Good day to you. Before I start with today’s topic, I will mention my last blog, “Front Porch Soaking”. Today, as I was thinking of you spending your valuable time reading what I have written, I thought of my blog, Tarry With Me, January 28, 2025. In Tarry With Me, I had already recounted my front porch experience, except with fewer details. Evidently, it needed repeating.😊 Also, that entire blog was to follow up on two previous blogs, “If” a Big Two Letter Word, and Defining Moments.

As I looked back at those blogs I had written at the beginning of this year, I noticed I wrote of a time in my early years as a Navy wife, when I questioned how I could spend an hour reading my Bible and praying. Then I explained,

“During those earlier years, I also had the misconception that I was saved for eternity, and from then on, I was to do the best I could with what I was given.” (After all, wasn’t it my responsibility to figure life’s challenges out?) “Thankfully, I stayed in Church, Bible studies, and experience with the Lord, which He used to correct some of my misconstrued notions and false sense of responsibilities”.

In a recent early morning conversation with my husband, David, we observed that this is how many Christians live their entire lives. As we acknowledged the honesty of other Christians who had openly expressed their likewise “misconstrued notions and false sense of responsibilities”, David said, “There’s your next blog”.  

By the Lord sending me back to review blogs I had written almost six months ago, He got my attention on what my husband had suggested several days ago, that I write about today…

I will begin with some common quotes of our misconstrued notions you might be familiar with. “I’m just doing the best I can with what I’ve been given”. “I’m barely hanging in there”. “I’m just getting by”. “I’m barely scraping by”. “I’m making do”. “I’m hanging on by a thread”. “I don’t know how I will ever get through this”. “Somehow, I will get by”. “I’ve been dealt a bad hand”. “I must have been snake bitten”. There is a goofy song that says, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all”. But sadly, some believe it is true for themselves. I could continue, but I think my point is apparent.

So, let’s look closer at why we Christians would live like that.  

I will start with the meaning of misconstrued notion (you know, where I was and where many of us stay). Misconstrue means to interpret something wrongly, often due to misunderstanding or a lack of full information. It implies a faulty or inaccurate interpretation of words. Notion is a conception of, an idea, or a belief about something.

I doubt that we have ever been without some kind of misconstrued notion. Therefore, I know you can relate.

From what I have learned from God’s Word, and my open and honest relationships with other Christians, I believe many of us have had a misconstrued notion of the meaning of Salvation. If not, we wouldn’t be saying the things we say and living like we believe this is all there is in Salvation. Do you agree?

So I think it is good to look closer at what Salvation brings. First of all, it does bring eternal life in heaven, just like I thought as a young girl when I accepted Jesus as my Savior. If you have never heard the Romans Road to Salvation, here are some of the scriptures used to receive the Salvation of Jesus Christ. Romans 1:20-21; 3:10; 3:23; 6:23; 5:8; 10:9-10; 10:13. For there is only one way to receive salvation: Faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. I pray that you will read those scriptures and know for certain you have settled the most important decision of your life. I cannot emphasize that enough!

But what next, you may ask? If the goal is to be in Heaven with God and Jesus settled that for us, then why are we left here in this world? That is where the rest of Salvation enters.

Jesus explained to His disciples when He was preparing them for His return to the Father.

John 16:7 Jesus tells us, “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.”

 And in John 14:15-18 NKJV

“If you love Me, keep My commandments. And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever- the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

My friends, these are only two verses that can resolve my first misconstrued notions: I didn’t have time to spend an hour “Tarrying” with the Lord, and I had the responsibility to “figure it all out”. If that were the case, why would Jesus send the Helper to abide with me forever, dwell with me, and be in me? He is the “Spirit of Truth”, right? Who among us doesn’t need the Spirit of Truth?

So, Jesus tells us if we love Him keep His commandments. Just starting with the Great Commandment gets us on the right path, and we will grow from there.

Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

If I were to love the Lord like this, how could I question an hour with Him? How could I do anything the Lord has called me to do if I don’t spend time with Him in His Word? All the while, the Holy Spirit Helper is there with me to lead me and guide me into God’s Truth.

I don’t know about you, but I believe that spells a life walking in the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit… love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. These are the qualities that develop in a person’s life when they are led by the Holy Spirit, as they are stated in Galatians 5:22-23. A life of abundance of all things good. No more just getting by.

No wonder the enemy wants us with a head full of misconstrued notions. Too busy trying to figure it all out that we don’t have time with the Lord in His Word. Too worn out and weary, trying to hang in there, scraping by, making do, and living with only bad luck. How sad!

Therefore, I will go back to the meaning of misconstrued notion: When combined, a misconstrued notion refers to an incorrect understanding or interpretation of a conception, an idea, or a belief.

Do you agree that this could explain why Christians often find themselves lacking direction, guidance, purpose, fulfillment, and most of all the Fruit of the Spirit? I humbly admit that I am lacking in some of the qualities that develop by walking in the Spirit. The Lord knows my heart. I desire more growth, and my Holy Spirit Helper doesn’t give up on me. Through my obedience to His Word (I do have a choice), as Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

I have a friend, Linda Dunn, whom the Lord brought into my life as a Spiritual Mentor over 35 years ago. Recently, we have been able to stay connected through texting. She shared this with me.

Unbelief is why we don’t obey.

The key to prospering is in the Presence of the Lord.

The key to the presence of the Lord is Obedience.

The key to obedience is Faith.

The key to faith is hearing the Word.

I ask you to ponder these words along with some of the verses in a poem I wrote in 2017. The Lord clarified these principles even more through “Body Builder Food” in Inspire Me. Here are a few lines starting halfway through the poem…

His Church, His body, becoming what it’s meant to be

Starting with His Word growing us individually.

Therefore, we must feast on His daily bread

Or be malnourished, downcast, and feeble instead.

Hunger for Him; the Lord gives us a choice

Serve Him, love others, actions give His Word a voice.

So, are you starving yourself not feasting at His table?

Surrender your will, Holy Spirit makes you able

To be strong in the Word and the Spirit of Life

Nourished and filled your light shining bright

Building the Body to fight the good fight!

I do hope you feel that your time with me has been well spent. Most importantly that this time has revealed more of His Salvation by living by the Spirit. All we’ll ever need and more than we could ever ask for.

God bless you, my friends,

Reba

Here it is mid-May, and as usual, I find myself needing to “be still” long enough to soak in the beauty. We often refer to it as “Stopping to smell the roses.” Although I don’t have roses, as I was filling our birdfeeder, the sweet, familiar aroma of the honeysuckle vine stopped me in my tracks. A variety of honeysuckle vines are common and grow wild in North America. As a little girl, I learned to gently pull the stamen through the bottom of the flower to access the nectar. It was a sweet delight, one drop at a time, straight from our Creator’s hands. I loved them so much, but was mindful to leave plenty for the birds and bees. 😊

It’s incredible how God uses His creation to spark a precious memory, to refresh us, and to connect with us. How sad it is that far too many times we miss out by not slowing down in this fast-paced world we live in. I have recently acknowledged that I need balance in my life. I continue to need help in that area. I believe that is why God got my attention today by sending the breeze in just the right direction for me to catch a whiff of the fragrance, causing me to pause.

