Grace, Grace and more Grace

Yesterday I communicated with a friend in Phoenix who has been a warrior for the Gospel for years. She is at least ten years younger than I am, and may be seeing Jesus before I do. My heart is breaking and yet I know that the depth of her relationship with Jesus here on earth is preparing her to fall into His arms  when it is His time to take her Home to be with Him forever. Countless people she has led to Christ are waiting to greet her. I really believe that, but the One she most wants to see is Jesus.

I kinda want to hang around to see if God is going to cut this nation some more grace before things get really ugly.  I have quit obsessing over some things I can't change. Ol' St. Francis of Assissi got that one nailed a long time ago: "Lord, grant me strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference."

Counselling/mentoring/parenting/discipleship are pretty much all the same thing.  Ted left, so that leaves me being a single parent to people who haven't had Christian parenting.  I can't help some of them.  Their accumulated messes are too much for me and I don't even know where to start.

O.K., for the fun stuff:  Last Saturday night about twenty music-loving Bear Valley residents came to the patio outside the Mulligan Room despite the cold to hear me entertain from my keyboard.  I can remember tunes and words of probably a thousand ditties, but when I need to come up with a scripture and where to find it in the Word I can go totally blank!   One of the teenage guy employees at the Mulligan pulled three older women up out of their chairs to dance to "Mack the Knife".  Picture three seventy-year-old Rockettes and a big ol'  rolly-polly teenager, kicking up their legs in sync to the beat. It was a hoot!  Then there was one ninety-year-old woman who joined in singing songs she has known since she was a girl.  A younger family grabbed my Singalong books and kept peppering me with requests as they belted out "Bill Bailey" and "Ain't She Sweet" and other upbeat Dixieland tunes.  ...then another family of three came and just wanted to listen and eat their dinner so I played mellow music, reminiscent of an era when "romantic" was popular.  It may be too soon to make a case for this, but it seems that not everyone wants to hear music that's ramped up to the decibel of a 757 screaming jet!

Would you pray for relationships with lost people to be built, as has happened all my life, through the music He has given me...my connection with the world:  in it but not of it.

O.K. that's it this week.  If you are still reading this blog, I find that utterly amazing.  ...another evidence of His grace.

                                           OLD ONE....Sing it if you remember it!    

Sing the wondrous love of Jesus; sing His mercy and His grace.
In the mansions bright and blessed. He's prepared for us a place.

While we walk this pilgrim pathway, clouds will overspread the sky.
But when traveling days are over, not a shadow or a sigh.

Onward to the prize before us! Soon His beauty we'll behold.
Soon the pearly gates will open; we shall tread the streets of gold!

WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN, WHAT A DAY OF REJOICING THAT WILL BE!
WHEN WE ALL SEE JESUS, WE'LL SING AND SHOUT THE VICTORY!

Love, Jo