To all my wonderful siblings: I LOVE YOU!!!

**Picture taken April 2010 by the Neely Team.

We were enjoying a good giggle about that book a while back, when someone suggested that we come up with a list of spiritual things that work the same way.

- If one person determined to pass out just one tract a week… how many could come to Christ if everybody did??

- If one person meditated on one verse a day and, by God’s grace, applied it… how much more godly would our responses be overall if everybody did it??

- If one person strove to give a smile to 10 people he/she saw in the store… how many hearts could be cheered in a day if everybody did??

- If one person read one good book a month… how much more knowledgeable would our society be on important issues if everybody did??

- If one person commended a godly character trait they saw displayed in someone’s life… how many would be encouraged to keep doing right if everybody did??

- If one person went out of their way to be a blessing to one other person every day… how many would be blessed if everybody did??

- If one person invested 10 minutes of their time every day into someone younger than 10 years of age… how many fewer teenagers and adults would be on drugs, alcohol, and in prison if everybody did??

- If one person spent 30 minutes a week with someone at least 15 years older than him/her… how much wiser would our society be on a whole if everybody did??

- If one person exercised for 30 minutes every night instead of watching TV… how much more brain space would people have and how much healthier would people be if everybody did??

- If one person denied himself every week of one thing he wanted if he couldn’t pay for it in cash… how much less American debt would there be if everybody did??

Well, yes, the chances of getting everybody to do even one of these things are pretty slim… but BE ENCOURAGED!! It starts with you!! Just imagine if your entire family and only one other family did it… for us, depending on the size of the other family, that could be over 20 people! But even if your family is smaller, it STILL starts with you!!

Would you be willing to step out of your comfort zone and do just one of these things (or an idea you come up with) today???

And just remember what would happen… if everybody did!!

I enjoy mowing the grass. I love driving tractors. But there was something different about it this time. Oh yes, I still was having the time of my life, bouncing around on the tractor seat, being careful not to mow over a tree. However, this time, I wasn’t just cutting the grass because it was too long. Yes, it definitely was way too long. But it was my job to prepare the way that everyone else would walk.

I couldn’t help but think about how this applies to life. I’m blessed to be (at least) a fourth generation Christian. I’ve heard of how my grandparents and great-grandparents prayed for their children and have seen how their testimonies impacted everyone around them. These men and women carefully laid out the path for their descendants to follow.

Through the years stories have been told of God’s faithfulness. I can remember hearing of the ways God miraculously provided during difficult times. These stories have been told “… that the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments…”(Psalm 78:6-7). My grandparents have laid a foundation for their future children. That includes my parents, me, and my children. It is as if they were running a relay race, and passed down the baton from one generation to the next.

Now comes the big question… What will I do with the baton? Everyday the choices that I make will affect not only me, but also everyone around me, and many will affect those who are yet to be born. Not only that, but decisions often build on previous decisions. In other words, how I make my decisions today, will also affect how I make my decisions tomorrow.

With this sobering thought in mind, what am I doing on a daily basis to prepare the way for the next generation? What choices am I making and how will the future be affected?

Many times in the path of life, we’ll hit “stumps” that will cause us to stumble, as it happened to me while I was mowing the Christmas tree field. There was one time I got stuck between two stumps, and I couldn’t go forward or backward. The path to which we have been called will not always be smooth, but one thing is for sure – God will always give us grace to continue on. At other times, we may feel that we can’t possibly go any farther. This happened to me when I found myself stuck in a huge mud hole (I later found out that there is a spring in the middle of the field). The tires were sunk halfway into the  mud, and there was no way I could possibly get out on my own. That is when “reinforcements” came and pushed me out of the mess and set me on the right track again, being careful to show me exactly where not to go.

During times like these, we must remember that God has a specific purpose for each of us, and He is bringing that to pass one day at a time. It is so exciting to see how He works out even what we consider “tiny” details into His plan. But, we have a responsibility to keep our focus on Him, maintain a clear conscience, and be ever ready to follow His leading.

So as you go about your day, remember that God is using you to unfold His plan. Remember that you are making decisions that will affect many others and the future. But also take into consideration the path that you are leaving for those who will follow you. Where will it take them?

I pause, in awe, to ponder what the Creator is to me.

He’s Joy and Hope at each new morn; He’s Mercy when I fall;

The Giver of sweet rest at night; the Hearer of my call.

The Craftsmen of the flow’rs that bud; the Divider of the sea;

He calls the stars by name above, yet holds me tenderly.

Giver of grace in my deep need; and much more than can be told!

But, more than these, He is to me – the Keeper of my soul.

What is He to YOU?

That was my story several years ago. Actually, that was me last year. Well, I have to admit, that was me just last week.

