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Thank you notes

jackiep — Thu, 28 May 2009 06:09:55 +0000

Whatever happened to the “old fashioned” courtesy of sending a thank you note? In the last few years we have sent gifts to weddings, graduations, and birthdays. Short of calling and asking we have no idea if the gifts were even received. There has been no acknowledgement of its receipt.

Have you ever failed to acknowledge a gift? Think about this. What gifts has God given you lately? Are you breathing? Have you thanked Him? Do you have His Word to read? Have you thanked Him? Are you having something to eat tonight? Will you thank Him? Have you thanked Him for saving you? Have you thanked Him at all today?

There are 71 verses in the Bible that use the word thanks. Every one of them refers to giving thanks to God.

When you pray do you just ask for things or do you spend time in His presence thanking Him for all He has done and is doing in your life? Have we taken all our Father has given us for granted?

How about “writing” a thank you note to God and giving it to Him in your prayers today?

This chat was prompted by a sermon preached on 5/27 by Bro. David Coe at Heritage Baptist Church, Latham, NY, during the 10:00 AM service of their Bible Conference. Thank you, Bro. Coe.

Welcome to the Group!

jackiep — Sun, 24 May 2009 07:22:57 +0000

Tuesday, “little sister”, you were inducted into the illustrious group known as Grandmothers. This honor was bestowed upon you when you were ambushed by love at the sight and sound of your new-born granddaughter, Izabel.

Other members of the group warned you of that near heart-exploding, overwhelmingly emotional moment but you never quite believed them until… until you saw, touched and smelled the tiny miracle brought forth from the one who mere heartbeats ago, or so it seemed, was just such a tiny miracle resting in your arms.

Ellen, you will never outgrow the breath-taking love Izabel surrounds you with every time you hold her. Each milestone she reaches will make your heart swell to the point of exploding. Yet there is always room for more.

Suddenly you have unlimited patience, ability to walk away from any task because she needs you, an absolute need for a rocking chair, and all the time in the world to sit and rock, talk, giggle, and play. The dust, dishes, laundry etc. will still be there when Miss Precious Obsession goes home. Enjoy her, for you know just how quickly she will grow up.

God has given you a precious gift. Learn from the examples He has given you in our grandmothers and our Mom.

Welcome to the club! You are going to be one fantastic Grandmother.
I love you!

Protected: Instructions for Jackie.

Angela — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 05:17:11 +0000

Delays and Changes

jackiep — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:05:54 +0000

After a hug to the son-in-love and a tearful goodbye to my darlings and my “baby girl” (she’ll be 30 in 12 days), I became one of the shuffling multitude in a HUGE line to get through the security check at an airport that has, at most, 12 gates. I had arrived the requested/required 75 minutes before flight time but as I approached my assigned gate my plane pulled in. 30 minutes later we were boarding. This flight I was seated second row from the back, not something I wish to repeat. The door was closed and we were pushed away from the gate at the precise time we were supposed to be. We taxied out to the runway and then… we stopped. Then the voice of the unseen captain came over the speaker telling us we would be sitting there for at least another 5 minutes due to a wind sheer alarm on the runway. Would much rather sit there than encounter the deadly effects of wind sheer. During this 5 minute wait the wind shifted and we had to go to the other end of the runway to take off. We swiftly arrived at the appropriate spot ready to take off, began to turn the plane into the runway, and he suddenly powered the aircraft down. Again the invisible voice is heard, this time telling us we will be sitting where we are for the next 30 minutes as there is a ground stop situation in Detroit. The seat belt sign was turned off and we were able to use our cell phones. I phoned my honey-man and told him we would be later than advertized arriving. As I was talking the voice announced that we were being cleared to take off and to turn off the phones. Sign on, phones off, aircraft turned unto the runway and away we go. A few “bumps” were encountered on the way up but nothing bothersome. 10 minutes into the flight, however, the bumps were another story. Again the prayers of my friends and family and Ps 56:3, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.” calmed and relaxed me. We encountered a few more bumpy spots but they were mild. We were wheels down at exactly the time the airline advertized we would be, even with all the delays.

A 20 gate walk and an escalator ride down and I was in the arms of my honey-man. Safe, content, at home, for in my honey’s arms is home.

Dinner and an hour+ drive later we arrived at our house and my very much missed bed. Sure wish I could cart this bed with me everywhere I need to sleep over.

