MY MORTAR

Every Saturday morning, after cartoons, I would hop into my Daddy's 'ole black Ford black pick up truck, and go with him, to check on his job sites.He would drive around to see what all the men had accomplished durinmg trhe week. If they happened to be working on a house that day,(yes, they worked on Saturday's) I got to help!

Doc,or one of the other men, would let me hammer some nail's in,or plop some mortar on the mortarboard and swi9sh it on the bricks, always reminding me that this was what made them stick together. Daddy would reinforce this by telling me that many of his JG Ray Jr.built homes used mortar and bricks, because they were the basis for a sure and strong foundation. His homes today, are some of the sturdiest homes in Lake County.
The mortar was what held those bricks together.....
My Daddy told me so!
God's word is what holds our very lives together ......
My Daddy above told me that too!
Becky

PUNCTUATE ME!

Punctuate the following sentence and you will get a clear picture of what it is all about!


he that is is he that is not is not is he not he is


answer this afternoon at 3:00
Becky

HOW COOL!?

When I was 21,I spent about 2 months backpacking in Europe, with LaVonne. While over in Germany,I became lost, and had to ask directions back to the home, where we were staying.About the only marking I could remember in german, were "West Bahnoff",and East Bahnhoff", which were the train stations.If I could find those,I could find my way back home!
This made me think of how, when we are spiritually lost, that we need to find our way back home too.....Home to Jesus!
Alas, there are still those friends and neighbors, and yes, even family members, that might be lost too, and need to find their way "Home" too.......
We can be their directions to get there!
How cool is that?!
Becky

MY GOD WHO REIGNS

I have a friend in Aiken, who is very dear to me. She will hold me accountable if I am heading in the wrong direction in my thinking, and that's good! We both discovered that we had been in FHA, back in our high school days, which doesn't surprise me one bit, for she is right on track as a good and true homemaker!
The motto for the Future Homemakers of America, is "We Face The Future With Warm Courage,And High Hope." When I think of Beth, and our friendship,I must agree with that motto.
We both dearly love our Lord, but we will do so correctly, according to His precepts, and sometimes that heats things up!
That's where the warmth comes in......
We will also face our future with the high hope that we have in our Lord, because He reigns on High, and we get to be a part of that with Him!
Now, that's facing the future with the warmth of God's courage,and the high hope, that He has received us into His own......
Some terrific future,huh?
Becky

LAKE DORA

Growing up in Mount Dora was quite an adventure, especially since we only had about 6,000 residents at the time. This was a quiet little central Florida town, filled with lakes and trees, and was the home of where the slogan:"Don't Be A Litterbug" began!(Cool,huh?)
One of our main lakes, was Lake Dora, and was used as our sewage dump, for most of my childhood, and was quite polluted! The city just gave itself over to this polluted state, as far as the lake was concerned, and nothing was ever done about it.(The gators, and my brothers frog farm,loved it though!)
Eventually, this was stopped, and cleaned up........
This is kind of what happens to man, when he thinks "he is wise" and turns his mind over to "ungodly" things.
His mind, and even his body, become contaminated with sewage, allowing God's word to become polluted.......
When this happens, everything seems foolish to him.......even the word of God!
Oh, how sad.
I bet the frogs and gators don't like that one whit, either, and they don't even have souls!
Becky

A LITTLE GIRL

When I was a little girl,my best friend,Tara, would come over, and we would go bike riding down Page Lane and in the neighborhood.We would pick up pieces of sharp glass all along the road, and bring them home, where Daddy would give us each twenty five cents, for the whole batch.That was a whole lot too, in those days.Why, we could even get into the Princess Theatre, with some change to spare.(but I better not be caught eating candy cigarettes,.....no siree!)
I've often thought about us picking up those sharp pieces of glass, just so it wouldn't cut someone else, and how those sharp edges could hurt!
God's word, is also as "sharp as a two edged sword", and I know that it can cut satan's attempts to defeat us, with just one word! .............It is just that sharp!
Sharper than glass is our Lord's word.....and we don't have to pick it up either.
We just have to tuck it away into our hearts, and it's ready when we are!
Woo Hoo!
Becky

MY STRONG TOWER

When I give directions to come to the beach house,I usually tell people to drive to Jacksonboro, and after they see the 60mph sign, they will drive a short ways, and then see a signal tower in the distance.Generally,I will tell them, that it looks as if they will run right into it, before they veer off to the right over the bridge. This is the SCDOT section shed turnoff, and will take them right to the beach.......
Ofcourse, as I was thinking of this, as I drove over to the beach,
I thought about how glad I was, that I can actually run into my Strong Tower, and find shelter with Him.I don't have to turn off or away from it either.I can stay right there, under His Strong Tower, and find my shelter.
(Ofcourse I can't get to the beach this way, but it's safe and nice there!)
Becky

BE OF GOOD CHEER

Isn't this comforting........