Don’t get me wrong; I love Spring – I really do! I love the smell of the cool, refreshing breezes that blow on otherwise warm days, watching the grass grow greener daily, seeing the flowers that are popping up everywhere, observing the birds that are “house shopping”, preparing their nests, hearing the pitter patter of the rejuvenating rains on the porch roof as I watch the storms blow across the mountains, anticipating just when the little knobs on the tree branches will burst into bloom……… I love the excitement, the thrill, the newness of it all! But along with all of the beauty comes… yep: pollen.

Some people are blessed to not be allergic to pollen. We have some of those people in our family. But we also have several who, like me, have strong reactions to it. And it can take away from a lot of the enjoyment of spring. For a LONG time, I have been wondering, What can I do about this? I don’t like to take all the expensive, chemical-laden, commercially produced, temporarily-symptom-fixing products that we can buy at the store. Granted, I think those things have their place, and I’m all for using them at the right time. There has been many a time, even this week, when they come in extremely handy for “emergencies” – those times when I would really rather not be blowing my nose and crying and sneezing all the time… like when I’m singing special music in church or teaching piano lessons. But to live on them all through the pollen season??? Well, that’s not my first preference.

So that’s why I’m writing this: to let you know about something that I’ve found just within the past several days. It’s an amazing substance. It’s sweet (although slightly sticky, as most sweets are), delicious, good for you, and 100% natural!!! How much better can it get?? Would you like to know the name of this wonderful stuff? Actually, you probably use it all the time; you certainly know what it is; it’s usually a “pantry item” in most homes. At our house, we jokingly call it “partially digested bee food.” But the more common (and certainly more appetizing!) name is: honey. That’s right! Just plain old, regular honey. I love it. So when I looked up a remedy for allergies in a home remedies book, I was delighted to find this listed first. Actually, the book says to take a 1-inch cube of honeycomb, swallow the honey, and chew on the waxy part for about ten minutes. (This HAS to be local honey – the stuff produced by the bees in YOUR area – so that the allergens  it contains can build your immune system against the pollen that you deal with in your area.) Do this every day for a month or two before the pollen season, so that when it starts, you already have built an immunity to at least some of the problem.

Well, I didn’t discover this until a few days ago. And I was reading the page between sneezes and through watery eyes. But I decided that it was worth it to give it a try. We don’t currently have any honey in the comb, so I used the next best thing – a spoon. No, I didn’t chew the spoon. But I stuck it in the jar, pulled it out, spun it around several times until it quit dripping, and then enjoyed the wonderful sensation of eating something that I really enjoy, and hoping that it would help my problem! I did this four or five times the first day, three or four the next, once the next, and once or twice every day since. And guess what? My symptoms have pretty much all disappeared!!! It’s been several days now; I’ve been able to take walks, work in the yard, and flop on the grass, with everything blooming and a strong breeze blowing right in my face, and I usually only have a tiny bit of trouble (if any) when I come back inside later! It’s such a relief, and I’m just praising the Lord for every clear breath I take!!

Now I’m not going to dogmatically say that the honey is what did it. And even if it was, I’m not going to declare that it will do it for you, too. But I just wanted to let you know, because if you are at the point where I was (and usually am every spring), you’ll probably want to at least give it a try!!!

Proverbs 24:13 – “My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste…”

(P.S. And if it works, let me know. I’d be really interested in hearing if this helps anyone else!!)

I. Personality

-Your personality is the kind of person you are, based on your outlook on life.

-Others appreciate it when your personality reflects respect, gratitude, cheerfulness, courage, faith, love, praise, enthusiasm, and sympathy.

-Show respect by: greeting politely, not interrupting, being a ready listener, serving, making comfortable and happy, and choosing not to use annoying physical motions or gestures.

-SMILE at those around you. We are commanded to be joyful. (Deuteronomy 28; Philippians 4)

-When it is hard to be joyful, encourage yourself in the Lord your God by meditating on His Word. (1 Samuel 30:6)

II. Speech

-Words are some of the most powerful things in the universe. (Proverbs 18:21; Psalm 33:6-9)

-We will give account for all of our words. (James 3:2)

-Tone of voice is vital in speaking.

-Read aloud to learn to use appropriate voice inflection and gain control over the voice.

III. Deeds

-In every day, find special ways to make those around you feel special.

-When we do not feel like reaching out to those around us and making their day special, it is often because of deep-rooted pride and bitterness in our hearts.

Christ the Lord is risen today; Alleluia!

Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!

Once He died, our souls to save, Alleluia!

Where’s thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!

Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

1Co 15:54, 55, 57 – “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? … But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

ALLELUIA!!!! Praise the Lord!!!

