Neighbors, Christians and Manners

I only have a few minutes to put my thoughts down, but I wanted to ask you to please continue praying fo us and our situation with our neighbor. To explain it all would take a long time, so I'll skip that. Thank you for all who have prayed, who are praying , and who will continue praying. It is really terrible to have a neighbor problem. You feel very intimidated, and that every move you make, is under their scrutiny. We'd love to resolve it all, but seeing that Mr. B is in his late 70's there is little chance of anyone changing him except the LORD JESUS.
Several years ago I read this quote on a magazine ad for Roman Meal Bread.
"You can't change a man, unless he's wearing diapers"
This is so true. I spent alot of time trying to change my husband, or things about him, but I can't. The things I tried to change weren't bad, they just bugged me. When I realized that all I was doing was bugging him about what bugged me about him, and that I was hurting us, and he wasn't going to change for me, a little bell went off. The only way any man is going to change is because he wants to change or God does it, and/or a combination of the two.
The past few weeks have been eye opening in a way. It hurts when people you think love and care about you, outright lie to you, or covertly decieve you. I'm talking about bretheren. Of course, Bob has always said that alot of the bretheren are less kind, gracious, longsuffering... of one another than lost people are of us and each other. Sadly that is true. The saying about people disappointing you is so true.
It has been hard to accept that some people I care about deeply, do not reciprocate those feelings. People I regard as close friends barely acknowledge phone calls, or emails, or letters....
And don't get me started about Pastors! No offense to any of you preachers/pastors and your wives. Any one desiring to be a pastor, preacher, missionary etc should be REQUIRED to take a thorough course in manners and etiquette; it is a sad sad day when the business man has more courtesy and respect for his collegues and customers, than a pastor, preacher et al does for the bretheren, his friends, etc.
I am not talking about true absent-mindedness. In fact, a very dear brother we know makes no bones about his memory problems, which he's had for years. He is truly afflicted, and hates it. But always apologetic and gracious.
In particular older pastors and preachers et al, with huge ministries, who travel world-wide preaching and teaching etc, seem to have mastered the art of responding to correspondence-email or snail mail, phone calls, etc. and we have the letters to prove it. Why is that? What has happened to the more recent generations?
My opinion is that somewhere along the way, we take people and fellowship for granted. The brethren and sisters who read this, who because of where God has called them, find themselves isolated from their family, church home etc....they KNOW what I am talking about. They treasure every second of fellowship they can get. They soak it up like a sponge, for the dry season they know is somewhere ahead, that might be 3 months or 3 years.
We take tomorrow for granted; but tomorrow never seems to come. We put off writing, or calling, so when we have more time, or things are less crazy, we can make a connection.
Aren't we supposed to love one another? Why is it that we write our own version of that, not in words but actions, to read, tolerate one another?
I promised to be short, and I have to get back to my pots and pans, which beckon me to cook some more.
Thanks to those who love us and pray for us.