Just as the unseen voice of the airline captain told us of delays that were at first reaction inconvenient and bothersome yet, not once did I question or argue against them. These changes were for my protection and well-being. So should I view the changes and delays the “unseen voice” of my heavenly Father brings. His changes are for my ultimate good, to protect me, and to eventually bring me safely home. Romans 8: 28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Inspiration

jackiep — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:29:30 +0000

In your “I love you” journal or a card finsih this sentence.

The thing about you that most inspires me is _____________.
Explain why.

Bless your husband today with your words.

Needed the most

jackiep — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:26:31 +0000

1 Samuel 14:7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

As your husband’s armourbearer ( the one who makes sure he has what he needs; through prayer, or physically or emotionally, to stand against the world) be sure you give him what he needs the most — YOU.

Bless your husband today with your touch.

Hopes and Dreams

jackiep — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:25:25 +0000

1 Samuel 14:6-7
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

Ask your husband, is there anything that he has always wanted to do that he has yet to accomplish or has given up on?
Is there any way you can help him with this dream?
Would he persue this dream if he knew you would answer him with 1 Samuel 14:7?

Bless your husband today with an interest in his hopes and dreams and the resolve to stand with him in his pursuits.

Praying for decisions

jackiep — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 10:23:34 +0000

Read 1 Samuel 14:6-7
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.

Pray for your husband as he leads your family. Pray that his decisions will be God given and God honoring. Pray that whatever his leadership decisions are you will loyaly and gracefully submit and go with him anywhere.

Bless your husband today with specific prayer

Armourbearer’s Attitude

jackiep — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:54:09 +0000

Read 1 Samuel 14:6-15
6 And Jonathan said to the young man that bare his armour, Come, and let us go over unto the garrison of these uncircumcised: it may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few.
7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
8 Then said Jonathan, Behold, we will pass over unto these men, and we will discover ourselves unto them.
9 If they say thus unto us, Tarry until we come to you; then we will stand still in our place, and will not go up unto them.
10 But if they say thus, Come up unto us; then we will go up: for the LORD hath delivered them into our hand: and this shall be a sign unto us.
11 And both of them discovered themselves unto the garrison of the Philistines: and the Philistines said, Behold, the Hebrews come forth out of the holes where they had hid themselves.
12 And the men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armourbearer, and said, Come up to us, and we will shew you a thing. And Jonathan said unto his armourbearer, Come up after me: for the LORD hath delivered them into the hand of Israel.
13 And Jonathan climbed up upon his hands and upon his feet, and his armourbearer after him: and they fell before Jonathan; and his armourbearer slew after him.
14 And that first slaughter, which Jonathan and his armourbearer made, was about twenty men, within as it were an half acre of land, which a yoke of oxen might plow.
15 And there was trembling in the host, in the field, and among all the people: the garrison, and the spoilers, they also trembled, and the earth quaked: so it was a very great trembling.

As we read about Jonathan’s plan it seems a bit strange and even foolish. Or as my DH says, “There is a fine line between faith a foolishness, watch for it.”
If we equate Jonathan with our husband and ourselves with the armourbearer and whatever it is our husband has determined is God’s road or current load for our family with the Philistines, can we see a course of action we as wives should follow?
Does the Bible say that the armourbearer rolled his eyes, heaved great and mighty sighs, questioned every step and every word, or discussed the plan and lack of strategy with his parents? No, He simply said, “Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.” and followed him up that hill ready to tackle the job shoulder to shoulder.

How’s your attitude in regard to your husband’s leadership? Is it time for an attitude adjustment?

Bless your husband today with an armourbearers attitude and unquestioning submission to his leadership.

Loyalty

jackiep — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:19:15 +0000

1 Samuel 14:7 And his armourbearer said unto him, Do all that is in thine heart: turn thee; behold, I am with thee according to thy heart.
Context: 1 Samuel 14 1-7

Are you as loyal to your husband as Jonathan’s armourbearer was to him? Can you truly say to your husband, “… Do all that is in thine heart … I am with thee according to thy heart?” Does your husband KNOW he can count on you? Does He know you will be there no matter what?

Write your husband a note telling him that you are “with him”.
If you can’t do that then you and God need to have a meeting.

Bless your husband today with your loyalty and with your words