PROPHECY

I'm doing a Bible study down town on the book of Revelation.
It's a thorough study and I'm truly enjoying it.
I enjoy studying Bible prophecy, and what parts of the Bible
mean. What absolutely blows me away, though, is how the
prophets of old, like Daniel and Ezekiel, prophesied events
and times, thousands of years before they happened.
Some of these same events have happened in my lifetime,
and some of them will probably happen sometime in the
future!
The important thing is to remember that God said it would
happen in scripture, and He knew it would, from before the
foundation of the world. You can trust the author of the
manuscript! It amazes me, though, how He divinely inspires
these prophets with the exact location and minute, something will
happen .......He is a God of detail.
You'd think just knowing these facts would make a
difference to people, but then, there were some other folks who knew about
a child who was born in a manger, who claimed to be the Son of God and they
didn't believe that either!
Becky

GRANDMOTHERS RUG

Grandmother had one of the biggest hooked and braided rugs that
I have ever seen! It was the heaviest thing to clean too!
She started it,by entertwining different ties that belonged to my
Grandaddy. All colors; designs,and sizes! It was tight as could be,
until something came between the loops. She told me that the ties
were looped together like the body of Christ.They were bonded close
together, until something "unusual" came between them.
That's when she'd take her crochet hook and show me how one move
with her hook could undo the whole thing. She'd tell me that
things like gossip; unrest and undermining can undo the body of
Christ quicker than a crochet hook can undo a rug!
When the rug became undone,it became mighty heavy from the weight of "sandthat seeped in."
When the body of Christ becomes undone, it will become mighty heavy from the weight of " sin" that creeps in too!
Becky

SPAKYUS

One of my all time favorite side dishes,that Grandmother
Bouterse fixed for me, was something she called "Spakyus."
I'm not sure how she spelled it but it was pronounced
Spa-key-us, and it was salt pork that had been cut into tiny
little squares and then fried to a crisp brown!(Mind you not
burned!)It was a Dutch meal that I loved too! You placed the
little fried cubes into a dish of kidney beans, and the salty fried
pork would add a seasoned zest to the bland beans!
Mmmmmm! So good!
We're told the same thing in scripture, with our speech.
We are to season our speech with grace, as seasoned with
salt. Too much salt can ruin a meal. Just the right amount
is perfect!
Too much saltiness in our speech will run people off, but if
it's seasoned with God's grace, it will be received with such
smooth understanding!
Becky

THE TURTLE

Sometimes, I think when we won't slow down on our own,
God will slow us down His way! I have been going and going now, for quite awhile, and David has been reminding me to slow down, or I will pay the consequences. I'm kinda hard
headed as most of you know, so when I got so sick early on Wednesday morning, at 2 am, I wondered where in the worldI had contracted this bug. I've been so careful to wash my hands
when out and about, so I couldn't figure what happened.Then, this kinda dawned on me. I think God maybe allowed this to happened to me, so I would have to just stop and not dash
off to this Bible study(which He knew I wanted to go to) and to choir on Thursday night, because I had no strength He simply said "No, Becky!"" Be still and know that I am God!"
One of my Mom's said that God created turtles to remind us to slow down, and He gave us ants, to remind us of the littlethings. He created the sky so that we would look up and pray,and He created all of you to remind someone of how beautiful you are in His sight and how beautiful friends can be.
Yes, He got my attention, and I'm slowing down!This week, I have been made to be a turtle. I can be an ant when I remind myself that this week, was just one small miniscule amount
of time in God's universe. I will look towards the sky, or the hills,from whence cometh my help, for my help cometh from the Lord,who made Heaven and earth!
However, I think I can stand maybe one more day of being a turtle
and then I will be ready to be Becky again!(lol)
Becky

CHIP OFF THE OLE BLOCK

When I was a little girl, I did so many things that were like my Father.
It got to be so funny, that people would say I was a chip off the 'ole block!
I guess I am a lot like him in a lot of respects, in that we both liked to draw;
read; tell stories;....and loved good food! So yes, I guess I'm a lot like my Father!
In the same respect, we as children of the Living God, need to be a chip off
the block that will never fail! Our God and Father, Jesus Christ!
Now, won't that be some Father to be a chip off of?
Becky

