Candy and the Tomb

This morning I went to Walmart.  One of my not so favorite places but I had put off getting the Easter Candy.  You know, the chocolate bunnies, the chocolate and carmel eggs and other assorted candies but when I got to the Easter Candy Aisle it was EMPTY.   I was amazed!! No Easter Candy was to be found anywhere on the aisle.  Not even  peeps!  My daughter and grandchild might not be too happy!

My redeeming grace came as I headed to the checkout with a few items that I was going to buy and behold there was the Easter candy.  There were no peeps but I did find the chocolate bunnies and eggs.  Next year I probably will not wait until the day before to go purchase the Easter candy!

Many, many years ago on the first Easter several women hurried to a tomb but it was EMPTY!!  That is my real redeeming grace!!! Jesus died but rose again.  HE LIVES!!! Don't wait to accept His gift! Easter is not about chocolate bunnies and egg hunts it is about our Lord and Savior!! He freely died and rose again for all of us!  He won our battle!

Have you chosen Jesus?  He chose You!

 

Romans 5:14-16

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁴ Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who is a pattern of the one to come.
¹⁵ But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! ¹⁶ Nor can the gift of God be compared with the result of one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.

John 14:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.No one comes to the Father except through me.

The Journey Continues:Short Update

Yesterday's chemo went well.  Just as always the waiting was the worst part.  This time was not so bad.  It was just blood work and chemo but they will not start or even order the chemo until the blood work comes back.  We have learned to bring stuff to pass the time.  We read, look at facebook and Richard sleeps!

The blood work came back really good.  His counts are still holding good or better!  Next time will be an all day thing starting with a pet scan, than chemo, IVIG infusion and than see a doctor.

Your prayers keep us going! Thanks!!!

Psalm 17:6

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
    turn your ear to me and hear my prayer.

The Sun

Sunday in Enid we had hopefully our last blast of winter and woke up to snow on the ground.  It wasn't much measuring maybe an inch but it was nice to look at.  On the way to church the sun broke through the clouds in a glorious display! It sprinkled light over the earth and showered it's rays over the snow.

We left church a few hours later to find that the sun had brought forth enough warmth that most of the snow was gone leaving an ugly picture behind.  It had melted the snow showing the brown grass, mud and a few straggling green plants.

It reminded me of the Son.  The One who's light exposes my ugliness left behind after my exterior is stripped away.  His light melts through my outward appearance and uncovers the truth.  It shows the nasty sin that lives inside.

The good news is that the Son's light covers me and will shield me.  He saved me!!  He looked beyond my selfish desire and covered me with His blood. His light now shines in me!

What about you?  Are you covered?

Ephesians 2:4-6

New International Version (NIV)

⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. ⁶ And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

1. Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   • Refrain:
     Are you washed in the blood,
     In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb?
     Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
     Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
2. Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Do you rest each moment in the Crucified?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
3. When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white?
   Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
   Will your soul be ready for the mansions bright,
   And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
4. Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
   And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
   There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
   Oh, be washed in the blood of the Lamb!

Elisha A. Hoffman, pub.1878

Steve Davis

It was with shock that I learned that Steve Davis had died!  He was a part of my life even if he didn't know who I was.  I grew up watching OU football and when Steve came on the scene I was enthralled.  I was in love!(lol)  Not only was he the best quarterback ever but he was so, so cute!!  Now he was six or seven years older than I but that didn't keep my heart from beating faster as I watched him play football.

It was with even greater joy that I learned that not only was he a wonderful football player but he was also a christian!!  He wasn't quiet about it either.  It was the summer after my 10th grade year that I sat at the feet of Steve Davis.  I was at Falls Creek and way back then we had parks where we learned about God after early worship.  That year the word got out that Steve was going to speak at our park on a particular day.  I made sure that I was on the back bench and when I saw him walk into the area where he was going to speak I ran and plopped down right at his feet.  I am sure that it was amusement  that I saw run through his eyes but he stayed put and I had the best spot in the park that morning.

Did I tell him that I was in love with him?  NO but it was probably obvious to him that I was very infatuated with him. I forgot about his looks and my 'love' as I listened to him speak about his love for Christ and how to stay true to God. He loved football but God was first in his life.  From what I have read he was able to keep that love of God fresh and kept Him first the rest of his life.  If that is true than I am sure that on Sunday as he passed from this life into the next that he heard the words, 'Well done'.

I loved sitting at the feet of Steve Davis as a youth that year at Falls Creek but I know that there is something better than that and it will be sitting at the feet of my Lord and Savior!!  What about you?  Where will you be sitting?

John 3:16-17

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The Journey Continues:Update from Dr. visit 03/06/2013

Yesterday was a long day but we did make it back to Enid before the Sun went down!  For some reason they gave Richard a private room to take his chemo and the IVIG infusion.  That made Richard think that uh oh something is wrong.  It was nice though.  It had a bed and two chairs, a T.V. on the wall and was right across the hall from a bathroom.  I told Richard that I thought his crankiness had paid off!

We saw the Dr. in the afternoon and he shared that he was happy with the results of the pet scan.  He said that it just showed something in the background but it is definitley better than the one that showed the cancer again.  He will have another one probably in about six weeks or so.  His counts were all good!

Thanks again for all the prayers!

1 Thessalonians 5:18

New International Version (NIV)

¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The Shaving

Last week I had a strange experience.  Well you might not think it is so strange but at the time I did.  I was finally shaving my legs and underarms but as I ran the razor across the extra long hairs nothing happened.  I tried and than tried again.  Nothing.  I looked at the razor, no hair on it.  I looked at my legs and underarms, there was still extra long hair everywhere.  I was very perplexed.  I thought maybe I had sprouted some hair that was razor resistant or I had bought a faulty razor.

I looked and looked at that razor.  I washed it off and even ran my fingers across the blades.  No matter what I tried the hair stayed in place.  A few days later I took another look at the razor and the blades.  The clear cover was on that blade.  Guess what?  I took the clear cover off and no more extra long hair.

Now I don't understand why I didn't see that cover or even feel it when I first tried to get rid of that extra long unwanted hair.  It must have been a Monday.  Looking back I laugh and think what I dork I can be sometime.

I also thought of how I sometime will keep a clear cover between me and God.  It can't be seen or I can't quite put my finger on the problem but that unseen wall will put space between us.  It could be the extra long hairs of sin.  It could be the extra long hairs of unbelief or pride.  I might try and try to reach God but nothing happens.

I need to keep the space between God and I open.  I need to remove all the extra long hairs of sin with prayer and humbleness.  I need to keep my eyes on God to keep the sin away that will not allow the long arms of God to reach me.

God is there with help.  He will shave away my fear, sin and pride!  There is not one sin that is God resistant!

Isaiah 41:13

New International Version (NIV)

¹³ For I am the Lord your God
    who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
    I will help you.