young lady who struck his fancy but who was rather plain and ordinary. George approached her father and offered to pay him seven cows for her hand in marriage. Seven cows! No one could ever remember anyone paying that much for a wife. The whole town mocked George for being so foolish. Well, the wedding day was set, and everyone in the town was there. The bride’s father put on quite a party, but the conversations all day revolved around how foolish everyone thought George was for having paid seven cows for such an ordinary and plain wife.

Several years later, a traveling missionary came to town and began hearing all the stories about George and his seven-cow wife — how this young man had paid so much for such an ordinary woman and how the whole town had mocked them to the point they had moved away. The traveling missionary decided he must see for himself how this story had played out. When he knocked on the door of George’s house that first evening, he was impressed with the appearance of the entryway. George’s face lit up when the missionary introduced himself at the door and quickly invited the visitor into his home. He introduced the missionary to his four young children. All handsome young boys, and very well behaved, thought the missionary. He was also impressed with the cleanliness and order in the home. After entering the living room, George’s carried in a drink from the kitchen, where she was preparing dinner. The missionary was taken aback at her beauty, poise and grace. He thought to himself that George must have gotten another wife, as this woman was anything but plain and ordinary.

George invited the missionary to stay for dinner. After a lovely meal, the two men retired to some chairs on the front porch. The missionary complimented George on his beautiful wife, great family and immaculate house. “But what happened to the woman you had paid seven cows for?” George replied that this was the same woman.

The missionary marveled and said that he had heard the stories from the other village about the plain, ordinary wife George had married. “What changed?” he asked. George replied that he had always wanted a seven-cow wife, that she knew he considered her a seven-cow wife, and that she had risen to the bride price. She believed in her worth.

The value we put on other people greatly affects the way they value themselves.

I could say a whole lot more here, but. . .
I'm just going to leave us pondering on that.

 

 

 

 

15 Ways the Hubby and I Are Different

I read Ree from the Pioneer Woman the other day and how she and her Marlboro Man were different. You can read her list here . It got me to pondering....hmmmm....what would my list look like....

1.  He doesn't mind his clothes on the floor.
I don't mind mine folded neatly in drawers and hanging on hangers in closets.

2.  He loves to hunt. . .animals
I love to hunt. . . for a good book.

3.  He loves to sit in a canoe for hours and fish.
I love to sit in a chair for hours and read a good book.

4.  He puts the toilet paper roll on backwards
I put it on forwards .

5.  He eats his cereal holding the spoon hand over handle.
I eat with my hand under the handle.

6.  He doesn't like to read out loud.
I do.

7.  He learns EVERYTHING about the camera and takes gorgeous pictures.
I just want to know where the on, off button is and have half way decent pictures.

8.  He likes his bacon chewy
I like mine crispy.

9.  He sneezes WAY, WAY loud.
I sneeze quietly and delicately.

10.  When asked to cut a slice of pizza in half, he cuts width way. (What's up with that?)
I cut it length ways.

11.  He walks through the grass barefoot. . .and gets grass-stained feet.
I walk through the grass with flip flops on. . .and have clean feet.

12.  He's a hamburger and fries kinda guy.
I'm more a pasta alfredo gal.

13.  He likes vanilla ice cream.
I like the other 30 flavors.

14. He listens to Ricky Nelson in the car.
I listen to Josh Groban

15. He has a great memory.
What were we talking about?

Oh yeah! We were counting. Here's a number

I like better. . .

31

the number of years we've been married. The differences don't make a bit of difference if you have the #1 reason for a good marriage. . . Christ at the head.  I'll be honest with you here though. . .some of the differences did annoy me years ago, maybe even a few years ago. But you know what? I have a good man and I figured out  those annoying little things don't matter. I've decided about that strand of three chords we have. . .I don't want to fray it with petty things. Speaking of petty. . .

Here is a tip for a good marriage. . .

 

 

 If your spouse puts the roll on wrong,

just turn it over yourself and remain quiet;)

 

ONE MORE THING:

 

I want to give a shout out to my husband. . .

