Sunday, June 17, 2018

Mighty

"Listen... to your father’s instruction… " Proverbs1:8


Ephesians 6:10-20;24

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then…”


“…with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place…”

Glenn Cash follows Christ with dedication and fervor. He has a heart that ardently pursues truth. He trusts in the words of Scripture and, from a heart of love for God, adheres to the principles and wisdom He reads and studies. His persistent resolve to obey God, trains a righteousness that guards our hearts. Glenn taught Jeff the truth of Jesus’ salvation. Jeff embraced that truth with his whole being effecting generations and other nations for Christ. Glenn’s pursuit of understanding echoes and deeply influences Jeff’s personal choice to explore the depths of the mysteries of God. We are  thankful for Glenn's faithfulness and consistent prayer. We honor  his commitment to love and serve to the glory of the Lord. 


 “…and with the your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.”

My Dad means the world to me. Always has. He easily engages the people in his world with love, grace and humor. When people in his community are hurting, my Dad gets the call. He cares genuinely and is ready to go. Dad is always ready to go. Out the door-- to the hospital, to the funeral home and to death beds. He brings peace. The peace of Christ which transformed his own life dramatically, decades ago. My Dad carries Christ with him to every place, especially the dark and shadowy ones where Jesus’ light can soothe and comfort. Dad offers this peaceful support with such deep abiding joy. I’ve always wanted to be just like him. It is no surprise that I found my feet ‘fitted’ with the same readiness that I witnessed in his. I guess I was ready to go too. His sacrificial support of my calling sustains in places no one else can touch. He is my hero and my dearest friend.  


  
“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”

I spent many days and hours in the company of my Granddaddy. He was an extremely reserved man, so most of those hours were quiet but his constant love was very, very loud. The complete assurance of his adoration and care for me affected me deeply. During a very trying time in my life  I was asked by a spiritual mentor to design a shield that would protect me from some of the arrows (figurative) being flung in my direction.  After I completed the task, I described the shield to my wise friend. When I was finished, she nodded and said, “If this shield was the strongest, most impenetrable shield available, who would you have build it?”
Without hesitation or even conscious thought I replied, “Granddaddy. Granddaddy would build it.”
Love conquers all. Granddaddy’s love for me was fueled by a faith he rarely spoke about but instead lived out daily one faithful, generous step at a time. Even though he is physically gone from my life, his steadfast devotion continues to protect me in the battles that I face. I miss him so very much. 


"Take the helmet of salvation…”

This picture sits on Jeff’s desk. It is a photo of a very young Jeff with his Granddad, AJ Small. Jeff tells the story of his Granddad delighting in watching him baptize his cousins and sister in the irrigation ditches that ran alongside Grandad’s house. They were little children acting out the blessing of obedience and salvation--a salvation AJ received and proclaimed with his life. AJ was a finish carpenter, an amazing one. He worked hard, loved his family, endured heavy physical illness and delighted in God’s word. Jeff recalls his love for scripture, his determination that Jeff could handle responsibility and his constant encouragement for Jeff to exercise independence. Granddad Small realized his salvation fully before I joined his family. I’m sure he would delight to know that his grandson would continue baptizing and proclaiming salvation. We will all be together again someday. I can’t wait to meet him around that Throne. 



“...and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Granddad Cash was the captain of the police force in the town where he raised his family. He was a protector and a guard for the just and the good. He carried a gun every day, but only fired it once in his lifelong career. He said that there were better ways to solve a problem than with a gun. Weapons had their place, he taught, but should be respectfully wielded in conflict. 
Granddad Cash loved Christ and His church and served as an elder for many years. He acted as defender in that capacity too, utilizing the most valued weapon in his arsenal, the word of God. He trusted the tenets of scripture with his life and taught his children and grandchildren faithfully to follow Christ with their whole hearts. His influence penetrated deeply as he spoke truth about following God. 
Jeff often tells about Granddad's advice while hiking: "Lift up your eyes and see the views around--don't just watch the path at your feet."  
It was a moment that would echo in Jeff’s mind and spirit for decades. Jeff has nurtured a powerful, visionary heart that confidently lifts eyes to see the expanse of God’s design. Granddad Cash encouraged this vision by carefully carving inspiration with a weapon he very much respected--the words of God. We miss Granddad Cash very much, but walk out his wisdom still. 

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayer and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

My Grandpa Money was a strong man; a very hard worker. He and my Granny raised seven children on an oil field worker’s salary in dry West Texas towns. He was diligent and dedicated. He adhered to strict roles as he led his home. He was the provider and my Granny took care of the household responsibilities.  My Granny suffered through many strokes in the years I remember her most. I watched my Grandpa step out of his well-practiced role of working outside the home and walk confidently into the kitchen. He cooked and cleaned and took care of my Granny who became increasingly debilitated in the last years of her life. Grandpa stepped up, in exorbitant love. I witnessed him keeping his promises and serving his wife and his God, beautifully. He was a good, good man. 
Of all the memories I have of my Grandpa (dominoes, silly songs and the way he closed his eyes when he was remembering the details of a story he was telling) it is his prayers that emerge prominent. I remember how he held Granny’s hand and leaned in close over her bed when he prayed for her meals. I remember where he sat at the table in the kitchen and how his hand felt when he held mine. I remember his voice and how he ended every prayer the exact same way, “…we beg in Jesus name, Amen.” You could count on Grandpa's prayers. They were just like him. Solid, dependable, consistent and full of faith. 



“Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”

I see in Jeff attributes of each of these strong men of faith. Jeff embodies a true soldier spirit, armed and ready, prepared and sure. I so greatly esteem and depend on Jeff’s fearless heart as he proclaims the mysteries of the gospel to those in our community, in our churches and to the treasures in our home. Our children are following in Jeff’s courageous steps as he has followed in the steps of those before him. How grateful I am that these footfalls rest on a trail blazed by a Faithful, Merciful King. A King we have watched, in the generations before us, redeem, heal, sustain and welcome home. 

I honor each of these men today for their dedication to their families and for loving as Christ does. Because of their choices and their faithfulness my world and the world of my children was set on a solid foundation. I am forever grateful. 

“Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.”

Praise the Lord!



Sunday, May 13, 2018

Her Children Rise Up

In honor of my heritage from selected verses of 
Psalm 147

“Praise the Lord.”




“How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!”

Time at my Granny’s house always included good food, laughter and singing. She often made fudge just for me. It would be on a plate covered with plastic wrap on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Delightful!
My Granny Money suffered through strokes and their effects in the final years of her life. She lost many things due to her illness, including her recollection of words. How astounding that despite that struggle, God mercifully allowed a few words to remain. 
She could always sing every word of the hymn"Amazing Grace." I can still hear her voice and see  her left hand pat in time to the music. 

We sang it often then, together with her, as a family. 
We live it together still.  




“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

My Mom spent her career in Child Protective Services, working long, arduous hours to right some wrongs for the brokenhearted. She served among heroes. She, herself, was a hero to many. She taught me where and how to follow Jesus--among the suffering, with dedicated persistence. 

(photo by Autumn Twilight photography)

My Mom also carries this verse in herself. My calling has become her sacrifice too.  I deeply appreciate her love for me in the midst of the surrender this work requires of us both.
There really is no way to serve the brokenhearted without surrendering to the breaking of our own hearts too. I am thankful for a Mom who taught me how faithfully Jesus loves. In Him there is a safe space for every wound to be tended and bound for healing.




“He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.”

Jeff remembers his Mom singing "Can You Count the Stars of Evening" often when he was young.  
He grew up fully confident of God’s loving awareness of Him. He knew that because he belonged to the One who numbers the stars, he could confidently shoot for them, with bold courage. 
He does this, every day. His mom’s song still sings over him and the children he is raising to live with courage too.

Every single time we sit outside and watch the African night sky, Jeff speaks of the song and of his Mom. Her faith and deep love for African missions (all missions really) is a vibrant part of where we serve and raise our family today. 




“...the Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.”

I spent more time with Mam-ma than any of my other grandparents. Her influence in my life remains deep and strong to this day. How I clean a kitchen, cook a roast, or plan a holiday meal all spin within the influence of this beautifully hilarious and very smart woman. She pursued God with passionate dedication. She obeyed and deeply respected His commands. Her Bible was always at her right hand, on the end table beside her favorite chair, and the bookmark moved daily. She read His words as if her life depended on it because it absolutely did. I knew that full well. Her passing from this life was a great loss for all who loved her, but I remain so uplifted to consider her arrival into her eternal home. What joy for her when she realized, face to face, the depth and breadth of Christ’s unfailing and freeing love for her. I can’t wait to be together, there, around His throne forever.




“He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills. He provides…”

Grandma Rose loved flowers and she always had a beautiful garden. One of the gifts we honor in our home is a picture of flowers that she painted. It reminds us of her and her knowledge of the blooms she adored.  She knew the names of them all and she knew Who provided them for her enjoyment.
Conversations with Grandma Rose always included stories of the ways God provided for her in her life, and time with her consistently yielded arms full of gifts that she loved to provide for us. 
The beautiful wedding ring I treasure speaks daily to me of God’s provision to her and to me. The testimony of Grandma Rose’s life echoes in our home every day.




“He strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you. He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.”

Nona Cash is one woman I long to know! She went to be with Jesus before I joined her clan, but I have heard her spoken of with such adoration and esteem. She is very well remembered. 
If I could sit with her over coffee today, I would celebrate with her the beautiful ways God has strengthened the gates of her Cash family and how He has stayed with us in the places where we come and go.  We could number the ways He has blessed us within those walls of belonging. We would rejoice over how large the family has grown—delighting in each new, beautiful life. We could look at our borders and see that even in our most vulnerable places God is kneading peace.
We could discuss how faithfully He has remained among us, satisfying us with the finest of wheat—the Bread of Life--
where we need Him most.
I would thank her for her endurance and her witness of Christ’s love. 
Her heritage of faith is mine now too. 


“One generation commends your works to another; 
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty---
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works---
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.”
Psalm 145:4-7

On this Mother’s Day, I will proclaim and joyfully sing of His goodness as I meditate on the heritage of faith in these beautiful, Godly women. 

They commend God’s works to us, speaking and telling of His splendor and of His power and of His abundant goodness. 

We rise up and call them, “Blessed!”

Praise the Lord!