Nan's Calendar

by  Nan Forehand,  Statesville, NC

You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You.  Hear my prayer, O LORD; listen to my cry for mercy.  In the day of my trouble I will call to You, for You will answer me.
Psalm 86:5-7

God is forgiving; God abounds in love.  He hears us and He listens to us.  He will answer us.

Are we forgiving?  Do we abound in love?  Do we hear God and listen to Him?  When He answers us do we obey Him when He directs us?

Sin is sin is sin.  Have you ever heard someone say "I can never forgive that person of that sin!"  Forgiveness is for the one who has been hurt and is still hurting.  It is for the one whose heart has been hardened.

In order for us to abound in love, we must remove anything and everything that is not of love.

It is necessary to be still and quiet to hear God.  Is enough time spent in quiet meditation and solitude to "hear" His voice.  This hearing of God's voice is understood in many different ways.  Not everyone "hears" God in the same way.  When you have heard, there won't be any doubt in your mind, who you heard.  You will know you heard from God.  There is a great difference between hearing and listening.  We all know that to be true.  There is a fundamental problem in a Christian's heart if he or she doesn't hear God speaking to him or her.  You know I will always speak the truth in love.  I'm not pointing fingers here.  I am giving everyone something to think about in regard to their personal relationship with God.  We all need to perform self-examinations at times.

Obedience is tough, isn't it?  When we quarrel with God, we are in essence saying, "God, I know better than you what needs to be done."  Instead of praying to God, "heal me" may it be "God, use me as I am with all my imperfections and flaws." Instead of praying to God, "fix that person" may it be "God, use that person according to Your will, not mine."  Remember, with God, there are no mistakes and no coincidences.  Everything happens for a reason and even though we don't understand it all, we simply have to trust and obey Him.  Obedience works every time.

Lord, thank You for loving us and for forgiving us when we sin.  Teach us to forgive and to let go of anything that keeps us from abounding in love.  Thank You for patience with us when we wiggle and squirm as we learn to hear You and listen to You when You speak to us.  Lord, we want to obey You and we know a life of obedience takes practice every single day.  Thank You for giving us opportunities to forgive, to love, to hear and listen to You and to obey Your will for our lives and the lives of others.  Thank You for never leaving our side.  Lord, when we turn away from You, bring us back to Your Holy Presence.  The soul longs for a deep, personal relationship with You.  Be with us, guide us, give us the peace that only You can give.  In Your precious name I pray.  Amen

God's Tug - Life's Pebbles and Boulders aka Problems

Life’s Pebbles and Boulders aka Problems

April 12, 2011

²⁴Then the end will come, when he [Jesus] hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he [Jesus] has destroyed all dominion, authority, and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death.  I Corinthians 15:24-27 NIV (but if you are so inclined, read the whole section of Paul talking about the resurrection of the dead and the body – I Cor. 12-58 – it’s amazing!)

It took me quite awhile today to read the whole section that Charles Stanley used in his magazine In Touch for the meditation today, which was from verse 20-58. I’m glad I did. In life everyone has problems and they are as varied as anyone can think of. I’ll just mention them generally – health, loneliness, grief, natural disasters, poverty, victims of crime and at least a gazillion more.

I think about problems, but I’ve also heard so many things about God taking care of them. Here are several of them:

God is bigger than any problem I have. (I’m sure many have heard this one before)

God is good all the time. (Thank you Que!)

Life’s not fair, but God is good. (This saying is on a mug a late friend gave me.)

I’m sure everyone has some sayings of their own that they’ve either heard or have been brought up with. One problem, though, which neither I nor anyone else for that matter, can successfully overcome is victory over death. When I read the verses above I had to read them several times over, since I was so amazed by them. Only Jesus through God the Father can do this. I know this, but it's still always amazing to read again.

This will be a short God’s Tug tonight. I’ve been dealing with quite a bit of pain in my lower back and bad headaches the last few days (no I’m not complaining, I just have to take care of myself), so I’m off to bed after I post tonight’s blog. Also a praise for God - my company has offered me (and other tutors) a chance for some temporary work until the end of June, so I will not be unemployed just yet. YAY God! ;-)

God’s blessings upon you, your families, and (any) furkids.

Please note that you may pass God’s Tug on to anyone you think would like it. I appreciate any comments you have for me, whether I agree with them or not.

Michelle Rose

Nan's Calendar

by   Nan Forehand,  Statesville, NC

As I sit here before my computer this morning, it occurs to me the comparison of the blank, whiteness of the "page" I am now typing words upon and the blank, whiteness of the day before me.  I have the privilege of revealing myself to the world through this medium of Nan's Calendar, being vulnerable in so doing.  What you get from me is real and honest.  Yes, it is a privilege to reveal myself to you through my efforts to encourage and inspire.  It is a privilege because I no have no fear of judgment. My conscience is clear.   I believe you all know I am sincere and what I share with you is shared in love.

Before I typed the first words in this message, it was a mystery what the message would contain in its finished state.  Right now it is a mystery how my day will turn out before I lay down in my bed tonight.
I want today's message to be worthy of your time in reading it.  I want you to get something good out of it. In the same way, I want the people I talk with in person and those I will be in talking with on the phone to get something good out of our interactions today.  You and I all have the freedom to be ourselves as we go out into the world.  With the click of a button, I can go out into the world without leaving the comfort of my home.  The words I share with you are representative of my character and my essence.  Though I am not with you in person, my character and essence are with you in this message I send to you through the miracle of the internet.  We have the ability to let go of anything that would hold us down and prevent us from being honest with ourselves and others.  When we speak the truth in love, with gentleness and kindness, everything changes.  Our perspective of ourselves change and our perspective of others change.

