Faith heroes...

I miss my heroes of faith.

I look around sometimes and wonder where they have all gone? The heroes of the faith that I grew up with were my dad and mom, and their friends. Almost all of them are in heaven now, Billy Graham is one of the few of that group left, and I know his eyes are looking upward these days.

There was so much strong faith among them, refusal of satan's darts, and genuine digging in to go deeper with God, in their lives. A determined desire to obey God no matter what the cost. The example of their lives were a lamp on my path, that illumined and pointed me in the right direction. The way they STOOD, all through the trials and joys of life, were an example that I now know is not typical. I assumed, during those younger years, that it would always be like that.

It isn't.

I am not God's grandchild... for many years I thought THEIR faith somehow covered me too.

We come, each of us, in our own way, to understand just what kind of a God we serve. We find Him and we understand, He deals with each of us, one by one, His created, and He KNOWS our hearts. No one rides into the kingdom on anyone elses coat tails.

I confess to being disappointed in so many who talk their faith, even in the pulpit, and who live differently than what they say. I know there are steady honest and faithful followers, but the heroes who showed me by their lives that nothing else but God mattered... they seem to be fewer in number.

I am struck anew as I continue this journey, with just how unusual was the 'faith of my fathers, and mothers'...

Having said that, I want to add this..

I have seen through many of YOU, the desire and the longing to be more... many of you through deep trials, some through their own study of His word, but I have been ministered to over and over by your words and your honesty, and I SEE Jesus in you. He has always had HIS people, and our hearts are joined on these pages. There is a fellowship of both the mundane and the deep heart in your words, all around this world.

Too often though, when I look around, and inside of myself... I see that dreaded 'lukewarm' word...

So what is the answer?

The answer is the same as it has always been.

JESUS

I read an excerpt from Tullian Tchividjian's book, and am so taken with the simple title, JESUS + NOTHING = EVERYTHING.

The baton has been passed from my parents generation, to me... to us, and JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME, YESTERDAY, TODAY AND FOREVER.

That is the answer. HE is the answer. He has promised that when we seek Him with our whole heart, we will find Him, and MORE of Him...

JESUS + NOTHING = EVERYTHING.

P.S... If my parents happened to be peeking through the clouds today, they would be chuckling at their middle child's sermon. :)

I'm still here...

I AM still here, and a lot of my favorite blogs are still there, but there is no way to leave a comment on some of your blogs anymore.

It's not you... it's me.

I would have emailed some of you, but I also don't have your email address. I know Blogger is doing some changes, and I know they are telling me to use Google Chrome, but so far I haven't added it or switched to it.

I use this computer for business, so I am always leary of adding and subtracting anything, as it seems to mess things up. I can still read all blogs, just can't leave a comment on some of them.

So if you haven't heard from me lately... please know that it is only because I am a scaredy cat and also very UN techie. I may get braver, but in the meantime, I hope I don't end up after their March first deadline, losing all of you and me both!!

If you haven't heard from me, and would like to email anytime, please do! My email is pangold101@aol.com

In the meantime, I'll be here, and I'm still reading your pages, even if my lips seem to be sealed. :)

Special day, special guy...

This is MY guy!

This is him then... when we first met and married.

He's always had my heart... never more than now!

The years have taught us both so many things. His birthday is coming right up, and I love him more than ever.

The years have done that... increased, changed, strengthened and renewed the love in my heart for this man.

GOD has done that for both of us, and we know it!

We have shared a lot of days, and years together. I know my husband, and he knows me. There is something that happens along the way that makes these days together sweeter than ever before.

Happy Birthday to God's precious gift for my life... Joe

Happy, humble & poor!...

My mother used to say this often when she spoke to women at christian conferences.

'We have 3 children, and they keep us happy, humble and poor!'...

I know for a fact that all 3 of those things were true. We had a lot of laughter in our home growing up. We also never had a lot of money, but always a lot of fun! And finally... the humble part probably came many times from the raising of 'me'.

She also said many times that what happened to me, or my sister or brother, was for THEM as well. Our experiences and pitfalls brought my mom and dad to new places of faith, and caused them to 'dig deeper' in their own lives, and to pray with greater depth and need.

It was the same for Joe and I as we raised our own 3... God uses our families to teach us His ways!

Amen??? If you can't say amen to that, you don't have kids, or relatives... :)

Lessons in patience, trust, forgiveness, kindness and on and on.

He also uses them to teach us about love.

There is no more unconditional love than that of a parent for their children. It was all designed by God, He set the standard and it was His plan.

