Tag Archives: God

Hey Cuz

23 Feb

SUNDAY MEMORIES

 Judy Wills

Judy Wills

                                                    

As I’ve said before, my Father was one of 13 children.  So there were lots and lots of aunts, uncles and cousins.  Whenever we would head to Louisiana for a summer visit, we would “disperse” – my parents would stay in Grandmother’s house, my brother stayed with one boy cousin, and I would stay with a girl cousin.  Lots of fun memories with those outings.

One of those cousins, Milton, is the one my brother stayed with most of the time.  They were fairly close in age, and just seemed to hit it off.  I’m sure Bill could tell of some great times they had together.

Cousin Milton

Cousin Milton

So it was a bit surprising to find Milton and his wife at the seminary, when Fred and I landed there for Fred’s study.  While not terribly close – he was several years ahead of Fred – we still managed to get together with them a few times. Time went on – many years, in fact.  We knew that Milton and his wife had gone to the mission field as “music missionaries” to Taiwan.

Milton
Milton with parents Ray and Estelle Lites

And then we found ourselves in Orlando, and I became the church secretary for our church.  Our pastor asked at one point, that I look up the missionaries that were having their birthday each week, and publish their names and birth date, so our congregation could pray for them.  We had heard from so many missionaries that they felt especially blessed on their birthdays, since they knew people across the USA were praying for them on that day.

In the process of looking for those missionary’s names, I suddenly remember – Hey! I have a cousin who is/was a missionary!  Milton!  So I researched his name, and low-and-behold, he was on furlough from the mission field!  He had gone from Taiwan to the seminary in Columbia to teach.  So I found his e-mail address and sent off a message – “do you remember me?  Your cousin?”   He wrote back right away, and we re-established our connection after 30 years!   Amazing!

But that’s not the end of the story.  This same pastor loved to have a “Missions Conference” at our church each year.  We would have missionaries from the international field, the USA field, the Florida field, and the Orange County field come and speak to us on different Sundays.  After I had re-established connection with Milton, I asked the pastor if he would like Milton to come as the international missionary speaker one year.  He agreed, and I contacted Milton again.  He came that time, spoke in the worship services, and stayed a few days with us.  We even had Bill and DiVoran meet us for a meal, so we could connect again as a family.  It was such fun!

Milton and his wife went back to the mission field, but to Shanghai.  While we continued to e-mail each other, we had to be very careful in the wording of our messages.  We couldn’t talk about church  God.  As a matter of fact, once Milton mentioned that they had about five people “go swimming” for the first time that week.  We understood that to mean they had been baptized!  And when I had been diagnosed with cancer, and I wrote that information to him, he wrote back that he had “talked to Daddy, and everything is going to be okay!”  Daddy being God.

Milton has retired now, but we are on facebook with each other, and continue to be in touch.  I love the ways God has brought us back into each other’s lives.

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Believing is Seeing

17 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistOh, the colors! I never dreamed God created people to see as well as I can see, now that I’ve had cataracts removed and new lenses implanted in my eyes. This morning, the closet light revealed clothes that seemed to pop out at me like bright jungle flowers. They were so beautiful and the light was so bright I had to turn it off.

Last night at suppertime. I put two green artichokes on an orange cutting mat and wanted to cry at the beauty of them. We have several pair of painted buntings that spend the winter in the neighborhood, but I have never seen their indigo, red-orange, and chartreuse as I did today. You should see our calico cat she’s gorgeous. Her black fur is shiny black, her burnt orange fur is gorgeous, and her white fur blazes. I’m using 12-point type for the first time in years and can tell a period from a common on the screen! Wow!

I understand that most people feel this way after they get cataracts removed. But I’m telling you about my personal experience, so bear with me. I was twelve years old when the optometrist diagnosed progressive myopia, which means I was near-sighted and would become more so every year. Mother was deeply saddened by the possibility that when I was old I could be completely blind. Indeed, my eyes became progressively worse until one lens was almost as thick as a pop-bottle bottom.

Remember at the beginning when I said I never realized that God intended for us to be able to see as well as I now can? One of the first things I thought about when I walked into the house yesterday after the surgery was, If I never knew what it was to see, or even what there was to see, then what else does God have in store that I could never think or dream of until I experience it for myself? Even here on earth, as I know Him better and trust him more, I’m receiving insight and revelation about Him.

