Lord Make us Courageous

Today would have been my dad’s 93rd birthday. He was born in August, married in August (yesterday would have been his and my mom’s 65th wedding anniversary) and died in August of 2017. My dad was 86 when his life ended in this world. For his entire life, he was a good man but also a very controlling one. Things had to be his way. That sometimes made life challenging for my mom and also for myself and my siblings. He was also a very good dad. I really came to know that once I became a teacher and saw the various homes my students came from. My siblings and I were very blessed.

The best example for all of us of the perfect dad is our heavenly Father. Sometimes people get that mixed up. They look at their earthly father and decide their heavenly one must be as bad or as good. Our heavenly Father is far above the best example of a good dad and the opposite of a bad one. He is the one dads should try to imitate in raising their families. He is the One who supplies all our needs through His glorious riches. He is the One who wants the very best for us and that measurement is not the same as we see the very best. We can learn a lot from our true Father. We just need to spend time in His Word and praying in His presence.

I have a second cousin named Charlotte. She and I are one month apart in age. I knew her briefly as a child when she would visit my grandmother’s house. Her grandmother and mine were sisters. As adults we grew apart. A few months ago, I learned that she had stage 4 melanoma. It had spread to her brain, lungs, live and neck. She is currently undergoing immunotherapy and just completed radiation on the tumors in her brain. I have reached out and visited with her since her diagnosis.

It’s been wonderful in many respects as we have really gotten to know one another. She is doing really well. Her doctor is very pleased with her response to treatments. She feels no pain. She is not afraid to go somewhere and does some shopping. She is enjoying life as a nephew has taken her in and she helps with his small children. Most importantly, she has great love for God and often speaks of that assurance. She is an encouragement to me and hopefully will be to those of you diagnosed with cancer. To have it in so many organs is pretty advanced and yet she does not fret. She just enjoys life. That is an example of trusting in God’s Word and fruit of that decision. If you are not reading the Bible, read it. Choose to trust God’s Word. Choose to cling to it. Choose life.

Leonard and I were blessed with four beautiful children, three of which are still on this earth and one who has gone home in eternity. Our oldest son Aaron came out yesterday to help us with two projects. Although my husband is very capable of doing both, as he and I have both aged, it has become harder to motivate ourselves to tackle some things on our own. Some of you may understand. Later I marvelled at just how blessed we are to have adult children willing and seemingly happy to help us out.

Scripture records that children are a heritage of the Lord; the fruit of the womb is His reward. That is absolutely true which is why abortion is all the more tragic. Each life taken is a life that would have been a blessing to that parent and probably also to society. I read once that some of those children may have possessed the knowledge needed to find a cure for many cancers. Who knows? Those things to me are in the hands of God and can be accomplished through others if its His will but I understand the point the write was trying to make. Please join me in praying that our society recognizes the gift of children. I have certainly recognized it in my own.

There was a time in the early days of our marriage that I wondered if our marriage would survive. Two people could not be more different. It wasn’t like we were warned either. The pastor who married us did a personality test and informed us that we were the opposite on everything. We would either compliment each other’s differences, or it would be a constant struggle of power between us. I’m sorry to write that the latter is more accurate and at times it was really rocky.

Today we are 38 years into this marriage. We were blessed with four children, two wonderful daughters in law and seven adorable grandchildren. We have also experienced together the death of a young child as well as my own devastating cancer diagnosis. Yet God has preserved us. In many respects we are closer than we have ever been. I have come to learn that my husband is a fine man. He is a loving husband, very supportive and a good loving dad. Of course his grandchildren are the bomb. I questioned in the beginning how a marriage could work between us long term and today am so glad it has.

For 31 years I taught in a school setting, 29 of those in the public setting and 2 in private. Today is the first day back in our small town in the public school setting. I miss those days. I miss the feeling of exhileration of the first day. I miss getting to know the kids and laying down the law on the first day. There was a certain amount of stress but also a sense of belonging.

