PATIENCE

PATIENCE

Do you ever think how much time folks spend on "Waiting"? We wait for supper, we wait for Christmas to come, we wait for birthdays to come. We wait on the New Year to arrive or a baby to be born or for a loved one that are ill to die. While we wait, we either wait patiently or inpatiently. I guess we somtime think the time we have to wait to be a waste of time, when in actuality it could be used in such a prosperous time spent in prayer. God wants us to be patient and wait on Him and so if we are waiting on Him how can it be a waste? A good example I have read in the bible about waiting is in Romans.

Romans5 5:3 We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

When I think how patient God is with me, it humbles me. I think even in my walk with Christ, how I have failed him either through sin or not being the example He is to me. How patient and forgiving He is at those times should give me more reason the be patient with others.

2 Peter 3:9.The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance

Philippians 2:5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus

I have to admit Sometimes I find it hard to be patient with others, mostly when they hurt me, but to see how Jesus suffered just so that I can go to the cross and be forgiven myself, tells me I need to be more patient. Patience takes a lot of prayer and let's admit sometimes we just don't take time enough to pray. Unless we are in dier straights and then we seem to have all the time to pray.

When you think about it when you look at a person that is being patient and how calm they are and then look at a person that is impatient and how they appear, what a difference. I think to myself, do I actually look that way when I worry or are being impatient. I have to remember that and ask the Lord for patience at those moments.

"The times we find ourselves having to wait on others may be the perfect opportunities to train ourselves to wait on the Lord." Joni Eareckson Tada

The New Testament says , the apostle Paul taught the Ephesian Christians to “walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph.4:1-3)

The strongest of all warriors are these two -- Time and Patience.

We as christians need to remember that time is precious and it should be always used to bring Glory to our Lord Jesus Christ. when impatince is used, it is such a waste of time away from God.

Cristina

HEAVEN

The world rings changes, it is never constant but in its disappointments. The world is but a great inn, where we are to stay a night or two, and be gone; what madness is it so to set our heart upon our inn, as to forget our home? THOMAS WATSON

Heaven, when the believer will hear those, oh so cherished words "Welcome home my child, Welcome Home!"

We as believers, can not even fathom what Heaven will be like. When I hear the words "Glory Land", I know that is what it will entail....Glory, Glory, and Glory! We will be in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, what more will we need to be content.

We have so much hope because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. He gave us that hope when He shed His blood for our sins and that when we trust Him, we would have eternal life with Him in Heaven...what hope! Our hope rejoices in the Glory of God. When we have hope, the more we want to please our Lord.

We want to stand before Him and hear those words," Well done my son/daughter well done!"

John 14:2-3 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (KJV)


At the time of death, the true believers will go to Heaven where Christ reigns! We all are awaiting the time When Jesus has chosen for us to rise up with Him to Heaven. What an awesome time this will be!!

I can not wait until the Lord comes and takes us Home either by death or by taking us up into the air to heaven, our awaiting home. We are but Aliens here on earth, foreigners waiting for our Citizenship papers to be stamped, we are already sealed and ready to go and bow before our dear Lord and sing GLORY, GLORY, GLORY to Him that only deserves GLORY, amen!

(Phil 3:20-21 NRSV) But our citizenship is in heaven, and it is from there that we are expecting a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. 21 He will transform the body of our humiliation that it may be conformed to the body of his glory, by the power that also enables him to make all things subject to himself

The world passes away, and we are passing with it; but there is, doubtless, another world, which will endure for ever. Let us fit ourselves for it. -- Samuel Johnson

(Rev 21:4 NRSV) he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more, for the first things have passed away.

(2 Corinthians 5:6-8)
6Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For we walk by faith, not by sight) 8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

A poor man was once reported to have said to his minister that the way to Heaven was short, easy, and simple. It only has three parts, "out of self, unto Christ, into glory."

Remember Eternal life does not begin with death, it begins with faith!

MARRIAGE

In the presence of God, our family and friends, I offer you my solemn vow to be your faithful partner in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad, and in joy as well as in sorrow. I promise to love you unconditionally, to support you in your goals, to honor and respect you, to laugh with you and cry with you, and to cherish you for as long as we both shall live.

These words have to be one of the most beautiful words any man and woman can say to one another. My dear husband reminded me of these words just this past week and it made not the greatest week, seem so much brighter. I think we should remind each other as husband and wife the vows we shared when we decided to spend the rest of our lives together.

It was in the presence of God meaning it was a vow we promised forever.

I, ________, take thee ______, to be my wife/husband,
And before God and these witnesses I promise to be
A faithful and true wife/husband."

In front our family and friends, we are telling the folks closest to us how much we mean to one another.

We solemnly swear to be faithful partners no matter what. In sickness in health, in good times and bad, in joy and in sorrow, if he picked his toenails or I snored...it meant "No Matter What!”

We promised in front of God and family and friends to love one another unconditionally, when we fail each other or disappoint one another, the love we share is a love that will forgive.

