Gathering Rubies

Have you had any close calls lately? I had one yesterday and I’m still thinking about it!

After bible class yesterday, I rode to Tulsa with Karla. On the way home, just a few miles from the church parking lot where I left my car, we had a very near brush with certain disaster. We took the back roads home from Tulsa and as we were attempting to turn south toward Skiatook. There was a car on the wrong side of the road in the lane where we needed to turn, he was waiting to turn east and a white pickup was approaching us from the west. Karla had not noticed the pickup. I was watching it and the car that was in the wrong lane. (My heart begins to race and I am tensing up). Karla was waiting for “wrong lane guy” to move so we could make our turn. I looked in the right side rearview mirror and the pickup isn’t slowing at all, it is barreling down on us and I bent over, absolutely terror struck, waiting for impact. At that moment Karla saw the pickup as did the other driver, and finally the pickup saw us. I could hear and smell the rubber burning, black smoke swirling past us and the truck literally flying past us. WHAT WERE THESE OTHER DRIVES THINKING??? Are driving laws not applicable in the country?

I am still a bit unraveled from the close call yesterday and I have thanked God several times for keeping us safe. It would be interesting to see a video of our faces in slow motion as we all realized we were possibly facing our last moments on this earth. That is how close it was, and as fast as the pickup was traveling it would have rammed us right into the middle of the “wrong lane guy” and smashed Karla’s car (and us) like crumpled up tin foil.

My heart is overflowing with thanksgiving. Incidences like the one yesterday make me take notice. Live is but a vapor and it can be over in the blink of an eye. I have many thoughts, yet for now I thank God that he preserved our lives, he kept us safe.

My circumstance yesterday were different from the Psalmist yet I can say these words with a heart full of thanksgiving – For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears… Ps 116:8

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Ps 91:11-12

I believe we were looked after by angels yesterday.

I have been under the weather with severe allergies for about a week, and today I am feeling more like myself as opposed to a body with a fuzzy-headed out of focus dripping faucet sitting on top.

While I was staring out the window wondering what to write about today these words came to mind “Glory Hallelujah”. They didn’t come as a whisper or as a glance; they came loudly and with a full stare.

Many times I have asked God to put something on my heart to write about, something that will encourage not only me, but my readers as we go about our daily walk. Naturally I turned to the Psalms. As I began reading,  joy and excitement surged through my very soul and I am looking at these words with new eyes.

My first stop was here: Ps 111 Praise the Lord! I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. He causes us to remember his wonderful works. How gracious and merciful is our Lord! He gives food to those who fear him; he always remembers his covenant. He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations. All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity. He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!  Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! NLT

These are the things that caught my attention… the praise in this first Psalm seems to be while assembled with others who love the Lord. “With all my heart”, indicates with undivided attention. I am guilty of being easily distracted. How often I take for granted “everything he does”.  “His righteousness never fails,” mine does! Too often I let worldly matters dim my view of his glory and majesty, his wonderful works, the food and everything he provides, his covenant, yes, his promises that he never breaks. I have broken promises, he never does. Every thing he does reveals his glory, got me again, as I am made aware that everything I do does not reveal his glory. His judgment is always right and we can always trust him completely, again I have fallen short here too. As I read on I am reminded that he gave his life for us and that he will be with us forever, and that our fear, reverence, honor and respect is the foundation of true wisdom. “Praise him forever”! He will never change, and he will always be worthy of our praise. He does not leave us, lie to us, forget about us or disappoint us.

I looked at a couple of other Psalms too and will share just a few more verses that touched me so much this morning. From Psalm 113:3 From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Next I read Ps 146 and I especially liked verses three through five from the NLT-Don’t put your confidence in powerful people; there is no help for you there. When they breathe their last, they return to the earth, and all their plans die with them. But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

We can find ourselves way off track if we get caught up in the daily news and politics. I’m not suggesting we have to ignore it, just remember that God is in charge and always will be and our hope and our trust should remain in him no matter what happens to us in this world we live in.

Finally I read Psalm 148 and I  will close with this – Ps 150:6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

As you know I am attending the Tulsa Workshop this week. I am being blessed by the lessons and the wonderful people I am meeting.

