Plug In

My computer just told me to plug in or find another source of power. Why do I wait until the battery is almost dead, before I plug in??

I am so thankful that I have found the source of power and the source of life. I choose to plug in through prayer, regularly, before I run low or run out. The prayer discipline is a source of strength, relationship and hope that nourishes everything I do. I am so thankful that I learned to pray as a child and formed a holy discipline that continued as an adult. That's why I love to teach children to pray.

Beth Moore: The Hair Brush

The Passion

“I love ice cream. I love to travel. I love ______(and we name our favorite football team). ” We lump love into one emotional category, which leaves it limp, fragile and anemic. None of these adjectives describe the kind of love that energized Christ. I chose the word energized, because God is love and His love sent Jesus to Earth. But the word love is too weak, in our culture, to describe the power that propelled Jesus to die for mankind’s sin. Passion would only begin to describe the depth of God’s love. Paul caught a glimpse of the importance of understanding the scope of that love in Ephesians 3:17; “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;”

Passion is a powerful and compelling emotion. It is also used as a noun to describe “the sufferings of Christ on the cross or His suffering subsequent to the Last Supper.” Without minimizing His suffering, I believe Christ’s passion far exceeds His suffering. His love for us was and continues to be passionate. His love is active, full of compassion and forgiveness. His love is not generic, but focused to kiss the heart of the individual. His love is visionary and insightful, seeing past your actions and inconsistencies to your need. His passion purchased and presented what no one else could ever propose--redemption; full and free. His passion painted redemption on the canvas of time with bold strokes of forgiveness, grace and acceptance. His passion transcends time without losing its potency. Its latent power is released in the heart of anyone that will receive Him.

His love is the potting soil that we must plant our lives in to flourish. It transforms the recipient, releasing our talents and kindness. It causes us to bloom. It causes His fragrance and beauty of love to be released to bless others. As we receive His passionate love, we can love others. We can forgive. We can sacrifice, because we understand that every time a rose is plucked off, more roses grow in its place. We understand that His overflow of love to us and through us is abundant and lavish, like His grace. We can love because we are loved, not with a generic, conditional love, but with a passionate, self-sacrificing love. Planted in His love, nourished by His love we can give His love.

Panana Camp Day 3

This morning as I reflect on yesterday, as I wait for today to begin I am so thankful for 4 golden opportunities that God has deposited into my relationship account. Each one is unique. Brayden’s energy is only exceeded by his desire to please. Brayden is my Jedidah which means loved of the Lord. I have nicknames for each of them. Keira, Jason’s daughter is Smiley because she smiles with her whole body. It starts with her mouth and ripples into light on her face and wiggles its way to her toes. It is so precious to watch her smile. Which by the way she started when she was two weeks old, every time her daddy would talk to her she would break out into a big grin. And Ashlyn with her quiet, gentle spirit. She makes me feel peaceful when I am around her. She is my Joybell. Her middle name is joy. She got her name from Romans 15:13 KJV Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Then our oldest grandchild Karyn, our Little Princess, has transformed into Beautiful Princess both inside and out.

It is my goal in this Panana camp to under gird the work that their parents do on a daily basis to invest in their children. We want to make camp so much fun that they will always remember Panana Camp, but so rich with God’s presence that they will forever be transformed by His love.

Some of you have asked where is Panana Camp? It’s in our home. Panana Camp came from an idea I got from a radio broadcast that I heard in Asheville, NC from familylifetoday.com. Anne Dierks was sharing about her Granny Camp. (You can purchase her book at www.grannycamp.com.) I only heard a few minutes of the program, but it really got me to thinking. I knew I could put my personal twist on the idea. So I tried it.

My first camp was just one day. It was so successful I wanted to try a week of it. We asked if we could have the three oldest grand kids for the week of Spring break. We needed a name for the camp. Wayne was partnering with me to pull off the camp so I wanted a different name that included him. My grand kids think their Papa is the best thing since peanut butter. They clamor to sit by him and hold his hand. I have to include his name in the camp name—we are Papa and Nana so the name Panana Camp was born. It’s easy to remember because it rhymes with banana. I would have served bananas, but only Ashlyn will eat a banana.

What’s that game with a yellow, bouncy ball and a racket? Oh yeah, tennis.

The name is the only thing I get right about the game. I am pitiful at every sport except eating. Eating is a sport isn't it? As soon as devotions were finished we hurried to the tennis court. We got on the courts in sprinkling rain. It was warm, so why not? The sprinkling soon stopped and we had a great time, chasing the tall, isn't that what you’re supposed to do. I get confused on all this sports stuff.

