My Heart 2 Yours

Faith based encouragement and opinion

Author: Georgia (page 1 of 5)

What does one do each day?

As I remember it, it all started around the end of January of 2020.  A new virus that they, the medical people, named Covid 19.   How do you cause fear to go deep into the hearts of people?  Looking back on these past six months, I see a pattern emerging.  Many great men have stated that to destroy a people you can’t defeat them from without, you have to hit them from within.  It seems as if the entire world has been hit with this virus, this fear spreading more fear. We have gone on lock down. The government has put us on  self quarantine,  we now have to wear face masks. We are almost in a police state.

Our small Mom and Pop stores have lost most of all. Most of them have had to close due to the Covid 19 virus. They have lost customers, they have lost money and now what? As some of them re- open, great, but what about those who have lost everything? How can they pull themselves up to start over again? Those who had little to begin with, now have less or almost nothing. What a grand opportunity for all of us to reach out to help others. We have food carts, food boxes, dinners being given out, lines of people waiting for food for their families. This seems to be the new norm. We go out, we wear masks, we stand six feet behind the people in front, we have to measure how fast we can be helped at the check out counter. The new norm.

Yes, I know many have died from this virus, this Covid 19. All over the world there have been so many deaths. But…is it  right for the government to control every aspect of our lives. The government tells us when we can come out of our homes, what to wear and they try to control every part  of our daily coming and going.

Don’t get me wrong, I fully support the police. They have a vital job to do to keep peace and order. I also believe in the military. As many of you know my husband spent 22 years in the United States Marine Corps and saw duty in Viet Nam. I stand for our flag, I put my hand over my heart when I hear the national anthem. I have been known to have tears in my eyes upon hearing the Star Spangled Banner. Oh, how proudly it waves, and how my heart is so proud of  my country, my flag and my loved ones.

In Psalms 33:8 it says, ” Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him” .    Psalms 33:18 says, ” But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him.” Psalms 111:10 ” The fear of the Lord is the beginning  of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding”.    We do not fear the Lord like we fear the fangs of the lion, but it is the most highest of respect. Yes, we respect the Lord, listen to His Word and gain wisdom.

During this entire spring, in our lock down, we have grown fat. Do you know how to boil a frog. You do not put him in hot water, no you put him in cold water and slowly turn up the heat. By the time the frog realizes that he is in hot water, it is to late for him to jump out. All of this happened during the WW2 when Hitler put those he hated into cool water then turned up the heat. I don’t want to repeat history. I don’t want our statutes torn down just because someone disagrees with them. This BLM no longer is about a man named George, it is now about how much hate can they share, how much damage can be made, what can we set on fire next, what can we destroy now.

I want to walk in trust and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Isaiah  41:13 “For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not Fear: I will help you. Such comfort is found all through  the Psalms and Proverbs. Seek and you will find, Peace and faith and trust in Him.

As we continue to walk during these uncertain days, cling to the Lord Jesus, read His word. Take each day as it comes and demand that your heart has no fear.

More later, G

Beginning of a new Year!

I can hardly believe we are in the year 2020. My to do list keeps growing. I do not make new years resolutions. I used to but never did finish any of them. I felt they were to confining. The list did not leave me any room to be flexible. But…so I  make lists. My daughter-in-love gave me a gift for Christmas of a Christian Planner book. I’m thinking this book will keep me on the straight and narrow path to reading the Word and keeping track of where I am.

As I make my list I’m reminded of Proverbs 16:9 ” In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  This morning as I was checking Facebook, a dear friend of mine had posted Proverbs 3:21-26. This entire passage so spoke to my heart. I need to look to sound judgement and not let it out of my sight. I think to me this means to always stay in the Word of God. In my Christian Planner I chose the word “Abide” for my word for the year. Abide in His Word,  Abide in Worship, Abide in His Wisdom, Abide in Faith, Healing and Blessings. Yes, Abide or to stand or stay put or to rest. Oh, yes, I can do that.
On the up side there are taxes to be done. Then the making of quilts. I need to learn how to prioritize my time. I tend to be a lot like my late husband , Howdy Sligar and move in  administration. I’ve said it before, I like my ducks in a row, quaking in unionsen. You know when you are in a class and the teacher tell you that there is a paragraph, then a sentence, then the word. So I use 1. then 1.a, then 1. b. and so on. First of all, get the dishes done. Then some ironing, yes, I still iron pillow cases. Then on to reading the Word. Well, now I can hear you all saying, why don’t you read the Word first. Ok, you caught me. Yes, you are right, I should be reading the Word first. Word, Prayer time, Worship, then the rest of life.
Again, I go back to my list. Here it is January 17, 2020. My list is growing. I’ll share in a little while the list I’ve made. But right now I’ve got to take my Christmas tree down and put it away. Christmas tree is down and put away. The mantle is cleared of Christmas decorations and the winter items are now in place. Christmas items are put away in the garage. Now I go on to my list.

