Accepted

Accept one another, then,

just as Christ accepted you,

in order to bring praise to God.

Romans 15:7

After waiting and wondering for some weeks, my oldest son received some good news yesterday. He was accepted to the college of his choice. He will be leaving home soon to continue his education, pursuing a degree in Political Science and International Affairs. To be accepted he had to prove that he was an excellent student, be active in the community, and student affairs, etc. He had to prove his worthiness. All the dedication and hard work paid off. He has been accepted, acknowledged, and received by the university to continue his studies.

It still amazes me that Jesus Christ accepts me....not based on what I have done or will do. He accepts me just as I am. He came to die on the cross for all my sins. I don't have to prove myself. He isn't concerned with what I have, or have not accomplished, but looks at what He can accomplish through me. He called me. He saved me. He has a purpose for me. Glory to God...He accepts me!

Because He accepts me unconditionally, I can accept others. I can see others as He sees them. He died on the cross for the sins of all. He was not crucified for a certain group of people, but for every person - that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).

It never gets old. He accepts me. What joy, what hope, what peace there is in that!

Thankful, so very thankful...

183. a day with Malli and Missy...
feeding, burping, rocking, and changing diapers

184. my bed, my pillow, rest

185. generous friends...
a baby bed, a mattress, a car seat, a brag book

186. kind, loving, tender words from friends

182. Holding Malli

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,

and feel the pride and joy she gives;

But greater still the calm assurance:

This child can face uncerain days

Because He Lives.

There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly...

181. a butterfly dancing on impatiens

To All Grandparents...

Griff holding Malli - 2 days old

Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers.

Proverbs 17:6

I had the priveledge of knowing my maternal grandparents and paternal grandparents very well. Many happy memories were made with both my Mema and Dada Griffis and my Mema and Papa Tanner. Summers at the beach. Summers at the farm. Both uniquely different, adding much to the fabric of my life.

My children have been blessed to have known their maternal grandparents (Mema and Papa Griffis) and paternal grandparents (Dawie and Pop) very well, too. So many good times with both sets of grandparents. Threads of love in their tapestry of life still being woven. Their Dawie, the first of their grandparents to pass away left just three months ago. A thread clipped and tied off. Before she and Malli could meet.

This morning my son shared a rare, tender moment with me. He is a compassionate young man, but sometimes men can have a tendency to hide their vulnerability.
So, I count myself blessed to have really listened, heard, and perceived what he actually said with his words and especially his heart.

He said, "I am sad. I really miss Dawie.
I wish she were here.
She would have loved Malli.
I see Dawie when I look at Malli."

I cried.
I said, "Me, too."

Because I know she would have loved Malli.
I know, because I am a grandmother.
Malli's grandmother.
So blessed.

Grandchildren are God's way

of compensating us for growing old.
~Mary H. Waldrip

Grandmas are moms with lots of frosting.

~Author Unknown

When a child is born, so are grandmothers.
~Judith Levy

No cowboy was ever faster on the draw

than a grandparent pulling a baby picture out of a wallet.

~Author Unknown

Just about the time a woman thinks her work is done,

she becomes a grandmother.

~Edward H. Dreschnack

Gifts Straight From Heaven...

176. Malli's baby soft skin

177. Malli and mommy spending the day at GiGi's

178. Griff and GiGi cooking supper together

179. G'Pa (Guy) adoring his first grandchild

180. Watching my mother and father hold their new great-grandaughter

Things unseen

Faith is the evidence

of things unseen

and the

substance of things

hoped for.

Hebrews 11:1

The Bible says the just shall live by faith. This journey called life requires it. In The Message, Hebrews 11:1 says, the fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd.

Having faith is similar to the process of pregnancy and childbirth. The Word of God is like a seed. If we are impregnated by the Word, new life will come forth.
However, we must first nurture that seed, cultivate it, and tend to it with prayer. Only then will there be growth and new life, a birth. Wherever the presence of the Holy Spirit is, there is hope... there is a future. I believe God will use every circumstance in your life to fulfill his eternal purpose for your life.

When we can't see it.

When we stand alone.

We trust.

We believe.

We hope.

Faith is the evidence of things unseen and the substance of things hoped for.

Hebrews 11:1

Giving Birth

See, children are an heritage of the LORD:

and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalm 127:3

I have carried three babies in my womb and delivered them. I know what it's like to feel life growing inside your womb, experience painful childbirth, and hold precious new life. A miracle like none other.I witnessed the birth of my first grandchild today. Saw her take her first breath and heard her first cry. A beautiful baby girl, a sweet bundle, so content, a blessing.