After we got to the house for lunch a deluge came complete with tornado warnings. Wayne grilled hotbox and I made mac and cheese. An absolute hit with the kids, with me, not so much! Because we are using a nautical theme I tried to cut the wieners into octopus to set on the mac and cheese. The kids didn't want to wait for my nonsense.

This is my goal for my grand kids. Hebrews 13:20 NLT "And now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip you"(Karyn, Brayden, Ashlyn and Keira my emphasis added) "with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him. Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with his blood. To him be glory forever and ever. Amen."

I didn’t get this posted last week, but I wanted to share my thoughts instead of just tossing this blog. Our days were just too full to finish my thoughts. Thanks for reading. Be blessed.

Panana Camp Day 2

Today our theme was Commission. We explained that just like a ship is made and commissioned for a specific purpose that God has a plan or blueprint for each of our lives. Brayden helped me explain my point by explaining that his dad had directions to help him put together the tent for their recent camping trip. We talked about the Coast Guard ships, cruise ships and cargo ships. As we drove to our first stop on our field trip we passed Jaxport. We saw two cargo ships. One which was being unloaded as we passed. I was more impressed than any of the kids. "Thank you God for supplying the visual aids."

It was much colder than we thin-skinned Floridians like to admit. We went to Kingsly Plantation. The house was being scraped and painted so we couldn't go inside the plantation house. Ashlynn was asleep by this time. Wayne waited in the car while the other three of us tramped the path down to the waterfront. We had talked about the clams that open their shells for the water to flow through so they can filter feed. The tide was out. We walked out and touched clumps of oyster shells similar to the clams we had just talked about. Again, I had to say, "Thank you God for the visual aids." The illustration was how when clams get frightened they shut their shells real quick or they clam up. Too many believers are like the clams. Instead of sharing Jesus with their friends, which is God's great commission for every believer, they clam up.

The kids liked the separate kitchen and even let me read brief snippets of historical information about indigo, cotton and sugar cane. But when we crossed to the other side of the plantation, Brayden and Karyn came alive. They got to see a gopher hole. Brayden especially liked the well and the trough that flowed out of the well. But they both were fascinated by the twisted and gnarled trees on the plantation. Brayden kept saying, "Papa's got to see this. Papa's just got to see this." And he did. I sat in the car and they showed Papa everything. What an amazing Papa he is!

It was hard to imagine that a tree with so many knots and holes could still be alive. I think they were some kind of cedar trees. They were beautiful except for the worms. I've never seen them this bad before. Tiny little green worms on thin string like threads seemed to spin their way to the ground or your clothes or your hair if you weren't careful. Things like that don't bother me, but I wasn't too happy when Karyn found one in my hair. It makes my head itch to think about it.

A little armadillo made its appearance looking for grubs. It dashed away into the thicket near some of the ruins of twenty-five tabby brick buildings on the plantation. Brayden, Ashlynn and I followed it to the edge of the thicket and then down the road. He reappeared on the other side of the thicket about two feet away from us, then he meandered across the road where he scratched for grubs. It was so much fun to watch the kids enjoy the armadillo. I have a story I'll share with them tomorrow about the armadillo.

It was way too cold to collect shells on the beach. Sorry, Kimberly, but I wrapped them up really good and well...we only stayed on the beach for a few minutes. At least it only seemed like a few minutes. Then we were off to Amelia Island and Fort Clinch.

Amelia Island is so beautiful this time of year. Azaleas. Burst of spring green. So beautiful! Quaint little shops, but not this trip. It's Panana Camp.

We had just been to the big fort, Castillo de San Marco at St. Augustine, so I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to another one. But I'm so glad we did. Its a great fort. Karyn said it was her favorite part of the day. Ashlynn said it was a "fun fort". It was inexpensive and the guide had a nice fire going in the kitchen. He showed us the finger prints of the slaves that made the bricks in the lower part of the walls. You could actually see their prints as they handled the soft clay before it was fired. I was amazed. We went around the fort after that looking for smooth thumb and finger indentions in the bricks. We climbed a twisted, spiral staircase that went up without rails. Yes, Kimberly we were careful. I held Brayden's hand and Papa carried Ashlynn. And Karyn was her normal, careful young lady.

And our lunch was fun. I froze a gallon of naturally decaffeinated tea in the freezer, leaving enough room for it to expand. By lunch time we had ice cold sweet tea to drink. We had sandwiches and deviled eggs. Actually, Wayne and I ate sandwiches and they sorta ate...and yes we ate too many potato chips and animal crackers and moon pies. I'll do better tomorrow on the menu. And yes we were tired.

