OUR PORTRAIT

Daddy taught me more about drawing than just about anyone I know.I had some
excellent professors in college, but I think the natural gift that my Daddy had
for drawing was passed on down to me. The very first thing he would tell me to do
when I drew something, was to sign my name .He would tell me to "always be
proud of what you do, Becky." He told me that I could do this because God created
me with these abilities to begin with ,and He would allow me to use them to the
best of my abilities. Daddy assured me that everything I drew would stand out
better when I outlined the picture after I finished. Infact, he was a big fan of shading and highlighting everything, because it always made the picture show up better!
In the same manner, God has taken each of us, and molded us with intricate qualities.
He outlined us with the golden character of His grace that sets us apart. We're
shaded with different attributes and personalities, but we're all in the family of
Christ. He highlights us with our own talents and we use them when we share our
testimonies, and our love of God.
When I see what my Lord has done for me, I am shaded with hints of
humility!
I don't have to outline His portrait though, for He is magnificent all by Himself!
The shades of His Glory and the Highlights of His life story, paint a perfect portrait!
The perfect Portrait of a Sinless King!
I'm signing my name on this one too!
Becky

MAY'S TEA

When you go to visit May in Aiken, and you have a cup
of tea with her, you have to brew your tea just so!
It's an art with May.....A lost art!
You heat the water and let that tea kettle sing like
crazy.The water must boil several minutes after it has
started to sing before you take it off the heat.THEN,and
only then, will May allow you to place a tea bag, or your
loose tea in the cup. You have to put a cover over the cup
and steep your tea to a deep and aromatic flavor. I don't
like mine as dark as May does, but the secret is still in the
steeping.
Sometimes, when God wants us to come out steeped in
the essence of a godly person, He may leave us in the
bitters of pain or unpleasantries longer than usual, so
that we learn certain lessons. He will steep us so that His
beauty will drift forth from us. When He is sure
we have drawn all the aroma out of the Creator that we will
need, He will withdraw us to be enjoyed as the choice morsal
He has created us to be!
Becky

ROCKS CRY..... KETTLES SING

Grandmother's perfect wedding gift was a whistling tea kettle!
It was not only to be used to call her children to the table, but
was a reminder to her to make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
Boy howdy, did she ever let her tea kettle sing too!
She would always say, if the rocks can cry out, then my tea kettle can sing too!
Becky

FIRM FOUNDATION

In 1971, LaVonne and I excitedly boarded a plane that flew us to Europe ,where we
left our suitcases( in Luxembourg) and hitchhiked all over Europe and over into
England, for two months. One of the places we loved the most was the
country of my grandparent's birth. .....Gronigen & Rotterdam, Holland!(We even
managed a side trip to see these cities !)We met a young Dutchman by the name of
Pete, who picked us up as we hitch hiked, and showed us the actual "Polders
of Holland",and he showed us how much land in Holland was really once water.
So much of our land today was also once emersed in The Great Flood.
Because of God's great redemption ,through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are able to
emmerse ourselves in God's word and find a firm foundation to stand on for
ourselves!
God's word is a firm foundation that will never disappear!
Becky

THINK AGAIN

When it seems you have been forgotten,
You have not been forsaken.
Think of the Cross!

When you are lonely
you are not alone
Think of the Cross!

When you have been stretched to the limits,
Your pain is not unbearable.
Think of the Cross!

When you think you are unlovely,
You are not unloveable.
Think of the Cross!

When you think you are lost
You will find there is another way.
Think of the Cross!

When you think there is no hope,
You will see you have not met Jesus.
Think of the Cross!

When you aren't sure about a situation,
you haven't trusted Jesus.
Think about The Cross!

Think again!
Becky

RIVER OF LIFE

My hemorrage was just one of those valley's in the shadow of death;
losing my son was another valley.
Every experience we go through, that brings us to the feet of Jesus, is
like walking into the Valley of the Shadow of Death! The only difference,is when you are a child of the King, you don't have to fear evil or death.
We don't have to fear the evil one or his attempts to discourage us and
make us doubt our Creator.
Jesus has already defeated satan, and won the battle!
We just have to believe in the Victory, and cross over out of the valley,
and into the River of Life~
Becky

