Casting Our Nets

He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”

“No,” they answered.

He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish. John 21:5,6.

We vacationed at Huntington Beach State Park in SC. The state park offered a lot of activities throughout the day. One morning was seining. As a kid, I had seined for minnows with my dad and brothers. We used them to catch crappy. I'd never seined in the ocean but I wanted to try for the memories. I had forgotten the angle of the net and the young man helping me was unsure of the correct way. We caught nothing.

A dad began helping his son drag the net using the opposite angle. The boy and his dad caught a fish, then two, then several as little sister got in on the act. 

The fish were there. My partner and I were just using an ineffective method. I remember as a child singing a song in Sunday School "Fished all night, Caught no fishes . . . . Out on the deep blue sea.  Cast your net on the other side etc. Now the nets were full and breaking etc." 

So many churches are like the nets, empty though we have fished and fished. Could it be we need to change the way we are fishing for men - rather people? The twentieth century saw rapid changes, especially in the latter half. The twenty-first century is snowballing with change. Stats say 2 out of 3 children raised in the church leave by the time they are adults. Are we keeping up or are we still trying to fish the same old way? How can we reach our young people with a twenty-first century fishing method? Please share your ideas or things that are working in your church. 

Hey Kids:

Do you like fishing? What's your favorite thing to do with your parents?

In the hot summertime, my dad took us night fishing. I remember one night rocking in the boat watching the end of our poles by lantern light. My dad loved to tell scary stories. He had a lot of them and we loved to listen. That night a huge full moon rose. It was a deep reddish orange. Daddy began to tell us how the Bible said before the end of the world the moon would turn to blood. That was all it took to scare the life out of us and make us begin to ask questions. It was his way of implanting Biblical teachings into three little kids that have lasted a lifetime. He easily had a conversation about the Lord involving our normal activities or not so normal with a blood red moon shining down on us.

How do you share what you are learning about the Lord and His word with friends and adults?

As you think about what you'll be doing today, think about how you can cast your net by sharing the Lord in a natural way.

Please share your ideas with us. We are never too old or too young to learn.

Blessings,

Gail

Who Doesn't Love a Fairy Tale?

This week I had the privilege of interviewing a fellow author from NC, Mrs. Janice Hopkins.  Her book It All Started at the Masquerade intrigued me because it seemed like a very familiar fairy tale with a purpose. If we look deeper into most stories there is a purpose for either good or bad. Thankfully Janice's books are for good. Join me as I understand more of Janice's purpose and how she accomplishes it.

Janice, how old were you when you started to write or knew you wanted to be a writer?

I actually started writing stories on my own in the third grade, and I’ve known I wanted to write ever since I fell in love with books when I was five. I would be a writer even if I never had anything published. It’s just part of who I am.

How did the idea for the book It All Started at the Masquerade come about?

A Patchwork Country

 Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we                  will be restored. 
        Lamentations 5:21 NKJV 







Quilts --- small colored pieces of cloth stitched together in a pleasing pattern to provide comfort, warmth, and protection against the cold. 

I'd much rather have a quilt than a blanket. You've seen one blanket, you've seen them all. Not so many years ago, women saved their scraps from the family clothes to make winter quilts. Often those scraps held memories of family events or funny stories. My Papa bought a bolt of white cloth so Grandma could make the family Easter clothes, a dress for their little girl, a dress for her, and a Sunday shirt for Papa. Without thinking, Grandma died the whole bolt --- pink!
Yes, Papa wore his new pink shirt with his overalls that Easter of 1925.

The Light Show

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in Heaven. Matthew 5:16

This past week we camped on the Blue Ridge Parkway near Boone, NC. The views were spectacular with ridge upon ridge rising below the overlooks. Our favorite part of the drive is the Linn Cove Via Duct that sweeps out over the rock outcroppings. A German engineer designed it to save the natural landscape. - Breathtaking -

We’d set up camp, done a little hiking and visiting the area, then built our campfire for the night. As I prepared for the evening inside the camper, my husband sat by the fire, musing.

Then he stuck his head in the door. “Come look,” he whispered. As I stepped out into the night, the woods from the ground to the treetops sparkled, flashed, glowed. Fireflies going up, dipping down, gliding from side to side. We sat together by the campfire for a long time, watching, pointing, whispering in amazement at the light show before us.