It was amazing, nobody was unkind, except me for just a minute in my hurry to get everything organized so we could leave on time. I repented to Wayne very quickly. Karyn prayed we would be all be kind and Brayden felt he should pray about it too. God answered their prayer. Maybe Wayne's too. God is so good to let me enjoy my wonderful grandkids and husband. I even got to talk to Jason's baby on the phone today. She was jabbering in her daddy's arms. What a day!

Panana Camp Day 1

I think I am more excited than the kids are. I chatted with Brayden on the phone to remind him to bring items that I wanted him to bring to Panana Camp. He said we should pray and I agreed. So he was named our official prayer captain. The kids arrived with beach toys, pajamas and old clothes to wear to splash in the mud. We are using my Sailing the Seven 7C’s curriculum so beach activities will be our primary field trips. Even Ashlyn enjoyed the devotions. Our first lesson is converted. It is an abstract word which we explained thoroughly. It is used because it is explains that we are a new person when Christ comes into our lives and it begins with the letter C. We went to the park to find tadpoles. I don’t think they have hatched yet. If they have hatched the fish have gobbled them. I didn’t see a single tadpole. Two pre-teen boys were fishing at the pond and shared their knowledge with us. We marched through the trails taking turns leading the way. We stumbled over Cypress knees and imagined floating logs were hungry alligators. The trees are bursting with spring green, my most favorite color of all. You can only see it this time of year, so I savor it! Karyn discovered white silky cocoons on a bush. Wayne cut it open to show them the caterpillar inside, just what we needed for our lesson. Thank you God! And Karyn discovered it. I love nature. God is so awesome to put inside a tiny worm-like creature the ability to spin and change inside a cocoon. It’s mind boggling. I am so thankful to know that God did that. Almighty God strategically designed even the little caterpillar in such a way that it would be transformed into a beautiful butterfly. His design doesn’t stop with a caterpillar; it includes His greatest creation-people. We are transformed by the love of God that made a way for us to become new creatures in Christ Jesus. Wow! It’s too amazing to imagine. The rules say we have to be ready to leave by 9:00 and I need to get moving even though Karyn is making pancakes for us! Yum!

Nana Time

My granddaughter Ashlyn, who is almost 3 years old, asked me yesterday, “Can we praise the Lord,” I was thrilled. I grabbed a plastic bowl, but the lid on it and handed it and a spoon to her. My grandson, Brayden, grabbed an empty plastic bottle, added a few dry beans, it was a perfect praise instrument. I didn’t need an instrument because I’m so loud. We marched around the living room and through the kitchen echoing and singing “Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” It was great fun! Praising is something that I have strategically and deliberately done with my grandchildren. I want them to understand, anytime is a great time to express your gratitude and worship to God.

When I pull Ashlyn’s shirt off over her head and her hands are up in the air, I say let’s praise the Lord, baby! She and I begin to say “Praise you Jesus. Hallelujah!” From the time they were babies I would scoop them up in my arms and say, “Come, on baby, let’s dance before the Lord.” Then we would begin to swing and hop around praising the Lord. It is so amazing that really young children will actually raise their hands and praise the Lord with you.

Yes, it is a game to them, but that’s where teaching and modeling come into the picture. Brayden said to me, “You love to praise the Lord, Nana.” I agreed with him, and continued with the explanation, “Yes, Jesus has been so good to me. I want to thank Him.”

There are a couple of things to remember when teaching children, or any age group for that matter, to praise. First, reach them on their level. Second, explain it. Thirdly, create an atmosphere where it is the norm. Then model it. For young children it must be fun and active. My explanations must be brief and concise and the praise time is limited to their attention span. We all do it together, plus it is done in the culture of acceptance of love which is critical in creating an atmosphere of worship.

Sometimes I ask them, “What is something you are thankful for?” After they answer I say, “Let’s say thank you to Jesus.” Then I join them in saying “Thank you” to God for what they just mentioned. Again, I don’t spend an extended time doing it. It’s just done in conversation while we are coloring or baking a cake together.

Because I understand no one can worship for me and because I understand the power of worship I want my grandchildren to become worshipers. Worship is more than a song, it is more than words, but when it is connected to the heart of a person that loves God, a song or words are transformed into a fragrance of praise that pleases God.

Little children and adults can worship…and God loves our worship. We all should do more of it!

