Resting doesn't mean you are lazy.

WOW!  I am reading in the news about unrest all over the world.  Riots in Egypt, in Albania, in Yemen, in Paris, in Tunisia and other places.  There are not many places to go that you can find peace and quiet.

On a personal level, a lot of people I know are going through hard trying times that leave them feeling anything but rested.  There is not a lot of peace and quiet for them.  Sometimes the stress and turmoil of day to day life can wear you out.  But, you go to bed and wake up the next day just as tired as when you went to bed.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to just feel rested???  Just to have peace of mind and REST.  No matter what is going on around us...  to have rest and peace.  Is it a fantasy that will never happen?

No.  It IS reality,  Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

Hebrews chapters 3 and 4 give specific reasons why people cannot achieve "God's rest".  But, He also gives specific instructions on how to achieve "God's rest".  To put the information in those two chapters into just a few words:

If rest you want to achieve,
God says, "You MUST believe!"

The rest of the Lord doesn't mean we are lazy as a warthog... nope!  It means we are rested in the way that an areobic trained athlete is rested... it means we can stand and fight longer without being tired!!!  Isn't God just a master of paradoxes?  He uses the weak things of earth to show His might.  He uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.  And, here we learn that the rest of the Lord means strength to fight harder!

We need to declare that we have VICTORY... We BELIEVE God... We enter into His mighty REST!



Praying today for:
The nation of Egypt
The state of Arkansas

Remember, Nana loves you!!!!!!!!

Get 'er done!!!!!!

Almost everyone I know is going through a rough patch right now.  Life can be so hard sometimes.  Things have happened in the last year or so that have just stunned me.  But, I know one thing, God is STILL God.
I am so thankful for His faithfulness, for the fact that He never changes.  He is the I AM.  In those two words the Creator of the universe, "the Strength of Israel", "the joy of the whole earth", introduced Himself to Moses.   "I AM".  There is so much power in that phrase.  He IS.  That is all there is to say to any problem, to any sickness, to any hardship...  HE IS.
And, because, He is the I AM, we can still serve him and minister to Him and to others no matter what our circumstance.
I listened to Pastor Jack Groblewski's sermon about living "Unhindered".  It challenged me realize that I am called to serve beginning NOW.  NOt, when I lose weight, not when I  have the time, not when I retire, not when I have a better circumstance... I need to serve HIM and do it NOW.
Everyone can be a minister for and to God... housewives, PBX operators, doctors, lawyers, teachers, even precious people in China and in Cuba and other nations who have been sent to prison for nothing more than being a Christian... we can all serve God right where we are.
Meditate on His word.
Read His word.
PRAY.
Be kind to those you interact with every day.
Look for opportunity to make a difference...  not just with money, but with your self.

Praying today for:
The nation of the United Kingdom
The state of Michigan

Remember, Nana loves you!!!

I Want To Be There When This Happens!!!!!

Revelation 5
"Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.  Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.  And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song, saying:
   “You are worthy to take the scroll 
     and to open its seals,
     because you were slain,
     and with your blood you purchased for God
     persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.   
    You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
    and they will reign on the earth.” 
Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.  In a loud voice they were saying:
  “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
    to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
    and honor and glory and praise!” 
Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
  “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
    be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!”
The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped."



Praying today for:
The Nation of Dubai
The State of California

Remember, Nana loves you!

Watching Over My Jewels a Little Better...

It has been almost 30 years since I was part of the choir at Trinty Church in Cedar Hill and got to participate in a musical program written by Steve Fry called, "We Are Called".  What BEAUTIFUL songs God gave to Steve! 

I have been listening to the cd of "We Are Called".  The title song is just so beautiful and challenging.  When I listen to the words, I know that there is no reason for me to tell God that I cannot fulfill my calling because of my personal circumstances...  I am praying that God will open my eyes and heart to opportunity to minister to Him... and then to minister to others.



