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Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 621

March 7, 2023///

Matthew 9:36 (KJV)
But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd.

Jude 1:22 (KJV)
And of some have compassion, making a difference:

Compassion: consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it!

Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the multitudes as sheep having no shepherd!

We as Christians are moved with compassion when we see people wondering without Jesus and looking in all the wrong places.

Each of us are moved to help others in different ways. I want to share with you today something that has been heavy on my heart lately and ask for your suggestions and prayers. I have some ideas but have no solid plan of how to get it started.

I love kids and teens and have worked in the church with both of those age groups. At 78 I am not actively working in children or youth ministries but my heart is there.

I thank God for our Childrens Pastors and our Youth workers in our church and all Bible Believing churches who are making an eternal difference in the Church of tomorrow!

But what about the forgotten ones? The ones who are not in church. The ones who have no center of Jesus Christ to live their lives around! The ones that have nothing or have everything! The ones who are ignored or abused physically, sexually, or verbally, behind closed doors!

The forgotten ones who would never get on a bus to come to a church but who are somehow getting a gun, getting mixed up in gangs, or just in the wrong crowd?

The forgotten ones who just want to belong, to be part of something, and who do not know how much they are Loved by their creator and the truth of the price Jesus paid to set them free!

Have you noticed how those who are involved in things that are evil are getting younger and younger?

There is no basis for security in their lives and no one to show them they are loved, and they have a purpose, and they are enough!

WE MUST GO TO THEM!

We must love them to Jesus! We must show them there is a better way and they are important enough for us to spend some time with them.

The youth detention centers are filled with those who need to be guided in the right way! Our prisons are full of people who need to know the way, the truth, and the light, and anointed people from our church and other churches are reaching out to them. And I thank God for that!

But my heart is full of the truth that we must reach them before they are in detention, prison, or dead in the street or neighborhood by a bullet or drug overdose!

May I tell you, some of what I see is a vehicle with a large part of the side that would open up to use as a puppet stage and teaching. Games and hot dogs or pizza and people filled with the love of Jesus talking and listening to these kids!

This vehicle and the people who are committed to this going into the neighborhoods that need it most!

Food, games, music, and Love will open them up to realizing they are worth something and can make a difference in this world!

My heart aches for the forgotten ones who are searching for truth! Whether they are from poverty or wealth, if Jesus is not the center of their lives they will fall for the lies and the tricks of the enemy!

My heart is heavy with the need and I ask you again to pray as God works miracles in the carrying out of this and reply to this email (or if you reading this on Facebook reply to pburn@charter.net) with thoughts and suggestions!

God Bless you for allowing me to share with you my burden for the “Forgotten kids of the Southside of Atlanta”!

We cannot do everything, but we can do something!

Reach out with compassion and make a difference!

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Father in Jesus name I come! Thank you for your Love and Compassion toward each of your creations! I lift up for you the children and teens that are being abused, misused and looking for acceptance in all the wrong places. Let those of us who know you be your hand extended. May your plan for what you have placed my heart formulate in my heart! Nothing is impossible with you! I release this vision and desire to your Lordship! I praise you Lord God Almighty! Amen!

Reach out with compassion!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 620

February 28, 2023///

In this world where worry, fear and uncertainty abound I want to share some truth through laughter and thanksgiving.

Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

I pray this observation about “People being like Potatoes” will amuse you and fill you with truth!

Some people Never seem motivated to participate but are content to watch others do. They are called “Speck Taters”.

Others never do anything to help but are gifted at finding fault with the way others do things. They are called “Comment Taters”.

Some are always looking to cause problems and really get under your skin. They are called “Aggie Taters”.

There are those who are always saying they will but somehow, they never get around to doing it. We call them “Hezza Taters”.

 And some put on a front and act like someone else. They are called “Emma Taters”.

Then there are those who walk what they talk. They are always prepared to stop what they are doing to lend a hand to others and bring real sunshine into the lives of others. You can call them “Sweet Taters”.

WHAT KING OF TATER ARE YOU!

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.

Here are some suggestions of things to Thank God for that we might not normally think as praise material.