After a short stroll in my yard, admiring the plants and trying to ignore the weeds, I was led to my computer to write (instead of pulling weeds). 😊

What I am writing about next transpired from “soaking” on my front porch in our previous home. It occurred about eight to ten years ago, so it is a good thing I wrote it down (the experience, not the year).  

This is from notes I took, having no idea I would ever be a writer/blogger. 😊…

I’m listening to the birds sing and noticing how the mockingbird stands out with its distinctive mocking. Gazing at the stillness and beauty of the details of my front yard. The mighty oaks and the dogwood tree that survived the storm damage incurred by another oak falling on it. It was stripped of all its limbs on one side. Ahh, another survivor! The perfectly shaped redbud I had transplanted from an inappropriate site, another survivor that had been uprooted and moved. The flowers, weeds, and even the bugs, along with the funny squirrels scurrying everywhere…so beautiful! Everything was so still as I noticed the morning sun rays increasing as it rose and cut through the dense tree population.

All of this brought my focus on God and His unfathomable creation. Then I started reading my devotional, Jesus Always by Sarah Young.  I already had it opened, lying in my lap to today’s date, June 18^th and my Bible at my side.

The devotion begins with, “Stillness is increasingly hard to come by in this restless, agitated world. You must fight to carve out time for Me”.

It continues by pointing out distractions, our need for focus, remembering God, and relaxing in His presence. It was all wonderfully appropriate, but the next part was outstanding, right where I was, “soaking” it in. Sarah continues…

“Remember that I am Immanuel-God with you”…“The longer you gaze at me, the more you can rejoice in my majestic splendors and trust in My sovereign control”.

As I read these words a strong breeze blew through only a few of the tree tops right in front of me! Most wouldn’t have believed me unless they were there to witness it. The other trees were oddly still as these few swayed in the strong breeze. It caught my breath as I recognized the Holy Spirit is in the wind and in every breath I breathe.

Oh, how I thank the Lord for sparking precious memories to refresh me and connect me to  His presence. This time, to soak in His creation, is worth fighting for because there is no better place to be than rejoicing in His majestic splendors. His Holy Spirit and praise songs, with a heart full of gratitude, brought forth the fruit of the Spirit. As my Pastor would jokingly say, “Filling my tank”. A refilling, so to speak, to pour out to others.

And for me, it motivates me to carve out time to write about this experience to communicate the love of Jesus Christ, my mission. Otherwise, I would be burned out, restless, agitated, exhausted, and empty like the world. Like I admittedly have been at times, also. Look what I would have missed if I chose to be out there pulling weeds! 😊 May we all choose to obey Psalm 46:10 NKJV “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

I will close by mentioning my poem in Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds, titled “Brevity of Time”, pgs. 19-20. A few lines from it say…

So, what about your time and how it is used?

Something freely given we so often misuse.

 Our time is precious, more valuable than gold

Time is God’s gift; it can never be sold.

Time has four letters, that is but a few

So has love; worthwhile to pursue

Through sending His Son, what love chose to do

Redeeming time for me and you!

Thank you for reading this, and I hope that you are motivated to do more “soaking” in His presence wherever that may be. Whether it is in the midst of blue skies, among the butterflies, or in the middle of the battlegrounds. We can come into His presence no matter what we see, feel, or our circumstances. Even when pulling weeds if we do it in the proper order with the right attitude. With Him all things are possible.

Until next time,

Reba

PS. On March 28^th, I wrote about “The Gift That Keeps On Giving”, namely books. Today, I mentioned my devotional, Jesus Always. It was a birthday gift from my very dear friends Karen and John. Karen is my “peanut butter friend”. No, not because we both like peanut butter! Lol! I explain this in my birthday poem to her titled PB&J. It, including the narrative, is on pages 189-191. You should read it if you need a laugh. And please keep in mind that books are gifts that keep on giving.

Another rainy day in May. Welcome, I’m glad you are joining me.

I find myself frequently reflecting on some of life’s lessons. My sister-in-law, Suzan, recently confirmed that it seems to be the norm as we age. She can say that without concern of being offensive because she and I are the same age. 😊

I believe these life lessons not only teach us, but are to be shared to help others, possibly.

Therefore, I would like to tell you about something I said I would never do, but discovered it was exactly what God had planned for me. In this instance, it was about becoming a massage therapist.

When I was very young, my dreams and aspirations were to have a loving husband and children. And a family would not be complete without a dog and, hopefully, a cat. I imagined four children would be a good number. Having a boy, then a girl, another boy, ending with another girl would be ideal in my young mind. I wanted to be the wife and momma extraordinaire within a modest lifestyle. Conservative, nothing big and flashy was my style. At that age, “storybook life” (without the castles and servants) was the path my thoughts were on. You can tell I didn’t know much about life, can’t you?

While in my late teens, I met and married my loving husband, who shared the idea of four children being ideal. By God’s perfect design, His grace, and working miracles, He gave us two baby girls and a son. I believe every birth is a miracle of God, but we had some challenges that indicated we would only have one. God proved again that He would accomplish His plans for us, and He gave us the “just right” family. My heart fills with gratitude, and a little smile comes across my face when I think of how God provided for every need during those difficult pregnancies. And our girls and our son are truly gifts from our Creator Himself.

I must add that those dreams did not include being a career Navy wife by any stretch of the imagination. But that’s how it turned out, and I can safely say the wife and momma extraordinaire didn’t pan out too well, either. Lol! But God knew all along that He would use every step of the way to teach me, shape me, and grow my trust and faith in Him and His plans for me. And at 70 years old, I say with confidence, He is continuing to do that. I am reminded of Jeremiah 29:11 NIV “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope”. And Romans 8:28 NKJV “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose”.

Nineteen years later, as David was approaching retirement from his naval career, I asked the Lord to help me find a way to assist financially as he transitioned into the civilian world. Step by step, in unexpected ways, He used people, places, and things to lead me on a specific path for a greater purpose. I was hired to train as a Physical Therapy Technician one year before David’s retirement date and our subsequent move to Texas.

In this training, I was unknowingly stepping into the world of the benefits of massage therapy. I wanted that job desperately, so I had to overcome the negativity that I had developed toward massage. Namely, that massages were for the ultra-rich for indulgence and luxury, or the purpose of prostitution. Some of you understand, and some are thinking, “How bizarre.” Unfortunately, in America, we have lost the art of appropriate caring, healing touch as a modality for treatment. Although it has been a long process, natural remedies are making a huge comeback. I, for one, am grateful the Lord was patient in teaching me that massage is where He was directing me, although I was still saying I would never be a Massage Therapist. I thought of Physical Therapy as my safe place. But I later found it was the initial instrumental door God would use to open a new world awaiting me. I would learn not to say “never” to God’s plans.

