Author: skydivingmemaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 769

January 6, 2026///

No matter what else I might decide to eat in the mornings, I try to end up eating a banana. You may or may not like bananas, but I think if you read on, you will agree with the thoughts I have on bananas this morning.

A banana can be green or ripe. They can be just right or rotten and their looks can sometimes fool you.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have pulled the peeling back on a perfect looking banana and found half or more has turned brown, black or ugly.

Other times a banana with bruises on it shows perfect fruit when the peeling is pulled back.

Some cooks know how to take an overripe banana and make banana bread or take a green banana and fry it or use some other method to take what it is and make it good.

If you read my writings or heard my teachings, you are sure to know where I am going with these thoughts!

May we compare ourselves to a banana!  We look different on the outside both physically and spiritually! But I want to zero in on the spiritual part of each of us which is the true person deep in your innermost being!

We may be the green banana who has just discovered we are loved by God and have a loving savior. Or what about the overripe or one who has taken in the word and not shared it or lived it out!

Let’s think about the one who looks perfect and all spiritual on the outside but inside is full of hurt and ugly memories and unforgiveness and despair!

Then there are those who are bruised and battered on the outside but inside have a heart that is released to the Lord Jesus and is perfect before Him because their attitude is right!

May I give you good news! Our creator God can take any of us and make something useful and beautiful!

God loves each of us as we are! Just as a banana in any condition is still a banana, we are still useful in the kingdom of God as we let go and let Him mold us!

He can take the new believer (green) and make a delicious representative of himself as that person matures in the promises of God!

God can take the mush of a life soaked in Gods Love but not sharing (overripe) and make a delicious life that gives off the fragrance of the love of Jesus and draws others to a relationship with our savior!

May we understand that our Heavenly Father can open the deepest places of the one who is dependent on looking all together and right on the outside (perfect) and heal the deep and hurt places and flood their hearts with good and right attitudes to share the real and perfect Jesus! Just as we discard the rotten places of a banana, He will lead this one to discard the junk deep inside them!

And He can continue to bring good fruit from one who may be going through problems and situations that have them bruised and damaged, but they are right with our creator on the inside!

I stated that God loves us as we are, but the rest of that is He loves us too much to leave us that way!

God is good and has an awesome plan for you! He can take a life in any condition that yields to His lordship and use it to bring His kingdom to earth!

Psalm 139:23–24 (KJV) ²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart:

Try me, and know my thoughts:

²⁴ And see if there be any wicked way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting.

What kind of banana are you? Let God search you inside where attitudes create actions, good or bad and mold you into a usable vessel of honor!

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Father, you are potter and we are clay! Take each of us whatever condition we are in and form your will in our lives, attitudes, actions, dreams and desires! Thank you that every day is the day you have made and every day is new and exciting! Guide us to be faithful sons and daughters and to let you love and use us in the new and wonderful year you have given! Amen!

Love all of you bananas, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 768

December 30, 2025

In one day 2025 will be history and we will enter a new year with all it’s good and bad. With all its challenges and blessings and we have a choice to make!

Will we be looking back at all we did not do that we had planned to accomplish this year and walk into 2026 with regrets? Or will we release 2025 to the Lordship of Jesus and let it go.

 May we first remember the good things of 2025 and thank God for them. I challenge you to make a list of the good things and Blessings from 2025. The birth of a precious baby, healing in your body, food, clothes, a new relationship, breath in your lungs, and provisions, family, etc. I could continue!

Then look at the negative things and I can guarantee the first list far out weights the bad.

Need a job, ask God to lead you to the right one! He will!

Need healing, ask God to touch your body! He will!

Have a wayward child! He will bring them back to you and Him!

I Love the verses in Psalms that assure us Gods sees the deepest desires of our hearts!

Psalm 145:16 (KJV) Thou openest thine hand,

And satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

Psalm 107:9 (KJV)For he satisfieth the longing soul,

And filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

When are willing to trust God with the dreams, desires, and goals that are so deep within that we have almost forgotten, He will work out all things for our good and His Glory!

When we open our hearts and just Love Jesus and lean on Him, this 30^th day of December 2025, we will be able to let the cares and hurts and failures and the things left undone go!

The apostle Paul admonishes us to think of the good things and let the bad go!

In my favorite Christmas movie of all time “It’s a Wonderful life,” George Bailey says to Mary his wife: “What do you want Mary, do you want the moon, I’ll give you the moon!”

If you have seen that movie, you know George’s dream of leaving Bedford Falls, building skyscrapers, seeing the world, and giving Mary the moon, never happened! But he did save Beford falls from being fully taken over by a mean rich man, help all those he knew, and had children, and ended up with a wonderful life right where he was.

