I remember this date well..It was the date in which I decided in my heart to accept Jesus Christ as my personal savior. Hmmm many things have transpired since that date. I am a woman that has fallen short many many times...but I know without a doubt that a change happened in my heart that August evening many years ago.
I was nine years old and this was the ending of a 3 days before school revival. I like many children became quite restless and was quite intrigued about what was going on around me. I don't remember much about the word being preached because I probably was doodling in my bible.I don't even remember what I was wearing. (smiles) All I remember during an altar call, my pastor, Elder Tyler got up and began singing, "He Touched Me" and I took notice. People were worshipping God, slain in the spirit....for real.. There was a great move of God..The atmosphere was set and I wanted to be a part. I felt the love of God. Wow, HE loved me that much that he sent HIS son for me...it clicked for me.
At that point tears of joy rolled down my face and I went to the altar. With hands raised, eyes closed, I made this confession, "I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. He died for my sins. Sin separates me from God. I believe that God raised JESUS from the dead and now I accept Jesus as my personal savior. "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things have passed and behold all things have become new. I am in Christ and I am a new creature. Thank you Jesus for saving me."
Many days and nights since that occurence 31 years ago, I have fail miserablely, but I never questioned my salvation. I take this time to say, "Thank you Jesus for saving me."
Praise HIM!
Shackled by a heavy burden 'Neath a load of guilt and shame Then the hand of Jesus touched me And now I am no longer the same
For He touched me, Oh He touched me And oh what joy that floods my soul Something happened and now I know He touched me and made me whole
Oh since I met this blessed Savior And since he cleansed and made me whole Oh I'll never cease, never cease to praise Him I'll shout it while eternity rolls
Oh He touched me, oh He touched me And oh what a joy that floods my soul Something happened and now I know He touched me and made me whole
Today while sitting in my classroom preparing to assess my school's little first graders...( I love six years olds...LOL) I glanced briefly at a poster that I had up in my classroom...Suddenly a single tear fell....Wow, you're probably thinking that gal Cy is such a cry baby and yes you're so right..I am a cry baby LOL...But see that poster is very special...
How can a tattered reading poster be so special. It says, "READING. Once you start you'll never stop." It has a little boy and his grandpa reading on the couch...It's beautiful. See, when others walk in my classroom, they may wonder why I have such a tattered poster hanging in a prominent place in my room. It is quite obvious that it's old compared to the other items in my classroom.
Well, that poster was in my mother's classroom when she died 20 years ago. Before school began that year in 1988, her former principal asked if I wanted to get any of her items. They had her items packed in a box...A box...22 years of being a teacher...such love and dedication dropped...in one single box.
*Sighs*
Well, you can imagine I cried the whole time my sister Evelyn and I went through her box. I don't blame the teachers for getting what they wanted but I wished they would've asked first. In that box was my mom's last lesson plan book (all written in long hand..LOL) a few children's books and the poster.
Family, that poster has hung in my classroom for as long as I been a teacher...17 years and there isn't a day that I don't look at that poster and think about my mother and the legacy she left behind..I thank God for my mother and how she was my first teacher. She along with my father instilled a lifetime love for reading. I absolutely love reading and more importantly I love teaching children how to read...
20 years ago today, my mother stepped out of time and stepped into eternity. I miss her tremendously. This is truly a day of reflection and a day in which I will give thanks to God for my mother...a woman whose love for her family, friends and children...was endless.
I would like to extend a wonderful happy birthday to my one and only grandchild, Angelique. She is celebrating her first birthday today. I love this little gal! She is definitely a bright spot in my life even if she likes to play with her grandfather's DVDs and knocks my pillows off my sofa...just because.
She has a smile that melts my heart. I guess she didn't feel like smiling in this shot...LOLOLOL.I love you pumpkin.
I have been truly blessed to read blogs and comments on this site. Some of these blogs have encouraged me to "run on to see what the end going to be" and some have given me hope and confirmation of God's greatness.
