Thanks to the US Military

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”- Psalm 100:4-5


I’m a day late in expressing my personal thanks to the men and women in the US military. I was thinking of many of them yesterday as I spent the day with family minus a son who is in the Air Force and stationed across the country. He was with extended family members so that made the absence a little easier. My daughter is also living across the country but was able to spend time with her grandpa for Thanksgiving.

But for those in the military who were separated from their families for Thanksgiving and may have to be separated for Christmas, please know my family and nearly all of the people at my church and in my Midwestern community support you and your efforts to bring peace and stability to so many areas of the world.

We know you’re not perfect, but you are willing to go places most of us would be afraid to venture to and you’re willing to give up time with families which most of us don’t want to do.

Thanks from the bottom of our hearts for your courage and strength and willingness to help. You are a tremendous asset to our nation.

God bless. We’re praying for you.

Thanks, Vets!

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”- Colossians 1:9


Yesterday was Veterans Day. I didn’t have my computer on so I couldn’t post a comment for all of the veterans so this is it today.

I didn’t grow up in a military family and didn’t know anyone who was in any branch of the service. Then I married a man who was in the Air Force. He created the love for flying in our son who is now a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy and planning to enter flight training soon. I’m proud of both of them and know my outlook has changed from having military members for loved ones.

Yesterday I watched an hour-long documentary on the D-Day invasion. Several survivors of that day were interviewed. Their remembrances from 60 years later – guilt from surviving, horrific pics in their minds from scenes of buddies dying on Omaha Beach that still ply them with nightmares – were heart-wrenching.

By the end of the hour, my waste basket was full of used tissues. I kept thinking, they were the same age or even younger than my son. What were they doing there? Why did they have to go through that?

Having family members in the military has made me more sensitive to this type of program. But hopefully even if I had never had a loved one in the military I would still respect each person who has ever served and continue to pray for them daily.

Thanks to each person who has ever served for our country and to their families who give up a lot to help our country. You are not forgotten. You are loved and respected deeply.

Our church is planning to send Christmas cheer boxes to military people at Christmas. What could you do to help a member of the military this Christmas?

I love hymns!

Day and night they never stop saying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty . . ." Revelation 4:8

As a 40s-something with 3 adult children, I look forward to the time when my kids will yearn for hymns as my husband and I do in worship at church and at home. I played them often at home and hope some of the words soaked into my children’s minds before they moved out.

Hymns are like meat of spirituality – they fill me in the depths of my being. Almost the minute I hear the beginning chords of a hymn, my spirit starts to soar, my heart constricts and tears rush to my eyes as I think of my sin and unworthiness when standing before God. Then a verse comes up that tells how God saved us and I’m at peace again.

I’m sorry, but few modern-day songs have that effect on me.

Most contemporary Christian songs are God-filled, but the repetition and simple lyrics seem like whipped cream – light and fluffy.

Yet, more churches seem to be catering to young people by conducting separate worship services with contemporary choruses. We attended a church recently that had 2 worship services going on simultaneously – one was hymns, another contemporary choruses.

Ultimately, music should not be used to separate believers, but bring them together. Which service would Jesus have chosen?

What do you think about hymns and contemporary Christian music? Should churches have separate services for each? Which do you prefer?


Here’s one of my favorites, 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus. It is in public domain, but I found the lyrics at www.hymnsite.com. This is a handy site for reviewing the words to your favorite hymn. You can even hear it being played on piano, organ or bells. Cool!

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
and to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise,
and to know, "Thus saith the Lord."
Refrain: Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I've proved him o'er and o'er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

2. O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
and in simple faith to plunge me
neath the healing, cleansing flood!

(Refrain)

3. Yes, 'tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace.

(Refrain)

4. I'm so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end.

(Refrain)

Redeeming Love

Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you. Hosea 10:12


Isn’t this a beautiful verse? It is from the book of Hosea from the Bible which I admit I may never have read before. It is the same book that the talented author, Francine Rivers, studied and came up with the idea of writing a novel based on the premise of the book. Rivers’ book is called Redeeming Love. It is a wonderful account of how a man loved a woman, despite her waywardness, and how she came to love him as a faithful wife. The Bible story tells about how the people of God turned away from him and how He showed compassion on them.

It is inspiring to think how creativity can help writers come up with ideas and carry them out. This biblical story had sat under the noses of people for 1000s of years. Yet it took the heart and mind and hard work of Rivers to portray it in novel form.

What story is sitting under your nose that could be inspiration for a devotion, poem, short story, or even novel? Sometimes all it takes is looking at something at a certain angle. Try to see things from a new point of view and pray that inspiration will strike as it did for Francine Rivers.

Take care,