But wait, don’t think it was easy. It required numerous therapists teaching me and encouraging me by having me perform most of the massages that our patients needed. I repeatedly experienced the fulfilment of hearing patients say, “Her massage was the most beneficial aspect of my therapy program”. Yes, I had to hear that over and over again to confirm that God was using me for that purpose; caring, healing touch, in a world where it was lacking. Meanwhile, my family and friends confirmed that the massage was the best thing yet. God was waiting for me to learn to trust Him more with a gift He had given me.

Seven years later, after our move to Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, and then back to Arkansas, I was gaining the courage to consider getting my massage license and moving out of the “nest” of physical therapy. But, no, I still needed assurance that I would not be throwing myself to the wolves by making that move. I was living like the ones who stayed in the boat, instead of Peter walking on the water. No condemnation, just the plain and simple truth of where I was in my walk with the Lord. Oh, how I am so thankful for my patient and long-suffering Lord!

The move made logical and financial sense, but there were those nagging questions like, “What will people think of me?” “Will I be safe with men?” “Am I too old to remember all those bones and muscles?” “How will I work full-time and take classes at night with all of my other responsibilities?” “How will we pay for the school?” and on and on.

With the encouragement of my entire family, friends, and fellow physical therapy coworkers, I decided it was a valid option. So, I continued to pray about it for several more years! I know, it doesn’t look good for a woman of faith, but fear of stepping into unknown waters is real. For me, stepping out of God’s will was even more frightening!  And yes, fear is paralyzing. Therefore, I could not move forward until I heard from the Lord what His will for me was.

One day, as I was on my twenty-five-minute drive to work, I was in serious conversation with the Lord again. I needed to hear from Him! As I was finally ready to shut my thoughts and questions out, I made this statement, “Lord, I just want to do Your will, but I need to know for certain this is what You have for me. And then I listened. This is what I heard, “Reba, you keep asking Me My will, and I keep showing you. Why do you keep asking?” I gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, took a deep breath, and responded immediately with, “Ok Lord, I will, but I need Your help all the way!” That is all I needed to let go and let God do what He wanted to do all along. No, I did not hear an audible voice, but I knew without any doubt that it was Him speaking to me. John 10:27 NKJV “My sheep hear My voice and they follow Me”. I knew His voice when I shut up and listened. I was ready to follow!

One by one, the Lord answered every need in abundance. He was undeniably with me all the way. More than I had asked for. He provided the finances. The rehab hospital, our satellite clinic operated under, paid for my training in full. He led me to a new school where I would be part of her first class. He gave me the ability to make the highest score in the class, even as the oldest student and the only one working a full-time job. As the valedictorian, the award was named after me for the following students at this new school. He protected me and taught me that what He thinks of me (not others) is the most important thing to know. He was always with me, forever faithful and consistently showing Himself trustworthy. Why would I ever say never to Him?

I received my massage license in January 1997, then my master’s license in 1999. That same year, I left the “nest” and launched out on my own to continue using the gift He gave me for another thirteen years. I humbly admit that I stumbled along the way. Each time, I was forgiven and set back on the right path again. Remember Peter denied Jesus three times, and the Lord still loved him, forgave him, and used Him in mighty ways. The Lord is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He will do this for you, too.

I would like to close with a quote that I saw on social media. I think it applies to me, and maybe you also.

“Don’t ever tell God what you’ll never do. He will have you nevering like you’ve never ever nevered before”! Lol!

And I say, “There’s never ever anything better than nevering for God”!

Another quote that Michael Jordan is credited with… “Never say never because limits, like fears, are often just an illusion”.

I, for one, have learned that fear is one of Satan’s biggest weapons against us, and those illusions agree with his lies!

May this help you reflect on your moments of saying never to see if fear has held you back from all that God has for you. Present your concerns to the Lord and then listen. Be willing to leave your place of “safety”. Step out of the boat. Follow Him into a whole new world that He is inviting you to live in. His abundance!

Reba

Well, friends, I just realized why I have felt somewhat “out of sorts.” In my case, I haven’t been feeling or acting as I typically would. It has been a month since I last wrote. Maybe that explains it. I can hardly believe how quickly time has passed.

So here I am, settling in and reflecting on April. Springtime! New life! The trees leafing out, and those with flowering buds are bursting open throughout the hills and valleys of Northwest Arkansas. Green grass has sprouted, and flowers are popping up everywhere. The birds’ songs of joy fill the air as they busily build just the right nest for their soon-to-be babies. Creatures everywhere are scurrying and birthing, filling the earth once again. Springtime, my favorite season!

I must say, along with the beauty of life springing up everywhere comes the storms, as it should be, while here on this earth. This is not our home! Which brings me to the cross…

The cross is a reminder of our sins Jesus did bear;

Yes, for you and me and His people everywhere.

But on Easter Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection story.

Because the cross alone could not convey the fullness of His glory.

If Jesus died on a cross and lay lifeless in the grave,

How could He return to the Father the ones He came to save?

No! Death was powerless over Him! He rose to our Father’s side,

And sent the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts;

That’s where He abides.

So, brothers and sisters, this is why we celebrate His empty grave.

The Holy Spirit is showing you, you’re one He came to save.”

The poem in its entirety is on pages 222-223, “Why an Empty Grave?” in Books Blue Skies, Butterflies, & Battlegrounds.

You might be wondering why now? Why would I be bringing up an event that we celebrated weeks ago? My statement, “This is not our home”, is why. As we acknowledge and give thanks for the beauty of some of the springtime events I had just mentioned, we also acknowledge that springtime for us includes the thunder and lightning storms, hail, wind, floods, and sometimes tornadoes. As you know, the weather is a factor wherever we live, and we take the bad with the good. Doesn’t it make you glad that this is not our permanent home and that by Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection, we have a home in glory? I don’t know about you, but it makes me want to shout praises to my Lord!

1 Peter 1:3-5 (NKJV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

So, I believe we should have a steady reminder of the empty grave, our living hope of our future home in glory, reserved in heaven for us. Our hearts become filled with gratitude and praise.  It changes us, our motivation, and gives us purpose. Meanwhile, if we love Him, we must love others and be ready to share the Good News of the Gospel. We all need this good news, don’t you agree? Without it, we have no hope.

I certainly need these reminders, so this is quite possibly the reason I am motivated to write about them. Funny thing, as I am writing, I am doing some household chores and laundry with a more grateful heart. Similar to the birds singing while laboring to build their nests.

Have you noticed how much I write about reminders, remembering the right things? The scriptures are full of the benefits of remembering. Just one prime example is in  Psalms 42:5-6 (NKJV). During King David’s yearning for God amid distress, he asked himself, V5 “ Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance. V 6 Oh my God, my soul is cast down within me; Therefore I will remember You from the land of the Jordan, And from the heights of Hermon, From the Hill Mizar.” (Emphasis mine).