ALL THE TIME

I am sitting here alone this morning. The music is on the TV. It's playing Easy Listening on the TV while I'm at the computer. David has gone into his next to last day of radiation, and I am looking out at the river just thanking God for this beauty and for all my wonderful friends .I have no special journey today. Just the fact that God is here with us,...... all the time, and has given us so much,..... all the time. He loves us so much...... all the time ,and sometimes we forget that fact, and I think
it's just kind of nice to stop and pause for minute or two,or forever and just tell Him how much we love Him and how thankful we are for what He has done......all the time!
I'm not really sitting here alone ,either.......
He's here!
Becky

POPCORN

We received another box of the Boy Scouts Trails End Popcorn the other day.That is,without a doubt,the best popcorn I've ever eaten! The first time I told this story,I had so many folks ask me to repeat it,that I thought I would share it again.Popcorn kernels are plain ordinary pieces of corn until you place them over a fire of intense heat.Then,they pop forth into that wonderful and delicious treat we love to eat,called "Popcorn!"
We, as humans are alot like those kernels of corn.We are just plain folks until God places us in the furnace of affliction, where He burns off the dross,and gets rid of all the impurities that will hinder our testimony.
When the heat is turned up,God's provision will allow us to pop forth as the person He planned us to be all along.
God is our El Shaddai, and will be All Sufficient for all our needs and when we pop into the lives of those around us,they will partake of the choicest morsels we have of God's word.
They will be given food for eternal life!
Who wants Popcorn,when you can have the Bread of Life?
Becky

WHATEVER THE CIRCUMSTANCES

I've learned a lot in the short 62 years that I've been on this earth.
It took the death of my son, David, for me to come to the
understanding that we really don't own anything on this earth.
Our children are a gift from God, for us to take care of, while they
live on this earth.......They are loaned to us!
I knew when David died, that I had to tell God I was gonna
have to prove my words, that my children were not my own!
That's a mouthful to come out of a Mother's mouth who has just
given a child back to God. It isn't easy......unless, you understand
that your children weren't your own to begin with!
If you fully understand, that when you get so close to God, He will
allow you to become so content in Him, that whatever He allows,
you will accept, because in your mind, if it's okay with God,
then it's okay with you too!
I don't know any better way to say that statement folks!
That one phrase has saved my sanity!
It has to be that way, folks, or you will never grow in your
relationship or your walk with God.......
He's boss!.........We're not!
Something may happen that is so horrific, and you don't
understand; it's not fair; it's horrible; everything is all wrong!
If you don't get that one concept that God is Sovereign and,
we live in a fallen world, you will miss out on so much!
We messed up! Not God!
He loves us anyway! Whatever He does is gonna end up being
the best thing for us, anyway, and why not be content with the
best from the start?
Becky

DOMINOES JESUS!

One of my Grandmother's favorite things to do, when I would stay with
her, was to play "Dominoes Jesus." I loved Dominoes, but having her
tell me why each Domino was needed, made the game so much more
interesting and fun! There was a "Bone Pile" for the left over Dominoes
that couldn't be used .In Grandmother's mind, these represented the folks
that we were to go and connect the body of Christ.
Grandmother's Dominoes were green with white dots, and I've
never seen any green and white christians before, but "with Christ all things
are possible"......so, you were connected to other like minded christians,
which formed the body of Christ. When you didn't have one to play, you
chose one from the "Bone Pile", and connected God's word, leading another new
Domino back into the family of God!
I bet Grandmother is still playing Dominoes in Heaven, and I imagine our
Savior is looking on with a smile!
Becky

THE BEGINNING OF A JOURNEY

I walked upstairs that night, in 2001, and a voice within my head told me
to begin writing some vignettes, and send them out to people everyday by email.
I can remember looking up at the ceiling and saying, "what do you want me
to call them?" To which the reply came into my head: "Journey To Christ."
I then said to no-one in particular, "I guess that means I'm gonna have to
write something tomorrow morning then!"
This is basically how "Journey To Christ" began, and I've been at it for almost
nine years. The very first one was clumsy and awkward, because I wrote it under
my own power and steam. As the months and years passed, I grew in God's word, and learned to wait on the Holy Spirit to guide me, and give me the material He wanted
me to have. I've often wondered what my life would have been like Had I not
listened to that still small voice that night. I'm sure it would have been a lot
less hectic ,but not nearly as much fun!
Becky

THE INNER MIND

As I get closer and closer in age to that magical age of "65", my body is telling me that I'm not as young as I use to be.
All the parts of me that use to do flips; handsprings; headstands and cartwheels just
aren't cooperating with me anymore! .......They have sprung loose!
Just getting across the room is a major chore now, if you know what I mean!
Even that's good exercise now.
Our joints tend to ache as we go through physical changes, when we age
(Stock in Bayer Aspirin goes up too!)
As I get closer and closer in age to that magic "65", my body is telling me that I'm not
as young as I use to be!!(No kidding!)
Scripture tells us that our physical bodies are decaying on a regular basis.
Our body is falling apart on the outside, but the inside self is being renewed daily,
by the renewing of our minds.
If my inner mind is being renewed, maybe my body will catch up to it before I leave
this world!
Becky

OUCH!