Mallarie Layna Morgan

Although I didn't give birth to this child, I realize that through this child God delivered me. I grew, I stretched, and came to realize much more about my Heavenly Father than I ever knew before. And even though my womb may never hold another baby, God has given me a heart-womb to love, to nurture, to grow, to protect souls.

Thank You Father, for You are the Giver of life.
I praise You for Your infinite wisdom, Your patience, Your grace, and Your holiness. There is none like You!

Sweet as sugar, as good as gold, precious baby girl, a miracle to behold!

173. witnessing birth of my first grandchild, Malli

174. holding life, precious life

175. family

Welcome Malli...

GiGi holding Malli for the first time, June 18, 2008

Before I formed thee

in the belly I knew thee;
and before thou camest forth

out of the womb
I sanctified thee...
Jeremiah 1:5

Mallarie Layna Morgan
June 18, 2008
1:48 pm
6 pounds, 12 ounces
19.5 inches

Demostrate Love In The Face Of Sin

If I speak in the tongues

of men

and of angels,

but have not love,

I am only a resounding gong

or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1

A topic of discussion I had today with other Christians ...

It is much easier for us to help persons suffering from natural disaster and world hunger, but when it comes to giving and showing compassion to the sinner, the person lost and without hope, who may have actually brought on troubles themselves, let's face it, we are prone to think well, they made their bed, now let them lie in it.

Loving the unlovable does not come naturally. It is only possible when we ask God to fill us with the compassion He has. Only then can we demonstrate love in the face of sin.

Every person is created, valued, and loved by God. Everyone deserves the opportunity to hear about Jesus' love and forgiveness.

Listen.

Respect.

Listen.

Look for commonalities.

Listen.

Then share.

Christians must remember that their job is not to convince the lost to change but, rather, to point them to the One who can change their heart - Jesus Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can convict an individual of sin, and change the heart. We are not responsible for some one's salvation. But, we are responsible for loving others and sharing our hope...Jesus Christ.

Think On These Things....

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Philippians 4:8

169. preparing lunch for special fathers:
my father, my husband, my son, and my brother

170. a glorious, constant afternoon rain

171. a napping house

172. dishes in the sink that remind me of a meal enjoyed

Happy Father's Day

me and Daddy - New Smyrna Beach, Summer 1963

What Makes a Dad?
God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it ... Dad
~~Author Unknown.~~

There's something like a line of gold thread

running through a man's words

when he talks to his daughter,

and gradually over the years

it gets to be long enough

for you to pick up in your hands

and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself.

-John Gregory Brown

My father didn't tell me how to live;

he lived, and let me watch him do it.

- Clarence Budington Kelland

Just so grateful...

165. studying the Word, early in the morning

166. meeting up w/friends from two decades ago

167. a husband, devoted and loving

168. warm cobbler made with freshly picked blueberries

Priceless Gifts

Every day we live is a priceless gift of God, loaded with possibilities to learn something new, to gain fresh insights into His great truths. ~ Dale Evans Rogers

161. floating in a borrowed pool, soaking up sunshine

162. fried fish and slaw for supper

163. a long candle-lit soak in the tub

164. prayer time

Wounded

Wounded One

Angry, fearful

Watching, withdrawn

Distant soul

Hurting, confused

Isolated,Loveless

Healed One

Extends, reaches

Loves, accepts

Lord, the child you showed to me this week is so much like I used to be. Without being hurt I wouldn't know the healing that comes from YOU alone. Help me to see everyone as YOU see them. We all need YOUR healing. We all need YOUR touch. YOUR children.

But they are more than I can count. Psalm 40:5-6

"Great things are they that you have done,

O Lord my God!
How great your wonders and your plans for us!
There is none who can be compared with you.

Oh, that I could make them known and tell them!

158. a generous gift, a plane ticket for a team member

159. a much-needed nap

160. children praying

Just Some Thoughts....

I want so much of God that there is no room for me. I want to see what God sees, feel what He really feels, be what He would have me be in this desperate hour. As I have prayed for our community, God has impressed on my heart that we as Christians must get out of our comfort zone...the self-serving church of air-conditioning and padded pews...and go to where the people are...meeting them at their need.

