Give My Heart to Jesus?
Give my heart to Jesus?
What does it mean?
Does it mean a transplant?
Or some kind of change unseen.
“Believe on the Lord and you will be saved”.
But is that the only way?
My heart is searching for truth.
But can I trust what you say?
Lord, help me, I want to do what’s right!
I want to know I’m going to heaven
and I want to know tonight.
My questions they are many!
Answers, I have few.
I’ve tried every thing I can think of.
And I don’t know what to do.
So I will take a step of faith toward the one who saved me by His grace
Yes, I will trust you Lord,
That you’re Gods only son.
The only one who can forgive my sins each and every one.
If anyone can give me a new start surely it is true
And since there is no one else who can give me a new heart,
Jesus.
I give my heart to you!
a poem written by Pamela Lynne Murray from my:
Heavenly Treasures
Crrrrunch!
Crrrrunch!
It’s a little too hard, not quite as sweet as it should be and leaves you staring into your hand wondering why you ever wanted to eat that thing in the first place.
There you are with that yummy, healthy, juicy piece of fruit
that has a big chunk bitten out of it and no way can you finish it. Oooooooo, if I would have just waited 1 more month, or 1 more week, or even sometimes 1 day it would have made a world of difference! I would have enjoyed that so much more or even at all. Why do I sometimes do that? We do that because we have tasted how a really good piece of fruit should taste.The problem is we want to experience it again, but we forget that it takes time to ripen.
In the same way, God’s ways are not our ways nor is His timing our timing. God is never late, but He is also never early. He is always right on time, His time.
So the next time you think God is not on time, just think of that fruit. Would you want God to answer that prayer without the sweetness that comes with God’s will? Just for an example, would you want God to answer that prayer for a wife when she is way too young to be married, as in my marriage? I would have been in elementary school when my husband was thinking about marriage. No way that would not have worked! Or would you want God to answer that prayer even though in His infinite wisdom He would know that answering that prayer would bring unnecessary difficulty or constant striving to make things work?
God is faithful! There is no question about that. He has proven himself over and over again and His Word makes that clear. We just have to keep trusting Him. We need to pray, believe and wait on God. It is so much better than getting ourselves into a big mess or forcing things to happen that weren’t quite ready or not God’s will at all.
You might be asking, like I have asked. How do I know when something is God’s will? Well, one thing I have learned is that when something is in God’s will there will be warmth. Like when a true friend is coming to your aid to bring you to a place of rest. Unrest, is definitely a warning signal that this situation needs further prayer or this is not from God. When you are in God’s will it will just flow. When there are disruptions and problems and every roadblock, I’d say that needs continued prayer or is not God’s will. God’s will will bring peace to your heart and to those in your immediate surroundings. Absence of peace is not good. Back up and start over or keep praying until you know. God’s will is always present with joy. This is a little tricky, because there is fleshly joy and there is Godly joy. I believe Godly joy will also have a sense of warmth, bubbling up from inside your heart. It’s joy unspeakable and full of glory, I guess that’s the difference, it’s got God’s glory and will always bring God glory. And most importantly, It will Never go against God’s written word!
I cannot say I have never been out of God’s will. I have, and have
paid both spiritually and from my pocket book and in other ways. But, in all of those instances of seeking God’s will I have found that I can help others to know God’s will.
Maybe you don’t know God’s will, or maybe you don’t care. But it is so much easier in life when you are in God’s will. But to know God’s will you have to know God and to know God you have to know Jesus. Because Jesus said” I am the Way the Truth and the Life, no man comes to the Father but through me” He said it not me. It would be so awesome if you learned how to know God’s will and to know God by coming to know Jesus. It’s not hard. It just requires faith that Jesus came as God in the flesh, lived a perfect life, was crucified, buried and rose again. Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Now, go and tell someone. It’s Easter! You can start a brand new beginning in this time of celebrating Jesus’ birth, crucifixion, and his resurrection.