Last Wednesday marked what would have been Grandpapa’s 76th birthday. That evening, as we sat around the table after supper, Dad pulled Grandpapa’s Bible off of the shelf. The cover is worn; the binding falling apart; the pages are yellowed and wrinkled with age and frequent use. However, it is a treasure beyond calculation, not only for the sake of the Word of God, but also because of the countless insights that are marked along its pages, and the numerous quotes, poems, and thoughts that he wrote on the flyleaves.  Sadly, almost half of my little siblings never had the privilege of knowing Grandpapa, and some were too young when he died to really remember  him well. But what a TREASURE, a wealth of spiritual  RICHES we have in his Bible!!! So even the ones who never knew him can still partake of the incredible legacy he left for us – how I thank the Lord for that blessing!!!!!!!

But getting back to my story… When one of our little ones observed that Daddy had “the wrong Bible” (instead of the chronological Bible that we usually read after supper), he replied, “Well, today was your Grandpapa Neely’s birthday. So I thought that we would read some out of his Bible tonight, and see what he has to say to us.” Immediately, I felt a choking sensation in my throat, and I wondered if I would be able to make it through this without crying. As we read through some of the the things that he had printed inside, some things brought a smile upon recollection; others even made us laugh; many were very thought-provoking; and a few even moved us to tears. As I sat there, I felt as if I had stepped back into time and was once again sitting with Grandpapa, hearing him read or quote these very things…

“FAITH – Forsaking All, I Trust Him”

“If a sermon pricks your conscience, it must have some good points.”

“Some will hate you, some will love you;

Some will flatter, some will slight.

Cease from man and look above you;

Trust in God and do what’s right.

Though the road be rough and dreary,

And its end far out of sight,

Foot it bravely, strong or weary;

Trust in God and do what’s right.

Perish policy and cunning,

Perish all that fears the light;

Whether losing, whether winning,

Trust in God and do what’s right.

Simple rule and safest guiding,

Inward peace and inward might;

Star upon our path abiding,

Trust in God and do what’s right!” 

“If we please God, does it matter whom we displease? And if we displease God, does it matter whom we please?”

One poem that is not written in his Bible, but which he quoted to us regularly, still makes us laugh:

“Whenever you feel like a grump, and you look like you’re down in the dump,

Oh, how I dread when you get out of bed, and go moping around like a frump!

BUT… When you can get up and say, “My! What a wonderful day!”

It’s hard to be sad; you’ll surely be glad, for God is Who made it that way!”

“Don’t be afraid of opposition. Remember, a kite rises against, not with, the wind.”    – Dr. Harvey Springer

“Nothing is ever settled until it is settled right; and nothing is ever settled right until it is settled with God!”

“My fear is not that I will fail, but that I will succeed in things that do not matter in eternity.”

“The Clock of Life” by George H. Chandler

“The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power

To tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour.

To lose one’s wealth is sad indeed; to lose one’s health is more;

To lose one’s soul is such a loss as no man can restore.

The present only is our own; live, love, toil with a will.

Place no faith in the future – for the clock may then be still.”

“Death is not extinguishing the light; it is putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.”

These are just a very few of the things that are written in Grandpapa’s Bible. However, probably my favorite is a poem called, “We’re Home,” by Willard Thomas. Daddy read this one at Grandpapa’s funeral, and to this day, I cannot read it or hear it being read without the tears coming to my eyes. That night around the table, Dad started to read it, but tears forced him to stop at the end of the first six words. Then he looked around the table, and, sure enough, we were all crying! After some shaky laughter and much debate over whether to finish reading it or not, he finally mustered up the will-power, and read the sweet, heart-stirring lines. This was the heart cry of Grandpapa; one which my parents have taken up and still press untiringly on toward; one which is my heart’s desire for my children someday; and one which I pray will continue to be striven for in our family until the Lord returns!

“Over the years when the children would come in, they would call out, “Mom, Dad, we’re home.”

I guess we just always assumed it would be like that, we would never be alone.

But with the passing of time, circumstances, life, and duty robbed our home of this youthful beauty.

Oh, they still drop by from time to time, or call us on the phone.

They stay a while and then they leave because this is no longer home.

Now when Mama and I go out and drive around and roam,

In jest I open the door and call out, “Children, we’re home.”

It just echoes through and empty house and brings my eyes to tears.

They no longer run on little feet to meet us, and fill our hearts with cheer.

Precious memories of two fine girls and a boy,

Thank God memories are one gift of God that time cannot destroy.

One last request I would make to my God, that beyond Jordan’s dashing foam;

That Mama and I could hear our children call out, “Mom, Dad, we’re Home.”

Psalm 16:6 – “The lines are fallen unto me  in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.”

