The Purse

by Barbara Chadwick

I almost bought a purse this afternoon.

My granddaughter, Abigail, was trying on some clothes for school so I was walking around and behold there was the neatest purse! I picked it up to check if it had enough pockets for all the things I have to carry!

You know, Kleenex, 3 shades of lipstick, a notebook (in case I think of something incredible to write!) my calendar, cell phone, 2 pens and a pencil, a zippered pouch for loose change, one side for make-up and one side for cough drops, gum and Gas X, and a place for my keys. Only the essentials.

I take it with me at all times just like the mother on Golden Girls (Well, actually, I don't carry it to the living room like she did.)

Anyway, so here I am, in the purses, waiting for Abigail. I am enthralled with this purse. So I put it in the cart and start to move away - but wait - here's a different one. It might even be more sassy. I examine it, put it back and note where it is in case it might really be the one.

But lest I go away and actually miss the right one, I begin to look at all of them. I put a couple more into the cart (to be able to make an intelligent decision.) It has now been about 45 minutes since I saw the first purse.

I reach for a kleenex and my eyes see my old purse. I bought it in March. It still looks nice. There are no smudges or scratches. It is not discolored. It has not lost it's shape. In fact, it looks good. I like it.

I begin to put the purses back on the shelf.

I start thinking about why I wanted to buy a purse in the first place. Oh yeah, because it caught my eye and I do have that gift certificate from my birthday.

Jesus said, Don't collect for youselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal. But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth... Matthew 6:19-20

OK. I don't think moths or rust will destroy a new purse and probably thieves wouldn't break in to steal it. However, it also is not a treasure for heaven. Kenneth will not put it in the casket with me!

In verse 28 He says, Why do you worry about clothes? (or purses to carry) Ouch!

Verse 31, So, don't worry saying...What will we wear (or carry?) ... Seek first the kingdom of God and His Righteousness...

I don't think the Lord cares what purse I carry but I know He wants First Place in my heart. And that's what I really want - for Jesus to have First Place in my heart and in my thoughts.

The Progress of One Pilgrim

Re-reading Pilgrim’s Progress has been so inspiring for me this time around. Not sure why, but perhaps I’m just relating more closely to this particular Pilgrim’s progress J For example: Christian and Hopeful made it through Vanity Fair and though they lost their dear friend Faithful (he was killed by the people in town) they are encouraged in their desire to be more faithful. They arrive at Pleasant Meadows and are so refreshed, it’s been such a long time since they were really able to relax.

But when they leave Pleasant Meadows they find that the going is really rough. And just outside The Way … I mean it’s so close that they had difficulty telling which way they should go … they saw this other path that was running parallel to The Way and Christian is like “Look, this path is so much easier and we can still see The Way and it’s going the same way. When it veer’s off we’ll just get back on The Way.” So what could be wrong with that? The problem? Well they got to focusing on the pleasantness of their walk and soon they lost sight of The Way and when they stopped to rest they fell asleep and they awoke to Giant Despair poking them and he took them off to Doubting Castle.

My husband and I have traveled quite a bit. We’ve lived in England, Panama, California (Oh wait that’s part of the US J We’ve lived in Alaska, California, New Mexico, Texas, Utah. We (one or both of us) have traveled from Washington State to Washington D.C. and 20+ states in between as well as out of country to: France, Turkey, Mexico, Canada, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Ecuador. And in all our travels, I have never seen a map as straight at the map of Pilgrim’s Progress.

As I was reading this, it was brought back to my mind the number of times that I’ve just done something that was “easier”, “quicker”, a “short-cut” and found myself feeling so lost & alone, full of doubts & despair. And just like Christian, when I remembered that I had a key to get out of that dungeon I found that the key opened all the locks and I got free!

The Key? The promises of God. Here’s the difference between faith and religion. Faith doesn’t see how it will work, doesn’t really care. Faith knows that there’s hope and it believes. That belief is not a “head” knowledge but an action verb. Faith is NOT a noun; it’s a verb. If faith is not acted on, then it’s not faith … it’s religion. Pilgrim acted on his faith, claimed the promises of God and was freed from Doubting Castle and from the cruel hand of Giant Despair.

Today, I claim the promise of 1 John 1:9 “… if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” (NLT)

What promises do you need to claim today?

What Draws Your Heart
To The Lord?
by Barbara Chadwick


As I flipped through a cookbook in the kitchen, looking for a recipe to use left-over salmon in a different way. I heard a voice. Singing. It didn't startle me. I knew who it was.

This voice was raspy, vibrant, off-key, but the praises to God were strong and heart-felt. The words and the music were touching something deep in him - More Love To Thee, O Christ (words by Prentiss, music by Doane).

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee.
Hear, Thou, the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea.
More love, O Christ, to Thee
More love to Thee, more love to Thee.