Is this what the Scriptures mean when they say,

 “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

I Corinthians 2:9 New Living Bible.

Painted Bunting

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Finding the Richness of Life

15 Feb His Way

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

Janet wrote a powerful post this week on her blog, and I am sharing it on Old Things R New. Be sure to click below to read the rest of the story-Onisha

“You got to write about that,” my friend said on the phone.

“Naw…people will think I’m a religious nut.

“No, they won’t.” She argued and won. So here I go.

As most of you know I dedicate Mondays to fasting and prayer. Not that I’m trying to be a holy roller, but I genuinely want to concentrate in my efforts to lift in prayer the heart-wrenching requests that come my way on a regular basis.

Fasting (water and a few slices of bread for the day) is immensely rewarding and doable for me. Unless…my routine changes. And a few weeks ago, it changed drastically. Hubby and I along with friends boarded a cruise ship. And just FYI, I have the habit of judging the caliber of a cruise by three vital criteria: the quality of the food, the food, and the food! –

See more at: http://www.janetperezeckles.com/finding-the-richness-of-life/#sthash.PS0oGmpG.dpuf

 

 

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Divine Sparks Part~2

10 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistThe next time I felt the divine spark of God’s love was when the strained seams of our marriage started to open up. By this time, we had two small children and lived in Titusville where Bill worked with the Space Program. By this time even though we had been married twelve years, we had never learned to communicate or to appreciate each other.

At this time, I begged God for help. I asked him to change our marriage, beginning with me. We had some counseling and some help and we finally started talking to each other. We told each other every bad and good thing we’d thought and experienced since we’d known each other and all about our childhoods. We laughed, we cried, and in a new way, we became truly married.

Even better, we both continued talking to God. Any time I think about sharing my divine sparks with someone else, I wonder: when did I actually receive Christ? Was it when I saw the power and love represented in the majestic peaks near our Colorado home? Maybe it was later in Titusville when my Sunday School teacher went through the Four Spiritual Laws. I saw then that it was not enough to give intellectual assent to who Christ was, but I needed to invite Him to take over my life.

I’ve had quite a journey with many divine sparks along the way. Knowing I’m going to Heaven when I die gives me lots of security and peace. God saving our marriage was the biggest and most important thing He’s done so far. But he also got us through some tough times. He did another miracle that changed me profoundly. He let me see who I was in Him. I wasn’t just a person who needed to be kept in her place; I was unique and special. You are unique and special too. God never made an exact duplicate of any person and He has a reason and a purpose for knitting each of us in our mother’s womb.

I had to have some more counseling later in life. My occasional bouts of depression had spun out into four months of feeling rotten. The biggest thing my counselor discovered out of all my ramblings was that I cared more what other people wanted than what God wanted. I said, “I know I should do this or that, I know I ought to feel this way or that way.” But the only way I was ever going to be settled and joyful was to find out the truth about who I really was. My wants, needs, desires, interests, counted with god. He gave them to me. By listening kindly to myself, I could listen more kindly to everyone else. Since that time, I have become more excited about life than I’ve ever been before. Who knows what wonderful things God has in store? The greatest things is knowing Him. I still need to be validated, It’s important for people to respect me. But now I know Someone perfect, unchanging, and powerful, who will always love me, who will never leave me or forsake me. My needs are covered by His righteousness. He gives me faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.

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Does He Really Care About Details

8 Feb

Got a story to tell you. It happened not long ago.I was busy putting the finishing touches to a story. Earlier I had facilitated a session on managing stress to colleagues across the country. Still at my computer, I paused when hubby walked into the room and said, “Just to remind you, we need to be leaving in about one and a half hours.”

Ah! I perked up. The black and white gala we were to attend held promises of great food, good company, and a fun time for us.

As I always do, I work until the very last minute. Then, I jump to my feet, hop in the shower, and get ready all in fast motion. But this time, after I washed my hair, I paused and the thought that this was a formal event struck me. My closet is jammed with lots of formal dresses in every color of the rainbow…but, I don’t have a long black one.

Gulp. I just finished giving all kinds of suggestions, guidelines, and hints on how to control and efficiently manage stress. And now my own stress test came to visit.

I took a deep breath, and said, “Lord, I can’t wait to see how you’ll resolve this one. But I just know You will.”

“Honey,” I said to hubby, “In the 32-years of marriage, I’ve never done this. But…I just realized the dress I have ready for tonight is short and I need a long formal.”