I AM THANKFUL:

For the wife who says it’s hot dogs tonight because she is not out with someone else!

For the husband who is on the sofa being a couch potato because he is home with me and not out at the bars!

For the teenager who is complaining about doing the dishes because that means she is at home and not on the streets!

For the taxes that I pay because that means I am employed.

For the clothes that fit a little too snug because it means I have enough to eat!

For a lawn that needs mowing, windows that need cleaning, and gutters that need fixing because it means I have a home!

For the parking spot I find at the far end of the parking lot because it means I am capable of walking and have been blessed with transportation!

For my huge heating bill because it means I am warm!

For the lady behind me in church that sings off key because that means I can hear!

For the pile of laundry to be washed because it means I have clothes to wear!

For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day because it means I have been capable of working hard!

For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours because it means that I am alive!

Wow, how many of us have been guilty of complaining about these things rather than being thankful for them. Thanksgiving brings peace instead of frustration and allows God to work on molding another person into His image, and bringing His will into situations!

Thanksgiving and Praise are weapons, may we use them in every situation!

Think about it!

What should you be thanking God for!

And did you hear about the little six-year-old praying the Lord’s Prayer and saying,

“Forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets!”

Ok, think about that truth from a child!

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Father, in Jesus’ name I come! Thank you for your joy and laughter! Thank you for bringing to our mind all the many things we should be thankful for! May we find laughter in the ordinary happenings of the day and be thankful every second of every minute we live! Forgive us when we whine and remind us deep inside how very blessed we are! Amen!

Laugh and be Thankful!

Love, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 619

February 21, 2023

Faithful! The dictionary gives the definition of Faithful as follows:

: steadfast in affection or allegiance: LOYAL

: firm in adherence to promises or in observance of duty: CONSCIENTIOUS

: given with strong assurance: BINDING

: true to the facts, to a standard,

FAITHFUL, LOYAL, CONSTANT, STAUNCH, STEADFAST, 

RESOLUTE mean firm in adherence to whatever one owes allegiance.

FAITHFUL implies unswerving adherence to a person or thing or to the oath or promise by which a tie was contracted.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 (KJV)
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

Hebrews 10:23 (KJV)
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

God is Faithful! He will do what He says He will do! He will take care of us! But Are we Faithful to Him and to follow Him in all we do?

1 Corinthians 4:2 (KJV)
 Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.

A steward is to take care of what he is given to do! Each of us have things we are to do, people we are to care for and touch with the love of Jesus!

Are we Faithful?

God fills our lives with people and situations we are to influence.

Maybe you are like me and sometimes look at others your age or in a situation similar to yours and observe all they are doing and wonder if you are making a difference in anyone’s life!

When you close your eyes in sleep tonight, will your actions this day show faithfulness to our Savior, Jesus Christ!

Look with me at one of the verses and chorus of a gospel song from way back!

VERSE:

Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem so small and little known?
It is great if a God is in it
For He’ll not forsake His own!

CHORUS:

Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame
There’s a crown, and you can win it
If you go in Jesus’ name!

Where is the place and to whom has God called you to labor. Is it to take care of your babies or maybe help with others babies. Are you called to work with an elderly parent or coach a kid’s ball team.

Maybe it is being a prayer warrior for situations you are aware of. Maybe it is paying for the few items the person in front of you is digging for enough change to complete the transaction.

Little is much when God is in it! It is not even necessarily a specific calling to a specific thing, but a call to let all the large and small actions of you day be that of kindness, compassion and love for others. Whatever you do be Faithful to the one who called you to let His fruit flow through you!

Or maybe your calling is in front of many and is known far and wide. Be Faithful to the one who called you and not peoples opinion. Whatever you do be Faithful and do it as unto the Lord!

Matthew 25:23 (KJV)
His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

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Father, thank you for your faithfulness that never changes! Thank you for honoring our faithfulness in all we do whether large or small. Thank you for seeing and understanding the desires and meditations of our heart and you will guide us as we sincerely desire to be faithful to your plan for our lives. Invade each one who reads this with the deep desire to be Faithful to you. I ask it in Jesus’s name! Amen!