Clean kitchen      Christmas decorations put away     rearrange pictures in garage     work on blog     read Word     put worship music on Bose

Finish baby quilt      change bedding     outline of reading Word per month, week, day     taxes     write notes to family     clean out closet

clean out shelves of canned goods     etc.

And the list goes on and on. It does feel good to cross off things that are accomplished. So dear friends, this is my start to the year 2020. I will keep you updated as to my progress. Life goes on and life gets in the way. Only trying to abide in God will I succeed.

 

 

Tribute to Pastor Dick Iverson

Thinking about Pastor/Bro. Dick Iverson this morning. This man who was called by God to do a great work. I remember meeting him in Hawaii in about 1970. Little did we know how our lives would be intertwined with the Iverson family. In June 1975 Howdy Sligar retired from a 22 year career in the United States Marine Corps. On 15 July 1975 a mustard yellow and creme top WV bus pulled into the parking lot of Bible Temple, Portland, Oregon after a long trip across the United States from Quantico, Virginia. Our first Sunday at Bible Temple was so funny. Pastor Iverson promoted Howdy, he was a Major but Dick introduced him as Col. Sligar. We came from Quantico, Virginia so he introduced me as Virginia from Georgia. We laughed about that for years. The Sligar bus had a lot a adventures, taking a loads of teens to the Holgate Holiness camp for the Bible Temple Family Camp. Oh, the tales that old bus could tell. The following years found the Sligars going to Portland Bible College and learning so much. Bro. Dick asked Howdy to take the helm of our Christian school, Temple Christian School. Then we were brought on the Eldership with being set in at a Prophet Assembly. Bro. Dick saw the leadership that God had placed in this man Howdy Sligar. There were the Elders meetings, the slow pitch soft ball games, the Elders and Wives retreats, the dinners, the laughs, the fun times and the times of praying together and praying through.
As I sit here this morning musing on the life of both Dick Iverson and Howdy Sligar it dawned on me. God not only calls the man, but the family also. Yes, it was Dick that God called way back in the early days with his parents and T.L.Osborne. But…it was the entire family that was called. Edie and the daughters, now the husbands and their children. Yes, the whole family is called. I sit here in awe of the Grace of our God. How He has seen the end and looking all the way back to the beginning. Dick has been a great Pastor, father, grandfather, great grandfather, teacher, preacher, friend and well I could go on and on.
God had placed Roxy in the right place at the right time to help Dick to continue with those extra 10 years of ministry. Yes, Dick has now stepped into heaven and is being greeted by those who went before. I laugh thinking of how Howdy, Wendell, Jack and Ron would greet Dick. They were great friends and raquet ball buddies. So many, so many are greeting him with telling him, hello and thank you.
Dick we shall miss you and as my grandchildren have said, tell Nannie and Grand Dad we all said hello.
Thank you Dick for being our beacon to follow, to learn from and to love. Tell Howdy I still love him. Georgia

How big is your spoon?

As I was praying this morning, I was praying for people I know. People who have a need. I began to pray the 23rd Psalm. When I got to the verse 5, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies” I was reminded of a story I once heard. Let me paint you a word picture of that banqueting table.

In this picture I saw two great halls, the one on the left was full of people seated at a table laid with all sorts of food. The table was full of roasts, hams, leg of lamb, fruits of all kinds, vegetables to numerous to count. The riot of color was a joy to the eyes but the people at the table were different. They had a big spoon attached to their arms. They could reach any and all of the food with their spoons but it was way to long for it to be brought back up to their mouths. These people were skinny and gaunt. Their eyes were sunken into their heads, their bones stood out from their skin. They were a sorry site to behold.