MY FATHER

When I was a little girl, my Daddy drove a black Ford,pick'em up truck.Whenever we would drive anywhere, he would let me sit in his lap,and I would pretend like I was driving.
Ofcourse Daddy was driving,and had control,but he made me feel so important, that I thought I was actually doing all the driving! I couldn't do anything without Daddy though.....
As I got older, he would sometimes let me pull the choke out,or turn a blinker,but then we didn't go very fast back then, so I could do this.I only did this when Daddy told me too!
As I got older, he gave me more responsibility, because I had done good with a small amount of responsibility.
Scripture tells us the same thing on our spiritual walk. "To those who have,much shall be added." ....and even to those who don't have,it shall be taken away!Jesus even says that the man who does not do what the Father tells him to do, will be thrown into utter darkness.
Just like I did when Daddy told me to do something,Jesus also did what His Father told Him to do.......Even unto death!
Jesus did what His Father commanded.
By Jesus doing what His Father wanted, He made it possible for us to do what our Heavenly Father wants us to do!
Becky

THE CLARINET

I was given a Clarinet when I was in college, but it was
cracked, so I made it into a Clarinet lamp.
The shade was sheet music and it looked so cool when I
turned it into something useful. When we moved to
Beaufort, I gave it to a family of eight for
their help with cleaning out my garage and playroom.
God has done the same thing with us!
He has taken our broken down and beaten up bodies,
and turned them into brand new creations by the
renewing of our minds and spirits, through His Son,
Jesus Christ!
I took a Clarinet and made a lamp!
God took human's and gave them His eternal light!
Becky

BEST FRIEND

Jeanne Marie's Daddy was the Methodist minister where I went to
church in Mount Dora, when I was growing up. My folks, and Tara's
were good friends of the Blackburn's all during his years in Mount
Dora, and then when he continued on in Deland and in Jacksonville.
Tara and I were both in Jeanne Marie's wedding and she in ours!
We had many a puppet show and played doctor as little girls, and I'm
afraid Jeanne Marie's brother and sister suffered the consequences!
All our parents are gone now, but something God began a long time
ago, He has continued to this very day, because He knew it was good!
Inspite of our political differences and view points, we are always
there for each other.....for anything!
We go back too far for any other way!
"He who began a good work in you will complete it in the day of Christ
Jesus." We have gone through deaths; marriages;children;puppet shows,....
and just about anything we could think of to do!
Nothing has seperated us from each other, because nothing has
seperated us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, and He is
the glue that holds us together!
Becky

MY DINNER RING

I have a dinner ring that is very dear to me. I designed it myself some 37 years ago, but it has special meaning to me, because of the stones and where they came from!
The center stone is the Diamond from my engagement ring.There is a cluster of five tiny Diamonds from my Grandmother Ray on one side, and two tiny Diamonds with an Opal in the center, on the other side, from my Grandmother Bouterse.This ring reminds me of their love so much.
I look at this ring with love, because it also is a reminder to me of my Heavenly Father's love for me.The Diamond in the center represents Him as the center of my life, with the 9 stones representing the Fruits of The Spirit......
Out of love;joy,peace;patience;kindness;goodness;faithfulness;gentleness, and self control,there had to be one that stood out the most.
Infact,Jesus said,"God is love."
Love and the Father are the same......Afterall,He gave all His love on the cross for you and me,now,didn't He?
The Opal would represent peace!
Being at peace is the only way You can stand out among everything that is going on, and the only way you can be at peace,is through the love of the Father!
Becky

BOHONKUS

As a teacher, I hated to hear my students refer to their bottom's,
as their 'butt's". I never have personally liked that term, so I
decided long ago,I would find a better word for them to use when
referring to it. They were not allowed to use it in Mrs. Lock's class,
so they used the term "Bohonkus" instead! I got many laughs
from that at first, but it came to be second nature to them after
awhile. They never forgot it!
Infact, several years ago, when I drove back to Aiken, one
weekend,one of my former students who had just graduated from
college, told me that he taught his children to say" bohonkus"
instead of "butt" too!
What a compliment!
Jesus told us that the tongue could do more damage than a wildfire.
Even an innocent word like "butt" isn't very flattering, and can
hurt someone's feelings. It's part of God's best creation,
and our choice of description of those things that God created, should
be chosen wisely. I'm not sure "Bohonkus" describes it very well, but it
will bring a big smile to your face, and that in itself makes it worth it!
Choose your words carefully, or carefully word what you choose!
Becky

CAN YOU IMAGINE?

