I've Always Been Rich: The Beauty of God's Creation

I've Always Been Rich: The Beauty of God's Creation: Throughout our married life, which covers 63 years, my husband and I have taken many vacations. When the children were home we enjoyed sh...

The Beauty of God's Creation

Throughout our married life, which covers 63 years, my husband and I have taken many vacations. When the children were home we enjoyed showing them the beauty of God's great creation . What a privilege we had of traveling to so many different regions.  Sometimes we saw nature in the beauty of flowers, sometimes in the fields of corn as they were waving in the breeze, we marveled at the array of stars and saw sunsets that were spectacular, hills ablaze with the tree leaves that changed their color from green to an array of fall colors, It says in Psalm: 11-12 "Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad, let the sea resound, and all that is in it.  Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let the trees of the forest sing for joy."  And in Psalm 8:3-4 "Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens...When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,  the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?"  Yes, when I consider the whole of creation I certainly feel humbled to know that God still cares for me, and He cares for you, and that he knows and directs every step of our lives.  After having said all that the Bible goes on to state in Romans 1:19,20 that God created all things so that all humankind can know God just by looking at his creation.  "Because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. For since the creation of the world  God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen being understood from which has been made, so that people are without excuse." Such is the power of God's creation. 

On the other hand although the Bible mentions Heaven between 200 and 300 times (different versions use different ways to measure this)  we do not have a comprehensive glimpse of what heaven will be like.  Jesus does tell us in John 14:2-3 that His Father's house has many rooms.  Also that He goes to prepare  a place for us.  That He will come back and take us to be with Him so that we may be where He is.  More descriptions are given about the beauty of Heaven, Then also the Bible tells us about the  atmosphere of perfect peace, the reality of no night there, the promise  we all  cling to that there will be no illness, no death, no sorrow, no pain, no conflicts, they are all descriptive of what Heaven will be like.  We as Christians rejoice and wait in eager anticipation to spend eternity in such a place.  A friend of ours passed into glory 2 days ago,  His testimony was sure.  His hope was steadfast.  His heavenly reward is now a reality.  Still while these facts about heaven are all sure and positive I believe the greatest joy will be that we will be in the presence of our Lord and Savior and that experience will be so magnificent that we will not even be concerned if the streets are gold or if there is no night. We discussed this idea in a class in church this morning and pontificated/discussed what heaven will be like.   Jesus didn't give us a clear picture in scripture but gave enough so we can be aware it is His heavenly creation.  That is good enough for me.  In my book, "I've Always Been Rich"  I alluded to the fact that when we enter into a relationship with  Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and live a life that brings honor and glory to Him then we will enter  that glorious reward when we pass from this life. 

 Beauty in creation is beyond description but we can see, taste, smell, interact with it.  The new heaven and earth will be, well, heavenly.
Marilyn Rensink   mjrevmom6@aol.com
Purchase my book at Amazon,com. Barnes and Noble.com and your Christian Bookstores. 

I've Always Been Rich: Loving Discipline

I've Always Been Rich: Loving Discipline: The atmosphere in our country at this point in history is getting more and more tragic each day.  One need to only watch a few minutes of...

Loving Discipline

The atmosphere in our country at this point in history is getting more and more tragic each day.  One need to only watch a few minutes of TV or view one or two posts on Facebook to catch a glimpse of the horrifying events happening all over the world but in our country especially.  Our country was founded on the principles of freedom with responsibility and faith in God, family and country.  Such principles are hard to find in the news today.  Yes, they do still exist but they do not make the news.  We, as a people, seem to have given the media the idea we only can find interest in the bizarre and corrupt.  And the media responds with what will bring more revenue.

I picked the picture above, I guess for my benefit, to show that I was not raised that way and neither were most of you who are reading this blog.  My parents were farmers who  made an honest albeit meager living, worshipped every Sunday and raised us to understand that honesty, diligence, love and a good work ethic was what they lived by and taught us kids.  The Bible was always available on a shelf just beneath the table top in our kitchen.  I still have my Dad's Bible and see his greasy fingerprints on the pages of the Bible.  They were not perfect parents but they did what they thought was right.  And I know there are still many parents today that have  and teach those same virtues, We see those same characteristics in our children as they raise their children.  A good heritage.

