BLANKET OF LOVE

(Thank you Beth,for reminding me of this!)

When I was a little girl, and I didn't feel good, Mama would wrap me up in the covers,with some Vicks Vapo Rub,or some Mentholatum.Oh,how I loved this! She would give me some Vernor's Ginger Ale(Only Vernor's would do too!)over crushed ice, if I had an upset stomach, along with some of Grandmother's Horehounds!I think it was the comfort of the blanket,and its calming and sheltering care of me,that I loved the most.I found a sustaining refuge and strength in it.
Today,my refuge and strength,is covering myself with my blanket of the Psalms! I will pull up the 107th Psalm,and cover myself, with gratitude for God, and how He always saves me, when I am in distress! Sometimes,I will cover myself in Psalm 121, when I need to remind myself that God is still in control and will not allow me to stumble! Then, when I want to hide away under the covers of all His precepts and laws,I will cover myself,with Psalm 19......How I love His statutes!They are healing to my bones!
I think, though, if I want to really be covered,I will pull up the blanket of Psalm 23.....the one we all know, because it says, in a nutshell, what I desire for comfort,in the first and last verse!Under this blanket,I know that the Lord,is indeed, my Shepherd, and I shall not want (for anything)and because of this,goodness and mercy shall follow me, all the days of my life.....but the best part is, that I will dwell in the House Of The Lord Forever! I mean, where I will really enjoy the rest of Eternity,folks!....Woo Hoo!
I may still enjoy my Vernor's Ginger Ale!
I may still enjoy Grandmother's Horehounds!
I may still even remember that Vicks Vapo Rub under that blanket!
But.....
You better believe I will never forget God's blanket of love that covers me!
Becky

AS I WAS LISTENING......

As I was listening to "Focus On The Family" this morning, and how Dr. Dobson wept in anguish, after sending his son off to college,I was struck with this thought....
As sad as Dr. Dobson was, can you imagine how our Heavenly Father must have felt, when He sent His only Son,Jesus Christ,to die on that cross, for you and me?
....and do we really anguish over it?
Becky

HAPPY TURKEY DAY!

I would always get up, and quickly help Mother set the table,excitedly putting the placecards on the table,right where they belonged.....
Mama;Daddy:Betty Ann:Jeff:Michael;Chris;Grandmother & Grandaddy Bouterse and Grandmother & Grandaddy Ray.....and me!
I would then plop myself down infront of one of the very first TV's in Mount Dora, and watch the Macy's Day parade! The parade was part of what made Thanksgiving for me! Grandmother Ray would arrive with her Date Nut Pudding,and oh was it ever delicious(My children don't like it though) The grandparents arrived just before dinner, and we sat around the big oak parquet table that Daddy built, and we gave thanks for all of God's bounty.
We had alot to be thankful for,back then in the 50's, when life was easier, and filled with such good times! It was football in the afternoon and turkey sandwhiches that night!
Today, my grandparents are in Heaven.My parents are there too.My sister,Betty Ann is there,along with my son.My brother Jeff is a lawyer in Mount Dora, and Chris is a lawyer in Sanford,Florida and Michael works in Crestview,Florida.
Yes, those were easier times......Times, when you didn't have to lock your doors, and other parents could pick you up from school, without permission!
Times when a turkey; dressing; asparagus casserole; sweet potatoe casserole;and Date Nut Pudding topped off the Macy's Day Parade, and it all meant a pretty good Thanksgiving!
A time, when we recalled the words written in Psalm 106:1 "Praise to the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord for He is good! For His mercies endure forever."
Yes! I will say I have indeed been blessed folks!
I hope you have too!
A Most Grateful season of thanks to our Father for providing this for us!
Happy Turkey Day!
Becky

I SUPPOSE

I suppose I look alot like my Mother,but hopefully I act more like my Grandmother Bouterse! In college,I learned that you were 3/4 of your grandparents genes, and a 1/4 of your parents.Mother was loving,but very,very strict! When she told me to do something,I did it out of duty, rather than out of love for God. The apostle Paul, even "told the brethren that by the mercies of God, they were to present your bodies a living sacrifice." I think if Mama had told me not to do something, because God's word said it was wrong,I probably would have understood it a whole lot better!
Grandmother understood this concept about me, and I suppose that's why I would do anything for her, because what she asked was based on God's word, and not on man's opinion!
Don't get me wrong,my Mom was the best, and I dearly loved her, but there was just a connection between Grandmother and me. I think my brother Michael had it too.
I kinda functioned more out of obedience to God's word, than I did to man's opinion , anyway. That's why I didn't get all bent out of shape with the election results.....
God will be the overall winner in the end.He always is, and I'm going with Him1
That's why,when David jr, died,I didn't let the "It isn't fair" people get to me, Because my God is bigger than any election, and He is in control of it all anyway!
I just don't let all the nit picky stuff drag me down, because God is way above that, and I'm on His side!
Anyhoo, His mercies fall fresh, every morning. With Mom, it was more like a duty to obey her, even though I knew she loved me dearly and I loved her!
I think maybe Grandmother was a Mary!
I think Mama was a Martha!
I think I must be a Mary Martha!
Becky

