Author: skydivingmemaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 563

January 25, 2022///

Last week I wrote about God healing the scars and broken places of our lives. This week I am moved to share how God restores broken people!

As I was reading the story of the prodigal son in Luke this morning, I was moved once again by this story of redemption.

This is a familiar story to many of you and I have read and heard it multitudes of times but felt I must share the truths that hit me once again.

If you are not familiar with this there were two sons. The younger asks for his inheritance from his father and took off to fulfill the desires of the flesh!

The older son stayed and worked faithfully and diligently. But as we will see at the end, they both needed a revelation of the mercy and grace of the Father.

You can read the story in Luke 15: 11-32 but I want to zero in on the reception the younger son got when he returned to his father.

This rebellious son had wasted his money and reached rock bottom and then decided he would return and beg forgiveness and ask to be allowed to just be a servant.

May I tell you there are many who have to reach rock bottom or even the top of the success ladder to realize they cannot find fulfillment or even survive within themselves!

Let us look at the father! He was watching and saw the son coming home and ran to meet Him. When those who feel they have wasted everything return to the Heavenly Father, they find He is watching and longing for their return!

As the father embraced the son, he did not even listen to the sons cry of remorse and desire to be a just a servant. I want to zero in on what the father commanded be done for the son who was lost and is now found!

Luke 15:22-24 (KJV)
²² But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:
²³ And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:
²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

The robe represented the distinction of being part of the family!

The signet ring was a ring of family authority!

The sandals were worn by a son (in contrast to barefoot slaves)!

And a celebration was made to signify this awesome day!

May I tell you that your Heavenly Father seeks to restore His lost creation to their rightful place in His family.

He wants to put a robe of distinction around each of us and give us authority that the family of God has and place the Sandals of belonging to Him on our feet!

When the older son saw what a royal welcome the younger son received, he was angry and complained to his father that he had been faithful, and he had not received celebration like this.

The father explained that this son’s faithfulness was known, and blessings and rewards were his. He further told the older son that he could have a celebration with his friends at anytime he asked, but they must rejoice that the younger son had come back into the fold!

Both of these son’s received a revelation of Love! Which one are you or maybe you are somewhere in the middle?

Maybe you are at rock bottom and have no way to go but up! Maybe you are at the top but have no satisfaction because you are depending on your success to be your fulfillment. Or maybe you are faithful and living the best you can, depending on your goodness but have lost your joy!

As we see in the story, our Heavenly Father loves each of us beyond measure! He desires to restore the one who has reached rock bottom to the place in His family they were created for.

He desires to invade the heart of the one at the top, so they understand that true joy comes from walking in the Fathers love in all our success knowing it is because of His Blessings we have reached this level!

Or maybe you are Faithful to you Heavenly Father and diligently follow the rules but have lost the joy of celebrating life! The Father wants to restore your joy and show you that He loves you and sees your good, but it is His restoration in your attitude that will result in living in praise and victory!

We see such an example of God’s Love in this story and an example of how we should be!

The father showed: (1) Compassion (2) Deep affection (3) Celebration (4) and Joyful Restoration.

May we do the same!

___________________________________

Father, thank you that you see each of us where and as we are, and you Love us too much to leave us that way.  Mold us and help us receive all your Blessings and restorations that you provide!  In Jesus name I pray! Amen

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 562

January 18, 2022///

This morning I want to share with you a truth in a type of art! I have shared this method before but with all the stress attacking so many today and all the things we see wrong with us and our lives, I believe this illustration of truth is just what we need to lift us to a higher place in our lives and all God wants to do through us!

_____________________________________________________________________________

Kintsugi: the art of precious scars

By repairing broken ceramics it’s possible to give a new lease of life to pottery that becomes even more refined thanks to its “scars”. The Japanese art of kintsugi teaches that broken objects are not something to hide but to display with pride.

This traditional Japanese art uses a precious metal – liquid gold, liquid silver or lacquer dusted with powdered gold – to bring together the pieces of a broken pottery item and at the same time enhance the breaks. The technique consists in joining fragments and giving them a new, more refined aspect. Every repaired piece is unique, because of the randomness with which ceramics shatters and the irregular patterns formed that are enhanced with the use of metals.