When I was a little girl, I remember hearing Billy Graham preach one time about how God has given each of us a handful of priceless jewels...  but, we let them slip away lost forever, never to be reclaimed... he said those jewels were seconds, mintutes, hours and days of our lives that we let slip away wasted.  I am ashamed to say, I have done that over the years.  And here, I am living in an age that seems to just be more and more vile every day.  I think it is time for me to step up and claim Ephesians 5:16 "Making the very most of the time, because the days are evil."  I need to tend to my jewels better.

I thank God for opportunities to serve Him, minister to Him, and the people He brings into my life every day.

Praying today for:
The nation of Haiti
The state of New York

Remember, Nana loves you!!!!!

How does the name "Mephibosheth" sound????

Last night my husband and I went to my cousin, Gayla's home for a Clemons-Watts Cousin's Christmas dinner.  It was WONDERFUL.  Gayla's mom and dad were there and her sister and brothers and all their families.  We laughed and talked about the craziness of the past and we all learned a little more about one another.  The best part of the evening for me, though, had to be sitting with my Aunt Sandra and Uncle Sam for several hours.  It has been so many years since I got to spend that much time with them... it was just heavenly.  (I did so miss my son and his family and my sister and hers.)

One of the things that remains confusing for those of us sitting around that table last night was the names our ancestors choose to be known by...

...grand-daddy's name was Christopher Otto... he choose to be called Otto over Christopher or Chris

...our grandmother was Bessie Leella, she disliked her name... she kept Bessie and was known by that name but, she changed her middle name to Lee... nowdays we might have gone for Bess and kept the Leella

...our great aunt's name was Minnie Beulah... she choose to be called Beulah instead of Minnie or even Min

We had aunts named Prude and Toncie and uncles named L.Z. and Ira Ligeren (which was pronounced Ar Liggern.  Also, the word "aunt" was pronounced "aint"... it is an Arkansas thing, okay?)

There were older cousins named Eightsie, Texie, Snookie and Tootser.  (Eightsie's husband's given name, by the way, was Bum.  Yes, it was BUM.  Also, the Snookie in our family has never been to the Jersey shore and I am quite sure she never heard anything about orange-colored fake tans.)

Today, I was just thinking about the fact that I sat there in that beautiful home in McKinney with my Uncle's family all around me and my husband.  It has been so long since we have been together the way we were together last night.  God brought to my memory another person with a really strange name, Mephibosheth.

I felt like him last night.  He was one of the royal family who reigned prior to David.  His daddy was Jonathan, David's best friend, and his grandpa was Saul.  When Saul and Jonathan were killed, Mephibosheth was taken into hiding  by a nurse.  While attempting to save Mephibosheth, she dropped him and he was crippled.  In her haste she hurt him permanently and his inablity to walk caused him shame and it cost him opportunities to be with other people and just enjoy each other's company.  Also, he grew up knowing there were people who wanted to harm him, even kill him.

King David was indeed looking for members of Jonathan's family.  But, he did not want to harm them nor kill them.  Instead he wanted to know them personally, he wanted to bless them with an inheritance because of the love he had for their father.  Once David found Mephibosheth, he had his servants bring Mephibosheth and his infant son to Jerusalem, to the King's splendid home.  David in no way wanted to harm Jonathan's son.  He had him brought to sit at the table with the king!  To share stories about his dad!  He learned things about his dad and his heritage from David that no one else knew!  What a blessing!  Mephibosheth's shame was replaced with honor.

This is who I was last night... Mephibosheth!  Sitting at the table next to my Uncle Sam and listening to my sweet cousin's stories, I was Mephibosheth.

Over the last year and a half, God has been doing some great things in my life... reconnections with people that I have missed for so long and doors are opening that are very exciting!

Let's see... wonder what God has planned next????????????  It just keeps getting better!

Thank you to my FAMILY for the lovely visit last night,

Your cousin, Mephibosheth... I can't decide if I like it more or less than Sharon!

Praying today for:

The nation of Haiti

The state of Utah

He gave me the whole world...