Now, if you haven’t asked Jesus in your heart and life there is
probably some guilt, that’s okay, guilt comes from doing wrong and that’s when we sin. That’s why Jesus died for us so that we could be free from sin. Ask Jesus to forgive your sins. That’s the cleansing part and oh the joy when you are cleansed from sin. That’s that joy that’s full of glory that I was talking about earlier. There may be tears, that’s okay too! There may be no emotion at all. But there will certainly be a change of heart.
Happy Easter and May God bless you 
from my:
Heavenly Treasures
Psssssssst, someone is whispering.
The Lord is near to those with a broken and contrite spirit. I am thankful that He is always near, but I think when we have a humbled, broken and contrite spirit we can just hear Him more closely. Maybe that’s why He speaks to us in a still small voice.
It’s hard to hear one person when there is a party going on. You have to get alone somewhere. Do you have to get alone with God and get away from all the ruckus? From my:
Heavenly Treasures
For Heaven’s Sake
Is there something you really want? Is it your dream?
Can you imagine it?
I read a description under the title of a home show of a couple whose dream is to own a hot tub. I don’t have anything against hot tubs but it sure wouldn’t be something on my “must have” dream list, at least not right now.
The truth is everybody has dreams of something. They dream of
doing something, going somewhere, being something or accomplish-
ing something.
I asked a bunch of middle school aged kids one day what they
wanted to be when they grew up. I was fascinated by the answers!
We have future doctors, computer programmers, NBA players, some kind of dirt bike riders, veterinarians and even bakery shop owners in our midst. Those were only a few of the answers that I remember.
Now, I don’t know about you, but that inspires me! Our kids have
big dreams! I think we owe it to them to get behind them and help
them realize their dreams.
I think kids are amazing! They are excited and full of energy, and
they are our country’s future. (Commercial for our wonderful
youth!)
Let’s start from scratch. When you were in Jr. High what did you
dream of doing, or being or having? I say Jr. High because I believe that’s when you really start to think about those things. Are you pursuing your dreams? Have you already accomplished them or are
you on to the next one? If you really dreamed about doing
something and didn’t pursue it, why not? What stopped you? What
is stopping you now?
Do you know that if you’re in a situation where one person or even
two people are physically disabled that you can be married and live a pretty normal life? In most cases you can even have children. Kids easily sit on laps and wrap their arms around the neck of a
wheelchair bound parent (they also love to take rides on
wheelchairs). If the non- disabled mom thinks that changing all of
the diapers and doing all of the night feedings sounds like too much
to handle here’s a hint. Most guys who are walking and able to help
only do a small part of that stuff. Ask around, you’ll find out the real truth and it won’t seem so overwhelming.
Say you grew up in a home that was very dysfunctional and
unstable, that also can be overcome. Who you become does not
have to be determined by what you came out of. There are people
you can talk to who have been through the same thing or very
similar situations who can help you. There are great books you can read. Don’t let yourself be a victim. Be an overcomer! Start a new tradition in your family.
I am not saying achieving these dreams will be easy, but I’m here to
say they can be reached .I’m borrowing this from my wise husband. “People can only know what they have been taught”. I’m also
borrowing this from a trusted friend. “Get in touch with some
people who can help you achieve your dream”.
Let’s face it! God made us. He put us on this earth for a reason.
I am not saying to be self seeking, drop all of your responsibilities
and go after your dream. I am also not going to tell you what to do. That’s not my job. There are people who can give you good sound guidance and advice. Believe it or not, God can use you right in the situation you’re in and provide exactly the right set of circumstances.
I have this God given faith that says “if it’s from the hand of Jesus,
He can provide”. He wouldn’t give you a talent just for you to leave
it on the shelf to get all dusty and rusty! For heaven’s sake, do something with it. Please?
Let me say here. If you have a talent that you’re using and it’s not
what you would say is pleasing to God, what can you do with it that would make it pleasing to God? I am here to stir you up to holiness
with what you do with your life.
I am so behind you! I am here to encourage all of you God made
you unique and special in his eyes and gifted you. Come on, think
about it. You’re good at something! Be honest. We need to start
using our gifts. Think of what could happen in the body of Christ
if we all began plugging in to our gifts, spiritual and vocational.
If you have a flair for style, maybe you could ask a local department store if you could hold a style show or give instructions for putting all of these layers of clothing together to look nice. Some of us really don’t know what to wear, we need help.