In 2003,my lower back was bothering me,so I went to an orthopaedeic surgeon to see what
might be wrong.I was told I needed a hip replacement,to which I assured the doctor it was my back and not my hip!(Boy,was I wrong!) AS it turned out,it was my hip, and I had a replacement and that took care of the pain!~ The signs were all there,......and I just had to recognize them!
Those replacements are suppose to last ten years,if you are fortunate.
I'm experiencing that same pain right now....ugh!
Jesus said that the sheep would recognize the Shepherd's voice, and come to Him. When my Shepherd calls to me,I will know His words from Scripture and recognize the truth!
In the same manner,when the pain calls for another hip replacement,I will know what to do......
but I'm taking Jesus along with me this time too!
Becky

BEING RECHARGED

When I take my camera anywhere, I have to make sure it's charged, or
when I get ready to take pictures,it won't work! It works the same way
with my new "Netbook" too. It's batteries only last about four
hours before it has to be recharged.
In the same manner, we as children of The Living God, must have our
spiritual batteries recharged by the renewing of our minds! If we stay
in God's word, on a daily basis, our spiritual batteries will be recharged
and our spiritual renourishment will be intensified!
This is one battery that will never wear out and you won't want to
leave home without it either! God's high voltage battery will keep you
recharged, but you have to stay hooked up to Him on a daily basis to
get the full charge!
Becky

SHOES OF THE FISHERMEN

This always reminds me what we can do as one person. We may not
think that we, as one person, can make a difference, but stop and
think the next time you can speak up, and make a defense for the
gospel.....even in the smallest way. You never know!
(Apologies for my brain not remembering first names of all these
people; God never forgets, and that's what counts!)
There was a shoe salesma, Edward Kimball,....A plain shoe salesman
folks, and he shared the gospel to a young man, by the name of
Dwight L.Moody. I think you have heard of him. He touched the life
of a man by the name of Myers who evangelized and in his way, touched
the life of a man by the name of Chapman. He spoke and his words
were heard by a man name Billy Sunday! Billy Sunday was scheduled to
speak, but couldn't and a man by the name of Hamm took his place.
They called him to speak in Charlotte, NC, where this tall, lanky
tar heel came foreward and Billy Graham began his journey!
We never know how our own journeys will begin. It starts with one step!
The actions of one shoe salesman, filled the shoes of the fishermen with
the gospel!
Becky

AIR MAIL

When I drive down to Mount Dora ,I can take one of several different
routes. I can go straight through Jacksonville ,on I-95, or take 295 around
Jacksonville, and pick up 19, going through Green Cove Springs and
Palatka, where I pick up 17 which takes me to 441 and Mount Dora!
This is the way I usually go, because it's right smack dab in the middle
of the state, where Mount Dora is located. It's also a beautiful drive,
and I can stop and pick up Blue Crab in Salt Springs !It's nice having
several choices when I go home, but I usually stick to the one I know
best!
If there were that many roads to get to Heaven, then Jesus wouldn't
have had to die that agonizing death for us. There is only one way
for us to get to the Father in Heaven, and that is through Jesus,
the Son! I don't have to remember the road numbers either.....
That's already been taken care of for me. I will be picked up and
deposited at my front door when it's time for me to go Home!
I will go the road I know best here too!
No I-95 for me; No By-passes either!
I will be Air Expressed straight to the Throne of Grace!
How's that for Air Mail, folks?
Becky