Can you imagine your Father picking up your neighbors garbage
and dumping it all over your head?Imagine the filth you would feel.
Why in the world would he do it?
How horrible!
And yet, that is exactly what God the Father ,in Heaven has done to His very own Son, for us! Only He took the garbage of the entire world!
Every single; filthy; stinking; vile; horrible; nasty thing, that every person ever did, or will ever do, and heaped it on top of His very own precious Son!
He did this for us!
Makes you want to cry, doesn't it?
Why did He do it?
Now, that will really make you cry!
He did it out of love for the people on earth, who don't seem to care,
and that's the truly sad part!
Becky

AMAZING GRACE

Grandmother Ray always contributed her specialty at
Christmas, and that was her wonderful Date Nut Pudding.
It was my all time favorite Christmas dessert. My children
didn't care for it, so I stopped making it, and opted for a
fresh Coconut Cake instead.(I can deal with that too)
Date Nut Pudding was made with dried bread crumbs, that
you placed in a dessert cup and then poured a sauce over it.
You topped it off with whipping cream, and boy was it ever
elegant and delicious! You took the old, and doctored it
up and what a new and delicious creation you came up with!
In the same way, Christ has taken the old in us,and made
us into this wonderful new creation.He topped us off with
the beauty of His saving Grace.
The old is gone and the new has come......
Isn't it amazing what Grace can do?
Becky

THE PITS

One of the readings I remember Grandmother Bouterse
giving me from the Bible, was concerning those that go
down into the pit, and how they will never be able to come
out. Grandmother would stress over and over to me, that
I didn't want to go down into the pit. Now at that young age
I didn't know what the pit was, but I knew without a doubt,
I didn't want to go there!I know now, that the pit was hell,
and people truly don't come out from that pit either!
When I got older, and we lived close to the clay pits,
I wouldn't go near them, because I was afraid I wouldn't
come out alive!We live close to hell everyday, but I don't
have to be afraid,because my Savior has freed me from that
pit forever!
I'm still trustin'Jesus,but I don't hang around the pits!
Becky

THE ORIGINAL

When I draw and paint, I can copy things, but not trace
very well. I love to make an exact replica of things like
sea shells and flowers, to see how precise I can be.
It's not the real thing though.
I have a beautiful picture of some Bottle Nosed Dolphin
that hangs in my living room. If you looked at it, you would
say it was the most real life photo of the animals you had
ever seen! ....It's not a photo though!
There is a lady in Batesburg who takes a photo of these
wonderful creatures, and then paints the most
lifelike pictures of them!
They still aren't the real thing though!
This is the same way with Christ.....
Many have come but only One came who died for our sins,
and was resurrected on the third day, and sits on the
throne above!......King Jesus, The Original!
In the latter days, there will again be one who will come
and say he is our savior. Don't be fooled by the copy, though.
We need to be so familiar with who our Lord, that we
know the original from the copy!
One will last for Eternity!
The other will be destroyed by being fodder for the Lake of Fire!
Becky

GRANDMOTHER TAUGHT ME

When I learned to embroider,Grandmother taught me to sew many kinds of stitches.I learned to whip stitch;blind stitch;make knots, and all kinds of things that this 62 year old mind can't recall anymore.She taught me the basics, so that later on when I began sewing, I could remember those basic techniques. She wanted me to become so familiar with what I learned, that later on down the road, when I needed the recall, it would automatically pop into my head!...... It surely has too!
It's the same way with God's word too. If we don't use it, we will lose it.It won't be there for us to remember.When we become so familiar with God's word and guide for living,the Holy Spirit will provide those familiar landmarks later on, and prompt us in recalling what we need.
God's word can't be broken,so I won't need to whip stitch it together and it gives sight to the blind,so I won't have to use a blind stitch either!
Becky