 

///This morning I want you to think of all the broken dreams, desires, or situations in your life. Maybe you have given up and are ready to just throw in the towel and try to survive this life.

But may I tell you that God wants you to bring those broken places to Him and He will fill them with the gold and silver of the Holy Spirit and new life in Him and make something beautiful out of what you thought was gone forever.

There are those all around us who appear altogether on the outside but inside are broken dreams and desires. Things they have buried because of mistakes and wrong turns they have taken in life.

All of us have those “what was I thinking” questions about decisions we have made!

Some of us may have broken places that were put there by circumstances beyond our control!

Our Father God, through Jesus Christ, has provide forgiveness, mercy, and desires to take the broken parts of you and put them together again and use you as a vessel of Honor!

Acts 9:15 (KJV)
But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

This scripture is referring to the Apostle Paul after he had an encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus!

God chose Paul to be a vessel bringing the Gospel to all of the region! God repaired his brokenness over his past persecution of believers and made him a vessel of honor bringing not only the gospel to the regions all around but to write so much of the New Testament that is a blessing and teaching for us today!

What could our vessels do for the Kingdom of God if we gave Him, not just our good, but also all the broken parts of us and let Him put them back together much more valuable than before!

The lesson is something beautiful can be made out of our scars and broken places.

What a friend we have in Jesus who can take us as we are and mold us into what we were created to be!

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­_______________________________________________

Father, in Jesus’ name I come! I bring the broken pieces of trying and failing, of not trying, of making decisions that took me in the wrong direction, of pretending that I have no broken pieces or scars. I release all of this to you and declare that a beautiful vessel will emerge from the touch of your hand as you put those broken places back together! Amen

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 561

January 11, 2022///

Do you choose to see?

You may think: what kind of question is that? Of course, I want to see! Everyone wants to see!

But do you choose to see past the natural into the realm of the spirit?

Do you choose to see the rainbow in the storm, Jesus through the pain, and the sun breaking through the clouds?

Do you choose to trust what you see in Gods promises when the darkness is so thick, and the pain is so bad that the weight of it takes you to your knees?

Jesus declared on several occasions that we should take heed what we see and hear!

Mark 8:18 (KJV)
Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?

Matthew 13:16 (KJV)
But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.

Jesus is talking about seeing past the natural and seeing the truth and the reality that He is real and will help us in every situation!

The enemy of all that is good, satan, wants to keep you from seeing the solution to your problem is your heavenly Father. When we trust in what Jesus did on the cross we can live with eternal perspective and know that our security and answers are in Him!

We must turn our lives and our minds over to the Lordship of Jesus to conquer the blinders that satan has over our eyes.

John 12:40 (KJV)
He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Jesus wants you to see His love and care and hand in working out every circumstance and situation in our lives. Do we believe that we can see the glory of God?

John 11:40 (KJV)
Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?

We have a choice. We can fill ourselves with the promise of His word that will never fail. We can sit in His presence and be saturated with faith that sees Joy in sorrow, healing in pain, and victory in discouragement.

When we allow our eyes to see past the natural and unto the promises and power of God, we are indeed Blessed.

Luke 10:23 (KJV)
And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:

I encourage you as you face trying situation and are tempted to look at circumstances, to look instead at the promises of God. Choose to look past the natural world!

The apostle Paul said, “None of these things move me”! He was referring to all the problems and opposition He had. How could he say that, because he had his eyes on the eternal and on the victorious Savior and not on the things of this world!

Paul said, “I press toward the mark of the high calling of Christ Jesus”!

What is that mark? It is to be like Jesus and have an eternal perspective in all that happens to us and around us!

It is a choice. You do not just see or not see with spiritual eyes. You choose to spend time with the one who knows you better and loves you more than any other!

When we see past the natural person, all judgement is banished. When we see His hand in every area of our life, every worry is dispelled and when we just desire to see Jesus our lives go to the next level.

Choose to see clearly in the spirit and you will say with Paul, “None of these things move me”!