Maybe that is a lesson for us! Take your dreams, visions, and desires, to Jesus and allow the God who created you to mold them into His plan.

We must let His plan unfold in our lives. It may not look like you thought but will allow you to walk in Peace and change the world around you!

What do you want? You may think you want the moon, but God may have so much more if we release our days, our ways, and the year of 2026 to His Lordship!

Matthew 6:33 (KJV) But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

May we all enter 2026 with eternal values and let Jesus reign in all we do.

What do you want your life to look like on December 30, 2026?

Think about good things and fulfill the reason you were created!

Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Have an incredible two days of 2025 and a Blessed and fruitful 2026!

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Father, thank you, that if we are still alive you have things for us to accomplish for the kingdom and things that will affect our world! You have a plan! Forgive us when we want our way. Take our dreams and desires and mold them into your will, way, and the story you have written for us before we were born! We are on this earth for an eternal purpose! Use each of us to encourage others and defeat evil with good! We love you because you first loved us! Amen!

Love and Hugs! MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 767

December 23, 2025///

Luke 2:14 (KJV) “Glory to God in the highest,

And on earth peace,

Good will toward men.”

What? Peace on earth? Good will toward others?

Sounds a little impossible to us in these days of hate and killings and fighting and settling differences with guns and knives!

But yes, it is possible. This announcement was made to the shepherds about Jesus’ birth. He came to bring that Peace and attitude of good will toward others.

Humans are flawed and when we allow evil to prevail, we look at Peace and Good will as impossible.

However, when we look at Jesus who came to change us from the inside, with peace down inside and a love for others the world has no explanation for, it is not only possible but a reality in our lives!

What a Blessing to be able to walk in Peace deep inside and smile at the chaos. How refreshing to have the love of Jesus flow through us to others.

What about you? Are you walking in frustration, fear, and anxiety? Are you angry, mad, or always rushing? Do you feel like the world around you is falling apart and you are falling apart with it?

The answer is to come to Jesus. He was born, showed us how to live, was crucified to restore our relationship with God who created us, and rose to give us complete victory over evil. We just need to come!

John 3:16–17 (KJV) ¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

This was why He came. This was why He suffered and this was why He won the Victory!

So that we can come just as we are and ask Him to guide our lives and Love through us!

In this season of giving, the best gift is to give Him our heart!

A POEM!

WHAT CAN I GIVE HIM,

AS POOR AS I AM.

IF I WERE A SHEPHERD,

I WOULD GIVE HIM A LAMB.

IF I WERE A WISE MAN,

I WOULD DO MY PART.

I KNOW WHAT I’LL GIVE HIM,

I WILL GIVE HIM MY HEART!

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Father, we give you our entire heart! You in return give us Peace, Love, Joy, and eternity with you. We get so much and give so little, may we consistently be aware of your blessings and spread Peace and Good will to others. In Jesus’ name I pray! Thank you for the gift of life! Amen!

Have an amazing week! God Bless You!

Love, MeMaw!

MeMaw Thoughts

Number 766

December 16, 2025///

This season prompted me to share this poem!

Twas the Night Before Jesus Came

‘Twas the night before Jesus came and all through the house
Not a creature was praying, not one in the house.
Their Bibles were lain on the shelf without care
In hopes that Jesus would not come there.

The children were dressing to crawl into bed,
Not once ever kneeling or bowing a head.
And Mom in her rocker with baby on her lap
Was watching the Late Show while I took a nap.

When out of the East there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my feet to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash!

When what to my wondering eyes should appear
But angels proclaiming that Jesus was here.
With a light like the sun sending forth a bright ray
I knew in a moment this must be The Day!

The light of His face made me cover my head
It was Jesus! Returning just like He had said.
And though I possessed worldly wisdom and wealth
I cried when I saw Him in spite of myself.

In the Book of Life which He held in His Hand
Was written the name of every saved man.
He spoke not a word as He searched for my name;
When He said, “It’s not here” My head hung in shame!

The people whose names had been written with love
He gathered to take to His Father above.
With those who were ready He rose without a sound
While all the rest were left standing around.

I fell to my knees, but it was too late;
I had waited too long and this sealed my fate.
I stood and I cried as they rose out of sight;
Oh, if only I had been ready tonight.

In the words of this poem the meaning is clear;
The coming of Jesus is drawing near.
There’s only one life and when comes the last call
We’ll find that the Bible was true after ALL!

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1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (KJV) ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

BE READY, JESUS IS COMING! THE BIBLE IS TRUE!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 765

December 9, 2025///

This world we live in can be scary if we look at all the bad things that are happening and let it flood our minds and hearts!