I'VE OFTEN THOUGHT

I've often thought that I would go bonkers with all that's going
on in the world today, if it weren't for the fact, that
somewhere along the way growing up,someone planted in my
brain, the fact that my children were not my own!Infact, I realized that
none of the things I enjoyed were my own.....they were God's!
I was just taking care of them for Him, while on this earth.
That really hit me hard, when David Jr. died. I walked
upstairs that morning; looked at the ceiling and told God
I've always told You that my children are not my own, and now I've gotta prove it!"
Words and actions are hard to put together unless they are
glued together from the start. Somehow, someway, I knew that
if God owned the cattle on a thousand hills, He could also own
all of what He gave me too!
So, everything going on doesn't get me down .My treasure is in
Heaven. If it's okay with God then it's okay with me.
I mean, everything!
When you can say that, even when you don't
understand the why's and wherefores, it will make your life so much
easier and much richer!
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;in all your ways acknowledge Him,and He will direct your paths."
I'm trusting! I'm not leaning!
I'm acknowledging!
And He's directing!
Becky

REINA RYSKAMP BOUTERSE

Grandmother and I use to sit out on her little porch and she'd talk
about her sisters Ann and Grace.I don't remember any of the others
but she'd tell me about them,and her dog named "Nita"
that she had growing up,and the black "Willy's" her folks owned.
Grandmother grew up in Kronigen Holland, and Grandaddy in
Rotterdam,Holland.I'm not sure how or when they came to this
country, but my Mother was born in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in 1910,
so it had to be sometime before then! I know Grandmother adored
her Mother. I asked her one day, if she was afraid to die, and she said:
"No, because I will see my Lord and my Mama!"
To a little five year old girl, those were more than powerful words!
They were lifesaving words!
Not much else to know about Reina Ryskamp Bouterse, except that
she loved the Lord more than anything, but then I think that's
probably all you need to know!
Becky

THE BILTMORE & EDEN

Kelly and Josh just returned from a weekend at The Biltmore House,in Asheville,NC.
They were scheduled to go back in Octoberbut they both came down with colds,so this weekend was their raincheck.We had gone as a family the Christmas after my brain hemorrage, so I emailed her and told her that things would look a little different now. I said that she would see some things that she had never seen before. The natural beauty was out of this world, especially on the grounds. The caretaker of the grounds must be pleased with all his efforts too.
This got me to wondering.....
Adam and Eve were the only two people who lived on the first earth and on our earth now, and will one day be on the new Earth in the New Jerusalem!
Cool,huh?
I know they saw things that they have never seen before,and yet all of it has been created by the same magnificent hands.....The Hands of God!
He has been the owner of this earth, and we have been his caretakers.Sometimes we don't
do a very good job of taking care of it,so that it will remain wonderful.
One day in the future,it will become "The New Earth", and God will be able to say:
"It is good"!
I know the caretaker of these grounds will be very pleased too!
Becky

12

When I was about twelve,I told Grandmother that I wanted to be a missionary to Africa, one day.She told me:"Becky,you might just end up being a missionary in your own home."
Looking back on my life,I think God must have given Grandmother some insight into my life today......Such wisdom! Those of us who are unequally yolked, are definitely missionaries for our Lord within the temple walls of our homes! The mission field is within the walls of our bedrooms; living rooms;kitchens,and the dining rooms.These are God's mission fields and we don't even realize it!
The souls that are taught about God, are in diapers and have colds.They wear baseball uniforms and ballet tutu's.They are rebellious teenagers that can give a terrorist a run for his money!
They all need love,and a missionary has plenty of that to give.
Mom's need love too, but they have a gigantic amount to give back too!
Pretty good missionaries,if you ask me!
Becky

THE INN OF THE SIXTH HAPPINESS

One of the movies I loved growing up,was "The Inn Of The Sixth Happiness."
I just loved any movie that dealt with someone's pursuit of their own road to happiness,and those children's journey certainly did! Watching the children on their journey,just stole my heart!
In the pursuit of our own personal happiness.....true happiness,we have to seek after our Lord's direction, and then follow Him,with gusto I'm not going into the next life with a "ho-hum" manner.I'm going full steam ahead! I'll go like I read a book,because I'm always ready for the next chapter! I'm in pursuit of happiness,but I want Eternal happiness. With God by my side,I know where to find it too!
During the movie,there was an intermission to go get drinks and popcorn.
In our movie of Eternal happiness,there will be no need for intermission and I'm sure the drinks will be made with Living Water,and the popcorn will be made with kernels from the Bread of Life!
That's eternally good eating!
Becky