**A more than 70 car pile up on I-4 in Florida, with several people dead, due to fog and smoke.......
**Tornadoes all up and down the mid west, wreaking havoc......
**Wildfires that have wreaked havoc in California, followed by mudslides.......
**Drive by shootings and kidnappings all over our country.....
**Fruit trees freezing and devastating floods all over.......
Everywhere I turn,it seems like there is a catastrophy going on, or someone is shooting somebody, or someone has been kidnapped, or come up missing.
......and this is just in America. The country that is suppose to be based on God's laws.......Yikes!Where have we gone?I think we are living in the times when we are seeing the beginning of the the "birth pains" that scripture talks about(or atleast some of the earliest ones) and it will only get worse!
It's kinda nice, and comforting to know, that even in the midst of all of this, we have a God "who is faithful and just to forgive us our sins." and that, no matter how dire our circumstances are,our God has already overcome those circumstances.....
Infact,He told us to "be of good cheer, because He has overcome the entire world".........Now, how's that?!
That's something worth cheering about!
Becky

A JOYFUL HEART

When I go into the "Pig" at Edisto, there is a young man who works there, who is always smiling, and ever so friendly, and helpful! Everybody comments on how cheerful he is to just about everybody. When I see him,I think of Proverbs 17:22."A joyful heart is good medicine; but a broken spirit dries up the bones."
I've never seen this young man NOT smiling, and hopefully I won't ever have to see dried up bones at the "Pig" either!
Becky

REPORT CARD

The only thing that mattered to John The Baptist, was telling people about the coming Messiah.He was preparing the way for Jesus!
I think he got an "A" on that one too!
Seems to me, that we should have pretty much covered the world, by now, with telling the world about our Lord, doesn't it?
Wonder what our report card would look like?
Becky

STAND UP/STAND UP

With all this election stuff going on right now, and all the people standing up for the candidate of their choice, and the candidate telling them what they believe in and what they are gonna do if elected......
You would think that we could atleast stand up for Christ, every once in awhile, now wouldn't you?
Becky

WHAT?

Garbage comes out of a garbage truck.....

Flowers come out of a flower truck......

What kind of words come out of Your mouth?
Becky

RENOURISHMENT

When I arrived at the beach house today,the very first thing I observed, was that we have a beach front again!I have had no sand dunes for about a year now, and it has been so sad.
The beach renourishment program was evidently working, because I now have about 50 yards of beautiful soft sand,going out to the ocean,that starts at the end of the walkway.......
It was absolutely beautiful to see what had been lost,come alive again before my very eyes.
Naturally,I thought about how Jesus takes our lives at their lowest ebb, and by the power of His renourishing blood,He can make us new too!
At the beach house, the owners had to accept that the renourishment program would help.....
As a lost and in need sinner, we need to accept the renourishing power of the "ONLY" one who can do this for us.....Jesus Christ!
He is the best Eternal Renourisher,I know!
Becky

FINDERS/KEEPERS.......

"Finders Keepers
Losers Weepers".....
Remember that funny little ditty from elementary school?
We would find something, and keep it, saying that those who didn't have what we did, would be "loser's, and weepers."
Well, in the case of our Salvation ,it won't be so funny for some of those people who are the loser's and weepers......
Those of us, who have found that Salvation, will be the "finders" of God's Grace given Salvation, and be the "keepers" of this gift in Heaven forever and ever.
Unfortunately, those who reject Him, will be the real "losers" of this gift, and will be " weepers" in hell for an eternity!
Becky

THIS IS POSSIBLE!

It's so nice to be here at the beach, and be able to fellowship with other believers.
Alice and Harold Cross have joined me today and are here for the night. We've feasted on soup,salad, fruit and a "sweet", and then we watched a Ken Davis DVD.....
....and laughed and laughed and laughed!!!
I think,though, what I have enjoyed the most, is just our sitting around and talking about God's Sovereignty, and how wonderful He is!
There's just something so special about talking about the one you love the most, with fellow believers.You just can't get enough of it!
I love my beach!
I love my beach house!
I love my friends that come to the beach house with me!Mostly though,I love my Lord who makes all this possible!
Becky

THE SPOON

Oh, this is a goodie folks.....