On the other side of that is looking at the truth that Jesus will replace fear with faith. When we release our family, friends, homes, and every situation in life to Him he replaces fear with Joy, Peace, and the Best Life!

Back in the spring when a tree fell into our great room in the middle of a storm, there was nothing within our knowledge that could fix the damage. But the people with the expertise showed up and the massive repairs were accomplished! They fixed it!

May I tell you that the God who created you and knows you better than any other and LOVES you can fix it. Whatever you need is found in a relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord!

On an airplane the pilot will tell you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight! He does not go into how the plane operates or what he and the co-pilot must do to get you to your destination because you are not flying the plane! You just need to sit back and relax!

This is truly what the Christian walk should be! To walk in the peace and joy we were created to walk in we must sit back and let the Father take control and He can and will fix it for you!

I have said this many times, but it needs saying again. We are like the little boy who had a broken truck and wanted his dad to fix it but would not let it go. He was crying, saying “Daddy, fix it”! Daddy was saying “Let it go and I will fix it”!

How much time do we spend begging God to fix things in our lives and yet we will not release them to Him!

In this season of Celebrating the Birth of the one who came to give us real life, we need to pray a prayer of releasing all the stress, the worry, the hurrying and the pressure to Him and His Lordship.

He knows just what to do! When you pray just let it all go! We cannot solve or handle all things the right way, but He can!

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Matthew 11:28 (KJV) Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (KJV 1900)

I know I sound like a broken record when I say once again that the answers to life problems is turning to Jesus Christ and letting go of the fears that have you bound and receiving the freedom to walk in the knowledge that we are never alone and He fights our battles and will give direction, open doors of opportunity that no person can open and surprise us with all good and perfect gifts from above!

As we walk through this Christmas remember you are Loved more fully and more glorious that you can imagine!

Jesus came, as a baby, grew and walked perfectly before God the Father, showing us the right way to Live, Love and Forgive, and when we choose to receive the price He paid on the cross, the great exchange takes place!

The great exchange of receiving Peace for worry and turmoil, Joy for stress, wisdom for wrong thinking and real Life for struggle!

Celebrate with all your heart the one who came to set us free to be all He created us to be!

Such Love cannot be explained it must be experienced!

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Father, I come with a grateful heart that I know you are real! I come with praise that you know me and love me in spite of myself! I worship you thank you for Peace that the world cannot give! And May each of us understand and know the one whose birth we celebrate! I ask this in Jesus’ name! Amen!

Love, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 764

December 2, 2025//

Two presents lay under the tree. One was wrapped in ugly brown paper and had no ribbon or bow. The other looked bigger, was wrapped in beautiful gold paper and tied with wide ribbon of silver with an enormous bow on top.

You get to choose! Which one would you pick up and unwrap?

If you choose the one that looks perfect, you will find inside earthly stuff that will never satisfy. You will find a life of striving to have all that you can get no matter what the cost.

You will find a life of looking good on the outside but empty in the depths of your innermost being.

The outside of the box promised all you would ever want but is filled with disappointment because the devil is a liar and tempts and fools those who go for the temptation, but his promises are false.

The huge house, the successful career, the kids you never spend time with. A house that is not a home and a life that is a struggle and prompts the question: “what on earth am I hear for” and leads to trying to fill the desires you have with all the wrong things, becomes a lifestyle.

But the person who chooses the one that is ugly on the outside finds inside the most complete gift of all time. A relationship with Jesus Christ who was born in a stable, laid in a manger and celebrated by Angels and announced to Shepherds watching their sheep by night.

The rest of the City and Country were trying to find what would satisfy in the deception of the beautiful box.

To those who unwrap the rejected box, they find all they need. When they receive the gift Jesus came to give, every need is supplied on the inside and in each day! life lived in the world where this gift was crucified but defeated even death to give those who choose what looks like less fun, maybe sacrifice, or being rejected by others, is abundant life.

The rejected box gives Peace that the world cannot give and the Joy that gives us strength, and a relationship with God the Father and guidance for every decision in our lives!

Some may open both boxes and look to see what they want. The flesh chooses the glitter and glamour, which is a lie and temptation of the pretty box. But the true awesome, amazing, and truly beautiful gift came wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger but is King of Kings and Lord of all and gives us all we need.

WILL WE CHOOSE LIFE, THE BEST LIFE BY RECEIVING THE GREATEST GIFT EVER GIVEN??

John 3:16–17 (KJV) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Luke 2:11–14 (KJV)

¹¹For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ¹²And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. ¹³And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, Good will toward men.

