A Very Special Memory 4/5/15

I just remembered (with a gentle nudge from the Lord) that today is the 57th anniversary of my “born again” day.  Easter Sunday 1958.  That ‘special memory’ is of one of the most important days of my life.

It wasn’t a surprise, but a direct result of a dear friend who had been dealing with my, “I’m not a bad person.  I go to church.  I read my Bible.  I teach Sunday School.  I’ve been the secretary/treasure of the Sunday School when I was a teenager.  How can you think I’m not a Christian?”

Many times she had talked to me about ‘being born again’.   What did she expect from me?  Finally she suggested that since I already prayed a lot and said I loved the Lord that I pray and ask God to show me what He thought.   Very confidently I replied that I’d do that just to prove her that I was fine and assured of Heaven.

I reread the story of Nicodemus (Joan suggested I read John 3 verses 1 through 21)  No problem, I thought.  I’d already read the whole  Bible through a few times before that as part of contests I’d been in during my days in church.  Won gifts for memorizing  many of the  special verses as a child.  I always loved to read and it was easy for me to learn anything that appealed to me.

But this time when I read the story of Nicodemus and compared my knowledge and devotion I realized how far I was from being as wise and devoted as him.  After all he was a teacher and very important spiritual leader. Score one for Joan and her  point of view.

Days later I had a vivid dream.  I still remember many details of that dream.

it was judgement day and I don’t remember any other people being there, except for a group of dancers doing a type of worshipful dancing to beautiful music.  (In 1958, most churches frowned on dancing of any kind.  That’s probably why the memory stayed with me.  Many years later when our CMI director introduced dancers as part of our choir and they performed the same type of dancing it caused a thrill as I recognized the same movements to music.)

Back to the dream.  For some reason the Lord was sitting behind a large table.  As I approached I threw my car keys on the table.  It seemed as if I knew if He accepted the keys I would be admitted to Heaven ( I know that’s not the scriptural description of the Judgement day) but in my dream it was.

He pushed them back to me.  Typical of my personality I said  “Lord, Why?”   His reply shook all my former confidence when He simply said, “You love pleasure more than you love me”   At that point I woke up and realized I wasn’t okay, I needed to be born again.

End of story? Not if you know me !

Easter was coming soon so I told Joan that I was going to get saved at the Easter Sunrise Service.  In my heart I thought that anyone who got up that early to go to church would be more liable to understand if I went to the alter to get ‘saved’.  Joan kind of smiled and told me I needed to wait for an invitation.  I told her Miss Smith (our current preacher) wasn’t doing that yet. (She told me afterward that she didn’t feel anyone in our  church was ready for that yet.  She had been preaching about salvation but was waiting until such a dramatic change wouldn’t be such a shock to most of the congregation.)

But typical of me I didn’t think the Lord would care if I went up to the altar at the end of the service when she was dismissing us in prayer.

Next problem for me was none of my dresses were what I thought was the proper type of dress to wear when going to the altar to get saved.  So what did I do?  I prayed for the Lord to show me the dress I should wear.  The little town closest to us had a tiny shop where I thought I might find one that would be appropriate.  Almost to the back corner of the shop I found the perfect (in my mind) dress.  So I bought it and told Joan the Lord must be okay with my plan.  Again that same smile.

Sunrise service began as I sat there in my modest pale pink dress and comfortably waited for the closing prayer.  Big surprise.  A young lady singing her very first solo in church closed the service. I couldn’t feel right in going up and interrupting her.  I went home very disappointed.  Then I reasoned that I’d wait for another Sunday when there wouldn’t be an overflowing crowd typical of Easter Sunday.

So I put on my choir robe and we went up to the platform behind the preacher to sing. It was almost to the end of the special service and preaching when I felt the Lord nudge me to go down to the altar NOW.   Oh No Lord!  Not now in front of so many people who knew me.  A lot of them didn’t even attend any church most Sundays.  The overflow doors were even open and people were filling about 1/3 of the seats.  My family, parents, all the relatives who would be at the family dinner, they would all think I’d gone to  extremes like the members of two of the other churches.  They would be so ashamed of my action.  Especially in front of all these people.  No Lord today is just not the right day!

As I started to relax again, I started shaking inside and then all over.   I knew without a shadow of a doubt that He wouldn’t say anything more.  I had a choice.  Go now or fall down right up there in the choir area.   I turned to the lady next to me and said,   “I have to go down to the altar.  Will you come with me?”  She agreed and I went.   Such joy!  Such peace!  I’ve never been the same!  Praise our wonderful Lord!

Were there repercussions?  Even more that I expected. Not as vocal as far as the family was concerned.  Mostly quiet disapproval.   A hurt attitude if church interfered with some of the family plans, mostly by making us late getting to dinners etc.  I found out later they had expressed the thought to others that it was just another of Jackie’s whims, she’ll soon get over it.  When  Bill got saved a few months later they told the same friend that now they supposed we’d both stay fanatical.

The surprise came when Miss Smith told me how many of the people asked what was wrong with Jackie when they shook hands with her after the service on their way out the door.    Lots of them understood a few months later when the church had a revival service (the first in several years)   That’s when Bill was born again and our lives changed forever.

Have you joined us yet in making Jesus the Lord of your life?  It’s the only real security in this world and for all eternity !

 

Three Times in a Row PTL

For the third time in a row we were able to attend church this morning 🙂 ❤ This was a real blessing since we have been prevented by cold temperature, bad roads, and physical limitations.  We have been able to hear the sermons, thanks to Aaron, but it just isn’t the same as being there for the worship, singing and the friendship of other believers.  So we are rejoicing and praising the Lord for the privilege 🙂

Another blessing this week was the developing health benefits I experienced from being in the group of Clean Eating and Fitness.  I noticed several days this week that it was much easier to think about what I was eating.  As a result many healthier choices were made in what went into my very undisciplined mouth. I will be asking how to invite others to join tomorrow; so if you’re interested just message me on Facebook.