God’s word tells us to let our light shine so others may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.

Father, help me remember to be kind in all I do, that others may see Christ in me and glorify You. Amen.

Hey Kids:

Did you know where I live we call fireflies, lightning bugs?

Have you ever caught lightning bugs?

The fireflies we saw were likely Synchronous fireflies (Photinus carolinus). They are one of the 19 species that live in my area and are one of the few species that make patterns when they flash. They only do this for a couple of weeks, usually in late May and early June. This is their typical mating rituals. As we watched there would be lots of flashes, then total darkness. Then the show would repeat itself. Awesome.

If you do a little research you can find out how fireflies produce their light.

You may also find that jars of fireflies have been used for light while doctors perform surgeries in countries without electricity.

Put a few fireflies in a jar for a night light. Be sure to get an adult to poke a few holes in the lid for air. Be sure to release them in the morning. You can catch more the next night.

Blessings,

Gail

A Sinful Thing

For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Romans 7:19 NIV

I love my gardens and my yard and let me say, so do the fire ants (Solenopsis Invicta)! 
There are over 280 known species. I try to watch my step, but inevitably I step on a hill. Are they driving you crazy too? 

I spray down my feet and legs with essential oils. I pour dish detergent and essential oils on the hills. I tried grits, boiling water, and goodness knows what else. Nothing helps! I'm bitten again. Dare I call the fire ant exterminator? 

Maybe the Lord has sent this "plague" to make us realize sin is like fire ants. Our fleshly bodies are a natural habitat for sin. We try to quit this and quit that. We try to turn over a new leaf. We go on diets and run marathons. But inevitably our pet sin returns. Dare we call on the name of Jesus who takes away our sin; who recovers us from addictions; who saves our very souls? Folks, maybe it's time we call on Jesus. 

Hey Kids:

Have you tried to obey your parents without grumbling?

Is it easy to be a friend to the friendless?

Do commercials make you want to try things just to be cool? 

How is Jesus helping you be a better friend, child, person?

Why not write a prayer asking Him to show you His plan this week. Write your observations of His answers as the week progresses. 

What did you discover about praying for help?

Rejoice Always!

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4 KJV

The kids and I planted a little garden in the backyard of where we planned to build our new home. When the watermelons ripened each child wanted to carry a watermelon to the car. The watermelons were small, but my five-year-old daughter hefted hers up and struggled through the uneven ground until . . . it slipped. The little melon split into several juicy red pieces.

You would have thought, "Here comes a meltdown," but no, she promptly plopped down with her watermelon and began to pull out handfuls and cram them into her mouth. My boys saw how much she was enjoying the situation, so they intentionally crashed their melons on the ground. All I could hear was happy slurps and giggles. Needless to say, we were a sticky mess and I had no way to clean them up.

Kids carrying watermelons is a lot like living for Christ. Things don't always go the way we plan. We have to make a choice between a meltdown or making the best of the situation. My kids are all grown now, but I rejoice in great memories. When our walk with Christ causes stumbles and mishaps we can still rejoice. God is showing us a better plan. Best watermelon we ever ate!

Happy Memorial Day

Gail

Hey Kids:

Have you ever been disappointed in the way things turned out? 

I can remember having chicken pox at Easter and we had to hide eggs in the living room chairs!

How have you handled situations that could have been disasters had you not found a way to rejoice anyway (that means have fun)?

Greater Love

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

My dad was drafted in WWII but was turned down without explanation. He was drafted again during the Korean Conflict and sent to Germany as part of occupation forces. Thankfully he didn't have to give his life, but every person who enters the armed forces faces that possibility. 

Next weekend we celebrate Memorial Day, the day set aside to honor those who have given their lives for our freedom. Freedom has never been and never will be free. I personally want to say thank you to every veteran who has served this country and to those who laid down their lives for us. It is their love for freedom and for family that compels them to make the ultimate sacrifice. 