I CHALLENGE YOU!

I have so many friends who are doing Soduko(or however you pronounce it), and crossword puzzles, to increase their brain power. I can't figure out the Soduko to save me,and I'm not keen on crossword puzzles, so I decided to challenge myself in a different way!
I decided to memorize a new verse of scripture every two days.I figured that this would be alot more helpful to my mind,than a crossword puzzle, and besides,if the day ever comes, when we can't use our Bibles,I'll have my scripture in my head!(That is if I can remember it!) I've only been at it a short time,and I have 31 different scriptures down,so I'm glad I started doing it. It is a renewal of my mind, and
scripture says to set our mind on "things above"..... What a challenge I gave myself, and it's one I'm glad I took up!
Won't you take the challenge with me?
Becky

THE LIGHT AT THE END

Keith Olberman has an ad on TV, right now, for MSNBC, that says:
"The Light At The End Of The Crisis."
I don't know about you, but I think he got the wrong name at the beginning.
I think it should say.....
"Jesus Christ! The Light At The Beginning And The End Of The Crisis."
Becky

MARY MARTHA

I suppose I look alot like my Mother,but hopefully act more like my Grandmother Bouterse! In my college Physical Education science classes,I learned that we were 3/4of our grandparents genes, and a 1/4 of our parents.
Mother was loving and smiled all the time, but oh, was she strict! When she told me to do something,I did it out of duty to her, rather than out of obedience to God, and His word! Paul even "told the brethren that by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice." I think if Mother had told me not to do something, because "God said"it was wrong,I would have understood it so much better.
I think Grandmother understood this principle in my heart, because it was in hers too.What Grandmother said, wasn't based on people's opinions,but on the word of God, and that was where Mother and I differed.
Don't get me wrong,Mother was the best, and she loved the Lord, but she had her own way of showing it.I dearly loved her, and she loved me.There was just a connection between Grandmother and me, that I think my brother Michael had too.
With Grandmother,I functioned out of mercy from God's abiding love, and understood, at a very early age, that His mercies fall fresh every morning.
With Mama,it was more like a duty, because I loved her....
I think Grandmother must have been a Mary!
I think Mother must have been a Martha!
I guess that makes me a Mary martha! :p)
Becky

MR TOAD'S WILD RIDE!

One of my favorite classic TV shows, was "The Wind In The Willows",series.I loved the part, where Mr Toad put on those crazy goggles and drove like a mad man,down the road.When he got behind the wheel of that "mobile" he went wild!His eyes would spin around and around, and he would become obsessed with driving fast! That was his one desire....to drive fast!He ran over everything in his path too!
When Toad gets his way,he is a light hearted depiction of a very real and horrible satan, all dressed up! Scripture tells us that after the Rapture,one who is very suave and smooth talking will come forth......However,he will be obsessed,not with driving fast, but with taking over the entire world,for Himself!
His whole object, will be to run over and destroy all the followers of Christ!
He wants to be a "Helltona" 500 winner! The "Hell Bowl Champ;" and the King of the world! Why, he even thinks he is God.....Boy, does he have another thing coming in the end!
"Our God is the true God;He is the Living God, and the Everlasting King!"
So there!
Becky

FROM GREAT TO SAD?

When I was a little girl,we had a little elderly lady who would come into our classrooms at school, and tell us about the 1st Thanksgiving. Mrs. Detra would bring her flannel board, and use these cut outs of pilgrims and indians,to depict the very first Thanksgiving.This was their first celebration feast,as they gave thanks to God for His provision during that first cold,hard time in the new land.
Every year, this petite lady would come and go through this whole story, and how it came about, and how we, as a nation, should be thankful, for our many blessings!
We all ended by saying just what we were thankful for, as a class. I've thought about this, for many years, and I think we've lost the whole concept of giving thanks behind "Thanksgiving."
I'm not sure there are many folks left, who are even thankful for anything,anymore, muchless thankful to the one who gave it to us in the first place!
What a sad state for such a great country!
Let's be thankful though,that we can change......
Becky

THIS HAS BEEN HARD, BUT CHRIST STILL WINS!