Lose Weight and Lose Weight

Lose Weight … is almost always my number one New Year’s goal. The fact that it shows up on my list every year gives you an idea of how successful my follow through really is! But this year I want to lose weight and lose weight.

Let me explain. In my last blog I shared that forgiveness severs the hold that dead things have on a person’s life. But in my time of fasting and prayer that kicked off my new year, the Holy Spirit has been dealing with my heart about weights that need to be removed.

Let me explain. After the kids and grandkids left from celebrating Christmas with us, Wayne and I began to clean out years of clutter from the garage and storage shed; the kid’s stuff, the grandkid’s stuff, hobby stuff, remodeling stuff- junk piled and stuffed into every corner. If you are seeing visions from the repulsive hoarder episodes on television, well, let’s not go there. We had put off cleaning it out for years because it looked and felt like a monumental task. So we allowed the clutter to accumulate and we just shut the door on the mess. But it was time to deal with it! No more clutter. No more searching for where we put stuff. It was time to take dominion. So we did it! It has taken some time and hard work, but it hasn’t been a bad job. Actually, we have enjoyed working together on the project. Why didn’t we do it sooner? Because the weight of the task seemed enormous, too hard. Too much work. Too overwhelming! It wasn’t the work I wanted to avoid, it was just the weight, the mental weight I felt every time I tried to plan the job on my schedule. So I procrastinated wasting both time and money when I couldn’t find things I needed and suffered from guilt because I knew it needed to be done. Now it almost is!

Precious Holy Spirit has been dealing with my heart that it is time to de-clutter, clean out, organize and strategize spiritually. That’s where the second weight and my second New Year’s resolution comes in. This year I want to lose physical weight, but secondly and most importantly, I want to lose the mental and spiritual weights that keep me from God’s best. I didn’t even realize I was carrying these weights until Holy Spirit began to open the garage door of my heart and open some boxes that I had stuffed in the corners.

Isaiah 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?

Stinking Chicken Skins

The garbage only runs once a week. If I cook chicken early in the week, I can’t throw the chicken skins in the trash because they will be stinking within 24 hours. So I wrap the chicken skins in a bag and put them in the freezer until garbage day. I don’t tie them to my arm and carry them around with me. Everyone understands that chicken skins quickly begin to stink and salmonella breeds quickly in room temperature chicken. They belong in the trash.


Yet while we cringe at the thought of carrying around rotten chicken skins, we carry a different stench and poison without giving it a second thought. The poison’s name…un-forgiveness.

We are approaching a new year-don’t carry the poison of the past into your new year. No one can make that choice for you. Forgive! Turn loose of the wrong that was done to you. God will help you! God’s grace is sufficient. Take your pain to the cross. Ask God to forgive you for insisting on your right to hold onto the wrong that was done to you. Ask God to help you forgive. Allow God to pour in His healing.

The Best Gift

This morning hundreds and thousands of presents will be opened. Beautiful paper will be torn, wadded and discarded as each gift is un-wrapped by its recipient. The most wanted gift lists will vary from individual to individual according to age, gender and personal taste. There will be fun gifts, practical gifts and wonderful gifts under the tree this morning. There will be cheap gifts and extravagant gifts. But the one gift that is absolutely essential for life and eternal life didn’t make it to the top ten list this year or any other year. That gift is a priceless gift. But a limited pocket book isn’t the reason you won’t find it under the tree at your house. Jesus was and is the Perfect Gift sent to be Emanuel- God is with us. Yet He must be recognized as God and received just as a little child will receive presents around the tree this morning. Unwrap the gift of His love and begin to discover in your everyday life the joy and peace that come from believing. I am so thankful that He continues to be Emanuel and that age 4 I opened God’s Best Gift!

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Living the Light

Sunday morning on our way to Jacksonville we stopped for church in Pensacola. It was delightful to see dear, old friends and see their Christmas musical. The musical’s message was clear and relevant. I really enjoyed it. I jotted down a quote from the musical. I am sorry but I don’t even know the name of the musical but this is the quote concerning the light of Christmas. “The shepherds experienced it, the wise men followed it and we must live it.”

I emotionally staggered at the thought of what that really means? Walk out the light in my everyday life? What would that look like? How would that change my responses to frustrations and irritations? How would that change my attitude toward injustices?

I came to one conclusion I cannot live the light unless I have on a regular basis what both the shepherds and the wise men had. The wise men followed because they had direction and they made a choice to follow the directions. If I am going to live out the light I must have the direction and insight that comes from the Scriptures. They didn’t just hear about the Messiah. They experienced Him. Only as I experience His grace and His presence energizing me and enabling me can I live out the light in my life.

