Happy Thanksgiving!!! Today has been a wonderful day. Well, except for when my brother-in-law, who lives in Alabama, called at 6 am CA time to wish us a happy day! We had gotten into Fresno around midnight and finally in bed around 1 am and then to get this "wonderful" loving call so early, needless to say our day started early!!
We visited and got ready for a short hop up to Friant where our cousin has 40 acres. Bev had gotten the turkey cooked, green bean casserole baked, mashed potatoes mashed, yams candied, salad tossed, rolls warmed, and the gravy stirred by the time we got there around 1 pm. My sister-in-law, Becky, and her family had driven in from San Jose and met us up there. My other sister-in-law, Sharon, had come in to Fresno yesterday and Mark and I rode up the hill with her family. All in all there were 26 of us who celebrated God's bountiful blessings together.
After we ate, Mark took a nap in my lap for about an hour while the kids got to ride Bev's and Roger's horses. Riss, Jessi, and Justin, as well as their cousins, LOVE getting to ride the horses and roam the acreage for hours when we visit! It is a beautiful area and where Mark and I had our very first "date" 16 years ago when we celebrated Memorial Day with Roger, Beverly, and the rest of the family. It was fun sitting in the back seat, holding hands, and remembering how things got started for us so long ago!
I am soooooo blessed to have Mark in my life! He is a wonderful husband and loves me JUST LIKE Jesus loves me!! He knows all about me and yet, when needed, he forgives, encourages, and keeps on loving me!!!! He may be quiet around most people, but he sure does tell some of the funniest jokes and shares his innermost thoughts with me!! ME!!! Yeah, I am blessed!
My children are another wonderful blessing! Marissa is now 13 and is growing into a beautiful young lady. She is a wonderful cook and once we get her to keep her opinion to herself except when solicited, she will prove what we already know is true....she is a smart, sweet, take charge kind of person who will become a great leader for her family and friends in the future! Our bear, Jessica, is also becoming a beautiful young lady! She is 11 and entering the pre-teen angst ridden years. I have to keep her in prayer because she is sooooo sensitive! I don't want her getting bogged down with the cares of life and lose sight of who she is in God! Justin, our future preacher, president, general, contractor, policeman, scientist, is 9 and will shortly be entering the pre-teen years as well. He is simply brilliant and who knows what he will become for the Lord!?! I tell him to serve the Lord whole heartedly and let God lead him into what He has in store for the future!
The rest of my family, friends, fellow saints, co-workers, and a host of others are more reasons to give Thanks unto the Lord! My home, car, clothes, etc. weigh in as well. I could spend the whole eternity listing "things" I am thankful for but what matters most is God's grace and mercy! Thank God for His sacrifice, His blood, His resurrection that make a way for me to be forgiven and blessed!
I pray your Thanksgiving time has been blessed and will bear fruit of another year of God's blessings being showered upon your life! Live with an Attitude of Gratitude every day and you will find there is nothing to complain about!!!!
GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU UNTIL HIS SOON RETURN!!!!!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Monday, November 12, 2007
ReJOYce and Stand Firm For HIS Coming is Nigh
Yes, I took liberty with the spelling of rejoice but I am re-joy-cing this morning. Last night was a momentous time for my children and Mark and I. We finally broke through the cloud that has shadowed the childrens eyes from the truth. Yes, we have taught them God's Word, taken them to Church faithfully, and spent time in prayer with them. Yet they didn't seem to understand how soon Christ is returning or how important it is for them to DAILY live for Christ, repented and ready for the rapture. We have tried to teach them that television is full of things that can harm your soul, yet, when we visit homes that have a TV, they glom to it and ignore our warnings until we have to physically remove them from the room and chastise them for their disobedience.
Unfortunately, last night was one of those occasions when I had to go in to a room and make my child exit because she was watching TV with a relative. Mark and I had just spoken to her and her sibling about always asking 'what would Jesus think' before doing something that may be questionable. Yet she willfully went in and ignored our suggestion. When I got her out of the room, we talked about what she had done. The other two children were listening in and when I pointed out that if you are not ready for God's coming then you would spend eternity in Hell, burning, never feeling God's presence again, never seeing your parent's faces again, she broke. My son broke as well and felt convicted over some of the PS2 games WE have ALLOWED him to play. That convicted my heart and at the same time left me rejoicing for the power of salvation was strong in his life! The children then spent close to 30 minutes repenting and praying (alone at first) for God's help. It was beautiful!
This morning I was reading the Word and came upon James Chapter 5. It reaffirmed what we had felt last night and I wanted to share it with you.
Unfortunately, last night was one of those occasions when I had to go in to a room and make my child exit because she was watching TV with a relative. Mark and I had just spoken to her and her sibling about always asking 'what would Jesus think' before doing something that may be questionable. Yet she willfully went in and ignored our suggestion. When I got her out of the room, we talked about what she had done. The other two children were listening in and when I pointed out that if you are not ready for God's coming then you would spend eternity in Hell, burning, never feeling God's presence again, never seeing your parent's faces again, she broke. My son broke as well and felt convicted over some of the PS2 games WE have ALLOWED him to play. That convicted my heart and at the same time left me rejoicing for the power of salvation was strong in his life! The children then spent close to 30 minutes repenting and praying (alone at first) for God's help. It was beautiful!
This morning I was reading the Word and came upon James Chapter 5. It reaffirmed what we had felt last night and I wanted to share it with you.
James 5
1Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
1Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
4Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
5Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
6Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
7Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
8Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
10Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
14Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
15And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
16Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
17Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
18And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
19Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
20Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
The McVay family has already spent time this morning reading God's Word and reaffirming through prayer that we want to make it to Heaven!
Keep the Faith, neither turning to the right or left. Stand firm in the Word. Don't let Satan fool you into thinking your ways are right. Live your life as an example of God's grace to this wicked world. Be patient, just, and love your neighbor as Christ loves you!
Hope to meet you in the Rapture when we see our God, Jesus Christ, who gave His life for our redemption!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Hanging on to JOY
Sometimes we just have to hang on for the ride. God is in control, on His throne, and always knows what it best for our lives. The waves may toss us too and fro but God is there to speak peace. The thunder may roll and lightning flash but God is there to protect. The devil may try to tear us down, ruin us, maim us, but God is there to help us overcome.
Thank God for His JOY and His mercy. I don't know about you but I am determined to just keep hanging on for dear life. Devil, you are a liar. You are defeated in Jesus' name. I may be down for the count but watch out, I won't be down for long and when I shall arise, I will be triumphant over your cunning lies and fiery darts!
I may have lost a lot of things and may lose more, but I will NEVER lose my praise. God has been tooooo good to me!!!! I WILL PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM!
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