Death, Salvation, and Eternal Life...

Death

Death is just another path,

One that we must all take,

The grey rain curtain of this world rolls back,

And all turns to silver glass,

Then you see it…

White Shores and beyond…

Gandalf the White-The Return of the King

Death is something most people fear. I don’t fear death, because I know I am going to go to my real home with my heavenly Father. We, as Christians, should know that when we are saved, we all have everlasting life.

For God so loved the world,

That he gave his only begotten son,

That whoever believes in Him,

Should not perish but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

Salvation for the Non-believer-Witnessing

Another thing Christians should do is witness. God even says so in His Word,

“…Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.”

Mark 16:15

I had a chance to witness to a couple of girls I overheard at Symphony practice (no, I am not an eavesdropper) but I didn’t speak up because I was a little nervous.

Girl #1: I love trees. They are sooo awesome.

Girl #2: Yeah, if it weren’t for trees, we wouldn’t be able to breathe.

Girl #1: Yeah, ‘cause there would be no oxygen in the air.

I should have said something like, “Well, if it weren’t for God, there would be no trees and we wouldn’t be here.” Or, “Yeah, God is good for creating trees for us.” I didn’t though. I pray every day for me to be a witness to someone, either handing a tract to someone or telling someone you know you are praying for them, but giving a tract will not be good enough.

Witnessing by your actions

Non-believers look at your outward appearance, the way you talk, the way you treat your family. (No, don’t put on a fake show, act like you do at home.)

If you dress like the world, they will say, “Hey! No biggie. I dress just like her, I’m cool.” Or, “I thought she was a Christian, she is not supposed to dress like that. Dress appropriately please. We went to a family camp awhile ago and all the mothers and daughters had a talk on purity. One of the biggest things the lady giving the talk was stressing was dressing appropriately.

You should treat your family with kindness. Not being annoyed when they ask a silly question or glaring at them. You should also help them when they need it and laugh with them when they laugh.

When non-believers see the way you act they either want to be like you or not like you. If they see you dressing inappropriately or being stuck up, rude, and mean with your family, they will not want to be like you, but if you dress appropriately, kind and understanding with your family, they will want to be like you and maybe ask questions.

Eternal Life

When the non-believer asks questions about your faith, you may answer them. They will learn more and more and then start reading their dusty Bible that they found under their bed.

OH come let us sing to the LORD!

Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.

Psalm 95:1

Emma Lou

I am Resolved...

I am resolved no longer to linger, Charmed by the world’s delight,
Things that are higher, things that are nobler,
These have allured my sight.

Refrain:

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to go to the Savior,
Leaving my sin and strife;
He is the true One, He is the just One,
He hath the words of life.

Refrain:

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to follow the Savior,
Faithful and true each day;
Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth,
He is the living Way.

Refrain:

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved to enter the kingdom,
Leaving the paths of sin;
Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me,
Still will I enter in.

Refrain:

I will hasten to Him, hasten so glad and free;
Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.

I am resolved, and who will go with me?
Come, friends, without delay;
Taught by the Bible, led by the Spirit,
We’ll walk the heav’nly way.


-Public Domain

Hold On...

Hannah could feel her mother’s hand pushing away locks of stray hair from her face. She wanted to squeeze her mother’s hand, but couldn’t move her hand. “Mother!” Hannah screamed. “Why can’t you hear me? She heard voices but couldn’t make out what they were saying. She tried again to move her hand and scream out, she felt pain she had never felt before, she felt drowsy, nothing. Hannah went back to her own world.



“What news Doctor?” Mike Shelling asked.

“How is Hannah?” Donna Shelling looked concerned at her daughters pale face.

“Well, what I got from the tests we did yesterday showed some hope. Your daughter has a pretty good chance of coming out of her coma. When she was hit by that car, some nerves were pinched and her spinal cord was injured. If she comes out of her coma, I am not sure she’ll be able to talk or walk the way she used to.” Dr. Harding looked in the concerned faces of the Hannah’s parents. “You need to hold on to your hope, you need to keep praying. Talk to her, it is good to talk to coma patients. I must go now; I have some other patients to check on.” Smiling the gray haired man walked away from the discouraged couple.”

“Hannah? Honey, can you hear me?” Mrs. Shelling stroked Hannah’s cheek. “I wish we could have averted the accident.”

“Keep holding on.” Mr. Shelling bowed his head.



‘Keep holding on.’ Hannah stretched. The breeze was cool on her cheek. She touched her forehead. “Mother? Dad?” She stood up. There was pain in her back. She looked around. There were trees and grass. ‘Where am I? I’ll climb a tree to see if I can see beyond what I can see.’ She thought to herself. She looked up into the branches of the big oak tree she stood in front of. There were birds chirping high in the branches. She breathed in and grabbed a hold of the branch above her head. The pain in her back grew, she groaned and she fell to the ground.



A nurse popped her head in the door, “Mike and Donna Shelling? Pete Daniels is here, are you expecting him?”

“Yes, we are, let him in.” Mike Shelling told the nurse. She walked out. The Shelling’s pastor walked in.

“Hello Mike. Hi Donna, how is Hannah?” Pastor Daniels shook hands with the couple and sat down in front of them. Mr. Shelling told him all that the doctor had said.

“He said to hold on to our hope and keep praying.” Mrs. Shelling finished.

“I called for a prayer meeting at my house tonight. We’ll be praying for Hannah, you and your family.

“Thank you so much.” Mrs. Shelling wiped her eyes.

“May I pray with you now?” Pastor Daniels asked and they all bowed their head.