I say “out of sorts” would not come close to what David was going through during this time. Yet his hope in God, praising Him for the help of His countenance (presence), and remembering that God is always with him, sustained him through deep distress and exile.

Now I ask myself, “How can I be out of sorts while doing as David did?” Hymns, praise, poetry, His Word, and remembering the right things are the ways David overcame so much more than what I have experienced. When applied, they work for me, too.

A significant portion of the book of Psalms is attributed to King David. He was not only a King, but a gifted, skilled musician and poet who influenced the creation of many of the Psalms.

So, as I write to you and remind myself of the empty grave, my hope in Him, His presence always with me,  I am filled with gratitude and praise.  It changes me, my motivation, and I live with purpose. And I hope as you read what I write, you will believe and receive it for yourself. There’s no better place to be than His Word changing us, motivating us, and giving us purpose in this life. What He has done for us, He will do for you.

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you And give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV.

Thank you for spending time with me. I appreciate you and your comments.

Reba

Welcome, glad you are here,

Today, I chose to go back to the beginning of my writing and the introduction in my first book, Inspire Me.  For those of you who have read the introduction, I will explain why I began my search for a poem for my sister’s birthday with Helen Steiner Rice’s work. For those of you who haven’t read it, I hope this will inspire you to. It is significant in this part of my journey. I  still believe you will benefit from this story if you don’t read it.

Before my husband retired from the US Navy, the Lord allowed me the opportunity to train as a Physical Therapy Technician. Through that training, I was exposed to the benefits of massage therapy. Eventually, I submitted to God’s will for my life and became a Master Massage Therapist. I should write about this part of resisting God’s will in my walk at another time. But for now, I will get back on my inspiration from Helen Steiner Rice and the gift that keeps on giving.

While working as a PT technician and massage therapist, my massage services were growing rapidly.  Our clinic consisted of Physical and Occupational therapists, and an Exercise Physiologist. I was the only one serving Physician and self-referred clients, and the other therapist referred clients to me as well.

Our Occupational therapist had a patient with a severe injury to his hand during cancer treatment. The patient’s name was Bill, and his wife was Gertrude. One day, while treating Bill, Gertrude explained that she needed help with a torn rotator cuff she had incurred during a fall. Her doctor recommended surgery, which was not an option for her due to her husband’s declining health. Our OT recommended that she schedule a massage appointment with me.

At first, she was a bit skeptical. Afterall, how could massage help a torn rotator cuff, right? With his encouragement and it being the best option she had, she made her massage appointment with me.

There was a much greater purpose in our meeting than therapist and client. Therapists are trained to disallow clients from becoming friends. Although I understand the reasoning behind this rule, I also know that God has better plans than our many rules.

Gertrude was in her mid-eighties and I in early-forties. She stood tall and stout of German decent. She was a well-dressed, educated woman who had overcome many difficult times throughout her life.

Her first husband was abusive, and she, with her two young sons, had fled for their lives after she raised a hog and traded it for an old beat-up truck that ran. She said with strong resolution, “My boys and I threw one suitcase each in the back of that ole truck, and I drove away and never looked back”! Her family members assisted with the boys while she worked hard to make a new life for herself and them.

She had stayed single all those years and had only been married to Bill about a year when they found his cancer. Thus, the trips to our clinic.

Gertrude and Bill were a storybook couple. “He treats me like a queen,” she stated with a soft, tenderhearted look.

As the story unfolded, Bill had been married to one woman previously. Her name was Virginia. They had a daughter named Carol. Carol met and married Gertrude’s youngest son, Jerry. I know this sounds complicated, but please bear with me. Hopefully, you will eventually see the importance of these relationships.

Fortunately when Jerry and Carol married, Gertrude and Virginia became best friends. After many years of this close relationship growing closer, Virginia got cancer. On her deathbed, she explained to Carol and Jerry that Bill would need to marry again. And then she said it…”Wouldn’t it be wonderful if he married someone like Gertrude”? Wonderful happened, and Bill married Virginia’s best friend, and Jerry’s mother, Gertrude. Therefore, Carol’s mother-in-law also became her stepmother. How’s that for a close family?

Our massage sessions were successful in Gertrude’s full healing. After about six to eight sessions, she had no more pain with a full range of motion. This time together was long enough for us to develop closeness, including activities outside of the therapist/client environment, her stories unfolding just in time for Bill’s passing. Gertrude said that although it seemed cut short, her year as Bill’s wife was the best year of her life. Gertrude continued to come for massages every week like clockwork.

Meanwhile, Gertrude bought a gift certificate for Carol to receive a massage. Wow! Our meeting was like an extension of friend/family-like relationships. Jerry and my husband became good friends, and we included Jerry and Carol in all of our family events. I cherish those God given years with them.

I can imagine by now you are wondering how this could have anything to do with the gift that keeps on giving. This is where it gets clearer.

After Bill’s passing, Gertrude got homesick for Iowa. She still had a home, farming acreage, two granddaughters from her oldest son, and some lifelong friends (most widows) still living there in Grundy Center. She made the very difficult decision to return for her last years. I missed her terribly but was so thankful that she was able to live out her wishes.

Gertrude left some cherished items with Carol and Jerry. One was a gift that Bill and Virginia had given her many years prior. Yes, this cherished gift was a book of Helen Steiner Rice’s poetry. The title was “Somebody Loves You”. The inscription inside in Virginia’s handwriting read, “Dear Gertrude, The somebody that loves you is us! You really are a beautiful person. We’re so happy you’re a part of our family. God bless and keep you. Much love, Bill and Virginia.”

Knowing the love between Gertrude and me, Carol chose to gift that book to me. Gertrude was well pleased with that decision and I was deeply honored. Although I had not had a fondness for most poetry, and Helen was a little older than my parents, I fell in love with her “giftedness”. She wrote some of the most inspirational poetry of her time. I discovered she was acclaimed as America’s poet laureate of inspirational verse. Coupled with her deep Christian faith and her giftedness, she published numerous books of poetry, of which I proceeded to seek and collect. As I read about Helen’s life, I discovered she, too, had a storybook marriage that ended in tragedy. Her love for the Lord and the gift He gave her was her saving grace.

Now for the Gift That Keeps on Giving. Virginia gave the book to Gertrude. Gertrude gave the book to Carol and Carol gave the book to me. Through Helen’s inspiring words, I had the desire to find one of her poems for my sister, Karen. I had read that Helen had a sister, but after a long, determined search, I could not find a poem that she had written for her sister. God used these relationships, my giftedness as a massage therapist, the gift certificate, and the gift of a book to inspire me to write a custom poem for my sister. As I explained in my introduction, “inspiration was turned on, thus this collection of poems”. It isn’t hard to see why I titled my book “Inspire Me”.

Now, I am here writing about these gifts and the subsequent two books of poetry that I have published, with the first poem being a gift that was inspired by a gift. These books led to my blogging, and my blogging has thus far reached people in my country, Ireland, South Africa, Portugal, Canada, China, Pakistan, Sweden, Netherlands, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Australia, Germany, France, United Kingdom, Mexico, and Turkiye.