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HON!

I'm so glad you decided to take those feet of yours and walk down the marriage isle with me and right into 31 years of marriage. . .so far.

I would not want to walk this life with anyone else.

I love sitting in the porch swing with you , you eating your vanilla ice cream, me with orange sherbert.

My flip flops entwined with your grass stained feet. . .

a match made in Heaven.

I love you. . .differences and all! 

 

 

 

Matthew 25:35-37



For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. . .

 

 

 

 

 

I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. . .

 

 

 

 

I was a stranger and you invited me in.

 

 

 

 

I needed clothes and you clothed me. . .

 

 

I was sick and you looked after me. . .

 

 

I was in prison and you came to visit me.

 

 

(Pictures are from the Homeless Outreach Ministry at our community's bridge.)

 

Many churches and people in our community come together to give in one way or another. This is not a Baptist or Methodist, etc. ministry. This is a Gospel action ministry

 

It is one thing to read the Holy Words of the Bible. And it is another to witness the words in action. As I stand around the bridge area and watch our volunteers hand out food, drink, care, friendship, a listening ear, prayer. . .I get goosebumps. I see these words moving and I feel God's presence and I thank God every Tuesday evening that he pulled me out of the boat, out of the comfort zone, out of my insecurities. . .and led me into something I would have never gone into on my own.

 

"He doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called"

 

That's you and me guys!

 

 

I pray this will encourage you. . .if you are in sitting in a comfort zone, are sitting in the boat looking out but scared. . .just reach for HIS Hand and let Him lead. I guarantee that you will not be sorry.  I can't guarantee that everything will be rosy and cheery because that's not life. . .He didn't promise roses and happiness in our life. . .but I can tell you, that if you let Him lead you, you will experience more joy, love, and peace than you ever will in the comfort of that boat, or that sofa, or in whatever comfort zone you are in.

 

 

This little boy showed up at the bridge with these on. I showed it on facebook.

 

A week later he was putting on new shoes someone had donated for him. 

 

 

 Vs. 37 : Then the righteous will answer him, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?"

 

The King will reply, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

 

Walking in shoes that fit and carrying a bag with shorts, underwear, socks, and two new swim suits, also donated by caring people.

 

He was SO happy.  So were we.

 

That is the Gospel in action.

 

 

Is God asking you to step out of the boat?

Where is He leading you?

What's holding you back? Or have you already lept out?

I'd like to hear:)

 

 

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I Went To Jail

There were stools lined up in a very tiny corridor with sectioned off glass panes. A phone on each side of the pane.  You talked on one, the inmate talked on the other. This was my very first jail visit and I told myself to put on my big girl pants that morning as I was getting ready. I looked like a big girl on the outside but I was a not so big on the inside.  There were little kids visiting a loved one through the other glass panes. My friend and I were visiting one of our bridge guests. His eyes were big, tired, sad, pleading as he shared what happened. . .he had been working all day, came back to his place under the bridge and just wanted to eat out of his cooler. . .found two drunk men trying to steal his food. . .he hit one and the guy fell breaking his pelvis. . .he hit the other.  He said, "the poor just do not steal from the poor, that just ain't right. I'm just out there trying to do the best I can."

Greg had said basically the same thing in our visit #2 out at the park. Greg told me that the code of conduct amongst the homeless is that they help one another, but every now and then someone will come in and break that code.

As I pictured in my mind two homeless men trying to steal food from another homeless man, I thought to myself, they're just like wild animals. . .sniffing out food and taking it whether it belongs to them or not.  I could feel the burning behind my eyes, but I kept telling myself, "Be a big girl, be a big girl."  I was.

I believed the man behind the glass pane. I've witnessed him and the other two men and I know none of them are perfect by far. . .neither am I.  Some would ask why I felt the need to go visit. I'm just convinced all the more that we need to be there for ones who have not the Father as their Lord and Savior.  They need to see His reflection looking back at them through those who have the Holy Spirit indewelling in them, even though we are not perfect, we are being made holy through Him. They need to see hope, love, and acceptance. . .not for what they do or don't do but because they are a child made in HIS image and we have the privelege of reminding them of that and showing the reflection of HIS wonderful face back at them. I also believe you can't be a part of a ministry like this and flee when something bad happens. Jesus doesn't flee. Neither should we. We don't learn, others don't learn, if we all retreat back to our corners.

