They Call Me Mom

When I was a little girl I loved babies. If my mother couldn't find me in a social setting, she knew I

had found a baby to hold. As I became a teenager, I felt a longing to have a baby of my own; someone to hold and love. And eventually, someone to love me back!

Fast forward to 1971 on a snowy October day, when our first son, Steve II, was born. It was a long (17 hours) labor, but very worth it. Steve is the typical first born; *reliable, conscientious, structured, cautious, dominant, achiever! Steve has been a manager of Hoss' Restaurant's since he was 19 and began working in the dish room when he was 16. He is the guy that sees a need and gets it done. He has shown leadership in the Jaycee's in Somerset plus he was the commissioner of the AYSO for a while and is now coach and referee. He is a good father and a wonderful son.

The closest I got to having twins was Steve and Penny, being one year and five days apart. As the second born child with an older brother, Penny also qualifies as the firstborn female in the family which may explain why she also possesses the nurturing leader qualities of a firstborn child. I taught her how to coupon and she surpassed me. I taught her how to knit and she knits better than me and recently learned to crochet. I taught her how to cook and she makes some dishes I have never made. She is a good baker too. Penny has taken over the responsibility of providing a lot of the family gatherings. Penny is a good wife, mother, friend and daughter.

Matt is the middle child; *people pleaser,somewhat rebellious (there was a certain age!), thrives on friendships, has large social circle, peacemaker. When Matt was a little boy, I often said he would give the coat off his back if the need arose. And he is still like that as a 40 year old man. Matt is very giving and thoughtful. He has been a tractor trailer driver for many years. Matt is a good father, husband and son who values family relationships.

As the last child some of these fit Amy; *fun loving, uncomplicated, persuasive, outgoing, attention-seeker, spontaneous. Amy was a joy to have in our home. The older children loved playing school, church and family with her when she was a baby. She brought many gales of laughter into our home. She recently in the past two years became a tractor trailer driver like her brother and husband. CDL drivers run in our family! (pun intended) Amy is a sensitive, caring person and as our youngest at 36, she is a loyal friend, a good wife and mother, a doting aunt and a sweet daughter.

There is one child that never got to call me mommy. A miscarried baby soon after we were married went to be with Jesus. With life crowding in, I wasn't giving this child much thought until a few years ago when someone I knew was experiencing this grief. It made me visualize my child up in heaven, enjoying being with Jesus. It became real again after all these years. It is a real comfort and joy to look forward to meeting this child one day and then perhaps I will hear him/her call me “Mommy”.

I wasn't a perfect mom. I made mistakes. I think my children have forgiven me for my shortcomings. There are a few things I would do differently as a mom:

I would have played more with my children.

I would have spent more time with them.

I wouldn't impose my personal convictions on them.

I would have taken more vacations that were not church related.

I would have majored on the majors more and less on the miners.

I am so blessed by my children. They are now old enough to value my advice and occasionally ask for it. They show me respect and love. It is such a blessing to see all my children enjoying each other and having good relationships. On Mother's Day, they will either visit or call to wish me a Happy Mother's Day. I may get flowers or a gift of some sort which I really appreciate. But do things really matter when I have four of the best gifts - my children!

The greatest gift I could get is found in III John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

*Personality traits by birth order by Jocelyn Voo; parents.com

Peace in the Storm

A friend posted this picture recently and I thought it was beautiful in its majesty and awesomeness. So I saved it thinking I could use it sometime in the future. Then a few days later Word FM played a contemporary Christian song that caught my attention. It is Eye of the Storm, by Ryan Stevenson. When things come together like this, it makes me believe it is for a reason. Hence, my blog for this week!

Life can be pretty scary at times. I have experienced bullying, abandonment, abuse, a cancer diagnosis, and a house fire, among other things. I am sure you have your own list. And as a Christian, I have also known God to be ever-present in my times of need.

This song brings out a few of life's challenges, ie abandonment, lost dreams and expectations, physical ailments and extreme diagnosis' and the affects of sin in the lives of our loved ones. But the chorus tells us:

In the eye of the storm, You remain in control
In the middle of the war, You guard my soul
You alone are the anchor, when my sails are torn
Your love surrounds me in the eye of the storm

In Matthew 8:23 we read of Jesus calming a storm: “he awoke and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.”

Psalm 5:12 says, “For you bless the righteous, O Lord; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” God blesses those who live for Him and covers us with a shield. The verse before this says, “But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.” So we need to take refuge in the midst of our storms and even sing for joy! And He will spread His protection over us! This is our anchor referred to in this song.