May the Truth that this precious Gift, was born on a starry night to young Mary and Joseph who both had said yes to the call to be parents to the greatest gift. The gift of real life. The gift that will never stop giving.

My desire for this season of celebration is that each of you know true life in Jesus.

John 14:6 (KJV) Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:

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Father, thank you for a relationship with you through Jesus Christ that cannot be bought or sold but is the safe place of our life, the peace and joy of our heart and will satisfy us from the inside out. The Gift that never runs out. The Gift that changed the world, the Gift of Jesus and I pray in that glorious, wonderful name. Amen!

Choose Jesus! Love, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 763

November 25, 2025///

Since this is a very busy time of the year, I want to share a story with you I shared back in July 2024. May it prompt us to slow down and think about how others see us this busy holiday season!

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A few years ago, a group of salesmen went to a regional sales convention in Chicago. The convention lasted all week, and all the salesmen had assured their wives that they would be home in plenty of time for Friday night’s dinner.

As they hurried to the airport to catch their return flight, they rushed down the airport corridor with their briefcases in hand. In their rush, one of these salesmen inadvertently kicked over a table which held a display of apples.

Apples flew everywhere. Without stopping or looking back, they all continued running so they would make their plane.

All but one.

He stopped after running a few more yards, took a deep breath, and experienced a twinge of compassion for the girl whose apple stand had been overturned.

He told his buddies to go on without him, waved goodbye, told one of them to call his wife when they arrived at their home destination and explain his taking a later flight. Then he returned to the terminal where the apples were all over the terminal floor.

He was glad he did.

The 16-year-old girl running the apple cart was totally blind. She was softly crying, tears running down her cheeks in frustration, and at the same time helplessly groping for her spilled produce as the crowd swirled about her, no one stopping and no one to care for her plight.

The salesman knelt on the floor with her, gathered up the apples, put them back on the table and helped organize her display.

As he did this, he noticed that many of the apples had become battered and bruised; these he set aside in another basket.

When he had finished, he pulled out his wallet and said to the girl, “Here, please take this $40 for the damage we did. Are you okay?”

She nodded through her tears.

He continued on with, “I hope we didn’t spoil your day too badly.”

As the salesman started to walk away, the bewildered blind girl called out to him, “Mister……”

He paused and turned to look back into her blind eyes.

She continued, “Are you Jesus?”

He gasped for a breath. Then slowly he made his way to catch the later flight with that question burning and bouncing about in his soul: “Are you Jesus?”

Do people mistake you for Jesus?

That’s our call, is it not? To be so much like Jesus that people cannot tell the difference as we live and interact with a world–shopping, working, reacting to others that are serving us—that is blind to His love, life and grace.

If we claim to know Him, we should live, walk, and act as He would.

Knowing Him is more than simply quoting Scripture and going to church. It’s actually living the Word as life unfolds day to day.

You are the apple of His eye even though we, too, have been bruised by a fall. He stopped what He was doing and picked you and me up on a hill called Calvary and paid in full for our damaged fruit.

Let us live like we are worth the price He paid.

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I cannot add to that!

Love, MeMaw!

MeMaw Thoughts

Number 762

November 18, 2025///

Why should you move — even just a little — throughout the day?

What does moving around do to your heart?

Moving around has a positive impact on heart health. Regular physical activity helps to: Exercise increases blood flow and reduces the workload on the heart, leading to lower blood pressure. 

Engaging in regular exercise can significantly reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall cardiovascular health. 

Enhance heart function: Physical activity strengthens the heart muscle and improves its efficiency in pumping blood. 

Incorporating movement into daily routines, even for short periods, can contribute to better heart health and overall well-being. 

Those of you who know me know that I am not a person who exercises. I do not go to the gym, nor have a regular exercise plan except I have a stepper under my desk at home which I use regularly!

That being said, as I was moving from my desk chair this morning to get something I needed, the thought occurred to me how much a little movement can help our physical body and the thought occurred deep inside me that the same thing applies to our Spiritual being.

If we want to know Jesus better. If we want to be close to Father God and hear His voice and bask in His Love and effect our world for good, we need to move!

When we move into time in the word, prayer and sitting in the presence of the one who created us, our blood pressure lowers, and we lose the stress daily living brings.

As we receive the Fathers Love and care our overall spiritual health improves and we can walk in victory as our spirit grows stronger and healthier!

When we understand that when we are weak, He is strong and gives us the courage and strength to face the situations and problems with His Wisdom, our spiritual muscles get stronger, and we can defeat the enemy of all that is good and walk in great faith and victory every time!

As we spend that time in spiritual exercise, just as our body can do more with physical exercise, we are motivated and empowered to perform our duties, go to our jobs, encourage those we meet with the compassion and love that can only come when our heart is right and pure and filled with truth!