Could I have ever coordinated all of this? Of course not! Only the Lord God Himself can do such as this. I will be grateful to Him forever, and I am grateful for each of you. I do love hearing from you through your comments or my connect page. And meanwhile, I do hope you feel led to give one of my books as a gift that will keep on giving. You never know where the Lord will take it and how He will use it. You can find them on my books page. They are available on Amazon and from online booksellers worldwide.

I hope this helps you see more clearly how much God values our friends, family, and loving, gift-giving relationships. He is our provider in all things good, and His timing and purpose are always perfect.

To Him be the glory and honor forever,

Reba

P.S. My mother-in-law passed on Christmas Eve 2010. Carol sang beautifully at her funeral. The following year July 2011, Jerry passed, and the day before Christmas Eve, Carol passed also. Gertrude outlived them all. Ten years after Gertrude had moved to Iowa, I made my plans and set the date for me to travel to Iowa to see her. She passed in the night a few days before my trip. What a shock and disappointment! I could not understand! But what a glorious day when we are all gathered together with Jesus, our Lord and Savior, for all eternity. And as for those of you that have made Jesus your Lord and Savior, we will meet each other and together praise Him for the Gift That Keeps On Giving. His Son, the “Gift” that I love writing about the most. He’s the reason I am living. I pray you will choose Him also.

Hi everyone, Thank you for joining me today.

I want to also thank everyone for your condolences about losing our dog, Howie. I say “losing,” but I know he’s not lost. That in itself is consoling when I remember that I need to direct my thoughts to what God has given me.

Therefore, I will write about remembering the “right” things, again, as I did when remembering 11 wonder-filled years of Howie’s life.

In July 2023 I wrote two blogs about remembering. There is joy in remembering the right things. In Rightly Remembering I mentioned that David and I had agreed I needed to write about some of the many things God had given me to give others. My desire to give a poem to my sister as a gift began my poetry and writing adventure. In Blue Skies, Butterflies,& Battlegrounds I wrote about several gifts that the Lord had inspired me to give, just the right gift at the right time.

Today’s story is about a gift for a broken-hearted friend of my daughter’s.

Where do I begin? I will write as the Holy Spirit guides me to tell of the goodness and kindness of the Lord in many of the simple things in life…

My daughter, Andrea had a close friend several years younger than her. Her friend had never been married and was still dating. She had not been taught about Jesus until she met Andrea. She started going to church with Andrea and received her salvation. Their friendship grew even closer during that time and Andrea was able to give her wise counsel on various topics.

I met this friend and had only been around her a few times; I didn’t know her well.

She came to visit Andrea at our house and I saw the two of them sitting on our patio talking. I went outside to briefly greet her because I didn’t want to interrupt their visit. Before I went inside Andrea told me it was her friend’s birthday that day. I had the idea and desire to give her something that might be meaningful to her, so, I asked the Lord for help as I looked through my things.

Quickly, I thought of my vintage handkerchief collection, so I started there. They all looked very old-fashioned, too much so for a younger modern woman, except for one. It was bright and beautifully decorated with hearts. I was confident it was right to give as her gift.

 So I quickly hand-washed it and let it dry under my blow dryer.

The next step was to decide how to wrap it special. I thought of a box first but knew I didn’t have any wrapping paper. So, I went through my collection of gift bags. Right away I found a gift bag with…you may have guessed, hearts all over it. It even had a vintage look to it! I was very pleased with what I was finding, and thankful that it was going so quickly because I didn’t know how long her visit would be.

The handkerchief was soon dry and as I was wrapping it in tissue paper I had the idea to drop a few drops of essential oils on it. While searching through my essential oils I had no idea what scent she would like. I know enough about aromas to consider they have powerful effects on our spirit, soul, and body. It was an important decision. The Lord certainly knew the desires of my heart so when I came to the oil Melissa, I knew it was the right one. I can’t explain it, I just knew. I sprinkled a couple of drops on the heart hanky, wrapped it in tissue, and excitedly slipped it into the special bag.

As I was going outside to present the gift I decided to look up the benefits of Melissa oil. It is a calming, relaxing oil, and can help reduce stress and anxiety. It is also known as the healing of the heart oil! Not knowing what was going on in her personal life, I knew her well enough that she could probably use some calmness in her life ( as most of us) so I was pleased with my brief research.

So, with the gift in hand, I headed for the patio with that little excitement building that I didn’t understand. After all, it was an old handkerchief for a young woman who had most likely never used one, right?

As I presented the gift I told her it was a small token of my appreciation of her friendship with my daughter. I then wished her a happy birthday. She smiled and first remarked on her love for the heart-covered bag. 😊Then she unwrapped the handkerchief. As she smelled it she exclaimed, “I love this scent and the handkerchief is beautiful”! She appeared genuinely pleased. She asked what scent it was. When I told her the oil was Melissa and its benefits, she started to cry. The funny thing is, she had right in her hands what she needed to catch those tears.

I did not understand the emotions until Andrea explained something in her friend’s personal life. She had a broken heart over a recent break-up with a man she thought she was in love with and would marry. There it was, the purpose for the hearts and the healing of the heart oil!

As always, God knows exactly what He is doing through us and why. He provided and had me choose the heart hanky to dry her tears, the heart bag to hold it, and the Melissa oil to help heal her broken heart. All of this on her birthday and visit with her dear friend, my beautiful daughter, Andrea.

While all of this unfolded, I was not only blessed and grateful, but I was reminded our God knows how to give the best even in the small things. I can never thank Him enough for allowing me to participate and He gave me the desires of my heart while doing so. As always it is more blessed to give than receive. And He gives more than we even know to ask for.

Psalm 77:11-12 NKJV “I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember Your wonders of old. V 12 I will also meditate on all Your work, and talk of Your deeds”.

And the “Greatest Gift” of all reminds us…

Luke 22:19-20 NKJV “And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” “Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you”.

I spoke of this “Gift” in my book “Inspire Me”. Here are a few verses from the poem “Sea of Forgetfulness” pages 12-13.

“Forgiveness my dear, that’s where salvation does start,”

I inquired how to attain the Salvation He spoke of

He said, “It is a Gift from the Father above”.

Darkness removed, in His light, I could see

The “Gift” He spoke of was walking next to me!

So there in the midst of my many sins in the sand

Kneeling before Him, I took “Gift’s” nail-scarred hand“…

Thank You, Lord, for giving us everything we need even in the seemingly small things. May we always give You the Glory.

And thank you, my friends. Your time is valuable. I pray each time you read what I have written you see more of God’s love and character and that you have or will receive the Greatest Gift of All. Jesus Christ, God’s perfect “Gift” to all mankind.

Reba

PS. I have seen some scripture references I have previously given that are the wrong chapter or verse. I will try to be more diligent in double-checking for typos or genuine mistakes.

