My Hero

What is a hero?  One definition is “a person who displays courage and a will for self sacrifice for the greater good of all humanity.”  I love this description…it describes my hero perfectly. 

Most people have heroes that they don’t really know outside of the television or Internet.  But I have had the privilege of personally knowing my hero all of my life. I have never once been let down by or lost respect for my hero.    

She has many titles: Daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, Christian…and hero.  If I tried to make a list of her many attributes (which it would never include everything) it might look something like this:  strong, unselfish, humble, peaceful, comforting, patient, kind, forgiving, loving, gentle, protecting, generous, trustworthy, faithful, hopeful, beautiful, nurturing, fun-loving, creative, joyful, courageous, wise, and humorous.

As I started making this list, I couldn’t help but notice the similarities to the scripture:  1 Corinthians 13:4 NIV - Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 

I guess we can see the driving force behind my hero…love.  Because of love, she is able to possess all of the qualities I listed above. The love of Jesus in her shines through her onto everyone around her. That is why she is my hero.  Not because she has a college degree or a high-paying job; not because she drives fancy cars or lives in a mansion; not because she is famous or a politician.   She is my hero because she loves Jesus and she lets Him control her life.  

My hero’s name is Clara Grider Morden Smith.  If you don’t know her, you are missing out!  Today is her birthday, the day God chose to bring her into this world.  She has touched so many lives since she has been here, and I know that she will touch many more before she leaves. 

Happy Birthday to my hero: my precious mother.  I love you so very much and I pray you have the best birthday ever!! 

My Amazing Trip

I was given an amazing gift!  It is an all-expense paid trip to PARADISE!!  In my brochure I read that it will be a completely worry-free environment and the weather will be Sonny all the time!  And apparently when you get there, you are instantly healed from all of your diseases, pain and discomfort.  There will only be joy and love, no sadness or crying…and get this…I can sing all day long.

I will be staying in a MANSION where the streets are made of GOLD!  Not just paved with gold, they are MADE out of gold.  The government there is completely above board, and they will have my best interests at heart.  It sounds like the perfect place.  I know when I get there I will never want to leave!!  I will miss everyone, but this trip is just too good to pass up. 

But wait!  This brochure says that I can invite as many of my friends and family as I want to come with me!   The only problem is we have to go at different times.  So who gets to go first??  I would love to go first because this place sounds absolutely wonderful…I’m so tired of dealing with all of the problems of this world.  But how selfish would that be? 

My mother has lived such a selfless life and she has never really had expensive things.   Besides, she has lots of aches and pains and she is getting older.  A trip like this would be such an amazing reward for her.  I should let her go ahead of me.  And my children, why would I want to leave them here in this horrible world when they could go to Paradise and not have to ever worry about anything??  What about my husband?  He is in constant pain with his back and he has to work so hard, just to have every penny drained by bills, bills and more bills.  I should let him go before me.

What if we looked at the death of a loved one with this scenario in mind?   How comforting would it be to know in your heart of hearts that they are truly in a place just as wonderful as I have described?  Would you really want to take that from them?   Would you rob them of that ultimate vacation in Paradise??  If they know Jesus, and have truly made Him the Lord of their life, then they have that free gift and will spend eternity in Heaven (Paradise). 

We are selfish and we want our friends and loved ones to always be with us.  We even pray, “Lord, please take me first.”  But I hope that when you think about this more, you will never pray that again.  I miss my Daddy every day, but I would NEVER wish him back here in this evil world full of sickness and pain.  I’m just excited for the day that I get to go and be with him!

When my work here is done, I will go on my trip, and prayerfully so will you.  And if I go before you, please don’t be sad, I will be in PARADISE with my Daddy and my Jesus.  I will be singing at the top of my lungs and “praising my Savior all the day long”!! 

John 14:1-3 NKJV - "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.  In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”

March 21, The Day That Changed My Life

I was only 19 years old on March 21, 1990, the day that God gave me the most amazing gift…

a beautiful baby boy. 

The entire course of my life was changed in the moment that I first held him in my arms.  My life was no longer just about me…I had this little, tiny person depending on me for everything. 