This devotional speaks to my heart. I don’t think I grumble a lot and usually when I do it is about the weather. I resolve to quit grumbling and be thankful for whatever God sends my way.

Let thankfulness temper all your thoughts. A thankful mind-set keeps you in touch with Me. I hate it when My children grumble, casually despising My sovereignty. Thankfulness is a safeguard against this deadly sin Furthermore, a grateful attitude becomes a grid through which you perceive life. Gratitude enables you to see the Light of My Presence shining on all your circumstances. Cultivate a thankful heart, for this glorifies Me and fills you with Joy

1 Corinthians 10:10; Hebrews 12:28-29

(from Jesus Calling, Devotiions for Every Day of the Year by Sharon Young)

I enjoy gifts; I like the anticipation and the excitement of both giving and receiving. God gives us gifts, physical and spiritual ones. When I receive a gift it immediately becomes one of my treasures. I don’t require expensive things to make me happy, I am thankful for the love, thought, or appreciation from the giver. I can look around my home at the various gifts given to me over the years and each one brings me a memory of the giver and the occasion. It really is quite nice!

I especially love giving unexpected gifts too, I like watching the smile that lights up the recipients face, the widening of their eyes and the childlike excitement of a surprise.

When I think of the song “Count Your Many Blessings, Name Them One by One”, I realize I can’t even begin naming them because they are so abundant. I have had to discipline myself in my prayer life over the years. I realized that too often I prayed for someone or some situation and didn’t take time to really pray a prayer of thanksgiving.

Consider these physical gifts from God: Food and clothing – Mt 6:25, Rain and fruitful seasons – Gen 8:22, Gen 27:28, Lev 26:4;5, Isa 40:23, Wisdom – 2 Chron 1:12, Peace – Lev 26:6, Jn 14:27, Gifts to be used and enjoyed – Eccl 3:13, Eccl 5:19-20, 1 Tim 4:4-5, Gifts which should cause us to remember God – Deut 8:18, Job 36:34, Job 37:23  All creatures partake of God’s gifts – Ps 136:25, Ps 145:15-16, and it’s okay to pray for his gifts – Zech 10:1, Matt 6:11.

These passages show some of our spiritual gifts: Rom 12:6-8, Rom 12:7, Eph 4:11, 1 Cor 12:28

God blesses us beyond measure, take time with me today to remember the many gifts he has blessed us with and especially the gift of his son.

Ps 9:1-2 I will praise you, O Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

Last week I received an email from fellow blogger John Dobbs. With the passing of Jack Exum Sr., he suggested that other bloggers share stories of a minister who had influenced our lives and to also invite our readers to do the same, to tell of someone who passed the torch of the gospel to us. I have been influenced by many and although for the sake of space and memory I will only list a few.

My earliest influence came when I was six or seven through Frank L. Smith. We lived in Shawnee Oklahoma and attended the Church of Christ at Tenth and Bell Streets. I remember seeing him in the pulpit with his grey suit and balding head and his ever ready smile. His sweet wife was Mary and he had two daughters and a son, F. Lagard Smith. (We knew him as Lagard at the time) I remember one sister, Sandra and sadly my memory fails me for the name of the other sister. I was too young to know or understand about the gospel at that stage of my life, still I feel I must mention him because as I look back, I remember and (understand now) the kindness and great hospitality shown to my parents, my brothers and me. We spent many Sunday afternoons in their home visiting and eating dinner with them. My mom still has a picture of me sitting on the front steps of their home. (I was baptized at the age of nine at the Tenth and Bell congregation after hearing a Hell Fire and Brimstone lesson during a revival, and later in life realized what I did was out of ignorance and fear.)

For those of you who know me or have followed my blog, you know that I have lived through some very rough years. I was pregnant and married at the tender age of 15, and had three children by the age of 23 and divorced years later. I ended up battling drugs and alcohol for several years. My path to Christianity was a long time in the making and this is where the next people who greatly influenced my life enter in. I shall briefly mention three more men and their strong and faithful wives who have taught me the way.