Now, 7 days later, it was 4 times we were able to be back worshiping at our church It is wonderful to be with others in our church family ! We’ve had the benefit of the teaching before but missed the church family so much.  Facebook helps us keep in contact but nothing can take the place of ‘face to face’ fellowship.

If I had the monetary means I would have an elevator installed so I could attend all the wonderful activities that we miss with our physical limitations.  The stairs to the fellowship area are very hard for us to go up safely.  I’m so thankful that the Lord and many of our church family understand my caution.

Blogging regularly will be one of my top priorities for the next 10 weeks to keep me focused on what is really important in our time schedule.  I have been asked several times when the next book will be published. It is time to work on that, as well as prepare for the “special memories recital”.

In the midst of that Bill has a cataract surgery; writing the narration for the recital needs to be completed; former students have to be contacted to see what talent they are going to share; munchies for the recitals need to be planned; regular schedules need to be taken care of  etc etc etc.

Any suggestions on how to put 24 hours worth of work into 16 hours?  Me neither 🙂 Many years ago when I complained with not having enough hours in the day, the Lord asked me, ” if He gave me more hours, how many hours of work would I try to put into the extra hours.”  He knows me so well.

I continue to gain much of my strength and a little more discipline every time I take the time to go to church or spend time reading the Bible.  Hopefully before my 80th birthday I will complete the 75th time of reading completely through this wonderful book.  Hope to be disciplined enough some year to match the times I have completed reading it through with my age.  That is close to the top of my long-range goals.

“In spring a young man’s fancy turns to love” is a well know quote.  Well I’m definitely neither young or a man, so spring gives me very different thoughts.  It is always a time of more busyness and completing the cleaning I usually start at least by mid January.  This year the cleaning is only beginning.  The especially confining temperature of winter plus a mild case of the flue, combined with being exhausted much of the time caused many extra hours of sleep.  I think I slept more in the first two and a half months of 2015  than during any other 10 months. Coupled with the age related limitations I’ll need a miracle from the Lord to complete my  daily goals. The older I get the more I appreciate the benefits of serving the Lord. 🙂

How does the Lord daily bless you?

 

March is Memories Month

March is for memories this year  My goal for this month (God willing) is to write the narration for the “Special Memories Recital” with memories from some of my music students. I’m finding when I think of one memory it triggers other precious memories. I hope to type these random thoughts to use in a picture/thoughts book to display at that recital on May 30, 2015.

Today will be a hodgepodge of memories and thoughts i seem to be receiving as part of this month for memories.  Ramble with me if you’d enjoy the various memories of this month. Plus memories of years gone by.

Triggered by a comment on Facebook today are many shocking times in my life. Literally! Until the last few years I was subject to giving and receiving many static shocks.  Too numerous to share in this post, one in particular came to mind as Carol shared her post.

We were at a sales convention in Illinois where a top executive of Creative Expressions was to be the keynote speaker.  He was a charming gentleman from the East Coast with his distinctive accent.  We were arriving at the same door at the same time. Being a courteous gentleman he put his hand on my back to escort me through the door. At the same time reaching for the metal door bar to open it for me.  The static spark snapped as he received the  shock from touching me and the bar.  His comment,  “What a sparkling  personality you have!” as he jumped from the contact.

Over the years I have shared that shocking ability with many people, in a store when the clerk touched my hand and change flew everywhere.  In a factory when the supervisor touched me and post cards were scattered.  Until I learned how to avoid it, when a party hostess reached to take my coat in the winter.  When Bill and I kissed when we were standing between the refrigerator and the electric stove   and   and   and   ………..

So many memories connected to other people,  when a single memory brings more memories.  Time after time I’m impressed by how blessed we have been and continue to be by the people and things God has brought into our lives.

As I approach my 80th birthday my brain, with all the memories, is like many attics filled with all the bits and pieces of our lives.  Surfacing like things floating on water with no specific connection to each other.  Things that have been forgotten until someone or something reminds us.

Friends like Robert and Shirley, not on the front surface of our thoughts until a post on Facebook refers to Shirley’s sister.  Memories flooding, bringing back times when we were all young; raising our children in the same church.  How they helped welcome us into the church when we moved to Charlotte.

That reminds me how we came to go to the Assembly of God that first Sunday and why we stayed.

We had intended to go to the Pilgrim Holiness Church in Eaton Rapids when the children and I came over to join Bill.  We set the alarm so we would have time for the four of us to get ready and make the drive to Eaton Rapids.  For the only time ever;  it never failed again, the alarm did not ring.  No time to get ready and make the drive. We didn’t want to be late the first time we went there.  So I asked Bill where we might go in town.

He said, ” Dwight told me that Pastor Taylor has a church in Charlotte.  Why don’t we go there?”  We had known the Taylors when they were pastors in a church near Applegate.  We had met them when  they bought groceries at Mom’s store.

So we went that first morning and  the Lord impressed us to stay.   A special memory that has been the source of numerous others.

When you think of special memories what is the first one that comes to your mind?

Waiting to finish this today the Lord added another very pleasant memory.  A matter of business put me in contact with a lovely young lady with an equally lovely name, Starlene.  After the business was concluded we chatted briefly but long enough to know I would like to know her better as a new friend.  We never know what blessing the Lord will provide as we serve Him with an obedient heart.

The last memory of this blog is the memory of a favorite Christian author C.S.Lewis and one of his quotes   “Nobody can always have devout feelings; and even if we could, feelings are not what God principally cares about.  Christian,  love … is an affair of the will. But, the great feelings come and go,  his love for us does not.”