My Greatest Find

"Pennies from Heaven" I found a penny today, Just laying on the ground. But it's not just a penny, This little coin I've found. Found pennies come from heaven, that's what my Grandpa told me. He said Angels tossed them down, Oh, how I loved that story! He said when an Angel misses you, They toss a penny down, sometimes just to cheer you up, To make a smile out of your frown. So don't pass by that penny, When you're feeling blue. It may be a penny from heaven, That an Angel's tossed to you. Author: Copyright © 1998 C Mashburn.

[Psalm 125; 128: 1-4] I found a penny on the sidewalk the other day and thought of this story. Several years ago, a woman named Arlene, and her husband, were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. Arlene was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The husband's employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so was enjoying herself immensely. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of Arlene and her husband. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment. Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped among a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up? Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this? "Look at it." He said. "Read what it says." She read the words "United States of America" "No, not that; read further." "One cent?" "No, keep reading." "In God we Trust?" "Yes! And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust is in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!” (Blog: A Mother’s Wisdom) (Psalm 22:25-31) Pennies add up and with God in charge of my life, blessings add up. The greatest blessing I will treasure forever is the love of God from whom I was given salvation through his son, Jesus, the Christ. I will most likely spend my penny on myself, I may misplace it, I may even lose it, but nothing can separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus my Lord, my Savior and Master; my greatest find.

Becoming Spiritually Stronger

I don’t know who has the time to just sit around and figure out worthless bits of information and statistics, but it has been stated that with all the rain the state of Texas has received over the past month, the total comes to trillions of gallons of water. If that wasn’t enough, it is said that if all that water were gathered at one time, it would cover the state with water eight inches deep. We are fortunate to have many flood control dams in the state, and across the country, to help the slowing of rushing waters trying to get back to sea level. Unfortunately, there never seems to be enough of them when relentless rain clouds unleash torrential amounts of water in one area, turning serene streams and rivers into raging monsters of destruction. There is no way to describe the before and after visual shock one experiences without having seen it first hand. In the late seventies, I was making a regular trip to Medina, Texas through Bandera along the Medina River. One night rains came to the hill country around Kerrville, Medina and Bandera filling the Medina River and sending it on an unbelievable rampage, slowed only by the Medina Lake dam. Many lives were lost and much property destroyed. The next trip I made to Medina was a shock. Any time the highway neared the river, nothing was left but white stones and rocks, void of any dirt what-so-ever, for hundreds of feet either side of the once again trickling waters of the river. The once beautiful and warm tree-lined highway was naked and cold, remaining that way for several years. The area has since recovered, the last few times I traveled that way, but I don’t know what it looks like after this round of monsoonal rains. Now, tornadoes are another breed of destruction all together. What they leave behind is nothing short of a tangled, twisted, torn-up pile of memories, and that my friend I pray I will never have to experience. Just seeing it brings tears to one’s eye. Many Texans have suffered a severe blow to their life. All most of us can do is pray for the lose of their loved ones and their swift recovery from the devastation so they can get on with their lives. I almost feel guilty at times as I clean up some minor damages caused by the storms, but most of the time remember to thank God for my many blessings as I pray for those who have been stripped of their warmth and having to move forward with a long time of recovery.

[Acts 17:24-28] I have no doubt there are folks shaking their fist to the sky asking where God was in all this. If He calmed the sea why can’t he govern the storms of life a little better? God has made the world and everything in it, and it comes with rules that govern it. Jesus calmed the sea and raised the dead, along with countless other miracles, to show mankind the unfathomable power of God. We exist to seek His love and comfort, not for our physical well-being, but for our spiritual stability which enables us to move on after we have been physically struck down. Where was God? In the same place he was when mankind nailed his Son to the cross of Calvary. God allows things to happen, so that through the love of God-fearing men and women His glory might be made known; ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being’. It’s hard to see the physical blessings in any disaster, but through Christ the spiritual blessings of God’s love lifts us up and makes us stronger than ever before, ready to show the glory of God in our life to others and ready to take on future challenges of life, whatever they be. ‘…he is not far from each one of us; …We are his offspring.’