I personally love ideas! My mind almost never stops coming up with new ideas. I am the happiest when my mind is working overtime?
I also love communication! So I write, talk, sing, act or whatever
as long as I’m communicating. I also have a passion to help kids
and I dislike it when kids are left out.
You get the point. I have had to go through 4 months of coaching
to find out what makes me tick (maybe because I have so many
ideas).
I’m here today from my Heavenly Treasures to inspire you to dream or dream again.God is awesome and is able to help you! Just ask. He made this whole world and He knows everything about you.
And hey, if your dream is the same as the couple I read about on television, enjoy your hot bubbles!
“BEEP”
BEEP! The horn sounded, but not like someone who lays on their horn during road rage. This was a sound of warning, coming from a loving individual who could see danger. She had the advantage of being able to see what the children could not see, or were too busy to see. At the same time she was sounding an alarm to the oncoming traffic and using the authority that was given to her to make them stop.
Just the other night my husband and I were going over “bus- safety” rules with our son. It usually seems pretty elementary and a bit repetitive doing this every year. Somehow, we decided to reenact the situations with a large toy car and an action figure. The scenes came to life, at least for me as we took the guy out of the car and had him do all of the crossing street rules. I had never really paid close attention to the rules until I saw them being played out on my living room floor. I was especially intrigued by the “BEEP” for danger warnings.
For those of you who kind of pass by this like I have, these are important rules. For instance, once the kids cross to safety to the other side of the bus, the kids have to look both ways. The bus driver is also looking both ways. (good to know) Anyway, if they hear a “BEEP” the kids have to stop! She/He has spotted a dangerous situation. The kids then have to look to the bus driver for the go ahead gesture, look both ways and proceed to the sidewalk, unless they hear the warning again.
Well, after being on buses and having kids on buses for many years, I actually saw a ”BEEP” warning being used necessarily, twice in one week. That is enough for me this year. The horn is not only for the kids’ benefit, but also for the driver’s. I witnessed that the bus driver behind that wheel is competent and lets a driver know that kids are crossing the street. Everyone involved knows it is time to stop!
There is a presence of love, yet definite authority when she/he hits that horn. The kids know that they need to freeze and the driver suddenly knows that they are about to cross a boundary that they had better not trespass. It doesn’t matter why they think they can drive ahead as usual they know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the bus driver means business. They will just have to wait and trust the driver of the bus.
Now as I type these words, tears fill my eyes. Isn’t God like this bus driver? He completely loves us and wants what’s best for us, all of us. And he is the sovereign authority that we can depend on and look to for safety and direction.
Because he has made us free will beings we have a choice to make. We can either be like these people who heeded the warning of the one in authority and obey the “BEEP” or we can do what We want to do.
If we choose not to listen to the one who can see problems arising, it is true we may only experience minor consequences. But we all know what could happen if either the children or the driver of the car refuses to listen to the bus driver. The consequences could be very tragic.
Right here I want to point out that I am basically talking about matters that could change your life or another’s life in a profound manner. I keep thinking lately that one bad choice has the potential to affect your life forever or as long as you are on this earth. We need to be careful.
Like these kids, if we’re not sure if we should proceed, we need only to look to the Lord. Whatever decision you are making, whether it’s concerning a business deal, a large purchase or a relationship. He wants you to make the right decision. Especially when making life-changing decisions, we need His guidance.
.
The Lord alone knows our future. He gave us understanding or common sense to make decisions. He gave us the Bible to provide answers so that we can make good sound decisions. He gave us His Holy Spirit to bear witness to truth. He even gave us a conscience so that we can know when something isn’t right. The Bible says “There is safety in a multitude of counselors”. We need to listen to the Godly leaders and even the friends that love us and have wisdom to help us!
So, have we prayed diligently until we know that we Know that we have God’s leading? Have we read God’s Word to find out what he might have to say about it? Have we been listening to the people God has put in our lives? Are these people honking their horns or are they putting up their go ahead all is clear signal? What about our consciences, are they waving their hands, doing everything they know to do to get us to at least look both ways?