Our culture is bumbling around in the dark. But the Light has come. We just need to live it!

Luke 1:78 KJV Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

Dumpster Diving

When we are in North Carolina, we are about 20 minutes away from town and about 45 minutes away from a large city so we don’t make the trek into town very often. We had errands to run and a desire to see our new granddaughter so Asheville was the perfect place to do both. We made a quick run to the garbage dump…that right we don’t have garbage pick up in the mountains. So Wayne tossed the bags of garbage into the dumpsters while I worked on my laptop and then we hurried toward Asheville.

Once we were on the interstate I asked Wayne for his phone. I never have mine, just one more thing to keep up with. It was then we discovered his phone was missing. As quickly as possible, which wasn’t very quick, we found an exit and returned to the garbage dump. I began to search and Wayne went to the little shed on the property to talk with the attendant.

The small, wrinkled faced man walked back with Wayne toward the dumpster where we had tossed our garbage. “Was it a heavy black thing?” the man questioned. Wayne nodded feeling his first wave of relief. “It’s my fault,” the man began, “I thought it was trash…I didn’t know what it was…I threw it into the dumpster.”

“Which dumpster?.” Wayne questioned as his eyes scanned 7 big dumpsters lining the fence..

“I think I threw it in one of these two,” the old man answered while peering inside.

One dumpster only had a few bags in the bottom, so Wayne found a stick and began to look for his precious I-Phone. It was obvious. The phone wasn’t in this dumpster.

I stuck my head in the other dumpster. There was a lot of garbage in the second container. Wayne took his stick and tried to move the garbage around. It wasn’t working very well so he rolled up his pants and crawled inside where he began to search through the bags of garbage. It was at that moment I really wished I had his phone to take his picture. I’m telling you, it’s a sight you don’t see often. It wasn’t funny then, but it is now. Once Wayne sorted through the garbage to see the bottom of the dumpster he found his valuable black I-phone sitting in six inches of rain water from the storm the day before. He plunged his hand in the water, yuck, and retrieved the phone.

We were thankful that someone hadn’t found the phone and taken it with them and we were thankful to God for helping us find it. But with all that water, was it ruined?

When we got in the car Wayne removed the Otter case and handed the phone to me to dry it off while he pulled out the hand sanitizer and began slathering himself with it. As I dried the phone the phone came on. Because the case was so water tight there was no water inside the case. The phone was dry and worked perfectly. Double praise God! What a relief.

A couple days later I was dealing with stuff, just the junk that comes with life, aggravating, discouraging stuff when the Lord reminded me of Wayne in the dumpster retrieving his phone. He reminded me that the phone was protected because of the case that held the phone. He remind me that He holds me in His tender care and that I have a case that protects me even better than the one on Wayne’s I-phone—the whole armor of God. What is that armor? It’s the Word of God and prayer. That’s what I needed--more of the Word and more prayer; Not after the storm comes, but daily so my emotions and attitudes are wrapped in the faith that God’s promises are sure and He will not fail me regardless of what I am going through!

Maybe you feel like you’ve been tossed in the dumpster. Your value is not recognized and people seem to mindlessly toss you away. That is the message of Christmas. God is the God that pursues. While we were sinners, God sent His Son into the world to seek and to save the lost. He loves you and wants to encase you in His love.

The dumpster wasn’t really that icky because everything was enclosed in plastic bags. But Jesus came into this world, to seek and to save the lost. He not only stuck his hand into the garbage of this world, but He became sin for us so He could pay the penalty of sin. That is amazing to me. Absolutely amazing. The message of Christmas to me is the message of redemption. Love...peace… joy…become the result of receiving that Redemption through the person of Jesus Christ.

Thanks Giver Menu

My Thanksgiving Day menu is important. I want to be sure to include every one's favorite, which actually isn't too hard--they all want my cheese bread. It is sooo good!

But thanksgiving is much more than a day or an event it is a life style, so I have put together a Thanks Giver Menu that can be used all year long.

Lettuce- Squash- Taters- Meat- Rolls- Beets- Thyme- Dressing

Lettuce- Let us give thanks
Squash- squash ingratitude and greed
Taters- become a par-tater (participator)
Meat- Meet God with your gift of thanksgiving
Rolls- Roll all your cares on Him
Beet- Beet the temptation to skip the thanks and move to just asking
Thyme- Give Him some of your time
Dressing- Dress in the garment of praise- don't leave home without it

Every good cook knows the secret ingredient is love- express your love to Him.
I hear the first of my grand children awake. I don't want to miss a minute with them. Happy Thanksgiving!