When I am at the beach house, at Edisto, and I'm sitting at the dining room table,no matter where I place my spoon, I can see the reflection of a cross in the bowl of my spoon.....
This only works, if I turn the dining room table lights off however!
Even though I know it's the reflection of the four bladed fan up above,it's an odd occurance, none-the-less......
It makes me think that when Christ died on the cross, the light in His life,briefly went out, as He was seperated from His Father. This dark time, made the cross of Christ really stand out.It was only after the shedding of His blood, and His resurrection, did the Light shine once again!
The lights go out, and the cross stands alone in its beauty.
The lights go on, and "it is finished",......... God's shining glory is revealed.
Becky

FOR THOSE WE LOVE

Kind and loving Father, for those who have loved ones, or friends who do not yet know You,Lord,I ask that You draw them unto You. We know that we can do nothing of our own accord, but our hearts ache with passion for them to know You, in this loving relationship. Open their ears and eyes, so that they may hear the word, and see the hope that is within You. I lift each one of them up to You, Lord, and to keep those of us who love them, as a quiet example of Your love and tender mercies. Please don't give up on them Lord, because they need You so very much.
Help us to be the example that You would have us be.....
The one that would radiate Your reflection back, and not our own......

Mmmmmmmm NICE!

Your word tells us that You are faithful over Your house,Lord, and what's so wonderful about that very thing,is that You have chosen us to be Your house,if we continue to hope in You until the end.
Oh what a comforting thought that is, sweet Lord......

STEEP IN THE WORD

When I go back to Aiken,I will often go over to May's, and visit with her over a cup of hot tea. May says you must let the water boil an extra long time, before you put the tea bag in, and then you must always steep it for a long time, to be sure you get the true flavor of the tea bag!
I treasure the wisdom of this 91 year "young" friend, so I make sure to do it too.....
It's the same way, when we read God's word too.....
We need to pour over it, over and over, and when we do, we need to steep our thoughts into it for a long time, so that we can get the true flavor of what God means!
When I drink hor tea, it is usually decaffeinated tea, but when I drink of the "living water" tea,I want to steep my thoughts into the real and very strong stuff!
It's just right, even without a "Steeped In The Word" teabag.
Becky

WEEP NO MORE!

I did alot of baking growing up, and cakes and pies were always my favorite things to bake.
One of the pies Mama had to warn me about was a Lemon Merengue Pie. She was always careful to advise me not to put too much sugar in with the egg whites,or they would "weep" when baking. (I had to be careful not to bake on a humid day too!) I always thought a weeping pie concept was funny too!
When God places a protective coating or topping on us, He often won't "sugar coat" it either.He whips up, just what we need, and places that protective covering over us. It may not be too sweet to us at first,but it will be just what we need, even if we have to wait on it......
A slice of His pie will be well worth the wait!
Becky

NO THANK YOU!

It's real cold today, so I am staying inside, where it's toasty warm......by choice.
When I had my hip replacement,in 2003,I had to be placed on Cumadin, and was required to stay at home for a whole month!Knowing me as you do, you know that I almost went bonkers! I wasn't allowed to drive, so I had be taken to church and to the doctors office and that was it! My only consolation was that I could atleast watch what birds there were in January, out on the Branch water.....
It was still hard, knowing that for one whole month,I had to stay home.There were a few new Bible study friends who brought meals and visited and that did help some.......
Thinking about that time now,I surely am glad I won't have to spend my days in hell, when I die, where I can never get out.....ever! Where I would have to spend time with the likes of hitler;satan, and all of "satan's elite".
For some reason,I don't think a Bible study would be bringing lunch by either.........
Nope! Don't think I will be staying at that crummy hotel!
Becky

WATCHING!

I love to read the works of "Watchman Knee", but I honestly think I like his name even more.
It reminds me of how we need to be acting, in preparation for our Lord.......
On our knees, and watching!
Becky

A GOOD NIGHT'S REST

When I really have to get a good night's rest, and have to get several hours of sound sleep, I will go in the other bedroom and sleep for a night or two. It's that important for my health, and for my brain to get its rest.Well, when I do this, I will turn on the radio, to "The Light"(what else?)
and pull the blanket of wonderful and comforting music up over me.
What a comfort of praise that is to me, too, during the early morning hours.
If it feels that wonderful to me, can you imagine what a comfort of loving praise it is to our Lord when He hears our worshipful thoughts and praise anytime?
Becky

A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE

I thought this was neat.......