____________________________

Father, thank you that you will touch our eyes to clearly see the promises you have made and your hand in our lives. Forgive us when we focus on the problems of this world and help us turn our eyes on you, and the victory you paid for on calvary! Touch each person who reads this with the desire to see with spiritual eyes every situation and circumstance in their lives. May we view every person with an eternal perspective of what you see in them. Forgive us for allowing the enemies blinders to stay! Set us free to see clearly! In Jesus name I pray! Amen

Have a great week! Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 560

January 4, 2022///

This time of year, you hear a lot about change. Changing habits, cleaning out clutter, making better choices, and on and on it goes. We all know that New Year’s resolutions are many times just New Year’s hopes.

Today I want to share with you the truth that you can have a new beginning anytime you come to Jesus and allow Him to change your desires to His plans, your thoughts to His thoughts, and your ways to letting Him live through you.

I truly believe in making changes. I am sold on evaluating the past and learning from it and adjusting our lives accordingly. I believe in looking responsibly at our situations and making the changes needed and the beginning of the year is a good time to do this.

However, we must realize that the word says:

Lamentations 3:22-24 (KJV)
²² It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

When we come to the Father in Jesus name and ask Him to help us do what we are responsible to do, to let others see Jesus in us, and change in us the things that are not lined up with the word, we see a new life, new day, and a new us!

For those who have never accepted Jesus as Savior, coming to Him changes us into a new creation! Old things pass away! For those who have been a Christian a short or long time, change can happen for the good consistently in your life!

When we allow the Spirit of God to touch our lives we are changed from glory to glory.

When we come with our desperate needs to Jesus, we can experience change in a moment.

Lot us look at some of the people changed in the Bible and as I remind you of these, think about how radical their life changed!

The wedding host witnessed Jesus first miracle, provision!

Peter, James, and John followed when He called, and their lives were never the same!

The lame man borne by his friends and let through the roof, walked out carrying his mat!

The woman with the issue of blood for twelve years was healed instantly!

Matthew, the hated tax collector became a disciple of Jesus!

Mary Magdalene was delivered of demons!

Paul was changed from a persecutor to a promoter of the Gospel!

Lepers were cleanse, blind healed, and hearts turned to God!

The woman caught in the act of adultery was set free from sin and punishment!

The multitudes were fed, healed, Blessed, and changed through believing and calling out to Jesus!

Lazarus was changed from dead to alive!

The thief on the cross received new life!

What change do you need in your life! Come to Jesus!

2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Ephesians 4:24 (KJV)
And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Change, real change comes when we acknowledge Jesus is Lord and come to Him with all our faults and failures and let Him change us from the inside out!

Relationships, work situations, parenting, health, provisions, attitude, forgiveness, habits, and any other part of our life that needs changing: coming to Jesus with these can make real and lasting changes. 

This can happen today, or anytime you decide you are tired of being like you are in some areas. Just come to Jesus and ask Him to mold you into a usable vessel and use you to expand His Kingdom on earth!

______________________________________

Father, in Jesus’ name I come! Thank you that you change us from the inside out and make us vessels of honor. Thank you that you never get tired of your children coming to you with their needs! May each of us follow you and make lasting changed in our lives. Amen

Let God continually mold and change you!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 559

December 28, 2021///

What or Who is your anchor?

Some of Websters Dictionary meanings of Anchor are:

: to secure firmly: 

: a reliable or principal support: MAINSTAY:

: a person or thing that provides strength and support

Each of us need an anchor! Something or Someone who holds us steady as the boat we are in is tossing in the wind and rain or the road we are on is so bumpy we can hardly stand up or move. Of course, I am equating the boat and road to our life day by day.

I am in my seventy seventh year of life and I have never seen the world in such a stormy place. It seems people have lost their minds, violence and guns are everywhere, suicides are at an all-time high, and depression is raging!

Why is evil abounding?

Because people have lost hope, people do not have an anchor to keep them steady!

Some lines of an old gospel song say:

“My anchor holds and grips the solod rock.”

“This rock is Jesus, yes, He’s the one, this rock is Jesus, the only one. Be very sure, be very sure, your anchor holds and grips the solid rock!”

The song starts off with the line: “In times like these we need a Savior.”