First, let me thank you for staying with me and being patient in this process. I hope it doesn’t appear that I think it is all about me and my family. Even if no pets were involved I would be sharing my life experiences and His Word to hopefully encourage you in your faith and trust in the Lord. You know, “Inspire Me”, “Blue Skies, Butterflies, and Battlegrounds”, and in this case, All Things Great and Small.

With that said, I will begin with a bonus then on to my dreams and the “Right Door”.

In my first attempt to write about this in All Things Great and Small, I stated “I made my title include all things because the Lord cares about all things concerning us”. Closer to the end I quoted 1 Peter 5:7. I ended with a picture of our church bulletin referencing the books the veterinarian wrote, and the verse in Psalm 104:24-25. This morning I looked at the other bulletin that was with this one. This is what I saw…

Thank You, Lord, for your apropos bonus.

Now on to the first dream that shows just how deeply He does care about us…

In this dream, I was standing in front of our vet clinic which does not provide emergency care. I saw a man standing on my left and I understood that he was one of the doctors. I said I wanted to bring him last night for help but I didn’t. The doctor said, “Howie was here last night scratching at the door to come in but no one was here to help.   I could see Howie frantically scratching to get in for help. Immediately after, I looked up and saw Jesus standing slightly to the right. Jesus said to me, “ I was here for Howie and I opened the right door for him to come in”. He came in the door with Jesus! I woke up! Can you imagine the astonishment, then, the peace that swept over me? I cried with joy and wonderment this time. I understood that it was Howie’s time to go with Jesus. Jesus was there for him and opened the right door. Remember the doggy door at our church I mentioned?

My heart was so full of overwhelming gratitude, yet there was more healing in the process still ahead. The process included another dream. More than I could ask for.

This dream began with me standing in our family room looking at our front door. It was opened slightly and a bright beam of sunshine was pouring inside our foyer (our house faces the north so the front is always shady). (Our door was reversed in the dream. The doorknob is on the right but in the dream it was on the left). Then I saw Howie happily and hurriedly passing through the doorway into the light. Howie had had a fear of passing through doors that weren’t opened wide. There was absolutely no fear or hesitation in this instance. I awoke with a smile and another big bandage on my heart.

The Lord hasn’t stopped doing His part, nor will He ever. He is Jehovah Nacham, Hebrew for The Lord is my Comforter. The Greek word for “Comforter” is parakletos, which combines “para” and “kaleo” to mean “called to one’s side”. He has assuredly been by our side. How do we thank You, Lord?

As I have relived these dreams over and over, I decided to search for a picture of Jesus opening the door for a dog. Here is what I found. Another big step in healing our broken hearts.

Some day I will order this and hang it by our front door.

Meanwhile, I choose instead of staying heartbroken by the loss, to shift my thoughts to the joy and wonder God gave us through Howie’s life. The reality is, that Howie was aging. I just didn’t want to accept that fact. Also, most of us outlive our pets. So when we add them to our family we will most likely have to say goodbye.

Our new veterinarian sent us a card that says, “Forever in our hearts“…“They ask for so little yet leave behind so much”. I’m cherishing the “so much”!

But no, it doesn’t stop there. We received a sympathy card from Cousin Kathy. The message read, “To make Heaven the perfect resting place for loved ones we adore, God made sure those Pearly Gates contained a doggy door”. Again, the doggy door! The right door!

The Lord has beautifully connected more comfort and healing than I could have imagined. Hopefully, this has helped encourage you to trust our incredible God forever at our side through all things great and small. Always opening the right door for us to enter in as we cast our cares/anxieties on Him because He deeply cares for us.

Psalm 100:4 NKJV “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise, Be thankful to Him and bless His name”.

I am thankful Lord for 11 Wonder-filled years with Howie the Wonder dog that you led through the Right Door.

To Him be all the praise and glory forever! AMEN!

And if you have a pet, please hug him or her for David our family, and me,

Reba

As I walk down a fresh raw memory lane, these are just a few things I can share about Howie.

Howie would leap in the air to catch his frisbee and with joy leap even more when he welcomed us home. He would fiercely chase the squirrels and then wonder where they had gone when they disappeared up a tree. This was the other side of our “wonder” dog. 😊

His best effort was given in pursuit of a herd of deer until the buck gave a clear indication that it wasn’t a good idea. Howie turned away on a dime! With his tail tucked and ears peeled back he gave his little, short legs a run for his life, back home where David and Steven were witnesses to this scary but hilarious event.

He stood to guard over strangers and had an instinct of who belonged and who didn’t, except for UPS, FEDX, or any large delivery truck.  He never understood they were the good guys. I believe his distaste for them was engrained while abandoned at the airport. He really did try to contain himself and did pretty well at times. Now it does my heart good to think he could be chasing all the delivery trucks he wants. When he catches them he will find they are good guys after all. They are delivering doggy treats for every wagging tail; him first.

He loved everyone and played with their dogs regardless of their size. However, when several dogs were competing for my attention he would stand guard in my lap or by my side and let them know who I belonged to. Although he wasn’t considered a lap dog, when he did sit in a lap, David was chosen most frequently. He seemed very content there for a while. If David left for a moment he saw that as his grand opportunity to steal the seat.

He would only chase the cats that ran from him and loved on the ones that didn’t. Howie spread his love and joy everywhere he went. He especially enjoyed his trips to Lowe’s Hardware Store where they told him how cute he was and would treat him to a doggy biscuit. He would strut around like he owned the place. He was small in stature but he didn’t know it. He was the biggest creature on the planet!

Many of our church family met and loved Howie. After greeting everyone who came for our group Bible studies, he would settle down so we could have our time together. We noticed that he stayed closer to one particular group member than others. We no longer wondered why, when our friend, Donald, disclosed the doggy treats he carried in his pocket and doled out to Howie throughout the evening. Howie knew a real dog lover when he met him.

Through God’s perfect timing, Howie was instrumental in meeting my friend Pati. David and I took him to the doggy park just before releasing my second book “Blue Skies, Butterflies & Battlegrounds”. Pati was exactly the helper that I didn’t even know I needed. She was experienced in book promotions, and blogs, and has a wealth of talents she could now use for me. She had become widowed a little less than a year prior. On that special day, she had decided that a trip to the dog park with her furry puppy companion would help lift her spirit. Pati had a renewal of purpose and was highly motivated to help me who was clueless in her area of expertise. Pati was the “hummingbird” zipping along and I was the “butterfly” floating along taking in what I could grasp. Although Howie and Kippy did not become best friends, they served a greater purpose. They were the reason Pati and I connected. I think of that day every time I drive by the park.

Howie was David’s assistant overseeing the building of our new church sanctuary. Although he didn’t see its completion, I’m sure of Howie’s confidence that they would certainly install a doggy door.

Please keep the doggy door in mind as we continue with this story.

Each of our family members were a big part of Howie’s joy. We will share those treasured memories together for years to come. Wonder-filled life for certain…

In my effort to go forward in healing, I will tell only a little of Howie’s passing.

