Life-maps

I can no longer live a life that only looks to what pleases me. I must know what God wants from me and what I need to do to stay "on course". The men that I am working with at the Carol Vance Unit are using Billy's book to challenge their hearts and actions. They are taking this course as serious as any one who recognizes the importance of freedom versus slavery. They also want to stay "on course". Yesterday, several of the men were vulnerable with situations that needed wisdom and direction. One man asked about an ex-friend and God's boundaries around covenant relationships. Another asked questions about revealing past sins in a current relationship. Another questioned how to keep the peace when children are involved in a broken relationship. They not only asked the questions but responded with humility and a desire to follow through with the prayer and suggestions that were given about these situations. I had three other chances yesterday to give counsel to friends in difficult situations. One friend wanted Jesus to heal her body and the other friends needed wisdom about marriage problems. I guess they came to the right person for the advice. I think Billy and I faced all of those issues. God loves to heal. We just need to pull out the "MAP", ask for and follow the directions that He gives us. The Message Bible - Psalm 19:7-9 "The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree"

Dearest Family and Friends,
Ask God to shine His light on your life today.( All of your relationships and actions) Test and see if you are going in the right direction. If not, loved ones, repent and return to God's Life-Map with your name on it.

Baby Steps

I have been told by several friends that I have made progress. I have also been told that I am too hard on myself. We need others, who love us and see the good in our efforts. Even if these efforts don't seem to produce a completed project. These friends encourage us and keep us going. The scripture in my mind today is from Zechariah 4: " Then the word of the Lord came to me. The hands of Zerubabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. Who despises the day of SMALL THINGS."

My friend Carol was expressing joy about her grandson,Nolan, who was born on September 4. He has recently rolled over. Mom and Dad, (Jennifer and Micah) were watching, laughing, and encouraging Nolan in his great accomplishment. I have had the thrill of watching Brett and Cole take their first steps and say their first words in this last year. What a joy to watch these small beginnings. They don't seem small to parents and grandparents. So when God (Daddy, Papa) watches and listens to us say a small prayer or follow through with a small task that He puts in our minds, He is clapping and cheering us on. I do believe that is who He is. I want to stay focused on His pleasure in me. I want to forgive myself quickly so when I fall I will try
again. I need to be patient with myself because one day the temple of Jennifer will be completed with the fullness of Christ Jesus.

I wish you could all hear my son Brad's new song about God Finishing What He Started. It is so encouraging to hear his heart in song. See, here I am a mother cheering her son. God promises all of us that He is faithful to complete what He starts in us and He will keep all that we commit to Him. I commit to honor and bless my small steps today. What are you going to commit?

Who,What,Why, How!!!

I have been asking God a lot of questions lately...
1. Who benefits from this blog? Obviously, I do. It is somehow therapy for me. I think my family
benefits. They are reminded of the blessings from their Dad and how loved they are. But, you
my friends and maybe a stranger or two. I hope you benefit from being reminded that your
heavenly Dad loves and blesses you.

2. What's it all about? I believe that we all are desperate to know that our lives matter. And yes,
that our God does have good plans for us even when we don't see it in our immediate path.
Being a widow does not seem like a promotion in this life, but God told me I was like Ester
and that makes me a Queen. I haven't found out yet what a Queen does, except that I am
loved by the King and I have a responsibility to the Kingdom.

3.Why? Why me and why now,God? I think that we all need to find more of who God is,
everyday. The Lord wants us to know Him. He is so different from us that He needs us
to look with different eyes so that we can see Him. The earth is full of His Glory and one
day the earth will be filled with the KNOWLEDGE of His GLORY. Those of us that search
now will be very blessed. Remember Psalm #1...Blessed is the man (woman) that delights in
law of the Lord,and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by
streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.
Whatever he does prospers.....

4.How do I do this Lord? The days are difficult. The loneliness invades everything that I do.
My medicine is not only scripture but then I start thanking Him for where I saw His Glory
today. a) Brett (my 14 month old grandchild) laughed at me and gave me a kiss today.
b) Cole (my 19 month old grandchild) let me read him a book today.
c) I picked up Tyler,Trevor (10 years old) and Seth (5 years) from school today. They
were laughing about how they saw each other at school in the hall.
d) Ava ( 4 years old), Gave me a big hug and said "I love you, Nana"
e)I am planning a trip next week to see Brad, Heather, Joshua (6 years) and Gracie(4
years). I will get a lot of hugs then too.
f) Hayley and Richard are celebrating a wonderful wedding anniversay this weekend.
( God is so good to give my children wonderful marriages like we had)

Make your list, talk to your Daddy (God), read His word, (It's life and food for your soul)

Blessings from Billy 01-02-2006

Remember I told you that Billy wrote the family a blessing every week. I have been challenged again to ask myself some of the questions that Billy asked. Do I really receive what God says about me? Do I want to live life with the full measure of the Love that I have promised? Do I believe God in difficult circumstances. Do you? The background on this blessing: Billy had a medical test that was going to cost alot with the possibility of a cancer diagnosis. We had just started working at the church. Money was a small issue but some good friends gave us a check that covered the expenses exactly.