I have been married to this man - this voice - 53 years. I love to hear it. I can sense the emotion behind the voice. It blesses me to hear it.

Every morning Kenneth reads God's Word and sings praises to God from the hymnal. Many times it sounds as if he is being drawn into the very presence of the Lord.

What is it that draws your heart to the Lord?

Angie told me recently that it is early in the morning in a very quiet place. No distractions. No other sounds. As she reads God's Word He speaks to her. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Andrew Neal Park says these words in a song:
In the secret, in the quiet place
In the stillness, You are there.
In the secret, in the quiet hour I wait,
Only for You.
'Cause I want to know You more

Maria said, "As I hike these trails of Juneau, I sense God's Presence. To walk here amid such beauty and to talk with the Lord touches my heart in a profound way."

Mrs. Dorothy Patterson wrote that one place she communes with God is in her garden.

Do you remember the words and the melody to that old hymn, In The Garden by C. A. Miles?

I come to the garden alone, while the dew is still on the roses.
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses.
He walks with me and He talks with me,
He tells me I am His own.
The joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known.

Dr. Ronnie Floyd says in his book, The Power of Prayer and Fasting, it has been through fasting that He has come into God's presence.

In my daily devotions at the kitchen table many times God has spoken to my heart through His Word. I underline the words and often write in a journal what He communicates to me. It is a habit - a discipline. As I wake in the morning my spirit is drawn to Him and when I draw near to Him He is there - waiting.

When we need a word from the Lord we seek His face. We call on His Name. We sing the chorus of Mr. Park's song:

I want to know You. I want to hear Your voice.
I want to know You more.
I want to touch You. I want to see Your face.
I want to know You more.

Jeremiah 33:3 Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.

Overheard
On The
Saddle Ridge
Ranch
(at VBS)
by Barbara Chadwick



What a privilege it is to teach boys and girls about Jesus. I thank God that I was able to help this week. Although, I did say a couple of times, "I think 68 years old is too old for this!"

Teacher: Who was the Bible lesson about this morning?
Student: Zaccheus
Teacher: Was he big or little?
Student: He was Wee!

Teacher: Let's read our Bible verse together, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to give you a hope and a future. This is the Lord's declaration.... Jeremiah 29:11" What does declaration mean ?
Student: That's when you make something nice and pretty! (decoration)

A teacher asked a question and several students answered at once. She said, "Please raise your hand to speak." They raised their hands and she called on one litte guy who said, "Can I please go home?"

In the snack room after drinking four ounces of pink lemonade one boy asked, "Tomorrow can we have red wine?"

Friday in the craft room the students were given the pouches to make their "saddle-bag". They were to write the theme for the week, Have Questions? Ask God! One boy came in with a bit of an attitude. When he was handed his pouch he said, "You can't even MAKE me do this!" He pushed his chair away from the table. The other students got into the task loving every bead and sticker. He was ignored. Soon the teacher glanced his way and saw that he was busy, his head bowed above his work. His pouch was one of the most artistic done that day. As he left he said, "This has been the best week!" Who can understand the power of using the talents that God has put into a child.

At the end of class there were lots of Saddle Ridge Ranch stickers left over. One student asked if they could have them to put on their refrigerator at home. The teacher smiled and said, "You need to ask your mother first."

Monday morning: One of the teachers said, "Don't you just love the excitement and joy in the kids faces?
Friday morning: One of the teachers said with excitement and joy in HER face, "Just one more day!"

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." Matthew 19:14

Feeding 5000

Down-turns, down-sizing, re-organizing, minimizing, loss of income, loss of job, loss of life-style, re-evaluating … when the VA told us that they were changing my husband’s disability status, we were a bit stunned. We thought the status was permanent and we’d made a lot of financial decisions based on that. Then it felt like we were the only ones who’d received such a stark blow. But it turns out several of our friends and acquaintances have been or are currently going through the same thing. What a weird experience this is. As I was talking to God about it this morning I began reading where I’d left off in John yesterday.

John 6 (NIV) Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

⁵When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" ⁶He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

God was not surprised at the VA’s decision. Nor was He or is He surprised by anyone else’s misfortunes.

⁷Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages^[a] would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!"

Have you ever asked that question? Where will we …? How will we …? Ever been in a place where the need, both personal and communal, was so great that it occurs to you that no one … absolutely no one can supply this need …? Except God?! Philip looked at what it would take to solve the problem and the answer he came up with was staggering. If you saved eight months of your family’s wages how much would that be? … and how far would it go?

⁸Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, ⁹"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?"

Have you ever looked at your resources, and then looked again, and yet again, hoping to find something anything that you could use? Andrew looked at what they had and was appalled because it wasn’t enough… it wasn’t really enough for one grown man much less a multitude on a hillside.