The essence of our Holy God is with me with every breath I take.  Because I am keenly aware of that, I am comforted and I am aware of my accountability and responsibilities.  I am accountable for everything I share with you in Nan's Calendar and I am responsible for my words and my actions.  One day I will be in the presence of God and my judgment day will be at hand.  It's not necessary to read between the lines and think I am, in a subtle way, telling you I am dying.  Rather, I am fully living.  I think it's important to think of our judgment day and how we live our lives each day.  I live in the present, but my soul will live for eternity somewhere.  I believe and I hope that "somewhere" is Heaven.  Now I know in part; then I will know fully.  Now I believe and I hope and pray I will live for eternity in Heaven.  My belief in the promises of God and my faith carry me through until I reach the other side.  When I stand before God in Heaven, I will in truth, be on the other side, in Heaven.  Now it is a belief.  Then it will be truth.  I live for the truth every day.

I want you to enjoy every moment of your day today.  Believe something good will happen.  More than that, expect something good to happen.  I wouldn't want anything less for you than I want for myself.  Whatever I get out of life, I want you to get more out of it than I do.
With love and prayers reaching out to you, your sister in Christ, Nan

Good Things

by  Everett Christian,  McAlester,  OK

 
 
GOD SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS HOLY WORD
 
32 Better to be patient than powerful;
      better to have self-control than to conquer a city.
- Proverbs 16:32(New Living Translation).
 
 
 
GOD'S PROMISE TO US FROM HIS HOLY WORD
 
(Jesus said) 17 "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  - John 3:17(New International Version).
 
 
 
A QUOTE
 
I'm learning that a good sense of humor is money in the bank, in life, on the job, in a marriage.
- Phil Callaway -
 
 
 
THOUGHTS TO REMEMBER
 
In the old days, the board of education was a shingle in the woodshed.
- From Reminisce Magazine -
 
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
- Age 62, Wisdom Through The Ages -
 
Setbacks pave the way for comebacks.
- From Remenisce Magazine -
 
The only thing that keeps us going is that He (Jesus) is coming!
- From Reflecting God -
 
 
 
NOTES
 
Today has been mostly sunny with a high temperature of 73 degrees. Low temperature this morning was 57 degrees. Last evening shortly after 10:30 p.m. thunderstorms rolled into our area and lasted until well after midnight. We received over an inch of rain in McAlester which was very welcome. I had lunch with Charley and went to the post office. I took a nap in early afternoon. My daughter, June, arrived shortly after 5:00 p.m. to spend a few days with me. She and husband, Keith, live in Yukon, Oklahoma, at present but will be moving to Hawaii in June of this year. I was sitting in the yard with the cats when she arrived.
 
The cats are fine. Little Girl on the couch, Rascal on the desk near me and the others around somewhere.
 
At 9:50 p.m. skies are fair with a temperature of 63 degrees. I will see you next time.
 
In Christian Love, Everett.

Gospel Tidbits

by  Gary James Smith,  Canada

GOSPEL TIDBITS:   GOD HAS  SENSE OF HUMOR
 
After moving out west from Ontario we were still a bit homesick. You know how that goes. There is always something about home that never leaves you, seems to be part and parcel of life.

We decided to take a day trip as a family and chose Banff, Alberta which is about ninety miles west of Calgary.  Being quite a tourist destination, I said to my wife wouldn't it be something if we met someone from Sault Ste. Marie, who happened to be visiting this area.

As we were driving I would scan each license plate , seeking a car dealership decal to identify their location in Ontario.  During the course of the day I saw a number of Ontario plates but nothing to give Sault Ste. Marie as their point of discovery. I will be honest here, I did feel a tad downcast when nothing materialized to that effect.

I will never forget,  arriving in Calgary a number of hours later,  when  we  pulled up in front of our house  and lo and behold, an Ontario license plate, and more, lo and behold, a Sault Ste. Marie, car dealership sticker. The facial transformation and increase in heart palpation is still a precious memory to me today. We could hardly wait to see who was here from the Sault.

Back in those days you could leave your doors unlocked, and we did. Upon entering  we were pleasantly surprised to see a pastor from Sault Ste. Marie with his wife and family.

You can well imagine the joy and fellowship we had as I shared with them how I had been looking for a car from Ontario  and Sault. Ste. Marie in particular while in Banff.  

All the while God had this surprise  waiting for us here in Calgary. God has a sense of humor and as well He satisfies the longing hearts.

HOME SWEET HOME
 
Home sweet home, the thought of it
What precious memories there
The childhood days, of yesteryear
Thoughtful times to share.
 
Friends we went to school with
Times within our home
Relatives always visiting
Rarely ever alone.
 
Fishing holes, our secret spots
The places where we'd sit
And meditate upon our lives
Just for the fun of it.
 
Baseball games at Little League
'Were we going to win?"
The early morning practices
The exercises begin.
 
Then night would come,day was gone
I'd kneel down to pray
Now I lay me down to sleep
Lord thank you for today.
 
Copyright April l0, 2011
Gary James Smith
 
Friend it is wonderful to meet someone from your hometown, but how much more wonderful to know that you will see them forever in that home called Heaven if they know the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. What an opportunity God has given us to share that good news of the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Him. That is truly, 'HOME SWEET HOME' when we spend eternity with the One who loved us and gave His life for us.

Hallelujah! What a Saviour!