If uncertainty sets in about something, for me that has usually been a signal that there is a better way, keep praying, be patient, or just plain stop! A wise young pastor once told my husband and me, if you’re not sure about doing something, “don’t do anything”. It saved us from making a huge costly mistake. On top of that, we would have moved to Virginia only to have to pack our bags months later and return home where we belonged. Not my idea of fun!
Is something screaming “BEEP” when we’re trying to go forward? Maybe we need to stop and look to the Lord. Honest, God really loves you. He wants to help us cross safely with a go ahead signal and His blessings. From my:
Heavenly Treasures
Tucks, Twirls and Flips
They tenaciously climb up a steep ladder that seems to reach to the clouds. This is where their destination begins. It is no big deal for them. It’s part of the process. This athlete has mastered a skill, and depending upon the level of expertise, they have set a goal. Let’s suppose this is an Olympic diver, he or she is going for the gold medal, “the ultimate goal”, at least for them.
The talent actually lies within the individual, but they must have a springboard to perform. The hours training, the discipline, and learning technique would be in vain without this inanimate object. But, after the climb is made, when they jump from the board, if everything is just right, there will be a spectacular outcome! The experienced diver is then able to display the most beautifully executed stunt, in a rapid, downward combination of tucks, twirls and flips. They will slice the water with their body with just a hint of a splash. It is a work of art that will get a much desired ”10” from the judges. The whole crowd will stand to their feet, clapping and cheering!
If we’re watching them it’s easy to forget that they have more than likely practiced for years. It appears effortless to the bystander. But for them it has been a life long dream. It has been a feat that they have accomplished only after endless hours of training with a coach, practicing and experiencing success as well as failure. Not to mention, they have performed that same dive over and over and over again.
Now, this professional athlete may have gone clear to the top of a high dive the very first time they went swimming. They may have awed their crowd with a beautifully performed Swan Dive, but that’s highly unlikely. More than likely, this individual just took to the water at a very young age. They probably trained with a coach, perfecting the simplest dive with the lowest diving board. They could have been admiring others jumping off of the board from a distance. Perhaps they were sitting on their own couch watching the summer Olympics.
As a kid, I used to love watching the young men and women dive from the highest heights into the clear blue water below them. Complete, with all of their twists and turns and tucks and flips, it thrilled my heart! There was no way I was going up there. Yikes! But I sure loved watching them, especially when they went straight in and their feet followed right after with the same brilliance.
Is there something that you really want to accomplish? Is there a burning in your heart to achieve a specific goal? It is possible. With God all things are possible. The Olympic diver and I would like to encourage you to go for the gold. Of course the ultimate goal is to follow after Christ. But he wants you to succeed and he wants to help you. It doesn’t matter if it’s getting your driver’s license or writing your first e book. We must keep pursuing our God given dreams, learning from our mistakes, and using the resources that are available to us. We must also trust the ones who know how to guide us. They have been put on this earth to help us achieve our earthly and Heavenly goals.
May the Lord bless you and let’s be encouraged. Philippians 4:13 says, ”I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. You can too! From my
Heavenly Treasures
Bible Songs
I remember hearing the song “Be Careful Little Eyes What You See” when I was a little girl and all throughout my life at different times.
Isn’t it funny how you can hear something and never truly understand
what it means? Or understand that you should listen to the wisdom that something contains and apply it to your life?
It was not until after I became a Christian and read the Bible that I actually saw that the little child’s musical rhyme was right on and actually very biblical.
It’s amazing when you read the Bible for the first time with the intent of
learning from it. Principles for our life are really in there.
I remember when I first cracked open my new Bible after I became a Christian. It had gold etching on the sides. My first name and maiden name was engraved on the front and a shiny maroon string attached to it was there to mark my place. It smelled like fresh new leather and the pages stuck together.
I always have enjoyed sitting in the corner of my couch with my feet
tucked up snug reading what I thought was a good book. Now I truly
was reading The Good Book.