God's only son, Jesus... sent by his Father, the ultimate sacrifice of a parent. For us. Unconditional love.

It was impossible for the bar to be set any higher.

So, as we raise our kids, and many of us now watching and praying for our grandkids, remember that each circumstance and trial is teaching US as it teaches them. We are digging deeper.

The snapshot above was my sister and brother and I, during the very days that we were busy keeping my parents...

...happy
...humble
...and poor!

A letter from a special mom about her daughter!...

This email came a few days ago from OUR daughter, about HER daughter, (our 16 year old granddaughter)...

"Courtney is officially a new, licensed driver in the state of Texas as of early yesterday morning. I am asking for you to remember Courtney and pray for her safety and protection behind the wheel when you pray for our family. Thank you so very much.

ok, that was the short version. being me, i have more to say. please consider this talk therapy and help a girl out here!

we have tried to make sure to teach the girls important things. we certainly don't have all the answers but we do know The One who does. thankfully, the girls know Him too.

things like cleaning a bathroom and knowing how to do laundry are basic life skills that i'm making sure they know how to do. cooking ... well, Courtney does know how to scramble eggs and she does that often but that's the extent of her interest in the kitchen. the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Cassidy and Avery are more interested so I will teach them what I know and let Rachael Ray handle the rest.

driving ... this is more than just a basic life skill. this is now a matter of her safety. we have required many, many more hours of her driving with us behind the wheel than the state of Texas requires. Courtney is very mature and responsible for her age but, still, she is 16! i almost quoted some stats here that scare the socks of you but suffice it to say that car crashes are the leading cause of death in teenagers.

courtney has read one book that was pretty light reading but had some good information about driving and i'm requiring her to read another book that is really written to parents about teaching your kids to drive. it is an excellent book with excellent information. philip and i are reading it with her. she will also be signing a contract with us about her driving. so, i'm doing all i know how to do to prepare her, keep her safe and give her confidence behind the wheel.

bottom line ~ i'm trying to keep her ALIVE!

yesterday she picked avery up from a friend's house (lives about 8 minutes away) and brought her home. she had to call me when she got back in the car with avery. then, i allowed her to go get us pizza for dinner from the place a minute and a half away from here. this morning, she took cassidy to school (also about 8 minutes away). she is protected, for now, under our insurance. but today i began making the calls to get the rate quotes to add her, as a licensed driver, to our insurance. she will receive both the discounts they offer new teen drivers: the driving school completed certificate as well as the good student discount. these things are all good.

i know that unless she is given the opportunity to drive, she will not grow and become more independent as a driver. if i can get her insured, she will drive herself to her voice lesson on saturday with my car. it's about 10 minutes from home.

i consider myself a praying girl, but nothing will drop you to your knees faster and make you stay there longer than the safety of your child! i ask you to please join us as we pray for Courtney's safety."

thank you,
aging quickly in allen

--------------------------------------
P.S... Courtney, if you are reading this, may it bless your heart to be reminded of how much your parents love you! :) You are definitely on our prayer list too. Poppa smiled as he read your mom's email, remembering an incident with his new car when your mom was in high school!! :)

xoxo

mimi

Lessons from spies...

I learn so much from the lives of the people whose stories are told in the Bible.

They are so much like us.

I am convinced as I talk with women of all ages that one thing is a common pitfall in our lives, it may be called many things, but the root stem is... fear.

Once again, a few thoughts from the sermon of David Jeremiah on Sunday morning. I qoute him again since FEAR and SLAYING THE GIANTS, was the title of his sermon and it fit my thoughts perfectly.

He reminded us of the 12 spies sent ahead to scope out the promised land as the Israelites were finally about to enter the land, to be sure all was well and to figure out the best way to enter.

It stuck with me!

Remember, this was the land that God had promised, He had lead the Israelites through every kind of trial and hardship on this journey, away from slavery, and to the land He was giving to them. He had proved faithful in every need along the way. This was to be a land filled with milk and honey and beauty and good things...

All 12 spies came back having viewed the same sights within the promised land.

10 came back and said 'no way! it can't be done! there are big walls and huge giants everywhere!

BUT...

Joshua and Caleb, the other 2, came back with a totally different perspective. They said yes, there are walls and giants, but... we can DO this thing!

10 of them viewed the promised land and all the problems to be faced... in their own strength, and knew that the giants were too big...

2 of them had the same view, but saw the obstacles as possibilities because of God's strength...