There is such truth in that. We need something solid! Jesus is the rock that will hold us steady when everything seems wrong, when our world is rocking, and we have no idea what to expect.

When fear is raging and things seem out of control, we have an anchor that can keep us in peace and walking in the light of the Gospel!

Hebrews 6:19 (KJV)
¹⁹ Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast,

1 Corinthians 15:58 (KJV)
⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord,

Colossians 2:7 (KJV)
⁷ Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

When our anchor is in Christ Jesus, we can face each day and each situation with the confidence that our anchor is steadfast and sure, and we will stand! We can hold fast to our knowledge of who we are in Jesus!

I submit to you that our world is out of control because many have let go of the trust in Almighty God and an acceptance of what Jesus has done for us!

Our schools, movies, books, and internet are spreading the word that anything you believe is ok. Anything goes. We have no restraints!

The truth is the only real freedom is when we realize who Jesus is and receive Him as our Savior! We then have a foundation to hold on to!

I implore you to put your trust in the creator God and teach all those around you to let their anchor be in Jesus!

The anchor of government will fail, the anchor of self will fail, the anchor of success will fail, the anchor of anger, hate and fear will fail, but the anchor of Faith in Jesus Christ as Lord will NEVER fail but will keep us steady and sure in the midst of the storms of life!

Is your anchor in Jesus? What or Who are you trusting in!

Only the anchor of Jesus will hold eternally!

______________________________________________

Father, this beautiful world you made seems out of control but thank you that we have an anchor. Thank you that in the midst of praying for our leaders and our country, we can walk in peace that the world does not understand. We are secure in your Love and safety, and we can walk in confidence you are with us. In Jesus’ name I pray! Amen!

Does your anchor grip the solid rock Christ Jesus?

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 558

December 21, 2021///

“Oh, come let us adore Him”!

Websters dictionary defines adore as worship and worship as honor and reverence!

Definition of adore

1: to WORSHIP or honor as a deity or as divine

Definition of worship

1: to honor or show reverence for as a divine being or supernatural power

In the Psalms worship is encouraged over and over, such as in 95:6!

Psalm 95:6 (KJV)
O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

When we worship the Creator God, and Jesus our Lord, we do it to show our adoration and our gratefulness for His Love and Care.

But in reality, what it does is invades us with Peace and a spirit of ease that the world knows nothing of! When we Worship, we are forgetting all that is around us and basking in the presence of a real and living God who loves us without measure!

Worship starts with Thanksgiving, flows into Praise, and walks us right into the divine Glory and Power of the one who knows us best!

Psalm 100:4 (KJV)
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

In the Jewish tabernacle there was an outer court, and inner court, and then the Holy of Holies where the ark of the covenant which represented the presence of God was!

Jesus made it possible for us to go all the way into the Holy of Holies when He gave His life on the cross to cleanse and purify us! The veil that kept most people out was torn into when He said, “It is finished”!

So today we can enter into the very presence of Father God in the Holy of Holies by the outer court, inner court and right on into the Holy Place!

When we just begin to open our mouth and thank God for everything: breath, life, family, food, water, shelter, and on and on we are in the outer court. We are speaking aloud our thanks whether we really feel thankful or not!

As we begin to speak our Blessings, we are filled with Praise, and the Praise for who Jesus is, who God is, and all His provisions become not just words but true feelings from the heart! We are in the inner court. The cares and situations in life have been replaced with a true Praise that we are not alone, and we do not fight our battles and the Lord God Almighty reigns and Loves us!

Somewhere in the midst of our Praise we realize we have moved from the inner court to the Holy of Holies and are kneeling, standing, or sitting is the presence of the one who created all things, formed us, and knew us before we were every thought of by our parents!

We find in the Holy place that the things of earth grow strangely dim in His Light and Love! His presence becomes so real the words of praise may be impossible and all we can do it lift our hands or just sit as He wraps us in arms that are big enough to Love and comfort the entire world!

Or maybe all you can say is Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty!

The inner court, the outer court, the Holy of Holies!

To flow from one to another we must open our mouths and speak! If life had dealt you such a blow all you can say is, Jesus over and over that begins that flow and you will find yourself more and more in the presence of royalty: the King of Kings and Lord of Lord!