I Corinthians 13
Love is patient; love is kind.
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude.
It does not insist on its own way: it is not irritable or resentful;
It does not rejoice in wrong doing, but rejoices in truth.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
And now faith, hope, and love abide,
And the greatest of these is love.

We promised to support each other's goals even if we don't always agree, we stand behind one another. We promise to honor and respect one another and this is so important. If others do not see the respect we have for one another what do they see? If we do not honor one another what must others think about our marriage? We should stand by one another and never let others see disrespect.

We should be able to laugh together and cry together. To me laughter is needed in a marriage. A marriage without laughter would not last. We should be able to cry in each others presences. When you love someone, you feel their pain.

Finally you should cherish one another. No one but God should be the one you cherish the most. When you were married, you were united as one and NO ONE, I mean NO ONE should be able to break the bond!!

Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder" (Matthew 19:6).

I have been blessed with such a dear husband who loves me for being me. He has brought me such joy and laughter into my life. We have brought up three amazing children all with different personalities, all unique in their own ways and all loving and kind individuals whom we both adore. We have two beautiful grand children that we love dearly.

When I first met my husband Jim I was not saved, he was back slidden. When we were married and were expecting our son Matt, Jim realized he needed to be walking with Christ and he recommitted himself to the Lord. I was not saved, so the first part of our marriage was a struggle. I can really understand what the bible says about being unequally yoked with someone that is not a believer because it was a difficult time for us.

2 Corinthians 6:14
Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness?" (KJV)

But by the grace of God I was saved....only by the grace of God did our marriage survive because before I was saved I thought I married a bible thumping nut. I could not grasp what Jim was trying to tell me when he would say "Jesus is God". How could how could God and Jesus be the same, and then adding to it the Holy Spirit and saying they were three in one, I really thought he was off the edge.

It was a struggle for the first few years and then New Years Day 1987 the Lord opened my eyes to the truth. At that moment I knew who Jesus was, I knew He was God! I knew the Holy Spirit entered my heart. I knew my life had changed for ever. I knew by the grace of God, I was His child, bought by His blood, that He shed on the cross for all my sins, past, present, and future. I was His forever and ever. Thank you Lord!

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

John 6:65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father

When I look back now and think about what I thought about my husband being a nut, I realize now He was the tool that was used to introduce me to Jesus Christ. Thank the Lord for "Nuts" like him!!

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were lov'd by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me ye women if you can.
I prize thy love more then whole Mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the East doth hold.
My love is such that Rivers cannot quench,
Nor ought but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so persevere,
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

-Anne Bradstreet (1612-72)


I love you Jim with all my heart. You have been such a blessing in my life.

Cristina

MY MATT

TODAY IS CANADA'S BIRTHDAY

Today is also the day my only son moved out with some buddies. I am so happy for him, he is 21 and wants to experience independence, but at the same time it is a sad time for Jim and I because our dear son is not going to be here every morning when we wake up or when we go to bed I will not hear every night "Good Night, Mom I Love You."

Let me tell you as I cry here, how wonderful of a son I have. He is a young man any one can be proud of. When ever someone speaks about "My Matt" it is with high regards. Folks have said I have never met such a nice boy or what a well mannered boy you have. Some Parents and Grandparents have said how they would like to introduce their daughters and granddaughters to Matt. The place he works at or has worked before at always comment on well he is liked. When I hear this it just makes me so proud of "My Matt".

I was talking to my mom this morning and she was telling me how she was downtown in the same building Matt works and I guess he has noticed her while he was sitting down eating his lunch. Mom said "He got right up and rushed over to her before she left and gave her a big hug and asked her to sit with him while he had lunch." She was so happy he did that, it lifted her spirits up so much. She said, "You know cris, he had no problem saying when she left, "I love you" in front of his friends," she said that meant so much to her.

You may have noticed I refer Matt as "My Matt", that is because I have called him that since he a little fellow and will continue calling him "My Matt". My son I am so proud to call you "My Son", there is no mom prouder then I am of you.

Through the years you have made me laugh. My son and I use to watch Mr. Bean. There is one time Mr. Bean was singing a hymn that had "Helaluya, Helaluya, Helaluya" sung in it and it made us laugh so much the way he did it, that every time we are in church and hear this sung, we can not look at each other with out laughing. I can feel Matt looking at me every time it is sung and I will do my best not to look his way or if he was beside me I can hear him sing it in a baratone voice and a straight face as Mr. Bean did and I had such a hard time not laughing out loud . I know God has a sense of humor and knows we do not do this out of disrespect. It's good to be able to laugh with your children, it's good to be able to see them off into the world and feel you have done the best you can and know they know that you love them. It's good to know that they love you back just as much.

My son gave me a big hug as he was leaving and I have to tell you it was hard to let go, it is hard to let go...I now am turning My Matt over to the Lord to watch over when we are not there and praying that he will walk strongly with Jesus Christ, that he will not let the world get a hold of him. and that he will stop in when he can and that he will ALWAYS remember His mom loves him dearly and SO, SO proud of him.

Love Mom