It was suggested to me to read the book of St. John. Where was that anyway? I knew I had seen it somewhere. I had been to Sunday School in a couple of different churches over the years. I knew there was some way to look it up. If I started flipping through pages that could take me a long time. I turned to the front of the Bible and found the list of names. Let’s see, Old Testament…here’s Genesis, Exodus, Lev-i-ti-cus? Okay, moving on, all kinds of names and words that I was so curious about, but couldn’t even pronounce.
Whoa, this was going to be quite an adventure. Psalms, is that P-salms or is the P silent? St. John, St. John. I was eager to find it. Matthew, Mark, Luke, Saint John…there it was. I saw other Johns, but I figured those could wait. I read and read and read.
I had seen the movies at Easter, the old black and white movies, like “The Robe”. Now, I was reading it to find out who this Jesus really was. I had challenged him just a few months ago. I had prayed,”if you’re real then reveal yourself to me”. It was a sincere cry from a confused, curious college aged young lady. Jesus answered that prayer in many ways.
I marveled at the details that were in there about his birth. Wow! Mary really was a virgin.
Honestly, I had tried to start in Genesis. I got through the first few pages.I was amazed! God, you said right there the seed would be inside the fruit. Wow! Now how could anyone know that unless he had put it there. And what about he made the whale. God knew he made the whale. How did he know there was a whale? This was too much. It was as if he was real and became more personal. And look at that, he actually took the rib from Adam’s side and made Eve. I sat there in awe. It was real. So if that was real and really did happen then the rest must be true.
We’re really blessed to be able to read our Bibles. Please don’t take it for granted. (little commercial) Back to St. John.
Jesus started to become alive to me gradually as I read about his birth, his love, his miracles, and his compassion. He was beginning to become my friend as well.I read the stories of how he healed the sick. I could relate. I had been prayed over once when I was younger and experienced his gentle, loving and healing touch. Yes, he was a healer. He knew people’s hearts and he knew their intentions. He loved everyone. He went about doing good.
He forgave people for their sins yet he told them to go and quit sinning. I was beginning to see He must be serious about this sin thing. He cast out demons and freed people.
As I compared what I thought was true, with what the Bible said was true, I began to see the Truth. I said “began”.
He also confronted people who were hypocrites and in his irrefutable manner he even tried to get through to their hard hearts. They would not hear what he had to say. They were religious but would only keep questioning him.They were a tough group.
I just kept reading. I read about him being smote and mocked and hung on the cross. I read about him not being in the tomb and angels and, Wow!, this was quite an adventure book. I read it three times. Probably not all in one day, but knowing me maybe I tried. Each time I read it I learned something I didn’t see the first time.
I began to want to know this “Jesus”. There was something burning in my heart and soul that longed to know Him more. What I didn’t realize at the time is He was just waiting there for me with open arms. He is the perfect gentleman and would wait for me to just ask. Ask for forgiveness for the things I had done wrong, ask for him to come into my heart and be my Savior and Lord.
After I asked Jesus to be my Savior and Lord I gladly shared my new found faith with anyone who would listen. I wanted everyone
to have peace and joy and be heaven bound. Yes, some of my friends no longer called me. Yes, a lot of people didn’t understand the new me. I was on a life long journey and had decided I was not turning back for anyone or anything. No one else had given their life for me and all of mankind. No one else could make that claim.
Even today, I am bold, but tempered with wisdom about sharing my faith. But I know that I know that he is real and is alive and seated at God’s right hand in heaven.
Would you like to join me in singing an old favorite?
Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so.
Little ones to Him belong,
They are weak, but He is strong
Yes, Jesus Loves me
Yes, Jesus Loves me
Yes, Jesus Loves me
The Bible tells me so
Do you remember that child’s song? It’s true, all true!
From the heart of Pamela Murray’s
Heavenly Treasures
Ouch!
Have you ever touched a hot stove or handle or something you did not know would burn you, then end up running to find aloe vera to put on your now blistering finger. We probably all have at one time or another. And it hurts!
Now, would we have touched that stove, that spoon or drank that very hot, hot chocolate if we had known ahead of time just how painful the experience would be? No, of course not, but sometimes we do things, dumb things, or we do things without thinking.
I am not talking about major burns. Those are very tragic incidents
that I do not make light of.
We are human and have to learn the same lesson over and over again.
