Concern For Loved Ones

As I write this blog post I'm thinking about my children who are scattered across the country. Kathy and her family are in Colorado. Kathy is probably at work and hopefully looking forward to the weekend with her husband. She may be planning time with her daughters and grandson. Melissa will most likely be in church with her parents Kathy and John on Sunday morning. Becky will probably join them, along with her husband Jay. Baby Jacob will probably be in the nursery while they are all worshiping the Lord together. This is the pattern most Sundays and unless they have other plans for this Memorial Day weekend I assume they will be together in church. I pray that Becky and Jay continue to be in church each week and that they raise little Jacob in the way he should go. I pray that Melissa continues to serve the Lord all the days of her life.

My daughter Laura is on one of her long walks as I write. She needs to walk as it helps with her severe anxiety problem. My concern for her is constant. I bring this health issue to the Lord each and every day. She needs to get the chemical balance in her body in control. She goes to church with Paul and me each week that we go to Westview Bible Church. Laura and I also go to Bible study on Wednesdays many weeks. This is a blessing to each of us. I'm thankful that Laura is with us and has been able to help me in various ways, especially in learning the computer. Laura also has a special touch with the flowers in our front yard. I hope she can continue to do this.

My son Bill lives on the other side of the country in Florida. He was stationed there in the Air Force and bought his house then. He is out of the A.F. now, but has not made the move west yet. That will mean selling his house and finding something he can afford in the west. He enjoys birding like his dad does and is very dedicated to this hobby. He is on another birding trip at this time. He calls me to let us know  his whereabouts once a week while traveling. He finally got a cell phone for this trip, thankfully. I pray for his safety and for him to come to the Lord. Looking forward to when he can spend time with us again.

Our youngest son Griff lives north east of Escondido in Valley Center. He is actually on top of a hill overlooking Pauma Valley. Palomar is just north of him and in the pictures I take at his place. He gets down to see us when he can, especially on holidays. He always comes with groceries for our cupboard and refrigerator. He has had sadness in his life and needs the Lord. He was married for about sixteen years and we were all heartbroken when he went through the separation and divorce. My prayer is that he finds comfort and peace in the Lord. My main prayer for both sons is for them to know the Lord.

I pray for my sister Donna and her husband Fred as they have a lot of concerns. Fred is in real estate and he puts in a lot of hours and the results are not as they should be. They struggle with so much. They have many family concerns too. Their children need prayer. Donna's grandchildren need prayer. And Donna's son Arthur has been missing since 1994. Our heartfelt prayer is to know what happened to him even though it will not be a happy ending as the world sees happy endings. He is most likely with the Lord and with loved ones that are in heaven. I pray for each one to know the Lord in a most personal way.

I'm also concerned about my late sister Betty's children, grandchildren and great granddaughter. May they each follow the Lord and find peace and joy in their lives. May Andrew and Natasha raise up their new little daughter in the way of the Lord. May they realize that they need fellowship with other believers. I pray that the ones that do not know the Lord will come to know his saving grace. Thankfully my niece Elizabeth is married to a pastor and knows the Lord. I pray for her health concerns.

I pray that Josie and her husband will continue to go to church and take little Joshua to Sunday School each week. Josie and her husband have been baptized and know the saving grace of Jesus, but they have not always been in church as they should be. Josie was our daughter-in-law and is still part of our family.

My list of concerns for loved ones is longer, but this was not intended to be a long post. I'm hoping that Laura will walk in the door soon as it is lunch time and I have not seen her yet today. I know she likes long walks, but this is a really long time to be gone if she is just on a walk. I don't want to worry though as the Lord is in control and not me.

Praying For Loved Ones

Many evenings Laura and I go to my room and have a time of Bible reading and prayer. We each take turns reading the Word until we have finished two or three chapters. This has been a satisfying way to go through the Bible. It holds me accountable to being faithful in reading scripture. We also enjoy our time of prayer together. We have many people that we know who need prayer and this is a good way to pray for them.

