Memories

The above is a china dog I have in my possession.

It was given to my parents as a wedding present, which makes it at least 62 years old.

When I was two my mother had professional photos taken of me and to encourage me to sit still she allowed me to hold this china dog that I loved to look at.

I remember feeling so privileged that I was trusted enough to hold this dog, although I remember wondering why I was allowed to hold it now when always before I had been forbidden to touch it.
I remember feeling the responsibility of being careful not to drop it.

I have only to look at this china dog, to remember vividly the feelings and thoughts I had as a two year old.

I love memory triggers - things that help me to hold on to memories that are sentimental, life changing or important for the future.
We are today the sum total of our past. Every day has had its part in creating the person we have become.
Memories help us to keep our mooring in the face of change, help us hold on to the things that connect us to our past.

Memories of happier days comfort us when our today is lonely, difficult or sorrow filled.
Memories are what we use to fill the empty spots left by things or people who are no longer part of our daily lives.
Memories are the treasures of yesteryears that are like jewels in a jewellery box or cherished photos in an album.

Memories also help us live today better than we lived yesterday. We are creatures who learn best by experience…and memories keep those experiences in our line of vision where we can continue to learn from them.

Memories also keep us connected to those we love, our bond kept strong by the sharing of our common memories.

Memories…a beautiful, meaningful and purposeful part of our life.

Did you know God wants us to make sure we provide memory triggers for ourselves and our children concerning what He has done in our lives ??

God had just confirmed Joshua as His choice to lead His people after the death of Moses. Joshua in obedience to God’s instructions had commanded the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to put their feet into the Jordon. As they did so, the Jordon backed up and stood still allowing the Israelites to cross over on dry land. The waters of the Jordon were held back until all the people with their children and flocks had crossed over.
Twelve men, each representing their tribe, were commanded by God to take up one stone each from the center of the Jordon and pile them up where they camped the first night after crossing the Jordon.
The piled up rocks were meant to be a sign for years to come when the children would pass by and ask, “Why are these stones here? What do they mean?” Then the parents and the grandparents would tell the marvellous story of how God miraculously provided a way for His people over the Jordon. (Joshua 4)

They did not have cameras; they did not have artist’s renditions of the event.. so God had them use what they had – something that would not be washed away by rain or destroyed by the ravages of time - rocks.

Did you ever stop to think that even today, the popularity of cameras and the desire to capture memories is really a very old directive of God?
Do you think to record, not only the moments of interest in your days, but also the times that will remind your children and grandchildren of the miracles, the evidence of God’s goodness in your life?
Will your descendents looking at your memory albums be reminded of what was most important in your life?
When you sit with your little ones and they say, “What is this picture?” will you be able to tell them stories about God?

Your Bible or your Cellphone?

A friend sent me the following this morning in an e-mail. You may have already seen it but I thought it was so good I'd post it.
The bible is being given an ever increasing less important place in our society and in our daily lives. It's authority is being eroded - even Christians stand guilty.
Perhaps if we as true followers of Christ made His Word a priority in our lives.... our world would be a different place!!!

CELL PHONE vs. BIBLE

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cellphone?
What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?
What if we flipped through it several time a day?
What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?
What if we used it to receive messages from the text?
What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?
What if we used it when we traveled?
What if we used it in case of emergency?
What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?
This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?
Oh, and one more thing.. Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill...
And no dropped calls!
Makes you stop and think "where are my priorities?"

Mushrooms

I have always been fascinated by mushrooms.
This afternoon Vic and I spent some time taking the following photos.
All of the mushrooms are growing within a few square yards in our back yard.

Mushrooms are unique in so many ways.

I am intrigued by how many varieties there are... they seem endless and probably are. God's creativity has no boundaries.

When I look at God's creations I see that He loves variety, obviously taking pleasure in an abundant assortment , the details of which boggle our minds.

And then I think how much more pleasure He takes in creating each human being that has ever lived in the last 6,000 years unique and unlike any other.

You are so unique that without you , your 'species' would be extinct. God has no back up plan... if you do not fill the place in His eternal purposes that He designed just for you... no one else can.

....................

I am completely mystified by mushrooms.

The mushrooms in the above photos were not there a few days ago. They have , in fact, never appeared in my back yard before. No one planted them. And they did not 'grow' like normal plants. They were just suddenly there!

