On the Porch
Onisha Ellis
I would like to wish all of our readers a blessed Thanksgiving filled with love, laughter and joy.
In Janet’s blog this week she included a recipe for Thanks Giving. A few weeks ago, DiVoran created a photo that she titled, A Fresh Journal Page. I joined them together. I plan to incorporate this recipe into my life this holiday season. Will you join me?
Every day I am thankful for my friends and fellow bloggers on Old Things Are New!
Love you!
SUNDAY MEMORIES
Judy Wills
Throughout the years, my Mother had cut out and sent me articles or cartoons from the newspaper or a magazine, that she thought I would enjoy. I found them to be such fun, and I knew she was thinking about me when she did so. As I come upon them these days, it reminds me so much of her and how much I miss her. She’s been in heaven for 22 years now, and sometimes it’s hard for me to fathom all those years that have gone by.
In any case, at one point in time, she sent this cartoon of Hi and Lois (credit Mort Walker and Dirk Browne). Hi and Lois has been one of my favorite cartoons for many years, and this one is hilarious! I don’t know that I’ve ever sat down and calculated just how many meals I’ve cooked in my life time, but this one made me tired, just thinking about it! Of course, I don’t cook as much these days as I did when we first married all those years ago, so I would have to take that into consideration, as well.
Did you take the time to figure it out? 16,701 meals for Lois. Whew! No wonder she was tired and didn’t have dinner ready!
This reminds me of the e-mail message/facebook entry that came through some time ago. Seems someone wrote a letter to the “Letters to the Editor” of a local newspaper and stated that he didn’t see any reason to go to church. He had been a church attender for so many years, but couldn’t remember a single sermon preached, so why bother to go?
Well, this set off a fire storm of letters – which the editor encouraged!. But it all ended when another man finally wrote in and stated that he had been married for a great number of years to his wife. She had probably cooked 30,000 meals for him, and he could only remember just a few of them. But (and here’s the kicker), he knew that if she hadn’t cooked those meals, and if he hadn’t eaten them, he wouldn’t be alive today. While he couldn’t remember them, they had nourished him and kept him going.
The same with going to church to hear the sermons. They nourish our souls and keep us alive in this world, and give us strength for each day and each situation we find ourselves in.
Words to live by. We actually NEED the time spent with a body of believers, listening to the pastor bring God’s Word to us, to encourage us, lift us up, and strengthen us for our daily lives. The gathering of believers brings us the strength we need – the fellowship with other believers gives us hope and encouragement.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Psalm 119:105
My Take
DiVoran Lites
Psalm 91:5
In the darkness of the night,
I awaken, filled with fright.
I get out of cozy bed,
Bugs a buzzing in my head.
All my joy is left behind.
Where can I find peace of mind?
Oh, what if…my worry cries
What if someone precious dies?
What if I am all alone?
How, for that, could I atone?
“Come to Jesus,” says a voice.
You will always have a choice.
Will you hand to me this knot?
I will calm you on the spot.
Can you praise and thank me now,
Knowing I will act somehow?
Where could I go?
My Take
DiVoran Lites
My beloved child in whom I am well pleased, when I look at you, I see my son, Jesus, who died that you might be made right with me.
You have been well schooled in the myth that unless you are sinless I will not hear your prayers. It is a sad thing when teachers take the words of the Pharisees in the Bible and twist them so that my own beloved children think they can’t communicate with me.
Every day dawns fresh for you my dear. Do not major on shortcomings, but major on the robe of righteousness that I have laid over you. When I look at you I see not what you used to be, but I see Jesus, my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Pray to your heart’s content. I hear, and I answer.
I Am Covered Over With the Robe of Righteousness
On my last trip, I leaned toward the escort who was helping me get from the airline counter to my gate. “I need to visit the ladies’ room.”
“Sure, it’s right up ahead,” he said.
I left my suitcase with him and entered using my white cane for guidance. The place was empty. That meant no one was there to direct me to the right place. Yikes! What to do? Walk around aimlessly? Or go back out and ask the guy to come in help me? Can’t do that. How embarrassing!
In the midst of my dilemma, I happened to hear a trickle of water from one of the sinks nearby. Using that sound as a point of reference, I went to this side, then to the other. Finally I found the place I needed.
And when it was time to exit, that trickling water gave me the reference point again. I made my way out like a pro.
As I settled in my seat at the gate I grinned. How beautiful that God provides what we need, when we need it. Yes, in bathrooms. But when lost in life, He provides what we need, too.
He offers the living water that trickles through His Word. When lost, when confused, when blind, and unable to find our way, His Word trickles a delightful sound. The sound that gives direction to our life. The sound that gives us meaning and the sound that brings hope when lost in the place we don’t want to be.
via The sure way to find direction in life. | Janet Perez Eckles.
Janet’s weekly newsletter has a “What’s Been Happening” section. This is what she shared this week.
