Who Is My Neighbor?

This morning, as I was getting ready for church, I was praying asking God what He wanted me to put on here. I read several scriptures but nothing was laid on my heart. As the day went on, I realized why. Let me share it with you:
I had baked some bread yesterday, and David and I thought about a couple of people that we wanted to share it with. We shared with a neighbor yesterday, and then God laid it on David's heart another family He wanted us to share a loaf with. Which left us with two loaves. This morning the Lord laid two more people on my heart to share the other two loaves with. So I put them in a bag and we headed off to church.
When we got to church, two of the families were there that God had laid on our hearts, but one person was not. So after church, we gave the two loaves to the families, then asked a friend to go eat with us and we sat and enjoyed some good fellowship for about 2 hours. When we left to go home, David was just kind of riding around town, and all of a sudden he said, "Do you want to just turn here and head on home?" I told him that would be fine, whatever he wanted to do. Now when we turned, and headed down this street, on the right hand side of the road, there was a woman walking, she had her head down, and as she started across the road, a car turned and went right in front of her and almost hit her. The woman never looked up....she just kept walking as if she didn't really care if she got hit or not.  I looked at David and as we passed her, I turned around in my seat and looked at her and on her face was the saddest, most lost look in her eyes I have ever seen. My heart just broke for her.... David looked at me and said, "Do you want to give her this loaf of bread?" I looked at him and told him that she probably wouldn't take it because she didn't know us. We drove on a ways and the whole time in my heart, God was asking me "So, that's it? You're not going to give it to her? You're just going to go on by?" I battled in my mind saying " God I don't know her." All of a sudden, David just pulled over and turned around and headed back. I asked him if he was going to go back to her and he said yes. When we pulled up to her, I asked her if she liked banana nut bread? She walked over to the car and said "I don't know....I guess" I told her that God wanted me to give her this bread and He wanted me to tell her He loves her. She kind of smiled and said "Okay" David told her God loved her and wanted to bless her. She looked at us, kind of smiled again, and backed away from the car with the bag of bread. After we drove off, I, in my mind, asked God if that bread was meant for this lady, why did He tell me this morning to take it to the other person at church? God then let me see the clear picture. He knows how we think, and He knows how to work things so we will obey Him. He laid it on my heart to bring that bread this morning, even though He knew this other person would not be at church, He knew this woman would be on the side of the road, probably feeling like no one cared about her. I said, "I see it God! I understand!" God is so amazing! He truely works in mysterious ways...His wonders to perform! As we drove on home, we talked about it and the scripture came to my mind in Hebrews 13: 1-2 and it says "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by doing so some people have entertained angels without knowing it."
This morning, when I was getting ready for church, and I was praying, God reminded me to love my neighbor, and I said, "Yes God, I know." He then asked me, "And who is your neighbor Renee?" And I answered, "Those around me, and then I answered, God, anyone who is in need, that's who my neighbor is." God was preparing me for what He wanted me and David to do this afternoon. Praise God!!!

We never had any idea what was going to happen this afternoon, but God began this morning preparing our hearts for it. Be careful....let's love our neighbor...Who is our neighbor? Anyone in need because in it, we may entertain angels unaware! I don't know this woman's name, but God does and I pray He helps her. God bless all of you and I pray He uses you this week to help or witness to someone along the way.

The Father's Vineyard

"Jesus is the true Vine, we are the branches and our heavenly Father is the Owner and the Gardener. That means, of course, that God is in charge. He can do what He pleases in the vineyard.  We, who are merely branches, or even we who labor in His vineyard, have no right to question His decisions.  Regrettably, there are times when I spend the bulk of my prayer life, trying to counsel God  to resolve my situation in the way I imagine is best. Foolishly, I forget that this is my Father's vineyard. He knows what He is doing, and He has a right to do what He wants. Lest that sound harsh or frightening, remember that God is more than just the One in charge. He is also the Husbandman  who cares tenderly for His vineyard. He is the God of loving compassion who's mercies never fail."
(Page 14 from the book "In My Father's Vineyard" written by: Wayne Jacobson)
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This is one of my favorite books, for in reading this book (and I've read it through several times), there is so much teaching in it! I am a branch in God's vineyard.....I have been grafted in and God tenderly cares for me! Wow!  If you have not read this book, I wish you would get it and read it. It's well worth your  time! I love being in my Father's vineyard, and I love the way God takes care of me, prunes me, and loves me! I will, along the way, post more inserts from this book. My husband and I have a page on Facebook titled "Revival of the Heart Ministry". We would love for you to look us up! God has a plan for all of us I believe! God has called my husband, David, into the ministry to preach, and as we began this new path, God will grow us, and care for us, but we can never lose sight of the fact that we belong to Him and are to do His will.....not ours! God bless all of you....and don't forget....keep smiling!!!!! 

