New Year’s Song – My Grandmother died in October 1985. I wrote this to sing at our singles’ New Year’s Eve party. I just wanted to be sure no one went away without understanding the brevity of life here and the importance of trusting Christ and leading others to trust him.
If this were to be my final night upon the earth,
I know that I’d have confidence that I’ve received new birth.
I know that I would be with You, Lord,
the moment that I died;
and yet to think that I could die tonight
my eyes fill up and cry...
Because there’s so much here to do.
I have some friends and family who still do not know You.
And even though I say with Paul. "for me to die is gain;"
for then I’d be with Jesus Christ, and I would have no pain;
I must also say with Paul, "for me to live is Christ."
So if I’m given one more day please let me live my life
in praise to You, dear Lord,
telling others what You do through Your word
making sure that all my friends have heard
bearing witness to the world about Your love.
If this were to be Your final night upon the earth,
would you have the confidence that you’ve received new birth?
Do you know you’d go to heaven if you died tonight?
If not, I pray you’ll open up your heart to Jesus Christ...
Because there’s so much love right here.
You could have a brand new life to start a brand new year.
There are people here who’d love to show you how to start.
Just come to one of us if God is speaking to you heart.
Then we will show you in His word how you can know him too.
Believe me when I tell you it’s the best thing you can do
to give your life to Christ, to allow Him to come in
and change your life so that you can know for sure tonight
that you will see heaven’s light because of love.
If this were to be your final night upon the earth,
do you have the confidence that you’ve received new birth?
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Christmas Poem by a Soldier's Mom
I sent this poem in with my son's Christmas card when he was serving in Iraq. Praise the Lord, he's home now; but I put it here to remind us all to pray for those sons and daughters still serving in Iraq and Afghanistan this Christmas.
Peace on earth, good will toward men,
Tidings of comfort and joy…
These words seem trite in the Christmas cards
To send to Iraq to my boy.
But I know that the peace we have in this world
Is a peace that settles within
When we trust in our heavenly Father
And the power that comes from Him.
And the Lord has sent us His good will
In His ambassador, His Son,
Who from the cross cried “It is finished!”
His mission on earth was done.
Tidings of comfort God brings to me
As I pray for my only boy.
God’s only Son was sent on a mission,
So I can share tidings of joy.
He’s no longer the Babe in the manger…
He’s my rock, my fortress, my defense;
And knowing my son is in His loving hands
Overcomes fears most immense.
Peace on earth, good will toward men,
Tidings of comfort and joy…
I no longer hesitate to send that card
To Iraq to my only boy.
Peace on earth, good will toward men,
Tidings of comfort and joy…
These words seem trite in the Christmas cards
To send to Iraq to my boy.
But I know that the peace we have in this world
Is a peace that settles within
When we trust in our heavenly Father
And the power that comes from Him.
And the Lord has sent us His good will
In His ambassador, His Son,
Who from the cross cried “It is finished!”
His mission on earth was done.
Tidings of comfort God brings to me
As I pray for my only boy.
God’s only Son was sent on a mission,
So I can share tidings of joy.
He’s no longer the Babe in the manger…
He’s my rock, my fortress, my defense;
And knowing my son is in His loving hands
Overcomes fears most immense.
Peace on earth, good will toward men,
Tidings of comfort and joy…
I no longer hesitate to send that card
To Iraq to my only boy.
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Incarnation Contemplation
a tiny Babe was born,
the King of kings and Lord of lords
on earth in mortal form.
What did it mean for Christ to come
to walk on earth as man?
And what is the significance
of this part of God’s plan?
I’ve often thought it interesting
that Christ came as a child,
a little, tiny baby,
helpless, meek, and mild.
But since He came in just that way,
I know He understands
every small frustration
of living as a man.
He understands the growing pains
of our own little ones;
although when He was 12 years old,
He knew he was God’s Son.
He knows just how it feels
to go through difficult teen years.
He knows the loss of friends through death.
He knew pain, and He cried tears.
My Jesus knew temptation
and yet remained sin-free.
He was the perfect sacrifice
who died for you and me.
And so we celebrate each year
the coming of our King.
Because He came with love for us,
His praises we will sing.
February 10, 1983
Monday, December 15, 2008
Hectic Holiday
Things have been a big crazy around here trying to prepare for last Saturday night's family Christmas celebration and to get ready for surgery this Thurs, Dec. 18th. Therefore, I haven't tried to send out Christmas cards this year. I'll try to post a few more Christmas poems in the next 2 days, and then I'll probably be offline for at least a week as I recouperate.
Everyone, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Remember that Christ came to change lives, and allow Him to work in you and through you to His glory!
Everyone, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Remember that Christ came to change lives, and allow Him to work in you and through you to His glory!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Christmas Lists
As a child I wanted Teddy bears and trains,
a stocking filled with oranges, nuts, and candy canes;
but as I grew up the things I wished grew harder to obtain.
I found the things I wanted most (back then as well as now),
that seemed the hardest to obtain, intangible somehow,
are found in Jesus Christ our Lord when we before Him bow.
a stocking filled with oranges, nuts, and candy canes;
but as I grew up the things I wished grew harder to obtain.