Hannah opened her eyes. ‘I must get up that tree.’ She grabbed the branch and tried again. In spite of her pain, she hoisted herself up. She sat on the branch listening to the birds and watching the clouds move in the sky. She started to swing her legs but stopped when the pain came on again. She sat still for a moment and heard Pastor Daniels voice. She climbed higher. “Pastor Daniels? I am over here!” She climbed down from the tree and started running. She stopped to pant from the run. She looked over and saw a cliff. She wandered over to it and looked down to deep nothing. The pain was growing. It was so intense now and her breathing grew harder. She started slipping down into the darkness. Hannah screamed.



“What’s wrong Doctor?” Mrs. Shelling looked into the worried face of Doctor Harding.

“I am afraid she is slipping away. We don’t think she is going to make it. I am sorry, there is nothing I can do.”

“What?” Mrs. Shelling sobbed as the doctor left. Mr. Shelling rubbed her shoulders.

“What are we going to do Mike?”

“Keep holding on to our hope. Pray, Donna, pray. I am going to have Pastor Daniels Bring Josiah, Micah, and Lexi over.” Mr. Shelling turned to the door and stopped, he turned to look back at his wife, “Keep praying Donna.” Mrs. Shelling nodded as he went out the door.

“Hannah?” Mrs. Shelling started crying again. “I love you. Your dad is calling Pastor Daniels. He is going to bring Josiah, Micah and Lexi over. They miss you. Your dad misses you too. Hold on Hannah, hold on.” She started crying again.



Hannah started crying too. ‘Hold on’ spun through her head. Her arms ached and her hands started slipping. Hold on Hannah! Josiah, Micah! Hold on tight! Lexi, Mother, Dad. She tightened her grip and started to pull herself up, her arms started to giveaway. Hold on. “God, help me! Help me! I need you! Put your arms around me. I am in pain and I am scared! Her head was spinning. Hold on! Hold on tight.



“Hannah!” Lexi bounded over to her sister.

“Lexi! Hannah isn’t feeling well right now. You need to be quiet.” Mrs. Shelling grabbed her three year olds hand and she lifted her little girl onto her lap. Josiah and Micah stepped solemnly into the room, followed by Mr. Shelling and Doctor Harding.

“Lexi?” A faint whisper came from Hannah’s lips.

“Hannah!” Lexi kissed her older sister’s cheek and wrapped her arms around her neck. Hannah wished she could hug Lexi back.

“I love you.” Lexi laid her head on Hannah’s chest and started humming.

“I…love…you…too,” Hannah forced the words out, “Hold…on…” She fell into a deep sleep.

My Family...

Our whole family (heart)

Dad and Mom

Jordan

Jordan with her violin.  (She is really good at playing it!)

Me!

Me with my violin.  (I am improving in violin :D)

My handsome brother Isaac

Yes, he is a fighter!

The "Cat" (and boy can he ever 'meow' like one!)

Caleb playing marbles

Rebekah (Grandpa still calls her 'Wild Woman'!)

She loves climbing trees!

 'Giddy Man'!  (I love his crooked smile!!!)

Gideon baking cookies  (He ate more than he worked *grin*)

Moriah!  Or Riah as we call her.

This is the second of two pictures that I could find with her 'actually smiling her smile!

My Weenie!  I love her!

Lena Mae

All of the kids

Gideon, Lena, Emily, Isaac, Moriah, and Rebekah as the Dog!

Well,  there you are!

Emma Lou

A Sweet Story

As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children an untruth. Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. However, that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.


Mrs. Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he did not play well with the other children, that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. In addition, Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs. Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big 'F' at the top of his papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners...he is a joy to be around..'

His second grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle.'

His third grade teacher wrote, 'His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest, and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken.'

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, 'Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class.'

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a grocery bag. Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one-quarter full of perfume. But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist. Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, 'Mrs. Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to.'

After the children left, she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, writing and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach children. Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded. By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of the smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her 'teacher's pets..'

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs. Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he had ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer. The letter was signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story does not end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he had met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit at the wedding in the place that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs. Thompson did. And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. Moreover, she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together.

They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, 'Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference.'

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, 'Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't know how to teach until I met you.'

(For you that don't know, Teddy Stoddard is the Dr at Iowa Methodist in Des Moines that has the Stoddard Cancer Wing.)




Emma Lou


(I didn't write this)

My November Friend

My sorrow, when she’s here with me,
Thinks these dark days of autumn rain
Are beautiful as days can be;
She loves bare, the withered tree;
She walks the sodden pasture lane.

Her pleasure will not let me stay.
She talks and I am fain to list:
She’s glad the birds are gone away,
She’s glad her simple worsted grey
Is silver now with clinging mist.

The desolate, deserted trees,
The faded earth, the heavy sky,
The beauties she so truly sees,
She thinks I have no eye for these,
And vexes me of reason why.

Not yesterday I learned to know
The love of bare November days
Before the coming of the snow;
But it were vain to tell her so,
And they are better for her praise.


-Robert Frost

Random Happiness...

  I have eleven  followers!! I know most of you have at least 40, but, for someone who posts once in a blue moon,  I think eleven followers are pretty good.
 Anyway, just letting you know that my story is on my note pad, the song is scheduled, another short story (I didn't write is scheduled), I am boggling poems around in my mind and the pictures are  being chosen for your enjoyment.

With joy and happiness,

Emma Lou

HELP!!!

What should I post about?  Any suggestions?

-A story
-A poem
-Pictures
-Something!!!

What?  Please comment with your suggestions.

Emma Lou