This has been a hard day for me today.Not so much physically,but mentally.I've not been around alot of folks going through chemo before, so I'm going through this "cold turkey." My God is gonna really have to hold me up too! He has provided me with folks, along the way, who have encouraged me.....Like the woman who stopped for a brief moment to ask directions, and after talking for a few minutes, I found her to be such an encouragement to me.In fact, we encouraged each other quite a bit!
My God always does these things for me,.... even with encouraging words at Curves! I saw a girl at lunch, whose hair was shaven,with staples on her head.She was talking about coming out of her coma, and being so excited about it! Well,I started tearing up,folks, because, as I watched her, it was just as if I was looking at myself 12 years ago, this Thanksgiving,coming out of my own 2 month coma, with my head shaved! I had to get up and go over and speak to her,telling her what a blessing she was to me,just being there!...... I told her, that by her mere presence,I knew she was a miracle girl, and would have her own "God Story" to tell one day.It was as if I was seeing myself, all over again, and the faithfulness of God, to bring me through that time. I have indeed come a long way, and I told the girl, that she would too, and to not get discouraged when her healing wasn't fast enough.
My God always takes care of me,so I am trusting in Him to take care of my sweetie ,especially when I don't always know the right thing to do.I'm not sure why so many people have been so kind to me, except that God must have put it on their hearts.
Even the waitresses, and nurses have been so helpful! He does indeed know my name and everything about me,so I'm pretty sure He knows the desires of this 'ole girl's heart too!Yes,it's been hard,but Christ does indeed win in the end, and I plan to be around, when He does!
Becky

1/4 OR 3/4....WHICH?

CHOICES

While in Birmingham,I was reading a magazine, called "More Choices," which gives lots of advivce on a healthier lifestyle.One of the items they suggested you try,was to add soy milk as a supplement for a source of your calcium.....
Well,I'm sorry! If you have ever had a breast feeding baby on soy milk, and had that child throw up all over you,you will NEVER.....and I mean NEVER, take anything with soy in it,for a supplement in your diet!
I give God all the Glory,for the great things He has done, but for this Mom,the memory of the smell of soy milk is NOT one of them!
Becky

DON'T BE LEFT BEHIND

It never fails! I am always leaving something behind, when I go somewhere.I left my good knife at the beach, and can't find it now.It seems wherever I go,I will leave something behind.
Just as Grandmother Bouterse left me all those many years ago,and just as she left me with a treasury of her memories of God's promises to cling to, our Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ has also left us,so long ago. He also left us with memories of God's promises, and His Gift of Salvation.
Now that's something to leave behind!
Becky

IF I THINK ABOUT IT......

If I think about it too much,I can become just a wee bit frantic about having to drive home from Birmingham. I don't even know if I AM gonna have to drive home, so why borrow trouble,or be anxious over driving......Scripture says:"Be anxious for nothing,for who by being anxious, can add one cubit to his span of life?" Now,I don't know my math real well but I'm figuring a cubit is a pretty far piece, and I certainly can't add one whit of a cubit to my life, so why in the world would I wanty to worry over it?
Go figure?!
Satan loves these little tactics too, and it can work wonders on someone like me,UNLESS......
I remember that God's word IS stronger than any two edged sword, and WILL defeat satan every which way! His strength IS sufficient for me, and IF I have to drive home,then He will give me the strength to make it! Mind you,He will give me the ability,for that minute;that day, and for that purpose..... and not a minute sooner!
He will give it to me for when I need it!
Not before!
Living like that is scarey, at times,if you think that way. However,if you let God do the driving it's really exciting!
Think about it! How many people get the chance to start their day NOT knowing how they are going to get back home, but knowing that it's gonna be one of the most exciting journey's ever?!
Satan is like a "Worry Wagon".....
God is more like my "Go Cart'!
God has seen me through my yesterday's, so I'm pretty sure He loves me enough to see me through my tomorrow's too!
I think it's called trust. I don't have to know how He's gonna do it.
I just have to know He will, and that's enough!
Becky

COWBOYS & INJUNS!