I found the things I wanted most (back then as well as now),
that seemed the hardest to obtain, intangible somehow,
are found in Jesus Christ our Lord when we before Him bow.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Christmas Touch
A simple touch
can mean so much
in time of human need.
I want to thank
each one of you
for times that you’ve touched me.
For isn’t that
what God has done
in sending us His Son?
At Christmas
He reached down His hand
and touched us, every one.
can mean so much
in time of human need.
I want to thank
each one of you
for times that you’ve touched me.
For isn’t that
what God has done
in sending us His Son?
At Christmas
He reached down His hand
and touched us, every one.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Christmas Prayer
Dear Father,
It’s Christmas time again, and there is so much to distract me.
there’s a rehearsal, a musical, or a party almost every night.
There are presents that need to be purchased,
and, of course, they’ll need to be wrapped.
And with all this hustle and bustle,
I long for that “long winter’s nap.”
It’s Christmas time again, and I’m feeling just exactly
like I need to sprout some wings and fly so that I might
keep up with the schedule before me
and make it to each thing on time.
I covet just ten precious minutes
to sit and have peace of mind.
Slow me down.
Help me be still
and to know that You are Lord.
Help me make
the time each day
to meditate on Your word.
Focus me
Your will to see
and draw me near to You.
Be my guide
close by my side
In all that I say and do.
It’s Christmas time again, and there is so much to distract me.
there’s a rehearsal, a musical, or a party almost every night.
There are presents that need to be purchased,
and, of course, they’ll need to be wrapped.
And with all this hustle and bustle,
I long for that “long winter’s nap.”
It’s Christmas time again, and I’m feeling just exactly
like I need to sprout some wings and fly so that I might
keep up with the schedule before me
and make it to each thing on time.
I covet just ten precious minutes
to sit and have peace of mind.
Slow me down.
Help me be still
and to know that You are Lord.
Help me make
the time each day
to meditate on Your word.
Focus me
Your will to see
and draw me near to You.
Be my guide
close by my side
In all that I say and do.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Christmas Melodies
Christmas is full of melodies
that strike the chord of memory
reminding us of Jesus Christ
who came to give for us, His life.
Philippians 2:6-8
that strike the chord of memory
reminding us of Jesus Christ
who came to give for us, His life.
Philippians 2:6-8
Friday, November 28, 2008
Christmas Reflection
Almost every year I write a Christmas poem. I'll share a few in the days to come.
Merry Christmas!
Reflect this year at Christmas on what the Lord has done for us.
He gave up Heaven's glory to walk on this earth's dust
As a tiny baby, placed Himself in mortals' hands.
He could have trod the streets of gold, but chose to walk in sand.
He spent His life in service to those who should have served:
Then he hung upon the cross and took what we deserved.
So, as we think of what he gave to us by coming here,
Let us purpose in our hearts to live differently next year.
May our resolution be commitment to our Lord,
Renewed determination to live according to His word.
Merry Christmas!
Reflect this year at Christmas on what the Lord has done for us.
He gave up Heaven's glory to walk on this earth's dust
As a tiny baby, placed Himself in mortals' hands.
He could have trod the streets of gold, but chose to walk in sand.
He spent His life in service to those who should have served:
Then he hung upon the cross and took what we deserved.
So, as we think of what he gave to us by coming here,
Let us purpose in our hearts to live differently next year.
May our resolution be commitment to our Lord,
Renewed determination to live according to His word.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
What Lies Within - July 22, 2002
People spend a great deal of their lives fretting over events they cannot change. We cannot undo mistakes already made, nor can we completely insure a positive future. Yet we dwell on what has been and what will be instead of living in the present. I understand this phenomenon because I have wasted considerable time regretting my past and worrying about my future.
Perhaps I should have worked harder in high school and tried to be valedictorian, or maybe I should have had more fun instead of working as hard as I did. I carried around a load of bitterness from my divorce for years after the fact. I felt I had missed out on the possibility of studying at Cambridge or having some other overseas adventure by staying here to marry when my parents moved to England. As years of singleness rolled by, I wondered if I’d missed my chance to have children (I hadn’t, but that’s another story of God’s grace). I can’t count the number of times I’ve questioned getting my bachelor’s degree in music education.
I’m equally good at stressing over things that haven’t happened and may never happen. I suffer from the “what if” syndrome. What if I never remarry? What if I don’t have enough money in my retirement fund? What if my car conks out before I have money saved up for a down payment? What if I have cancer and don’t know it? What if I tell everyone I believe God has led me to write and nothing ever gets published?