But there is another who deserves even more thanks for laying down His life for me and you. Jesus Christ came out of love for us knowing He would face death. Knowing His death would be necessary for our salvation. Through Christ Jesus, we can not only be free from the burden of sin in this life but free to live with Christ for all eternity. Not on a cloud, strumming a harp, but doing those things that most please God. Perhaps spending time in conversation, walking in the cool of a garden. Perhaps singing. Perhaps picking fruit from a tree that bears twelve different varieties. 

We grumble and complain about our lives and our government, but there is no other place on earth to enjoy the freedom and comforts we have here. I have traveled outside the US to a third world country. If you've never been there, you cannot imagine. There will be no grumbling or complaining when we see the gifts Jesus has prepared for us through His love and sacrifice. 

Thank you to all who have served,

and thank you to my Lord and Savior.

Gail

Hey Kids:

I dug out an old photo of my dad in uniform to share today.

I remember as a child he would show us this picture and tell us a little of the things he did in service. He laid telephone lines and called artillery fire. 

He also taught us a little German. I thought kartoffeln was just another word for potatoes because he would just ask us to pass the kartoffeln. When I took German in high school, I learned I had actually learned bits and pieces of another language.

Take a little time this weekend to find out who has served in your family. 

Ask mom and dad to dig out old photos and tell a few stories of your families sacrifice of love.

Don't forget to say a thank you to those still living and don't forget to thank the One who gave the greatest sacrifice of love for us.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

The Best Recipe

Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6

I’ve got this pretty good pound cake recipe I like to use for Mother’s Day because it goes well with fresh strawberries. I say pretty good because it has good texture and flavor, but to make it Mad Dog Pound Cake I have to add the boiled syrup. I pour the syrup over the cake and in the middle. It sits and soaks and mmmmmmmmmmm. With the first bite, the syrup is running out the corner of your mouth and dripping off your chin. Of course, that’s an exaggeration but it sure seems that good.

Our lives are a lot like good pound cake. Most of us would say we are pretty good people, but is pretty good, good enough to get us into heaven? My pound cake totally changes when the syrup is poured over it and into it. The syrup can’t be removed and no one would want to scrape it off. No one wants the cake without the syrup once they’ve tried it. Jesus said no one comes to the Father but by Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life. We can’t get to heaven or be a true Christian without first coming to Jesus. When our lives are covered by His blood and filled with the Holy Spirit, we are totally different people, fit for the kingdom of God. Only Jesus makes us good enough. Like syrup, once we’ve experienced salvation, there’s no going back to the old pretty good person and no one would want to.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Hey Kids:

Have you ever tried to make a recipe and it "flopped"? Once I used the wrong kind of flour in my cake recipe. It overflowed into the oven and created a horrible mess. 

I just used self-rising flour instead of plain flour! Not a big deal one would think.

What would happen if I had put in salt instead of sugar? The cake would have to be completely thrown out and started over!

Our lives are like recipes. 

God has the recipe for us. We just need to read and follow His plan.

Romans 3:23 says For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

Somehow we all manage to add that sin "ingredient" into our lives.

Now, how do we fix the problem? We can't, but God can!

Romans 10:13 says Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. II Corinthians 6:17

Danger

 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11,12

As I drove around the lake this evening, a pair of geese caught my eye. They waddled anxiously along the roadside, necks outstretched. Half a dozen little fluff balls tumbled between them and the fence. The parents were trying to shoo their little gaggle of goslings under a fence away from the traffic and back to the lake. 

I thought how our heavenly Father constantly stands between us and danger, trying to lead us in the right direction. He gave His only Son to protect us from eternal destruction. As parents, God gives us the same responsibility of protecting our children from the physical and spiritual dangers they face daily. We usually do a good job with physical protection, but there is so much more out there that our children unknowingly may stumble into. How can we as parents daily monitor our children's spiritual lives at home, at school, and with friends? He has given us the instruction manual. What ways has God shown you to protect your children? Please share your insights. 

Hey Kids:

Did you know Satan tries to trick even kids into believing and doing the wrong things? 

It's easy to know that fighting and lying and stealing are wrong. 

Satan likes to take things little by little and step by step so we don't notice we're stepping onto a dangerous path. 

How do you safeguard your heart from Satan's trickery?

Your friends and I would love to learn your strategies. 