I wish I could have seen his expression that accompanied the long pause of silence. “I was going to take a quick nap,” he said, “and get ready. But, no problem,” tenderness marked his words. “Let’s go to the mall; we’ll find you a dress.”

Now, ladies, would you agree that was the ultimate understanding on his part? I sure did. Though I’ve never seen him lose his temper with me, this would have been a justified moment.

“Thanks.” I said sheepishly. I grabbed my make-up (I can put it on in the car to save time). Then wet hair and all we rushed to the car. We had a little over an hour to head to the mall, park, shop, try a dress on, pay for it, rush back, and get ready for our formal event. Crazy, isn’t it?

But my hubby’s disposition remained calm, sweet, and light-hearted. I turned to him, “Honey, thanks for being so understanding.”

He squeezed my hand, “That’s part of my present to you.”

Once in the parking lot, we drove and drove around to find a parking place. The whole world must have decided to shop that afternoon. Finally, he pulls in a spot, we dart out of the car, dash across, and holding on to his hand, we zig zag between cars. Once inside, a loud hum of conversation (shoppers conversing) filled the store. “Let’s go to the petite section,” I blurted.

Dodging people, hubby spots a salesclerk. Once we tell her what we’re looking for, she leads us to the section with long dresses. “Here’s a black one.” She places it in my hand. The size was one bigger than the one I wear. But at that point who cared.

“Do me a favor,” I said leaning toward her voice. “I’m blind. So, would you mind showing me to the fitting room?”

“Sure, come with me.” She loops my hand around her arm and we rush to the fitting room. But we had to stand and wait and wait some more…all the fitting rooms were taken. “I’ll stay with you,” she said.

At this point I was just exploding with gratitude for this one-of-a-kind employee. I asked her name.

“Carmen,” she said.

“Can I tell you that you’re just an angel God sent to me today?” I whispered. She chuckled.

While we waited for the fitting room, I had already made up my mind that no matter how it fit, I was going home with that long black dress. Carmen helped me put it on, and though it felt loose, I shrugged my shoulders. “It fits just fine, I’ll take it.”

“No,” she argued. “Your husband has to approve it.”

“Holding my hand, she led me to where he stood. “Looks fine,” he said.

She helped me back inside. And here’s where I knew God’s hand was taking care of the most minor details. Carmen says, I’ll take the dress, follow me.” She led us directly to the cash register, bypassing the long lines at all seven or eight registers. We paid (it was on sale–half price) in minutes and we were heading home.

Hubby took a brief nap; we got ready and arrived at our event on time. Once in the fancy hotel, we entered the elegant dining room. The cold air-conditioning struck my arms with the same force as a thought: I had so often read, and read again the words David gushed:

“O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me…You know what I am going to say before I even say it. You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit them together in my mother’s womb. You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life” (Psalm 139:1-4 and 13-16).”

He did! He really did from the very beginning form every detail of my very being. And He never stopped, even now, He  knows the intricacies of my thoughts, my apprehension, my silly mistakes, and the moments I fail…but He also knows the solutions for all areas of our life—minor and major ones . And yes, even how to lead us to the right dress to wear and the precise person with a kind heart to help us out.

If you’re facing a moment of sadness, disappointment, though minor for most, but huge for you…He does care, He does see, and He does bring answers.

Give it all to Him. He can not only save lives, move mountains, and calm seas, but also cares about bringing solutions for those minor details that trickle into our day.

His Way

Janet Perez Eckles,

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

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Chinese New Year Celebration

3 Feb

My Take

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistI don’t stay up until midnight on New Year’s Eve, any more, but this year, I received an invitation to attend a Chinese New Year celebration with my friend, Annie, from Beijing, and I was delighted. Her Bible study group has socials just as our church does, but their native language is Chinese and they are like a family here in this challenging country of ours.

I knew red was the color for Chinese New Year and, wanting to be cooperative, I bought a red sweater for the occasion. Inside the house where the party was, though, I was the only one in the twenty-five person group who didn’t leave her shoes at the door. I became slightly embarrassed and told Annie I would take them off. She said no.

“There’s no good reason I can’t do that,” I said.

“The floor’s cold,” Annie answered.

My answer was … “Okay.” You see, I don’t like cold feet any more than anyone else does.