I had always thought that I would go to college and do big things…but raising our son took the place of everything.  I like to say that I went to the college of life!  I had to work, learn how to cook and clean, pay bills, take care of a baby and 10 million other things…and I wasn’t really even old enough to be considered an adult! Praise the Lord we had parents that were always willing to help us, yet still encourage us stand on our own.

More important to me than any college degree or high paying career is the accomplishment that I feel when I look at my son.  He is a good man and a good husband.  He is loved by everyone that meets him.  He is a hard-working, God-fearing, compassionate man.  And I know that some day, he will be an amazing Dad.

Do I ever have regrets about what could have been?  No, I never do.  I had never planned to have a child so young, but God worked it all out for good. (Romans 8:28) One day, when Cody figured out how young we were when he was born, he asked me if he was a “mistake.”  I told him NO WAY; he was a “surprise”…an unexpected gift that I didn’t even know I wanted until I got it!  

No child is ever a mistake.

The bible says, “Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.” Psalm 127:3 NLT

Happy Birthday, Cody.  I love you more than words can express. Thank you, Lord, for that special gift you gave to us. We have always cherished him, and we always will!  When I look at Cody and our daughter, Maddie, I know that there is nothing in this world that could have made me happier and more fulfilled than being their mother. 

 That is what God put me on this earth to do…

it is my first calling.      

Jesus Glasses

A few years back, there was a popular country song that spoke of a man named Billy that was having a hard time in life, but when he put his “beer goggles” on, life looked good, good, good again.  Also, there is a very popular saying “the more I drink, the better you look.” (How many songs have been written about that??)

But the truth is, when you are not in control of yourself, satan has free reign over you.  Drugs and alcohol are two of his biggest weapons.  They create a false environment that makes situations (and even people) look different to you.  Of course in the song, when Billy got back home from partying it up, he fell apart. And anyone that has ever been “under the influence” knows there is nothing good about waking up and not knowing what you did (or who you did it with)!  Those temporary solutions to life’s problems are just that, TEMPORARY. 

Life is hard and people are not perfect. If everything was perfect, there would be no need of a Savior!  In 2 Corinthians, Paul speaks about how we should view things differently after we receive new life in Jesus.  “He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now!  This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:15-17 NLT

After we receive Jesus as our Savior and become a new person, we should see the world and everything in it through our “Jesus Glasses”.  That is truly the ONLY way to look at life with hope and to look at other people with love.  If you don’t have any “Jesus Glasses” I would love to tell you how to get a pair!!! 

Are you are having difficulty in life and feeling that you just cannot handle the situations thrown at you?  Do you look at other people and only see their faults?  Try waking up every day and committing to look at everything through the eyes of Jesus.  Ask, “What would He do in this situation?  How would He look at this person?”  Study Him through His word and see how He handled things.  Model your life after His.  Pray and ask Him to guide you through it all.  Ask Him to show you how to love people.  

I promise you, when you put those “Jesus Glasses” on life will look good, good, good!!   

A Woman God Can Use - Final

After studying these four women mentioned in Matthew 1 (the lineage of Jesus) I have learned several things.  First, our past does not define who we are.  Second, God can use ANYONE to fulfill His purposes. And finally, all things really can work together for the good of those that love Him!

Were you a promiscuous woman?  Did you conceive a child out of marriage?  Is there rape, incest or infidelity in your past?  Did you live through a terrible tragedy?  Have you lost a spouse or child?  Most women can answer yes to some or even all of these questions.  But do you believe that your past defines who you are? God showed us these four women for a reason.  Their past did not define them, and your past does not define you.  In the end, they were all considered to be righteous women: Tamar in Genesis 38:26, Rahab in James 2:25, Ruth in Ruth 2:11-12, and Bathsheba in Proverbs 31:28-31.  You, too, can leave a legacy of righteousness!  2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

Maybe you feel that God cannot use you because of your past.  Do you feel unworthy or weak?  Do you use your circumstances in life as an excuse not to step out and make a difference?  If God can take these women out of their bad situations and use them for His purposes, He can definitely take and use YOU.  1 Corinthians 1:26-29 NIV “…think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.  But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

In the midst of every circumstance, every tragedy, every place of shame, guilt and pain…there is always a promise that we can hold on to.  My number one favorite scripture, my life verse…Romans 8:28.  “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”   Do you love Him?  Has He called you?  Do you belong to Him?  If so, He WILL take all of the broken pieces of your past and He WILL fit them back together into a vessel that He can use.   Thank you Lord for showing us these four women and what you were able to accomplish through their lives…and for what You can accomplish through each of us if only we will let you!