Today

Today

 This morning, a pair of hungry house finches searched

 the wreath on the door.

 At noon, a wren sang a song from the dogwood tree.

Black, against the evening sky, three geese flew in form, 

What did I do today?

Was I hungry for God’s Word this morning?

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Did I search for the Truth I need to hear?

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Did I sing a song of rejoicing at noon?

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

Did I work in unity with the brethren?

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

What did I do today?

References: Matt.5:6; John 8:32; Psalms 100:1; John 17:21

Hey Kids:

April is Poetry Month.
I wrote a little free verse about birds.
Each bird I observed reminded me of something the Lord wants us to do.
What are you observing this week?
How is the Lord using your observations to direct you?

Hope my attempt at poetry inspires you to write a little too. Let me know how it turns out.

Tale as Old as Time

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

This weekend our school district presented four performances of Beauty and the Beast to packed out crowds. The participants were from four years old to high school seniors. The performance was outstanding!

Why do we continue to love fairy tales? Could it be we see ourselves, the condition of our lives and the answer to our struggles? Yes, Beauty and the Beast has that underlying theme of Romans 5:8, that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Let's examine some of the characters and how they resemble us today and our relationship with Christ. 

The story starts with a handsome prince refusing compassion on an old woman who in reality was a beautiful young girl with the power to turn him into a beast. His true self now showed. His lack of compassion also affected the rest of his kingdom transforming them into fixtures. 

Meanwhile, back in town a sweet innocent young girl, Belle, was being harassed by Gaston, or tempted. We might say the lure of the world and all it had to offer was at work in that town. Belle's father was an inventor, a creator, rejected by the town, but loved by his only daughter. Belle would do anything for her father including sacrificing her own life when he was taken captive by the Beast. Belle also had compassion for the Beast and his kingdom, though treated rudely by the Beast.  Then there's the rose, slowly wilting, shortening the time left for the rescue of the Beast and his kingdom. Belle's first thought is always to please her father. Her second thought is to have compassion on those in need.

We are in need. A loving Son who always seeks to please His Father has compassion on us and sacrificed Himself for us. The change He makes in us gives us a compassionate heart like His and reaches those around us. (Acts 16:31 Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved and thy house). Time is short. The rose is wilting. Our lives are running out. Have we chosen Christ? Or are we still chasing the things of the world like the silly villagers always after Gaston's approval? 

Hey Kids:

We often relate to stories because we identify with a character in the story. 

What is your favorite fairy tale?

Why and how do you relate to it? 

Please share your thoughts.

Have the Compassion to make a Difference,

Gail

Mockingbirds and Christians

And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. Mark 4:7

The mockingbird called from the abandoned TV antennae on our roof. He sang one bird song after another. He knew hundreds. Then he paused, flew up in a dance showing off the white feathers under his wings. He must have been showing out for some girl bird off in the trees. Every spring he does his song and dance. Then they build a nest in the thorny wild orange tree in our backyard. It's not high off the ground, but no one and nothing would even think about fighting those thorns for a bite of nestlings. Those little mockingbirds grow up to copy other birds and make their nests among the thorns, low to the ground. 

Christians have their own identities - our actions, but often we want to copy others so we fit in, to impress others, to feel confident. We often end up in thorny situations where our testimonies is choked by the cares of the world. Others, especially our children see our actions and imitate us. The thorns of life choke them and keep them from attaining all they might. 

Father, may we have one voice, Your words, because Your words are truth. May we rise above the things of this world that would entangle us. May we aspire to be just like Jesus. In His name we pray.  Amen. 

Hey Kids:

The birds have returned to our area this week. 

The bright yellow of the goldfinches, the red and rust cardinal pairs, and yes, the mockingbirds are all filling the trees with song and color. 

It might be fun to take a few minutes to observe the habits of the birds of your area. Watch as they bring nesting material to trees, bushes and birdhouses. 

Notice how the males draw attention to themselves. 

Watch a male cardinal feed his intended bride. 

Supplying food and water may increase your close up view of birds in your backyard. 

What thoughts does God bring to your mind while watching His creation in action? 

The weather is warm. While you're outside exploring, what has God brought to your attention?

Spring blessings,

Gail