As our spirits are strengthened, we can help others and reach out a helping hand and lift the fallen and walk with the weak and lead them to the one who gives them life and life abundantly!

To do that we need a strong spiritual heart from which flows the power of the blood of Jesus through all we do and just as a strong physical heart gives life to our entire body, our strong spirit will life to every area of our daily living!

Ephesians 6:6 (KJV) Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Ephesians 3:17 (KJV) That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

JESUS SAID:

John 14:27 (KJV) Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Mark 12:30 (KJV)And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

May we understand that it is important to care for our bodies but more important to care for our spiritual part of us!

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Father, thank you for giving us strength and health and wholeness in our physical bodies but may we understand that it is the heart that you look at. Good actions and attitudes come out of our hearts being right and pure with you. We love and adore you, Lord God Almighty and pour out our hearts before you! In Jesus’ name I pray! Amen!

Love, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 761

November 11, 2025//

The weather here in Georgia, went from beautiful to freezing in less than 24 hours. The 75’s turned into 27’s and we had to deal with it!

Some saw it a little warmer and some colder. Some saw a little snow accumulation and some saw flurries and some saw neither of those.

But there was change for all of us! We dressed warmer as the winds made the windchill temperature fall dangerously low and some stayed inside as much as possible.

But change, we did!

 Life is like the weather! Changes are a part of living. Some changes are good, and some are bad, but they all require a response to what we do.

Most of us do not swim in an outside pool in the winter. We do not wear heavy coats in the summer, and I could continue but I think you get the point!

In our daily life, we adjust our plans to accommodate the things that happen unexpectedly! We get a call about a loved one in the hospital or a sick friend needs us to run an errand or any number of things.

At various times we find ourselves in circumstances that alter the course of our future such as the death of a family member, a car accident or a doctor’s diagnosis!

What to do? We adjust just as we adjust to changing weather.

After the death of someone close we get into what many call a new normal realizing that things will never be the same as they were!

When our children are grown up with children of their own, we adjust. When we no longer can see well enough to sew, we adjust! When we cannot do our own yard work we adjust and pay someone to do it.

Changes in this life and in our surroundings and in this world are going to happen and sometimes it is hard to adjust to the changes!

But I have good news, there is something that has never changed and will never change and that is the Love of our creator God!

His desire for our good and His help if we reach out to Him is surer than anything we can see or touch!

James 1:17 (KJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

When our foundation is built on the truth of God’s Love and Jesus Christ gift of salvation, we do not need to fear change!

When we are secure in who we are in Him, we can walk in His guidance and make the changes necessary in our lives without fear and worry and fretfulness!

Matthew 11:29 (KJV) Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Matthew 11:30 (KJV) For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

We can rest in every change in our lives when we are walking with our Savior, the creator of the universe, and we can change with the peace of God in our hearts!

We have no fear for the one with whom all things are possible is with us and will guide us through every change in our lives. Good or bad, large, or small, He is with us and fills us with peace that the world cannot give nor understand!

Change comes! Find your security in our Creator God!

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Father, thank you for the truth that we can trust in you, and we can navigate every change with the confidence that you will never leave us nor forsake us. You are our comfort, our strength, and our guide! You give us peace even in the middle of the storm! May each of us lean on you and let go of all worry and fear! Amen!

Love, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 760

November 4, 2025///

I want to share with you an article that I saved from years ago. Please read it to the end and you will agree the point it makes is priceless.

It leaves me wondering what we value!

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A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.

About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands.

He said, “Sir you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and he was carrying me to safety when a bullet stuck him in the heart and he died instantly. He often talked about you and your love for art.”

The young man held out the package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would want you to have this.”

The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.

“Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”

The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home, he took them to see the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other great works he had collected.

The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings and having an opportunity to purchase one for their collection.

On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?”

There was silence.

Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one.”

But the auctioneer persisted. “Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start bidding $100, $200?”

Another voice angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We come to see the Van Gough’s, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!”

But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?”

Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.

“We have $10, who will bid $20?”

“Give it to him for$10. Let’s see the masters.”

The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the picture of the son. 

They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.

The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Goins once, twice, SOLD for $10!”

A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection!”

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”

“What about the paintings?”

“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation until this time. Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!”

God gave His son 2000 years ago to die on the cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is: “The Son, The Son, who’ll take the Son?”

Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH SHALL HAVE LIFE…THAT’S LOVE!

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Meditate on that for a while!

Thank you, Jesus, for your sacrifice for us. We choose you, the SON, and we are free indeed!

Love, MeMaw!