Thanksgiving???? What Are You Thankful For?

I know, I know, I am up somewhat early writing a blog, lol, but my darling husband had to go to work early this morning, so I decided, since I was up,  to write what was on my heart.  It is 10 more days to Thanksgiving, counting today.  On our facebook, my husband and I have been listing every day, what we are thankful for.  The reason we decided to do this is we don't want to let Thanksgiving  slip by without realizing what all we have to be thankful for! 
Now I absolutly LOVE Christmas time!!  It is my FAVORITE time of year!!!!!  But it seems like every year Thanksgiving gets pushed to the backburner, kind of in the corner, where it still is there....but it's not as important as Christmas.  Well, this year is a little different for me...This time last year, we were planning a trip to Alabama....a trip that would impact our lives more than we ever knew....  My mother's health had not been good for quite some time, and since our family lives in separate states, we had to get our schedules together to be able to all go to my Mom and Dad's at the same time. But we had talked, and my Mother and Daddy wanted us all to be there for Thanksgiving, even if it meant we couldn't go back for Christmas, but it's almost like mother and daddy just had a feeling that she might not be there for Christmas. Of course none of us wanted to believe that or even think about it.  We headed out  to Alabama  for Thanksgiving and we made it into a Thanksgiving  and Christmas. We knew we had to do it that way because we were not going to be able to go back for Christmas.  We had a wonderful time!! We were all there, we cooked a wonderful dinner, then  gathered in the living room and got out the guitar and the keyboard, and we began to sing songs. My mother sang a song and what a blessing it was!  We all joined in and just had a wonderful time together. We prayed that night before we went to bed, then of course us kids went in another room and talked almost all night.  The next morning, I went in Mother's bedroom. She was lying in the bed, because it was hard for her to get up, and I went in and lay down beside her on the bed, while the family was getting dressed, because we were all leaving that morning, and I lay there and talked to her and she talked to me, and I will never forget that morning, and that conversation with her, it is still so precious to me (and I'm crying now just thinking back about that day).  When we all left, we never knew that would be our last Thanksgiving with her.  The next day, after we left, Mother took a turn for the worse, and Daddy had to take her to the hospital. She wasn't talking to anyone. Then a couple of nights later, Daddy was on the phone with me and Mother suddenly asked him who he was talking to. He was surprised to hear her speak! He let her talk to me on the phone. She told me how much she loved me and missed me. I will never forget our conversation. Daddy then called my brother and she talked to him.  After that....she never spoke again..... That weekend, just a week after we had enjoyed such a wonderful Thanksgiving with her and my daddy, we all went back to Alabama. We were there for a couple of days with her again, talking to her, her only response was looking at us and occasionally a grunt, but we sang to her, loved her, and on Dec 6th, she went to be with the Lord......... She didn't make for Christmas.....
This year, this month, seems like every day, I relive that in my mind...Thanksgiving last year..... and now Thanksgiving this year has more meaning than ever.... Why?  Because I'm so thankful God gave our family one more good Thanksgiving, all together, with my mother. I'm thankful that we have a close family. I'm thankful that I still have my Daddy with me. I'm thankful that I had such a wonderful Mother. I'm thankful that I know I will see her again someday, as long as I live for God and stay ready to go. I'm thankful for a wonderful husband that stood by my side through all the pain of losing my Mother. I'm thankful that my Daddy has continued his ministry in preaching and singing for the Lord.  I'm thankful that God gave me a renewed love for Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for the precious memories I have of my Mother. I'm thankful for my family, and I cherish them even more now than ever! 
Thanksgiving has a new place in our home.... and as much as I love Christmas, I will celebrate Thanksgiving first.....then Thanksgiving evening....my tree will go up....and new, somewhat painful, memories will flood my heart , because I will be reminded once again, that it was a sad Christmas last year because we lost her in Dec....the month of Christmas.  But yet, I will celebrate Christmas with her in my heart, because she LOVED Christmas, the joy of it, the decorations...the beauty of it, and she always decorated so pretty, and she loved that time of year. So I will have her in my heart...and I'm thankful for that.
Be thankful this year for everything you have, everyone you have with you, let's be thankful.... Celebrate Thanksgiving with joy in your heart!  God bless all of you......  ~Renee

Do We Truely Mean It ?