I encourage you these last few days before Christmas, take some time each day just to sit and give thanks for the gift of eternal life that we celebrate and all He is to you and you will find your stress, worries, frustrations and fears will vanish and you before much time has passed you will be sitting in the Holy Place!

Lay it all down, give it all up, and just Worship!

____________________________________________________________

Father, thank you for life! Thank you, Jesus, for freedom from all wrongs and mistakes! Thank you for freedom from stress and may each person who reads this Praise you! You are wonderful, counselor, the mighty God, the Prince of Peace! In your presence is fullness of Joy! Fill all who read this with Joy and Peace! Amen

Take time in His Presence!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 557

December 14, 2021///

I have a small pot with a flower that I thought was dead. There was no sign of life in the stalk that no longer had a bloom on it.

I was going to plant in in the planters we have on our back deck to see if it would live and set it on the deck rail until I got to it.

I did not get to it, and it was moved to the table on the deck when Christmas lights were put on the rail.

Behold! One day I looked and there are two beautiful blooms reaching up toward the sky, praising the creator God!

I thought there was only death but there was life deep in the soil ready to burst forth!

Do you have a dream that was once vibrant with life and hope! Did that dream get crowded about by the situations of life and difficulty of days gone by?

Is that dream buried deep and set aside as could have been, should have been, moments and times?

Are you living in the if only phase of life and the attitude that it is too late for my dream and my desires that God gave me to happen?

May I tell you that just like my little flower it is never too late!

Yes, I said to myself that I should have taken better care of the plant and maybe it would not have died but it was not really dead!

Jesus came to give us life and life abundantly and He who put the dreams and desires within you to begin with can bring them to full bloom as we go forward one step at a time releasing those dreams to His Lordship!

Isaiah 61:11 (KJV)
For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Whatever God has placed in our Spirits to do is for His praise and to bring people to truth and trust in a good, good, Father!

Romans 11:29 (KJV)
For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

No matter our circumstance, God has not removed the dreams and desires He placed within us. We may have them buried so deep we think they are gone but when we commit them to the one who gave them and follow the first step He gives, they will begin to sprint forth!

2 Corinthians 1:20 (KJV)
 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.

Mary said, “Be it unto me”!

The leper said, “if you will,” Jesus said, “I will”!

The little boy gave his meager lunch to Jesus and Jesus fed thousands as He Blessed it!

Are we willing to bring our dreams and desires and lift them to the Father and let Him take them, and Bless them, and give the ones that are from Him back to us?

Are we willing to ask Him for the next step to take as we take the ones that are of Him and go forward with them?

What is the one thing we can do this day or this week to follow the leading of the Lord? Are we willing to release all our dreams and desires to the Creator and be willing to receive back only those that are from Him?

The Psalmist said it this way:

Psalm 37:5 (KJV)
Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

What is that thing that moves you like nothing else! What is it you regret not doing in the past? What action in life would bring you the most joy? It is never too late with Father God!

I challenge you to commit the deepest desires of your heart to Him and follow that still small voice!

He can! You can! The dream is alive!

_____________________________________

Father, thank you that each of us were created on purpose and for a purpose. Our true joy is found when we are walking in our purpose. Revive our dreams and desires today and as we release them to you, and as you Bless them may each of us take that next step! In Jesus name! Amen

If you are breathing, God is not through with you! Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 556

December 7, 2021///

Luke 2:11 (KJV)
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

This time of year, we hear a lot about the Birth of Jesus. Today I want to ask you a question that I have pondered. I have never heard a preacher preach about this or a teacher teach about it, but I ask you to flow with me and let me probe into a question for consideration.

When did Jesus know who He was? When did He know He was God in the flesh and destined to give His life for our redemption?

When He looked up at Mary and Joseph, did He understand they had said yes to God’s plan?

When the Shepherds came to see what the angels had announced, did He realize they were looking at the Savior whom the prophets of old told?

We know that He knew who He was when He was twelve, and in the Temple, declaring to His parents that He must be about the Father’s business!

