"I Hear The Words Of Love"

I hear the words of love,
I gaze upon the blood,
I see the mighty sacrifice,
And I have peace with God.

’Tis everlasting peace,
Sure as Jehovah’s Name;
’Tis stable as His steadfast throne,
For evermore the same.

The clouds may go and come,
And storms may sweep my sky;
This blood-sealed friendship changes not,
The cross is ever nigh.

I change—He changes not;
The Christ can never die;
His love, not mine, the resting-place;
His truth, not mine, the tie.

My love is oftimes low,
My joy still ebbs and flows;
But peace with Him remains the same,
No change Jehovah knows.

                    Horatius Bonar 1861

Help Me If You Can!!!!

Can someone please tell me how I can create a post where it can be single spaced????  I am not able tofigure it out!!  Thanks!!

Wow, seems like forever since I have been here to my blog site! It has been a long time! So much has happened....I have moved back to the states, lost my dad and step-mother, changed ministry positions, moved into a new house, in fact, if you do the "stress factors" list I should probably be on the ground writhing somewhere in the dust! But, the Lord is able to keep us from stumbling and able to help us walk through those dark, grieving, unknown times - not without any grief or fear on our part, but with the knowledge that He does have a plan and it has all been filtered through His hands! Thru the midst of it all He has surrounded me with precious brothers and sisters who have loved me, prayed for me, weeped with me and laughed with me. These past months have given me an even great passion for the community of the saints. Did you know that the Lord said, "It is not good for man to be alone" when man and the Lord were still in perfect communion with one another? We really are designed for community - to walk out our lives in the company of others walking out their lives on the same road - reaching out to those on other roads that lead to death and destruction. We are called to bear one another's burdens, gently restoring those who are trapped in sin, and loving one another through the long days and sometimes longer nights that come before we are all together with Him. I am sooooooo thankful that He has adopted me into His great family where He shows me my sin, shows me even more of His Grace, binds up my wounds and stores my teardrops, all in community with my brothers and sisters!

I. Corinthians 13 Christmas

I CORINTHIANS 13 – A CHRISTMAS VERSION If I decorate my house perfectly with plaid bows, strands of twinkling lights and shiny balls, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another decorator. If I slave away in the kitchen, baking dozens of Christmas cookies, preparing gourmet meals and arranging a beautifully adorned table at mealtime, but do not show love to my family, I'm just another cook. If I work at the soup kitchen, carol in the nursing home and give all that I have to charity, but do not show love to my family, it profits me nothing. If I trim the spruce with shimmering angels and crocheted snowflakes, attend a myriad of holiday parties and sing in the choir's cantata but do not focus on Christ, I have missed the point. Love stops the cooking to hug the child. Love sets aside the decorating to kiss the husband. Love is kind, though harried and tired. Love doesn'tenvy another's home that has coordinated Christmas china and table linens. Love doesn't yell at the kids to get out of the way, but is thankful theyare there to be in the way. Love doesn't give only to those who are able to give in return but rejoices in giving to those who can't. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. Video games will break, pearl necklaces will be lost, golf clubs will rust, but the gift of love will endure. Merry Christmas and lots of love to you and yours! Author Unknown

My Great-great-Aunt Mattie

I just spent some time with My Aunt Marge (my dad's sister) and we had a great time going through some old, old pictures and different keepsakes from our family.  It was an important time because we were able to put names to many different pictures which didn't have any i.d. and within this next generation no one will know who they are.  

On my father's side, I had a Great-Great-Great grandfather by the name of Major William Stegall - Major being his first name, not his rank.  But, he was an officer also in the Camila Calvary out of S. Georgia during the war of Northern agression.  We just went tromping out in the woods recently to the old abandoned cemetery where he and other old relatives are buried.  I took a picture of the headstone which I will post a copy of later - I am not at my computer at the moment.

Major Stegall was the father of 21 children which included set of twins and triplets.  My Aunt Mattie - Mattie M. Stegall was born in 1849.  She wrote many poems and enjoyed quilting, composing music and also teaching music.  The really astounding thing about her was that she was blind from the age of two weeks old.  My Aunt Marge had an old booklet of poems titled "My Heart's Work" which had been published many years ago and republished by a local firm in 1977.

She certainly writes in that old prosaic, early English way, but some of her poems really spoke to me.  She often wrote with the Scripture Reference where she created her poetry from.  Here are two of my favorites so far.

A Heart's Longing

I. Chronicles 28:30

Like Jesus on His way to Calvary,

I often sink beneath the load I bear;

I find so little here congenial.

The way to me so dark, so drear.

So few the hearts that do respond

to deep emotions that swell my breast;

So few tongues wherein I find the words

which will to me some joy impart.

I know, dear Lord, that Thou art ever willing

to give me all the help I need,

But is there on earth one willing listener,

to whom I could without reserve pour out my griefs?

No, I must keep them locked within my breast,

from all but Thee, for Thou alone dost know

what I endure, of what I've been bereft;

Thou knowest the wound and how to heal the sore.

I can not see Thee Lord, but I can trust

that Thou wilt always give the help I need,

until the work which Thou hast sent for me is done,

And I am anchored safe at home with Thee.

Love And Grace

Within the heart of saints a fire burns,

its brightness warms and radiates teh soul;

"tis the Indwelling of God's matchless love,

It's presence all pervades and gains control.

But near that heavenly fire there stands a foe,

tis he, alas, the enemy of souls;

and with his many wiles he seeks to quench

each spark, that he may gain the citadel at length.

He watches every weakness that he sees,

and never fails to try his fiendish schemes;

but all in vain, the flame more brightly glows,

he cannot understand why this is so.

But Look!  for near that fire our Saviour stands,

I see Him pouring, with His ever-loving hand,

upon that fire the oil of His grace,

and this is why, the brighter glows the flame

Mattie M. Stegall

A SWEET BONUS!!

As my sister and I left the Atlanta airport the other day I got the sweet surprise of the fall leaves still being here. I thought they would have mostly been gone by now, but they are not. This picture I took off the back deck of my sisters house this morning, and honestly, it does not hardly even begin to portray the beauty of the Lord's handiwork!! It is such a feast for the eyes!

As I landed in Detroit Friday and got out in the terminal I got the same feeling I get every time I come back - there are so many Americans here!! I know that sounds funny, but it's the feeling you get after being out of the country for a long time, seeing not very many Americans. Not everyone is short and brown with black hair!! And then I feel like about every fourth person I see looks familiar to me - I keep thinking, where do I know that person from, but I think it is just seeing so many facial characteristics that I don't normally see.

It is such a joy to be back home and I so look forward to getting with as many family members friends as I can!!

THE BUZZARD HAS LANDED!!

Well, you know how they always say for the president, "The Eagle has landed!" whenever he lands from his helicopter or Air Force 1. Well, I have a picture of an Eagle, but for my landing here in U.S. I will just be a buzzard! Anyway, can you tell I am dopey tired after 20 hours of trip!! I am sitting in Detroit waiting for my Atlanta connection. If anyone wants to talk to me my cell phone nunber while here in the states is: 229-413-3560.