Henry Blackaby says, The world comes to know God when they see God's nature expressed through His activity. When God starts to work, He accomplishes something that only He can do. When God does that, both God's people and the world come to know Him in ways they have never known Him before. That is why God gives God-sized assignments to His people. The reason much of the world is not being attracted to Christ and His church is that God's people lack the faith to attempt those things that God can only do. If you and your church are not responding to God and attempting things that only He can accomplish, then you are not exercising faith. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." (Hebrews 11:6) If people in your community are not responding to the gospel like you see in the New Testament, one possible reason is that they are not seeing God in what you are doing as a church."

Back in the spring I asked God what He wanted me to do this summer. The idea for a BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB out in the community came to my mind. I shared the idea with a few other Christian friends...all of us from different denominations... but one in Christ...a part of the body. They began to pray with me.
After hearing about the Federal Gov't Summer Feeding Program, I called the Food Services Coordinator for the local BOE. I figured this would be a good thing to offer lunch the children that attended the program. She indicated that the deadline for getting on the list was that very day. She asked me where I would need the food delivered and I told her I would get back with her in 30 minutes. I literally got in my car and prayed. I drove to a particular apartment and talked with the manger there. She was a Christian, herself and was excited about the idea of the BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB. Then I called another apartment manager and she, too was accepting of the concept. I called the Food Services Coordinator back with the two addresses and agreed to the guidelines of serving lunch at 11:00 am each day at BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB.

Now it was time to pray more, plan, and find helpers. I called on my praying friends and they were eager to step up to the task. My sister was also willing to help along with two other dedicated teens. Ultimately, we had a team of eight volunteers. We met, prayed, and studied the materials: Lifeway OUTRIGGER ISLAND. We learned the songs, planned craft ideas, and made a shopping list. We had donations from two Christian women and my SS class to help purchase materials, snacks, and juice.

On Monday, June 2 ---- Thursday, June 5 we led the first week of BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB. There was an average of 15 children daily. Many parents stayed for the session to listen to the Bible Story and songs, even helping out with crafts. We prayed for the children daily, sharing the ABC's of becoming a Christian (ADMIT BELIEVE CONFESS)

One day a guardian of one of the children who has been diagnosed with cancer asked for prayer. She said she was encouraged that we took the time to speak to her and pray for her. She has since been attending one of the churches and taking the young child she is raising along with her.

On Monday June 9 ---- Thursday June 12 we held the second week of BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB. We averaged 25 children daily. Again many parents stayed to listen to the Bible Story, etc. They were genuinely appreciative of our efforts and inquisitive about why we were doing this. We were able to share the love, joy and hope of Jesus Christ with many of them.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this was seeing the teen volunteers that participated engage in the activities with the children. Their enthusiasm was amazing. Most mornings they beat me to the apt. complexes, willing to unpack my SUV filled with tables, crafts, snacks, misc. equipment, and assist in cleaning up afterwards. They were eager to tell Bible Stories, direct games, crafts, lead singing, and even pray with the children, too.

Because of an upcoming mission abroad, we were only able to do two weeks of BYBC this summer. However, we are planning to return to these apt. complexes in the near future to lead a children's Bible Study group on Saturday mornings.

There is no government program alone that can solve the true needs of the people. It is the church's responsibility to reach out. I believe one of the biggest problems with Christians in our community is that they are hiding their light within the church walls. See Luke 11:33 "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it is hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in may see the light." There are churches all across our town that meet a couple of times a week behind closed doors in beautiful buildings and the local community has NO IDEA what the church believes! If we are to truly be HIS disciples, we will shine for Jesus and draw others to HIM.The world wants to see God at work through His people. But unless we hear and obey, the world will not experience Him. They will only see religion and be turned away.

1 Corinthians 13:1 says "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels but have not love I have become a clanging cymbal."

More Thankful Thoughts...

Griff and Uncle Perry - Christmas 2007

157. Uncle Perry, a life remembered

Uncle Perry. Just saying his name brings a smile to my face. The oldest son born to Perry and Alma Morgan slipped away Monday, June 9, leaving this earth and his many friends and family behind.

We will miss him. Wherever he went, his wisdom, charm, wit, and humor followed. At eighty-eight years he still had what it took to light up a room with interesting conversation and the best jokes done with perfect timing.

I am sure Uncle Perry's soul-mate, the love of his life, Aunt Libba met him in the heavens, welcoming him,wrapping her arms around him with high heels on and all. What great memories we have!

We will miss you, Uncle P!

Recognizing His Gifts at Backyard Bible Club 2008...

154. my sister's helping hands at

Backyard Bible Club

155. watching a child paint

156. hearing children sing praises to Yahweh

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.