MRS.LOAN

Grandmother had a friend out at Riley's Trailer Park that she would always go and visit.
Her name was Mrs.Victor Loan.I think she might have been of German descent,but I'm not sure.She had a Chinaberry Tree outside of her trailer,that she let me climb and I loved it!
Mrs.Loan and Grandmother would talk while I would climb..... Who could ask for anything more?
In later years,I learned that Mrs. Loan developed Dementia and wandered off from the trailer park, and was never found.I know it broke Grandmother's heart.
This picture reminds me of how God must have felt when the Israelites wandered away from Him, as they often did.I know it broke His heart, again and again!They were a stiff necked people and wouldn't learn to trust in the God who always saves His children!
God is faithful and just to forgive and restore His people even today.To those of us who place our trust in Him and who don't wander away from Him,He will be here when we call out to Him and be ready to help at all times!
This is a MIghty God we serve.We might not know wherew Mrs Loan wandered, but God knew.....
He was with her all the way.
He protects our going out and our coming in!
Becky

WORD PERFECT

Another of the things my students loved to do in my Physical Education
classes was to spell words, using their entire bodies.I would first give
them a letter of the alphabet to form with their bodies and then they
would progress to making a full word with the help of four friends.
The ultimate was to develop a sentence by the formation of some
twenty students, and see if I could read their sentence!
This was a wonderful learning tool, because they almost always began
spelling their words from "right to left" instead of from "left to right."
Forming these letters with their bodies was a wonderful way to let
them know that they were indeed,"fearfully and wonderfully made".
Not in just a word or a sentence, but for a lifetime!
They were being renewed by the transforming of their minds,..... and their bodies!
Becky

MOM'S

When I moved to Beaufort, in 2003, God gave me the opportunity to invite
other Mom's who had also lost children,to my beach house at Edisto.
This has been the most wonderful blessing for me, and we have grown as
a group of ladies in our friendships. With this growt,comes the feeling,
sometimes,of placing the opportunity of that weekend before the One who
gave it to me!
My God is a jealous God,who will have no other idols before Him.....even
things that are honoring to Him. Just like He took the dream of Veggie Tales
from its creator, for a season, and then restored it! For this same reason,
I think God may be rearranging my Mom's weekends. I think He may be asking
me, "What is more important,Becky,the Mom's,or me?"Ofcourse,God is
more important to me,but does He know it by my actions?
I am laying my Isaac down before Him,just as I did my David jr in 1995.
I can lay my journey's down.I can lay my Mom's down.
I mean,He laid His life down for me,so I think the least I could do for Him,
would be to lay my own personal feelings down in honor of Him.
I will put aside this special time with my Mom's,because it is time
comsuming to me, and even though I love it,I am afraid my God thinks I
love them more than Him,and that breaks my heart.
He will have no other Gods before Him,and neither will I!
Becky

MR. PARACHUTE

When I was teaching Elementary Physical Education,one of my favorite things
to do with my students, was to let them play with Mr. Parachute.
The objective, was to hold the parachute taut on the ground,and on my
command,the children were to quickly get underneath;squat down,and hold
on!Invariably,because somebody didn't listen,there would always be a child
left on the outside,who didn't make it to the inside.
The Israelites didn't listen to God either,and got left out of the Promise Land.
Only two of all those people remembered God,and went in!
Like Mr. Parachute,when the day comes and our Lord tells us to come on in
under His protective covering,let's make sure we listen and go in!
Becky

HEARTCARE CENTER

When I was starting therapy excercises, last June, I wanted to go
to Dr. Kevin Jones's area of rehabilitation, Dr. Dean
decided that I should go to the Carolina Sportscare Center.
I couldn't figure out why it was so important that I was there,
until I met Mike,whose wife had just died from cancer in
2008. We spent many sessions discussing the Sovereignty of
God through the loss of someone we loved. Having lost David,
I was able to reach Mike and understand the pain he was going
through. He told me that I probably knew him better than any of
the folks at the center. What a tribute! As the weeks and months
wore on, and I found my sweetie facing that adversary, "Cancer."
I realized I needed some outside strength and some words of
wisdom from somebody who had been down that road before.
I didn't want to go to just anyone,so I prayed for God to give me
wisdom when seeking that person.....and He did!
He always does!
I walked into the Sportscare Center for excercises one day, and looked
at Mike, and new without a doubt,that God had answered my prayer!
Who knew better the anguish that a cancer patient is going through, than
someone who who has gone through watching their spouse go through
chemo and radiation treatments. What a blessing for him to spend
45 minutes encouraging me! All this time, I thought I was there to
encourage and help Mike get through his time of losing his wife, when
God knew all along that I was gonna be the one who was gonna need
the help! It really should be called the Carolina Heartcare Center!
Becky