They remind me of the secret work of God. How often have you prayed for a situation and see no resolution in sight. Nothing is changing; you see no reason for hope. Then all of a sudden, in a moment, everything is changed -- the answer is there... the miracle is in your hand !!

Or you are praying for the salvation of a loved one.

There seems to be no change in their attitude or their inclination toward God.

No work of God is visible to your eyes.

Then one day, the loved one comes to you and declares that they have changed direction -- that they have been born again and they are now living in the kingdom of God.

Jesus speaks of the work of God being invisible and mystical to our human eyes. He says in

John 3:8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it but cannot tell where is comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

.........................

There is a third characteristic of mushrooms that reminds me of God.

Mushrooms can be dangerous .... you have to know your mushrooms. If you do not fear them you can die from carelessly handling or eating the wrong ones.

And yet good mushrooms are delicious and a delightful addition to so many dishes.

So God too must be feared. He is a loving Father to His children but a Holy Judge to the unrighteous. Jesus said, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell."

People are careful to avoid poisonous mushrooms but are often less careful to make sure that they are in right standing with the Judge before whom every man will one day stand to give an account of his life. (Romans 14:10-12)

............................

The last thing that mushrooms remind me of is how fragile our life here on this earth is.

Mushrooms spring up overnight and then are gone as quickly.

The older I get the more I realize how very short our life here is... how little time there is to do the things I want to do.

The mushroom, though it mysteriously springs up and then quickly is gone, will spring up again just as mysteriously somewhere else.

And so we too , though this life is fleeting and over so quickly... we have another life waiting that will last all eternity. A life so beautiful and so richly rewarding that we will not give a backward glance to this earthly life we now value so much.

........................

Rev. 21:4, 22:5 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, and there shall be no more pain... for the former things have passed away...... and there shall be no night there. They need no lamp, nor light of the sun for the Lord God gives them light... And they shall reign forever and ever!"

Ordinary Details of My Life

I was presented with a challenge…. turning another meme into a devotional. In tagging me Carolanne suggested that it might not be possible.

This meme consisted of questions concerning ordinary details of my life.
There are people who compartmentalize their life into neat little boxes and their faith fills one them.
I cannot do something by halves….if something is worth doing I do it wholeheartedly. For me my faith is 24/7. If I am a child of the King then it has to be part of every area and detail of my life.
So I see Carolanne’s meme as a worthy exercise to see if I can even do this meme with God in mind.

The questions and my answers are as follows:

1. What are four places that I have lived?
Since I have lived within a small radius all my life the few times I have moved have been within the same municipality, except for the last two years when I moved one over. Still, not much difference.
All of the places I lived were in the country except for four years when we lived in a subdivision in town. I am not a city girl. I love living where it is quiet – and where I have nature around me to remind me of the God who created all things.
And yet I always remember, I am not a citizen of this world but of a heavenly one. (Eph. 2:19)
I am seated in heavenly places with Christ. (Eph. 2:6)
As the hymn says, “This world is not my home…I’m just a-passing through.”

2.What are four jobs I have held?
All the jobs I have held came out of the creative gifts that God has given me. I worked ‘with my hands’. ( I Thess 4:11) But my earthly jobs, though necessary to meet my material needs, were really only places of opportunity to be faithful in my ‘real’ job…. To serve the King of Kings - “Always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labour is not in vain to the Lord.” (I Cor. 15:58)

3.What are four films I could watch over and over?
I watch very few movies simply because I am careful what I put into my mind. The ones I do love to watch are the ones that are wholesome and make a good deposit into my soul --- like Ben Hur, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Ten Commandments, Anne of Green Gables, The Sound of Music.

4.What are four TV shows I watch ?
I like documentaries, nature shows, Medical Miracles, Living Truth.
I love to watch programs that either teach me something or inspire me.

5.Four favourite foods?
God could have created us to be nourished through the air or water, but He wanted food to be more than our sustenance , He wanted the sharing of it to be an opportunity of fellowship and pleasure around the table. And look at the variety of foods He has blessed us with !! I love chocolate, fruit (especially grapes and nectarines) bread (though I can’t eat it anymore) chicken.

