"Heaven"

Oh what an eventful few weeks it's been.God has been so faithful to our family in a huge way.
Mother fell and broke her arm and was hospitalized the first of the month. What we thought was "only" a broke arm ended up being renal failure,dehydration and lack of pain control. As the admission progressed Mother got worse and worse and we found ourselves not focusing on the arm but on all the other health issues that were more pressing. On Sunday night our family had an incredible glimpse into heaven as Mother was lingering on the thresh whole looking in and describing to us in vivid details what she was seeing. She had the most incredible smile on her face, one I have never seem before or since. When asked what she was looking at,(we knew she was seeing things that we couldn't see) she would say things like: "the One and Only," "My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ", she would raise her (good) arm to try and touch Him. She spoke of "Gates of Pearl" when asked about the streets she said "gold, solid gold" She mentioned that "He" had been her Savior for 75 yrs, (this is true). She began this journey by telling us that she saw her brothers and sisters, naming 2 sisters. Mother is the last of 11 children. She heard singing, but couldn't identify the song. I asked her about the flowers and Mother answered "incredible" (not a word she typically uses). I then asked her about the angels and she said "amazing angels". Our Mother has always been a woman of great faith and all her children were privileged to be with her as she stood at the gate and looked inside our eternal home. Mother reached a point that she told us she wasn't going anywhere and then she seem to stablize.

Some three weeks later she is doing amazingly well, in a Rehab.Center undergoing therapy for her arm.. When questioned about her experience several days later, she said she remembered some of it, "she knew she wasn't with us, but she knew that she wasn't in heaven" She said that all our faces looked like we were wearing heavy makeup but they were all "silver" Everthing that Mother saw is a eye witness confirmation of what God's Word teaches us about Heaven.

What does all of this mean? I believe that we were given this "Heavenly" experience for a reason. At this point each of the family is processing the message and it's meaning to us individually. We are each at a different stage in our Christian walk and the meaning is different for each of us. I know that our heavenly Father will speak and reveal to us the lesson we are to learn from Mother's journey.  I personally will never be the same or think of "Heaven" without remembering this very significant time that we were given with Mother. All the Praise and Honor go to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!!!!

His Path

The new year has come in fast and furious as always.  A few weeks ago at a conference I was attending, the speaker asked  "What has God put in your heart to do?" This resounding question has been floating around in my mind  and I am pondering it as the days go by. Sometimes what God speaks into my heart does not flesh out. I believe that this is the direction that I should walk, but it doesn't always happen. I am reflecting on that and wondering about the "big picture." Is  my attitude right, my motive right, or the timing right? Almost daily as I read His Word, I am seeing "Wait on the Lord, wait patiently on the Lord," so that is where I am "waiting" and pondering.

Since I last Blogged I have been asked to serve on the Pastor Search Committee for our church. How humbling is this!!!  It is so humbling and mind boggling and we (the committee) are totally dependent on the Lord. We are earnestly seeking the face of the Lord and calling upon the prayers of our church family. Even now we are praying for the "new pastor"......strange to write those words. And we are much in prayer for Bro. Charles as he finishes out his last few months with us. My prayer for him has been that his "latter days will be more powerful than his former." May it be!!

Just praying that we will be found faithful!!!!

New Roads

It is such a delight to think of all the things God is going to do in 2011!!! We will be selecting a Pulpit Committee on Sunday who will lead the charge in finding God's man for our church. After 34 years of having the same shepherd this could be a daunting task but I know as we earnestly seek His face, He will lead our way. My prayer is "not my will, but your will be done Lord" I believe much prayer and fasting and earnestly seeking will lead us to God's man.

On thursday news of our friends "homegoing" left us dazed with disbelief. For a split second I asked "WHY?"  Things were going so well for them in their lives, he was a pastor with a growing ministry.........she a stay at home mom, who has a great ministry in their church .
I have lived long enough to know and understand that "For my thoughts are not our thoughts,nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD".........and the verse goes on to say "for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9 Asking "WHY?" don't seem to get us anywhere, so I have to know that I know that I know that God is still on His throne, still loves us with an everlasting love and knows what's best for us in view of now and eternity. I am reminded again that "nothing comes into our lives that does not first go through the loving fingers of our Heavenly Father.' The power of prayer, the importance of having a church family and watching people stand in the gap, praying for you when you are unable to pray for yourself is an awesome sight.

I love the Lord and pray that He reveals Himself to us during this new year!
In His infinite wisdom He does not reveal to us what 2011 holds and I am so glad.
I chose to rest my Hand in His Hand as He leads us into the unknown, since He is the one who knows the way.

"He that dwells in the shelter of the Most High, will rest in the shadow of the Almighty,
I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge, my fortress, my God in whom I trust." Ps 91:1

Looking at 2010 through the rear view mirror

What does 2010 look like, looking through the rear view mirror? Now that's a great question.
It has been a year full of blessings and some days of sadness. I have been so blessed to be retired and enjoying life in the slow lane........no hurry.........just get up, drink my coffee and spend time with the Lord!!!

One bright star this years has been our first grandchild.......14 months old, Jackson, the delight of our lives. We have been blessed to keep him 2-3 days a week for the first 7 months of his life and what a privilege that has been! I have read to him, prayed over him, sang to him and in general evoked God's blessings over this child of His. Only eternity will tell what great things God has in place for Jackson, and what a mighty man of God he will rise up to be.

In September, Carl retired and  what a great time this has been.. Wasn't sure how that was going to work out with both of us being at home, but it's been fun. His recent bout with a kidney stone has kept us praying and waiting.

Was privileged to lead a Bible Study in our home this fall, on the book of Mark, what a great study and what a wonderful group of ladies.

My focus for the new year is to spend more time in concentrated prayer,  memorization of the Word, and to be open and ready for whatever He ask me to do. I want to be sitting on go when He speaks!!! My answer is yes~ Will read the Bible through, which I do every other year.


Psalm 91 is a study I have just embarked on and again found it to be full of covenant promises. God spoke to my heart with this passage of scripture when I had breast cancer and again I find myself studying each line carefully,seeking for any nuggets that I might have missed four years ago.

What does 2011 hold for me? God in His infinite Wisdom is the only one that knows the answer to that question, but I do know and am confident of this, HE Holds Me and that's enough!!!

"From Underneath the Same Wing"

Ella
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