"Life is a special gift. Having wrestled through that last week we all certainly were forced to look at it (life) and consider what a gift it is.And what is that gift? It is the relationships we have with one another. That is the gift of life,to love and be loved. And I am. And so are you. Let me share a scripture the Lord directed me to last week. James 1:2-6,12 Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You'll get his help,and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought...Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.THE MESSAGE

It was a wonderful week last week to be bathed in love...to feel everyone's love was awesome. I am blessed. And I want you to know that you are the reason why. You bless me. And I feel so special because of you.Your ARE a blessing. You have been transformed into instruments of God's love, grace and mercy. I experienced it. YOU ARE A BLESSING.
And I thank God for you,"

Dad

My blessing to you all is that without your love and support I couldn't walk in the grace that I have. I believe you love me, God loves me and I believe we are all learning to know that we are a Blessing to each other. PRAY . BELIEVE . RECEIVE ........YOU ARE A BLESSING

I love you,
Mom

Forty (Plus 1)

My second forty story comes when Billy and I were approaching our 40th wedding anniversary. Hayley ( our precious daughter), Shanna, ( our sweet daughter-in-law) and Heather,(our wonderful first daughter-in-law) all talked to us about giving us a party for our 40th wedding anniversary. They all wanted to contribute to a party much bigger than I thought was necessary. I thought the "BIG" party was the 50th anniversary. I knew that Billy and I were looking forward to a wonderful half-century party celebrating a wonderful marriage. The girls were insistent that we have an "EVENT". The final plans were to have a party in our beautiful back yard. ( Have you seen the trees in our yard?) They ordered tents, tables, and chairs. They made beautiful invitations, decorations, and the food was better than any catered event that I had been to. Hayley is an amazing cook and event planner.Billy planned the order of the blessing. I must be the most blessed wife and mother of all times. We had at least 60-70 guests. All brought blessings and cards that I keep very close. Why do these things seem so important? Well, that party was June 9,2007. That was my last anniversary with Billy. How did the family know that this party was so important? The Lord prompted their hearts to follow through with this life-time event. My children are the blessing that we prayed for and they know when the Lord is moving them. I know that they will continue to grow and hear from God. I ask you to pray for your families to love and grow in the Lord. He always answers prayers in ways that we don't understand. Remember...He is able to do more than we can ask or imagine .

Forty (Plus)

I experienced wonderful memories of forty years...birthdays, anniversary, blessings. This is an amazing number in the Bible. Moses left Egypt at 40 years old. The Israelites were in the desert for 40 years. Isaac was 40 when he took Rebecca for his wife. Jesus was in the desert for 40 days. You may be a scholar about numbers, I am not. But, I do know that most people ( me included) have mixed emotions about their 40th birthday. Some how we feel we should have grown up and yet we feel old before we are ready. Inside we say," I still feel 18, how did I get this old. Admit it!!! We had these wonderful friends that lived in Florida, Claudia and Roger Gumbinner. We tried to be faithful (if finances and kids allowed) to see each other at least once a year. Most years, the trip from Florida to Houston or Houston to Florida was made by us girls.(Excuse me, women.)In 1987, Billy and Roger told Claudia and I that we could plan a girls weekend to celebrate our 40th birthdays. We were so excited. We spent many phone calls to each other and resorts planning a SPA weekend. We were going to have facials, messages, some exercise classes. You know at 40 some parts of the body need extra work. Well, the closer it came to setting the date, Billy and Roger became very interested in helping us with our plans. Somehow, in all the confusion the trip was set. We (now it was all four of us)were going to Pinehurst in North Carolina. This is a golf resort? Claudia and I don't play golf? Maybe there is a Spa there? Nope.. When we arrived, the closest thing to a Spa was the YWCA. We found a locker and a way to exercise. We laughed more than we exercised. We got the golf pro to help us surprise Roger and Billy in the middle of the course. We were behind a tree on something like the 12th hole and jumped out from a tree when they were on the tee box. We did have wonderful meals and of course enjoyed the blessing of our friendship. Roger went to be with Jesus on December 6,2003.Billy followed him 4 years,6months and 3 days later. Both,loved Jesus and their wives and families. Both loved and studied the word of God daily. The blessing of this 40th birthday memory is worth more than gold or silver or any Spa.

Friends

Last night a wonderful friend took me to dinner. We had a great time laughing, talking about old times and especially giving each other sweet directions toward growing in hard times. We could give this kind of advice to each other because the respect,love and faithfulness is always present.Today I went to breakfast with two more friends,again laughter and encouraging words. The main reason that I have survived this last year and a half is because of the heart sharing from friends. Proverbs 17:17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. There have been those that found my grief too difficult and they have stayed away. Maybe I wasn't very inviting. I admit, I have not been able to give as much as I have received during this time. I am looking forward to the time when I can give the love and attention in the measure that I was used to when I had Billy's very present friendship. I have learned that friends become family (like a brother) in difficult times, that the prayers of friends are healing, and that time with friends is a treasure not to be taken forgranted. My friendship with God has become my breath. I talk to Him all the time and I am beginning to hear Him better. John 15:13 ... Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. Jesus died for me that I can know friendship with him, my Daddy, and the Spirit that He gave me when I invited Him in my heart. I pray for you that you would search for these great friendships. All are needed and all are worth the effort.