Be Faithful! Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 618

February 14, 2023///

Be my valentine??

How much money will be spent on Valentine’s cards, flowers, candy, jewelry, and other things to make up for a bad mood most of the time?

Yes, we should show those we Love how special they are on Valentine’s Day, and you can never do to much for those you have in your life!

But what about all the other days of the year? What about the days when it is cold, rainy, hot as blazes, or/and we do not feel good or want to go to work or handle the other responsibilities that face us and we take it out on those around us.

We may apologize and declare that we are just in “A BAD MOOD”!

Do we every examine why we are in a bad mood?

May I tell you something that Bill Johnson said that I think is something we should look at!

“GOD IS ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD”!

You may say, “Well, if I were God, I could always be in a good mood”!

Have you noticed that when you are in a bad mood or out of sorts you have no peace. Peace brings a calmness that will cause us to Love others and treat them as Jesus would. Peace is my birthright in Christ!

1 John 4:9 (KJV)
In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

Jesus gave himself because He Loved. When we receive that Love we can Love others correctly as we abide in that Love!

We have a choice! We can abide in our feelings, blame everyone around us, feel guilty, think the world revolves around us, and be in a bad mood much of the time or we can take the Peace Jesus came to give, and walk in Faith and Victory everyday of our life.

The dictionary gives the definition of mood as:

: a conscious state of mind or predominant emotion : FEELING

: a prevailing attitude

If you walk in your feelings, if your attitude is wrong a lot of the time, you will be battling a bad mood often!

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.

Do you think fear and trouble steal our peace and put us in a bad mood? Absolutely! But in this scripture above, Jesus promised peace!

John 15:12 (KJV)
This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

We can only follow that commandment as we walk in Peace. We can only walk in Peace as we let Jesus reign in our hearts and face everyday knowing our life is in His hands and He will direct and light our way.

The world cannot give that kind of Peace and the world cannot take it away. Genuine Peace will cause genuine Love deep in our hearts and cause Unity with the special person in our life to be a lifestyle and not just a day.

I encourage you to celebrate this day. If you have a wife or husband or a significant other, show them this day how special they are. Flowers, cards, gifts, or words of love are needed and appreciated.

But do not stop with today. Let your actions and your attitudes and your words each day, reflect your Love for them and your knowledge of your Love for each other!

We should all take a moment this day to express our Love for the true expression of Love: our salvation through Jesus sacrifice!

You are His! You are Special! You are His Valentine, and He gives you Peace!

We cannot be filled with His Love and Peace and be in a bad mood!

“GOD IS ALWAYS IN A GOOD MOOD’!

Father, in Jesus name I come with a grateful heart that you Love me with a Love that never wavers! You fill me with Peace and the realization of how special I am, and this enables me to let your agape Love flow to others. May we all see others with your kind of Love and may we see ourselves as Loved and highly favored of you! We can walk in confidence from you! Amen!

Rejoice Always!

Love, MeMaw!

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 617

February 7, 2023///

I want to encourage you to today to use the weapon of Praise that God has given us!

Let’s zero in on ten verses of Psalm 34. It is full of instruction and promises as we give God Glory!

Psalm 34:1-10 (KJV)
¹ I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
² My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.
³ O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

We are to bless the lord and praise Him not just when things are going good, but at all times. When we don’t feel like it, when our life seems out of control and favor in what we do seems a million miles away, we need to praise.

We are to boast/realize who God is and it is He who made us, and He who has awesome plans for us!

We are to magnify and exalt His name, lift up the name of Jesus, let His name fall freely from our lips as we go through our day and the task and responsibilities of our lives.

You cannot praise and have self-pity at the same time. Choose Praise!

God promises He will keep us and hear us!

⁴ I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.
⁶ This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.

He hears us, takes away our fears, our shame, and saves us out of our troubles!

Do you see that? He gives perfect love that dispels all fear because fear brings torment. Fear can even render you helpless!

Does your past haunt you or try to drag you backward in shame and regret. The loving Lord God Almighty takes away all shame and washes us clean and pure through the Blood of Jesus!

Do you need a miracle. Is trouble facing you from every side. Our God saves us out of all trouble. We may be in it, but He saves us out of it.