My life changed drastically in 2015 with my cancer diagnosis. All the plans I had to complete 32 years in the public school system went out the door. The only thing that was important was to fight my advanced cancer dagnosis and spend time with my family. Drawing deeper to God was an automatic. I miss those days but I have also grown a lot since those days. I have learned that my identity is not being the best teacher but testifying for the kingdom of Christ. In the end, it is my relationship and your relationship with Him that actually matters. If you do not have one, I strongly encourage you to read scripture and learn just who Christ is and what He did for you. Learn of God and the Holy Spirit. Place your identiy in the triune God. It is the best identiy you will ever have.

Are you one of those people who thinks that life is so boring? Why can’t there be change? We often think, “I do the same thing day after day. Sigh.”

It’s interesting how all of us at one poing or another have fallen into the above trap. At the time we really do think this way, especially in August when temperatures stay pretty consistant. The amount of rainfall or lack thereof also remains pretty consistant. However often when change comes, it is not a pleasant change. August in Texas can mean a hurricane. Yes we need the rain but the tornadoes and too much rain at one time can be a curse. Then we begin to wish boredom would come back. We desire to go back to the old normal. We are a fickle people. Blessedly, God is consistant. He never changes. The adage is He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. There is peace in that. We may change, but He will not. Trust in the One who does not change. That is the only way to find true peace despite any circumstances we find ourselves in.

All around we see our society shattering before our eyes. Men acting exactly as the Bible said they would when written more than 2000 years ago. Some things never change other than the sensation that things are getting far worse. Our type of government was built on the principle of working for a righteous and just people. That probably explains why we see so much corruption in it today.

There is hope for all of us. That hope is in the form of our savior. One who gave His life for us. One who holds the power of life for us after this life has passed. Whatever we are facing or going through, we can trust in our savior to sustain us. When this life ends, there is the eternal joy of that life. Something for each of us to rejoice over and greatly look forward. Meditate on it. Turn from negative news 24/7. This is something I try to remind myself of daily. Trust in the words written so many centuries ago. Truths that still hold true to this day.

As a retired History teacher, quotes always come to me. There was a great Indian chief of the 1800’s who once said, “One thing is for certain, there will always be change.” I think all of us are in agreement with that. Some of those changes come abruptly and those are the tough ones to accept. We mostly prefer the slow ones that gently evolve. One example of an abrupt change is a medical diagnosis. One cancer diagnosis or another disease will altar ones life completely. I should know.

At this point we have to track on the new normal. New normals are not fun. They can be somewhat complicated and quite emotional along the journey. I find myself at this stage in my life dealing with arthritis and aches and pains. I always thought those were reserved for old people! One thing that remains consistant though through it all is God. He never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. That consistency is reassuring. It gives me the energy to get out of the bed each morning and face a new day. If you don’t have personal relationship with Christ, I beg you to make a change. Read His word. Get to know Him, not the being you want Him to be but who He truly is. It will be a life changing decision.

So often these days we hear the sights and sounds of fear. The world seems to be in turmoi with war talk all around the globe. Nations have governments that are unstable. This is much unhappiness with the current administration of this government and fear of what is to come next on both sides. We learn more of friends being diagnosed with cancer and some claim there are strange ailments being diagnosed all around.

God’s Word tells us not to fear. There is nothing happening currently in the world or in ones individual life that our God does not know about or did not know would occur. Indeed everything is going according to His will. We are a wicked people. We bibilically deserve all that is happening. Many in our culture have rejected God and cast Him from their lives. Then they are perplexed as to why things are the way they are. For the believer hold on. You were not born accidentally during this time but are here for a reason. Be a beacon of light and hope to those with no hope. You were born for such a time as this.

My mother and I celebrated her birthday yesterday. Her actual birthday is Sunday but our plans were made for yesterday. In reflection I thought about all the times she stood by me from the trips she made with me to enroll in college because I didn’t want to go by myself to the times she picked up the phone in the middle of the night when I called due to strong feelings of depression. She was there for me. She did not judge me in those times. She only supported me because she knew that is what I needed most.

Today a friend we have known a long time will be holding a service in memory of his mother. Her death was not unexpected. She had health issues for many years and was a person who deeply trusted in the eternal salvation of Christ. In fact she was quite ready to go to meet Him. Still a deep sadness for the family in her leaving this world. God has created a wonderful system of a mother and dad to nourish us and teach us His laws. Our sin has corrupted it completely. However if we hold unto that original institution, we find blessings beyond measure. To God is the glory for this treasure, a small part of so much more.