Hebrews 6:15-19 And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. . . So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Near the end of the song, the songwriter pens his version of Psalm 23:

The Lord is my Shepherd
I have all that I need
He lets me rest in green meadows
He leads me beside peaceful streams
He renews my strength
He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to His Name
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid
For You are close beside me

Hebrews 13:5 Jesus tells us, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” You can find these same words in Deuteronomy 31:8; 31:6; Joshua 1:9; Isaiah 41:10-13. He is surely close beside me!

Where do we find peace in the storm? “When you receive His faith in your heart you will also receive His peace in your heart. Peace is the inward indicator that He is fully involved on your behalf. Peace is the emotion of faith.” - homefaithprayer.com

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. II Thessalonians 3:16

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

If you are going through a hard place, a storm of life, turn to the One who can protect, care and shelter you, JESUS.

You can listen to Eye of the Storm here and also see the lyrics.

Lessons Learned from Special People

Roy was a godly man of small stature. We first met him when we were moving into our parsonage in the hills of Virginia. He helped us with boxes and was a friendly face in a new place. We learned to love Roy as we worshiped together. I think the Lord was especially close to Roy because he couldn't read. So the Lord visited him on a regular basis as they had fellowship together. Occasionally he would see visions of angels. His dear wife read the Bible to him for the 50 plus years they were married. This Godly man taught me lessons on faith, prayer, and how an unlearned man can exceed his educational limitations and soar to heavenly heights in this life. Roy was ready that night he suffered a heart attack and God took him home to heaven. At his funeral I was asked to sing a duet with my friend Eva Ketner. When we sang the verse in the hymn, How Great Thou Art, that begins . . .When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation And lead me home, what joy shall fill my heart. . . his widow, Gertrude, began shouting with joy. She knew he was with Jesus and she would see him again someday.

Paul walked with an unstable gait and used his cane as he came into our church in Altoona. His smile was broad and his heart was huge. Paul spoke with difficulty and stammered some. But when you got to know him, you could understand most of what he said. He was sharp mentally and his cerebral palsy didn't keep him down. He was always anxious to attend church and would testify to God's goodness. When we had revival Paul would often invite the evangelist and Steve and I to his home for lunch. He would have the table set and the food ready for me to help him get it on the table. Paul even traveled with us to Florida to attend a camp meeting once. He was humorous and enjoyed teasing at times. He used his 50 plus years of wisdom to get a nice apartment and hosted the men's Bible Study occasionally. I learned so much from Paul. I learned there are various types of cerebral palsy and not all victims of this illness have the same disabilities. Paul loved the Lord and I was blessed to know him and I look forward to seeing him in heaven, walking the streets of gold with no disabilities and praising the Lord without a stammering tongue.

There is a special thirty-some thing young man in our church here in Chambersburg. Kelby was born with Down Syndrome. He is a Philadelphia Eagles fan and he loves the Dukes of Hazard. Kelby works on his uncle's dairy farm. He serves as an usher at our church and is a friendly greeter to those he meets. Kelby is such an inspiration as he worships his Lord. Sometimes he comes down to the end of the aisle near the altar and kneels, lifting his arms up in praise to God. It blesses my heart when I see him. Sometimes he puts me to shame. How am I worshiping? Am I comfortable openly being demonstrative in worship? I believe that Kelby is a lover of God and it shows. We are blessed to have him as part of our family of God. I can learn much by his example.

Who is in your life that you can learn from? The lady next door? The man across the street? The child sitting in front of you in church? Take a moment and look around you. See what life lessons you can learn and then adopt them to your life. You will be richer indeed.

Special thanks to my husband, Steve, who helped jog my memory for this blog post.

The Value of a Gift

The Dandelion

By Anita McIlveen

In the spring of the year when the grass turns green

There is a weed that grows plentiful for all to be seen.

It is yellow and round

and stays close to the ground.

But many a child never guessing

    Collects them and thinks they are a blessing.

With eyes glowing and a smile that is broad

They take their bouquet as a gift from God.

And to whom should they give this above any other

But to the one person that they call Mother?

So the moral of this poem is that a weed growing wild

is transformed into a flower by the love of a child.

There is an old saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” But I also think “The value of a gift is in the eye of the beholder.” A bouquet of dandelions is a welcome gift from a child. But if a spouse gave this gift it would be received very differently. With Mother's Day just a few weeks away, it is important to give gifts that the receiver will really appreciate. Some women like roses while others like carnations. When I am asked what I want for mother's day, I usually say, “A flower with a root!” This way I can plant it and enjoy it year after year. That doesn't mean I don't enjoy cut flowers at times too. I love roses because of their beauty but I love carnations because of their fragrance.