Does this sound like a good life to you, there is more!

⁷ The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
⁸ O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.
⁹ O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.

Angels are all about you when you are walking in the light of what Jesus did. There are ministering, warrior, and guardian angels that are all around you and they deliver you and protect you. How many times are we protected when we do not even know it? And all of us have close calls when we know we were protected and delivered by something greater than ourselves.

The Lord is good and when we taste His goodness through trust in Him, life is sweet and peace reigns in our hearts even in the midst of struggles!

When we fear or reverence the Lord God Almighty all our needs will be met, and we will not want for anything our life needs!

¹⁰ The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.

Seek the Lord! As I shared last week, do we seek the Lord for our direction, or do we try to figure it out ourselves?

This 10^th verse tells us when we seek Him, we shall not lack any good thing. That is a promise that is difficult to wrap our minds around. Just seek Him. Is that the answer to a life lived in peace, joy, anointing, love, abilities, and power to do all we are created to do?

Indeed, it is! Jesus promises that in Matthews Gospel!

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

How many times do we just decided to do something or make a necessary decision without ever praying and getting direction and then ask God to Bless it! If we seek Him first, follow His direction, then it will be Blessed!

Join me in speaking in sincerity these 10 verses of Psalm 34 our loud at least and then repeat it making it personal by putting yourself in the verse! “I seek you Lord” “You heard me and delivered me from shame and fear” etc.

Praise accompanied by the word, defeats devils, demons, and all power of the enemy!

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Father, I seek you above all else. I trust you and lean on you and snuggle close to you, knowing you are protecting, supplying, and filling me with abundant joy and peace. Guide everything I do! I ask it all in Jesus’ name! Amen

Praise! Love, MeMaw!  

MeMaw Thoughts

Number 616

January 31, 2023///

Why do we doubt? Is anything too hard for God?

Genesis 18:14 (KJV)
Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

I have been thinking if how we view the God of the impossible.

We face a situation there seems to be no answer to. We struggle and try to figure it out. Finally, we pray and ask God to intervene as only He can because it is an impossible situation. We declare to ourselves and to God that we know nothing is impossible for Him.

Jeremiah 32:27 (KJV)
Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Then we continue to try to figure it out rather than resting in Him and in the Power of His might! We may fret and decide we can do a certain thing and that might solve the problem, but the thing we are trying to fix or solve gets worse.

When we release it to the Lord God Almighty and rest in Him and only do something as He directs, we will see the victory come to pass.

Jesus taught the disciples that what they perceived as impossible is possible with the God who created it all. With words He spoke the world into existence, He created all things! And yet we get hung up trying to believe He can do anything?

Mark 10:27 (KJV)
And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

In Luke 8, Jairus’ daughter was very sick and without a miracle she would die. He came to Jesus and ask that Jesus come and heal his daughter. While they were going some from Jairus house came and said, “Don’t bother Jesus anymore, she is dead”!

A bad situation had turned into an impossible situation! Have you ever been there? You pray and ask the Father in Jesus name and things take a turn for the worse?

Notice what Jesus said to Jairus!

Luke 8:50 (KJV)
But when Jesus heard it, he answered him, saying, Fear not: believe only, and she shall be made whole.

When things get worse, Jesus is still the answer and can do what needs to be done. We should never fear, only believe!

Look in Mark 9 at the event of the dad whose son was possessed and continually tried to hurt himself. The dad besought Jesus to do something. Jesus told Him to believe and all things were possible.

Look at what the dad said!

Mark 9:24 (KJV)
And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

Wow, how many times in my life have I had to say, “Lord I believe as best I can, help my unbelief’!

The cool thing is that Jesus saw the dad’s sincerity and whether the dad ever comprehended what Jesus could do or not, Jesus delivered the boy from the demons that were destroying him and set him free.

What a comfort! When we do our best to believe we can cry out to Jesus to help our unbelief and He sees our hearts and works on our behalf.

The enemy of your soul, satan, desires to keep you bound up with the thought that your faith is to weak to believe for the miracle you need.