There are many loved ones that we are concerned about and they are on our prayer lists. We have friends who we pray for each day too. We have prayer lists from two churches and we are in a prayer group on Facebook. Many are in need of God's healing hand upon them. Some are hurting, and some don't even know they can go to the Lord for comfort and His saving grace in their lives. We know some with cancer. There are so many things that cause people emotional pain as well as physical pain. We have children to pray for as well as the older people in our lives.

When our loved ones are traveling we pray for a safe journey. When there is a task that is almost too much to handle it is good to go to the Lord for courage and strength. When someone has been injured we pray for healing, and comfort along the way. We go to the Lord for shelter in time of storm. We have emotions to deal with and the first thing we need to remember is to go to the Lord for comfort and peace. We should not worry, but we are prone to worry. Take this to the Lord. Some still need to go to the Lord to accept His gift of salvation. He is waiting for us to come and He will give us rest.

I have real concerns about each of my children. They are on my heart daily. The Lord knows my concern for each one. I pray for the parents of the little ones that they raise them in the way they should go. We are to teach them what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord. We can pray with them. And we can sing this sweet song with them.

Jesus loves me! This I know, 

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to Him belong,

They are weak but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He who died,
Heaven's gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! loves me still,

When I'm very weak and ill;

From His shining throne on high,

Comes to watch me where I lie.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me! He will stay,

Close beside me all the way;

He's prepared a home for me,

And some day His face I'll see.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

This old favorite is sung by many children at their mother's knee and in Sunday School. We are never too old to enjoy this tune. Most of us only know the first verse, but the words to the other verses are precious too. Yes, Jesus loves me! The Bible tells me so. We can be glad that some day we will see His face when we get to our home in heaven. In the meantime He is with us when we are weak and when we are ill. We have Jesus beside us every day and He hears us when we pray.

Hugs to each one I love.




Jesus picture by drstevesgal

The Lord Is My Shepherd

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

The 23rd Psalm is one of my very favorite chapters in the Bible. When I go through valleys in my life I turn to this Psalm of David. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil because He is with me. The rod and staff were tools the shepherd needed to protect his sheep. We are like sheep who have gone astray. We need the Lord to watch and guide us, to be with us.

The Lord is with us and ministers to our needs as the good shepherd does for his sheep. My cup overflows with His many blessings. His goodness and mercy are evident in my life. I want to dwell with Him forever.

These words come to mind when I begin to dwell on past hardships. I did go through a dark valley in my life and sometimes want to nurse my wounds. But I don't want to stay there and bring up too many negatives. I am in a better place now and it is because the Lord has brought me here. He nurses my wounds and brings healing.

My valley was hard on my family and I feel bad for what they had to go through. It was hard to find the bright sunshine in our lives when we needed to climb out of the valley. I thank the Lord for all he has done for me, watching and guiding me. I pray for the very best for my children. I'm thankful for the ones who do believe in the Lord. I pray for the ones who still need to come to Him. May He be their Shepherd to watch over them. May they call Him Lord.

This World Is Not My Home

Sometimes I feel like Job with so many trials to contend with. I know that I haven't really faced the tribulations that Job faced, but I do have my struggles. This old house which shelters us, and this not so young body, are feeling the effects of age. There is always something that needs fixing in this house and we can't seem to keep up with it. Paul and I have both experienced slowing down and needing to visit doctors more than we used to. We feel as if we keep the Wal Mart pharmacy in business.

We get something repaired and something takes its place on the to do list. I can get discouraged with always seeming to be behind in doing what needs to be done. But I am reminded that this world is not my home, I"m just passing through. Then I break out in song and enjoy the words of the favorite chorus which contains these words.

We might be disappointed in how some things turn out in our lives. We may try to find our happiness in other people, but the only way to peace and joy is through a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Our hope needs to be in God. Not depending on man to make us happy is a hard lesson to learn, but it is possible.

We do need relationships in our lives and we are to love people, not things. Our loved ones are all that we can take to heaven with us when we do finally go. There will be a big reunion in heaven someday and I hope I have a lot of dear ones to share this with. I am blessed with friends and family that I love dearly. My prayer is for each one to know the Lord and to share this joy with me. Not the kind of happiness that the world gives, but the joy of the Lord.