Christian Growth, Devotionals, Family, Marriage

FORD JALOPY

My husband Norm and I have owned many a jalopy [junker] and used them for both local jaunts and long distance trips. I am a Ford by birth; though crank oil does not run through my veins, I have an affinity with Ford Motor Company by name only. Yet, I hadn’t the foggiest idea that I would one day consider myself a jalopy.

Last night before turning in, I was sitting on the edge of the bed. My husband was sitting up and leaning against his pillow at the headboard. Our conversation went something like this…

He said, “Grandchildren would ask, ‘Were you young once?”

With a thoughtful expression, he continued.

“You were young once.”

Agreeing I replied, “Yes, I was young once. Now I’m old.”

He was too eager to agree. “Yes, now you’re old.”

Of course, I could say the same thing of him. I don’t think either of us are contemplating a trade of our jalopies for newer models.

I am getting older; I hope I will leave behind a legacy of love and faithfulness.

“Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them (Revelation 14:13b NKJ).”

Christian Growth, Devotionals, Marriage

The Threshold

Stammering and wobbly kneed, a man and woman make a lifelong commitment. Exchanging wedding vows before God, clergy, family and friends, they promise to love and cherish until death do us part.

“You may kiss the bride!”

At the wedding reception, a photographer gets a close-up of the happy couple cutting the towering cake. Unwed girls scamper in an attempt to catch the bouquet and be next down the aisle. Well-wishers throw rice and mischievous friends tie cans behind the grooms vehicle.
It is official; the man and woman are now husband and wife. Upon arrival at the honeymoon destination, the groom checks in and escorts his wife to their room. Lifting and raising her up into his arms, he tenderly carries her over the threshold.

We are the bride of Christ. Though difficult to comprehend, God the Father has raised Christ’s bride and carried her up above…
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4-6 NAS).”

I yearn for the day when Christ will carry me over the threshold into my heavenly home. (John 14:1-3)

Christian Growth, Devotionals, Marriage, Relationships

Knows Best How to Bless

Is it a match made in heaven?

When love walks in, we hope and pray it is the till death do us part kind of courtship.

As love grows, we seek assurance of lasting commitments.

Is God in the picture, do we seek his blessing or do we issue demands outside his perfect will?

God knew precisely what and whom Adam needed.

“And the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him (Genesis 2:18 NKJ).”

Father knows best how to bless.

“Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.’ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:22-24 NKJ).”

God brought the first man and woman together; he still directs singles to mates of fulfillment. It is worth the wait.

Grief, Marriage, Relationships, Short Stories

Heart of Hearing

My heart throbbing in my ears, pounds out the message…

They have taken her away.

Emptiness in my stomach is not due to lack of food, but the absence of my bride of sixty-five years. Memories carry me back across decades to that first encounter, hearing her teaching a Sunday school class in a city mission. Her abiding faith anchors our family in storms of life.

Old age, an uninvited guest invades their lives. When did the falls and bruises begin? As aging issues progress, her health deteriorates to the point of not being able to turn over in bed. The contentious caregiver daughter-in-law is not able to lift her rigid body; bedsores develop confirming her need for professional care.

Will she be okay at the nursing home? What if she falls out of bed? Can they get her to eat?

Anxiety and bitter loneliness overwhelm him.

For more than half a century, we have lived, worked and aged side-by-side. Now, I stand alone in fear and deafening silence. I should be there if she wakes up. She’ll be confused.

He feels helpless, unable to turn back the clock, or restore her health. She once tenderly ministered to others as a home nurse; now with signs of dementia, depends totally upon strangers. Family members try to console him, with explanations that she rests in a safe place; she receives the attention she needs.

Stooping with weakened bones and a heavy heart, I walk the rooms of the house we shared.

Wish we never left the old home-place.

Several years earlier, they sold their family home, accepting the generous offer of a son and daughter-in-law to live with them. Paying their way, they willingly share social security money from a rubber-band bound black billfold.

He longs to rush to her side, hold her frail hand in his once more. Things he once took for granted, he now cherishes.

If only I could… pass my tea bag along to her for a second dunking, tussle her braided hair, rub her clammy brow and kiss her once rosy cheek…

Nursing home staff curtails visits; she needs undisturbed rest.

Does she even know I come? Lord, are you taking her home?

The facility promises to call if there is any change in her condition. A small table in the formal dining room holds the cold, indifferent black telephone. They vowed to call; he must not miss it when they did.

Waiting becomes an obsession; hour-by-hour, day-by-day, he stands watch and strains to hear the phone ring. Nothing else matters; he must know about his precious Belle.