Annie and I chatted, in English (of course) while we waited to get to the potluck dishes. “It’s in my bones to take my shoes off in the house,” she said, “but I don’t insist my daughter and husband do it.” Her husband is American and their daughter is “mixed,” as Annie says.

When you think about the pictures you’ve seen of Chinese New Year, you think of a dragon parade, firecrackers, and chi-paos. I hope I got that right. That means those gorgeous satin dresses with the Mandarin collars and frog closures. One little girl wore a green one to the party and she looked lovely. The women’s Bible study leader wore Chinese style dress as well. I was glad.

The host, a gastroenterologist, asked me if it was all right if they said the blessing in Chinese. My goodness yes! I was amazed that he asked. The food was good. For the fun of it, I tried using chopsticks to lift noodles from a serving bowl. I felt eyes upon me, but there were no giggles. Laughing at a person would not be polite and the Chinese people I know are nobly and graciously polite. That’s something else that’s bred in their bones.

These friends of Annie’s treated me like royalty. I felt it was because of the tradition of respecting their elders, but I’m sure they would have been as kind and attentive to any guest. A steady stream of women took turns coming to chat with me at the table.

When Maddy heard that Annie and I met in art class, she began to tell me about Akiane, a young woman who paints pictures of Heaven. She’s only sixteen years old now, but when she was five she visited Heaven, as the four-year-old Colton did whose story is told in Heaven is Real. It was difficult for Maddy to talk to me in English, but she persevered. She told me about the paintings and about Jesus and Heaven. She got someone’s phone and showed me the paintings and they are indeed incredible.

In olden times, oh say 4712 BC, or so, when the traditions of Chinese New Year first began, folks believed a dragon would come and eat them during that season, if they didn’t frighten it away. By the twelfth century they had fireworks that worked fine for the purpose. Our celebration had no fireworks to scare a dragon away, but we had something better … prayer and a recorded sermon. Everyone sat quietly and listened. The sermon was in Cinese with an English interpretation. Annie thought the sermon a bit long, and I had to agree, but she was impressed with the expertise of the interpreter.

It’s wonderful to meet Christians anywhere and at any time. There’s a common love of Christ and of God’s word that binds us together. What a miracle. We are truly brothers and sisters in Christ and it’s not only satisfying, but it can be a lot of fun as well. “When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be. When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory.” (Christian Hymn, “When we all Get to Heaven,” words Emily D. Wilson, tune, Eliza E. Hewitt)

Chinese

Chinese New Year

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His Way, My Way

1 Feb

Sometimes I just have to disagree.

I received a newsletter that made my head shake. The theme was one most people find logical, accepted, and even embraced with fervor.

Does the title, “I Did It My Way” ring a bell?

Yep, it’s Ol’ Blue Eyes’ song that my friend mentions in his newsletter. The lyrics and Frank’s melodic voice stir hearts and sparks “Oooh’s and ahhh’s.”

Not me, though. I like his singing. But the message in this song roils in me. Let me tell you why. I tried doing it my way– letting my inner strength drive me forth, my dreams plunge me forward, and even attempted to let my abilities and skills open doors. This tactic works, quite well, I might add. Until, without warning, your world crumbles and pain filters like venom. Then your solutions are elusive and dark times threaten to suffocate you.

I’ve been there. And found when those times strike, reality flashes like lightening. Then my efforts show their true colors–, my feeble ways, my limited wisdom, and my weak efforts to change my circumstance accomplish nothing.

But before you knock me off my soap box, one more point: those who sing, “Do it your way” haven’t rolled in the mud of despair, or been stuck in the trenches of desperation. Some still insist, “Do it your way,”

God says,

 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8).

Father, I confess I need you to keep me focused on your ways, your timing and your ability to accomplish what I cannot. I relish in knowing that it’s your power that is at work in me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

  • What have you been following lately?
  • How will you change your ways?
  • How free do you feel when you let God have His way?

His Way

Janet Perez Eckles,

Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…

My website in English

En Español

My story (video)

Inspirational video  just for you.

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Get Over It and Move On

30 Jan

On The  Porch

Onisha Ellis

I'm a winner

My friend DiVoran and I were having a lively chat one day when  get over it came up. On the surface it seems like a rude, heartless thing to say, but is it?

I remember the times I said  “get over it and move on” to my teenage daughter after her first big heartbreak. She really hated when I said that, but what I was really saying was, work through this, stop letting it control you.