In the second great hall, the one on the right, was full of people as well. They were seated around a banqueting table that was laid with all manner of food, vegetables and fruit as was the first. Again, the food was abundant to overflowing. The people who sat around this table also had a large spoon attached to their arms. As I watched, all of these people at the second table were healthy, fat and flourishing. Their skin was glowing, their eyes clear, they were laughing and happy.

As I watched this second scene the Lord spoke to my heart. “What is the difference between these two banqueting halls and the people in them.” “Lord, I don’t know.” I was puzzled by the scene I was looking at. The Lord said to me, “the people in the first hall are starving because they only try to feed themselves.” My eyes widened and my understanding began to grow. Then the Lord said, ” the people in the second room have learned to pick up food in their spoon and feed the one next to him or the one across the table” He said, “they share what they are given.”

Oh, that I may be wise enough to feed others, to share what I have been given. Feed them of wisdom, love, gratitude, appreciation, carefulness, understanding, and more. May my spoon always be full of His Word to share and to share willingly. I want my spoon to be big enough and full enough to be overflowing to feed who ever comes to my table. My prayer is for the Lord to grant me wisdom to know who needs what from my table. In Luke 14:13-23 we read the Parable of the Great Banquet. May I learn what the Lord wants me to learn and share.

More later.

Don’t you dare touch my feet!

This morning my friend, Bill Schiedler wrote about Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. (John 13:1-15) As I was reading what Bill had shared I was reminded about several things from the past. I’d like to share these with you, what happened and what I learned, the hard way.

As Jesus washed the feet of his disciples he said we were to see this as an example and to do the same. I know there is a deeper meaning than just to take a basin of water and wash the dust off another’s feet.

When Howdy and I were in Hawaii, we attended Grace Bible Church. The pastor at that time taught on the “washing of feet.” One Sunday evening he announced a “foot washing service.” The men stayed in the sanctuary and the women went into the prayer room. Basins of water were brought in and we sat in a circle. Now I must tell you that at that time I was in nursing school at Kapiolani Community College. So it was easy for me to wash the feet of the other women. We were instructed to pray for that woman as we washed and dried her feet. I just wanted to be on the floor washing the feet of the other ladies. The pastor’s wife came over to me and said she wanted to wash my feet. I protested, “no, let me wash your feet.” In my mind I was saying, “don’t you dare touch my feet.” That moment she said to me that pride, yes, pride was keeping me from receiving. Well, that hit me like a ton of bricks. She was so right, my pride was saying, “oh, no, you don’t touch me, I’m not needing this.” As a nurse I could wash feet and more but I didn’t want anyone coming near my feet.

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” As I sat in that chair with the pastor’s wife on her knees before me something happened in my heart. I was so greatly humbled. Big crocodile tears flowed from both my eyes and hers. There was a birthing of sisterhood between her and me that day.

Another time, years later, I was at a Bible Temple Elders wives retreat. The senior pastor’s wife, Edie Iverson announced that we were going to have a “foot washing.” Oh, no, here I go again. I wanted to run, I wanted to be excused and go to my room or just take a long walk off a short pier. At that moment in my ear I heard the voice of the Lord say to me, “Pride, Pride, Pride.” Oh, Lord help me. When the Lord says something to me three times, well I’d better listen. From the depth of my heart I was so ashamed of what I had felt and thought.

Pride is such an ugly thing, it thinks it is better than others. Pride thinks it is privileged over others, pride is always right and knows more. Pride wants it’s own way. The ladies took turns washing the feet of other and receiving the ministry and prayers as their feet were being washed. I sat there as my feet were washed and I was being prayed over by several ladies. Again, a great humility overwhelmed me. The pride melted away and I was so blessed as I received from others.

We don’t do this often, in fact a “foot washing service” is hardly done today. We do water baptism often and the taking of communion on a regular basis. Some think it can get to be familiar if we do these to often but foot washing and being humbled before man, well, think about it.

Many lessons were learned by me that day and the Lord has reminded me of them today. Bill was used to remind me that I not only should be a servant to minister to others but to let others minister as well. By allowing others to pray over me, I was able to encourage them in their ministry.

Pride, yes stinking pride, keeps us from receiving blessings from others.
Today, I thank you, my friend Bill Schiedler for being used of God to minister to others.

More later.

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