God's Frame

(One of my daughter's Senior pics)

The past two Saturdays I've had the wonderful opportunities to speak at women's events.  One was a Bible teacher's workshop and the other for a "Sweet Saturday" - a ladies' day event.  The "Sweet Saturday" had a special group of ladies that were in attendance.  It was several ladies who are living in a transition home for women who have previously been incarcerated.

I believe the lesson for Saturday was the hardest lesson I had ever prepared.  I needed to stay away from "Mother's Day" topics (which I'm sensitive about, anyway), but also needed to make sure it was a positive and inspirational message and not one that would cause bad memories or despairing thoughts.  God helped me with the lesson, giving me the right words to say at the right time to prepare them and write them down on paper.

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

At the first Saturday's workshop, another lady spoke and I was able to attend her class.  She told about an illustration she had heard and it was so neat, so I used it this past Saturday as part of my lesson.  My daughter's picture above shows the illustration.

We are in God's frame.  He created us.  He knitted us together in the womb.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  He has your frame hung on his "family photo wall", you might say.  But, you know on some frames when you buy them there's no picture in them, just a blank page with the size and cost?  Or on a Facebook wall when it's just a silhouette because the person hasn't put a profile picture on there yet?  

When we're not a child of God, He still loves us.  He's waiting for us to make the decision to come to Him through His Son.  Your frame is on the wall, but there's no photo inside.  He's waiting for your photo!  But when we're a Christian, our photo is in the frame - hanging on His wall!  We're part of His family!

Just like old photos faded with time or photos are sometimes out of focus and blurry, our framed photo may become blurry as it's hanging on God's "family photo" wall.  Sometimes we need to have a retake like they do on school pictures.  We need a new, updated, fresh photo....one that's more clear and more crisp.  Sometimes we have to refocus our lives and get back on track with God.  That's okay.  His grace is sufficient.

What do you look like?  What photo of you is in God's frame?  He wants your photo on His "family wall".  He has had your frame there since the beginning of your life - in the womb.  Is He waiting on your photo?  Is He needing an updated and more clearly focused photo?

Reread Psalm 139:13-16.  Dwell on it today.  I love those scriptures, don't you?  What an awesome God we have to live for and to serve!

The Chronicles of Biscuit - A Very Sad Day

The Chronicles of Biscuit:  Stories about our youngest son, Tyler, whose nickname is Biscuit.  But this time I'm telling it about him as Tyler :).

If you read my post last week about my friend, Tonya, you know that it has been a tough few days for our small town.  This morning is Tonya's funeral.  We dismissed school for the funeral, because most everyone from school will be attending the service.

Last Thursday night I got a Facebook message about Biscuit.....Tyler, our youngest son.  It was the sweetest message we could have gotten from one of his teachers about the very sad day:

Just so you know, your sweet son let the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classes in prayer today on the playground. It was touching and heartfelt and very much needed when we, the teachers, were at a loss of words to help comfort our students. I comment MaKenna (our niece, Tyler's cousin) for organizing the prayer circle and for Tyler leading it. I was proud to be a part of it.

I got some other messages from this teacher saying he checked on her after school and the next morning to see if she was okay, and his homeroom teacher when he took a jar of money he had collected from us that was going to be given to Tonya's family.

Tyler knew how sad his teachers and friends were at school.  He knew how sad I was, and has given me even more hugs and "I love you's" since last Thursday morning.

God knew how special little children were.  That's why He tells us to be as little children.  Sometimes we worry about how little children might handle something and want to shield them from the sad things, but just like in this sadness, the children comforted the adults.

Children are special, and yes, our Tyler (Biscuit) is special.  He's always had a tender heart and a deep thinker, but also has a special gift of connecting with others - especially adults.

On Friday, our church family fed the junior high, high school, and faculty of our school.  Tonya's children came to school that day.  They wanted to.  They needed to.  As her two oldest came through the line, I told them I loved them.  When the only daughter came through and I said that, she said, "I'm so glad you got to see her that night."  She meant the night before she died, when I had gone out to their house.  I said, "Me, too."  We smiled at each other, but my heart inside was breaking for that sweet little girl who would miss her sweet momma.

Children are a gift from God.  Let's not ever forget that.  In fact, let's strive to be more like little children ourselves. 

People were also bringing babies to Jesus for him to place his hands on them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:15-17

Bad Hair Days

I remember my friend calling me many times, but a few times when she called she would say, "Lori, I read through Facebook and see all of these people complaining about their hair and other things.  They're having a bad hair day or they don't like their haircut.  These people need to quit complaining and realize their blessings!"  I would agree with her and we'd go on to something else......mostly talking about faith, the Bible, our kids, school events, and Disney World.  

And we would talk about something else.  We would talk about her cancer treatments and about her hair falling out or coming back in, or even her wigs that she frequently gave 'haircuts' :).  What a blessing having a friend who was so optimistic in her trials!  What a blessing to have a friend who proudly proclaimed to all who knew her that she still had faith in God and His promises.  

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3

Yes, Tonya believed that God could heal her - even up until the moment she passed away this morning.  Her mother told me just last night that Tonya still talked about her faith.  She knew God could heal her if it was His Will.  She also knew that it might not be His Will.

Tonya was a blessing to all who knew her.  She was a wonderful wife and mother.  She leaves behind four young children in grades 3, 5, 7, and 9.  Her death has affected our whole small town and the school students and faculty.  We'll all miss her tremendously.