It turns what we have into enough, and more.

It turns denial into acceptance,

chaos to order,

confusion to clarity.

It can turn a meal into a feast,

a house into a home,

a stranger into a friend.

Gratitude makes sense of our past,

brings peace for today,

and creates a vision for tomorrow."

~ Melody Beattie ~

Nest

Strengthened with all might,

according to His glorious power...

Colossians 1:11

A nest is a place of refuge built to hold an animal's eggs and/or provide a place to raise their offspring. In the animal kingdom, females have a fundamental desire to arrange, organize, and prepare ahead for their new arrival. I am fascinated with a mother bird that has chosen to nest in a potted plant by my back door. This refuge built of pine straw and twigs will hold life, providing a place to raise her offspring.

"The nesting bird, pelted by rain, faces up to the hardship rather than trying to escape it. She settles herself as deeply in her nest as possible and whichever way the wind shifts she alters her position so as to face directly into it. Man, too, gains by facing into adversity instead of seeking to flee before it."
Illustrations From Nature

In our times of trouble and incertainty, we have nothing to fear. We only need to mimic the "nesting bird" and settle deeply into the nest, Jesus Christ.
He will give us strength to face the storm head on!
Our strength lies in the sweet presence of the Lord who has promised to be with us wherever we go - and that includes the uncertainty of life.

Father, thank you for letting me nest in you, a shelter from the storm of uncertainty.

Change, Challenge, and Commitment

Pastor Burke Abduhl Hamid

Pastor Hamid was the featured speaker at the International Graduation from Central Christian University Friday night in Macon. Pastor Hamid is an anointed man of God and I always come away activated and motivated whenever I hear him preach. Here are some of the notes I took....

II Corinthians 5:17 says, If any man be in Christ he is a new creature. That means there is a change, a metamorphosis. Old things are new. Remember Saul/Paul and his dramatic transformation after he encountered Jesus Christ.

I Timothy 6:12 says, Fight the good fight of the faith.
We must approach challenges with faith, not fear. Be victors, not victims. Conquer, not be conquered. Be unmovable and steadfast for the Lord.

When we commit to go with God, we have to yield, surrender, abandon, and trust.
There is no such thing as partial commitment. The pilot must commit to leave the runway or he will crash. God can use half a man wholly comitted better than a whole man half comitted.

JESUS, JESUS, JESUS - There's Something About That Name!

Scroll to playlist and pause music before clicking on this link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0t2q0XDDf90

Jesus, the mere mention of His name can calm the storm, heal the broken, raise the dead.

At the name of Jesus, I've seen sin-hardened men melted, derelicts transformed, the lights of hope put back into the eyes of a hopeless child... At the name of Jesus, hatred and bitterness turned to love and forgiveness, arguments cease.

I've heard a mother softly breathe His name at the bedside of a child delirious with fever, and I've watched that little body grow quiet and the fevered brow cool .

I've sat beside a dying saint, her body racked with pain, who in those final fleeting seconds summoned her last ounce of ebbing strength to whisper earth's sweetest name--Jesus, Jesus...

Emperors have tried to destroy it; philosophies have tried to stamp it out. Tyrants have tried to wash it from the face of the earth with the very blood of those who claimed it. Yet still it stands.

And there shall be that final day when every voice that has ever uttered a sound--every voice of Adam's race shall raise in one great mighty chorus to proclaim the name of Jesus--for in that day "every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!!!"

Ah--so you see--it was not mere chance that caused the angel one night long ago to say to a virgin maiden, "His name shall be called Jesus." Jesus--Jesus--Jesus. You know, there is something about that name...

by Bill and Gloria Gaither

Give Thanks!

Give thanks to the Lord;

call on His name;

proclaim His deeds among the peoples.

Sing to Him;

sing praise to Him;

tell about all His wonderful works!

Honor His holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.

Search for the Lord and for His strength;

seek His face always.
1 Chronicles 16:8-11

Seeing God In Everything

Griff and Lou Nell at baby shower - June 7, 2008

A state of mind that sees God in everything is
evidence of growth in grace and a thankful heart.
-Charles G. Finney (1792-1875)

153. a sweet blessing prayed for Griff, Missy, and Malli

Always respond to every impulse to pray...

always obey such an impulse.
-Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow...

Central Christian University Int'l Graduation, June 6, 2008

Rae Furlonge, Taylor Morgan, Dominica Lim,

Pastor Burke Abduhl Hamid, me, and Brian Hamid

I must confess that all of these qualifications (degrees)
are meaningless unless I have God's annointing on my life.