- acknowledge the Lord in all my ways (Proverbs 3:5-6)

- seek a gentle, meek, and quiet spirit (I Peter 3:3-4)

- consistently honor, obey, and love my parents (Exodus 20:12; Colossians 3:20)

- treat my siblings with love and respect (Ephesians 4:32; I Peter 5:5a; Hebrews 13:1)

- pray without ceasing and constantly be seeking guidance, grace, and wisdom from the Lord (I Thessalonians 5:17)

- maintain an attitude of humility and dependence on the Lord (I Peter 5:5b; James 4:6-7; Isaiah 57:15)

- choose topics of conversation that are encouraging and uplifting to the listeners (Ephesians 4:29)

- accept all people where they are in life but seek to lift them higher toward the Lord (Ephesians 4:29; I Thessalonians 5:14)

- be ever ready to share what God is doing in my life (I Peter 3:15)

- keep godliness and godly character as a first priority in my life and obtaining knowledge as a secondary one (II Peter 1:5-8)

- control my tongue (Proverbs 10:19; James 1:19-26)

- be immersed in the Word of God – read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, share it, but most of all, live it (II Timothy 3:14-17; Psalm 119:11; Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2; Psalm 119:15)

- do not allow bitterness to dwell in my heart (Hebrews 12:15; Ephesians 4:26-27,31-32)

- seek to have such a close relationship with my Creator that His joy and glory radiates from my face, words, and actions (Isaiah 49:13; Habakkuk 3:18; James 4:8; Philippians 4:4; Psalm 71:8; Psalm 63:1-2; Psalm 50:23)

Thank you, Wilkes Team, and the rest of my family, for allowing His Light to shine through you and encourage me in the right direction once again. The Lord is good!

Psalm 81:10b says, “…open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.” That seems to be very commonplace language, but the more I meditated on it, the more I found. (God’s Word is like that: perfectly inexhaustible, just like He is!! I Corinthians 2:7-10; Psalm 90:2) In the context, the Lord is speaking to the children of Israel, recalling the signs and wonders that He had done for them since the beginning of their nation. He reminded them of the ways that He had miraculously preserved them as a people, protecting and helping them, and delivering them from bondage in Egypt. Then He pauses His narrative to deliver a singular plea and promise, “… open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.”

When I first read this, it reminded me of Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” God promises that “…[He] shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus”, and that “…no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.” But we must “ask,” “seek,” and “knock.” As I pondered this, I immediately thought of the example of baby birds. When they are first hatched, they are tiny, defenseless, and totally dependent on their parents for their warmth, shelter, and food. Anyone who has cared for, watched, or studied birds knows that the chicks seem to be hungry all the time. Often, looking into a nest, one can see several little mouths gaping, waiting for their parents to come fill them with the life-sustaining food. However, what if one day, the babies decided that they could live without their parents’ help? What if, when feeding time came, their mouths remained stubbornly shut, refusing to take the nourishment absolutely necessary for survival? Of course, we know that they would soon die of starvation.

As God continues His story in Psalm 81, He sadly tells of Israel’s response to His promise in the next verse: “But my people would not hearken to my voice; and Israel would none of me. So I gave them up unto their own hearts’ lust: and they walked in their own counsels.” Our Father is more than willing, yea, He longs, to bless us, but we must prepare the fields of our hearts to receive His showers of blessing! In verses 13-16, we see God lamenting over what He wanted to give to His children, and which they stubbornly refused: “Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the LORD should have submitted themselves unto him: but their time should have endured for ever. He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee.” What a sad commentary on the perverseness of the human heart!! And yet what a beautiful elaboration of the mercy and love of the Lord and His desire to bless His children!!!!

In a way, we are much like baby birds, dependent on our heavenly Father to care for us. We cannot possibly make it on our own; He is the One Who created us(Isaiah 64:8), and He is the only One Who can keep us alive, both physically and spiritually! However, as the story of the children of Israel sadly illustrates, we must be willing to receive His blessing. If we shut up our hearts, pursuing temporal allurements and insisting on our own way, we will soon perish in our sin, starved of the life-giving support from the Word of God and His Holy Spirit’s work in our lives (Jeremiah 5:25). God will not force Himself upon us (Genesis 6:3); He has given us a free will, and though He calls us to leave the world’s shallow pleasures and follow His loving path for us, He ultimately leaves the choice to us, for He wants us to choose to love Him! (Isaiah 57:15-16; Revelation 3:20) We must forsake the idols of self, possessions, position, or aspiration, and seek His will for our lives, living only to give Him glory. (Mark 8:34-37; Mark 10:21) Then, when we have given up the idea of finding contentment and peace outside of Him, and have turned our whole heart over to His control, He can pour out His matchless grace upon us (Jeremiah 6:16)! He wants to bless us; He holds out His gifts and offers them to us (I Corinthians 2:9; Isaiah 64:4); all we have to do is “open our mouths wide, and He will fill them” with the goodness and blessings that only He can give!

Psalm 31:19 – “Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”