Tag Archives: InnerFulfillment

Christian Growth, Devotionals, Women

A Beauty to Behold

Pam Ford Davis

I waste my time in any imaginations of being a beauty to behold; I guess I am not in danger of breaking any mirrors or cameras as I pose but am not a portrait painter’s dream for glory either. Photographers will not be placing candid snapshots of me in their portfolio in hopes of advancement and passersby likely give me a second glance. Poor pitiful Pam.

What is beauty? Is it face-paint or skin deep? “For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him (Isaiah 53:2 NRS).” How could I be so blind? I do not gaze upon beauty in a mirror reflection or see it revealed on a model’s runway; beauty is soul deep.

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Battered and Blossoms

Pam Ford Davis

 

 

 

 

I change my desktop pictures on a regular basis choosing from free pictures, scriptures references and quotes available on the Internet. I enjoy the encouragement and spiritual lift from viewing the computer screen throughout the day. Flowers are a frequent choice and I most often choose those with bright pink blossoms.

After placing a beautiful picture of pink flowers on my desktop today, something aside from the pink petals caught my eye. Many of the leaves are unsightly; they are ragged and even have gaping holes. They are in sharp contrast to the delicate beauty of the blossoms. It makes me wonder if the photographer hesitated in printing the picture.

My portrait resembles the desktop picture. God has blessed me so and I am blooming where He has planted; yet many storms have battered my life and there are telltale signs of days beaten by the elements. I would rather not put those disfigurements on public display but they complete the picture. I hope the fragrance of the blossoms will overshadow the scars of aging. “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved (2 Corinthians 2:15a NAS).”

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Short Stories

Stairway Sentiment

Pam Ford Davis

Join me as I meander back through memories to a stairway in the house where I grew up. We lived in a two story prefabricated house with two bedrooms upstairs and two below. Mom and Dad had the master bedroom on the ground floor and the other down stairs served as both a bedroom and a TV room. My sisters, brother and I rotated use of the upstairs large bedrooms and gained access by use of a beautiful wood stained staircase. I gave little thought to our stairs back then but now would love to ascend again.

The stairway served us well as a storage area, telephone nook, and entranceway. It may surprise you to learn my family used stairs for storage but that was a major function. Mom washed our clothes with her ringer washer, hung them on outside or basement clotheslines, folded them and then placed them in neatly folded piles on the stairs for us to carry upstairs and place in dresser drawers or to hang in closets. We procrastinated and nearly tripped over them on jaunts to and from our room. Mom nagged; we made promises we rarely kept.

I cannot forget long telephone conversations with girl and boy friends sitting on the steps with the phone and six foot chord giving me privacy in a partly secluded area. Party line frustration and puppy love chats later gave way to a private line and an extension phone in my room and true love marathon conversations with my future husband. Yet, the memory of staircase drama is as fresh as today’s headline news.

Run your hand along the varnished railing to the bottom, notice Grandpa Ford’s old shaving cup turned upside down, secured and stained to serve as a handle and ornament. Ascend again, sit down, bounce from step to step on your hinny, and feel the joy of a child. Scurry back up and slide down the handrail as a tomboy displaying bravery. Day ends as I wrap up my stairway sentiment; I climb the stairs into my room, turn off the bedroom light, leave the bedroom door open a crack and slip into my bed. Dad has a nightlight ceiling light burning at the stop of the stairs; I can rest safe and secure…

 

 

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Can-Do!

Pam Ford Davis

I seem to be playing a nonstop game of catch-up. My need-to, want-to, must-do and can-do lists do not match up. I set priorities and deadlines only to break them and feel defeated by my own rules. I believe it’s time to call in a referee!

God always ties up the loose ends. “being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians1:6 NKJ).” I am grateful that He does not walk away until I am more like His Son. He sets the deadline and He will meet it! “But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you (1 Peter 5:10 NKJ).”  He can-do!

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Devotionals, Family, Women

Soup’s On!

Pam Ford Davis

“Soups on!” How did your mother gather her clan to the table? Did she ring a dinner bell? Maybe the aroma of tantalizing homemade meals beckoned you to the kitchen or dining room. “Time to eat”!  Is your stomach rumbling? My memory takes me back to a crowded table in a small kitchen nook and Mom telling me our meal was ready…

Meal times are opportunities to serve. Mothers are not supposed to get sick! Who will prepare and serve the meals? Who will clean up the dirty dishes? If mothers are ill, the entire household feels the pain. It may have been close to mealtime when Jesus called at the home of Apostle Peter…

“Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served Him (Matthew 8:14-15 NKJ).” Peter did not stand in the marketplace and share mother-in-law jokes; he stood and testified of her healing at the hands of the MASTER!

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Christian Growth, Devotionals, Relationships

The Hand-Holding Stage

Pam Ford Davis

Are you past the hand-holding stage? I fondly remember the days of infatuation and boys beginning our relationship first with affectionate glances followed by hand-holding.  As two, we were linked by touch and others present saw us as a couple. Is it merely an outward display of endearment or does it hold far more?