Remember and Honor

He just wanted to get the day over with. Sneaking a look at his watch he calculated five more minutes to go before the cemetery gates could be closed for the day. In full dress uniform on a hot Texas day, with humidity to match, he was ready for a cold drink. He saw the car pull into the drive, a looking like new, mint-condition ’69 or ’70 Cadillac Deville, and it entered the parking lot at a snail’s pace. An old lady, weighed down with flowers, slowly got out of the car, steadying herself with a cane. The thought came unwanted: ‘She’s going to spend an hour and I’m ready to get out of here right now!’ But for this day, his duty was to assist anyone coming to the cemetery. He knew that Kevin, his companion soldier on duty, would lock the ‘in’ gate and if he could hurry the old lady along they could still get out of there at a decent time. “Ma’am, may I assist you in any way?” he asked. She handed him the flowers as they boarded the golf cart used to get around the grounds. She said she needed to visit a few old Marines and at eighty-five years of age it might just be the last time. She noticed he was a long-time campaigner himself by the ribbons on his breast. “Wounded in action I see. Well done marine!” at which he replied, “Vietnam, ma’am.” Her directions were precise, then ordered the halt of her chariot, whereupon she placed flowers at a gravestone where under the name was engraved, ‘USMC; France 1918’. Then in the WWII section more flowers at a stone engraved, ‘USMC; 1943’ and at a nearby stone marked ‘USMC; 1944’. “Where’s the Vietnam section? I’ve seemed to have lost my way” she searched looking all around. “I’ll get you there in short order ma’am” the Marine assured her. Then, recognizing her surroundings, she placed flowers at two more gravesites, one marked ‘USMC; 1968’ and the other, ‘USMC; 1970’. Her guide inquired as to her relationship to all these Marines. She informed the soldier, “One was my father, one my uncle, one my husband and the other two, my sons, all killed in action, all Marines.” After returning her to her car, he radioed Kevin to go to the ‘out’ gate immediately; there was something they had to do. He ran across the field to the gate where they were to meet hoping he would get there before the Cadillac. Just in time, he and Kevin stood at attention, in full dress uniforms on either side of the gate, and presented a perfect salute. She drove through the gate with two old worn-out soldiers giving her the send-off she deserved, for service rendered to her country, and for knowing duty, honor and sacrifice. Memorial Day is for remembering and honoring

[Luke 22: 19; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-25] In Christianity every first day of the week, commonly referred to as the Lord’s day, is memorial day. Christians partake of the ‘Lord’s supper’, or ‘commune with the Lord’ in remembrance of what Jesus has done for us. He gave his life as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of mankind that through Jesus (John 13:6) we receive the grace of God which will save our soul from everlasting punishment. Grace is hard to explain, but here’s a good acrostic. GRACE: God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Without Christ we have no forgiveness of sin and it is only in Christ we can receive the grace of God; not through our works or negotiating power (Ephesians 2:1-10). Jesus gave his life to set us free from sin. Patriotic men and women of our great country have given their life for the freedoms we enjoy. If we ever forget that we are “One Nation Under God”, then we will be a nation gone under.

Now I've Gone To Meddlin'

The other day I was shocked to hear that some perspective employers are now demanding employee applicants to supply their email addresses, web page account addresses and all social media addresses with consent to allow examination of their contents. That brings up a lot of thoughts and questions about privacy and how much about you does an employer really need to know? Well, it seems when you spill your life out all over the inter-web one no longer has a personal life because you’re too dumb to keep it to yourself. The perspective employer gets to know about your personal practices such as, your social life and do you drink a lot and party your money away, and are you a gossip talking about others; or are you constantly cutting down the company where you are currently working and the people who work there. Ouch! Thinking that the inter-web is composed of some sort of invisible ink, social media nuts are laying their whole psychological profile on the line for analysis by anyone at any time. You might be totally qualified for a job, but not get it because you’re determined unstable. The ole inter-web, and the cell phone, is getting a lot of people in trouble as they leave a trail of inappropriate text messages, posts and tweets about themselves, forgotten and floating around in cyber-space like a silent witness of ones character, waiting to be subpoenaed. Maybe you aught think before letting your fingers do your talking, for sometime down the road you may regret being a quidnunc.