I want to pray that I never have to sit on that little stool and talk into that phone again, but I've learned what I want and what God asks of me is not always the same. I've also learned that when I step out of comfort zones and be obedient to what He has asked of me, I am always so thankful on the other side.  It may not always be easy, it may not always be pretty, but it is always a time of learning for me and blessings always follow. God has been teaching me discernment through listening. I've listened to many others would call rough cut. Greg also said to Keith and I one time, "I know I'm rough around the edges, but God is sanding me down, little by little."  I believe love is the sandpaper.

The man behind the pane said he was so thankful that my friend and I came to see him. He touched the pane with his palm and then touched his palm to his heart. I think God did a little sanding this morning behind the glass pane.

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True Story in a Really Bad Poem

I was going through my archives and found this little ditty that I had never published. After reading it, you'll see why, LOL!  I guess now I'm braver . . .or want to give you all a good laugh.

The trip that almost wasn’t was a sad day indeed

For my hubby who works so hard all year, needed to be freed

 

Down the road we were to go

But something said, “Oh no, it won’t be so.”

 

Our car’s radiator fan and air went out

My tired, tired husband just wanted to shout.

 

Later, hubby said, “Let’s go for a walk to the pond

A place of which I am very fond

 

We sat down looking over the water

Hubby took my hand and prayed

Children of the King

He looking down on His son, His daughter

 

We took our situation and placed it in His hands

For there is no better place to lay down our plans

 

The wife had such dread about this trip, she could not explain

The bad dreams she had the week before happened again and again.

 

When the car broke down just the night before the trip

Wife bowed her head and gave a most grateful “thank you”

For her Savior still guiding their ship

 

We could have been stuck out on the highway in a broken down car

But the Lord knew our situation and saved the day.

You see, He really is close, He is not far.

 

As bad as we wanted to see our Oklahoma family, we gave it to the Lord

The enemy did not like this, he went up against the mighty sword.

 

Even though the trip was delayed a week, he did not win this one

We went to the Lord and humbled ourselves, and then we took a stand

And watched the circumstances unfold by our Father’s mighty hand

 

Vacation time was rescheduled, the car was fixed and did not break the bank

The trip that seemed would not be, is on again

Glory be, thank the Lord God Almighty

 

Was the Lord saving us from some tragedy

Wouldn’t that be just like His majesty

 

Some would say it’s just the happenings of life, to this I could agree

Because my life giver is in charge of mine, I let the reigns go for Him to hold

I’m just on this little earth, I am nearsighted

But my Heavenly Father sits on the mountaintop and forever He sees

 

As I go down the highway, I’ll be thanking Him for His perfect timing, His loving ways, and His watchful eye

I’m off now to get ready once again

For now I say “Good-bye”

**********************************************************************************

 

Even though this is BAD, I think there is a message here. . .did you see it through all the bad writing?
  

Don't worry. . .I'll never enter a poetry contest :)

~Blessings to you as you look to Him~

For All the Stars

The Starfish Story

Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"

The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don't throw them back, they'll die.""Son," the man said, "don"t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said,
"I made a difference for that one."

As I've been working on a book project, interviewing the homeless in my town as I run the Blanket Ministry for the homeless and partake in the Bridge Ministry at the same time, I am compiling quite a few stories along with a photo album. I mainly listen to them share their story, giving them a voice, praying as I do, they will feel the love of Christ from me.

 I and the other volunteers from the Bridge Ministry remember their names, we give them hugs, a listening ear and share Jesus with them. We hand them hope; it's up to them if they take it. 

Some would say that we cannot save all these people. We never intended to save them. That job was given to someone else.  We were just told to be a light in a dark world, to share love and compassion and give a blanket for warmth. And that is my desire.