I wish you could see me grin with gratitude when I get comments to my blog posts. And this one particularly made my heart smile.
“I like your vibrant faith, too. It’s simply amazing that you love Him so much in spite of your blindness. Have you ever questioned the Lord as to your condition?”
What a great question. Of course, I questioned God in anger, in fear, and in frustration. Then He spoke to me: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
And His strength, His peace, and His comfort in the midst of my physical darkness shined a light of hope, of peace, and of unexpected success. Now I still question Him: Why did You choose to bless me in such an undeserving way?”
Guest Post
Norma Rowe
We came out of the bank in two or three groups and were taken, in unmarked police cars, to Parker Center, the LAPD main office in downtown L.A. I couldn’t believe what I saw when we came out of the bank, traffic had been detoured and there were policemen and FBI agents all over the street, and on the rooftops. The market across the street had been evacuated and of course, news people were everywhere. As soon as we got to Parker Center, they let use the phone to call our families.
Thank God, my parents didn’t find out until it was over – a friend of my mother’s came to our home and said, “I wanted to come and keep you company in such a moment as this.” That’s how they found out about the robbery. My Dad rushed down to the bank but when he got there it was over, though still crowded and he wasn’t allowed to get close to the bank. Fortunately, a bank customer who knew my father told him, “Norma is all right, they were all taken downtown.” At least they didn’t have to go through the ordeal of knowing I was in danger.
We all had to give statements but mine was the longest because I had been the most involved. I was taken to a small room where two detectives recorded everything I said. One of them took me back to the bank after we finished. At that time, the bank was full of FBI agents, Loss & Investigations Department personnel, and top bank management. I talked to some of the people I knew for a few minutes. They were lightening things up kidding me because a puppy had somehow got inside the bank and left a deposit under my desk. One of the bank officers I knew well said “I knew you had to be scared….but, were you ‘that scared?’ (Referring to the “deposit” under my desk.)
I put my things away, got my purse, and left the bank. As soon as I walked out, a news reporter and his cameraman wanted to ask me questions, but we had been told not to give out statements. The bank gave us the next day off from work. As a “consolation prize,” a good customer and friend of our manager who had just bought a houseboat treated us all, as well as our spouses or boyfriends, to a day-trip to Catalina Island. We all laughed afterwards saying, “Haven’t we suffered enough already?” The trip was meant for good but the ocean was so rough that most everybody, including me, got seasick. We enjoyed the day on Catalina Island, though.
Days later, it was determined by an autopsy that the perpetrator had shot him and that he was on drugs at the time of the robbery.
Although so many years have gone by I still remember every single detail, especially how God strengthened and shielded me and was true to His promise that “nothing was going to happen to me. Praise His Holy Name!
A Slice of Life
Bill Lites
This morning I was getting ready for a busy day making a list of things to do. I was heading to Merritt Island for my monthly Chiropractor appointment and had several things to do along the way. DiVoran wanted me to pick up some special cat treats at the animal pharmacy that the Vet had recommended. Then there was a small paper bag of empty supplement bottles she wanted me to drop off at another doctor’s office, and the Chiropractor appointment at 9:30. After my chiropractor appointment, I was going to stop at Penney’s to by some new undies for myself. All of this needed to take place before I made my way to Viera to meet my daughter Charlene for lunch at 12:00.
I have my daily prescription pills and vitamin supplements divided up into three groups. I take one group at each meal so they are not overwhelming all at once. When I go out for a meal I place that group’s pills in a small plastic bag that I can slip into my pocket, so I’ll have them to take after that meal. I also had a map I had marked up showing the route I planned to take on my next trip to show to my daughter at lunch.
With all that done, I started taking things out to the car in preparation for my short little trip of the day. I got everything stowed in the car, but was missing the small bag of pills. I must have left them on the dining room table when I put them in the bag. But, they weren’t there. So, I started in the bedroom, and looked in every room in the house. They were nowhere to be found. I went to the car and looked through everything I was taking for the day. Not there either. I searched my pockets again. Nothing. Any of this sound familiar?
Well, about that time DiVoran came in and asked me what was wrong? I told her, and she casually said, “Have you asked your Friend where they are?” Duh. Why does it seem that this is the last thing I do, instead of the first thing? So, a little sheepishly, I thanked the Lord that I had misplaced the bag of pills, ask Him to forgive me for not putting Him first, and ask Him to please show me where I had left it.
I had been standing looking out of my bedroom window as I prayed. I turned around and walked across the room to my dresser. I opened the drawer where I keep the small empty plastic pill bags, and there was the bag with my lunch pills lying on top. What in the world would have prompted me to put that bag of pills back in the drawer? I just couldn’t figure out why I would have done that. Then it came to me. “I need to trust the Lord in all things, not just the big things, but the little things too.” I know He cares for us, and is always there to hear when we call out to Him to help us, but I tend to forget about that and try to do things myself. It’s not that I don’t trust Him. I guess it’s just that sometimes it’s such a small thing, and I’m sure I can handle it, that I don’t even think to ask Him first for the help I need.