As a mother and a school bus driver, I have received the gift of words. A message of love and appreciation is a welcome gift. A love letter from a spouse or fiance is a treasured gift. Give the gift of words to people you love now instead of at their funeral.

We have been offered the best gift of all, Jesus. John 4:10 tells us about the Samaritan woman to whom Jesus said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is saying to you Give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Have you accepted this gift? If not, you can right now! Pray the sinners prayer today.

If you are already a Christian, you have at your fingertips the greatest gift to give. That is telling your friends, neighbors, the people you meet in a day's travels about the love of God and the gift of Jesus and how He can be their Friend. Pray for opportunities and then pray that you will recognize the opportunity and then ask for courage to share your faith. You will be amazed how God can give you eyes to see and a heart that wants to share the greatest gift you have ever received. Tell someone about Jesus today.

Biblical Truth Hidden in a Secular Song?

I play secular music on my school bus radio for my high school students in the morning. It is a mix of songs and I enjoy the talk of the hosts between songs too. A song came on that has lyrics that made me wonder if it is a Christian song. But it is not. It is a secular love song titled, One Call Away, by Charlie Puth. I will show you the similarities in the the words and phrases but first off I thought of the title, One Call Away, and immediately my mind went to Jeremiah 33:3, which has been referred to as God's telephone number: Jere33:3 – “Call to me and I will answer you and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

I will print the complete song at the bottom of this blog and give a link to the song. The song phrases will be in bold: “I'm only one call away; I'll be there to save the day”. Deuteronomy 31:8, “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” It is God who will rescue you.

“Call me, baby, if you need a friend, I just wanna give you love.” The words, call me, make me think of prayer. We can talk to Jesus anytime. I Thessalonians tells us, “Pray without ceasing.” Jesus says in John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.” And God loves us so much He gave His son to die for us on the cross. John 3:16. But His love continues on into eternity. I John 4:16 “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.”

“Come along with me and don't be scared, I just wanna set you free.” Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” In Galatians 5:1 we read, "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” God will set you free if you ask Him!

“No matter where you go You know you're not alone.” Hebrews 13:5 tells us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” God will never leave us alone.

“And when you're weak I'll be strong.” God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” It is when we are weak that Christ's power is easily recognized in us and it also brings glory to Him.

“And when it you feel like hope is gone Just run into my arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27 tells us, “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Also, Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” There is a contemporary Christian song that I like; Forever Reign by Hillsong. The chorus says, “Oh, I'm running to your arms, I'm running to your arms, the riches of your love will always be enough. Nothing compares to your embrace, Light of the world forever reign.” Listen to it here.

Throughout this secular song Superman is referenced. No person or figment of a person's imagination who created Superman for a television program could ever compare to our Almighty God. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Rev 1:8. Psalm 62:11, “Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God.” Psalm 65:6, “Who establishes the mountains by His strength, being girded with might.”

So for a secular love song, One Call Away, is a good song with a nice melody. But knowing these Biblical truths makes it even better! So think upon the blessings that God has provided for us and realize that He is only one call away; He loves us and wants to be our Friend; He wants to set us free; He will never leave us alone; He will be our strength; we can run into His arms when we feel hope is gone; and He is our Almighty God!

You can listen to One Call Away here.

One Call Away

By Charlie Puth



I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
Call me, baby, if you need a friend
I just wanna give you love
Come on, come on, come on
Reaching out to you, so take a chance
No matter where you go
You know you're not alone
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
Come along with me and don't be scared
I just wanna set you free
Come on, come on, come one
You and me can make it anywhere
For now, we can stay here for a while, ay
'Cause you know, I just wanna see you smile
No matter where you go
You know you're not alone
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
And when you're weak I'll be strong
I'm gonna keep holding on
Now don't you worry, it won't be long, Darling
And when you feel like hope is gone
Just run into my arms
I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one, I'm only one call away
I'll be there to save the day
Superman got nothing on me
I'm only one call away
I'm only one call away


Songwriters: MAUREEN MCDONALD, SHY CARTER, JUSTIN FRANKS, BREYON PRESCOTT, MATT PRIME, CHARLIE PUTH
© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

A Supernatural Change

If you have at any time prayed this prayer in faith believing, and have sorrow for your sins, you are born again. A lot occurs during this time, instantaneously! Other things follow in the days, months and years ahead as Christ desires a relationship with us. Perhaps we will blog about that another time. A supernatural change happens to a soul at the time the sinners prayer is prayed. We are changed from death to life, according to John 5:24. “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.”