Certainly, we must grow in our faith by spending time meditating on the word and spending time in the lord’s presence.

Romans 10:17 (KJV)
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

But the truth that fuels our faith, is the Life of Jesus flowing through us showing us who our God is and who we are in Him.

Our faith cannot be in anything other than knowing Jesus and being filled with His love for us. Then we realize He is working on our behalf. Causing all things to turn around for our good and leading us in every way.

God sees the heart! When we say, “I believe as best I can, help my unbelief”, He can see the truth of that and works in our lives!

Luke 18:27 (KJV)
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

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Father, in Jesus’ name I come! Thank you for seeing our heart. When we pray, study, and seek your face we are still faced with situations where we must say, “Help my unbelief”. Thank you for seeing our sincerity, and your help and your miracles are there! Your love is so amazing and you know us better than we know ourself. You are able and we are casting all our care on you! Amen!

God is for you!  Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 615

January 24, 2023///

What happens when the well runs dry?

A well supplies water to bathe, wash clothes, cook and so many functions!

When I was a little girl, we had a well that served about 3 or 4 houses. Water had to be drawn from that well but as clear as I remember there was never a time when the well was dry.

But we have all heard stories of wells running dry and there was no water. The problem was the source was no longer supplying water for various reasons.

The Bible refers to the word of God as the “Water of the Word”!

Ephesians 5:26-27 (KJV)
²⁶ That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
²⁷ That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

The word washes us clean and keeps us pure before God!

Jesus said:

John 7:38 (KJV)
He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Jesus declared that if we believe, living water will flow. We do not have to draw it out, it just flows, like water flows from our faucets!

However, we do need to keep the source of that living water opened with feasting on the Word of God! Communication with the Father through Jesus, through the Word and Prayer keeps the Living water flowing freely!

So, what happens when junk gets in the way. We do not pray, gather with believers, or study the word which is God’s instruction book to us! The well dries up!

When Jesus walked on earth, He was the living, breathing, expression of God’s Love and His Word! When keep our relationship with Him clear we have the life-giving water flowing in and through us!

When that well of life-giving water dries up, you are trying to walk each day in your own wisdom and strength and each day becomes a difficult and draining walk!

Just as in a well or water from another source, we must clear the junk, repair the pipes, or dig further down in the ground to get to the source!

We must rid ourselves of the cares or habits that have clogged the flow! We must confess and repair the neglect and disobedience, and/or we need to dig deep in our spirits and break up the dry fallow ground and get to the pure soil of our heart!

The Father who Loves us more than can be comprehended, desires to constantly flow rivers of living water of life deep inside! But we are created with choice, and we choose to keep the well, pipes, etc. clear or allow the things all around us, cares of this world, and/or time to stop the flow!

But we must keep drinking!

Jesus said:

John 4:14 (KJV)
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

Drinketh or drinks and keeps on drinking of the water which is the Word. Then we will continue to walk in the flow of life. When you believe you are saved but to walk in the flow of water that refreshes and sets free you much keep the source free of the things that clog the relationship of the Lord Jesus!

The power of the word does exactly that. It shows us what we need to change, confess, or do! It encourages us that we can do all things through Christ, and it fills us with strength and wisdom and understanding that only come from the Lord God Almighty! The word moves mountains and soothes our souls.

The word gives us joy, peace and overcoming power.

Why would we choose to let the well run dry when the water of life is there if we allow it.

James 3:11-12 (KJV)
¹¹ Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
¹² Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

If we want the fresh water to flow in and from us, we must clear the way by the washing of the Word of Truth!

Hebrews 10:22 (KJV)
Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.

The pure water of the word will flow to every part of our body and life!

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Father in Jesus name help us to understand how powerful your word is! May we feast on it as we feast on food for the physical body. Your word will keep us in tune with you, your voice, and your will and way! Forgive us when we neglect the very thing we need. Thank you that you provide all we need, and you give us water for our thirsty soul! Amen!

Don’t let the well within go dry! Love, MeMaw

Me-maw Thoughts

Number 614

January 17, 2023//

What can I say about the last few days?

“THE LORD IS MY ROCK AND MY STRENGTH, MY PROTECTOR AND MY JOY AND PEACE!”