It takes courage, faith and work to overcome a broken heart, hurt feelings and disappointments. We don’t get over it without dealing with the situation. These are the actions I use when I need to get over it.

First I pray. I let God know I am counting on Him for help to accomplish these steps.

  • Determine to accept the situation. I don’t have to like it.
  • Accept responsibility for my actions. Yes, even if I feel justified.
  • Grieve the loss. I believe a time of grieving is a vital part of healing.
  • Choose to let go of the pain or anger. I can’t heal as long as I am hanging on to it.
  • Best of all, forgive.  Carrying a grudge can be a mighty heavy load.

Do I do this everyday and in every situation? Nope, but I wish I did. Guess I’m still  learning.

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Divine Sparks

27 Jan

My Take 

DiVoran Lites

Author, Poet and ArtistI recently read that prestige is the most important thing to any human being. How do researchers come up with these things? It rings true, and yet there has to be something more, something better. I think its love. Love is as essential to sustain life as the basic need for food and shelter.

And, oh, the things we’ll do to get love, translated attention. I desire attention. I want to be validated, it’s important for people to respect me.

When I was a young mother, our baby thought the earth centered on her. That was hard for me because until that time I thought I was the center. Then I found out that everyone thinks that at first. What a surprise!

I did many things to stay in the center of the universe and get all the love and attention I needed. Mostly I tried to please other people. Sometimes I tried to please the right people and sometimes the wrong people. Trying to please the wrong people can get you in lots of trouble.

I knew God was out there, but I had no idea that he wanted to meet my needs. The first time I remember hearing about Jesus was in my five-year-old Sunday School class with Auntie Elvira. She never had any children of her own, but we were all her kin as far as she was concerned. She told us stories from the Bible and we learned to sing, “Jesus Loves Me.” That was nice. My parents loved me, Jesus loved me, and Auntie Elvira loved me.

God has always been in my life, but the next time I remember becoming aware of him was one day when I looked out my bedroom window at the majestic mountains and knew that the One who had created them knew me and had created me too.

When I was twelve, I took over teaching the Sunday School from another teacher, who was sixteen, because she was ill. I liked learning and I liked teaching, and some of what I learned must have stuck with me, because I received from it a desire for cultivating a life of connection with our Lord, which I have done. I find it immensely gratifying. I’m so grateful my Lord and Auntie Elvira reached out to me. I visited with Auntie Elvira when she was very old and told her so, and I visit with God frequently to thank him, too.

**********To Be Continued**********

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How to Give Great Radio Interviews

18 Jan

Walking by Faith, Not by Sight

Janet Perez Eckles

I admit it. Sometimes I open the door to the bedroom of my heart during radio or TV interviews.

“During media interviews, candor and passion are the blend that will engage listeners.” That was the advice I received a long time ago.

“You’re my role model,” a gracious radio hostess said as she interviewed me some years back. “I read your book, know your story and I think about you and your situation just about every day.”

How nice to make such an impact, right? Not really.

She thought of me when she went to the bathroom in the middle of the night and tripped over stuff on the floor.

How do you cope through life,” she said, “you know… unable to see and living in darkness all the time?”

“Hmm…God’s grace, no doubt” I said.

I did tell her that in the morning I make sure thoughts of gratitude fill my head. Actually, I thank the Lord for all what-if’s in my life—what if I weren’t able to hear? Thank you, Lord for allowing me to hear. What if I weren’t able to walk? Thank you, Lord for giving me legs. And I thank Him for going before me to solve the challenges of the day.

It’s a daily thing because I found gratitude is to joy like water is to plants. Gratitude allows the joy in us to live, thrive and grow.

When those ol’ boo-hoo’s try to come in, I say to myself, “C’mon, chica, ‘Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus’” (Philippians 4:5-7).

Father, keep me humble, focused, and keep me grateful. I do receive your peace to guard against negative emotions from my heart, and from destructive thoughts in my mind so I may appreciate what I have rather than lament what I lack. In Jesus’ name I ask.

  • — What were the first thoughts that filled your mind this morning?
  • — Remembering all the good in your life, can you fill out this sentence: “I’m grateful because what if__________________.
  • — What happens when you focus on the blessings you have?

Legacy

Janet Perez Eckles,
Grateful for the privilege of inspiring you…
My website in English
En Español

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