Mountains and Valleys

How can people say that we should praise the Lord for the "valley" experiences in our lives? How can we praise Him when everything seems to be going wrong?

As we walk through our valleys, it can seem as if He has forgotten us. Sometimes we call out to Him, "Lord, where are you?" But we hear nothing but silence. Take heart, He has not forgotten you!

He allows the valley experiences to not only bring us to the realization that HE is our refuge and deliverer, but to also teach us patience, faith and trust along the way. None of these would have a chance to grow without us taking those steps along the pathways of our valleys.

When we reach our mountain tops, Oh What Joy! But we can only stay there for a while. If we never left the mountaintops for the valleys again, we would forever remain on that pinnacle, unable to move forward and grow in the Lord.

We can take heart that even as we go through our valleys of despair, He will help us to reach our mountaintops again, and realize that the Lord was with us all the way. He never left us.

That is why we can praise Him...even while we are still in the valleys.

marcy

The Train

"All Aboard!"
The conductor cries out.

Standing before you is the most magnificent Train ever!

Steam billows out from under the engine...the bell clangs...inviting you to climb on board.

There's a crowd of people surrounding you. The crowd rushes toward the Train...you're pushed inside, and you quickly sit down in a nearby seat. You look at others seated around you. Some are friendly and smile back at you, while others just look away.

The Train lunges forward, and as the Conductor asks for your ticket...you wonder, "Where is this Train going, what's up ahead?"

Life...what's it all about?

A person once told me that life is like a Train, and that we are all boxcars on the Train, and carry precious cargo. This Train of life makes many stops along the way. We have all experienced stops that made us happy, as well as the stops which caused us pain and sorrow.

The Train has stopped a few times in my life at places where I just didn't want to get off. But these stops, in spite of the pain, gave me new outlooks on life, which I couldn't have gained otherwise. Life's greatest lessons can be learned from these most difficult times. We can choose to learn the lessons they have to offer, or we can become trapped by our own fears, unable to get back on the Train and move forward.

One of the my stops on the Train was to accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. No other stop has had a greater effect upon my life than this one. When I made this stop, Jesus got onto the Train, sat down in the seat beside me, and each time I make a stop He gets off the Train, and walks beside me.

Night Train
by John Kent

The whistle of the train
has a beckoning sound

when it comes

in the deeper dark,
as the dew clings
to the wet leaves
and the houses sleep
in a soundless night.
From a distance,
the rumble of the train
cannot be discerned,
just the whistle is heard,
calling through the night.
The town is small,
hardly noticed by the train
as it passes swiftly
with its sleeping cargo
to places unknown;
its leading light
picking up the station,
running on by
with barely a glance.
I stir, gaze out the window
at the unseen track,
left with my dreams
as the whistle calls back.

Choose your stops wisely, and learn from the ones that you have no choice over...they have much to teach you.

Use the cargo you carry wisely, it can enrich your own and other's lives.

And most importantly...

"Enjoy the ride!"

"All aboard!"

marcy

Ode to Joy

Ludwig Van Beethoven.

Some regard him as the greatest composer who ever lived.

But why? What was it that made him stand out from all the rest?

He was born in 1770. Ludwig studied music with his father, and at the age of 12 his first music was published. At his public debut, it was reported that he had fire, brilliance, fantasy...and depth of feeling.

At the age of 31, Ludwig began to experience his first symptoms of deafness. He avoided people...afraid that it would be discovered.

He wrote to a friend:
"How can I, a musician, say to people 'I am deaf!' I shall, if I can, defy this fate, even though there will be times when I shall be the unhappiest of God's creatures...I live only in music..."

One can only imagine the anger, fear, frustration and depression that he must have fought daily.

But, he came to terms with his deafness.

He later wrote to that same friend:
"I will seize fate by the throat. It will not wholly conquer me! Oh, how beautiful it is to live - and live a thousand times over!"

Between the years of 1817 and 1823, Beethoven wrote, while deaf, what would become one of his greatest works...Symphony No. 9, Ode to Joy.

The Ninth Symphony had its first performance on May 7th, 1824, in Vienna.

Beethoven could not conduct the premiere because of his deafness, but he stood next to the conductor during the performance to indicate the proper tempo.

The music was received with a great deal of emotion, not only by the audience, but some of the orchestra players reportedly wept.

An eyewitness gave an account of the scene:
"The master heard nothing at all, and was not even sensible of the applause of the audience at the end of his great work...one of the singers induced him to turn around and face the people, who were still clapping their hands...it seemed as if it would never end."

And now, over two hundred years later, his memory and his music still live on.

How fitting that his Ode to Joy was played at the tearing down of the Berlin Wall...his spirit and his music bringing tribute to man's ability to overcome and survive!

Ode to Joy
(words by Friedrich Schiller)

Glad, as his suns fly
Through the Heavens' glorious plan,
Run, brothers, your race,
Joyful, as a hero to victory.
Be embraced, you millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the star-canopy
Must a loving Father dwell.
Do you bow down, you millions?
Do you sense the Creator, world?
Seek Him beyond the star-canopy!
Beyond the stars must He dwell.

marcy

Stop, Look & Listen

STOP, and take a moment right now...close your eyes.

Think about a beautiful place that you've seen, or would like to see.

LOOK at the Mountains, Ocean, Desert...see the trees, the running spring, beautiful flowers, the sky...clouds floating by.