Caring for the Golden Goose

Aesop tells of an old farmer with a very special goose. This goose looked like any other goose, but she laid eggs unlike any other eggs. The eggs were solid gold. The farmer and he wife were thrilled, they had never owned much. Their lives had been filled with endless work in the hot blistering sun. Now they were blessed with this incredible goose that laid pure golden eggs. You can imagine their excitement as they waited each morning for the mother goose to lay yet another golden egg. But the farmer and his faithful wife grew weary of waiting for the daily one egg to be deposited in the feather lined nest. They wanted more gold and they wanted it now. So they decided the goose must be made of gold inside. In order to get the gold, they decided to kill the goose and remove all the gold so they would be rich now instead of later. So they killed the goose but inside they only found goose organs and not a single ounce of gold.

The moral of this story is “Don’t love the gold more than the goose!” Take good care of the goose that lays the golden eggs. In ministry terms that means take care of the workers that God gives you.

Now if the old farmer was very wise like most farmers are, how do you think he would have cared for his goose? If that goose was mine I would protect it. I would watch over it carefully, feed it the best food money could buy, see that all of its needs were met. Are you getting the picture? These volunteers that God has trusted you with are the ones that are doing all the work. They are the ones that are teaching the kids, making the visits, on and on. They are making your vision of reaching children possible. You just can’t do it without them unless you have a very small ministry or plan to have a very small ministry soon.

Do you value the workers and team that God has sent you?

Then show them! Need some ideas? Go to our website for ideas.

Going It Alone

Eric Bruntlett didn't plan it. You can't plan something that remarkable. He wasn't even on his best game. He was playing his position just like he had done every time before, but this time he was in the right spot at the right time. The opportunity came and Bruntlett seized it. The stage was set. It was the 9th ending. A runner was on first base and one was on 2nd base. The pitch was 2-2. Both runners were intent on stealing the next base. Jeff Francoeur hit a line drive and Eric grabbed it for his first out. Bruntlett stepped on 2nd base for the 2nd out and then tagged the player trying to steal 2nd base for his third out. Amazing!

He was shocked. It happened so fast, he didn't even realize what was happening until the event was history. Eric Bruntlett made three outs all by himself to end the Philles vs Mets game. It has only happened 15 times in MLB history and only twice that such a play ended a game.

This event reminded me of 3 things:
1. Play your position diligently. I must be faithful and conscientious to do what I've been called to do.
2. See and seize opportunities while they are still opportunities. I must constantly be aware of what is going on around me. They present opportunities that expire, so I must grab them and act on them while they are there. Opportunities to help meet a practical need, to pray for them when they are sick or to witness to them when the door opens.
3. Never loose sight of your goal. In baseball it's winning the game, plain and simple. For a believer it's building God's kingdom. It's not about being a super star or winning people's applause. All our actions should go through the sieve labeled "Does this glorify God?"

There is one more thought I had about Eric's praiseworthy accomplishment-he did it alone. But I am so thankful that God never intended for me to do it alone. He promised He would be with me. He would dwell in me and help me do everything He has called me to do. I am deeply grateful for His indwelling ability that saturates every area of my life: relationships, work, faith, my body, my mind and my life.

I love being a Grandma!

We were sitting at the table eating lunch. Brayden and Karyn were chattering back and forth when Wayne interjected. One time I went hunting. I killed a turkey and a coon and a potfor. Karyn fell for it hook line and sinker...what's a potfor (pot for)? To cook it in, silly! Karyn begin to laugh contagiously. Brayden didn't get it but he laughed. We all laughed for a long time, mostly because Karyn thought the joke was so funny. It was Brayden's turn to tell a joke and we all laughed again. It was the typical four year old type joke, but we still laughed.

I love being a grandma. I love playing "Hide and Go Seek" with them...running with them (They are still young enough I really could out run them. That's great!) Building cardboard and sheet houses over the furniture seems to be one of their favorite. Ashlynn is still young enough that she even likes my singing. She'll outgrow that really fast. The others are polite, but avoid my singing whenever possible!

But being a grandma is more than just having fun with them. It's a big responsibility. I want to leave a mark on their lives. I want to leave them a spiritual legacy. I want them to love God and love to pray. Because love is a magnet that pulls the best out of them, I want them to know they are loved unconditionally. I want them to really know God and love His presence.