-Pastor B. A. Hamid

152. attending graduation ceremony

where Pastor Burke Abduhl Hamid

received his Doctorate in Ministry

Heavenly Sunshine, Heavenly Sunshine Flooding My Soul Like Glory Divine...

"Jesus is like sunshine in my heart"

artwork by Zion, a child that attended BYBC

151. successful week of Backyard Bible Club

"Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free..."

147. like-mindedness with other believers

147. tears between mothers

148. tears between mother and daughter

149. prayer, that sweet conversation with God

150. a hug from my son

Hold tightly

"Let us hold tightly

without wavering

to the hope we affirm,

for God can be trusted

to keep his promise."
Hebrews 10:23

She calls for me. A request to lie down next to her, to pray with her, this child. We pray. We hold tightly. We trust without wavering. God will provide a godly friend. Years pass. A boy notices her. He speaks to her and asks her name. That was how it all began. A friendship prayed for.

Tonight we said a "temporary goodbye" to that boy-friend, now a godly man-child. He is off to college far away. He has been such a blessing to my daughter and our family. Unwavering faith, integrity, and wisdom. I could not have hand-picked any one better for my daughter to date. What peace I have in knowing that their relationship is built on Jesus Christ. What a blessing to see their relationship grow in Christ...without compromise.

We prayed for him before he left tonight. Holding tightly. We know God has a big plan for this man-child. He is turning the page in his life-story. He has forever inked his way into my daughter's heart and ours, too.

Her heart aches though and those tears are relentless. This woman-child of mine. Hold tightly, dear one. Believe, be confident, keep a firm grip on the promises of God. He always keeps his word.

Imperishable

You have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

1 Peter 1:23

I love gerbera daisies…when they are in bloom. The problem is they only bloom for a short while then they begin to droop.

Our earthly lives are a lot like drooping, short-lived flowers but, if we have trusted Christ we shall have eternal life.

We don't achieve eternal salvation by works but by faith...it is free. Romans 1:17 says, "the just shall live by faith."

God's Word is eternal also. It goes on and on forever. It is a "love letter" to us from God. We should read it in reverence and love. Linger over its words. Savor them because you are being addressed by One who loves you very much. According to 1 Corinthians 1:7-13, God is love and love "endures all things." Faith and hope will cease in heaven, but love lasts forever. Hebrews 4:12 says, "God means what he says. What he says goes. His powerful Word is sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. Nothing and no one is impervious to God's Word. We can't get away from it—no matter what." John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." The Word of God is alive, enduring, eternal, never-ending, permanent, immortal, perpetual, undying.

Everything else will fade away. but praise God, my salvation and the Word is secure in this fading, ever-changing world.

Blessings...

I will praise Your name,

for You have done wonderful things.

Isaiah 25:1

134. phone calls from Trinidad

135. planning for another day of Backyard Bible Club

136. a breeze on a hot, steamy June day

137. sharing the love of Jesus with children

138. working side-by-side with other believers

139. Dominica's safe return from Italy and Greece

140. a massage after a tiring day

141. sharing leftovers with my sister and niece

142. a husband who helps me and supports me 100%

143. talking to my Daddy on the phone

144. dependable, talented teens - Kate and Jesse

145. fresh cut grass

146. baby clothes

Teach Me

writing Bible verse with chalk - Backyard Bible Club 2008

Teach me Your way, Lord

and I will live by Your truth.

Psalm 86:11

The verse above is the theme verse for the BACKYARD BIBLE CLUB this week. What a tremendous blessing I am receiving from this outreach. The children are excited and ready to hear Bible stories, pray, and do crafts each day.

As we were reciting the verse from Psalms, I paused and asked the children to tell me what they thought the verse meant. One boy spoke up and said,

"...when we read God's Word He teaches us and shows us the way that we should live and what we should do, and then when we read His Word we will walk in it and do the things He tells us to do."

Out of the mouths of babes! What a great understanding this child has of who God is. Father, thank you for teaching me your truth. Help me to keep my eyes on YOU, my heart open to YOUR instruction, and my feet on the right path.

Love so amazing, so divine

“Were the whole realm of nature mine.

That were a present far too small;

Love so amazing, so divine,

Demands my soul, my life, my all.”

-Isaac Watts

It's difficult for me to grasp the love of my Father. Over the past year He has revealed to me over and over agian that there is nothing I can do to cause Him to love me more or less. What a revelation. His unconditional love is so amazing!