When it comes to uncles, I got the best.  My two uncles on my mother's side, Uncle Sam and Uncle Loy, were always very close to me when I was younger.  I just thought they knew everything, and both of them wrote the book on being cool as far as I was concerned. 
My uncle Loy always wants to give children gifts to make them think.  To open up the world to us.  The Christmas when I was 8 years old, he literally gave me the world.  My Uncle Loy gave me a globe.
It was so pretty.  Every nation had a unique color.  And when it came to the U.S.A., every state had a unique color.
I remember looking at that globe and finding the U.S.A.  Then I found MY state, Oklahoma.  then, I looked really close and there it was... my home town, Oklahoma City!  I still remember the excitement as I realized that I lived in the very middle of the best city, of the best state, of the best nation in the the WHOLE world!  Even at that young age, I wondered WHY???  I had heard on tv and at church about the children who lived in other areas of the world and how they did not have even the basic things.  Why did God let me be born right in the middle of all that goodness?  It actually humbled me.  I knew even then that I was very blessed and I was thankful.
I am 59 now and that globe is long gone, but it will never be forgotten.  I have moved just a few hundred miles to the south, but I still cannot believe that God blessed me to live in the wonderful places that I have lived.

Thanks, Uncle Loy, for introducing me to the whole world.

Praying today for:
The nation of Indonesia
The state of Vermont

Remember, Nana loves you!

Two guys that were close to Jesus...

There are two of the Disciples whose actions are expecially noted in the Bible at the time of Jesus arrest and crucifiction...  Peter and Judas.

Judas betrayed the Lord our of greed.  He didn't care who Jesus was... he was offered money and he took it.  I wonder what was in Judas' heart and mind when he got close enough to Jesus to betray Him with a kiss.  Surely they were eye to eye... Jesus spoke right to Judas personally.  Judas was one of those present when Jesus said, "Greater love has no man than this, that he would lay down his life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you."  What on earth was Judas thinking when Jesus looked right at him in that garden and said, “Do what you came for, friend.” Matthew 26:50  (The word for "friend" in John is a word that means "dear friend, close neighbor, actively fond of one another".  In Matthew the word "friend" Jesus uses translates, "fellow or friend".  Not a derogatory term, but not one of whom affection or loyalty is expected.)  Wonder if Judas noticed the change of words?  Was Judas ashamed at all when he looked in Jesus face that night?

The other disciple mentioned is Peter.  He betrayed Jesus out of fear.  After making a big deal of how he would never let Jesus down, never back away, never betray Him... Jesus tells Peter that he will indeed betray Him.  Three times before the next day dawns!  After Jesus was arrested and taken to the high priests court, Peter is sitting out by a fire in that courtyard.  A young girl annoys Peter over and over saying, "You are one of Jesus followers."  The thrid time she accuses him and the third time he denies it, a rooster crows announcing the dawn of a new day and right then, Jesus is walked out through the courtyard and He locks eyes with Peter! (Luke 22:61)  Peter left and "wept bitterly".

What happened to each man after these encounters is what makes the difference. 

After Judas realized what he had done, he went back to the very people that had aided him in his own downfall... the scribes and priests.  He was looking for a way out of his mess.  He ran from Jesus.  He ran from the diciples.  The scribes and priests were no help.  They shoved him aside and told him to take his blood money and go.  Judas took his life.   He did not get what he was looking for... a better life... and instead death swallowed him whole.

After Peter's betrayal of the Lord, Peter went to find the other disciples.  There are several verses that put Peter with them.  He and several of them decided to take up fishing again.  Their lives were unsure, but they remained close to one another.  Then one day, after Jesus resurrection... there is Jesus... sitting on shore.  By a fire.  Cooking food. John recognizes Jesus and Peter is the one who flies out of the boat and runs to Jesus and unlike the situation by the fire at the courtyard of the priest,  this fireside chat went very differently!  Peter knew that his relationship with Jesus was restored.

Jesus is ready to restore our relationship to Him, He is ready to feed us.  We just have to run TO Him instead of away.

Praying today for:

The nation of U.S.A.

The state of Oklahoma

Remember, Nana loves you.