6. What are four websites I visit every day ? (not including blogs)
I don’t visit any websites on a daily basis…unless I can count g-mail…. I use web sites to glean information on a given subject I am interested in , and since that changes so do the sites I visit. We are so blessed in our age of technology. I know that everything can be - and is- used for evil but what a blessing to have at our fingertips any bit of information we need and use even our computers to glorify God and honor Him.

7. What are my four favourite colors?
I love pink… and I think God does too. Pink are the blossoming trees that declare that spring has come – the beginning of new life. Also the beautiful sun rise is pink…announcing a new, untarnished day. I also love purple – a royal color befitting the daughter of a King.
Green is on my favourite list… because all growing things are green…and I love burgundy the rich color of my Saviour’s blood.

8.What are four places I would like to be right now?
I would love to be standing before the throne of God listening to or being part of the choir worshipping Him. If I can’t be there I would like to be on a mountain top where God walks…and His Presence is so tangible. Or I would like to be in an underground church service where the worshippers are risking their lives to serve God. Or I would like to be right here where I am…. I am content to be where ever God is.

9. What are four names I love but could not/would not use for my children.
Of course the name I love above all names is the name of Jesus. I also love the names of people I admire like…. King David, the prophet Jeremiah or Malachi.

Instead of tagging four people, I am going to challenge you – my dear reader - to think about the ordinary things that make up your day….
Do you bring Christ into every moment?
Do you consider whether your actions, your words, your reactions honor Him?
Is your faith being clearly seen in any given moment of your day ????

According to Your Perspective

Vic dropped my younger granddaughter off at school yesterday.
Elora was reluctant to leave the car until her friend arrived so they sat in the car awhile and waited.
There was a group of children standing nearby and Vic asked if Elora knew them . “Oh, yes,” she said, “a couple of them are in my class.”
“Which ones? The boys?” asked Vic. “That boy looks really small .”
“Maybe from your perspective!” was Elora’s retort.

I knew what she meant. I laughed when Vic told me the story but it reminded me of when I was just six years old.
It was my first day of school.
I am so old that when I was young there was no preschool nor kindergarten. I started school with grade one.
My mother walked me the distance of just over a country mile to the one room schoolhouse that held grades one and two.
I was very excited and looking forward to learning to read.
But all my excitement turned to terror when the little schoolhouse came into view.
I saw two very big, tall boys hanging over the small fence beside the road.
I told my mother I had changed my mind…I didn’t want to go to school with those big boys. She laughed and said, “What big boys?? Those are little boys, they are only in grade two!”
Knowing what grade they were in really didn’t calm my fears, from my perspective they were huge and threatening !!

I thought about “from my perspective” and wondered how often we judge falsely because we judge ‘from our perspective’, without even realizing it.

There is an old saying attributed to the Native American (Indian) "Before I judge a man, let me first walk a mile in his moccasins."
“Walking in his moccasins” allows us to judge from ‘his perspective’ and not our own biased view.

Important as it is to open our hearts and listen to one another to understand their perspective….how much more important is it to not judge God from our perspective.

Many people judge God by what their earthly father modeled for them . If their father was harsh or cruel , then from their perspective God is disinterested in their life until He sees opportunity to bring difficulty or tragedy into their lives.
If their father was a benevolent passive parent , then from their perspective God is a God who passively watches them live their lives, handing out blessings.
Or some people’s perspective of God is unconsciously formed by bits and pieces of information they have gathered over the years, that may or may not be true . So then God becomes a god they have shaped with their own hands.

There is only one true perspective to have !! To see God for who He says He is.
He has revealed Himself in His creation and most importantly through His Word.
How much time have you spent “walking” in the Word making sure that the perspective you have concerning God and His ways is a true one?

“…that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He..before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, even I am the Lord and beside Me there is no savior…” (Is. 43:10,11)

“Oh,how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day….I have more understanding than all my teachers…. How sweet are Your words to my taste , sweeter than honey to my mouth…through Your precepts I got understanding ”
(Psalm 119:97,99,100,104)

The Proud Rooster

For years we had a little hobby farm that I so enjoyed.

We had a few hens , a rooster and some rabbits in the same enclosure surrounded by chicken wire.
One clever little rabbit figured out how to untwist the wire with his teeth and by pushing his nose through to open the hole and continuing to untwist the next link and the next …eventually opened a hole big enough for him to escape.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence even when you are a rabbit.

Or a chicken.

