True to Form Nona

Almost one month has passed since I composed my last post.  I cannot believe how quickly time is passing.  Popa and I were able to extend our tourist visa here in Sri Lanka until June 15th.  We can relax and focus on the passion of our hearts.  The people here are very engaging; we attended the 25th Wedding Anniversary of some friends here this past week.  It was very moving and we so enjoyed the festive celebration.  Popa has gone this morning to a cricket match, the heat is extreme so I am hoping he survives the bright sunshine.  I have been busy re-arranging our bedroom which is totally out of character for me.  I cannot help but wonder how many times God would like to rearrange our lives but we say 'sorry that is totally our of character for me'.  We may not say it with our words but our actions really convey the message that we are in control of our lives and that God is truly not the master.  I am seeing a level of surrender in the Christians here that is convicting and inspiring.  Daily I meet people who have truly suffered persecution for the sake of Christ and I am must examine my own dedication to the One I call LORD!  For our own sakes it would be in all our best interest to find total surrender to the will of Heaven!  If we truly want the provisions of Heaven to become the manifestations of earth we will have to find ourselves in sync with the precious Holy Spirit.  I find myself thinking of my adorable grandchildren this morning, knowing they are all together in one house back in Oregon is emotionally compelling to me.   I love them dearly and am so grateful for their addition to my life.  I often think about how God feels when people are added to HIS family, the word of God says  'all of heaven rejoices'.  May each of us find a new-found passion for the thing that concerns God the most.  Love to all, the faraway Nona.

Dragging Nona

I am tired and feeling a bit run down.  I think the hectic schedule of the last two weeks finally caught up with me.  Popa and I attended two church services this morning before heading to our flat for a bite of lunch and a much needed nap.  I am ever amazed at God's arrangement of our lives, HE is at work providing opportunity after opportunity for us to demonstrate HIS nature to a lost and dying world.  So often we fail to recognize HIS divine intervention into our daily routine.  We often miss the opportunity to share HIS love with others.  Life is made of up of sixty seconds in every minute and sixty minutes in every hour arranged in twenty-four segments we call a day.  Today is the only day we have, tomorrow may never come and yesterday is gone.  I ask myself "What am I doing for Christ in 'my today'?"  Am I serving others as HE served, am I loving others as HE loved, am I dying to self as HE died to self?  The answer is painfully obvious to me, sometimes I am serving, sometimes I am loving and sometimes I am dying to self.  There is still so much to surrender to God that I am overwhelmed at HIS long suffering with me.  Someone said this week, that we are always growing in grace and I say a hearty "amen"!  May I encourage you to submit to the examination of the Holy  Spirit and may you find yourself readily engaging in all the needed changes in your life.  Abundant life in Christ is the goal.  Press on to finish the race and complete the course in victory; our God is faithful to the end.  I missed Mr. Gaige's 6th birthday, can he really be that big already?  He did inform me on the phone that yesterday he was 5 and today he is six and HE IS BIG!  Happy Birthday Gaige, Nona and Popa love you much!  You are BIG!  Where is time going and how quickly must it pass?  Only what we do for Christ will last. The not feeling up to par Nona.