FAITHFULNESS

I'm not sure how long Grandmother had been married,but at one point in their marriage,Grandaddy left Grandmama for a period of eight years,for another woman!
He went out west somewhere,during the time he had been preaching.That's all I know.
I have her "Streams In The Desert", where she wrote his name and placed a circle around it and then marked a big X over his name.I think that is about as mad as she could get!There are numerous scripture referances that she went to, for strength during this time, which is such an encouragement to me.
After eight years,my Grandaddy came back,and ask her forgiveness.Grandmama took him back and folks, that spoke volumes to me......Even after eight years! It reminded me of how long we are in the wilderness ourselves, and yet God always forgives us and takes us back.........My!My!
I figured if God could do something like this....especially for this sweet lady that I loved so much,He was deserving of total obedience.He's deserving of obedience,anyway, because He's God, but to think He gave her the heart to forgive and take him back too!That just blows my mind!
As you can guess by now,my Grandmother Bouterse is very special to me, and I think there will be a number of my friends waiting to meet her in Heaven!(Get in line behind me, when we get to Heaven!)
Becky

GRANDMOTHER

My dear, sweet Grandmother had three soms and one daughter.
Uncle Harry, who was my favorite uncle, was the oldest,and a motorcycle cop in Miami,whose one leg was severed in a motorcycle accident,as far back as I can remember.I adored him, and would cut out pictures and send them to him in his little trailer, and he would send back hand blown glass figurines to me. I reconnected with his son, Harry Jr., before I moved to Beaufort, but found out that he just died this past year.
Mother's brother,Howard, was a dashing man in his younger years,who married a cuban girl, who made the best black beans and rice around.She was Bebe Rebozo's sister,and her brother was President Nixon's friend,so I was able to meet him when I was about thirteen.
Uncle Howard was the caretaker onIslandia, an island off of Homestead,Florida.We drove to it by boat, and the only means of electricit on the island was by a small generator.I learned to deep sea fish with him and caught my first fifteen pound Mutton Snapper therethis was also where I met President Nixon. Uncle Howard also played a mean trumpet,and Grandmother use to send him extra money to help him out,until she found out he was playing in a night club,and then she stopped sending it. She meant so much to him,that he quit playing in the night club!
Uncle MJ was the baby of the clan.He was a retired Navy Chaplain, and had five children.He and Aunt Virginia retired to Lake Joanna,in Mount Dora.
He retired to the exact spot that he proposed to his wife on,some eighty years before.
He has been all over the world, and close to the end of his life, he and I became very close.That leaves the only girl......Mama!Mama was born in 1910 in Harrisburg,Pennsylvania, but lived most of her life in Miami where she went to school with Joseph Cotten,and even dated Bob Jones!She went to Stetson University in Delan;, married Daddy and moved to my Mount Dora, where she had five of "us'ns", and taught elementary school for awhile.
Grandmother Bouterse loved her children.No matter what befell her,she reared them with the fear;admonition and love of the Lord.She did her grandchildren the same way.Michael and I seem to have benefitted the most. They say we are three fourths of our grandparents and a quarter of our parents. If that's the case,I guess I'm in pretty good condition!
Actually,I'd like to be a hundred percent of my Father!
Becky

RAY'S FROG FARM

I've often thought about my brother Michael's frog farm. He had a frog farm across highway 441, from our home on Lake Dora,where he raised frogs.He had a sign that read
"RAYS FROG FARM that he put out by his farm of frogs.
The imagery I have of seeing these frogs,as they turned from tadpoles into frogs, reminds me of how God takes a person and turns him into a new creation after He meets Christ.
He takes our lives,indwells us with the Holy Spirit after we come to know Him, and we are a changed person."The old has passed away;the new has come."
Atleast we don't have to change from a tadpole to a frog!
Becky

JB

When I was in the third grade,one of my classmates Father died in a car accident.
I loved Jimmy's Mom and Dad,and his folks were both close to my parents while I was growing up.JB and I were even social dance partners in junior high school, or whenever you take social dance.(It was awkward for both of us!)When we held our fortieth class reunion in 2005 I was amazed at how much Jimmy resembled his Father!
In the same way Jesus has told us,"if you have seen me,you have also seen the Father too, for I and the Father are One."
We are indeed representatives of our parents.I have my Mother's lazy eye, and her irritating cough.I have my Daddy's abilty for drawing,and telling special stories. When people see me,who know my parents,they will often tell me that I remind them of my Mother or Daddy.
Long after I'm gone,I'd like for folks to remember me....sure!
But,what I'd really like for them to remember about me,is my Father!
My earthly Daddy was wonderful,but my Heavenly Father is outta this world!
Becky

THANK YOU!

