Breakfast For Your Soul

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Good Morning Beloved,

I’m still in Thanksgiving mode.  I have a cousin, Mabel, who is a ‘Thanksgiving Baby’.  She is one of those ’seasoned’ saints who appear ageless.  I don’t even know how old she is now, but she has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.  She was raised by my grandma’s mother, in the country– on the same land where I was raised .  She was a hot to-male let me tell you.  She lived in an age where, if you wore red lipstick and make-up you were considered a ‘Jezebel’.  Mabel was (and still is) a strong-willed woman.  As long as I can remember she has been strong.  She is a little tiny, petite woman, but I’ve seen her intimidate grown men… she would fight them.  She has been married to “Al” just about my whole life (I’m 41) … they are a perfect match.  He was just as wild as she was. She was a gregarious and fun-loving party-girl who loved entertaining and ‘talking trash’… and so was he.  Al will tease you to no end, but it is all in good fun and we know he loves us.  Their house was party central… especially around the holidays.  Mabel was sweet, but you did not want to cross her.  She loved her children, but would not hesitate to .. shall we be politically correct and say “discipline” them.  I remember her children Elzie, Renee, Speedy and Vincent (yes, I’m calling you out cuz y’all were wrong and I’m still traumatized) ....leaving me in a hole that I fell into because they thought we were being chased by bullies.  My bright yellow knit poncho stuck on the branches in the hole and I couldn’t get out.  I was about 5 and they were not much older than me.  They eventually came back and got me, begging me not to tell.  Of course our parents ALWAYS knew when something was not right with us.  Mabel started asking questions.  She separated us and interrogated us one by one.  I was scared of Mabel.  I knew somebody was going to be in trouble.  I must have looked a sight with sticks and dirt in my poncho and hair all over my head.  She found out what happened and they were… uhhh…. ‘corrected’.  Of course they were mad at me for their…. ‘troubles’.  Isn’t it amazing how something so serious and scary at the time, can morph into a fond memory as we get older.  Many years later, at an appreciation service held for my mom by our church, I had the privilege to witness Mabel give her life to Christ… she was about 70 I think.  She is currently a faithful member of her church, with the same loving and welcoming spirit she always had, but now she has a glow that can only come from someone who has a relationship with the Lord.  Her steps have gotten a little slower, she has a few little health issues, but I have heard her talk about them as if they are nothing.  She is happy in Jesus and she told me that she has had a good life thus far with no regrets.  She is very wise.  You see, she realizes that everything in her past, has prepared her for where she is today …. and she is so grateful.  Tomorrow, I can’t wait to get to Baltimore with my video camera and capture this beautiful lady on film… yeah, and her kids and grand-kids are all right too…. God is so good, and His mercy endures forever!

…. and that is Good News right there!

U Blessed,

Have A Fabulous Day!

Regina

Grace Cafe - 2 Corinthians 1:20 3 of 103   All of God’s promises throughout the Bible are fulfilled in Jesus. The grace of God has been made freely available to us through the blood of Jesus. January 1, 2007

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Yolanda Adams “Thank You”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ObMFJrQFwM

Shirley Ceasar “Jesus, I Love Calling Your Name”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM5I7vPUn1I

Walter Hawkins “Thank You”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtAfutzhTbY

Friday, October 10, 2008

The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and His disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told Him, “They have no more wine.” Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But His mother told the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.” Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons.  Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed His instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed His glory. And His disciples believed in Him. After the wedding He went to Capernaum for a few days with His mother, His brothers, and His disciples.

[John 2:1-11]

HAPPY FRIDAY!

I find it interesting that Jesus performed His first miracle at a wedding feast.  Many in today’s culture have hostile, dim, convoluted or just plain strange views of marriage, but it was (and still is) instituted and ordained by God.  It is His to change, redefine or throw out of a window.  He hasn’t done any of the above, so we need to leave it alone. Period. End of story. Marriage, is a picture of the covenant God has with us.  I’ve mentioned that before.  This morning though something else caught me attention.  Ever notice how much partying was going on in the bible?  Those folks really loved to celebrate didn’t they? They had no problem eating, drinking and dancing()……. yes, dancing!  If something is truly good, it should invoke some kind of a positive response… shouldn’t it?  When I’m thirsty, and I get a nice large lemonade/sweet tea mix at the neighborhood ‘carry-out’… WOW!I don’t eat the food much, but I’ll go in there just for the ‘mix’…  I have a smile on my face, and you know that I have just experienced something ‘good’.  If a drink can get that type of response, if my favorite artist, or my friends and family can get that type of response… how much more should my God get an even better response.  He has been better to me than any of the aforementioned (and they have blessed me tremendously let me tell you!).  Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for everything.  I’ve been around sisters and brothers in Christ who were not much fun to be around.  They were mean, depressed, arrogant, spiteful, tale bearing saints and those were their good qualities!  LOL!  Not a good representative of the kingdom, we gotta love them anyway.  It is possible to serve God, and effectively witness for Him without compromising His Word and in the right spirit.  That does not mean that everyday you’re Mary Poppins with an anything goes attitude.  It means even when called upon to deal with difficult subjects and situations… we can handle them with grace, wisdom and tact.  How?  Well it helps to remember your purpose… to point the lost to the Jesus, and be a witness for what He is in our life, and encourage and edify the members of the family of God in their personal relationship with Him.

Praise Party with Mary Mary and Tye Tribbett & GA

http://www.thefaithspot.com/videos/id_1420/

Still Have Joy – Tye Tribbett & GA

http://www.thefaithspot.com/videos/id_1421/

Stand Up“, church dance from the movie “Polly”

http://www.thefaithspot.com/videos/id_1422/

Church Scene from “The Blues Brothers“

http://www.thefaithspot.com/videos/id_1423/

Cartoonist’s Comment:

The way into the presence of God is through thanksgiving and praise. Grumbling and complaining will get you nowhere.