All we know of His first twelve years is what is written in this scripture:

Luke 2:40 (KJV)
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

He grew strong in spirit and was filled with wisdom and grace but when did He realize He was the very Creator God in the flesh?

I wonder, did He understand that as Mary and Joseph shared with Him the truth of His miraculous birth? Or maybe as He learned carpentry from Joseph and formed useful pieces from wood, He remembered when Adam was formed from dust?

What if He saw an injured bird, picked it up and it was instantly healed and able to fly and He suddenly knew who He was and that He had come to heal and set free a broken humanity?

Was it during a Jewish boy’s prayer time that the Father revealed to His mind and spirit who He really was?

I wonder if at the age of two when the wise men came bearing gifts and fell down and worshiped, did He know? He must have!! Most Bible scholars agree that He was probably about two then. Can you imagine any little two-year-old boy who would not have been gazing out the door at the camels and pointing with glee at the way the wisemen were dressed and the things in their hands rather than receiving their worship?

Think about that! They fell down and worshiped the savior, who was in a young child’s body, and He received their worship! He must have known!

Mary and Joseph knew who He was! The Shepherds knew who He was! The prophetess Anna knew who He was! Simeon, a just and upright man, knew who He was, and the wise men knew who He was! At some point Jesus knew who He was!

DO YOU KNOW WHO HE IS?

Is He your Savior? Is He Lord of your life? Do you know with Him all things are possible?

Is He your absolute best friend? Do you tell Him your problems? Do you give Him Praise and Glory and Worship Him?

Jesus knew who He was and what His destiny was! The disciples knew, Mary Magdalene knew, the blind, the lame, all whom He touched knew! The centurion at the cross said: “Truly this was the Son of God”!

When did Jesus know? It is an interesting question with no specific answer! But the question that does have a wonderful answer is why?

LOVE! God’s Love for humankind demanded a way we could be free from the enemy of all that is good! That we can live victorious and one day be in a world filled with no evil! Because of man’s fall there had to be a sacrifice for sin! Jesus fulfilled that for each of us who believe it and receive His cleansing into our lives!

DO YOU KNOW?

______________________________________

Father, what a wonderful plan you set forth to redeem us back to relationship with you! How precious is that relationship! May all who read this understand that you are good and desire good for them. Let us all submit our will, our way, and our days to you! In Jesus name I pray! Amen

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 555

November 30, 2021

Christmas! What does it mean?

The majority of the world celebrates Christmas, and yet how many know the real meaning.

Many watch, Charlie Brown Christmas, The Grinch, Frosty the Snowman, Rudolph the Red nose Reindeer, Santa Claus is coming to town, Elf, Miracle on Thirty Fourth Street, and my favorite, It’s a Wonderful Life!

Kids make list and ask for everything they see advertised on TV!

On the other hand, Churches have special services, Cantata’s, Children’s Christmas Programs and Candlelight Services.

Our lawns are decorated, our trees get lights and ornaments on them and our Churches and sometimes the lawns of the Churches portray the birth of the Savior!

Some of our fellow humans face such loneliness and despair during December that they take or think of taking God’s precious gift of life!

Some lay awake plotting and worrying about how they will buy their little ones presents.

The phrase most often heard in a mall, or a department store is: “what can I get ______ for Christmas.”

Retailers count on a banner season of sales, and many people just wish it would all get over!

What does it all mean? What do we feel in our hearts as we go through this month of gatherings, singing, decorating, shopping, and worrying?

Jesus came as the Gift of Eternal, Abundant Life to the entire world. Every person who hears, and believes, and receives, will live with the Peace inside they we were created with.

Jesus was born in a stable, wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a manager!

Why was not the Son of the Heavenly Father born in a rich person’s house or a Palace or among rulers? He was born to a virgin maiden and a carpenter!

Because He wanted us to understand that He is reaching for every person every in this world. He was ordinary in every way except the way He was He was conceived. He was born to set us free from sin and death, and HE WAS THE FIRST AND GREATEST GIFT OF CHRISTMAS! A gift that continues eternally!

Because of His Love the Father gave the Gift of Life. Because of our Love for others is the reason we should give gifts at Christmas and all year.