A Woman God Can Use - Part 5

The final woman mentioned in Matthew 1 was Bathsheba.  In 2 Samuel, chapter 11, she was introduced.  She became the object of King David’s desire and committed adultery with him while her husband, Uriah the Hittite, was off at war.    

I have heard many sermons preached on the relationship between David and Bathsheba.  Some people interpret that Bathsheba knew what she was doing when she had the affair.  Others say that David raped her.  Either interpretation would have impacted her life in a terrible way.  Let’s look at both scenarios: 

Scenario One:  If it was an affair that she willingly took part in, Bathsheba would have had incredible shame and guilt to live with.  Her loyal husband was off fighting for the very man that she had slept with!  She knew there was no way to hide the affair because she was pregnant.  Everyone in town knew that her husband had been gone for months. She would be labeled an adulteress.  Then, when David had Uriah killed, I cannot imagine the guilt she felt knowing that she was the reason he had to die. What a terrible secret to keep!    

Scenario Two: If Bathsheba was raped, then she had all of the terrible shame and pain that went along with that.  She would have to break her husband’s heart when she told him what happened and she would have to bear the child of the man that raped her.  But then David had her husband killed, so she had to deal with that terrible loss.  I’m sure David would have threatened her with her life if she told anyone what had happened.  A terrible secret to keep!    

Either scenario is bad.  Bathsheba had to deal with many terrible consequences of what happened, including losing the child that she had conceived with David.  But God took this broken woman and blessed her.  He gave her other children, including Solomon, who she helped to become king. He is known as the wisest man to ever live, according to 1 Kings 3:11-12.

Bathsheba the adulteress (or rape victim, whichever scenario you interpret) became a Godly wife and mother.  Many say that Proverbs 31 was written by King Solomon in memory of her.   If that is the case, then her terrible past did not define her.  Her fear of the Lord defined her.  Proverbs 31:28-30 NLT says: ‘Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!" Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the LORD will be greatly praised.’  

A Woman God Can Use - Part 4

Today we are going to take a look at Ruth.  She was a Moabite (Gentile) woman that married an Israelite (Jewish) man who was living in Moab.  After her husband died, she stayed with her mother-in-law Naomi.  Naomi had lost her husband and both of her sons.   In Ruth 1:16-17, Ruth declares her loyalty to Naomi and even stated that Naomi’s God would be her God.  The two of them set out for Bethlehem, Naomi’s home.    

I am sure the last thing that Ruth wanted to do was leave her own family to go with her mother-in-law, but she knew it was the right thing to do.  Naomi was all alone and elderly.  When Ruth and Naomi returned to Bethlehem, they were so poor that Ruth had to glean in the fields.  Gleaning was basically an early form of welfare.  The farmers would leave the corners of their fields unharvested, and they would not harvest any left-overs that had been forgotten when they had harvested the majority of a field.  This was left for the poor.   Naomi was too old to work, so Ruth was responsible for both of them.

While she was gleaning in the fields, she caught the eye of Boaz, the wealthy property owner.  He showed her favor and told the harvesters to leave a little extra for her to pick up.  He even offered her lunch and a place to “glean” for the rest of the harvest.  (He knew who she was because her reputation had preceded her.  Her kindness and loyalty to Naomi was very impressive.)    When she told Naomi about his kindness, Naomi knew who he was.  He was family!  She sent Ruth to the threshing floor to show Boaz that she wanted to be his.

At the end of their story, Ruth marries Boaz and has a son named Obed.  Obed was the grandfather of King David!  Even though she lost her husband, moved from her home to live with strangers, and was so poor that she had to beg for food, God worked everything together for her good.   Romans 8:28 NLT “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”