Even though we know someone did that very same thing and were injured. We still try to get away with doing things that we know may or may not bring us harm.
Sometimes when we pick up a lid off a sauce pan with our bare hand
it surprises us that it is not that hot. Other times when we pick up that
lid with our bare hand, we drop the lid, and stand there shaking our hand.
We should have used that pot holder. That’s what it’s for. But we get
busy or run late or don’t want to take the time, so we take the risk.
What about that piping hot casserole that’s covered with foil. When you
pull away the foil it can be hot enough to rip the skin right off of your finger. That’s not likely something that you will repeat again. But thankfully the one time you do you, you brace yourself, find that it’s not a repeat from your younger years and say to yourself. “I won’t do that again.”
Why do we do these things? I’m not going to say we’re generally stupid.
I like to think that the people that God created are pretty wonderfully and fearfully made. That’s what Psalm 139 says. If you don’t believe me it’s worth looking up.
I don’t have a degree in Psychology. I just know that we as people
keep doing things that bring us pain.
We try the waters like a toddler with their parent. It seems like we
should learn.What about that old joke about going to the doctor and
telling him “it hurts when I do this” He then gets out something and
starts thumping you with it and says”its this simple, stop doing it”
It’s sounds so elementary, but it’s so true. Sometimes not so easy
though.If the Bible makes something incredibly clear then why don’t
we stop doing it or just do it. If the Bible says that if we confess with our mouth, “Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved than that is what He means.
The truth is we do wrong things and things that bring us pain because there is none righteous or without sin. That’s why Jesus died for us. Because He was without sin and lived a sinless life and when He died on the cross He bore our sins.
Have you sinned? Yep, and so have I. We need a Saviour which is Christ Jesus our Lord, if we ask Him. He will not force anyone to become a believer in Him. He wants us to love him and spend eternity with Him because we want to . It’s not difficult to be saved, we make it difficult. Just come as you are. He loves you. He doesn’t want you to keep hurting over the same things. He wants to set you free and heal you and give you a new start in life.
If you’re having trouble grasping these things then read his love letter. Otherwise known as the Bible. If you’re not familiar with the Bible then many suggest you start reading the fourth book in the New Testament which is John.
I really didn’t know that this months entry would take me this direction, but here we are from my:
Heavenly Treasures
Plink, Plink, Plink, Plink
It was the Christmas season.
Her eyes twinkled, her little feet tapped excitedly from
one foot to the other. She squealed and giggled in
delight as she waited. She had to wait for her mommy.
What was she waiting for?
I’ll let you take a moment and guess. I think guessing
is fun, other people find it annoying. One time when I
was in my teens my mom had me guess what she
had seen at the corner store. The challenge began.
Was it bigger than a bread box? Well, in spite of all
my attempts to narrow it down to the elusive item in
the store, I just couldn’t figure it out.
Back to the little girl.
Let’s see, what could she have been waiting for? She
could have been waiting to get in the car to see
Christmas lights. She could have been going to pick
out a Christmas tree. She could have been standing
in line to ride the train at the mall. She could have
been getting ready to point out to mommy what she
wanted out of the Christmas Toy Catalog. I know, she
was excited about decorating cookies. No, this has to
be it! She was in line to see Santa Claus or waiting for
mom, anticipating opening gifts under the brightly lit
tree at her house.
No. All of those are good guesses, but incorrect, at
least in this story.
This precious little girl was waiting for change. Pennies,
nickels, quarters, dimes, anything would do. I watched
her mommy happily get out her change purse and not
so easily transfer shiny change into those wiggly little
fingers. Finally, the wait was over. She quickly went
over and began to drop in the change. Plink, plink,
plink, plink. The sound twinkled like her little eyes. She
could not get the money into that big red hanging pot
fast enough. Her cheerful giving heart was contagious
and I’m not so sure that it didn’t cause others to make
their own change continue her plinking song. I know it
affected me.
What a blessing! Children love to give. I was working
as a bell ringer that day. Lots of things blessed me
that day. I have to say I saw a lot of little boys and
girls excited about giving, even a penny. I was also
blessed because that pot was already pretty full when
that little girl came along. In spite of our economy my
town has a very big heart.