David loves to watch the old black and white westerns,that have the cowboys and indians in a sure'nuff shoot 'em up movie! I always wondered why in the world they formed a circle around the campfire, with their wagons, only to have the indians ride in a circle around the wagons, shooting their bows and arrows at them! When I think about it,though,I don't ever remember any of the indians being able to break through the wagon's circle.....It was that well protected! The men were always on their guard too!
In the same way, we need to protect the word of God in our hearts!
We need to encircle it with prayer and keep watch for any ungodly enemies who might try to penetrate it and misplace it's meaning.It only takes a few misplaced thoughts for wrong interpretations!
Those indians could ride around forever,but they wouldn't get through!
Satan can try his tactics too,but they won't work either......
God's word will stand forever,either in a circle,or in a line!
It stands by itself,or in a group!
It just stands!
Let's protect it!
Becky

RED ROVER

I remember playing alot of Red Rover,when I was a little girl.
I loved to hear them call out:"Red Rover! Red Rover! Send Becky right over!"
I would run as fast as my skinny little legs would carry me to try and break through the hands that were clasped together! If I broke through,I could bring someone back with me;if I didn't,I had to stay on their side!
Won't it be nice,to have Jesus say:"Come over!Come over! Send Becky right over!
You better believe, when He calls me,and I come,I'm headin' right over, but I won't break through, and bring anybody back,because I'm stayin' with Jesus!
Becky

THE BUS TRIP

Well, the Prime Timers are off again,on our trip to Gatlinburg, where we will spend 3days listening to David Jeremiah;hear Will Graham(Billy's grandson)preach,and hear George Beverly Shea sing.It is so much fun, being on a bus with these folks, as they share thoughts,eat and sing, and do all sorts of fun things.Some are knitting;some are reading; some are on the phone.It's just neat being in the company of folks who love the Lord, and season their talk with love and grace.
My mind wanders to a time, one day, when we won't have to take a bus trip to hear David Jeremiah,We will all be together in Heaven,praising;laughing, and worshipping our Lord,together......and the bus ride will never end!
Woo Hoo!
Beck

COLORED LEAVES/NEW CHRISTIANS

The further up the mmountains we drove,and the closer we got to Gatlinburg,I noticed the leaves on the trees changing from their dark green to bolder colors of burnt brown;red;orange, and goldish yellow. What a change and so beautiful too!
Scripture tells us that when we come to Christ the old things pass away, and we are new creatures in Christ! If these colors in the leaves are any idea of how we should change and boldly show off our colorful change,then we'd better get busy watering ourselves with His Living water so we can show off God's richest wardrobe of His Grace!
Becky

HE LOVES ME!

When I was a young girl,I had a friend who lived next door to mee, for a brief period.Elinan and I loved to trade clothes and we would change them back and forth on Monday's and Friday's.It was alot of fun,until our Mother's caught on!
I had to stand before Mother and explain why I did this!
This was harder for me to do,than the day I will stand before God, because my Lord and Savior,Jesus Christ exchanged His life for mine. I can,one day,stand,spotless, before the Living God, and He will only see the spotless clothes of His Son!
.....And I won't have to explain anything!
What a friend to do that!To give His life for me!.....Elinan couldn't
To change His spotless clothes for my rags!.....Elinan couldn't
To give His Father to me!.....Elinan couldn't
I think He must love me.....Jesus could.....and did!
Becky

WHICH WAY?

These are some thoughts I want to share......


As you get on up in years,I have noticed that when I am in new places I sometimes find myself not sure about directions.I found that to be a fact, when I was in Gatlinburg, and trying to find my way back to the motel! Now it's funny.....then it wasn't! I couldn't pinpoint exactly where the motel was, and to make matter's worse, when I went to ask directions,I experienced one of my "duh" moments, and couldn't think of the name of the motel!(Another "Rowen & Martin" moment, coming up)
I walked up to the store I had been in, and told the clerk NOT to get excited, but that I couldn't think of the name of my motel, and could she give me the names of several.....Well, she said "we can call the Police for you"..... I never hollered "NO" so fast and so loud in all my life,folks!!! Mind you,I am laughing like crazy,by now, and I am totally embarassed too, but still a little alarmed, becuse the group has gone and nothing looks familiar to me!I don't like this feeling, and the girl keeps assuring me that they call the police all the time...........Well, not for Becky they don't!!!
I told her, that it had the word "stone" in it and she asked if it was near "The Aquarium", and then it all came back.....Woo Hoo!
So,I started walking, but had no idea which way! I finally called Sandy, and got directions.
I know that I'm not the first, or the last person,that will happen to,but maybe these will be some helpful hints for others!To take a business card from the motel, before you leave;a map of the city;a phone number of friends and motel, and program them into your phone.......
The young can go into new environments and not have it bother them, because they don't have as much "stuff" in their brain as we do.
I've collected so much garbage in my brain,over the years,it's a wonder I haven't gotten lost sooner!
It wasn't a fun experience,but I learned something, and hopefully this will help others to take precautions too!
Atleast,I can't lose my Lord, and He can't lose me either!
Becky

WHY?

