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In my last post , I mentioned the writing of Christmas Redemption  and its presentation Dec. 10 and 11 at Aspen Park Baptist Church in Broken Arrow, OK. After we'd completed most of the writing, I was honored to lead a Bible study with the women of our church. The name is Fight Like a Girl  and was created by Lisa Bevere. In this study, Lisa reminds women about the amazing creation we are. She points out how important we are to God because He needed a solution to Adam's loneliness when He created Eve. She had a voice that was hidden inside Adam. God drew that voice out of Adam's side and made it so it could be heard together with Adam's. Teaching about the partnership and cooperation created in the garden of Eden was pretty cool. But even more amazing was living it out. In 1975 God brought my husband and me together and we married two-and-a-half years later. As I stated in my previous post , my husband is a melody man. He also loves words. He has written m...

Three years ago a friend, Steve Cowen, approached our minister of music, Tom Clark, about a drama he'd written. It was for Christmas. Tom pointed Steve to my husband, Scott, for the music needed to accompany the drama and then life took over. Typical interruptions: Illness. Death. Departures. Arrivals. Retirement. It's amazing how God brings about events in our lives to prepare us for tasks He has for us to complete. So earlier this year (2016) Scott and Steve decided now was the time to present the drama. Yeah - Scott and I wrote the music but that's the side story. The real story is God illustrating the beautiful mate and helpmate created when He originally designed man and woman. You see, Scott is a melody kind of person. When we listen to music, he will always sing or hum the melody. I, however, am a harmony person. When I listen to music, I always migrate to a harmony to sing or hum. So in 1977 when God put Scott and me together, he was prepa...

I don't think most of us realize what those three words spoken by Jesus Christ really mean. Do you remember in the garden when Eve and Adam ate of the forbidden fruit? At that time a schism was placed between our Creator and us. Enmity was set up between mankind and Satan. Those three words mark the destruction of that schism and the enmity is destroyed. But we don't live our lives that way, do we? So many of us know so much about our own faults that we don't understand the tremendous gift available to us. We have ourselves on our own minds so much we don't hear what Jesus did for us. We believe we must make ourselves worthy. Paul reminds us “in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight—” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:22‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ Through death, Jesus gave us a covering of a perfect man. If you will accept that cover, God will look at you and see Jesus, the one perfect man who lived as God originally create...

For a moment, think about how desperately someone you know seems to need you. How does that feel? Flattering? Scary? Like you are being set up to fail? Are you even up to the task of being all they NEED you to be? Do you like that feeling? What emotions does it evoke when someone says to you "I need you so much."? Does that stress you out? This blows my mind to think about but bear with me as I try to write the words. God. Almighty. Complete. The unique being Who created us in His image. God. Infinite. Without need. I love seeing young people helping our elderly. Planting seeds for their future! Yet, somehow He needs you. He needs me. It's a need He started because He has chosen to love on His creation through you. Through me. Now does that stress you out? It shouldn't. Think for a second. Why would God who created you and knows everything about you - how you were made. WHY you were made. Purposes He created you particularly to fulfill - to co...

The blood moon. Photo by Andrew Brister . When I look at the moon I see me. Strange?  Think about it: the moon reflects the brightness (glory) of the sun. I reflect the glory of Christ, the Son of God. I considered all this the other night when we were able to watch the moon become a “blood moon”. It ever so slowly lost its brightness. It was covered in a redness that was very much like blood. Then, the corona came back and soon its full illumination was restored. I found it mesmerizing. As I was sharing with a friend the next day I realized how, once again, God provided His own witness to the world about the sacrifice His Son made for us. Once again He used His creation to show us the need we have for Him in our lives. How sin creeps into our lives and darkens our souls. How we lose our shine. Our newness. But then, ever so gently, He brings light – Truth – into our lives. As His Son showed us the Truth and we accept the Truth that God loves us. God want...

My niece posted this great image to Facebook. My bigs are still sleeping but this little tornado of trouble has already been up for an hour hammering, measuring, drawing, and figuring out life. As I read the comments one person said "Isn't it fun watching them work / play by themselves." It reminded me of Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Reflection I remember times I was able to quietly watch my children at play or work or even at rest. The joy it gave me to be in their presence without their unawareness is a little hard to describe. Then I consider "The Lord your God in your midst  ..." not IS in your midst. But already there, in your midst and we are going through our day "figuring out life". To think. As I fumble, rumble and grumble through my life, my Lord, ...

Am I being melodramatic? You be the judge. After 22 years I told my company I was no longer going to work for them. Slim Pickens in "Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" I felt like Slim Pickens in "Dr. Strangelove" riding the nuclear bomb. The fallout is just now starting to take hold and I've shaken some of my co-workers lives to the very core, I fear. Well, it had to happen. Scott sent me a link to a story that featured Muhammad Ali's wife and the dedication and devotion she has for him. I guess Scott sees me as lovingly devoted to him as she is.  (Those are tall shoes to fill, Scott, but by God's grace ...) It was quite a story! That story caused me to reflect on how poorly I'm taking care of myself. How could I possibly face down Parkinson's Disease if I don't take time to care for myself? How can I support us with proper nutrition if I haven't the time to even grocery shop - much l...