LISTEN to the sounds: birds, wind, the pounding surf, rain falling.

Open your eyes now. Feel better?

Most of us are so busy going here and there, doing this and that...with so many things on our minds that we don't really look at the world around us.

God's creation.

When was the last time you noticed, really noticed a sunset? They last only a few minutes, before darkness falls.

Have you noticed birds flying? One of my favorites are the ordinary pigeons. They fly in unison across the sky...and in the sun the movement of their wings "glitter" in the sky.

And how about that butterfly darting past you? Do you know that the majority of them only live for a week? You may be one of the few people who are able to enjoy that butterfly, before it's gone.

Have you ever been still enough to hear the wind? Sometimes in the mornings, during the silence I hear leaves rustling on the ground. I turn in time to see a small whirlwind of dried leaves twirling on the ground.

A friend of mine said that while visiting the beach one evening, it seemed that the ocean waves were lit up from a "light" below them. Each wave that came toward shore had a green glow under it. She later found out that this is a natural occurrance, from the phosphorus in the saltwater.

I can't tell you how many times, while looking at these beautiful wonders, I look around me only to see that no one else is looking.

We have so many of God's wonderful creations right in front of us, and most of us don't see them!

I encourage you to start enjoying the beautiful things around you. Enjoy each day of your life...you will never live this day again.

And don't forget to STOP, LOOK, & LISTEN!

I am writing to say how much I care for you,
and to say how much I want you to know Me better.
When you awoke this morning, I exploded a brilliant sunrise through your window
hoping to get your attention…but you rushed off without even noticing.
Later, I noticed you were walking with some friends, so I bathed you in warm sunshine and perfumed the air with nature’s sweet scent, and still you didn’t notice Me. As you passed by, I shouted to you in a thunderstorm, and painted a beautiful rainbow in the sky…
and you didn’t even look.
In the evening, I spilled moonlight onto your face, and sent a cool breeze to rest you.
As you slept, I watched over you and shared your thoughts…
but you were unaware that I was so near.
I have chosen you, and hope you will talk to Me soon. Until then, I will remain near.
I am your Friend and love you very much.
Your friend,
JESUS
Author Unknown

marcy

Titanic

The end of the movie "Titanic" is so dramatic. One can only imagine the horrors that people on the actual ship saw and experienced that fateful night.

The fact that the band played "Nearer My God to Thee" as it was sinking...always brings tears to my eyes as I watch the movie.

I understand that it was said, before the boat sailed, that not even God Himself could sink it. Those words were the pride of man for his creations, which are nothing and can disappear in a moment's time.

As I reflect upon the movie and what actually happened, it reminds me of the times that we are living in today. Many have that same type of mentality...building prideful kingdoms that will not last. It is sad.

The Lord is reaching out in these last days in the hopes of saving those who are about to go down with the "Titanic" of this world. But sadly, most will not take His hand and get into the "lifeboat"...because of their "kingdoms." Soon it will be too late, and the Lord will call us home...leaving them behind to go down in this doomed "ship." And again, one can only imagine the horrors that they will see and experience.

The signs are becoming more and more prevalent...that our Lord's return is soon. All we can do is pray and be vigilant to His leading in sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in the hopes that some will be saved.

marcy

The Sparrow

Several years ago, a friend of our family passed away in a motorcycle accident. He was only in his 20's, and left behind a new wife.

At his funeral, which was held in a large, beautiful church with open vaulted ceilings, the soloist began singing "His Eye is on the Sparrow, and I know He watches me..."

as she sang, movement caught my eye from up above. I looked up to see a lone sparrow fluttering across the raised vaulted ceiling!

Others noticed, and looked up. I know that they must have had, just as I had, goosebumps at the sight of this little bird as the words of the song came forth.

After the funeral, this young man's mother shared with us that she felt that God had let her know that her son was now being held in His arms, in eternity.

What a wonderful reminder from our Lord, in that little bird, that He sees, knows, and cares about all of us!

marcy

Encounters of the God Kind

I had an "encounter of the God kind" this past week.

I had went to visit my sister, and as it was late when I left I decided to stop and get some fast food on the way home. Then came the decisions...

Where should I stop? After going over my choices, I decided.

Then when I got there, I had to decide whether to stay and eat there in my car or to go home. I knew that my kitties would be hungry and waiting for me, but I decided to stay and eat there.

As I was eating in my car, a woman approached. She was wearing a hooded sweatshirt that extended down over her hands, even though the weather was not particularly cold that night.

She said, "Excuse me, I'm really sorry to bother you, but I'm homeless and wondered if you could help me?" Without hesitation I handed her some money. She was very grateful and said, "God bless you!" I replied, "Jesus loves you." She asked, "What did you say?" So I repeated that Jesus loves her. She asked, "Are you a believer?" I told her that I am.

She looked up to the sky and said, "Father, I asked You to help me and you sent me to her...thank You Father!"

She started talking about how wonderful the Lord is, and how He takes care of us, and that He is returning to this earth. I said, "Yes, He's coming for us soon." She asked, "Are you ready?" I said "Yes." She said that she is ready also. And we both took comfort in the fact that He is coming for us very soon.

She said, "Some day I will see you again, and I will thank you for this again."

As she left, I marvelled in all the decisions that had led to this "God encounter." Had any one of these decisions deviated, this would not have happened. It is so vital that we have our "God antennas" up and receiving at all times.

Our steps are truly ordered of the Lord!

marcy