Easter Sunday

I have so many memories of Easter: new outfits, homemade little white jackets to wear over our dresses when we were small, sunrise services in the hills of Montana, on the shores of Oahu, on a foggy morning in Texas, and Lonnie's and my last one in Germany where my Lonnie preached about our risen Savior on that cold but beautiful Easter morning! Such sweet memories with precious family and friends!

There is one Easter that changed my life in the most amazing way. I was 11 years old (about the age of Jennifer in this picture) and I was sitting in church with my family. I had heard many sermons about becoming a Christian and had listened to and responded to altar calls. I would go home and do something that I knew to be sin and I would have doubts. I had consistently been taught about Jesus throughout my young life, but how could I be a Christian, "saved," and be disobedient to my parents or fight with my siblings or do the mischievous things that I was prone to do?

On this particular Easter Sunday, Pastor Smith spoke again about Jesus Christ dying on the cross and said that Jesus paid the price for my sins. He probably said "our" sins but it became so personal to me as I listened. "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." My heart leapt within me to think that there was nothing that I could do or had to do to earn my salvation. I knew I couldn't be good enough. It was a gift and it was my choice to believe and receive what Jesus did for me on the cross. God's gift....His Son.....my heart rejoiced as I understood that my sins were gone as I put my faith and trust in Jesus....He died for me and rose again! He conquered sin for me!

He is risen! He is my Rock and my Salvation! He is my Savior and my Redeemer!

Oh, how that young 11-year-old girl rejoiced...and many years later, she still is rejoicing in her risen Savior!

Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield, in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults and with my song I give thanks to Him." I am safe in His arms.

In Search of a Mountain

There is a big mountain out here in the northwest. I have seen pictures of it and I must say I have seen it on past trips to Washington. I arrived here the end of February and this time here has had its share of rain and clouds. When we had sunny days I would look off in the direction of Mt. Rainier and all I saw in the distance were clouds....no mountain. One sunny afternoon I went for a ride for the purpose of getting a view of Mt. Rainier. I was sure I would see it this time and I was told there was a certain turn on the highway where the mountain becomes visible if you are looking for it. Well, I was ready to see it, but again, it was not to be seen, only clouds in the distance.

Last Friday evening, I was driving to a meeting and was listening to my favorite CD. The CD started up in a "random" place from where I had been listening with Stella and Judah earlier that day. As I listened to our beautiful daughter Jennifer and her incredible husband sing, the song "Dear Daddy" came on and then I heard Lonnie's sweet birthday greeting to his pretty precious daughter. As his message was ending on the CD, I looked off to the east and there it was, clear as day, Mt. Rainier.

I looked up at the sky above me and there were clouds everywhere but off in the distance the skies were blue and Mt. Rainier gleamed and its snowy appearance was suddenly visible to me. I was stunned. So many days before I had searched for just a glimpse and then, as I heard Lonnie's words, there it was. I wondered why it happened right at that moment and I felt an assurance that this was an awesome blessing from the Lord! This was not a coincidence.

I tried to pull over off the major highway and take a picture of the mountain, but the trees blocked my view and then I was in a valley where I couldn't see because of the hills. I determined that it was a moment for me to remember....maybe not digitally on my phone....but in my heart. What an awesome God we have! Oh, how He loves us!

Things at times may seem hidden from us and we may be seeking God for answers or for Him to reveal His way to us in our situation. Although we do not always see Him and His answers may not always be obvious, we know He is there....we'll keep seeking His face and His ways.

Also, I want to keep noticing His blessings....one of my new favorite quotes came from a little Dove candy last year: "Blessings only come to those who notice!" Thank you, Lord, for Your blessings and for creating such an awesome world.

Thank you for allowing me to see Mt. Rainier at just the right time!

"When You Know--Go!"

These simple words were spoken to me by my oldest son yesterday. These words mirror what the Lord spoke to His disciples. First, He told the disciples to "tarry in the city of Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). They waited on the Lord and then they were obedient in response to His command, "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit!"

Sometimes this command seems daunting to us but then we remember Jesus showed us how to reach out to people. He did it one person at a time, in small groups and in large crowds. He spoke to the woman at the well, revealed the amazing truth of God's love to Nicodemus in the night, healed the blind man, brought truth and guidance in word and in deed to his disciples. Oh, and the huge crowds heard His words and were fed miraculously by Him both physically and spiritually. He blessed and loved the little children.

We simply need to be obedient to His command and not be frightened or overwhelmed with it. He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20)

Lord, I wait on You for direction and as You lead me, I want to be obedient to You and go where You want me to go and be what You want me to be.

In the book of Numbers people were assigned to take care of the ark even to the point of how to carry the frames and posts and sockets, etc....Numbers 4:32 says, "You are to assign by names the items that each man is responsible to carry." Oh, Lord, I pray that I will be faithful in the assignment you have for me to "carry" and do today! Help me to realize that nothing is too small or too big! The most important thing of all is to be faithful to Your task and command for me today!

Oh, and He says, "Trust Me!"