Wanting this things is admirable but growing these things in a life of a child is deliberate and purposeful. I pray for them using the scripture as the foundation of my prayers. This Word based prayer builds my faith and expands my vision of what they can be through Christ. I guard my words and speak my faith vision instead of cursing them and their future with my fears. I use every opportunity to build their faith by giving them Christian music, DVDs and books. We pray together. I start them early praising the Lord. We pray together for children that no one prays for.

My greatest joy in life is my family! Oh, how I thank God for them!

Celebrating Birthdays

It's birthday season at the Holland House. My beautitul daughter (she takes her looks after her mother) had a birthday April 15. My youngest granddaughter Ashlyn turned 1, April 25. My comedian son (he is so much like his dad) had a birthday April 30. Wayne's spunky mother had a birthday on May 1 and my first granddaughter, Karyn, turned 9, May 2. That's a lot of birthday cake! We're headed to Ollie's after church today to celebrate.

Ashlyn was adorable digging into her first cake. With small dainty fingers she put the frosting to her mouth without making much of a mess. Brayden, my grandson, was very different. On his first birthday he was so covered in chocolate cake and frosting that he had to been carefully taken to the bathtub for a "major" cleaning. Frosting is hard to clean out of a tub. Brayden was greasy for several days. How different they are.

My family is an amazing treasure. They are precious jewels to me. Each are different in so many ways and those differences add such a dimension to my life. I celebrate who they are. I thank God for the precious gift of my family. I treasure the time I have to spend with each of them as my most precious possessions.

My role as a mother is different now. I am enjoying the fruit of my labors. All the spankings, advice and prayer has paid off. I have two adult children that are wonderful beyond words. My role is different, but I will never stop being their mother. I pray just as hard. I understand it is only as they stay connected to God through a vibrant relationship with Him will they be able to fulfill their destiny and purpose.

As a grandmother I pray the scriptures over my grandchildren much like I did my children. I want them to be "examples of the believers in word, in conversation, in charity and in truth." I am convinced that the provison and blessings come only as a result of asking. Jesus said, you have not because you ask not. As I celebrate all these birthdays, I reflect and enjoy the precious memories but I also make a new commitment to invest in their lives by pounding on heaven's doors with petions of heaven's blessings on their lives.

One of My Favorite Places

I have ridden it numerous times but never during peak rush hour. It is an experience that I will always remember. The Metro in DC was full so we stood toddering as I clug to the overhead handrail.

At the next stop, passengers got off, so Wayne and I scooted into seats. The influx of passengers was amazing. People packed into what I thought was an already full car. At every stop more passenger packed into the Metro with only one or two departing. The hands that clutched the metal rod were diverse. Some were chubby while others small and dainty. The assortment of colors representing ethnic diversity was wide. The economic diversity was also stark and wide. Some slept standing, which was amazing to me. We were jozzled back and forth with such spunk it seemed we might be spit out at any moment. Some gripped the rail passionately, while others balanced lightly touching the rail, while I sat comfortably enjoying the ride.

I was kinda glad none of the hands were wrinkled, because manners and kindness would have dictated that I give up my seat.

The rumbling ride required that you hold on...the rumbling ride of life requires that we hold on to the promises on God until they bring us to the place of possessing that promise. God's Word works and I am so thankful that it brings stablity in my life.

I'm off to see more sights in Washington DC. This time we waited until rush hour was over.

God's Math

For this object lesson you will need Life to Death
Miracle Screen; green silk; money bag or gold silk; mouse or animal trap;
cardboard or large foam cross; 3 large nails; (Show
the Life to Death Screen with the Jesus side out.)

Because God really, really loved this
world He gave it His most precious, perfect gift-His son
Jesus. Jesus came to give life, not just life, but abundant
life.

(Fold and open the
screen using the directions that came with the screen to
show the Satan side of screen. This takes a little practice,
but it is sooooo worth it! Make sure you practice this move
so you don't expose the load.)

Satan came to
kill, steal and destroy. (Pull trap from the
load. inside the screen.) His trap was working or so
it seemed to him at the time.

He stirred the hearts of religious
leaders to jealousy, (pull the green silk out
of the load inside the screen.) Yes, they were green
with envy. So much so that they wanted to get rid of
Jesus-permanently.

Then there was Judas, he was a
disciple of Jesus. He was chosen by the perfect son of God
to become part of Christ's elite team. He was chosen to do
miracles-lay hands on the sick, heal the blind and the lame
and cast out demons through the power of God.