1 Corinthians 13: 4-7
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trust, always hopes, always perseveres.
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Wow! There's a lot in those words!  When we tell someone we love them, do we really mean it? Do we throw that word around in a careless way? Let's break the above scriptures down for just a moment.
Love is..........
Patient: (tolerant or understanding; enduring with calmness) When we truely love someone, we need to be understanding, no matter what they are going through. We need to be tolerant, even when it may be hard to do, and try our best to be calm about whatever might be going on.

Love is ..........
Kind: (Of a friendly, generous, or warm hearted nature; showing sympathy or understanding; considerate)  There's that understanding word again! When we love someone, we try to understand them. We feel for them when they have needs in their lives, we're considerate of their feelings or what they're going through. We have a soft spot, so to speak, for that person because we love them.

Love does not .......
Envy: (the desire to have for oneself something possessed by another) If we truely love someone, we will be happy for them and what they have. We won't resent it. When we start resenting someone because they have more than us in material things or possessions, then that's wrong. I have never been one that has had a lot of money in my life. I didn't own what was considered the best of everything, in terms of what society deems the best, but God has always sustained me. But I'm happy and I have a wonderful life! So in order for me to truely love someone, I can't envy them for what they have. And on the same note, I may have more than someone else, but what I have to do is be thankful for what I have, pray for those that may not have, and thank God for blessing those that do. And that's hard to do sometimes, but it's part of love.

Love does not .......
Boast: (to speak with excessive pride; the act of bragging)  Love doesn't do this. Bragging is not something I believe the Lord is pleased with. There is nothing wrong with being proud of an accomplishment, but that's different than being boastful all the time. We can hurt people that way because it can cause them to feel like you think you are better than them. We are all the same in God's sight. No one person is better than another. We all take the same thing with us when we die..nothing but ourselves. Whether we have a lot of material things or whether we don't have much of anything, we  all face eternity, and stand before God. Instead of boasting, we just need to love each other.

Love is not...........
Proud: (filled with or showing excessive self esteem)  If we truely love someone, we are willing to do anything for them to help them or take care of them, as long as it's not wrong. To me, it also means that we don't think we're too good to accept help from someone we love when we need it. My daddy took care of my mother for the last several years of her life. And in that, he had to do alot of things for her that she wasn't able to do for herself. But he never felt like he was above doing the things that he needed to do for her. Why? Because he truely loved her. What an example of love...

Love is not..........
Rude: (ill mannered; discourteous) Have you ever been around someone that was just rude all the time? They felt like what they had to say was so much more important than what you were saying. Or maybe they were short with you, or just had an ill attitude? That doesn't show love. We need to love each other and respect each other in every way.

Love is not..........
Self Seeking: (pursuing only one's own ends or interests)  Love is not being concerned just about yourself and what you want. It's about caring for others and their needs. It's about being interested in them and what concerns them. Putting ourselves above others is not love.

Love is not.........
Easily Angered: (a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility; enrage or provoke) Loving someone should be the very reason we don't get easily angered at them. When you love someone, it doesn't mean you never get mad, but you shouldn't be able to be so easily provoked. If that's the case, we need to look at the reasons that cause us to get angry so easily and then see what we can do to change that.

Love ..........
Keeps No Records of Wrongs:  Love is not about being able to say to that person, " I will forgive you but I will never forget!"  We shouldn't keep a running tab of all the ways someone has wronged us. Because what good is that? If we truely forgive someone for doing something wrong, then it shouldn't be saved for later so you can bring it up again and remind them of it. That's not really forgiving someone, that's just trying to benefit yourself. I'm so glad God doesn't do us that way!

Love does not.......
Rejoice In Evil, But Delights In The Truth:  When we get pleasure out of seeing someone else get hurt or done wrong, then we are not showing love. We should never get enjoyment out of seeing someone else having to endure pain, or hurt, or being done wrong. Rather we should be happy when good things happen. When someone is lied to or lied about or hurt by other people's lies, then when the truth is brought about, that lifts a burden off the one done wrong. We need to be happy in the truth. We need to be truthful, because lies get us nowhere. Love doesn't rejoice in evil.....but it loves truth!