I shouldn’t let this out, but I heard my little Bella pray the other night. “Now I lay me down to sleep, the king-size bed is soft and deep. I sleep right in the center groove, my human-being can hardly move. I’ve trapped his legs, they’re tucked in tight, and here is where I pass the night. No one disturbs me or dares intrude, till morning comes and I want food. I sneak up slowly to begin, sniffing on my human’s chin. He wakes up softly, I start to lick, and suddenly he’s up real quick. For morning’s here, time to play, I always seem to get my way. So, thank you Lord, for giving me, this human person that I see, the one who hugs and holds me tight, and shares his bed for the night.”

[Proverbs 26:18-20; 18:6-8; 16:28; 11:13; 20:19 & Romans 1: 18 - 2:11] I really don’t want to get off on a rant here but God’s Word is very frank about gossip. First of all, what is gossip? Gossip, according to Webster is: “a trifling rumor of a personal nature; news of no importance.” ‘A’ gossip is: “one who chatters idly about others.” “…Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” doesn’t soothe the hurt. A gossip has a way of breaking up good works and separating close friends. “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret; A gossip betrays a confidence, so avoid a man that talks too much.” Paul, writing to the Romans, expresses his disappointment in the new Christians because even though they know what is right in the sight of God, they are not practicing it. “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” Folks, when you get wrapped up in idle gossip, God is not very happy with you. You are encouraging others to sin! Do you really need to let everyone know what you are doing right now so they can talk about it? “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels, they go down to a man’s innermost parts.”

What Would You Expect?

My lawn, along with most people’s lawn, has suffered much over the past few years due to the lack of rain. It takes rain to naturally decompose matter into new rich soil, full of nutrients, the natural way to fertilize the old garden. While city water might keep a lawn half way alive, the chlorine and fluoride contained in it have little value and can never replace the nitrogen rich rain water falling from the sky. Well, I decided after thirty years of neglect to help things along last fall by fertilizing my weary lawn, repeating the feeding once during the winter and another application just before the recent rains began. It now looks as though I might wear out all my lawn grooming equipment before the end of summer this year. Like the man says, “Well, what did you expect?” When logic sneaks up on me and slaps me up side the head all I can say is, “Doh!” and move on. It’s been a long time and the rain is very welcome. Praise God!

As they prepared for their final exam in Logic, the college professor offered his students some relief. He told them that they could bring as much information to the exam as they could fit on a piece of notebook paper. Most students crammed as many facts as possible on their 81/2 x 11 inch sheet of paper. One student, named Bob, walked into the exam room, placed a piece of notebook paper on the floor, and had an advanced Logic student stand on the paper. The upper graduate told Bob everything he needed to know, awarding Bob correct answers and the only student to receive an “A”.

If you got in your car and drove in the direction given by a sign that read, “Dallas – 20 Miles”, what would you expect to find after driving twenty miles? * If you passed a sign that warned “Speed Radar Patrolled” and you were driving ten miles an hour over the speed limit when you passed a police cruiser parked on the side of the road, what would you expect to happen? * If you decided to take a class at a local university and the teacher handed out copies of a syllabus that stated there would be a total of three tests in the coming semester, what would you expect? * If you stood before a preacher and a group of witnesses promising to love and remain with the person beside you until one of you died, and both of you were still alive in ten years, what would you expect?

[2Peter 2:20-22] A life insurance salesman was unable to persuade a couple to purchase a policy. “I certainly don’t want to frighten you into a decision,” he said as he got up to leave. “Please, sleep on it tonight, and if you wake up in the morning, call me, and let me know what you think.” If you walked into a place where people claim to worship God according to his word, what would you expect? * If you opened your Bible and read its descriptions of Jesus and the salvation from sins for those who repented and resolved to follow him, what would you expect? * If, like Saul of Tarsus, you were immersed in water so your sins would be washed away (Acts 22:1-16), what would you expect? * If you began meeting regularly with a group of Christians and they promised to welcome you among them as a brother/sister, what would you expect? * If you began living in ways similar to the ways you lived before becoming a Christian and stopped meeting with, and associating with, your brothers and sisters in Christ, what would you expect? * If you continued to live a life that led away from God and his people, and you died in that condition, what would you expect? If you were to die tonight, would you know, without a doubt, where you will spend eternity?