The last time I talked to Tonya she was heading to MD Anderson the next day.  She said then that she was thankful she had been able to help so many people who were taking cancer treatments and going through what she was. What an inspiration she was to others!!! She was to me. 

Last night I went to Tonya's house.  She was asleep, but sitting up on the couch.  Her mom and I talked, the oldest son was near her.  The other kids helped me carry in food.  The youngest boy tried to wake Tonya up to talk to me.  He would poke her on her shoulder and say, "Mama, mama, wake up!"  I told him not to worry about it, that when she woke up, to tell her I loved her and was praying for her.  It was sweet what he did a little later....still wanting her to wake up.  He rubbed her head and said "Wake up!"  It made me smile, seeing her short dark, curly hair that had grown in recently and thinking about those "bad hair day Facebook complaining" phone calls.  Oh, how I'll miss those phone calls and conversations about spiritual life! 

Tonya learned something very important during her battle with cancer. I remember when she called me and said she had cancer almost five years ago. She said then that she believed before that she was a "good" person....she believed in God and believed in Jesus, but she said that before the cancer, she hadn't fully dedicated herself to God and she believed that was why she was 'given' this trial - to proclaim the message of Him. Her faith grew stronger and stronger throughout her struggle.  In fact, she never considered it a struggle at all.

My sweet friend spent the rest of her days praising God, telling of Jesus, and encouraging others to do the same - to not believe that just being good is what God wants. She knew that God wanted her to live out her faith for others to see. Her faith never wavered, even when she began to have pain.  She read the Bible....studied the Bible....shared scriptures and inspiring messages on Facebook.  She worshipped with her church family when she felt good enough to be there and got her family to do so, as well.  She was an inspiration to all who knew her and to those who just heard about her. 

I pray that Tonya's message will not be forgotten.

When you have a bad hair day, a 'bad' day in general, or a trial come up in your life, think about my friend Tonya.  She never complained.....never felt sorry for herself.  She was always thankful for all of her blessings and was positive each and every day.  Let's all strive to be more like Tonya.  The world needs more people like her.  And after all, is a bad hair day really that bad?  No, not at all.

The last Facebook message Tonya posted herself, she ended with this message:  GOD IS GOOD.  She believed that.  So do I.  I pray that you believe that, too.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10

The Chronicles of Biscuit - A Special Thank You

The Chronicles of Biscuit: Stories about our youngest son, Tyler, whose nickname is Biscuit.

While I was in Oklahoma City last week, I called Biscuit to see how his day went.  He said that his class made something special for me that I would get when I got home.  I asked why and he said, "For everything you do."

Because I'm the PTO President - and have been for 13 years, the students think of me as the "party lady".  I enjoy the title and enjoy "treating" the students throughout the year, but I didn't and don't expect anything in return.  I get joy in doing that "job"so that's all I need - to make them feel special!

(Sweet and simple :).

But Biscuit said it was his idea that his class do something for me because of the pizza party they were having for winning a Box Top contest.  (Note:  I actually had helpers that day because I was out of town, but did have it organized before I left).  I was a little embarrassed that he - being my own son - suggested they make me something, but thought he was really sweet for saying that and getting something organized (showing leadership skills is something I enjoy seeing in my children - especially when it is doing something for someone else!)

(How creative!)

Yesterday Biscuit's teacher gave me the special thank you gift.  It was filled with sweet messages from each of the students.  I love it!!  What a sweet group of 4th graders!!

(Nice Pac Man reference!! Favorite childhood video game!)

Thank you, Mrs. Wolfe, Biscuit, and the rest of the 4th grade class for my special "Thank You"!!  You are each a blessing in my life!

(Thank you, Biscuit, for your sweet message and for organizing this whole thing! I found out this morning - after this post was written - that Biscuit "hired" someone to make his note!!!  I asked if he paid them.  Thankfully he didn't!  Later he said he only hired them to make the heart.  Ha ha!!)

There's Always Tomorrow

For two weeks I did a strict food regimen of no flour and no sugar (NFNS).  I didn't intentionally get off of that at first....it was just too hard to follow at a golf tournament and then when at the FFA Convention, I just didn't even try.  So now, a week later, it's hard to get back on track.

Yesterday morning and early afternoon, I was back on the NFNS plan, then jumped off the wagon again soon afterwards.  It's no wonder that the Disney song, "There's Always Tomorrow" popped into my head!  My body says:  It's time to get back to NFNS!  But my mind says:  There's always tomorrow!  It's a struggle.  A daily struggle.

But it makes me think:  Is there REALLY always tomorrow???  No.  Someday there will be no tomorrow.  Some day this earth will pass.  Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will come back to gather His children.  God will judge us.  There will be no more time.  No time for me to eat better.  No time for me to lose weight.  No time to tell someone else about Jesus. No time for those who haven't become His children to do so.  It will be too late.

None of the NFNS stuff will matter on that day at all.  It will only matter if I have lived a life in accordance with God's plan of salvation.

We sing another song at worship called, "Tomorrow May Be Too Late".  That's the song that makes more sense to a Christian and to a non-Christian because some day tomorrow will be too late.  It makes me think, does it you?  What is something I am putting off doing that I should be doing TODAY?  

The song in my mind today should change. Tomorrow may be too late should be my theme.  Will it make me eat better today?  Maybe so.  Maybe not.  But will it make me use my time to the glory of God more efficiently?  Absolutely!