I'm thinking back to the night before Christmas,and wondering, how
in the world,God in Heaven above,could ever willingly send His one
and only Son to earth,knowing that thirty three years later, He would
die such an agonizing death?
I am so unworthy,and He is the sinless, perfect Lamb of God, and yet
He came for me and for you!......I am humbled! As a Mother who has
already given a child back to God,it's beyond my imagination how
He could do such a thing.....and yet He did!
I didn't know my son was going to die, and you better believe if I
could have prevented it,I would have!
God above,knew at the beginning of time,that He would give up His
Son,and allow Him to suffer on our behalf,and He did nothing to
stop Him.
He loved us that much!
Wow!
I will spend Eternity telling Him Thank You too!
Becky

HOUSE OF GOD

In the 1950's,my Mother's garden club,"The Lake's And Hills Garden Club",in Mount Dora,Florida, decided that they needed a slogan for littering throughout the state,so her garden club came up with the slogan,"DON'T BE A LITTERBUG." We held contests to see what the litterbug would look like, and believe me,mine surely didn't look a thing like it does today.
We had to represent someone who left alot of trash around all over the place.People recognized that litterbug just about everywhere too!
If we are a true representative of our Lord, we should be recognizable by our deeds and how we act too.We won't leave trashy words,or thoughtless acts around,but only those things that are of good report and that are honorable.If I'm to represent my Lord as a living temple for Him,then that temple better be the nicest one around. I won't need a contest for this one,either.
The award will say:"BEST HOUSE OF THE YEAR....GOD'S HOUSE!"
Becky

OUR POPCORN TREE

The Popcorn Tree to the side of our house has turned into a blaze of orange and yellow colors.It is simply magnificent right now, and the popcorn balls are showing their little faces right now.Where once green leaves sprouted forth,are now waves of glorious shades of orange;red,and yellow leaves! A completely new and glorious looking tree,folks! This is one of my favorite times of year,when the leaves change.It gives
me the perfect picture of how the new believer looks when becomes a new creation in Christ!He once was a plain shade of a person,and then the Lord invaded the darkness,and shades of glory revealed themselves on his contenance,and he became a new creature in Christ.....full of the brighter shades of joy!
You can spot a true christian anywhere.They just glow with the true colors of Christ,and the true faces of their Popcorn balls will pop fporth with their own glorious colors for all to see!The leaves on their tree of life will be in blazing colors!
Becky

PICTURE THIS

The jailor tells Barrabas that the man hanging on the middle cross is hanging there,dying in his place.
The just,for the unjust.
Does that thought not just pierce your hearts?
Now picture this.The God of all tells you and me that HIS own Son on the middle cross is hanging there,dying in our place too.
The just for the unjust too.
I have an eternity of thanks to give to the man on the middles cross!
Becky

THE GARDEN

One of the sweetest memories I have of being with my Grandmother,is in her trailer, when we would sit on her porch and sing these phrases.....

"He walks with me,and He talks with me,and He tells me I am His own,and the joy we share as we tarry there,none other has ever known."

What a way to grow up,and knowing my Grandmother,I have no doubt that she felt right at Home,knowing He was right there with her then,as He is today!
Becky

GOD FIRST!

Grandmother had a little placque above her bedroom door,that said everything about her,that there was to know about my grandmother.They were only two words,but they were powerful words,and they were words that made my Grandmother the person she was.
They said in their siomple way...."GOD FIRST".
She went to sleep at night knowing that this sign was a reminder to her of how God came first in everything!
She told me that the sign was over her bedroom door because He watched over her the minute she walked out of her bedroom,straight through the minute she walked back into the bedroom for her rest with Him that night.He was "GOD FIRST" in and out of her life,all the time!
These are some landmarks that I'd like to have too. That same little placque is in my kitchen window now, to remind me,that when I'm serving or giving to others, I'm giving and serving God first!
Becky