Our giving should not be one of requirement or duty or because someone gave or is giving us something but should come from a heart of love that desires to Bless those we Love and care for.

Even those things we do for those we do not know such as Samaritan’s Purse Shoe Boxes, or Bill Jones World Children’s Ministry, or the Salvation Army, and any others should be done out of Love for Jesus and our fellowman.

As we enter December 2021 may we intentionally focus our eyes on the greatest gift of all. JESUS, GOD’S SON!

When I was growing up, I knew that Jesus was real and when I got a little older, I was told by my mother, that Santa Claus stood for St. Nicolas who many centuries ago did much to help the poor around him at all times and on Christmas Eve he left presents. Thus, the tradition of Santa was born.

I never confused Santa Claus with the Savior of the World who came to guide us, love us, and fight our battles.

I told my kids, Jesus is for real, Santa is for fun!

May I encourage you to keep the real meaning of Christmas in the forefront this year? When looking at the light displays you can remind yourself and your children that Jesus is the Savior of the world!

When you are buying gifts for someone remind yourself and your children that God gave the GREATEST GIFT: JESUS. Read the Christmas Story from the Bible more than once and do activities such as putting a small manger scene up or discussing how Mary, Joseph and the Shepherds must have felt on the first Christmas Night!

JESUS, the Gift of Life and Love, was noticed by few people when He was born, but He changed the course of the entire world.

May we not neglect this Gift this year!

Luke 2:10-11 (KJV)
¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

_________________________

Father, thank you for the gift of Love that came down to earth wrapped in a body like ours. Thank you for the gift of Life, and the Peace that comes from receiving this gift! Father, your Gift of Love is Amazing, and we rest in you this busy season! In Jesus name, Amen!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 554

November 23, 2021///

In two days, it will be Thanksgiving. Many will gather with family and friends, and many will serve meals to those in need, and many will feel lonely and afraid.

This day is set aside to give thanks for all the Blessings the year and our lives have brought to us. Today, I want to pour out to you what is in my heart concerning your life not one day of the year but what I call THANKS LIVING.

To walk in THANKS LIVING IS TO:

Be thankful for each day God gives us in the beautiful world He created!

Be touched by a sunrise or sunset that takes your breath away!

Understand that every breath we take is from a Loving Heavenly Father!

Be thankful for our family and the opportunity to show them Love!

Bask in a babies smile and a child’s laughter!

Let the gratefulness of a job to do fill us knowing there are many who would love that job or just being physically able to do the job!

Praise God each day that we live in America. With all its faults and problems, it is still the greatest nation in the world!

Be thankful for health and healing and Doctors who can speed this along!

Praise God for Salvation and the Holy Spirit to guide us each day!

Be thankful for a church to worship in and the right to do so!

Realize that our homes, our vehicles, our ministries, are privileges from the God who Loves without reservation!

The Word of God is Truth, and its Truth sets us free and teaches us to be Thankful and Praise and understand we are created for a purpose!

Colossians 3:15 (KJV)
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

Psalm 100:4 (KJV)
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Do you want God to fight your battles, to open doors and give you strength for the journey? THANKS LIVING is the answer!

Philippians 4:6 (KJV)
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

When we live each day with a THANKFUL heart for whatever we have and for His plan of good for our lives, it opens the door for HIM to work!

Psalm 95:2 (KJV)
Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

Psalm 69:30 (KJV)
I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

To walk out THANKS LIVING we need to be established and built up in the Faith by the Word and Prayer!

Colossians 2:7 (KJV)
Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

The heavens declare the Glory of God and when we walk in Thankfulness to Him, we declare His Glory!

Psalm 19:1 (KJV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

May we always remember that everything good comes from God who never changes!

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.

What ever your circumstances, wherever you are, I encourage you to live a life of THANKS LIVING and no weapon formed against you will prosper!

_____________________________________________

Father, thank you for your Blessings on each of us! May we understand that you are good, all the time and our THANKS opens amazing doors of Blessings and Miracles! You have more for us than we can imagine. Help each of us to understand that THANKS LIVING releases and frees us to walk in those Miracles and Blessings!

Have an amazing THANKS LIVING life!

Love, MeMaw!