BAIT

When Allen, Theresa, David and I go fishing up in Cherokee,
we'll sometime's go out to one of the nearby fish hatcheries
for some extra afternoon fun! One of the fellas would use
Salmon eggs, which didn't work, and the other would use
worms, which did work! Theresa and I would just laugh!
It was interesting watching which fish would go for the worms,
and which would go for the Salmon eggs .I'm not sure which was more
appealing. I guess the fish figured that one out! It was really cool
watching those trout fighting their way upstream too! They were
determined to get there!
We are told in God's word to be fisher's of men, and rightly so!
Look what our Lord did for us? We can be the living bait that
He uses to bring others to Him.
I don't mind doing that for Him at all.....
He said we were new creatures in Christ when we came to Him,
but I don't think He meant worms or Salmon!
And I surely hope He doesn't mean me swimming upstream!
Becky

IN THE BEGINNING

In the beginning, God was!
He is now, and ever shall be.
It doesn't matter to me "how"He did this.
He just did!
He is The Comforter;The Judge;The Peacemaker.....
The very Author of Life and Love, itself!
He has given me the chance to experience this life to the fullest by accepting His gift of Salvation.
If He was before the flood, and was after the flood, and if He will be after the earth is destroyed by fire,then it's pretty likely He will still be our Everlasting God for Eternity!
"I AM" in the beginning and"I AM" in the end!
Becky

Mr. GIBSON

When I was in the 5th grade, someone drew a picture on
the blackboard of a person with a big nose. Me, and my
great awareness for caricatures saw the drawing and likened
the nose to Mr. Gibson's brand new wife!(Bad for Becky)
When Mr. Gibson came back in the room, JT Humphries
told Mr. Gibson that I said it looked like his wife.
He then preceded to tell me, and I quote: "You are no better
than the lowest earthworm, and don't deserve to sit in the
first pew in church."
Yes, words can hurt, because that was 52 years ago, and I
have never forgotten those words!
But, my God said I was fearfully and wonderfully made,
and my God is bigger than he is, and wanted me
to sit in the first pew in church anyway!
Becky

THE FEET OF JESUS!

This makes so much sense to me, and could quite possibly
become my new testimony!
As a little girl, when I stayed at my grandmother's and
learned all about Jesus and His word, I was so content!
I loved it and was probably in my "Mary" time of life.
I didn't worry about doing anything, for I was more
concerned about loving my Lord!
When I married; had children, and joined all those
committees that you "have" to join, I found myself in my
"Martha" time of life. I was active in everything,and
quickly learned to do the" casserole thing";attended Bible
study's;joined clubs; taught school...... I did so much
" stuff" with everybody!I was an expert multi- tasker!
In my Physical Education classes I loved doing stunts with
the smaller children,because I was physically able.
I taught tumbling; creative dance; and gymnastics to all
ages and loved doing it!
I owned Lock, Stock& Barrel, where I painted on clothing
and loved doing it! I started Project Graduation in Aiken,
and it has been going like wildfire ever since!
God gave me the strength to do so much for so many
people and things at this time, so it was only natural
for me to be in my "Martha's time of life now.
Infact, most of my life was spent in this time frame, and
I did enjoy it, but I would say I wasn't content.
As the years have passed, and a little more grey has
found its way into my hair, and my steps are a little
slower, I find that God has graciously drawn me back
to my "Mary" time of life once again!
I find I can't do those things anymore, that I once did,
in my Martha time of life, but God has given me the
grace and contentment to accept that.
I am relishing that time once again, where I can sit at
the feet of Jesus and just love Him!
I am content once again in my "Mary" time of life.
I have come home!
Becky

BUILDING A FIRE

When you build a fire, it's usually followed by heat.
Then following the heat, you will see smoke drifting up and away.

When you are saved, it's similar to building a fire.

The fire is God's gift of Grace to You.
It's already built. You don't have to do anything, but enjoy the fire!
The fire of Grace is followed by the heat of the works that you will
want to do for the Lord, as your expression of appreciation for that
"Fire of Grace". You won't be able to help yourself!
The smoke?
The smoke is that pleasing aroma drifting up to the Lord and
sometimes it will even linger over other campers and campsites.
When this happens, you can help them warm up at their camp site,
using God's kindling!
Becky