However, I intentionally missed listing another necessary component of my up bringing. It is the way I was held accountable for what I did and how I was reminded when I didn't live by the principles I were taught.  That is discipline.  I remember how I was spanked, given less benefits, or even given more duties in order to teach me.  My parents knew nothing about psychology so used what nowdays would seem like a harsher discipline.  The one thing they knew was that they loved us kids and they wanted us to grow up respecting order, people, life and a relationship to God.  We were not entitled kids because the means were not there to make us such but I doubt if they would have raised us that way anyway.  They used the Bible as their guide and the Bible uses discipline many times to teach individuals or even nations to obey.  Certainly discipline isn't going to solve all the world's problems, but, living respectfully and lovingly certainly would be a plus in the lives of all of us today.  The simple Bible based lessons are not obsolete.  My husband and I often talk about what we can do as two 80+  year old people  to make a difference.  We haven't quite solved that yet but we are aware that we are not exempt from making a difference in the arena we live in.  It is up  to each one of us to address the problem and seek to find our role.  Our freedoms are precious and I love the country I live in.  God has a plan for each one of us and for the land we live in as well.  That is our hope and assurance each day.  When Jesus was asked what the most important commandment was he answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself' There is no commandment greater than these ".  Mark 12:30,31.

God has a plan and He often directs us to help make His plan develop.  What is your calling going to be?

Marilyn Rensink   email  mjrevmom6@aol.com  By ordering and reading my book, I've Always Been  Rich", you will discover more of the passion I have written about today.  Order from Amazon, Barnes or Noble or your local public bookstore 

I've Always Been Rich: Kinship Understanding

I've Always Been Rich: Kinship Understanding: The picture above, taken several years ago,  has long been a favorite of mine.  The girl is my daughter and the boy is my nephew.  They sa...

Kinship Understanding

The picture above, taken several years ago,  has long been a favorite of mine.  The girl is my daughter and the boy is my nephew.  They saw each other often and found each other's company to be enjoyable. It would seem  to many people  now that they are extravagantly or even unnecessarily overdoing the sharing.  However, it was just kids who  didn't need instruction or direction or reprimand to share their drink. It was a mutual momentary wordless agreement.
There are other  characteristics that we display without much planning for them either.  Some are positive but they can also be very negative.   When we have a relationship with our Heavenly Father we  develop, with the help of God, more positive reactions.  His love for us, by His death, instills gratitude for the price He paid for our sins. That is ultimate GRACE. His constant walking with us and guiding us in times of joy and in sorrow also make us realize how much He loves us.    Some one has written that grace is a five-letter-word that is often spelled J-E-S-U-S....He was the once-and-for-all-perfect human image of grace, of love, and of truth.  This is displayed in the scripture that says, "no matter what we have done, no matter the depth of our transgression, the darkness of our hearts-grace overrules them all".
Today I would like to retell the story written by Dr. Jeremiah  in the book entitled GRACE GIVERS:  On the morning of Sunday, Nov. 8, 1987, Irishman Gordon Wilson and his twenty-eight-year-old daughter, Marie, went to watch a parade in the town of Ennisskillen in Northern Ireland.  As they stood beside a brick wall waiting for units of British soldiers and police to come marching by, an IRA terrorist bomb exploded behind them.  A half dozen people were killed instantly by the blast, and Gordon and his  daughter were buried several feet deep beneath a pile of bricks.  Gordon could feel injuries to his shoulder and arm, but was unable to move.  Then he felt someone touch his  fingers.  "Is that you Dad?" Marie whispered, "Yes, Marie," her father answered.  He heard the muffled sounds of people screaming from pain, and then the much clearer sound of Marie's screams.  He squeezed her hand tightly, repeatedly asking her if she was all right.  Between screams of pain, she repeatedly assured her father that she was okay.   "Daddy, I love you very much." were the last words Gordon Wilson heard his daughter say.  Four hours later, after they were finally rescued, she died in a hospital from massive brain and spinal injuries.  Later that evening, a BBC reporter asked to speak with Gordon.  After he described what had happened, the reporter asked him, "How do you feel about the guys who planted the bomb?"  His words were stunning, "I bear them no ill will,"  Gordon replied.  "I bear them no grudge.  Bitter talk is not going to bring Marie Wilson back to life.  I shall pray tonight and every night that God will forgive them."  Gordon was asked many more times about his feelings.  "I was hurt," Gordon said.  "I had just lost my daughter.  but I wasn't angry.  Marie's last words to me-words of love-had put me on a plane of love.  I received God's grace, through the strength of His love for me, to forgive."   Gordon Wilson had experienced God's grace, His all-pervading love and forgiveness.  When that  grace touches our lives, we feel forgiven and free at the core of our being and  we find grace to forgive others.  And that kind of grace and forgiveness can bring peace where there is strife, healing where there is despair.  That kind of grace can change our lives and the lives of those around us-even those who hurt us-forever.   That is the epitome of love that I will continue to strive for..  My book, I've Always Been Rich is still on the market at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Christian bookstores.    Marilyn Rensink  mjrevmom6@aol.com 