God is good all the time, even in the chaos of the last week!

First thing, we spent from Tuesday to Saturday trying to get relief for my husband Ronald’s pain. A trip to the Doctor, a trip to the ER, trying for 2 days to days to see a doctor again to no avail, and then seeing an amazing new Doctor on Saturday who found the problem. After several shots, and medicine he is on the mend.

In the middle of this, on Thursday when all the storms came through this area our neighborhood got hit hard. We were in the hall praying and calling on Jesus! We were and are fine!

Our house sustained some damage. We had a tree go through the garage window and there is some wind damage to the roof. We were without power for three days and we have a yard full of uprooted trees.

We are so grateful those big trees did not hit our house. We would probably have been hurt. The boxes the tree knock over in the garage hit the side of the car but did not damage it and the Christmas stuff in the boxes that got knocked around were not broken.

Our next-door neighbor had a tree come through the roof above his bedroom

for all those we know who were affected, but God will turn it to good.

Paul tells us in every situation to give thanks, not for every situation but in every situation because God is still God and works for us!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

God’s will for us to give thanks! The bad that happened is not His will!

There is a song that says that’s no mountain for a climber when the maker of the mountain is with you!

May I encourage you today that whatever mountain you are facing, God will remove it or be right with you as you climb it.

Do not be discouraged or afraid of what you face are may face because as a child of God, He is in you and with you and fighting for you!

If you are in the most difficult time of your life or you are on the mountain top of joy, just know that the one who created you loves you with a love that will never end!

Hebrews 4:16 (KJV)
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

I leave with you 2 John 1:3

2 John 1:3 (KJV)
Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Let the God of peace fill you with peace no matter the situation you find yourself in! The truth of His love for you overrides the facts of your situation!

Stay secure in Him!

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Father, in Jesus’ name I thank you that you are the one who give peace in the midst of the storm and there is nothing happening to us that you are not aware of. Let each of us rest in you and cast all our cares and uncertainty on you! You made the mountains and the valleys, and you are with us in all places and all times. I worship and adore you and thank you for peace that the world cannot give! Amen!

Love, MeMaw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 613

January 10, 2023///

Psalm 118:24 (KJV)
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

As we start a new year with all its possibilities, I want to reprint a story I first printed in 2021. It is not an original story, but I want to encourage you to think about the truth in it and make each day special as we embark on the journey of 2023.

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My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. “This” he said, ^“is not a slip. This is lingerie.” He discarded the tissue and handed me the slip. It was exquisite; silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag with an astronomical figure on it was still attached. “Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least 8 or 9 years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion”.

“Well, I guess this is the occasion”. He took theslip from me and put it on the bed with the other clothes we were taking to the mortician. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to me.

“Don^’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”

I remembered those words through the funeral and the days that followed when I helped him, and my niece attend to all the sad chores that follow an unexpected death.

I thought about them on the plane returning to California from the Midwestern town where my sister’s family lives. I thought about all the things she hadn’t seen or heard or done.

I thought about all the things she had done without realizing that they were special

I’m still thinking about his words, and they have changed my life.                     

I’m reading more and dusting less. I’m sitting on the deck and admiring the view without fussing about the weeds in the garden. I^’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time in committee meetings.

Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to savor, not endure. I’m trying to recognize these moments now and cherish them. I am not “saving” anything; we use our good china and crystal for every special event such as losing a pound, getting the sink unstopped, the first camellia blossom.

I wear my good blazer to the market if I like it. My theory is if I look prosperous, I can shell out $28.49 for one smelt bag of groceries without wincing. Iam not saving my good perfume for special parties; clerks in hardware stores and tellers in banks have noses that function as well as those of my friends.

“Someday” and “one of these days” are losing their grip on my vocabulary.

If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now.

l*m not sure what my sister would’ve done had she known that she wouldn’t be here for the tomorrow we all take for granted. I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend fences for past squabbles. I like to think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food.

I’m guessing – I’ll never know!

It’s those little things left undone that would make me angry if I knew that my hours were limited. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with – someday. Angry because I hadn’t written certain letters that intended to write – one of these days.

