Love, Do Good, Be Merciful?

“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even ‘sinners’ lend to ‘sinners,’ expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.
Luke 6:32-36

I wonder how many were loving to people at the mad sales tonight/tomorrow, if they really checked their hearts and watched their words.

I wonder how many of us exclude those that need our love the most because we see them as 'sinners' not worthy to receive our love until they repent......when Jesus walked the earth He loved them, went to their place ate and drank with them. He did not stay in 'safe' places, only Christians around Him all the time.
How can we do this? show our love for them, Christ's love for them, when we tend to keep to our own 'circles' ?

We have gotten so use to those we 'hang' with that we forget to reach out to others. We forget where we came from (I know some had a Christian background so they've always been 'saved'). It's something the Lord needs to give us/me revelation on.
God has been bringing to my mind just how lost I was and what my lifestyle was like.....what Christian in their right mind would want to spend any time with me??!!
But you know what, there were some that did just that, they were so sound in their walk with Christ that they were able to love me in the midst of my sin.....it was their love for God and their taking time to talk to me (to my hubby and me--living together at the time).....that peaked my interest, stirred my soul.

"because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful."

Because of my past, I know that some, if not most of those that seem ungrateful and wicked or hateful are really hurting on the inside, they are scared, alone, unsure of who they can trust. Shouldn't we me merciful as our Father is merciful? Shouldn't we be kind?

I don't really know where this came from tonight, I was just sitting her talking to the Lord and this came out. My hearts desire is to reach people by showing them the love of Jesus, not to condemn them. I believe when they see how I,- how my husband and I live- (even the part where we need to repent because we sinned--we will not reach perfection until the day we enter Heaven but because of our robe of righteousness the Father sees Jesus when He looks at us) that it will give hope and later conviction to someone who will in turn begin to seek the Lord and learn His ways.

Why would the Bible say to confess our sins to one another if we never sinned after accepting the Lord and being baptized? He shed His blood, died a horrible death on the cross so our sins would be covered. He knew it would be a journey and the neat thing is He knows our HEART. He knows if it's just lip service. Are we saying 'don't do .......' and then we turn around and do it? My point here is......we have all sinned, so why do we see our sins of less consequence over those that are still in the world? How many Christians have lusted with their eyes? or told a lie? .....

I've been praying the Lord will show me where He wants me and that He will reveal to me How he walked, sat with, ate with and was merciful to the 'sinners'. He said --  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Show me Lord, how and what you said and did to open the eyes of the lost; to bring hope to the hopeless; how You stayed strong in the midst of the 'sinners' you sat with. I'm sure they did not watch how they talked, dressed or acted and yet there You were in their midst, Your heart so full of love for them, longing for them to accept Your Truth. How do You want me to show Your love to them today? Where do you want me to go? I desire to be Your Light to a dying world.

      In Jesus Name I Pray........Amen

A Blessed and Wonderful Day

On October 2nd, our daughter, Lena Hammes, married Cameron Stephenson.

Welcome to the family, son!!

Both of our daughters are married now but it seems like only yesterday my husband an I held them in our arms as little babies. When I would watch them sleep and pray over them.

I'm grateful to God for all the memories. We had a wonderful time growing up together  lol

They taught me alot as a stay at home - homeschooling mom.

And their excitement as they waited for their daddy to get home from work - they knew when he

pulled in the drive and would run to the door yelling....daddy daddy!!

Our daughters Lena and Amanda will forever hold our hearts!

Lena and Cameron Stephenson 

October 2, 2011

Husband/Wife Dance  -  Tangled up in You by Staind

Daughter/Father Dance  -  Butterfly Kisses - Bob Carlisle

and she surprised me with a song she use to sing to me 

Daughter/Mother Dance - Just for You

We both cried

here it is!

Parents May Know a Little?

Have you ever stopped to think that your parents may know a 'little' of what they are talking about? Are you brave enough to read on? Will you read with an open mind? an open heart?

You see you just might want to listen a little better when they offer advice/warnings because they have lived through some of the things you are considering, some of the things you've already done.

Parents do not warn you because they want to hurt you or stop you from having fun. When my daughters were born I never said, 'I'm going to take all their joy away and expose them to all kinds of pain.' Duh NO it was more 'Father, give them a life full of joy, health, and peace'. Show me how to teach them right from wrong, to protect them from the evil in the world and to protect them but not smother them. I want my daughters to have full, wonderful lives.'

So you see (and I'm sure deep in your heart you already know) we want to protect you, guide you away from the lies, from things we've experienced or seen our friends experience. Most of us already know the consequences of certain actions and we don't want to see our children go through it, we still remember the pain of wrong actions and words.

Some of you have chosen to be offended by this.

Some parents don't always say it in the best of tones but is it really worth turning your backs on the ones that love you the most? If you have walked away from your parents, if you have done the things they warned you against and you feel they won't forgive you - that's a LIE. You both may need to let go of some pride to get past the lie BUT please return to your family. Your parents love you no matter what you have done, no matter what you have said, you can't kill the love they have for you. You will find they have their arms and hearts open just waiting for your return. Heck I'm sure they have already forgiven you so you can bodily return to your family. Love between a parent and a child is an amazing force. I'm so very honored and thankful for my daughters and I know your parents feel the same.

Don't kid yourself (parents or children) we ALL make mistakes, we all have bad judgement calls and rotten attitudes at times. So forgiveness is a two way street, it's never just ONE person that is wrong.

My challenge to you - are you adult enough, mature enough to step forward and say, I'm sorry and I love you? You can tell the person what you are sorry for if you want but I'm sure they won't even hear anything past the

"I'm sorry", they will be so full of joy and yea lots of tears so give them a break if they can't answer back right away.

What is holding you back? Go further, think about when you become a parent (maybe you are one now). What do you want for your child(ren)? It's not that much different that what your mom and dad wanted (still want) for you is it?

One day you will be looking back and saying, 'no I wasn't perfect but I did the best I could with what I had and what I knew. And my love never died, it only grew.'

Your child will know and pick up on your emotions, they will mimic you and use your excuses. Once you have your own children you will see the many changes that take place in your priorities, what you thought was important for you to have isn't so important anymore. Your parents gave you life, you taught them unconditional love, don't shut them out now. One day you will miss them, one day your child will ask you about your life and you will remember all those times your parents were there for you, took you places they didn't care to go, bought you things while they went without and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it, would do it over again! A parents love is a pretty amazing love.

Believe me, we do not want to see you hurt or unhappy but we have learned to let go and hope you return. 

And remember our Perfect Father, He is showing us the way and we all have a choice to be blessed or face the consequences of going our own way .... “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.” Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.