Ivory Knife from Africa

The statistics said our church was located in the second highest crime precinct in the city. While we were not afraid of our setting we tried to live with a proper street sense. I had been given a hand-carved ivory letter opener as a gift in college from my employer at a missions agency.  One morning on Bob's way to work he decided to pick it up and take it to the office to use as an ornament.  Ten minutes later Bob pulled up in front of our inner-city church and opened the door to get out. At the last moment he remembered the knife and reached in and grabbed it off the seat with his right hand. As he stood up and closed the car door he heard someone standing right behind him. He turned around to see who it was and happened to hold the knife with his right hand. It was a young man in a green army jacket with a stocking cap partially blocking his face. He had snuck up on Bob. The moment he saw Bob's knife his face turned pale and he turned around and ran in the other direction at full speed.  Did a gift sent from half-way around the world save Bob's life? This much is sure. Out there is perhaps still some would-be robber who has to wonder just what kind of pastor caries such a knife to work with him each day. 

Ps. 23:1  Because the Lord is my shepherd; I have everything that I need.

Dear God, Thanks for your hand of protection.  In the name of Jesus, Amen

From the Hospital to Miss Twin Cities

One of my sister-in-laws was born with a chronic skin disease known as eczema. Her serious condition necessitated nearly constant hospitalization during her first four years of her life. Her condition became so serious the doctors suggested as a last ditch effort the family move to a more humid climate to try and save her life.  Despite the hardships of the move from North Dakota to Minnesota, within a year the symptoms of her skin disease all but disappeared.  God added an exclamation to her divine healing and her skin’s restoration, as a college student she won the Miss Twin Cities beauty pageant. That year she was featured in various parades and events around the state even doing product endorsements."I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm--my great army that I sent among you."  Joel 2:25
Dear God, Thank you so much that you are all about restoration and showing up in our live.  In the name of Jesus, Amen

It's Better to be Safe than Sorry

The day we moved into our present home, a home on the other side of the little preschool park that we live across from, had lightening flashes that looked like a fire.   Megan had happened to meet the little girl that lived there, so we raced over to warn them in case someone was in the house with an impending fire.. (In retrospect, I wonder if I should have called the fire department first.)  Thankfully but humorously, the larger than life sparks and flashes were coming from their pinball machines."This is what the LORD says to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people:" Isaiah 8:11
Dear God, Help me to warn others, even when it's safer to not say anything.  Give me holy wisdom, but also courage and boldness. In Jesus' name, Amen

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Prodigal Puppy

Just a few weeks after moving to a new home we let our beautiful year and a half old Collie named Bo out into the back yard and he was stolen.  He had been gone five years, when our oldest daughter returned from her studies in Israel and one night had a most unusual dream. “I dreamed Bo (our lost collie) was playing in the back yard with Katie and Rudy (our other dogs).” We dismissed her dream as simply wishful thinking. Bo had been gone five years and there was no clue as to his whereabouts or even if he was still alive. Three days later, at 6:30 Am in the morning, we received a call from an animal shelter 85 miles from our home that Bo had been found!

For nothing is impossible with God. Luke 1:37

Dear God, Thank you so much for reminding us through Bo that you can restore those things that we thought were forever lost. God can take care of those we love and bring them back to us in His time. Most important of all -- with God nothing is impossible.  In Jesus' Name, Amen

God Always Has Us On His Mind - He will always be Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider!

Our car was in the shop on a rainy day in September.  I needed groceries for dinner but it was raining too hard to ride my bike.  I went to the garage to clean a little.  I opened the cooler from my husband's fishing trip in June.  Inside the cooler, I found a lot of canned and boxed goods.  He had obviously not used all his groceries on his fishing trip.  We had a great supper that night and I thanked God for his provision of food for the meal. What three things has God done for you, your husband, your children, your parents or your siblings that you can tell three people about today? 
"And my God will meet all your needs accourding to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19
Dear God, In the morning, afternoon, and evening, may I often thank you and tell others all that you have done. In Jesus' name, Amen

God's Love through Loving Grandparent

I come from a long line of fabulous cooks, but the knowledge was passed down from generation to generation in the kitchen, not on paper. One of my grandmas was a professional cook for decades.  I can smell her blackberry cobbler as I write this.  On the other side, my grandparents ran a dairy farm when my mom was young, so we had the best roast beef even for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  We would be driving to grandma's house and ask, "Is grandma making beef roast?" ...knowing the answer!" 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

 Dear God, Thank you for a godly loving heritage and for memories of blueberries and beef that remind me of God's love through loving grandparents.

Kindergarten Baby

I started kindergarten when I was 4 years old and I didn't turn 5 until Thanksgiving.  I loved my teacher, Mrs. Cook, but I thought she lived in the kindergarten room closet.  She would go in there and stay for a long while and come out with all sorts of things.  I also thought that all cats were girls and all dogs were boys.  Think about it!  It makes a lot of sense.

^"...but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known".  I Corinthians 13:11-12

Dear God,  Help me to remain childlike, but not childish.  Give me a soft heart to hear your voice and see the needs of others around me.  In Christ name and for His sake, Amen

Tradition! Tradition!

Each Christmas my home church, Flint Wesleyan Church, in Flint, Michigan gave out a candy box.  Every year it was given in the same little cardboard box that had been put together by loving people.  Traditionally it had the same candy; the white center chocolate drops, wrapped soft mint candies with the green Christmas tree in the middle, and mixed nuts in the shell.  Even when I see those items today in the store at Christmastime, they bring back such loving memories. 