Today my mind is wandering to the future. Many questions are whirling around in my head. Alot of them have come about as a result of the mission's conference last week. The need for workers in the fields is great. Each missionary, each field, made me ask, "Is that where one of my children will go?" In our flesh, in our physical world, at least in our family/home, we don't have much to give as far as money goes. Yes, our home is beautiful, glory to God, and it is a great gift of love from Him to us, but our home is more than just the painted walls, and furnishings. What we have to give is priceless. We have offered up our children for His use. Now I realize that their full surrender to God is a personal choice that they must make for themselves, but we as parents desire our children to be vessels fit for the Master's use. Our heart's desire is that God will take them and use them, and that not one of them would refuse Him. These thoughts have alot of emotions attatched to them. As a mom, in one way the last thing I want is for my children to go live in a distant land, and only visit with us every few years. I don't want to go to bed at night and wonder if my child is safe or being watched or taken to prison for preaching the glorious Gospel of Our LORD Jesus Christ. In my flesh, in the natural mother's heart, I don't want them to go very far from home, EVER. But with eternity in view, I want them to go for God without thought for dear old mom and dad. I want them to be consumed with Jesus. In fact, the last few months I have really begun to expect that in my golden years, if the LORD tarries that long, I will sit in my rocker, praying for my children, grandchildren, and maybe great-grandchildren, to stay by the stuff, to keep on for God, to fight the good fight, to finish the course, to reach for the prize of the high calling of God. My mind is set upon them all being far from me, and yet close to my heart. I am expecting them to be warriors and servants in distant lands, to go to the regions beyond and to say with all that in them is, "Here am I LORD send me" And if the LORD determines that they need not all go so far away to serve Him, then i will be extra blessed. I give up my children for the service of the KING of Glory-Jesus Christ. What more can I give? The other question that naturally follows, well several of them, are: when and where will they go? will they marry? who will they marry? when will this all come about? David is on the verge of marriage, Godwilling. What plans are in his future after that? We are so isolated, it is hard to keep my eyes of the practical issue of meeting prospective brides or grooms. Years ago I wrote to a precious sister about this matter. I told her that I believed that if necessary God would bring them to our front door-their car could break down, or asking for directions, or "accidentally" finding the wrong house. When I get a case of "how in the world will..." I remind myself of this...God's way are not our ways, His thoughts are not our thoughts. He can do anything, nothing is impossible with Him. All we know is we want God's choice.When a family friend was about to marry, I began to fret, and wonder how we would ever be able to give our daughters wedding gowns and pull-off even a small wedding. This was going through my mind on a Tuesday as we drove home from town. Tuesday was the day that the clothes house was open (over the years we have gotten many items from them free of charge) so we decided to stop on the way. We ran in and then out pretty fast for us. But oddly enough they had a wedding dress that particular day. Never before had I seen one there. As we drove up the hill for home, I went on and on about the wedding dress, chiding myself for not getting it. After we unloaded the van, Bob told me to take Charity back and look at it again. Off we went. The wedding gown was still there. We carefully removed it from the hanger, and one of the workers came over and held it close to Charity. I looked like it would be a perfect fit. Then more of them workers gathered nearby, formed a circle and prayed for her. They GAVE us the dress! As we were leaving they asked when she was getting married. I just had to laugh as I told them, she didn't even have a "boyfriend". They were amazed, and yet happy to give the dress to her. To Charity, it seems to be a promise that one day she will need that gown.To me, that was more a blessing to me than to Charity, because I'd be wondering about buying all the things you'd need for a wedding. It was God's way of telling me, in a dear, loving, gentle way, "Terry, see, you don't have to worry about anything. I've got it all under control" During the missions conference, they had special sessions for just the ladies with the main speakers wife, Mrs. Ireland. She spoke on the topic of "Prodigals". I wasn't able to talk to her but she really helped me by repeating my own words back to me, though we have never met. But during her lesson she said something very profound. "Control is an illusion" God is the one at the controls, He allows things to occur for our good, and learning. The greatest thing I can do as a wife and mother is to stop trying to control anything and reliquish control to my great Father, who doeth all things well. The future of our family will be full of changes, the unexpected-good and bad, but God is in control. And we know His way is perfect.

Sermons and Soap

This is just going to be brief because I am totally wiped out today. The late nights, up to 2am+ for over 2 weeks has caught up with me. Today we figured out how to put sermons online. The first one is from today. It is called COME OUT. You can listen to it on our site www.boazbaptist.com/sermons or www.sermon.net/boazbaptist Remember that we are a small home-church, with a relaxed atmosphere. The purpose of putting this sermon out there is to help, to edify, to encourage. We apologize for the less than great quality. We are in the process of getting the proper equipment to record digitally. Thanks for your understanding and patience.

Redecorated Bedroom-before, during, after

Photobucket Album

While I still have the nerve...

Since I got up the nerve to post about Gothard, as an aside to that, by following a link on that page, I ended up reading the article TEMPERAMENT ANALYSIS

Today I am posting a link to a topic which I was not very familiar until earlier today. My Pastors, from the early 1970's to mid 1980's, were adamant in the warnings against it. Quickly skimming the first few paragraphs, their voices echoed their warnings in my mind. (Am I am the only one with "voices" from the past in my head?)

This might stir up trouble, but I must pass it on, and let the chips fall where they may. My intent is to inform, ok, WARN, and let the reader do with the information what they or their husband deems right and proper.

Bill Gothard

Happy Thanksgiving

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thankgiving. As you gather with friends, and loved ones, far or near, take time to stop and pray and praise the LORD for the greatest blessing for which we should be thankful, not just on Thanksgiving, but everyday--the FREE gift of Eternal Life, by Grace through faith. What blessed people we are.