And we know what happened...
they took the word of fear of the 10 witnesses, and spent 40 years wandering in the desert!

What a lesson for us!

Fear is disobedience.

Slice it or dice it anyway we want to, it speaks to the heart of how we trust God.

I was so challenged by this word today and I hope you are too.

There is no circumstance that comes our way that God does not know about. None! And when I really 'get a hold' of that, my own faith soars.

Satan would have us think that the obstacles are valid reasons not to trust God for the hard things... they are too big, this one can't be done, etc.

Don't buy it!

I am wondering just what kind of freedom and break through would come to us if we completely took God at His word, and simply trusted Him.... no fuzzy feelings, just faith. Faith that stands up and says NO... God has said!

Days of our lives...

Dr.David Jeremiah shared this poem on TV recently...

Methuselah’s Diet

Methuselah ate what he found on his plate,
And never, as people do now,
Did he note the amount of the calorie count.
He ate it because it was chow.

He wasn’t disturbed as at dinner he sat,
Devouring a roast or a pie,
To think it was lacking in granular fat
Or a couple of vitamins shy.

He cheerfully chewed each species of food,
Unmindful of troubles or fears
Lest his health might be hurt by some fancy dessert,
And he lived over 900 years.

I know that I won't live 900 years, but the amount of years that I DO live are full of decisions and choices every day, most of them are choices that only I can make!

One of my dad's favorite one-liners was... 'do you know the secret to living a long life?' And with a big smile he quietly said... 'don't die'. Then he would grin again at the thought... one of those sayings that we as his children would groan over, and he thoroughly enjoyed!

Of course we all know the truth about how long we will live...

We don't know.

But right on the heels of that thought, is the sure knowledge that God knows, and has ALWAYS known exactly how many days we will live on this earth. He knew when He planned our lives and created us into being.

It's one of those things that makes me wonder sometimes, and after a little reflection, I am sure it is best that I do NOT know. If I knew the day and hour that Jesus had in mind for the end of my life, I wonder how I would cross the finish line. I pray that it would be like my friend Judith, who crossed that line a few weeks ago, with such grace , purpose and faith, that all who knew her were impacted and challenged. (This memorial was written by Amy, Judith's daughter in law.)

No matter what the day or hour, the amount of days that I live is not going to catch God off guard.

My greater concern is that I spend the days He has given me, doing it HIS way, every day.

I am excited about a New Year... 2012, and I am intentional about many things that have been on the 'fringes' of my life. I have heard God reminding me to address these things, and I have grabbed the bull by the horns in some areas that have needed change. There is NOTHING He has asked from me that WITH HIS STRENGTH living in me, cannot be done!

How about you??

Merry Christmas!

Christmas then and now... part three...

Fast forward from Norway, to California, and now to Texas...

The Christmas traditions that began with my mother in Norway are the same in our home each Christmas.

The preparation begins right after Thanksgiving, and plans always include what we can do for someone else, just like you do in your homes. It's such a special time to share, and God always puts the right people in our path or on our hearts.

On Christmas Eve, the whole gang comes to our house. We have a Christmas Eve buffet, with appetizers and tempting dishes of every kind, and lots of yummy desserts! We have 6-1/2 grandkids, and each of the 6 decide which song or scripture to share at our Christmas Eve service in the den of our home. I print a program, and they each take part. Last year our son and his kids built a manger, filled it with hay and the kids all dressed up and acted out the nativity as The Revelation Song played in the background. (Note the staff of the youngest, a last minute empty wrapping paper roll). I love how each of the kids do their best, and participate so sweetly.

One of our sons plays the guitar, so we all join in singing several carols with the candles and tree lights twinkling, and the sound of Christmas filling our hearts. It's one of the best times of my whole year!

We read the Christmas story from Luke, and we thank God together for the miracle and the hope of Jesus, because He was born and came to live and die for us. Miracles of all miracles!

From our home to yours this Christmas... MERRY CHRISTMAS to each one of you. You bless my life every day of the year. We are a whole bunch of kindred spirits and our sweet friendships will continue as another year begins....

May your hearts and homes be filled with HIS peace and joy, during Christmas and every day!

Christmas then and now... part two...

Tromso, Norway...

Way up in the cold frozen northern part of Norway, beyond the arctic circle, is where my Christmas traditions began, in the childhood home of my mother.

In her words, as she shared this story with women's conferences and church groups all through her life, and as I read them tonight on these now fragile sheets from her journal...