Here are a few more things that happen when a person becomes a Christian.

Adoption: Ephesians 1:5-6, “In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Redemption: Ephesians 1:7a, “In him we have redemption through his blood.”

Forgiveness: Ephesians 1:7b, “the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Become a child of God: John 1:12 “ But to all who receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

Name written in the Lamb's book of life: Luke 10:20b “rejoice that your names are written in heaven.” Revelation 21:27b “only those whose name are written in the Lamb's book of life” will enter heaven.

New Creation: II Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed way; behold the new has come.”

Reconciled to God: II Corinthians 5:18, “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation . . .not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.”

Become the righteousness of God: II Corinthians 5:21, “For our sake he made him (Christ) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Cleansed: I John 1:7, “If we walk in the Light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

Born Again: John 3:3, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Verse 4 says, “Unless one is born of water (physical birth) and the Spirit (spiritual birth), he cannot enter the kingdom of God.”

When I first thought of this topic, I was thinking of maybe five major points to ponder. As you can see, I ended up with ten. But I also found another writer who came up with 38! You can find it here, 38 Things that Happen when We get Saved, by Dr. Rob Ream.

Thinking back to when I was saved at the age of 16, I remember feeling the weight of sin lifted. And as a teenager struggling with not feeling loved and accepted, I finally realized that Someone loved me enough to die for me! John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” I have heard many people testify that an empty void was filled. You can read a blog I wrote about Jesus living in your heart here.

As a Christian we have the power within us to live a life pleasing to God, a life of victory and not defeat. We will not be perfect until we reach heaven but we don't have to live a defeated life. Ephesians 3:14-21, “For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith – that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

If you have not yet prayed the sinner's prayer, I would encourage you to do it today. Jesus is waiting for you to come to Him.

II Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

I Corinthians 16:23, “Our Master Jesus has his arms wide open for you.” -The Message



Easter Decor Has Meaning

With the passing of winter and the hope of spring, we enjoy seeing signs of new life inside and outside our homes. Crocuses pop out of the ground, daffodils shoot up and wave their pretty faces at us as we pass by. The grass turns green and leaves begin to sprout on the limbs of trees. Inside, we put away all the snowmen and bring out the Easter decorations. I love to decorate my mantle with the meanings of Easter.

This week is called Holy Week as we look to the things that happened to our Lord Jesus more than 2000 years ago. It is the culmination of why he came from heaven in the form of a baby and was born in a manger in Bethlehem. Events of the week included the Last Supper, the washing of the disciples feet, the betrayal, the trial, the walk down the via Delorosa and up to Calvary's Hill where Jesus was crucified between two thieves. He willingly laid down His life for our transgressions.

Here are the things on my mantle and their meaning:

Cross - Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” I Peter 2:24, He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds we are healed.” It is by Jesus death on the cross that our sins are forgiven, we are made clean by his shed blood and we are promised healing by the wounds he suffered. What a Savior!

Light – John 8:12, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” 9:5, “I am the Light of the World”, 12:46, “I have come into the world as light so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.” 

Lilies - “I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valley.” Song of Solomon 2:1 Lilies are white, signifying purity. The flower has a drooping head and retires behind the shade of its broad green leaves; an emblem of lowliness or humility which is Jesus Christ.

Lamb – John 1:29 John the Baptist announced Jesus saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” And in verse 36 John repeats his statement, “Behold, the Lamb of God.”

Exodus 12:21-27 The pascal lamb was offered by every family in Israel at every Passover. John declares that he is the great sin-offering of which all the lambs slain on Jewish altars were the types. “He takes away the sin of the world” - he is the great sin bearer, not for a single generation, but for all time, not for a single family or race but for the world.

Lion - Revelation 5:5, “And one of the elders said to me, Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Jesus was born in the lineage of David, He was worthy because he was slain. He conquered sin, death and the grave. In Isaiah 11:6 we read; “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.” This is referring to the good days to come when the Jews return to Israel and the Messiah comes. It means that everyone will live peacefully together.

Angels - Matthew 28:1-7 “an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples; He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.” I find it interesting that angels have foretold the birth of Christ, were very present at the tomb and will also herald Christ's return. Matthew 24:31, “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” I Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God.”

Dear Jesus, I am so thankful for the plan of salvation that provided an escape from the wages of sin and has given me a new life in Christ. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins and for being my Friend. I thank you for the spring time and all the signs of new life we can see outdoors. But I am also thankful for your continual mercies to me every morning as I seek you. I love you Lord.