Once the rabbit hopped through his escape hole, the hens were very quick to follow and clucked with great delight at the abundance of fresh food on the other side of their pen fence.
The rooster was extremely proud of his harem and watched over them with possessive passion. When he saw that they had escaped his protective custody he squawked and clucked with great frustration and paced angrily back and forth in the pen ordering them to come back.
His hens paid him no heed whatsoever.

He tried again and again to get through the hole that the rabbit and hens had slipped though with ease, but he could not get through, no matter how hard he tried.
Why ??

The hole was down close to the ground where it was comfortable for the rabbit to do his work. The hens had no problem getting through ; they just ducked their heads down and bending their knees , quickly followed each other out in rapid sucession.
The arrogant rooster could not humble himself and when he ran at the hole to get through it, it just hit him at breast level. He tried again and again but since he refused to bend… it was impossible.

I read the following quote this week in a negative book review of a Christian novel.

“you are forced to digest speech after speech enhancing the characters' recently discovered faith, and their overwhelming zeal to convince everybody -including the unwary reader- that not only is their faith the only true , the only unmistakable way , but also that unless you are a true Christian, brother: your days are doomed.”

We could dismiss this as one man’s comment but I have been hearing more and more of this kind of sentiment… there is a definite trend toward ecumenicalism --- the belief that all religious roads lead to Heaven.

And yet Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life…No one comes to the Father except through me..” (John 14:6)

Without humility it will not be possible to bend the knee at the cross and accept Jesus as the only way of salvation.
If man insists in his pride that he can choose his own way to heaven , he will one day find that he was sadly mistaken .
He must duck his head, and bend his knee… like the hens.
The rooster is an example of the pride in man’s heart that will keep him from enjoying the pleasures of eternity.

“Most assuredly I say to you, Unless man is born of water and the Spirit he can not enter the kingdom of heaven..” (John 3:5)

Winning the Lost

Proverbs 11:30 - “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life and he that winneth souls is wise.”

There used to be a lot more talk among Christians about winning the lost to Christ. Now I hear talk about being ‘seeker sensitive’ and being careful not to be offensive to the non-Christian.

Sometimes in being so careful not to ‘offend’ we also withhold the blessing of showing someone the way to be saved .

We were invited out to a restaurant dinner by our neighbour along with other invited guests.

While we knew some of the people there , others we had never met. I happened to be sitting close to a Dutch couple who had immigrated from Holland a year and a half ago with their three kids – 11 -15 years old.
They left a beautiful, large home , a very successful business and all their family and friends.
They are doing very well here and speak English perfectly.

Vic (my husband) was asked to say grace, and he stood to pray. When he sat down the Dutch man turned to me and said. “You would never see that in Holland, someone standing to pray in a restaurant..You would not see any one pray at all ! Just seeing that makes me happy I am here.”

He then told me that he had not known God at all in Holland, but he had met Him since he came to Canada and now he LOVED Him. He said because of his immigration he had found God and that alone made it worth leaving their families behind. They had found a good home church and were growing in the faith.
He spoke of how a year and a half ago he had been a ‘bad man’. Not bad in the eyes of the world , perhaps, but in God’s eye… he swore and thought bad thoughts… now he said his mind was clear and clean and he was so happy !!!
He was so refreshing to listen to.
Across the table sat a couple that we have met several times. The husband, "John" has engaged us in conversations about our faith and loves to ask questions about what we believe.
I noticed that as I was talking with this Dutch man, "‘John" was listening very intently. At one point he said to the Dutch man …”I’m surprised you are so open in talking about this.”
I know God is watching to make sure someone is planting seeds in "John’s" heart, sending someone else to water them and one day I am praying that "John" will be part of the harvest.

I find it so beautiful to watch how God seeks out those who have a hunger in their heart to know Him and then guides them to places and people who will show them the way to the cross to meet Him.

The Lord is the Master of the Vineyard and has called for labourers…. If we don’t do the work, who will?

Let us not be slothful in our service, but eagerly looking for opportunities.

“Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labour.” ( I Cor. 3:8)

We ,as believers, really have the answer the world is looking for. I came across this 'author unknown' gem a couple of days ago.....

Indulgence says, "Drink your way out." Philosophy says, "Think your way out." Science says , "Invent your way out." Communism says, "Strike your way out." Militarism says, "Fight your way out." Christ says, "I AM THE WAY OUT!"