Howie was aging. Yes, it happens but it’s hard to accept. He slept a lot. He lay on the window bench to continue his guard over our home. He began having seizures. I wondered how much of this we would have to endure. Sadly our daughter, Allison, and granddaughter, Haley, had experience in this and were helpful. He only had two seizures that we know of and after the last one, he wasn’t the same. It appeared to have caused a heart issue. His last night he showed signs of congestive heart failure with some problems breathing. He wasn’t in pain and appeared to desire to be alone. He went to a wooded area next door and lay in the leaves. We brought him inside to be close to us, having no idea he would not make it through the night.

It was late evening and I wanted to find an emergency vet to take him to. For some reason, my husband didn’t agree. He didn’t believe they could help. This had the potential of being a big issue between us. But thank God, He put that to rest also by giving me a dream. Dreams I will save for later.

After Howie passed quietly and peacefully, and David and I were drained of tears and sadness, we needed to rest. I was admittedly afraid to go to sleep. I was concerned that I would have fretful dreams about not finding emergency care for him. I did finally go back to sleep sometime after midnight only to have violent dreams! They had nothing to do with our horrible event. I do not remember anything specific other than they were bad enough that I woke up. I immediately asked Jesus to “please help me”. “I need sleep and Your comfort, Lord”. After a while, I dozed back to sleep to experience the most comforting dream I’ve ever had about a pet!

This may sound like a cliffhanger but I decided to post this dream and some bonuses in the next, along with a short ending. A much-needed break is in order again.

So please join me for more of this wonder-filled life story,

Reba

PS How could I forget to mention Howie’s smile?

As I write to you today, I am considering it healing “therapy”. You pet lovers will understand my broken heart and many tears.  I and Jesus lovers will gain a deeper understanding of God’s healing in all things great and small.

Some of you are familiar with the series of books “All Creatures Great and Small” written under the pen name James Herriot. He was a veterinary surgeon in England from 1940-1992. I made my title to include all things because the Lord cares about all things concerning us.

I have always been a dog lover from a family of dog lovers. No, dogs were not exclusive but foremost. My husband shares the same love for dogs, so early in our marriage, we adopted dogs (sometimes cats). Each has held a special place in our hearts, but this time, it is all about Howie the Wonder Dog. Howie passed away last week, leaving another big hole in our hearts that needs healing.

First, let me tell you how Howie came into our family and how his nickname “The Wonder Dog” derived.

Not too long before Howie, we had two dogs who had grown elderly. When the time came for that agonizing decision, with the assistance of our family veterinarian, Dr. France, we laid them to rest. I prayed many prayers that the Lord would through His love and mercy take them. But through previous experiences, the Lord had already shown me that we have authority over the animals. That choice would have to be ours through our love and mercy toward their suffering.

After making that choice (just two months apart) for our beautiful Golden Retriever, Chelsea, and our gentle giant Great Pyrenees, Bogey I wondered if I could ever be a dog owner again. But with time to heal… my husband… and our natural love for dogs, we decided to visit our local animal shelter. We discussed what we were looking for in our new furry friend. “No males or puppies”.  Well, guess what? We instantly fell in love with a male puppy! I mean instantly! There was no turning back! They asked if we wanted to take him outside to walk in a fenced area to see how he responded to us. We did gladly but he had already stolen our hearts. He was such a happy loving dog even in those circumstances. They explained that he and his brother were found abandoned at our local airport on a cold rainy night. His age was approximately a year old. His tail had been broken and grew back crooked and unbeknownst to us, at that time,  he had been shot in the hip with a BB gun. That was later revealed in an X-ray.

As I observed this scruffy pound puppy, with tail wagging, excitedly bouncing around David, his name came to me. “Howie”, I said to David, “ He looks like a Howie to me”! David quickly agreed so we named him before he was officially ours. We paid the fees and signed the adoption papers. Then excitedly and proudly drove him home. He rode in my lap, his tail still wagging as the three of us had newfound friends.

And then it happened… shortly after arriving home, I fed him and he immediately threw it all up. I tried to reason that it was from the excitement and the car ride. Just give him more time and he will be fine. After all, he didn’t look sick and was still wagging his tail. They don’t adopt sick animals and he was too happy to be sick, were some of my thoughts in an attempt to console myself and David. Those thoughts were failed attempts. The reality was that Howie could not hold down anything he ate. How could he be growing and looking healthy were the puzzling questions.

We had already made an appointment with Dr France for puppy shots and neutering. Little did we know we would experience over a year-long journey with a baffling sickness that mysteriously afflicted our precious pup.

I remember too many details of this journey, so it will suffice to say after multiple lab tests, special diets, X-rays, exploratory surgery, medications, and a significant amount of money all without answers or cures we lost hope for his future. I must add that the exploratory surgery left him with an incision from the base of his sternum all the way to the castration area! All were held together with staples and glue. When they brought him out to us, his massive incision was shocking! Extraordinarily Howie’s tail was still wagging as if nothing had happened! The outcome… he found nothing that could cause this sickness.

I found myself not just praying but begging God to do something! We could not find answers and could not bear the thought of putting him down! But the Lord did not answer at that time. He had a miracle waiting for us and we just didn’t know it.

After David and I gave up our efforts and thought we had no choice but to rely on the Lord to carry us through, I took Howie back to our vet to discuss the possibility of putting him down. (I thank God that Howie did not know what we were thinking). We were agonizing over the right decision for him.

Dr France was very understanding and knew how we had not only bonded with him but had desperately tried everything known to us to save him. He suggested, although he didn’t have any inflammation, if I was willing as a last-ditch effort, to try a round of steroids. His suggestion came with a warning, “I don’t want to give you any false hope but this is the only thing we haven’t tried”. “It’s not likely to help but do you want to try”? With all my efforts to suppress false hope, I agreed to try steroids for him. Dr France gave him his first pill in his office and we were to return after the ten-day course of this medication.

As I drove home with Howie, my emotions went everywhere. The battle in my mind was intense. Hope went to no hope, no hope went to false hope, and around and around we went. David was experiencing much the same but relied on me to make the final decision.

When we arrived home it was time for Howie’s evening meal. He ate but did not throw up! That had never happened before! I was puzzled even further. The next morning he ate but did not throw up again and again he ate and never threw up! After ten consecutive days of not throwing up I desperately wanted to believe we had a miracle. I could hardly wait to hear Dr France’s response. When I reported Howie never threw up again after the first pill he had given him, Dr France’s response was, “Well we know it wasn’t the pill.” “It’s a wonder.” While petting Howie he said, “Howie the Wonder Dog”! At that moment by a miracle of God, I knew our prayers were answered!

I could go on telling of this wonder dog, but I will have to continue when this “therapy” session has had a little break. I hope you will stick with me and hear more of God’s goodness in all things concerning us, all things great and small.

Meanwhile, I will trust the Lord for more healing as I praise Him for allowing us eleven years with His small but great creature.

And as always, I hope this is healing to anyone’s heart that is broken over the loss of a pet.