When I first began to turn my life from myself to Christ, I lived in the small town of Hornitos CA and began attending church in Mariposa CA. It was a very small congregation and it was there where my real roots to becoming a Christian began. Vern Godfrey was not a preacher but he was a great bible class teacher and he was a kind and gentle man. I clearly remember him teaching the book of Acts and he brought it to life. Vern and his wife Esther greatly influenced not only my life but my oldest brother Tony Tharp and his wife Pat as well. They would visit us in our homes (and believe me when I say-we were a challenge) and would invite us to their homes. To say it plainly…they loved us so much that not only were we shocked, but we learned to love them so much we did not want to disappoint them in any way and we longed to be with them and be like them.

Next are Shelby Garrison* and his wife Elizabeth. They belonged to that small church in Mariposa and they came to visit me one day after I had moved from Hornitos to Mariposa. I had given up all of my drugs at that time except Marijuana. I had just finished smoking a joint (it really pains me to write this but it’s true) and my doorbell rang. There stood Shelby, all 6 plus feet of him and Elizabeth, who wasn’t even 5 feet tall. I didn’t know what to do except invite them in. The house reeked with the weed I had just finished smoking and I was higher than a kite. I know for certain that they were aware of what was going on, but they did not condemn me or even make mention of it. They simply came by to tell me how happy they were to see me at church on Sunday and to invite me back again and wanted me to know that I could call on them if I needed any kind of help.

Lastly are Pete Casci and his wife Brenda. (It’s hard to mention great men who have influenced me in the gospel without mentioning their loving and faithful wives.) Pete was the young preacher hired by the congregation in Mariposa. Pete loved the Lord and loved the people he shared Jesus with. You could see it in his eyes and you could feel it. Being a struggling and young Christian I know I disappointed them many times and in many ways and they never, ever gave up on me. We are still the best of friends even after thirty plus years. We haven’t seen each other in several years but we stay in touch either by phone or mail. He baptized me and he married Larry and me.

In closing I must say that it wasn’t eloquence of speech that influenced me or their style of preaching. I say with all honesty it was their outpouring of genuine love and their true friendship and concern that touched my heart, that made me want to have what they had and to be like them. It was from them I first learned of Faith, Love and Hope and truly the greatest was their love.

* Shelby and Elizabeth and one of their daughters, Sarah really liked me, so much so that they all played match-maker and introduced me to their son/brother Larry. Shelby and Elizabeth ended up being my father and mother-in-law and Sarah my sister-in-law. Larry and I will celebrate our 30^th anniversary in July of this year.

Frank, Vern and Shelby have all gone on to their reward. I thank God for letting these Godly men cross my path and I thank you John for this great idea and privilege to share these memories.

As the song goes…”I wake up every mornin’ I stumble out of bed Stretchin’ and yawnin’ Another day ahead.”  

My routine is a morning shower and yesterday was no different, except…the water never got past barely warm. Needless to say, I didn’t linger as I normally would. After I got dressed and woke Larry up, I told him “he may want to check the hot water heater before he tried taking a shower.” He did, and found out the pilot was out. Our house was built in 2001, which makes the hot water heater only eight years old. We have lived in this house for almost four years and have had to replace some little gizmo, (thermocouple) on it twice already.

Monday’s I usually attend Ladies Bible Class, that didn’t work out for obvious reasons. Instead we headed to Owasso to Home Depot after I researched Hot Water Heaters on the Internet. I was “quite surprised” when I saw the prices. Our existing tank was 50 gallons which is the size I was pricing. We had talked about going with a tankless if we ever had to replace this one, but with the labor costs of converting over etc., we decided to stay with the conventional gas heater.

We have not always had good experiences at Home Depot (or Lowe’s for that matter) with getting help. Yesterday was different; and pleasantly so. We had unexpectedly helpful service from knowledgeable workers. We chose a 50 gallon hot water heater with a twelve year warranty. It was cough…cough…$588.00 and just under $250.00 labor to have it installed. We didn’t know if we would be fortunate enough to have it installed yesterday, thankfully, they were able to do it.

Originally the installation was scheduled for between five and six; to our amazement the plumber showed up at around one and about three hours later we were back in business.

To my feminine readers-imagine spending just under $900.00 and leaving the store without a single bag!! That’s just wrong!! Not that I’ve ever spent that kind of money shopping, still….I’m just saying.