However, I have ran across several blogs that are merely an essay of self-righteousness and I'm thinking how can this attitude win souls to Christ? Isn't that what it's all about? I see people arguing about insignificant things--that in the whole scheme of things doesn't matter to a person that's lost and full of despair.
Self righteous is defined as
confident of one's own righteousness, esp. when smugly moralistic and intolerant of the opinions and behavior of others.
If we as believers can't get along...ready to pounce or finding spots to correct...then how can we stand as "The Body of Christ"? Don't get me wrong...I believe in correction but get out of yourself and truly read what the person is saying before you are ready to "set them straight". It's not about you anyway..It's about God..Whenever we put ourselves in the place of God, then we are walking on scary ground.
I grew up in the church..Attending and being active in church is a norm since knee high...so I know what self righteous people can do to a babe in Christ or fellow Christians. It is heart wrenching and very destructive. I found myself leaving the church for a few years while in college because of the hurt caused by fellow Christians. So, this is a touchy subject for me. I don't ever want to be the cause of "LOSING" someone from Christ because of hang ups (we all have them) I'm all about the winning.
Love is what draws people....It's not about what you know....It's all about WHO you know...
Just my thoughts.
Are you self righteous? Take this quiz
And while it is possible to be just a little self-righteous and therefore not cause much offense to anyone, people who are too self-righteous may:
• Be quick to judge others • Belittle those around them • Be smug • Act condescending • Be narrow-minded • Be intolerant of other people’s faults • Believe that they have the answer for everyone else’s problems
Meanwhile, self-righteous people often have a very hard time being empathetic. They only view the world through their own eyes, and cannot even fathom walking in someone else’s shoes.
Yesterday I got some news from my eldest twin daughter that I'm not too sure about and has caused me to question some things.
I want to start off by saying, I love my Ronniekins....Lord knows I do. She is a wonderful girl, a junior in college ,sings on the praise team, a wonderful writer, and loves the Lord. If I need anything, I can count on her...believe that! However, she is really not a risk taker and enjoys being around her dad and me. I mean we have to literally talk her into getting out and hanging with her friends. Her idea Saturday night plans include sitting on my couch...not her couch in her apartment....watching movies with her dad and me...She is a family gal for sure...LOL I see her everyday and receives about 5 calls per day...She lives with her twin clear across town.
Well, this summer my husband and I have both come to the agreement that we need to start cutting some strings in terms of our older daughters....They are both twenty years old and one is married with a child but we find that we are paying too many of their bills...LOL So, my husband had a meeting with them both and told them we were going to cut some strings...our purse strings..LOL Well, in this agreement, we told Ronnie to get a job...LOL Well Ronnie had a job working 8 hours a week...I'm like that's not going to cut it. See in part of the agreement, we told her she will need to start paying for some of her car insurance, cell phone, and credit card bill.
Well yesterday, Ronnie came and told me that she got a job...I was sooooooo excited..until she told me what it was...LOL She got a job as a singer in a jazz club...LOL Check this out she will be singing for tips...LOLOLOLOLOL Oh Lawd!!! I guess a nine to five is out of the question…
After she told me, well I guess I couldn't help to think how she got her start singing and that was in the church. I remember how shy she was when she got up and sung, "Yes, Jesus loves me." Soon after that it was on and popping. That girl hadn't stopped singing since..LOL At 3, she amazed the congregation with her voice and now I'm sitting here wondering...Hmmmm. Lord Lord Lord..LOL
I know that her gift of singing came from the LORD and I know her dad and me raised our children to fear the LORD. "As for me and my house, We will serve the LORD." Yet, as my children enter adulthood, their decisions in life are mind boggling...
So pray for me as I try to understand my children and why they make the decisions they do. I know I have nothing to complain about because she is a good girl...I have no complaints in any area but this...She is loving, compassionate and very kindhearted--a great daughter.