But Judas wanted something else.
(Pull gold silk or money bag out of load.)
He wanted money! Satan gave Judas, what Judas
must have thought was a brilliant idea. It was an easy, get
rich quick scheme birthed in the heart of hell-betray Jesus.
The priest will give you money!.

(Pull cross out) His
plan worked. Jesus was dead. Hell celebrated. Nature
sobbed with a great earthquake. Finally, he had defeated the King of Kings and
the Lord of Lords. Jesus, the Son of God was dead.

(Pull the three nails and the cross out of the load.)
Satan's method of destruction-3 nails and two boards. But Satan did not understand God's math.
He thought 3 nails would hold Jesus to those splintered,
rough boards fashioned into a crude cross. But it took a
force more powerful than nails to hold Jesus to the cross.
Only love was that powerful.

Satan didn't realize that 3 nails, plus 2 boards does not equal five. Not
this time.

Let's do the math. (Tear the bottom off the cross so you have a plus sign in
one hand and a minus sign in the other)3 nails, plus 2 boards
equals 5; if that were the end of the story. But it's not
the end.

Something happened on that cross. Something Satan didn't
anticipate. Jesus paid the penalty of sin. With His precious
blood He paid the price to take away the guilt of sin
once and for all.

So let's do the math again 3nails plus 2 boards equals
5; take away the guilt of sin equals four (for)-given.
Satan didn't understand God's math. You see with Christ's
death on the cross, He subtracted (took away) the penalty of
sin. He subtracted (took away) your sickness. He subtracted
(took away) your fear. He paid the debt of sin with His
life, so you could go free from sin.

Satan thought a cross and 3 nails could
reduce Jesus to a zero-a nothing. Satan thought death
was the end of the Son of God, but not even death could hold
Jesus; because He had never sinned. Jesus broke the power of
death when He paid its penalty with the precious gift
of His blood.

This amazing feat of victory, snatched from the jaws
of defeat was possible because Satan couldn't take what
Jesus had already freely given. Jesus laid down his life as
a substitute for mankind, because Jesus loved you so much,
He laid his life down freely, He redeemed mankind from sin.

But God's message of the cross does not end with the things
he subtracted. The cross is also a place of addition. Jesus
came to give...to add to your life. He came to add life and
that life more abundant. He came to add peace, to add joy to
add eternal life.

The message of the cross goes beyond subtraction and
addition. Because Jesus never sinned death could not hold
him. On the third day God raised Jesus from the dead and
brought Him back to life. Think about that. Dead for three
days yet God gives Him life. God is all powerful.

Only a
loving, awesome God would send His precious Son to die so
you could be born into His family; so multiplication could
take place; so many sons could become joint heirs, enjoying
the privileges that belong to a member of God's family.
Now you can have
Life-- abundant life. God wants you to enjoy eternal life.
The God kind of life that can only comes from knowing and
making Jesus Lord of your life. Receive His gift. Receive
Jesus as your Savior.

Snow

It snowed in the mountains Sunday. The only time it has snowed at our house the entire winter. While it wasn’t a blizzard, the snow continued all day. I wish I could have been there. I love the snow. It would have been perfect cuddling weather too. I was ministering at the West Florida District Christian Education conference. It was a great weekend. I got to catch up with old friends and teach some workshops. I even got to preach at my dear friend, Pastor Alice Burdeshaw’s church. They are such good folks. That is my idea of an awesome weekend.

Wayne sent me a picture of the dazzling beauty of the pure, white snow. Snow is so white that it is used as a metaphor in Isaiah 18:1 niv "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.”

It is hard to imagine how white it really is until you have something to compare it too. A man looked out his window and saw a little dog bouncing and playing in the snow. What was that dingy, dog doing in his yard,” was his first thought. Then he realized it was his own little dog that he had always groomed and kept perfectly clean. The dog only looked dingy when compared to the brilliantly white snow.

Pure white, white as snow…white a symbol of purity and righteousness. How can that purity be attained? Trying really, really hard to do the right thing? Going to church? Moving away from everyone and everything that is impure—maybe like a cabin in the woods with no neighbors? No, while all these things are good, they won’t make you as white as snow.

We have all sinned, all of us. Those sins keep us from attaining the goal or hitting God’s mark of being righteous. But through the gift of God’s Son, Jesus, we can be forgiven. We can be pure, like snow. Not because we earned it, but because Jesus freely gave His life so we could be saved.

This routine was written to be used with the Color Changing Rope. An easy to use magic trick to illustrate the salvation message. Use it for Easter or anytime you want a salvation visual.