Actually, we “went on our way rejoicing.” In our almost thirty years of marriage we have never had to replace a hot water heater, so I’m thinking we have no room for complaints there. We had very good service and same day installation…AND…we both enjoyed hot showers this morning. We were also blessed to have the funds for the project and we stimulated the economy a wee bit.

So…unexpected things aren’t always bad. We did get caught in a torrential downpour on the way home and I got some great “cloud” pictures. You can view them on my FB page. I haven’t had a lot of luck putting photos on my website. I will have to check with the web guru one of these days for tips on putting multiply pictures on here.

I shall close with another thought concerning the unexpected. This one is for spiritual awareness rather than physical. This too will be a day of victory if we are ready.

So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Matt 24:44

It has been very difficult for me to watch my mom’s memory and health decline. I was hit the hardest with the realization when we flew back to California last year to help her with the move. Stan and Glenda, (one of my brother’s and his wife) also helped with packing her belongings and preparing her for the move. 

I was in the kitchen starting to pack one of her utensil drawers. When I opened the drawer, I looked at the mess in disbelief, and I began crying. You may wonder why I would find a messed up utensil drawer upsetting. It’s because my mom has always kept an immaculate house, even her utensil drawer. Previously, every utensil would have been in the drawer in a single layer, evenly spaced and facing the same direction. I guess it was a sign of her giving up. It’s seems so trivial, yet I am tearing up again just remembering the incident. Neatness and orderliness was her signature, she worked very hard to maintain her home and ordinarily would have been crushed for someone to find her drawer in a mess.

We witnessed many things that caused us alarm during the two weeks of packing. Her memory loss astounded all of us. I had always called her everyday and I knew she forgot things; I just didn’t realize how severe her memory loss had become.

She would sleep walk and do some very bizarre things and absolutely not recall any of it. We also realized that she had been taking Ambien for a very long time to help her sleep. After researching it I firmly believe it should never be given to senior citizens. Especially after having witnessed the things she did while on that drug, and having several friends share similar stories of how it affected their loved ones.

Before we arrived in CA, she had fallen, we don’t know how many times, sleep walking… while under the influence of Ambien. She had severe bruises, even a black eye from one incident and had no memory of how she got them. After moving here, she had an episode where she got up in the night, was ironing and fell. She injured her shoulder and we had to call an ambulance. Thankfully she remembered my phone number was programmed into her phone and was able to call me. When we arrived at her house, she was completely out of it; she was incoherent and glassy-eyed all from the effects of Ambien!

She was hospitalized for a night and a day. I finally had to tell her she simply can’t take it anymore. I always go to her doctor appointments with her to make sure she doesn’t ever get anymore Ambien.

She writes little notes from room to room, to remind her of what she wants to do or what she has already done. She is aware of forgetting things.

I’m so thankful she is so close to us now. We had hoped she would live with us after getting her out here as we have plenty of room. She stayed in our home for about four months and decided to get her own place. She is less than 3 miles from our home. She purchased a small home in a new subdivision and is enjoying her ‘independence.” We see her almost daily. She and I play a lot of Scrabble and she’s very good at it. Larry does all of her yard work and just recently planted her a lovely Redbud Tree that Stan and Glenda gave her for Mother’s Day.

She has pretty much given up driving, for which we are extremely thankful. Her hearing loss is immense and her vision has severely declined as well.

The three of us take little shopping or eating out trips together, sometimes she comes over for a “sleepover” and we eat and play games. I treasure each day I have with her.

It wasn’t long ago that Russell commented in one of his lessons that God collects tears in a bottle. I was intrigued and decided to research it …following is a smidgen of what I found.

First I will show how it reads in four different translations-

Ps 56:8 Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? KJV

Ps 56:8 Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll — are they not in your record?  NIV

Ps 56:8 You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. NLT

Ps 56:8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book? ESV

In my NIV bible Psalm 56 starts out with a heading which reads: For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David, A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath. (I love the title of the tune)

Ps 56 Be merciful to me, O God, for men hotly pursue me; all day long they press their attack. My slanderers pursue me all day long; many are attacking me in their pride.  When I am afraid, I will trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? All day long they twist my words; they are always plotting to harm me. They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, eager to take my life. On no account let them escape; in your anger, O God, bring down the nations. Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll — are they not in your record? Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me.  In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise —  in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?  I am under vows to you, O God; I will present my thank offerings to you. For you have delivered me from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.

