There they were dangling around the neck of our Bible study teacher like a Christmas tree decorated by a 5 year-old; many strings of plastic beads worn to represent “Worry Beads.”  What are Worry beads?  They are beads worn by islanders of a tiny island in the Aegean Sea.  The beads are worn around their necks, and the islanders finger and manipulate them all day long.  They say the beads bring comfort, that the process of handling them cuts down on anxiety.  So, last night our instructor at Bible study wore many strands of long beads to represent the worry beads, reminding us of our lesson in the book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.  Our chapter was concerning Jesus’ words to Martha, “You are careful and troubled about many things.”

Martha, the doer, the proud, sufficient, take charge kind of spirit was troubled, worried, anxious. She knew she could handle this meal – this was very possible, but the thing that troubled her was Mary.  We were reminded last night that Martha’s removal of her presence from the Lord is probably her first problem.  She was in the kitchen where she worked and worried; He was in the living room where Mary worshiped.  Isn’t that when our trouble comes?  It comes when we are removed from where we should be.  Oh, that our hearts would cry out, Draw me nearer, draw me nearer, precious Lord.  Draw me nearer to your side.  The sweet Lord Jesus has prepared a feast for us from His Word, but we must draw near each day to eat from His table.  Are we in another room fingering our worry beads instead of worshiping Him and laying our cares at our His feet as Mary did?

Worry beads won’t cut it, only worship will.  Which will we choose today?

With love,

I’m sure it’s always been an issue that people tend to get so busy at Christmas, that they don’t focus on what Christmas is really all about.  I remember when the saying

Last weekend I had the joy of taking my four and five year-old Sunday school class to the nursing home where we sang, recited a poem, and then my husband gave a short Bible challenge to a group of the residents.  Here the children are getting ready to sing.  Are they precious, or what?

While they were singing, one of the sweet female residents came in, and with each step she took closer to the children she said, “This is terrific! Terrific! Terrific! You’re terrific!  He’s terrific!”  Then she walked up to each child as she made her way down the line, cupped their face in her hands and said to each one, “Pretty, pretty, pretty!”  The children were so kind to her and weren’t afraid.  I think it was due to her sweet nature.  It was apparent that she was in this particular locked down area of the nursing home for a reason,  but I have to tell you, I have thought about that dear lady all week.  You know, some people grow old and crabby, but this sweet lady had obviously spent her life looking for things to praise, and now that she didn’t quite have all her mind, she was still in that same attitude!

While reading through Luke 15 this week I found over and over the words joy and rejoicing.  Verses 4/5 say, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 

Verse 7a –I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.

Verses 8, 9 say Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. 

Verses 23, 24 add – Bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.


Heaven is a place of joy and rejoicing.  Jesus has joy and He came to give us joy.  He said in John 15: 11- These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. We may think we have reason to be downhearted today, but that’s not what Jesus wants for us!  Joy and rejoicing should be a part of every day for the believer.  If there’s nothing in your life to be joyful about, look to heaven and rejoice over sinners coming to Christ.  Rejoice in the birth of Christ.  Rejoice in the coming of our Savior – it will be soon!  Rejoice in the things around you that are “pretty, pretty, pretty!”  Encourage others by telling them how “terrific” they are!

The truth is, we will be what we have been becoming.  Will you and I be “little old ladies” of praise?  If so, we better be praising now.  Take a look around – things really are “terrific!”

With love,

Take a deep breath.  I’m serious. Inhale.  That is a blessing!  Swallow.  That is a blessing.  Did you eat today?  Another blessing.  Do you have sight, smell, the ability to walk, work, and laugh?  All blessings.  I’ve experienced them all today, and I’ve learned that they really aren’t so little.  What if they were all taken away tomorrow?  We would have wished we had been more thankful – that we had taken time to tell the Lord how grateful we were for the ability to live a somewhat “normal” life. 

After watching one of our dear church families lose all of this on Sunday after a meal, as a result of getting choked on a piece of meat, it’s been very real to me that we have so much to be thankful for every single day. The people with whom we live, those that we love, can be taken from us in a matter of minutes.  Do we verbalize our appreciation for them? Or do we only talk about the frustrations they bring?  If we knew they’d be gone, or even changed forever in the next hour, how would we live differently right now?

I don’t mean to sound so sober, but you know, when you watch someone else face death, it makes life sober indeed.  I have been thinking a great deal about the Lord’s many undeserved blessings in my life.  I thank Him for my own salvation, for the godly parents that brought me up with a knowledge of God, for my sweet sisters, who not only shared my home, but my heart.  I have a husband that loves me, daughters that are such a blessing to me, a church family that others covet, and you dear readers of this blog!  I won’t enumerate here in this post all the other things for which I’m grateful, but I will mention them to the Giver while on my knees in prayer.  I am so very blessed!

Oh, may I not grow apathetic and ungrateful for the smallest of blessings that all come from my great God’s hands. This moment is a gift…and this one…and this one. Have you told Him thank you?

With a grateful heart,

“So what’s the big tadoo about being a woman of character?” someone may ask.  The world says we are all a little good.    Is it that hard to be a woman of godliness?  And what about men?  Is it any easier to be a man of strong biblical character?  Let’s see what Scripture says…

Proverbs 20:6b asks a noteworthy question, it says, “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?”  The implication here is that a man may boast about his ability to do this or be that, but when it comes right down to it, faithful men are rare!  That question reminds me of Proverbs 31:10 – Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies. This virtuous woman, this woman of striking character is also a rare gem!  You don’t find women like this in every house in the neighborhood!  You won’t find men like that in every business office or college campus. 

Why are faithful men and virtuous women hard to find?  I believe it’s because it is hard work.  It takes discipline to stay by the stuff when things are difficult; it takes no effort to quit.  It takes strength to say “No” to sin; it’s much easier to cave in to the temptation.  Name any character trait and look at its antonym and it’s understandable why a person could shake their head, shrug their shoulders and go the easy route.  There’s nothing to it!

The blessing of the pursuit of godliness is that we’re not in this alone!  “For it is God which worketh in us, both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”  Philippians 2:13  The One Who is exemplary of character enables us be women of character!

We need to be encouraging our sons and daughters not only to be this kind of man or woman, but also to be looking for this kind of mate.  It’s easy to find someone to marry, but it’s worth waiting to find a faithful man or a virtuous woman!

Who can find a faithful man, or a virtuous woman?  They don’t abound, but you and I can be one, all by His amazing grace.

With love,