He feels closed off from the world around him. Family members know the seriousness of his plight. Nearly deaf for years, his desire to hear the ringing of the phone seems unlikely. Hearing and understanding simple conversations are difficult under the best of circumstances.

It is amazing; during his vigil, he can hear the phone ring! He is heart of hearing. He hears with his heart what his ears no longer can. He deals with the loss of his love. Life goes on.

Dear granddaughter,
I am rocking on the back porch. Grandma enjoyed rocking out here so much. I miss her. I’m 90 years old, and hope to join her soon. Your aunt is addressing the envelope for me. [Letter that I received in 1968]

At age 91, he stumbles into my aunt and uncles bedroom telling them about a visit from an angel. Digitalis no longer strengthens his weary heart. It stops and he slips into eternity.

Hearing aids are beneficial to those who experience hearing loss. The heart is a hearing aid that does not require batteries; it keeps a steady beat powered by love.

Christian Growth, Devotionals, Family, Friends, GUEST AUTHOR, Marriage, Women

God Has A Secret

GUEST WRITER: EMILY SWANSON

Romans 5:10

It was said of Abraham that he was a friend of God. What a marvelous statement about any person Think about what all friendship involves.

My best friend is my husband of 55 years. He knows more about me than any other living soul. Yet he still loves me, warts and all. He knows where I keep the coffee cups and the spoons. He knows where to put the dirty laundry. He knows that I snore. That is because we abide together. He knows my joys and my sorrows. He knows simple things; like I like to eat sandwiches of anything. These are probably things about me that others do not know…or care. We can spend hours together never uttering a word and then suddenly both say the same thing simultaneously.

There are other friends in my life who know secrets from my heart. We have laughed and cried together over events for many years. They, too, know my joys and sorrows. I may call on them at anytime for a cup of coffee, a visit, a prayer. We have even prayed over the telephone together as I cry and they pray. There are those who have given me little gifts (for no reason other than love) at no eventful time. They leave a small package on the seat of my car, or on my doorknob at home. What a friend!

Beloved, we all have such a friend. (Not one with skin on as the little boy is noted for saying). But we have a friend who loves to abide with us. What a privilege to abide with the Living God! He would like to walk with us in our garden as He did with Adam. He would love to call us friend as He did Abraham. Perhaps He would like to know us as a “child after His Own Heart” as He did King David. He already knows your our intimate secrets; but He would like to reveal some of His secrets to us.

Our Father wants to hear from us about the secret things of our hearts…our joys, our sorrows, our desires. He wants to know the simple things like our concerns over our children’s grades in schools, what can I do to stretch my time as a wife and mother or grandmother? He listens to our frustrations and our victories (say, Father, did You know my husband got a raise today; my child made an A in math. WOW) He can know these things from us because we choose to abide with Him. Abiding indicates quality time spent together.

He already leaves little gifts for us all over the place. What was that special hug from my child or that smile from my baby if it wasn’t a Gift from God? Who do we think arranges for those A’s in life and those raises that come unexpectedly? What was that beautiful day of sunshine shedding its light over the ountryside? What was that refreshing rain cooling off the parched land? What is that “Peace that passes all understanding” in a time of trial? Where’d that come from anyway?

We can spend much time together…never saying a word, just listening; and all of a sudden the Heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe, speaks to my heart revealing His Heart and His plans for me. He reassures me of His love. He gives me glimpses of His secrets.

Dear Heart, Friends love to be together and to share. The mark of a true friend is their availability to us when we need, and their undying friendship regardless of our faults. We have such a Friend…and What a Friend He is. Enjoy Him

“Dearest Father, What a Friend we have in You all ‘because of what Christ has done in dying for our sins…making us friends of God’. (Psalm 5:11 Living Bible) Help us to take every advantage of that friendship by abiding in You and Your Word. ‘I come to the Garden alone; while the dew is still on the roses.’ Amen”

Christian Growth, Devotionals, Marriage

Mail Order Bride

Pam Ford Davis

Do you know anyone who uses on line dating services? We prefer to think matches are made in heaven, but some in loneliness turn to .com. Earlier outlets for finding a mate included Lonely Hearts Clubs or newspaper personal columns.

Match making goes back farther than we can prove; but the father of Leah, Jacob’s first wife, used deception to find her a man. (Genesis 29:16-28). Today she would likely be referred to as a plain Jane, with slim chances to land a man. The wedding night for Jacob and Leah goes beyond the worst blind date surprises. Seeing her in the camouflage of a bridal veil Jacob suffered from night blindness; he had an eye opener the following morning.