NIV translation reads: “list my tears on your scroll.”

If someone is wrongfully attacking us in a slanderous manner, out of their own pride, twisting words, plotting harm, conspiring, lurking, eager to destroy life, or in any matter;  we can appeal to God in the same way David did.

Nothing in our lives escapes God’s attention. Yet, just like David we can say with all confidence that we know God is for us, he know us intimately, he is able to collect our tears in a bottle.

Like David we can sing these praises… in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?

What a beautiful Psalm! How wonderful and exciting to proclaim “that I may walk before God in the light of life.”

I also found an interesting article here: http://www.lachrymatory.com/

Ps 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

We are having perfect weather this morning. It rained a bit last night and it’s currently overcast. Temperature is 64 degrees and slightly breezy. I took some pictures this morning and I stand in awe at the beauty that surrounds us. Our house sits on a glorious piece of property. After the ice storm of 2007 I wondered if our trees would ever be beautiful again. They are!!

Larry keeps the yard and flowerbeds looking beautiful. He worked in grounds maintenance for 35 years at Merced College in CA. The man knows what he is doing, loves doing it and has a major green thumb. We have 2½ acres and most of it is completely natural surroundings. The only successes I have with plants/flowers are the artificial kind. I know how to dust those well.

After much prompting from friends, I’m officially on FB. You may view more photos there.

1 Chron 4:23 These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work.

From Sprugeon’s Morning and Evening- Potters were the very highest grade of workers, but “the king” needed potters, and therefore they were in royal service, although the material upon which they worked was nothing but clay. We, too, may be engaged in the most menial part of the Lord’s work, but it is a great privilege to do anything for “the king”; and therefore we will abide in our calling, hoping that, “although we have lien among the pots, yet shall we be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold.” The text tells us of those who dwelt among plants and hedges, having rough, rustic, hedging and ditching work to do. They may have desired to live in the city, amid its life, society, and refinement, but they kept their appointed places, for they also were doing the king’s work. The place of our habitation is fixed, and we are not to remove from it out of whim and caprice, but seek to serve the Lord in it, by being a blessing to those among whom we reside. These potters and gardeners had royal company, for they dwelt “with the king” and although among hedges and plants, they dwelt with the king there. No lawful place, or gracious occupation, however mean, can debar us from communion with our divine Lord. In visiting hovels, swarming lodging-houses, workhouses, or gaols, we may go with the king. In all works of faith we may count upon Jesus’ fellowship. It is when we are in His work that we may reckon upon His smile. Ye unknown workers who are occupied for your Lord amid the dirt and wretchedness of the lowest of the low, be of good cheer, for jewels have been found upon dunghills ere now, earthen pots have been filled with heavenly treasure, and ill weeds have been transformed into precious flowers. Dwell ye with the King for His work, and when He writes His chronicles your name shall be recorded.

Subsequent to being rescued from their enemies they found themselves wandering in a harsh environment, no motels, no roadside rest stops, no Quick Trips or 7-11′s. They were tired, hungry and thirsty. They were greatly distressed because of their situation. They had cried out to the Lord and he saved them from being destroyed. He guided them to a city where they could settle.

Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, suffering while bound in iron chains…because they rebelled against the words of God and despised his counsel. They were subjected to bitter labor, they stumbled around and there wasn’t anyone to help them, then they cried to The Lord and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke their chains.

Some became fools because they hated wisdom and discipline, and even suffered affliction because of their immorality. They despised all food and couldn’t eat.

The preceding three rephrased and summarized paragraphs cover the first 18 verses of Psalm 107.

Our lives can get very busy, and Satan likes it when we add more and more pointless distractions and remember God less and less. It’s easy to become so attentive to the world and to our ‘stuff’ that we forget to Give Thanks to The Lord.

I have found myself in unnecessary circumstances because I too wanted to do things my way. I was stubborn and refused to listen. I turned my back on God, and then I would cry out to him, things would get better and I would basically turn to my own vomit, over and over again.

Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.

Getting to know God and being persistent in learning his will have made my trips to the desert less frequent, and it has made my times of rejoicing and giving thanks increasingly more frequent.

Ps 118:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.