I've Always Been Rich: ACTIVATING THE GIFT

I've Always Been Rich: ACTIVATING THE GIFT: We all like to receive gifts.  At Christmas time we give and receive many gifts.  Some are keepsakes, we like to look at them.  They are f...

ACTIVATING THE GIFT

We all like to receive gifts.  At Christmas time we give and receive many gifts.  Some are keepsakes, we like to look at them.  They are for display only.  Others we wear, some with pride and others with a sense of obligation.  Some we eat, they taste good.  But in  most every instance we appreciate the effort  the giver has gone through  to try to give us the  gift that is appreciated.  Still, occasionally, we pay little attention to the gift and put it away in a  drawer and forget about it.  When we happen to get a glance at the gift it may get put further back in the drawer so we don't accidently see it again. We are still aware of the gift but don't want to see it or make use of it.  It makes us uneasy.The picture above is my husband on his 70th birthday.  He was presented a gift of a special watch, a gift from our children.  It made him humbly grateful that they thought of him as being worthy of being honored with such a gift.  When he received it, it was wrapped in fancy wrap, it was contained in a special box and was tied in so it would be safe.  He had to open each layer of wrap in order to receive the gift.  Then, however, he still had to put it on his wrist, set the time and fully accept and utilize the watch. 
The above story reminds me of how we chose to accept and use the gift  that God extends to each and every one of us. Or how we reject the most important gift that has ever been offered to each and every one of us.  The gift that I am talking about is the gift offered by God to accept His Son as our Lord and Savior.  We can hear the story by reading the Bible, by hearing a message from a pastor in person or by way of TV or many other ways.  As a Chaplain I have the opportunity to offer the gift/person of Jesus to many patients.  I usually begin the conversation by expressing love to the patient but explain that God's love for them is so much purer than mine.  Then I like to share John 3:16  "For God so loved the world that He gave  His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on Him may have eternal life.  Now  that is LOVE.  God loves us so much that He gave His only son.  Would I do that?  The story does not end there.  Then He took upon Himself the condemnation of the whole world by dying a shameful death on the cross.  He did that so that whosoever believes does not  have to suffer the punishment  for sin.  After all my years of knowing that, I still can't comprehend the immensity of  that love. But it must be said that many of us hear that story of redemption many times and  the gift of salvation is offered to us but we don't accept it.  The gift is before us but if we don't "open" that gift in our heart it will not do us any good.  The watch my husband received was offered and he received it.  In addition, he set it on time and the watch kept him cognizant of the time for years.  We too, after accepting and believing in Christ have the awareness of how we are to live.  God directs us each and every day and helps us walk in an upright manner.  Do we mess up some times?  Of course, just like the watch can stop and fail to do it's job.  We fail often but when we confess and ask God for direction he is quick to forgive and help us find our way again. 
God offers His gift of His Son.  Accept Him and let your relationship with Him fill your heart with gratitude and joy.  A gift must be utilized in order to do  what it was meant to do.  What LOVE.
Feel free to email me if you want to discuss this further with me.  It is given in more detail in my  book,  "I've Always Been Rich."  You can purchase a book at Amazon, Barnes and Noble or your Christian Bookstore. Marilyn Rensink    email mjrevmom6@aol.com