Angry and sorry that I didn’t tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them!  I^tm trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter and luster to our lives.

And every morning I open my eyes, I tell myself that it is special!

EVERY DAY, EVERY MINUTE, EVERY BREATH TRULY IS A GIFT OF GOD.

Ephesians 5:16 (KJV)
Redeeming the time,

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Father, thank you for every moment you give us to enjoy each other and this beautiful world you have given us! May we realize what is really important and may we understand the life is short and help us live every day to its fullest with the Love of God ruling our lives! In Jesus name I pray! Amen

Love Me-maw

Me-Maw Thoughts

Number 612

January 3, 2023///

There is a portion of scripture in Zephaniah that I want to zero in on today!

Zephaniah 3:17 (KJV)
The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; HE WILL REST IN HIS LOVE, he will joy over thee with singing.

I stopped short at the phrase I have capitalized. “He will rest in his love”! I pondered that because it sounded strange that The Lord would rest in His love! I looked at another couple of versions of that phrase!

Zephaniah 3:17 (AMP)
The Lord your God is in the midst of you, a Mighty One, a Savior [Who saves]! He will rejoice over you with joy; HE WILL REST [IN SILENT SATISFACTION] AND IN HIS LOVE HE WILL BE SILENT AND MAKE NO MENTION [OF PAST SINS, OR EVEN RECALL THEM]; He will exult over you with singing.

Take a look at that part of the verse in the Amplified. Our God’s Love is so vast and so amazing that He can rest in the fact that His Love is enough. He does not even recall our sins!

The New King James version has that portion as: “HE WILL QUIET YOU WITH HIS LOVE”!

Let me back up on the event this is taken from. The children of Israel in Jerusalem had forsaken the God who delivered them and fought for them and mixed other idol worship and participated in evil. But a remnant had repented and turned back to the true and living God and He had restored them.

Now the Mighty one was rejoicing over them with Joy and with a Love that truly forgives and forgets!

That same Lord God in in the midst of us. He can rest in the abundance of His Love to restore and wipe out all the mistakes, wrongs, and mess ups in our lives.

Another part of that scripture says, He sings over us with Joy! Can you comprehend that? The creator God, who created everything Loves us so much he eradicates our sins and sings over us!

I do not know what that does to you, but the thought of the Lord God Almighty singing over me with Joy and Love thrills me from head to toe. We are cherished. We are the apple of His eye.

This scripture is found in the Old Testament when they were looking forward to the Messiah, who was Jesus Christ. We have Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit to guide us and in addition to that we have a Heavenly Father who rest in His love and sings over us! As He rests in His love so should we.

When life makes us fretful and anxious, we can rest in His unconditional love and cast all that care on Him and hear that powerful voice deep inside, singing over us!

I think of Mary, Jesus’ mother, who had been told by Gabriel Jesus was the Son of God, but as she held him and felt a mother’s love flow from her to this baby in her arms could she really comprehend that it was His Love that would free her from all guilt, worries, and condemnations.

As she looked into the face of the child in her arms, perhaps she sang the Psalms over Him, such as “I will Bless the Lord at all times, His praise shall continually be in my mouth”, or “Bless the Lord, oh my soul and all that is within me Bless His name”! Maybe she did this not even considering she held the essence of the music of heaven and the pure expression of God’s love in her arms.

I wonder if we realize who we are created to be as the Lord God Almighty rest in His love for us, knowing through Him we are enough!

What do you hear being sung over you! Perhaps this is the song: “I love you with an everlasting love that knows all, hears all, and can do all”!

“Oh, love of God, how rich, how pure, how marvelous and strong.”! Oh, we cannot fantom the height, breadth, and dept of His Love!

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Father, in Jesus’ name I come! What an amazing thought that you are resting and confident in your love for us, not in our love for you. We can truly love only as we allow you to love through us, and we can follow your example and rest in your love for us! Your love never fails, never quits, and never gives up on me! May each person who reads this comprehend the enormity of your love for your creation, those into whom you breathed the breath of life! I praise you, Lord! Amen!

Rest in His Love!

Love, MeMaw