"Let me invite you to take a trip with me to the land of the midnight sun, to my country, Norway. We will fly over the top of the north pole, but you won't see much there, only snow and frozen land, and finally, after landing in the capitol city of Oslo, we board a small plane and fly much farther north to Tromso. Now I invite you into our large old home to share Christmas with us...

My father was the mayor of the town, and there were 7 of us children, and a constant flow of guests coming and going. Christmas came like a bright light every December, and we children were filled with expectation and excitement and we all pitched in to help shine the copper pieces that hung on the walls, and bake the never ending sheets of cookies that went in and out of the oven. All month the cookie baking continued and they began to fill the jars and tins, which were stored up in the attic.

"For days, leading up to Christmas Eve, friends and neighbors would drop in and visit each other in their homes, bringing their cookies and baked goodies, and their children. They would sing Christmas carols together and no one seemed to be in a hurry.

"We celebrated each day as 'tiny Christmas', until Christmas Eve finally arrived and all the planning and baking and cooking was almost finished. All the children were scrubbed in a hot steam bath in town, and our braids froze on the way home. The shoes were lined up to be polished, the goose was filled with apples and prunes and ready to bake, and the last excited secrets were whispered between us as we wondered with expectation what would be in the boxes. The gifts and the Christmas tree were decorated and kept in the large parlour where NO ONE was allowed to go until Christmas!

"I remember as a child hiding up in the attic about 3 or 4 in the afternoon and listenting to the church bells ringing in Christmas. I hadn't yet come to know Him, whose birth I was about to celebrate, but I stood by the window, looking out at the blinking lights and boats in the harbor, and I knew that God had sent Jesus to be born at Christmas, and I worshipped in a child's way, Him who I didn't yet know.

"And then suddenly, the bells started from one church, then from another, and soon together they joyously chimed all over the city as they rang in the news 'Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord"...

Now me...

When I visited Norway more than a year ago, we had to fly that same route from Oslo far to the north, into Tromso... There, on the main street of this most picturesque and beautiful city, was my mother's family dry goods store. When we were there, we saw the building, it has been modernized, and like many things that have changed, the new isn't nearly as wonderful as the original!

In northern Norway, during the winter months, it was not only cold and piled high with snow everywhere, it was also dark. One of the most cherished memories she shared were the lights, all around Tromso, in homes, in the windows, in the stores and on street lanterns, tiny dots of light made the whole scene like a dream. Candles and lights were always part of our growing up Christmases in California, and I still love them.

Side note on the attic in her home... During the winter, they hung their washed sheets in the attic to dry and they were as stiff as boards from the cold frozen temperatures. My mother did confess to playing among those sheets and if I know her... there was probably some peeking and snooping along the way as Christmas came closer!

At her dad's store in town, each window was decorated with a different Christmas scene. She said they covered all the windows with paper while they went to work and created a picture for the people of the town. When the windows were unveiled, people came from all around excited to see what this year would bring. One window depicted a cozy warm home with a fireplace and Christmas tree and candles glowing everywhere, one might be a candy store scene or a church choir... it was magical to the children to be part of such a tradition.

Then Christmas Eve finally arrived...

The whole family bundled up and headed out into the snow to their large 'state church', for the Christmas Eve service where by candlelight they joined together singing Silent Night and heard the familiar scriptures read. Finally they all headed back home for the feast ahead and 'the gifts'...

As the final preparations were put together and the goose was browning for the last few minutes, my mother would take a quick walk through the empty snow piled streets with her father, and pass by the lovely homes where they could often watch through the windows at the people singing and walking around their Christmas trees, hands joined, in a circle, babies to grandparents.

After the feast had been devoured, her father read the Christmas story one more time from Luke, and prayed. Then they all shook hands, wishing each other a Merry Christmas, she said their was a lot of handshaking with 7 kids and all the relatives. Then they each sat in one place until every gift tag was read by her father and distributed, before anyone could open a gift. And then, the papers and ribbons flew!

I can't sing or hear Silent Night, without thinking of Norway. It's a funny thing, but I have tears in my eyes, good tears, as I write this and remember Christmas in Norway, even though I was never there. The memories and stories and the twinkle in my mother's eyes as she shared her December dreams of long ago, are as real to me as if I had been there myself. When she met and married my dad, and followed him to America to begin life as a preacher's wife, all that was familiar and dear to her was left behind in her beloved country, but she instilled it in each of her 3 children with great joy. She kept her traditions going in our home as I grew up.

I am keeping that love for Norway alive in my heart and in our home...