God clearly tells us that dwelling on the past or being overly concerned about the future are counterproductive to living a life of peace, power, and joy. Paul writes, “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14) He is leaving his past behind and moving toward a secure future. In what has become known as “The Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus admonishes us not to worry about our food or clothes or tomorrow. He tells us to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness and ends by saying, “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)
I’ve always struggled with how to do these things, but recently I came across a quote that God used to open my eyes. It was not a scripture verse or something said by a famous theologian. It wasn’t even in a book by a popular Christian author. As I was reading my notes in a traveler’s journal used to record the events of a mission tour in Europe, this printed page topper jumped out of the book:
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
God immediately began to reveal what lies within me. God in the person of the Holy Spirit is within me, and He is more powerful than any problem in the world (I John 4:4b). Jesus teaches us that we are to be in Him like the branches are in a vine. When we are staying close to Him in this way, then He pours into us His life and the ability to do what He has given us to do each day (John 15:5). Jesus prayed for us, His future followers, that we would have unity as He is in us and God is in Him (John 17:20-23). In reality, I no longer live my own life, but Christ is living in me (Galatians 2:20). “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me – I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]” (Philippians 4:13, Amplified Version).
Even though I was certain that Christ indwells me, I still found myself asking how to tap into the power He has promised. The answer again was “what lies within us.” I have been instructed to treasure God’s word in my heart in order to avoid sinning against Him (Psalm 119:11). If I have hidden in my heart the fact that I am to “be anxious for nothing,” but instead make my needs known to God, He will use that knowledge to remind me to replace worry with prayer. If I have memorized Romans 8:1, I know that since I have trusted Jesus, God does not condemn me; nor should I condemn myself. The psalmist says, “I rejoice at Thy word, as one who finds great spoil” and “Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:162 & 165).
How can I plug into the Lord’s supply of grace for my past and my future? When I am tempted to fret, I will take my needs to God. My worry log will become my prayer list. When I catch myself dwelling on the past, I will focus my attention on memorizing scripture about forgiveness, assurance of salvation, and God’s control. I will spend more time abiding in Him and letting “the word of Christ richly dwell” within me (Colossians 3:16). God will enable me to trust Him with what lies behind me and what lies ahead of me as I become more sure of Who lies within me right now and forever.
Perhaps I should have worked harder in high school and tried to be valedictorian, or maybe I should have had more fun instead of working as hard as I did. I carried around a load of bitterness from my divorce for years after the fact. I felt I had missed out on the possibility of studying at Cambridge or having some other overseas adventure by staying here to marry when my parents moved to England. As years of singleness rolled by, I wondered if I’d missed my chance to have children (I hadn’t, but that’s another story of God’s grace). I can’t count the number of times I’ve questioned getting my bachelor’s degree in music education.
I’m equally good at stressing over things that haven’t happened and may never happen. I suffer from the “what if” syndrome. What if I never remarry? What if I don’t have enough money in my retirement fund? What if my car conks out before I have money saved up for a down payment? What if I have cancer and don’t know it? What if I tell everyone I believe God has led me to write and nothing ever gets published?
God clearly tells us that dwelling on the past or being overly concerned about the future are counterproductive to living a life of peace, power, and joy. Paul writes, “…forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13b-14) He is leaving his past behind and moving toward a secure future. In what has become known as “The Sermon on the Mount”, Jesus admonishes us not to worry about our food or clothes or tomorrow. He tells us to seek God’s kingdom and righteousness and ends by saying, “Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matthew 6:25-34)
I’ve always struggled with how to do these things, but recently I came across a quote that God used to open my eyes. It was not a scripture verse or something said by a famous theologian. It wasn’t even in a book by a popular Christian author. As I was reading my notes in a traveler’s journal used to record the events of a mission tour in Europe, this printed page topper jumped out of the book:
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
God immediately began to reveal what lies within me. God in the person of the Holy Spirit is within me, and He is more powerful than any problem in the world (I John 4:4b). Jesus teaches us that we are to be in Him like the branches are in a vine. When we are staying close to Him in this way, then He pours into us His life and the ability to do what He has given us to do each day (John 15:5). Jesus prayed for us, His future followers, that we would have unity as He is in us and God is in Him (John 17:20-23). In reality, I no longer live my own life, but Christ is living in me (Galatians 2:20). “I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me – I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency]” (Philippians 4:13, Amplified Version).
Even though I was certain that Christ indwells me, I still found myself asking how to tap into the power He has promised. The answer again was “what lies within us.” I have been instructed to treasure God’s word in my heart in order to avoid sinning against Him (Psalm 119:11). If I have hidden in my heart the fact that I am to “be anxious for nothing,” but instead make my needs known to God, He will use that knowledge to remind me to replace worry with prayer. If I have memorized Romans 8:1, I know that since I have trusted Jesus, God does not condemn me; nor should I condemn myself. The psalmist says, “I rejoice at Thy word, as one who finds great spoil” and “Those who love Thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble” (Psalm 119:162 & 165).
How can I plug into the Lord’s supply of grace for my past and my future? When I am tempted to fret, I will take my needs to God. My worry log will become my prayer list. When I catch myself dwelling on the past, I will focus my attention on memorizing scripture about forgiveness, assurance of salvation, and God’s control. I will spend more time abiding in Him and letting “the word of Christ richly dwell” within me (Colossians 3:16). God will enable me to trust Him with what lies behind me and what lies ahead of me as I become more sure of Who lies within me right now and forever.
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