You've heard the old saying::
"I'm inbetween a rock and a hard place".
Well, if you belong to Christ,then you can say:
"My "Rock" is in between me and the hard place".......
That Rock is Jesus Christ!
Becky

YA KNOW

You know, there was another miracle, so long ago, besides the virgin birth......
Yes, that was quite a miracle, if you ask me, but there was another miracle that was absolutely humbling and yet so awe inspiring to me......
This was the miracle of Jesus loving us so very much, that He could and would take our sins, upon His sinless self, and hang them upon His body on a cross..... to die willingly for us!
Now, that is a miracle to me,folks! To think that someone loved us so very much, and would do that. That's love alright, but it's also miracle that anybody could, or would love us so much.....and yet He did!
Another miracle though,is that He even made it possible for us to be drawn to Him and be with Him, after He died!......Talk about love and a miracle!
That's one miracle I can live with!
Becky

ON ALL SIDES

I watched that old "I Love Lucy" re-run today, where Lucy and Ethel are stomping the grapes in the grape barrel.What a hoot that was! Crushing those grapes to pieces was a long process to finally get the grapes into wine, but it was necessary! ( I'm not sure Lucy and Ethel had it down just right though...) It was true,though, that the grapes had to be crushed before they could ever become wine........We surely would look funny drinking grapes, wouldn't we? :p)
We, as Christians seem to be crushed,and "hard pressed on all sides", but we will not be destroyed! The whole process we go through, when it seems we are being "crushed",turns us into the person that Christ so designed us to be.
As He takes each,individual grape, and crushes it together with all the others and makes a fine wine, He takes each individual ligament, and molds them together into the body of Christ.

Becky

**I must share with you how excited I was at writing this journey.This is an example of why our Bible could not be written wrong.....
I wrote this journey a certain way, and infact, had read it to Nellah, before hand.As I posted it, and was typing it, the Holy Spirit spoke the words in the last paragraph,so I changed what I had written down and typed in what He gave me.

ROCK SOLID

When I was in high school, and in college,one of my major interests, was tumbling and gymnastics. Infact, when I taught PE, those two areas were my favorite subjects to teach. One of the neatest things the kids loved to do, was build a pyramid. Ofcourse everybody wanted to be on the top, so I had to stress that the foundation of the pyramid needed to be solid, so it would hold them up!.....Rock solid!
In this way,you could add a variety of positions, and the pyramid would never crumble!
The lives of a solid christian are the same way. When our lives are firmly established, or built on the rock,(Jesus Christ), then you can pretty much pile anything you want.......like stress;pain; disappointment; heartache; death.....anything, and you won't crumble either! All because your foundation is built on the "Rock", and the last time I looked,my "Rock" was still standing......in Heaven!
Woo Hoo!
Becky

O MY LORD

Oh My Lord,it is You who knows me......
It is You who knows my heart.....
Oh, how wonderful that is,Lord......
You have watched over every thought and attitude I have had,Lord and You have loved me anyway. Lead me in the way I should go,sweet Lord, and then gently whisper Your precepts in my ear, so that I will never forget them.......

LIVING WATER

Oh,my Father,I am parched!
I have found myself in dark places, being persecuted by the foe. My heart is being ripped apart from within, and my soul is overwhelmed. Reach out and comfort me, with Your outstretched arms,O God, and touch my soul with Your word......
Turn my thoughts back to You, and "renew a right spirit from within." I am trusting in You and Your word,Lord, as my shield and defender...."my very present help in time of trouble."
You will be my refuge and shelter from this dark presence, and this once parched land will be no more. Once You revive me,it will become streams of living water.

LOVINGKINDNESS

May I continually praise Your name,Lord, and may my heart find pleasure in all Your greatness. You have established Your decrees within my heart, sweet Lord, and I will try to honor them forever. As You cover the heavens with Your Glory, so cover my thoughts with Your thoughts.
Let me glorify You,Lord, with all my heart,mind and soul. For the abundance of Your Never Ending Mercy, has filled the earth, and its aroma that covers us, drifts back up to You, as our loving sacrifice of praise to You.Oh we praise and thank You for Your lovingkindness......

NOT ABOUT JESUS!

I have the most creative, and most compassionate God!
Who, but my God, would allow me to go through a Cerebral Brain Hemorrage, knowing that I would lose most of my short term memory, and yet, knowing for me,this would be the absolute best thing possible that He could do for me!
You see,in this way,I am unable to rermember all the horrible details of my son David's death .I just know that he is gone!
If I say something,unintentional to someone, and it upsets them,I've pretty much forgotten it, before the words have even come out of my mouth!
He also knows how very much I have loved collecting "things" over the years and how I hated to part with them, but don't ask me what they were,because, for the life of me,I couldn't tell you!
Isn't He clever and wonderful to do things like that for me?
Even with a hemorrage!
It's not necessarily looking on the bright side. It's looking on the "right" side.......The right side of God, and I think that's where you'll find Jesus!
I have said, since my hemorrage, that you can tell me your deepest,darkest secret, and it is safe with me......
As long as it's NOT about Jesus!
I'll tell everybody about Him!
Becky

