Bible

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“A Baby Changes Everything”


A Baby Changes EVERYTHING

Faith Hill sings the song “A Baby Changes Everything*”, the story of Jesus’ who came to Earth and changed the world.   If you have not seen the video or heard the song, click on the title above.

I have just returned from Montana.  God has perfect timing in our lives.  I am in retail and could only get away for a few days.  My youngest daughter was due to give birth Christmas Eve.  However, as I landed on the 10th she was already in the hospital in labor.  I was able to be there for the birth of her first child and our first grandson.  I was able to be there for my oldest at the birth of her oldest daughter, our first grandchild.  God knew my grandmother’s heart and has allowed me to be at the hospital for my daughters.

I often say that God provides minuscule pictures on earth of the ‘big picture’.  Both of my daughters lives have been changed forever by the birth of their children, as mine was with each of their births.  Nothing is the same, everything is different.  Circumstances, challenges, life … day by day a mother handles what is handed her.  What a difference a child makes.

As we come together to celebrate Christmas, let us not forget that a Baby changed everything.  Circumstances, challenges, life … day by day each of us handle what is handed to us … either WITH or withOUT the difference the CHILD of God made when He came to earth as a new-born child, to a mother who had no mother to be there for her.  What a sacrifice He made in leaving Heaven to come to a stable.  What a difference He made.

We often get frazzled by the season’s hustle and bustle, plans, and traveling.  Let us not forget that Jesus is the Reason for the Season and YOU may be the only witness that person sees that “A Baby Changes Everything”.

Will He make a difference in your CHRISTmas celebrations this year?

Have a BLESSED CHRISTMAS! ~ Renee’

*A Baby Changes Everything Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp

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Celebrate Life (*IMHO)


Life Is Precious - Treat with Awe

We are celebrating our victorious child’s 34th birthday this week. She truly was a victory.  After five very difficult pregnancies she was born.  We first found out we were expecting her because I was being treated for bronchial pneumonia.  Due to the meds I was on that ‘could’ leave her brain-damaged, the other bad pregnancies and health risk to me and the fact Phil had lost his job, the doctor advised abortion. 

I was not new to this advice.  I received it with my second pregnancy while in the hospital during a miscarriage.  I actually lost a twin, but still had one baby.  I had lost my first child at age 24. Now at 27 I was finally expecting again. The doctor cautioned and suggested I go ahead and abort the remaining twin. After all, she had about a 10% chance of living, probably was brain-damaged and was a high risk to my health in my current condition.  I did die on the operating table with our oldest, but God had other plans.  After 10 days in the hospital I went home with a 9 pound normal and healthy baby girl.

Both of my girls are gifts from God and He knew when the doctors did not.  God IS the master physician. Neither was brain damaged, in fact just the opposite.  Both are college grads, married and are mothers.

I named our oldest Rebekah Kristen, rebirth in Christ, as both of us were given a second chance at life.  I named our youngest Victoria Paige, victorious child, as she truly was a victory against all odds.  Naming your children is very important.  Naming is important to God. God gives so many examples of why people were named what they were in the Bible.  For example:

Gen 35:10 “God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name.‘ So He called him Israel.“
Gen 5:29 “And he named him Noah, saying, ‘This one will give us comfort from our work and from the hard labor of our hands caused by the ground which the Lord has cursed.‘”

Equally important is raising them knowing WHY they were given their name.  It builds character and purpose.

When Victoria was in high school, she had to write a persuasive essay for English.  Since abortion was controversial many students wrote on that subject.  The teacher had already read them so she knew Victoria had taken the narrow path and had her present her’s last.  Her’s was the only pro-life paper. Not only did she state the facts about how it is used as birth control and that the statistics of its need for mothers at risk, rape, and incest (which are extremely rare – less than 1%); she told them about my decisions with her sister and her births.  Most of them did not know the facts and most of them were just parroting the popular voice.  Some argued we would have felt differently if she HAD been born deformed or brain-damaged.   She was able to tell them that we refused the amniocentesis test that would have shown such conditions as our resolve in accepting God’s will no matter the outcome.

So how did the world get to this state about human life?  When did we lose the awe over creation?  In my opinion it has been subtle.  I believe we as Christians are as much to blame as anyone.  We have treated motherhood as common and become flippant in our approach.  Why should the world treat life sacred and with awe when we have joined their ranks in the treatment of motherhood? 

I truly believe that if we want the public to treat an unborn baby as a baby then we need to be the first to do so.  I firmly believe that if we as Christians do not change our treatment of motherhood and birth to align with God’s word and then raise our children with the same teachings, then we can see life treated with less and less respect.

Birth is about a living soul, created by God.  God knows us from before we were born.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

He does not label us as a ‘pea’, a ‘kidney bean’, a ‘peanut’ or a ‘bump’.  He would never treat us so trivial.  He would not focus on the mom and her physique and draw attention away from the awe of birth.