“The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life long to this day," Genesis 48:15
Dear God, Help me to have the discipline and energy to have some traditions that I carry out each year for every holiday to further my family's sense of belonging, groundedness, and unconditional love.  In Jesus' Name, Amen

Find Answers to Your Big Questions in God's Word

My mom used to have her queries about life and laundry answered by chatting with neighbors over the backyard fence as they both hung up clothes on their clotheslines.  Alas, gone are those by days, yet Moms still have vital unanswered questions about laundry.  Here's my question: "Why do most Moms refuse to hang out their sheets on a clothesline, but they’ll drive 45 minutes across the city to a Hallmark store to buy scented candles named “Country Sheets?”^"Then they can urge the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." Titus 2:4-5
Dear God, Help me to seek out the truth in your Word and with mature Christian Believers who love you and Your Word.  In Jesus' Name, Amen

Cheryl's List of 13 Free or Nearly Free Gifts for Mother's Day

 

      My dad and mom, both 81 years old, when they were both 61.

1.  A Mother’s Day poem fest!
You can either write mom a poem or copy a poem from someone else, giving them the credit.:)
Or, you could read her some poems as they did in the 1700's!  Sounds corny, but she would like to hear you read some poems over the phone or in person.  Here are some ideas to get you started. And here are Mother’s Day poems for kids.
2.  Printable coloring pages that kids can color for mom.
You can google for these or here are sweet pictures that even the smallest child can color and give to mom
3.  Personalized coupons just for Mom
Just write it up, put a colored border around it, and wrap it in a box.  Mom would love some hours donated to window washing, car detailing, gutter cleaning, errands, yard work or IT stuff.  Offer to move a piece of furniture for her that she has been wanting to move from the basement to the den.  Call her today and ask her what she needs done this spring.  Then, make up a coupon with a deadline of when you will have it done to put in her Mother's Day card.  You will get lots of brownie points for this gift.  Click here for free Mother’s Day coupon templates you can download from Microsoft Office and here are some more cute IOU coupon templates good for gifts
4.  Email greeting cards you can send

Send her several!  Here’s a large selection of free Christian ecards.  Start sending her cards today, building up to Sunday. 
5. Printable cards you can personalize and print out
Write out your favorite Bible verses in your Mother's Day card. If you don’t want to send an e-greeting, here are dozens of printable cards that you can customize and then print out for Mom.  They have some great designs, from 1-2-3 Greetings.
6. Download some free tunes, put them on your mom’s MP3 player or burn them onto a CD.  Click here to google some free Christian itune downloads for mom. You can choose from thousands of songs!
7.  Take her to an art museum, the mall, downtown, the mountains, the lake, the ocean or the forest preserve.  Mom likes a view especially with you along!
There is something this weekend that mom would like to go to or drive by.  Park 1/4 mile from the airport and watch some planes take off and land.  Mom wants some pampering and a little attention. .
8.  Give her a luxurious car ride
A car ride used to be considered a Sunday afternoon's entertainment.  Have you ever noticed how on Mother's Day all the cars are going slow out on the freeway and on Father's Day they are all going fast?  Give your mom a slow tourist ride down a new or old familiar road.  Be her limo driver for the day - yes You!  Don't worry she won't let you go too far with the price of gasoline this spring.
9.  Make her a personalized slide show
You can check out this special Mother’s Day free slideshow template at Smilebox or Snapfish, where you can upload your photos, put them into a virtual album and add music to make a slide show. 
10. Take Mom to a free concert this weekend at a neighboring church.
Proverbs 1:8-9
"Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck."
11.  Regift something special to you and tell her why.
Regift one of your favorite books and include a special note to her telling her why you are passing on the gently used book.  Dear mom, This was the best novel I read last year.  I loved the leading character, Barbara, because she reminded me so much of how caring you are.  Love, Your daughter

12.  What you can't spend on a gift, make up for with a sentimental touch.

Maybe you can't give her a gift certificate to Macys this year?  Instead, buy her a quart of strawberries, tie it with a big red ribbon and add a note, "Special memories of grandma's worldclass freezer strawberry jam."
13.  Walgreens has a special coupon for a free 8x10 collage picture for Mother's Day. 
You can make online for free and then go a pick it up to deliver to her.  Or, mail to her.  Or, have her pick it up at her Walgreens in her city.  Here's the free code.

Consider a For Keeps Ministry Product as a gift.

“A mother іѕ a person whο, seeing thеrе аrе οnƖу four pieces οf pie fοr five people, promptly announces ѕhе never did care fοr pie.” ~Tenneva Jordan

 2 Timothy 1:5 ESV I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 

It's Okay to Take Care of Thyself

When we fly, the flight attendant over the microphone tells us parents, if needed, that we should put our own oxygen mask on first.  Then, we'll be prepared to put an oxygen mask on each of our children.  We need to take care of ourselves, so we can take care of those that God has entrusted to us.   
"Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul." III John 1:2
Dear God, Give me forethought, wisdom, determination, and energy to take care of myself, so I can be more productive taking care of others.  In Jesus' Name

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength

Megan won a grand prize in the city Easter Egg Hunt when she was 4.  Her older brothers in junior high and high school had trained her to be aggressive when the 1,000 eggs were put out.  She learned her lessons well and not only got a lot of eggs, she also picked up the one with the Grand Prize ticket in it.
"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:13
Dear God, Today I feel like I have 1,000 eggs to pick up and more appear each time I pick one up.  I need your help.   In Jesus' Name, Amen

The Big Explosion that Taught Me A Lot

I left an empty glass casserole on the stove top.  I thought I turned on the oven, but accidentally turned on the stove top burner instead.  After about 15 minutes, the glass casserole exploded and shot out into 200 small pieces of glass over the whole kitchen, making my kitchen look like I was robbed during a tsunami.  It hurt when these sharp little daggers hit me like bullets.
"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ." 2 Corinthians 11:3
Dear God, Keep my mind ever on Jesus.  May my mind ever be mindful of you.  In Christ's Name, Amen