SLIPPIN' AWAY

Usually, when cold weather comes around, my fingers shrink, and my wedding band will slip right off my finger.I found out the hard way, when I was clapping at my son's high school soccer game,way back in 1992.......I clapped, and off it flew!
I now wear Grandmother Bouterse's wedding band during the winter months, because it is smaller. Our journey to become more Christ like is kinda like that too. If we don't watch out, we can slowly drift away......and if satan has anything to do with it, (and he usually does)we will slip away from our walk with the Lord!
Before we realize it,we are long gone, and feel as if we can't come back, "but God is faithful and just to forgive us", and if we are sincere and want to get back in His family,then He will take us back.
Slipping away is a usually a gradual process, and you don't even realize it!
Coming home is instant!
Becky

NOW, THAT'S A YIKES!

Oh, did this ever get me today!
Recalling the journey I did a few evenings ago, when I wanted to meet the authors of the books I had read, and wondered what it would be like to meet Micah and Peter, and be asked if we had read their books?
Well, how about this......
Have we read "the author and prefector of our faith"yet? His book, the Bible is wonderful and is a best seller. I wonder just what we will say, when He asks us if we have read His book?
Now, that's a yikes,folks!
Becky

LSD

I think this is kinda neat folks!

In James 1:15, we are told that "when lust is fully conceived,it gives birth to sin, and when sin is accomplished,it gives way to death."
Sounds to me,like satan has his own formula for making LSD, doesn't it?
lust......sin.........death
Cool,huh?
Becky

THAT'S FINE

Coming along and living, but not accepting the Lord, will wind you up in hell.....
Well, that's fine,if that's where you want to spend your eternity,knowing you will be in constant pain,never be able to leave,or get out of that pain....ever!
It's kinda like having a car, that needs a certain kind of tire, but you don't buy it.....
No, instead,you just use the ones you want to use.The only problem is, that the car won't run well, because it is out of alignment now!In fact, for all purposes sake, it won't go anywhere!
It just sorta sits there now, because the whole car is out of alignment.....
It takes that special set of tires to get the car back in alignment and back moving again.
Well, it takes Christ to move us,from going into hell too, and if we need to "change our tires" along the way, and be re-aligned, then so be it! Just pull over, and acknowledge that you need help.....(You don't have to lift your lid,or wave a little white flag either, as He already knows you need help, )and He will come and breathe the Breath of Life into Your worn down soul, and get yourself moving in the right direction again.....
Becky

DRAW NEAR

May we draw near to You,O Lord, with confidence, and kneel before Your throne of Grace,so that we may receive Your tender Mercies.Your word has said that we may call out to You in our hour of need, and I bring my petitions unto You O Lord God.You have been through every temptation, as is known to man, and yet You have not sinned.You know our thoughts, and feelings and will minister to our every need during this time. Thank You Most Gracious Lord , for preparing this,Your word, even from before the foundation of the world.It is like manna unto my lips, and is so important to You......

THE PROCESS

The tadpole becomes the leaping frog.....
The acorn becomes the mighty oak.......
The grain of wheat becomes the loaf of bread.......
The egg and sperm become a newborn baby.......
The planted seed becomes a blooming plant.......
The dying Savior, becomes a Reigning King........

If you look.....really look and analyze these things, you will see God has given each of these things a process to go through before it can become what He intended it to be.
All the processes are quite interesting to watch,except for the last..... it is painful, but necessary.
We must go through the refiner's fire, so that even though it may hurt,while we are going through the process, when Christ looks at us, He will see His image in our mirror..... and so will God!
Becky

O ME OF LITTLE FAITH

O Lord,if You can take care of the Israelites, as they wandered in the desert for 40 years,then I know,without a doubt,that You most certainly can take care of me,for this one day!
Oh me,of little faith......
Becky

I LOVE IT!

I love it when God does this!
I'm sitting here, halfway getting dressed this morning, and He gives me this thought......
Most of You know that I don't think real clearly,early in the morning(or anytime,for that matter! ), so it's hard for me to read my Bible then, and comprehend anything it says at all!
I think God has given me this time in the morning,to listen to David Jeremiah, as my word from God, on the radio, which is also when the Holy Spirit usually decides to speak to my heart.
This is also when He gives me most of the material for my journey's.....
(....and you all thought I was writing them all this time,huh?)
Isn't He faithful to do this for my humble 'ole brain?
Wonder what tomorrow will bring?
Becky