Now, I want to talk about another young lady.
She stopped and seemed very deep in thought,
troubled, or something. This time her mom was waiting
for her. I wondered what was going on in the young
teenage girl’s mind. After a few seconds, with a
decision made she quickly turned around and walked
over to the big red hanging can. She reached into her
pocket and pulled out change. Plink, plink, plink, plink.
The music of another cheerful, giving warm heart was
playing in the chilly air. She turned around with a quiet,
humble smile on her face and helped her mother take
the groceries out to the car. I think that her mother
might have had a smile on her face and a warm tear in
her eye, as she walked out to the car.
I can imagine that may have been a little more difficult
to do. Someone pointed out to me that it’s easy giving
someone else’s money, but it’s quite a different matter
when it’s your own saved change that your parting with.
I can’t help but think that that teenage girl had once
been a twinkle eyed little girl waiting for her mommy
to find some change. I think she learned the blessing
of giving at an early age.
May these two young ladies encourage us to give this
Christmas season.
I realize it’s harder to give when things are tough. If
you can’t give money, then give time. If you don’t have
time then give of your talent. We all have something
we can share. Maybe a smile or shovel out someone’s
driveway. There are lots of ways to give. Jesus said it
is more blessed to give than to receive. I’m sure we
could all think of some way.
By the way, in case any of you are still wondering
what was in the corner store. Santa Claus is definitely
bigger than a bread box.
Remember, Jesus is the reason for the season.
Merry Christmas to you and yours as I share from my:
Heavenly Treasures
Who’s In Charge?
I stood on the beach and watched the waves of the
sea playing happily as the children played happily
on the shore. It was a beautiful, sunny, warm day
at the beach. The blue water was fairly quiet and
calm. There was a trickle of white foam lapping up
onto the beach and pulling some sand with it every
time it went back out.
My family and I were enjoying it as much as
everyone else. I never really gave it much thought.
That’s how vacation at the beach usually is. That’s
how it is when you’re enjoying yourself with the
warm sand between your toes.
It reminded me of a postcard. It was beautiful, but
somewhat uneventful and predictable.
Being a tourist, there were some aspects about an
ocean that I had only seen on television. Just hours
later, the uneventful postcard had become quite
animated as I now observed it in person.
I stood there just taking it all in. I was awestruck by
the sights and sounds that enveloped me. I was
used to storms and all of the things that accompany
a good old fashioned thunderstorm. But this
captured my attention in a way that I will never
forget.
As far as I’m concerned, I may have been the only
person anywhere close to the beach. The trickling
waters lapping up onto the shore were now raging,
thunderous, torrents of crashing waves and seemed
to be as tall as I was. The grey skies and the
crashing, white capped grey waves seemed to have
no division and I felt an awesome fear and respect.
The sand no longer was warm and tickled my toes.
It was Gone!
The thing that I remember most vividly was the
peaceful, distant sound of seagulls, laughter and
water brushing the shore. The atmosphere had
drastically changed.
There was nothing but deafening noise. It shook
me to the core of my being. I couldn’t even hear
myself think. It wasn’t thunder or rain, it was the
ocean itself. The ocean was literally roaring. It had
taken on a completely different personality.
Standing in the midst of this I suddenly felt very
small, like I wasn’t in charge.
I couldn’t help but think that maybe God was
trying to get our attention, or at least my attention!
That he is alive and well and He is in charge. Was
anyone listening or did anyone still care? Or did
anyone still fear him or revere his Majesty? Was
anyone even aware of his presence? Did they even
remember that He was the creator? But more
importantly, their creator.
I needed to be reminded of the fact that He indeed
is in charge and this scenario certainly made that
message clear to me.
Regardless of the situation that we are facing, we
can be sure that we’re loved by the very one who
created that vast body of water.
Let’s be encouraged today. He is the author and
finisher of our faith. He is the one who commands
the oceans to rage or be still. He is still in charge
whether we’re mindful of him or not.
If you’ve seen the ocean or if you can picture this in
your mind I trust that this picture I have painted for
you will help you in some way as I share from my:
Heavenly Treasures