But, each time something like this happens, it brings me a little closer to remembering to go to the Lord first, instead of muddling around in frustration on my own.
I Thessalonians 5:16-18(NIV)
Guest Post
Norma Rowe
After I heard the voice telling me to leave the vault and go into the bank lobby with the robber, I went. He had demanded that two girls go, but I was the only one who did. He didn’t ask for another one. He, instead, came with me to the teller window and told me to put money in bags. Even though he kept telling me to hurry up, I carefully included the “bait” money (marked bills). At one point I saw a small red light flashing, which indicated that the alarm had been activated. I remembered what he had said about blowing someone’s head off, so I tried to conceal the light. I failed, but fortunately he didn’t see me or the light. I then came to the vault-teller’s box, a large one, which required two different keys. I couldn’t open that one, and by then he was making me very nervous so I called to the Operations Officer to come out from the vault and open it for me. He grudgingly came and got it open but now he had to join us in filling the bags. I was toward the front of the building when I glanced up to see a police officer looking in the window. He was wearing a motorcycle helmet. Oh, good, I thought. The police are here so now we are safe.
I looked back at the thief and at that very instant he was firing at the officer. Up until that moment I had thought that maybe the gun wasn’t loaded but when I saw a flare come from the weapon, the hope of an unloaded gun vanished! My first instinct was to run toward the police officer, so I could be out of danger, but I discarded that idea thinking the guy could easily shoot me in the back. I couldn’t stay where I was, in the middle of gunfire, but if I ran toward the back of the building to join the others I had to pass him and he could easily grab me to use as a hostage. Again, something inside of me was assuring me that I could run by him and he wouldn’t grab me. I did.
As I ran back, the O.O. who had ducked behind a desk, kept yelling, “Get down, get down!” I finally ducked behind another desk but he said, “not there, here.” He wanted me where he was because it was closer to the vault, but once I hit the floor I couldn’t stand on my own two feet again. It was like that “shield,” that “armor” I had felt before, had lifted, so he stretched out his arm and I stretched out mine and he grabbed my hand and pulled me across the floor and we got on our feet to run into the vault to barricade ourselves but my legs wouldn’t support me. I was nicknamed “rubber legs” after that. One of our customers, a retired bank manager, saw what was happening and came out and helped the O. O. lift me off the floor and drag me into the vault with them. We closed the door, and barricaded it with a metal cabinet nearby.
My Take
DiVoran Lites
For most of my life, I’ve been wondering what Heaven is like, or will be like for me personally. One of the first blogs I 
wrote was about the time, when I was five-years-old, that I saw the neighbor on her way to Heaven. I may have dreamed it — doesn’t matter if I did or not.
Anyhow, I saw her walk down to the end of our street and up a staircase and I knew where she was going. Later that day Mother told me the neighbor had died and gone to Heaven. Sorry, I don’t know the doctrine in this story. I do know that seeing people go up a staircase is not uncommon. I Googled it.
In college, I wrote an essay wondering what Heaven was like and the class discussed it until the teacher brought us back to earth.
I read a reliable “doctrinal” book called, Heaven, by Randy Alcorn that I enjoyed, but I still wanted to know more.
Finally, a tiny flame started to flicker in my imagination and I came up with an answer that satisfies me. I take no responsibility for whether this is true or not and when you get there, don’t blame me if it’s nothing like I’ve thought up. Ask God for your own vision of Heaven.
I don’t know who will greet me or what that will be like, but it will be a warm welcome, I know that much.
In the song, “Amazing Grace,” it says, “When we’ve been there ten-thousand years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.” So, theology (and practicality) aside, what’s going to keep us entertained for ten thousand years and more?
Here’s my take on it. I will never be alone unless I want to be alone. I’ll be with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as well as the people I have loved, love now, and will love when I meet them. Much of our time will be spent in celebration and praising God.
That leads me to the next phase of my fantasy. I will have challenges (and success). I will learn every song I ever wanted to know, play every instrument I ever wanted to play, and see every sight I ever wanted to see. I will learn, do, and share everything I’ve ever wanted to know, experience, or contribute. Life will be full of awe.
Bill and I aren’t in any hurry to go to Heaven. God is so good to us now. We do everything we can to stay healthy and happy. We try to listen to Him and we ask Him to empower us to do the work He sets out for us. We have accepted Christ’s death on the cross for our sins. That means that when our spirits split out of their cocoons, we will go to Heaven. We will fly free of all pain, confusion, and sorrow. Rejoice now. Rejoice later.
“When we all Get to Heaven.”
Heaven, by Randy Alcorn
Old Things R New 