1 Peter 3:3 “Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;
4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.”

I believe the Bible means we are not to be worldly and take on the worlds displays of dressing and that includes motherhood.  We have become flippant and tolerant of the world’s views on life.  Women are drawing attention to themselves and referring to their ‘bumps’ instead of their child given by God.  I am sadden by some Christian women who believe God’s Word yet do not follow Proverbs 31:30 and 1 Timothy 2:9-10. Motherhood has become about them instead of their testimony to God’s love and graciousness. They place photos of exposed stomachs on their social media and show off in public.

Birth is NOT a celebration about a woman’s body, but a celebration of a new life.  How sad that we have misplaced the focus and missed all these opportunities to testify to God’s wonder and miracle of birth to the masses.

So the next time you defend Pro-life and anti-abortion views, make sure your actions are not treating the unborn lives flippantly and worldly.  The world watches actions. That child is not a bump, it is a baby, a miracle created by God.  Handle with care.

*In My Humble Opinion – I know this is not going to be a popular post but, I believe that we as Christians need to check our actions against our words and views and His word.  How do we as Christians expect the world to view life with reverence if we treat it worldly ourselves?

RBGreenDesigns.com 2020

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Persistent Perseverance Payoff = Patience


NEVER pray for patience unless you are willing to learn no matter the cost.  It is a valuable character trait.  However,  most humans I know are not patient.  That is probably the reason that patience lessons are the hardest.  I think God does not enjoy teaching us patience but, knows we need to learn.  It is a struggle, something we must learn (and re-learn) daily.

As parents we need to learn patience and we need to teach patience.  God patiently teaches us patience, although I know we are very trying at times (well, most of the time).

So how do you learn patience? How do you teach it to a child?  Persistence and perseverance come to mind.  When I was raising my daughters we had a rule in the house, if you started something new, you had to stick with it a year before you could quit.  Gymnastics, swimming, horseback riding, flute, French Horn, cheer-leading, track, tennis, tap, clubs, band, voice … piano.  You name it they took it or joined it somewhere along  the way.  I wanted them both to learn piano.  I knew it would teach them eye-ear-hand coordination and self-discipline, not to mention the added advantage that music training increases ones spacial learning which results in stronger academic achievements.  So I decided that piano they did for me.  I would let them join, take lessons, etc.  anything within reason as long as they studied piano.  My oldest started at six and my youngest at four.  I was persistent and they persevered.  We all learned patience.  The result was that they became well-rounded in many areas, successful academically and wonderful musicians.  My oldest is beginning to teach her daughter, age 4, piano and my youngest graduated with a music degree and has her own web page promoting her voice and piano lessons.  They learned self-discipline through their perseverance.  As adults they can stay the course and complete multi-tasking goals.

Our spiritual life is to be the same.  We are to be persistent in prayer, persevere the day-to-day trials and tribulations, allowing God to work patience in our life.  Toddlers can be taught patience through persistent instruction and discipline through love.  Just as we teach our young, God is always teaching us.

In Genesis 31:38-42 we read o f Jacob’s diligence and his patience.  In Proverbs 21:5 the scriptures tell us that hard work pays off.  In Mark 15:47 we are told that diligence allowed them to see Jesus.

Do not be passive parents.  Parenting is a participation action not a spectator one.  Get involved in the lives of your children at an early age helping them to set a goal they can achieve.  Encourage them, praise their work, guide them and keep them on task and rejoice with them as they achieve.  Every little goal accomplished teaches them.  Those goals become more complex as they grow.  When they are teens and young adults, they will be able to set achievable goals and accomplish much.

Allow your children to see you set goals and your persistence in accomplishing those goals.  Make sure they observe your perseverance and see you grow in patience.

Then, when trials and tribulations come your way, your patience and spiritual growth will help you face life.  Remember, life is 24/7/365 and we must have a spiritual focus on God our hope.  Defeat is when our spiritual feet are mired in the mud of life and sin and our focus is on our circumstances instead of Christ.

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CHRISTmas is coming …


 

Celebrate His Birth!

Sometime in October the Christmas  merchandise started arriving at our store.  The tree was pulled out from storage for display, the signage set and before you knew it November rolled in and so did Christmas.  Working in a Christian store at Christmas is a plus.  Christ is in CHRISTmas in our store, unlike the Mall.

 

I love to get my exercise by walking the mall and try to go there to walk when I can.  CHRIST is not in CHRISTmas at the mall.    I saw the tired and grumpy, the tired parents tugging along even more tired children (or worse, totally ignoring them).   I would like to have a ‘freeze’ button where I could freeze scenes and make people stand back and look at themselves.