¹⁰Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. ¹¹Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

Jesus asked the question, I believe, because He wanted them to understand what they were about to see. He knew what they had and what they didn’t have. But more importantly, He knew what He was going to do. Jesus took what they had, and He gave thanks, and had the disciples distribute it to everyone who was seated, about 5000 men (not including women & children) and … and they had as much as they wanted.

¹²When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." ¹³So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

I believe that following His example is probably a good idea at this point in our lives. Look at what we have, give thanks, and distribute what we have to the need that God sets before us. Then let Him be responsible for multiplying it. He can do the most amazing things if we’re thankful … and obedient.

In the book of James, chapter one, He tells us to … ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Who Could Play Without A Partner
by Barbara Chadwick

Last evening I played the piano at a wedding. It was at the outdoor pavillion at the University of Alaska in Juneau so, you know, stupendous view, cool weather and - mosquitos.

Kenneth helped me pack up my electric piano (It's too heavy for me to do by myself) to take it out there on Wednesday evening to meet the bride and check things out. We packed it back up and brought it home. Then on Friday evening we packed it up again and went to the wedding rehearsal. The bride called from the hospital to ask if we could all wait for her. She had gotten sick. Her fiancee had taken her to the hospital and now after being treated she would soon be out. "Nerves," someone said. We all waited and cheered when they arrived. The practice went well, even though it was a little late. We repacked the piano and came home.

Saturday afternoon we packed up the piano once again to go get set up for the wedding at 4:30. The bride had chosen all the music for the prelude. The last piece before the processional was the Cinderella Waltz, So This Is Love. I couldn't see the lady directing things so she relayed her signals and comments to Kenneth who gave them to me. But this time she came to me and said, "We're not ready you have to play it again." So I played it three times before the signal came to start the music for the entrance of the wedding party.

The groom repeated his vows, "I take thee," etc., then the bride "... in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, especially after a shopping trip" to which everyone erupted in laughter at her ad libbing. It was all beautiful, of course. As the couple got to the end of the aisle her dress got caught or something and the groom stepped back to fix it before getting in place for the receiving line.

We had to pack up the piano in a hurry and leave in order to get to a wedding at our church at 5:30. This bride and groom are in Kenneth's Sunday School class.

As we entered the sanctuary I spoke to Emmett, the groom. "You look beautiful." He smiled and said, "Yeah, but wait 'til you see Karlin!"

We found our seats and rejoiced with those around us until the processional music started. The flower girl was precious. She threw out the petals then picked them up, threw out some more then bent down to arrange them on the floor all the while talking. Delightful!

When we lived in La Mesa, NM we played Forty-two on friday nights with other couples. (It's a domino game.) I was partners with Fleming Rigney, (the patriarch of the area) on the first night and we won! He said, "Who could play without a partner!" I was thrilled since I was a novice to the game. I soon discovered that he said that every time no matter who his partner was.

It's that way in life no matter what you're doing: packing around a piano, being taken to the emergency room or playing a game - who could play without a partner?

Dissipation, Drunkenness, Anxieties of Life

I was reading Luke chapter 21 where Jesus is talking about the signs of the End of the Age. Some of the things He talked about related to the disciples and things that were going to be happening in their life time. And then He tells them “…make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict.” vs 14,15 And some of the things He talked about related to things that haven’t happened yet … yet they might in our lifetimes. Then He says, “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” vs 28 After talking about fig trees and summer and how His words will never pass away, He says …

“Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36
So I got to wondering what in the world is dissipation? And I know what drunkenness is … right? And I’m pretty good at recognizing worry … or am I?

Dissipation is : waste, wastefulness: useless or profitless activity; using or expending or consuming thoughtlessly or carelessly; "if the effort brings no compensating gain it is a waste"; "mindless dissipation of natural resources" According to WordReference.com. Useless or profitless activity, this causes me to think of hours just sitting playing computer games, or watching movies. Only because many times I’m just using them to fill time, waste time, spend time … because I’m too lazy or self-centered to take care of my own stuff or take care of someone else’s.

Drunkenness according to several online dictionaries meant … being drunk, drinking too much. But at answers.com they gave three meanings and under the third meaning they listed a synonym “crapulence” I do not lie! You will have to look it up for yourself. It is indeed a Latin word that means “sick from gluttony, or sickness caused by excessive eating or drinking.” So much for drinking being THE horrible sin when gluttony (the act of eating more than your body needs to sustain a healthy weight) is its equal.

Anxieties of Life are … all the things we worry about. Here’s my favorite description “An abnormal sense of fear, nervousness, and apprehension about something that might happen in the future.” There’s a whole list of Bible verses discuss how “fretting” only leads to sin.

The point is all of these things weigh us down. They rob us of the energy and motivation that we need to tackle today’s problems. They cloud up the command to love & serve others, … as ourselves, … deeply from the heart. And, most importantly, they cripple us in our task of watching and praying so that we may be able to stand before the Son of Man.


The solution?

“All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because

‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kin fo sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.”

1 Peter 5:3-11