Jonathan and David -- Finding Strength in God

I Sam 23: 16 “And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.”

I found this beautiful verse about friendship today in my daily Bible reading.

Wow! Isn't that a beautiful word picture of what a friend does?

I have several Jonathan friends in my life. They spend time with me and express encouragement for my attempts to serve God through writing and other ways.

I also hope to be a Jonathan to my friends. It’s not always easy.

David and Jonathan were having problems with Jonathan’s father who was jealous of David. Jonathan could have sided with his father and demanded the throne go to him after Saul’s death. But he recognized David as God’s anointed and stepped aside to allow God’s plan.

Do you have a Jonathan in your life – someone who wants the best for you, will support you and stand up to those who don't?

And a better question – are you a Jonathan? Do you stand up for your friends and do you support them when they need it?

Try to extend a Jonathan-hand today to someone in your life who needs it. In doing so, you’ll help him or her find strength in God. Your day of life will have purpose.

Take care,

My dad's birthday

"I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith." Rom. 1:16-17



Today was my dad’s birthday. He’s been gone a couple of years from complications due to surgery and we miss him greatly.

At this time of graduation, it brings back some regrets at his passing. I so wish he could have seen my kids graduate from college and my youngest from high school. He would be so proud of them. He loved them and all of us in the family unconditionally. I always knew I could go to my dad with any problem and he would listen and try to help.

I tried not to take advantage of that as I got older, but it was tempting to look to someone for help who always wanted to fix my problems.

Dad loved people so much. Whenever I see a certain guy at church, I think of how Dad counseled him and offered friendship when the guy had legal problems.

His own dad died when dad was a young man, which meant he was now the man of the house. That was a challenge with a large family to feed.

But Dad worked hard and learned to be a businessman on his own. Without going to college, he developed three businesses during his lifetime that profited him well.

He liked to work with his hands. He always had a great workshop. I have two large bookcases and a beautiful cedar chest he made for me, as he did for each of my sisters. If I had asked him to make anything for me out of wood, he would have done so.

Now it is tomato-planting time and that also makes me think of Dad as “once a farmer, always a farmer.” He moved in to town with Mom the last decade of his life, but he had a big backyard and lots of room to grow things like flowers and plants. He was still experimenting that last summer with new tomato plants that were supposed to be huge!

Dad was a back to nature kind of guy, but he liked the latest gadgets too. I remember the first microwave we had – it was huge!! We could have put all of our plates for our family inside at once to be warmed.

One memory I have is the number of men he would employ to work for him. I didn't know it at the time, but some of them had been released from jail and couldn't find another job.

Dad took a chance with them, as these guys could have stolen his expensive tools. But as far as I know, that never happened. Now I write a newsletter for a jail chaplaincy group and I think of Dad whenever I read about an inmate who can't find a job. He needs someone like my dad in his life to give him a boost.

Dad, we miss you, but we know you’re in a wonderful place and we can't wait to join you some day.
Love, Your daughter, Kay

A Tribute to Mother's Day

" But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go, I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. Ruth

I was reading the book of Ruth today in the Bible and ran across this beautiful passage. Naomi’s husband and two sons (one was Ruth’s husband) have all died. Naomi is telling her daughters in law to return to their own people and start new lives. But Ruth refuses.

Most people who I have heard quote this do it from a viewpoint of a man and woman who love each other and want to be married forever.

But it is actually the words of a young woman who has a beloved mother in law and doesn't want to see her suffer more by being alone.

In tribute to Mother’s Day which is coming up, I want to say what a terrific mother in law I had for 19 years. Jane was helpful, friendly, talented, happy, and hard-working. She didn't offer advice when it was not wanted, nor was she critical of decisions we did make. She loved our children and they loved her. When we lost her to cancer in 1999, it was one of the saddest days of my life. I loved her second only to my own mom of the women in my life.

My mother is still living and has all of the above attributes. She lost my dad a few years ago but has done well at managing that grief and yet still chooses to get up each day and look at the world as a good place. We are very proud of her.

She lives close to me and if I have anything to say about it, always will. I know people who live across the country from their elderly parents and that is not a choice I would make. I want to be with my mom through everything and I know she feels the same about our family.

My husband and children have been blessed with terrific, god-fearing mothers and grandmothers and we know that is worth more to us than money in the bank. Thank you, God, for giving us these wonderful ladies. And Thanks, Mom, for loving us so much.

Today is the National Day of Prayer

Today is the National Day of Prayer.

Pray without ceasing – I Thessalonians 5:17

In honor of this day I’ve sent out an email to all of my friends, asking for prayer requests. I’ve been amazed at the severity of prayer requests I heard. Cancer fears, divorce, family problems. Not all were that bad, but I prayed for each one, no matter the severity.

If you believe in prayer, I encourage you to touch base with your friends and find out their prayer needs. It’s a good way to let people know you care about them.

Our country was established on the belief in and power of prayer. One of the best ways we can support our troops is to pray for them. Several people asked me to pray for our soldiers’ safety and mental health. I did so, of course. They are never far from my thoughts.

Take a moment now to pray for our nation, families, government leaders, and soldiers. Don't forget to pray for yourself. You have to love yourself before you can love others.