Mother of Seven + 2

 When I was in Bible college I was told that when God called you to ministry he would provide.  Specifically one of the things he would provide was the family we might have to leave behind.  There would be someone that would be that Mom or Grandma that we needed wherever God called us to serve.  Family has always been the hardest for me to be away from in our years of ministry.  The funny part is God didn't call us too far away, but he did take my parents to China for several years.  God helped fill the gap with the most beautiful and special lady, LaVada Smoot. We moved to Fredonia in 1997.  LaVada was the first to show up on our doorstep with her famous potato soup whenever one of us was a bit under the weather.  I soon found she was a good source of advice for anything from potty training to cooking.   She taught me how to make bread in the bread machine and how to make sand plum jelly.  I found excuses to call or go visit her, a...

I was glancing back through my journal that I am about to close and stash away with many others when I found these words that I wrote in June of 2019.  I vividly remember penning these words through tears as I tried to come to terms with my husband's plans to change ministries.  This was a very personal and lonely struggle for me.  I share now only to say there are hard changes in life sometimes, but they become opportunities for growth.  I needed to struggle in the shadow of the cross.  There were things in my life that needed fully submitted to Him.   I learned that it is in complete surrender that peace is found .  It is hard to describe that peace and why it is there.  Perhaps that is why we find these words penned by the apostle Paul in Philippians 4: 6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all und...

 Dear Linda, I do not weep for you.  My tears are for the empty spot inside of me.  I rejoice for you.  You are with the One you loved more than this life.  No more pain.  No more suffering.  If you can get this message in heaven, I just want to say thank you.  Thank you for all the memories.  My heart is full of gratitude to God for the blessing of you.  Thirty-eight beautiful years I knew you, and I treasure every one. God brought you into my life when I was in 8th grade.  You taught our girl's Sunday School class at church.  We were a silly bunch of giggling middle school and high school girls.  I remember you shaking your head and laughing along with us. You would invite all of us crazy girls to your house for fun and taffy pulls.  You even braved loading us up in your car for shopping trips to Bartlesville each year.  You knew our secret crushes, our dreams, and our struggles.  We were all your girls, a...

There are several women who have been role models and teachers to me.  Esther Friend was one of those people in my life.  Titus 2:3-5 says, Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.  Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Esther taught me much about how to love my husband.  I remember meeting Esther when I was twelve years old.  To me she was beautiful.  She often had a smile as she cheerfully worked serving those around her.  She was in her element when she had a kitchen at her disposal with lots of people to feed.   Over the years what stood out to me about Esther was the way she worked alongside her husband.  They farmed together, raised dogs together, and drov...

An Overview of the Book of Deuteronomy It is hard to remember something when we just hear it once or even twice.    We all need reminded over and over about what is important. I believe that is what the book of Deuteronomy is all about. It is a retelling of Israel’s history, the Law, and God’s keeping of his covenant promise to them. They needed reminded of what was important. The Book of Deuteronomy - YouTube Lesson: Deuteronomy is a 2 nd telling of Israel’s history, a 2 nd telling of the law, a nd another reminder of God’s faithfulness. He is a God who keeps His Word. Read Deuteronomy 6:4-8.   What are the Israelites asked to do in 6:4?   They were asked to hear in a manner that required more then just an auditory intake of sound into the ear. This hearing was something that required action.  Listen and Do. What actions are required that you find in verses 5-8?     How were they to do this?   They were to keep the comm...

     Parenting is tough.  We have seven grown children and two still at home.  The longer I've parented, the more I realize I'm pretty much a mess.  I don't have the answers.  I can't claim all seven children as wonderful success stories.  Parenting our last two isn't easier after already raising seven.  That's probably not what you wanted to hear, but it is reality.      It is scary for me to attempt to offer advice.  The best thing I can offer is the Holy Scripture.  I love Isaiah 55:8-11 which says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.  As the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word ...