A Moment in Time

Margaret Fishback Powers years ago wrote a now famous poem called “Footprints” in which a man views his life journey and recognizes that at times there were only one set of footprints instead of two. The Lord explains to him that during the most difficult times of his life, He carried Him.

I think that if we could see another view of our life through the eyes of God, we would see that there were markers of another kind. Markers that stood as monuments commemorating moments in our life that changed someone’s world.
Often these moments blended into the normal flow of our day and we did not see their significance.

Once in a while God does draw back the curtain and allows us to see from His perspective…. how encouraging those glimpses can be in helping us to recognize the power we have in the smallest measure of a day to change someone's world.

Let me share two experiences from my life that I hold close to remind me to never under estimate a moment.

Years ago I worked with a young lady who I became quite friendly with and consequently also got to know her extended family.
Her sister-in-law came into the store quite often with her two children, Jarrett and Carla. At the time there were about 7 and 4. Carla was younger and she was a princess china doll with huge eyes framed by long lashes. She had long, thick, beautiful naturally curly hair. She was the kind of rare child that made everyone stop and fuss over her.
Jarrett as the older brother was a nice looking boy in an ordinary way. He stood in the shadow of his little sister who got all of the attention. I saw this happening and my heart went out to the little boy who was virtually ignored. I made a point of paying attention to him whenever I met them.
My friend one day in conversation mentioned that he liked little things that fit into other things and an idea formed in my mind.

I went shopping and bought a miniature stuffed animal and sewed a little drawstring pouch for it to live in. I had it ready the next time Jarrett and Carla came into the store with their mother. I immediately singled Jarrett out and made a point of barely acknowledging Carla. I told Jarrett I had something for him and I gave him my little gift. He smiled and said thank-you.
It was a moment thing and I very quickly forgot about it.
Years later, I happened to meet Jarrett’s mother and I asked about her children. She told me Jarrett was graduating from high school that year. I could not believe how time had flown. Last time I saw him he had been a little boy, now he was about to take his place as a man,
His mother then brought up the time I had singled Jarrett out by giving him that little stuffed toy. She told me how much she had appreciated it and how much it had meant to Jarrett. Then she said something that blew me away.
“Jarrett has never parted with that little gift. He still has it!”

A moment, quickly forgotten, for me….but a life changing moment for him. A moment that had the power to convey to him the message that he had worth, that he had value and there was someone who cared enough to tell him.

There is another moment I remember.

It was my son-in-law’s university graduation night, eleven years ago.
I sat in the crowded auditorium behind an East Indian woman who was holding her little grand daughter who was probably about five or six months old.
At one point the grand mother turned the child to look backward over her shoulder. The child’s eyes met mine…she looked at me for a second and then reaching out her arms lunged toward me almost causing the grand mother to drop her. I would have gladly taken her in my arms but the look the grand mother gave me left no doubt in my mind that that was not going to happen.
She tried to distract the child, but the child would not be distracted. She kept holding her little arms out to me begging me to take her. Finally the grand mother picked up her things and moved.
My heart was captured by the sweet little girl.
I prayed for her that night, prayed that she would reach out for God in the same way she had reached out to me. I prayed that God would protect her and bring a Christian influence into her life and that He would find a way to bring her to Himself.
Many times over the 11 years since, I have remembered those little arms reaching out to me and I have been reminded to pray for her.

I will never know what effect my prayers have had on her life. She will never remember the lady who sat behind her that night and the moment that connected us together.
How excited I would be if in eternity she came running to throw herself into my arms!!!

I believe that God plants special ‘moments’ in our life – most of the time we are entirely unaware of their eternal worth - never guessing how our little actions could be magnified into great purposes.
But God knows and He watches over those moments and waters them and causes them to bring forth the desired results. Then one day when we stand before Him in eternity…He will show us what our ‘moments’ accomplished. We will stand amazed, and I’m sure wish that we had paid more attention to our earthly moments, recognizing that it is not the big things God can use best . but the little things.

“I, the Lord, keep it. I water it every moment, lest any hurt it. I keep it night and day……”
(Is. 27:3)

Happy Thanksgiving !

If your eyes are on this page, then my wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving day are for you, since YOU are one of the things I am thankful for !!