I had the priveledge of praying the sinners prayer with the first man in this album. What a joy, a delight, a thrill, and a gift. . .for him and for me! God came in and saved this man through His son Jesus Christ. And I was able to partake in this holy moment. If I had not been on this "beach", I would have missed this miraculous moment.

Look at these faces. . .

What do you see? Do you think they need the love of Jesus spoken to them? Or should they just be left to die? What about the ones around you? Don't leave them there. Throw them a line, throw out the light on them, throw them into the arms of Jesus. . .and let Him do the saving. Would you really want these "stars" to die on a dry, parched beach? I didn't think so.

What stars has God put in your path? You may not make a difference to all of them, but is it not worth it for that one that you could?

Go ahead, pick up that star and pray. God will show you what to do. Pray, "Lead me Lord", and then start moving your feet. . .the rest will come.

The Night I Peed In the Woods

My neighbor, alias Lucy, she calls me Ethal, came over to get me after work for a short, 2 mile walk. HA! I should have know better.

I grabbed my tennis shoes, put them on quickly and off we went. We made it down to the corner, rounded the bend and up the next street to the golf course. I thought we were going to turn around and come back home. But NOOOO, Lucy wanted to walk into the golf course. I was ok with that. Then she remembered that there was a pond with a bridge and so we took down a path that we thought led to it. As we were walking it was getting darker. As it's getting darker, I told her I had to go to the little girls room.  So did she. She raised her eyebrows and looked towards the woods.  She is used to doing this sort of thing outdoors as she is a kayaker and is always out in places where one has to squat by trees and such. I am not a kayaker or a camper or anything else where this activity is normal outdoors. But I didn't have a choice this night. The evening was getting later and darker and we had walked way off the road. Woods were to our right and when I spotted just the right tree in just the right spot, I stepped off the path and Lucy went up ahead to her own tree.

I prayed as I squatted for there to be no snakes slithering around and I prayed for there to be no poison ivy or anything else poison in said spot. I nervously looked around and squatted quickly and rose faster on my aged, weak knees than I had ever before! Well, I told Lucy, that was quite an adventure! Off we went to make our way to the bridge. But the more we walked, the further we were getting from the destination we wanted. It was getting darker and all Lucy had was a little headlight on her forhead that was I thought was getting dimmer and dimmer. Thank goodness the moon was out and bright enough to light our path. The woods continued to be to my right and in the dark, we could hear the crunch of leaves beneath our feet. It was SO loud and now I'm wondering if there really is such a thing as a boogie man and that he could be in those woods. We were calling him with the crunch, crunch, crunch of leaves beneath our feet. I couldn't help but think how he could jump out at any minute and grab us and pull us into the woods and no one would ever know. I didn't think to tell my husband where I was going, because I thought I would be back soon. I should have known with Lucy, you just never know.

After about 3 miles, and noticing we were gettting further and further into the dark and away from civilization, I must have sounded nervous because Lucy asked if I wanted to turn and back track up the path we just came down. "Oh, let me see, YES!" I said. Now it is dark with only the moon to guide us. The moon was beautiful, by the way, out there in the country over an open field, with the pond that we never could find our way to.

I raised up my arms to the glorious moon shining against the dark sky. I wanted to show Lucy, as if she couldn't already see it. It was majestic out there in the open sky with no telephone poles and wires and buildings and city lights to take away the glory of it. It was beautiful! And I knew out there in the open field, in the dark, with the woods now to our left, that we were being watched. . .not by the boogie man, but by our Savior, our Lord and I suddenly felt giddy. I felt such joy! Praise welled up from both of us. What a mighty God we serve! And then I noticed my 50 year old legs were screaming that they had enough of walking and it was time to get home.

But the moment, out in the field, in the dark, with the woods to our left. . . was glorious! It was worth peeing in the woods.

This was not our first Lucy and Ethal moment. And I'm sure it won't be our last. I love my Lucy!

Do you have a Lucy in your life? Or are you the Lucy?