My purpose for all is to build our belief and trust in His goodness toward us no matter how hard it seems.

NKJV 1 Peter 5:7 “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you”.

To be continued…

Reba

PS This morning I found this timely bulletin lying under another and my Bible. It is from our church dated February 2^nd, 2025. I could hardly believe my tear-filled eyes.

Notice the scripture: NIV Psalm 104:24-25 “How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures…living things both large and small”.

As the snow and ice are still melting from last week’s wintry blast the temperatures have risen to a spring-like 71 degrees today. We have a little saying in NWAR, “If you don’t like the weather here, just stick around a few days (or sometimes a week) and it will change. Funny, but often true. 😊

And here I am at my computer to share with you what is on my heart.

My oldest brother, Thomas (we call him Tommy), who lives in Texas is going through some serious health problems again. I say again because he has had several touches with death, mainly but not exclusive to his heart condition. As in previous times, he drove himself to the emergency room not sure that he would make it. Thank God he did!

Although, without knowing of Tommy’s emergency situation, I continually had him in my thoughts and knew I needed to call him. He didn’t answer so I decided if he didn’t call me soon I would contact my sister, Denise, who lives close to him. Thank the Lord I didn’t have to wait long. The next morning he called and I learned of his admission to the hospital the day when I had tried to contact him.

As he began recounting the experience I could tell it was intense. It got more intense when he told me that the doctors were at odds with each other and disagreed on their diagnosis. Without definitive answers, they were treating him independently of each other. This was frustrating for us and added much unnecessary stress for a heart patient. As we talked, it was even more upsetting for Thomas to recite the confusion and lack of care throughout the process.

I decided to redirect our conversation by reminding him of all the times the Lord pulled him through and that he could trust Him again no matter how critical it got. We reminisced over events that confirmed God’s trustworthiness. Some would say that is “Preaching to the choir” (an idiom that means to try to convince people who already agree with you). And I say they are correct, but we all need those reminders.  Remembering God’s trustworthiness through our reminiscent conversation helped us get our eyes focused on how big our God is, not how big our problems are. Yes, near-death experiences are big. But never bigger than our God!

I have two brothers. Both are talented musicians, but I will tell more about them in another blog.

So before my phone conversation with Tommy ended I took the opportunity to express my appreciation for my big brother’s talents and how much his music ministered to me. Soon after, I thought of the old song “The Anchor Holds”. Tommy was familiar with the song but couldn’t remember the words. As we made light of his forgetfulness we started joking with each other.  Then he laughingly sang a childhood rhyme “I’m a little teapot…tip me over and pour me out”. My reply was, “Brother they gave you too much Lasix (a  diuretic used to relieve excess fluid) and you are already “all poured out”. Lol! The laughter was good. Like medicine as the Lord says in PROVERBS 17:22 NKJV “A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries up the bones”.

Unfortunately, there were far more less-than-positive events to his hospital stay. But when I spoke with my brother again, he had released himself from the hospital! In my opinion, this was a drastic move, but understandable also. How does a stressful stay in a hospital help the heart to heal? So many concerned thoughts arose again.

But God reminded me of the “anchor” so I listened to it along with the story behind it.  “The Anchor Holds” by Lawrence Chewning. I forwarded the link to my brother believing he would find comfort and strength in it also. You can find it on YouTube if you would like to hear the whole story with the song. It is powerful!

I will tell the parts of Lawrence’s story and the verses that minister deeply to my heart.

In Lawrence’s story, he told of the year 1992. He called it a year of sorrows. Oddly enough 1992 was much the same for my family. There were many commonalities in our stories that year. It was a year of burnout, discouragement, and depression not understanding tragic loss. He went on to tell of his time emotionally broken at his piano where he wrote the lyrics to this song. He said it was a very lengthy song, 10 to 11 minutes long but it really did help him by writing this.

Several months later, through a certain course of events, he ran into an old friend, Ray Boltz. He told Ray of his and his wife’s extremely difficult year and shared what he had written. Ray later asked if he would mind if he recorded it. With Lawrence’s permission, Ray downscaled it, recorded it, and made it famous. Lawrence was understandably going through financial difficulties at that time. This song provided not only emotional healing but also financial provision. The Lord’s provision in so many ways! Now that my friends is what I call the Lord taking what the enemy meant for bad(destruction) and turning it into good. More than good, His best came from the storm. And there is no telling how many lives have been comforted, healed, and changed through his song!

Here are the verses I connected with the most…

I begin with the chorus…

1. The anchor holds though the ship is battered,
2. The anchor holds though the sails are torn,
3. I have fallen on my knees as I face the raging seas,
4. For the anchor holds in spite of the storm….

• I’ve had visions, I’ve had dreams, I’ve even held them in my hand
• But I never knew they would slip right through like they were only grains of sand …

Chorus again and then…

• I have been young but I’m older now and there has been beauty these eyes have seen.
• But it was in the night through the storms of my life
• Oh that’s where God proved His love to me

The chorus is meaningful because of the words I wrote in Sovereign Captain at the Helm…

“Sail on my shipmate in this raging storm

Where faith and strength become the norm

Our Sovereign Captain is at the helm

Storms won’t overtake, or you overwhelm”… Page 15 in “Inspire Me”.

“Sinking Sand” on the page just before it is full of the same theme.

“Surrender to Him, take His hand,

Stand on the Rock, you’re on dry land,

Saving Grace, His Promised Land, overcomers of our sinking sand!”

Lawrence’s words in lines 5&6 remind me of these verses in “Gain”…

“If I gave my all to Him, what would I gain?

If I laid it all before Him, what would remain?

Or suppose all was stripped away, instead of laying it down,

Could my faith remain with nothing else around?”

Many of my poems and narratives have commonalities in our storms/battlegrounds, as in my book and poem “Blue Skies, Butterflies and Battlegrounds”. I began the poem by naming some of the “beauty I have seen”. Then we move on to the battlegrounds…“You grip my hand, guide me through, the very one I’m desperate for.”  That sounds like an anchor to me! It continues through his verses 8 & 9 “Through the storms of my life Oh that’s where God proved His love to me”. Mine in the last verse, “Thankful through life’s battlegrounds, I’m homeward bound, beyond the sky so blue!”

Can you tell, my friends, how this song touched my heart? This certainly wasn’t just for my brother. That is how God works; the good for all!

And I truly hope He has used this to touch your heart to know there is nothing in our lives that the anchor won’t hold as He is gripping our hand. He won’t let go! Be encouraged by the words in this song, my poems, and our testimonies. As I wrote in “God in Our Seasons”…

“I will take time to share my seasons, to help others see,

And encourage them to take time with Thee.

For our time with our Maker makes our burdens light

If we choose the Giver of Time, in all our seasons of life!”

And for the most important truth of all:

Hebrews 6:19  NKJV “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil.”

Isaiah 41:10 NKJV “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand”.

This is how we know He is the anchor and His grip is sure.

Until our time together again,

Reba