"For Such A Time As This"

Throughout the course of Biblical history, God has chosen to use women during very crucial times. One of my favorite stories from the Bible is the great story of Queen Esther. A beautiful young Jewish girl that God found favor with and used in a mighty way to save the Jewish people and change the course of history. The famous line from the book of Esther occurs when her uncle Mordecai challenges her to stand up for the truth and that God had placed her in the position as queen "for such a time as this." Esther followed God in obedience and was willing to risk her life to do so.

During the craze of the upcoming presidential election, I believe that God has chosen Sarah Palin, Govenor of Alaska, to be salt and light in this nation and to rise up in strength and power "for such a time as this."

Recently, I read a story told by Marilynn Blackaby in her new book Experiencing God Around the Kitchen Table where her husband, Dr. Henry Blackaby, had been impressed by God to meditate and really ponder a scripture from the Old Testament that says "when the foundations crumble, what will the righteous do?"

That seems to be the overwhelmingly pressing question for America today? The foundations literally crumbled on 9/11, and they continue to crumble very rapidly today. So, I ask you, what will the righteous do?

We need to PRAY, VOTE and campaign for the McCain-Palin ticket. Oh God, that you would have mercy on our country and grant us a President and Vice-President who cherish life and will fight to defend and protect this great land.

HOPE revisited!

Since my last post I have had numerous comments about HOPE! A fellow blogger commented that God had given her another meaning of hope during a difficult time in her life...............
Holding
Onto
Promises
Eternally

What an awesome perspective on what HOPE means! So I began thinking about how many different meanings that little four letter word can have in the life of a believer, because remember we are not people without hope when we are in Christ Jesus!

CHALLENGE FOR TODAY:

Think about the word HOPE and I would love to hear from you if you would share what God has done in your life. For now, I pray that you can continue to look to the future with hope!

God Bless!

HOPE!

These past few days have been filled with many emails and phone calls requesting prayer for serious problems and real crises occurring in so many lives. It is very difficult to "set my mind on things above" when the things of this earth are painfully serious and gravely stressful.

Although the requests are too many to recount some of the ones that really got to me are listed here:

Baby Hodges, who is due in November, has been diagnosed with SMA and his big brother died this past January of the same horrible disease.

Persecuted Christians in China.

A friend from Sunday School has colon cancer.

Another friend who is pregnant discovered her husband has been unfaithful.

Financial struggles, custody battles, illness, injury, marriage discord and many other trials and tribulations.

As believers, how do we cope with pain and sorrow and not become despondent, bitter, or complacent about the tragedies and concerns of this world?

As I prayed this evening, the Lord reminded me of the answer to this question...

H..........O...............P...............E..................

That's right, we have HOPE!

So I asked myself, what does HOPE mean to me? The Lord gave me this acronym:

HAVING AN
OPTOMISTIC
PERSPECTIVE ON
ETERNITY

No matter how discouraging this sad, sick world looks and no matter how bad the news and events of our lives are.......we are not a people without HOPE! Having an optimistic perspective on eternity, being very sure of my heavenly home, and knowing what the final outcome will be when the final story unfolds, the only choice I have is to face tomorrow with HOPE!

Thank you, God, that you give me HOPE and as the scriptures say, "Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12

Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my!

Well, my recent twelve day stay in north Florida has made the familiar chant from The Wizard of Oz", Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my.... take on new meaning.

Let me explain...My sister lives in Florida on a river. For years now I have been worried about the safety of her children living, swimming and playing in the river. Historically, I have fretted over the thought of alligators attacking one of them, as many of their family pets have disappeared. Four years ago, during another visit, two snakes greeted me on the stairway to the house.

Then a few months ago, I learned about sturgeon. A prehistoric fish that swims in the river and jumps into the air, often injuring boaters and swimmers. This weirdly armored fish throws a punch that is equivalent to being hit with 100 pounds of pressure, breaking limbs, causing concussions and serious damage to humans who are hit by them.

If that wasn't enough, last week when leaving her driveway around dusk a bigbear crossed the dirt road about 10 feet in front of my car. As I turned the corner onto the next road, our little bear friend stopped to watch the car. Wow, it was the second time in my life I have had a bear cross a road in front of my vehicle, but never as close to a home. Just the thought of a bear encounter is a little scary.

This weeks bear encounter has made me even more concerned about my sister's family and their safety. Alligators and Sturgeon and Bears, oh my!

The real truth is that we live in a world filled with darkness and danger all around. The scripture says that "the devil roams around like a roaring lion, seeking who he may devour." Whether the danger is real, visible, not visible or danger that we can not even recognize, it still exists all around us. As believers, we must daily ask God to place us in His protection, to guard our hearts and minds, to keep us from evil, and to make us aware of the evil one.

My prayer today is that I would never become lax about the evil of this world and the evil one who wants to destroy, and that God would protect and keep my family, friends and those I love. "But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you." Psalm 5:11

P.S. I am also thanking God for my home in the city!