Betty told me the neatest story coming back on the bus today.She said her niece had come over during the holidays,when she was putting up her Christmas ornaments.
She asked where the baby Jesus was, and Betty told her that she had already put Jesus up.She then asked Betty, as only a child can.....
Why do we have to put Jesus up?
Good thought!
Why do we?
Becky

DOWN,BUT NOT OUT!

I was feeling kinda down today,Lord....
I guess from all the things I know I'm facing.It got to be a little too much for me, and I even wept,Lord, but You took my tears and even bottled them, and then You faithfully supplied my needs! You gave me a pastor's prayer by phone;some encouraging words from friends.....Why You even furnished friends who fixed supper for me at my house! You have supplied a home for me to stay in, when going to Birmingham, and You even arranged a friend to be an anesthesiologist at UAB. How I could ever doubt Your concern for me,I'll never know! You never forget a thing,Lord! I get so easily overwhelmed, especially when well meaning friends tell me how hard it's gonna be. You know I need Your word, and not the negative comments of those well meaning friends.....
Thank You Lord,for giving me this renourishing time at the beach, and for answering my battle fatigue prayers. Your angels are holding me up, and I feel You close by....
Becky

IT'S STILL DARK

It's still dark, as I lie here this morning, at Edisto, listening to "The Light".
I'm thinking how glorious our Lord is and that nothing compares to Him!(I can't thank you enough for this station,Rick!) I love this time here at Edisto,when the water is sparkly and beautiful! The sky is blue and the birds are chirping away.I just revel in how awesome our God is,to have created all of this! He didn't miss a thing! He knows just how to renourish and strengthen my soul and spirit every time too! You don't need a beach scene to be renewed , as nice as this is, because God's word is renourishment enough.His word is sweet to me, and scripture says that pleasant words are as honeycomb;sweet to the soul, and healing to the bones!His word is manna to me,and the beach is just the icing on the manna to me!
Becky

THERE'S A SONG IN THE AIR

I just love that old song: "There's A Song In The Air". It really puts me in the Christmas spirit, and makes me think of the baby Jesus!
Today though,when I think of Jesus,I think of a new "song in the air".....
This will be a song that sounds like,..... when we hear a loud shout, and a sound like a trump, and we will look and see our Savior descending.....
Now,I don't know about you,but if I'm gonna meet Him in the air, feeling that joyous...... that trump,and shout, will sound pretty much like a good musical song to my ears!
Come Lord Jesus,Come!
You will be my Song In The Air!
Becky

FOREVER

What a funny experience God gave me today. I was sitting in the waiting room of the Heart & Vascular Center at UAB, and a young woman came in. She brought a friend in and they were both from Israel. When asked why they were here,she said they were here for a new procedure for chemo patients. It was the same one David was having!
Wasn't it kind of God to fly her all the way from Israel to Birmingham just to be an encouragement to me? She asked me if I had ever been to Israel, and I told her "No, but that one day I would be there forever!"
Becky

THE BRIDGE

When I arrived at UAB,I found that I had to walk on a crossover type bridge to get to the north portion of the hospital,in order to reach the Heart and Vascular Center. This was the area where David was recovering from his procedure. The only problem,was when Susan dropped me off,the doors to the entrance of that side of the street were closed off behind me, and I couldn't get back that way! I was suppose to meet her at this same place too..... I tried to figure my way around the hospital,to where she could pick me up where she dropped me off,but the doors had been closed! I ended up going back over the crosswalk and downstairs to the outside, but then I was on the wrong side of the street! Have you ever seen a 61 year old woman do a 50 yard dash across 4 lanes of Birmingham traffic,during rush hour? It's a sight for Rowan & Martin's,"Laugh In" folk's.......I made it,though,because I was not getting left behind!
When we sinned against God, we created a huge chasm between ourselves and God. When Jesus Christ died on that cross,He created a bridge that enabled us to cross over and come to God. We were now able to spend Eternity with Him! For some who wait too long to cross that bridge to God,they may one day find His door permanently closed too!
At UAB,I had to go through 3 crossover bridges to finally get to David!
In Heaven,I only have to go through 1 bridge,and that's Jesus Christ,to get to God!
Woo Hoo!
Becky