As Christians we are the Light in the world.  At CHRISTmas time we should remind all we come into contact with that the Reason for the Season is CHRIST.  I remember writing Starbucks when they came out with their Holiday Blend Coffee and Target and WalMart over the Salvation Army ringers not being allowed, and their associates being instructed not to say Merry CHRISTmas.  We’ll see what happens this year.   I did see CHRISTmas Blend back in the window this year at Starbucks.

As I continued to walk the mall I saw many sad sights.  I love CHRISTmas paper, but Hallmark had no CHRISTmas paper.  It was all holiday wrap, festive and bright but, missing the true Light.  No nativity paper, no Rejoice the Lord is Come, not even any Angel paper.  Being the stinker I can be, I asked the Hallmark clerk where her CHRISTmas paper was.  She pointed to the holiday paper and I said, “no, that’s not CHRISTmas paper. It’s holiday paper.  I want paper that is about the true gift.”  You see someone challenged me to make a difference every chance I could during the holidays and I decided I am.  I may be politically incorrect, but, I figure the louder they are, the louder I will be.  Let’s shout to the world that CHRISTmas is coming.  We already started the CHRISTmas season and I have at least six weeks to use CHRISTmas as an open door.   I have decided I am going to say Merry CHRISTmas to everyone; I am going to thank every person that says Merry CHIRSTmas to me.  I am not buying anything that says Holiday instead of CHRISTmas.   I am not buying into the Xmas slogans that subtly take out CHRIST from CHRISTmas.  (That was the a  ploy of marketing people several years back.)  I am going to make a conscious effort to keep CHRIST in CHRISTmas as I move about my day-to-day activities.  I am going to smile and enjoy the season that celebrates  my Lord and Savior’s birth.   I will ask children I meet if they know whose birthday it is that we are celebrating.

And then on December the 26th, I am going to start celebrating CHRISTmas everyday and recognize that CHRIST sacrificed His place in Heaven to come here on earth and sacrifice His life so that I might have life in Heaven.

So here I go … Merry CHRISTmas!  Let the reason for the season be known and make sure your children and grandchildren know as well.

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Overwhelmed?


He IS carrying ME!

Ever feel overwhelmed?  As a parent when my children were young, there were many times when I just did not know how I could continue on through another day.  The worse years started in 1990 when my oldest brother was in his car wreck that ruined his life forever; both my parents had open heart surgery and dad had a stroke on the operating table; I had to deal with my own abnormal tests results.  The girls were 4 and 8, they still needed a mom.  I was so overwhelmed.  I just wanted that year to end.   The following year, 1991, was worse.  Dad died and I was diagnosed with Lupus which resulted in my being in bed more than out some weeks.  Right behind all of this my husband lost his job and then my middle brother was killed in a plane crash.  It seemed like unending years.  During that time my children would become overwhelmed as well with the issues our family were facing, problems at school, and troubles with friends.  Children often do.  We do not think of their problems as huge because we can see the big picture, and many times the outcome down the road,  if they would only be patient and learn from their trials.  Ah, yes, it’s the big picture again.  We are to our children, as God is to us.  He sees and knows, if we would only be patient and willing to learn.

We had many seasons of trials … it seems we cannot do just one tragedy, we have to have them in groups.   It is a shame that God has to re-teach us lessons.  Once again this week I have been overwhelmed.  Phil has been unemployed for over three years, during which time mom died, Victoria was in the tornado, and later her campus accident that left her elbow in three pieces.  NOW … this week the bank is foreclosing on our home and my new 40 hour a week job which includes nights and Saturdays is exhausting me.  There are some other issues as well.  I let the devil start whispering in my ear that all was lost and hopeless; that I was not up to the task God had set before me and that I was pretty much a useless piece of clay.  No, I was not suicidal … but, I was defeated.   Oh, the devil loves to have us defeated.   But, I have friends and loved ones praying for me and I was praying in earnest for mercy as well.  And then He sent friends to me to talk to me,  stand beside me and pray, to lift me up.

As God often does, in the midst of my ‘defeat’, He sent someone for me to help while I was down.  I had a young girl crumbling before me that was overwhelmed.  Like my children, I could see her problems were overwhelming to her, but they would not destroy her.  God put me in “mom” mode.  I had to turn her to the Scriptures I know so well and tell her to stand on His promises.

Isaiah 42:16 “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.”
1 Corinthians 10:13
“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

I shared these and other scriptures with her as she cried.  I told her nothing is going to enter our life that is going to take away our Faith.  God will provide a way out.  Ours is to be faithful, not to solve.  Ours is to trust and obey and lean on the everlasting arms.  Our burdens are His to carry.  Let Him.

I was preaching to myself.  God’s timing, God’s plan, God’s will be done.  “Keep me leaning on the Everlasting Arms!”.