I find the old stories of mail order brides interesting. People corresponding by mail learned little about their prospective mate; they took the risk and arranged their marriage. Many things brought them together, including a deep desire for companionship. I’m sure the U.S. postal system offered no guarantees. The mail order arrangement brought perfect strangers together to form the binding covenant of marriage.

The Bible gives another vivid example of such blind trust. “and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls (1Peter 1:8-9 NAS).”

Devotionals, Family, Marriage

He’s A Rebel

Pam Ford Davis

Are you a Rebel or a Yankee? Geographical boundaries largely influence your choice of label. Most are pretty proud of that distinction. I don’t reside at the Mason-Dixon line, but I’m from the Northeast and my husband is from the Deep South. Before I ever saw his face I was very aware of his homeland. A Syracuse radio station hired him for the graveyard shift, and promoted him heavily before he arrived. The Rebel would soon be on the air.

Rebellion against God is not a slogan or promotional stunt. It is very serious to rebel against our Creator. “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might set in order what remains, and appoint elders in every city as I directed you, namely, if any man be above reproach, the husband of one wife, having children who believe, not accused of dissipation or rebellion (Titus 1:5-6 NAS).”

Paul urged his co-laborer to choose church leaders wisely. As believers, we can not make children serve the Lord. We can guide them in hopes of stopping rebellion before it starts. Billy and Ruth Graham lived out their faith before their children. Yet, Franklin confesses to rebellion in his heart in early years. That rebel is now a humble servant.

GUEST AUTHOR, Marriage, Poems

Secret Of A Successful Marriage

GUEST AUTHOR: VICTOR JASTI

It was their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Contented, the couple sat together,

Listening intently to all the speeches made,

Followed by praises which amused them both,

Puzzled, guests, could not but ask, the question,

What is the secret of your marriage?

For in this age of marital discord and suspicion,

Couples don’t see eye to eye, let alone talk,

Hate the very sight, and the thought of each other,

But you seem to be in love, for whenever you see her, it is with a smile.

The husband answered, hesitatingly, I grew up all alone,

In an orphanage with none to call my own,

To get over the pain and the loneliness,

I worked hard to be on my own,

Esther was the only girl I dated,

Marriage, a simple one with close ones,

Esther’s father took me aside,

Handed me a small gift, apologetic,

Expressing, that he cannot afford more,

Wishing us a happy married life.

Nervously I fumbled at the lone gift I received,

Opening the paper and the ribbon,

In the box was a large gold watch,

With a message etched out across the back,

Every day, at home and at church,

I wore the watch with the golden chain,

Proud to wear in fair weather or foul,

The entire fifty years I not only read the time,

But the secret message,

Which said, say something nice to Esther, daily.

Family, Marriage

Southern Gentleman

I am a Yankee with deep family roots in the Northeast. One day life changed when I met a Southern gentleman. My future husband moved up to Syracuse, New York from Louisiana, to work at a local radio station. Romance began on a blind date. He swept me off my feet with his southern charm. Other boyfriends routinely wore shirts and blue jeans for our dates. He arrived for our first date in a suit and tie and opened doors for me. The Southern gentleman treated me like a lady. His beautiful smile and blue eyes won my heart. During our courtship he led me to a personal trust in Jesus as my Lord and Savior. We were married seven months after our first date. During our forty plus years of marriage, life has been many things; boring is not one of them. We raised two children while living in several states coast to coast. We met wonderful people everywhere we went. Our main occupation has been in Broadcasting; but he also worked in many part time jobs. This recognizes him for his warmth shared with all of those he meets. Nobody is a stranger to Norm. He speaks to everyone who crosses his path.

One thing that makes me so proud to be his wife is his kindness to others. He has the rare gift of making everyone feel special. In the past he rubbed shoulders with political leaders, even interviewed two past Presidents, before they held that office, President Clinton and President George H. Bush. As a news director he interviewed them and also Ross Perot. Many years later while living in Florida he became very involved in county and state politics. At that time he met Governor Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist, the current Governor. I share all of that to draw a contrast. He has also held many menial day labor jobs, from digging ditches to shoveling sand out of condo buildings following Hurricane Opal. He also worked as a maintenance man at fast food restaurants for several years. He treated his minimum wage co-workers the same as government leaders. “A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24).” Who is the man that greets everyone he meets? I am sure you know by now. That man is my wonderful Southern gentleman.

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