Hand-holding did not begin in puppy love but at birth. Mom and Dad held my hand and counted fingers. As I grew to toddler stage, they held my hand as I walked at their side, guiding and protecting me from danger. If I rebelled against their authority, they held my hand with correction.

Hand-holding took on a new dimension in my first experiences of death and grieving. People quietly came to my side, held my hand, extended love, comfort and encouragement. They will never know how much I needed that act of kindness and tenderness.

Jesus, take my hand. “When he falls, he shall not be hurled headlong; Because the Lord is the One who holds his hand (Psalms 37:24 NAS).”

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Christian Growth, Friends, Missions, Relationships

Mac

Pam Ford Davis

I did not recall The Threepenny Opera, but it birthed the song Mack the Knife which became a popular recording for Louis Armstrong and a #1 hit record for Bobby Darin in 1959. I sang along to lyrics with little thought to the meaning of the song. Today, the title is a springboard to someone I knew and loved.

 

Mac the Sword, Reverend Mac Forbes  served the Lord as a dedicated pastor up until the time of his death, wielding the word of God as a tool of testimony. “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17 NAS).” He stood upon the bedrock authority of God’s infallible word as he humbly filled the pulpit answering God’s calling to preach Jesus crucified, buried and resurrected.

Brother Mac loved his Lord and shared that love with those he met as freely as the forgiveness of sin he had received. His warm smile and Alabama southern drawl had a way of soothing a soul and stirring a hungry heart. Mac stood on his convictions and saw potential in young men in his midst. Through his influence and mentoring, Alabama has a group characterized as Mac’s preacher boys, who carry on in his footsteps.

He once served in Pioneer Missions work in New York State, not very far from my birthplace and we shared a love for the people in the central New York State rural areas. He told the story of leaving that productive work following a heart attack, returning to Alabama with his wife and children to ease his beloved’s concerns. Part of his heart remained in the Empire State…

“Mac, I’ll never forget you and hope to be worthy of our Lord as I live by the power of the sword.”

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12 NAS).”  

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Christian Growth, GUEST AUTHOR, Poems

Pricks & Pride

GUEST WRITER: JEANNE E. WEBSTER

 

A thorn in the flesh is healthier

Than a clot of pride in the heart.

A thorn will prick your attention;

Pride vainly numbs your smarts.

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A thorn seeks immediate care

To purge the prick of its pain.

Pride probes for its pacifier,

Suavely sucking its own gain.

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How quickly we yank the thorn;

It is most troublesome at best.

We leave fleshly plump Pride

Feathering and fluffing its nest.

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Thorns set off many red flags,

Panic buttons and alarms;

Pride smugly veils its soul

Concealing its ways of harm.

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Give me a thorn any old day,

Within my flesh or without;

I’ll rid it of its harmful deed

And quickly give it a shout!

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But Pride: O me, O my, I cry!

Is a need I must have for sure.

Please spare me just a little bit.

How else will I ever endure?
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Corner
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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Darkness of a Cloud

Pam Ford Davis

My mood can change as rapidly as the weather; I may start my day as a ray of sunshine and warmth, yet before high noon, I am walking in the fog of a dark cloud. Morning meditations lift my spirits and I bask in the light of my redeemer; problems arise to pelt me and I despair in the darkness of doubt. I desire to walk in the light of the Lord, light of his word, light of the Holy Spirit and light of truth. I dread times of darkness, circumstances when I cannot see his hand in front of my face.

Daddy, don’t play hide-n-seek. Where are you? Come out; come out, wherever you are! He is never far from sight… “Then he said to Moses, ‘I am going to come to you in the form of a dark cloud, so that the people themselves can hear me when I talk to you, and then they will always believe you (Exodus 19:9 The Book/ Living Bible).” God met with his friend Moses in a dark cloud; the communion benefited him and those who eavesdropped on their conversation.  I will not fear the dark; Daddy is there!

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Christian Growth, Devotionals

Alignment

Pam Ford Davis

Our son Lee is a shop manager at a well-established tire business. He knows his business and has wisdom to treat management, staff and customers with courtesy. He has built a steady business and lasting relationships. Many returning customers make periodic visits for alignment. If workers balance sales, installation and maintenance with service all runs smoothly. When there is a weak link, realignment is a necessity.

 

It may be time for me to make a mental note to do routine maintenance. Am I, a branch aligned to the vine? “Remain united to me, and I will remain united to you. A branch cannot bear fruit by itself; it can do so only if it remains in the vine. In the same way you cannot bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. Whoever remains in me, and I in him, will bear much fruit; for you can do nothing without me (John 14:4-5 TEV).”

 

It is ludicrous to believe a severed branch will produce fruit; I am a branch and I am depend on the vine. “Father forgive me for trying to do kingdom ministry apart from the Master.”

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