A Westie Free to Good Home! LOL

May 30, 2015 by Leave a Comment

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It was with an angry outburst, to say the least, that I returned home yesterday to find my Westie had industrially destroyed my flower garden, uprooting plants that had been planted with such care and love, and the pathway covered in dirt, thrown in all directions. My first reaction was, “Iona, you’re a goner!”

Then this morning I recall a time many years ago when one of my twin toddlers, Patsy, industriously pulled up all my plants after she noticed her father weeding the flower bed. To Patsy’s mind she was helping her Dad. After being scolded her Dad told her “No more!”. To our surprise she turned to her Dad with her tiny finger pointed and repeated “No More”. The first words she ever spoke.

The Lord used this as a window to my soul and reminded me how often we think we are helping our Heavenly Father by uprooting ourselves from situations He has placed us in to enable us to bloom more profusely. Instead we are industriously and often emotionally digging away at our roots to get out of the situation with our free will decisions thrown in all directions as we finish digging that hole for ourselves to find the pathway of our lives covered with confusion, discouragement and disappointment. In our finite minds we think we are helping! It could be a situation in the church God has planted you in, a workplace, a relationship, or even a marriage.

Just as a Westie’s nature is to dig,dig,dig! our fallen nature is to be rebellious and self willed but you know what? God is still willing to sup with us. Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock:if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me

By the way my Westie, Iona, is still with me and supping a cup of tea with me and I am so glad God didn’t get rid of me when I dug up and tried to mess up His Plans for my life. Thank you, Iona, for this window to my soul.

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CHALLENGE: Don’t try to help the Great Gardener in the seasons of your life with your childlike finite mind. Only His infinite mind knows His eternal purposes.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope

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Freedom is Not Free!

May 23, 2015 by Leave a Comment

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It was an honor for John and I both to serve in the Royal Air Force. On this Memorial Day as we remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice may we all appreciate the freedom we enjoy today that cost so many so much.

 

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God’s Miracle on 34th.Street

May 19, 2015 by 1 Comment

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Two years ago tonight on May 20th I was lying in a hospital bed in the University of Pennsylvania on 34th.Street in Philadelphia with my left side paralyzed after suffering a stroke during heart surgery, unaware of the seizure that was to follow the next day.

Tonight as I write this post I am remembering with such thanksgiving and will never forget God’s grace and power in my life when He restored my life after that stroke and seizure. The doctors advised my husband that I could possibly get some of my mobility back after 6 months of therapy. My mobility returned after only two days to the amazement of the doctors at the University of Pennsylvania. No more than I am amazed by His mercy! Although I have been a Bible teacher for over 40 years I now know the urgency to wisely invest the years He extended to me by sharing the gospel through any avenue He sees fit to open to reach the lost, pray for the sick and edify the saints.

I am forever grateful for all my family here and abroad, all the friends around the world and all those whom I may never even meet who prayed for and ministered to me during this testing period.

Philippians 1:3 I thank my God in all my remembrance of you!

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Be Thankful for Your Heritage

April 12, 2015 by Leave a Comment

 

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What a thrill to participate in the Scottish Tartan Parade yesterday with our Scottie, Mr. Knightly and Westie, Iona. Over a hundred West Highland terriers and Scottish terriers joined the Tartan Parade to the swirl of the pipes as thousands of spectators waving their St. Andrew’s flags lined Sixth Avenue.

The Grand Marshal of the 2015 parade was the Scottish actor, Graham McTavish, star of the series “The Outlander”.

Having been born in Aberdeen and raised in Belfast the sound of those pipes bring a tear of homesickness to the eye and a longing for my ain folk.

Before leaving for home we spent a few moments relaxing to enjoy the beauty of spring at Rockefeller Center under sunny skies with a reverberating lingering sound of “Scotland the Brave” in the air, two weary puppies and meditating on my heritage.

I write in my book “Developing A secret History with God” about being thankful for our historical roots.

“In the Bible, God uses chapter after chapter devoted only to genealogies, therefore our historical roots must be very important to God. You are who went before you, rarely unique and yet part of all those who went before you. Your heritage is who you are today.

God planned for generations to have the ‘gene’ pool He could pull from to make you! Do not tread upon His sovereign planning, for He knew the character, personality, abilities and talents He would need when He drew up the blueprint for your life. Do not belittle your ancestry because you are who went before you. Your genes were in them. If you are trying to be someone you are not, you are not being true to your root structure. Shakespeare said it well: to thine own self be true.”

Excerpt from “DEVELOPING A SECRET HISTORY WITH GOD” page 208 Avaiable from Barnes & Noble/ Amazon.

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A Devotion for Palm Sunday

March 26, 2015 by 1 Comment

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As we celebrate this coming Palm Sunday, as Jewish congregations prepare to celebrate Passover, may the Old Testament types add to the dimension of our faith and understanding of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

Consider for a moment that on that same day thousands of lambs were being ushered into Jerusalem through the same Eastern gate, also known as the Golden Gate, as Our Passover Lamb. But I wonder how many who were enthusiastically waving palms, saw with spiritual eyes the Lamb of God, who would take away the sin of the world, among all the other lambs.

The lambs were being brought into Jerusalem five days prior to Passover, to be examined by the priests. They were to be examined for blemishes or disfigurement, as only perfect lambs were found worthy to be sacrificed for the sins of the people. It is interesting to note that the priest did not examine the sinner who brought the sacrifice, rather the priest looked to see if the sacrificial substitute was worthy.

Likewise Our Lamb was brought into the city five days prior to Passover, to also be examined. He was brought before Pontius Pilate, Herod, Annas and Ciaphas, the high priests, and the ultimate judgement was made by Pilate when he declared, “I find no fault in Him.” Praise God for our Lamb who was found worthy to be sacrificed for our sins.

As we worship this coming Sunday let us with a loud voice declare with the heavens

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain!” Rev. 5:12

 

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