If you are not from Canada, please celebrate with us anyway !!
EVERY day is a reason to be full of thanksgiving for the abundance all around us!

Psalm 100:4,5 "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and into His counts with praise. Be thankdful to Him and bless His name!
For the Lord is good , His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations!"

Not an Actress

I grew up without television ( it wasn’t that long ago!) and our church was not into ‘plays’ so I really did not have much exposure to ‘acting’ until I went to school.

My teacher was quite musical and creative and liked to put together nice programs for the parents at Christmas time.
The first year I was in her class – she had grades 4-6 in one room—she gave me a part in the play, “A Christmas Carol”.
I was Tiny Tim.
We practiced and practiced… but I was so uncomfortable.
I remember when we were performing it in front of our parents and my cue came to walk on stage , limping. I couldn’t do it… I kept thinking… ‘There is nothing wrong with my leg… I don’t want the people to think there is !’
My teacher prompted in a stage whisper, “Limp!” but much as I always tried to please her… I could not make my leg limp.

I realized that day that I would never pursue an acting career.

Hipocrisy , dishonesty, deceitfulness doesn’t appeal to me. I look for authenticity and sincerity.

We , as believers, are called to be sincere…..

“That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ being ‘filled’ with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” (Phil. 1:10,11)

Do you know where the word ‘sincere’ comes from ?
Our English word comes from the Latin word sinecera… Sine meaning without and cera meaning wax.

Ancient sculptors in Rome or Greece would try to hide flaws in their sculptures by filling them in with wax…presenting them to be what they were not. It was only a matter of time until the wax would crumble away and the original flaw revealed to the embarrassment of the sculptor and the detriment of his reputation.
A perfect sculpture was literally ‘without wax’.

That is what we are called to be… so completely sincere – without wax, …that we do not try to show ourselves to be other than who we are – being willing to be vulnerable rather than insincere .

When we come to Christ in humble repentance – all our wax stripped away – He sees us just as we are but accepts us in His love and forgiveness.

But here is a beautiful thing…. He does not leave us with our flaws and brokenness exposed for all to see. He offers His own ‘wax’ that will not chip away – it will keep us ‘without offence’ until He returns.

What are we to use as ‘filling’ ?? Fruits of righteousness – and not by our own strength… but by Jesus Christ ---by the enabling power of His grace.

Are you busy , daily, making sure all your 'flaws' are filled with fruits of righteousness??

“I in them, and you in me that they may be made PERFECT in one, and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.” ( John 17:23)

The Least of These

For over twenty years the cross book mark in the photo above has lain in my bible.
It was given to me by an older lady who attended a bible class I was teaching in a former church.
Her name was Mary Christian.

She was a very quiet lady with a soft manner and gentle smile.
She crocheted cross bookmarks and gave them to anyone who crossed her path.

I heard she had left this world to meet her Lord, but not in time to go to her funeral.
I wondered if the question had been asked, how many people there would have raised their hands to indicate they had received one of her bookmarks.
I still think of her almost every day….. her bookmark still blesses me.

“The least of these”…Jesus said. We are so prone to judge by size or monetary value, or prestige.
God doesn’t judge that way…. He says many who hold first place in this world will be last in the next…and those who are last here will be first there. (Matt. 19:30)

Jesus isn’t impressed by the world’s standards….He looks at the heart and looks for sincere offerings.
He sees the offered cups of water…the hand extended to someone in need. and Mary’s bookmarks??


I remember another lady, Eva Marshall. She also is no longer on this earth.
She came faithfully to our bible study, chose her chair and fell asleep until it was time for coffee. She never had anything to contribute and found conversation difficult.
We all wondered why she came.

One day the leader of our group suggested that it would be nice if someone wanted to volunteer to be responsible to get everyone’s address and their birthdays and be in charge of sending everyone a birthday card on their day.
Eva immediately volunteered.
We all looked at each other, embarrassed, not knowing what to do.

The leader glanced around the room, forced a smile and said, “OK, Eva, thank you!!”
We all thought, “There goes that idea!”
We were about 20 people in that group but for the next several years; even long after the group disbanded we each faithfully received a beautiful birthday card on our day …
Eva was faithful …

Let us remember -- to be faithful in the small things is great in the kingdom of God.

“And he said unto him, ‘Well, thou good servant, because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities,’”

(Luke 19:17)