JOY, JOY, JOY

These past weeks have been filled with fun, family, fellowship and a full schedule to say the least. Since my last post of the Princess Tea Party, our family has spent a week in Columbus, Georgia at the 2008 Miss Georgia Pageant. Our oldest daughter competed for the title of Miss Georgia. It was a great week! Not only did Lydia show up with her very best A game and perform beautifully every night, but we were blessed to get to spend the week with my immediate family, and throughout the course of the week we were able to have short visits with some very dear friends and from over the years.

It is always a humbling experience when people that you love drive long distances to participate in an event that is important to those you love. Visiting with old friends reminds me of God's faithfulness and goodness in our lives. As a self-proclaimed over achiever, I am always moving forward with the next goal or project in my life. Occasionally, it is very good for me to STOP and look back at God's faithfulness and where He what He has brought us through.

The house is quiet this morning, as the girls have returned to their respective colleges to begin a new school year. Gracie, our sweet little grand dog is back in Athens, where she belongs, Bruce is always at work, the house is clean and organized and I am left with my thoughts. Before I turn the page on the next chapter of my life, I just wanted to pause and thank God for His goodness and mercy to me and for allowing me to experience the joy of these past few weeks. Joy comes in many shapes and forms, but I am most grateful for the joy of family, friends, and the unfailing love and faithfulness of my Great God!

A Princess Tea Party

This past Saturday, the women's ministry of FBCJ teamed up with children's ministry to host a Princess Tea Party. We seated 70 little princesses and 7 queen mother's for tea. These adorable little girls were greeted at the door by a grandmother in her tux, escorted into the room and greeted by the first princess; walked through a garden arch covered in toole bows and butterflies and jewels; then followed the grassy path covered in pink rose petals to another princess seated in front of a castle to have their pictures made wearing a beautiful tiara.

One by one the little girls entered and with each little princess the excitement in the room grew. There was time for a brief story or two that included some of my favorite books from the Fancy Nancy collection.

As the program began the little princesses were welcomed and then Lydia (my oldest daughter and Miss Carpet Capital 2008) was introduced to start the program. The girls were so excited to meet a "real" princess/queen. Lydia read a story to the girls entitled, "The Greatest Beauty Pageant of All." This was a story of Queen Esther in the Bible. Following the story Lydia shared the "10 Things Every Real Princess Needs". It was a great list of biblical principles for little girls to begin studying and understanding. The remainder of the program was a lesson in the proper rules of etiquette for tea.

Tea was delightful, served by the mama's in the room who were there to observe and participate. It was amazing to see how very hard the little ones were trying to obey all of the rules of tea and use their proper manners.

All in all it was a wonderful experience and a morning that will be remembered for a long time. To all of my little princesses: remember you are a "real princess" when you are a daughter of the King!

Stop to Smell the Roses!

The old adage "stop to smell the roses" is sometimes easier said than done. Life can become so busy that I feel pressured and pressed from every side. When this happens, and so often it does, I find it difficult to STOP to do anything much less smell the roses.

This Spring the roses in my garden and all over town have been extraordinary. On the fence row outside of our courtyard is the most lovely rose bush I have ever seen. The rose itself is an old fashioned climbing pink Cherokee rose. What makes it unique and special is that this is a rosebush that has been in my family longer than I have been alive. It is affectionately called the "Grandma Abbott rose". I am not sure that I have the story straight, but my great-great-grandmother is buried in the Oakridge Cemetery in Tifton, Georgia. At some point in time after she was buried, this rosebush was planted near her grave. I will have to check with my daddy to see if it was in her garden before it was transplanted to the cemetery.

Long story, short...I have had a cutting from that rosebush in Tifton for at least 12years. The transplanted bush and the babies have made it from the Cemetery to Jonesboro, to another family home in Tifton, to my daddy's home and now to mine. After one of the babies was transplanted to my home it lived in the shade of a pine island, basically ignored for several years. The bush never once bloomed in that location and never grew longer than a three foot straight shoot that laid on the ground. Seven years ago, when we built a pool, I moved the rosebush to a fence row next to my neighbors yard and hoped that it might thrive in the new location.

The laws of nature are true, with the proper sunlight, water and pruning, that old family friend has bloomed this year in glorious splendor. There must be at least 1,000 blooms covering the fence corner, climbing up the trees and spreading over an area covering about 50 square feet. It is beautifully, amazing!

So, with all of that said, God has graciously reminded me that when I am too busy to "stop and smell the roses" He loves me so much that He will bring the roses me. I have had no choice but to admire, enjoy and smell the roses this year.

What does it take for you to stop and smell the roses? Are you to busy? The "roses" in my life are the blessings for which I am eternally grateful. Sometimes I completely overlook the blessings and I am ashamed to say that sometimes I am so busy that I fail to humble myself before the Lord and just express my gratitude to God for His amazing grace and blessings in my life. Thank you, God, for the blessings in my life and for the gentle reminder from my glorious rosebush, that if I don't "stop and smell the roses", voluntarily, You will put those "roses" right in front of my face and force me to stop and smell them.

What catalyst is needed to bring you in alignment with the purposes and plans of God, today? Start by being grateful, if we are not, often times God will place a catalyst in our life to force us to "stop and smell the roses"!