Love always........
Protects: (to keep from being damaged, attacked, stolen, or injured; to guard)  If there's one thing I know, I know that my husband protects me! He loves me so much and he would do everything in his power to keep anyone or anything from harming me. And I love him in the same way and would do anything I could to protect him! Love is cherishing something or someone and keeping it from harm.

Love always.......
Trust: (to have or place confidence in)  Trust is so important, whether it is in a relationship with your spouse, or dealing with your children, or children trusting their parents, or a friend relationship...whatever the case, trust is important!  When you love someone and know they love you, there should be no doubt in your mind that you can trust them. Never give them a reason not to trust you....

Love always........
Hopes: ( to wish for something with expectation of it's fulfillment)  When we have love, we have hope. Enough said.....

Love always.......
Perseveres: (to persist in or remain constant to a purpose, idea, or task in the face of obstacles or discouragement.)  Love is persistant, it is a constant thing no matter what we face. When we love someone, we can always persevere in the worst of times.
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Love is a bundle of all kinds of things. So many different emotions that are involved, but the most important thing is that we truely love people, and treat them the way we know is right. When we say we love people, we need to really mean it and show it! We love people in different ways, but I don't ever want to carelessly throw that word around. It has too much meaning to do that. 
Love is........a great thing!

My Parents 60th Anniversary

Sitting here tonight in my living room, and thinking about tomorrow. Yes....tomorrow...Nov. 3rd.  Why tomorrow?  Because if my sweet mother was still with us, tomorrow, her and my dad would have been married 60 years. Wow! 60 years!  That's a lot of years together!  But my precious mother went to be with the Lord last year, on Dec. 6th.  She and my daddy had such a beautiful and awesome marriage!  They did everything together.  Now I've heard couples in the past, that have made the comment, "I don't want to be with my husband/wife  all the time. I need a break every once in a while!"  But my parents never felt that way, and my daddy will tell you the same thing today!  They just truely loved being together!  They worked together most of the time. There were times, when  they worked in different places, but most of the time they worked together. They also worked together in the ministry.  What a team! They never pastored a church at any time, that they were ever asked to leave. In fact, every church they had ever pastored, they were always asked to come back.  They prayed together, ministered together.....yes, no doubt about it, they were made for each other.  Daddy preached, and mother played the piano and they sang until I was old enough to start playing the piano, then we all sang. :)  But no matter what...they were there for each other.
As the years went by, mother had a lot of health problems, and she reached a point that she couldn't do as much anymore.  So little by little, my daddy was taking care of her. She did all she could, but she wasn't able to do a lot.  But my daddy didn't mind taking care of her. They loved each other so much! Daddy would cook, and I'm here to tell you, that man knew how to take care of my mother! He knew everything she needed to eat, every medicine she needed, they just about could read each other's minds!  When mother reached a point that she couldn't get around without help, my daddy was there for her. Oh, it hurt him to see her suffering, but he never complained, and never even blinked an eye when it come to caring for mother. And she would have done the same for him had the circumstances been the other way around. Sometimes people would tell daddy, "I'll come over and stay with Sis. Blancett so you can get out of the house for a while. I know you just probably need to get away."  Now they were trying to be helpful, but daddy has told me,  many times, that he had no desire to get away.....he was happier when he was with her, and she felt the same way.
Mother and Daddy had a strong love for each other!  What a witness their lives have been to so many people! I think about their marriage so much. In fact, I told daddy yesterday that I wish me and David could be married for 60 years, but unfortunatly, David and I got together later in our lives so it's like daddy said.....if me and David lasted for 60 years we would be one more old couple!  LOL     But I am so proud of my parents! Mine and David's love reminds me a lot of mother and daddy's.  Now I'm not claiming to be just like them, but I do know I love my husband with all my heart, and we do enjoy being together, and we love our life!  I'm thankful to have had such a good example to try and follow in my parents!
So, tomorrow is going to be a sad day for daddy, in fact, this whole week has been sad for him.  He will always love her with all his heart!  She was and still is....his one true love....and he was hers!  I love and miss my mother so much, but my hurt can't even touch the surface of what my daddy feels. So I pray God wraps His loving arms around daddy and comforts him....
Happy 60th Anniversary Daddy ......and Mother.......you both are truely a perfect example of what true love is....      I love you both!!   ~Renee'