Uncategorized – Living 2 B Free

Dad-Pap

Wayne Franklin McLaughlin

August 11, 1927 – August 20, 2021

LOVING LIFE

Just like Snow White, he was deceived into accepting a rotten apple even though others could see suspicion of it coming. This was no fault of his own unless trusting people is a fault. As unfortunate as this was, it was a blessing for both of us for such a time as this. He was able to get away from the evil and it gave me the privilege of spending 9 months with my dad to be able to hear stories that I never had the privilege of hearing. It was a blessing to me even though I would have never wished for him to be in the position he was in due to the behavior of those that he not only trusted but also did a lot for. I believe he trusted them because he would have never done such a thing to others so he trusted others to behave appropriately also.

I am happy to say, his life overall was satisfying and he made the most of it. He had wonderful family members and friends that he loved being around and sharing whatever he had which made wonderful memories for us. He shared his time and his talents to give people moments to cherish.

I hope to continue to share some of his stories here as I have time and as those stories come to mind. Stop back for updates.

For now, I can say that he was a hard worker and committed to following through on his promises. My parents divorced when I was three with my mom moving 1.5 hours away and I remember him faithfully every other weekend driving to pick me up for visits and dropping me off after visits. I am grateful for the time I spent with him during those years in the truck with him hauling oil or coal, riding my pony (that would throw me off and run to the barn and dad would send me to get him), planting and harvesting (I especially remember potatoes). Later in life I was able to ride horses and he would saddle up horses for my children and hitch up a buggy or cart to give everyone a ride. I believe it was my 5th birthday that we had a big party with family and friends and a hay ride. Many happy memories. My wedding had a special touch of him making the drive bringing the horse and buggy to take us from the church to the park. I appreciate that effort and those that helped in that endeavor.

I am going to skip over to the few weeks prior to his passing. He had been doing great until about 2 months before he passed. Those two months point back to a specific event and were straight downhill. During those two months even with his increasing difficulties, he was able to make a 2.5-hour drive to spend 10 days with his brother, Norman, which I am so grateful to Susan for making that possible. He made the drive back home in time to spend two days at the fair in his belt trailer and going around to see the animals, especially enjoying the horses and purchasing a Trump hat.

His passing seemed to be quicker than I expected, With the weakness increasing, I still felt there would be a time of disability but nope, he did not allow that. When the weakness became too much, he was not interested. The day before he passed, he called me in to his room and asked for a pill. I said, “I don’t have a pill.” He asked again and I asked, “Are you talking about dying?” He said, “Yes, I can’t take this anymore.” I said, “Dad, I don’t have a pill for that. Jesus is in control of that. You need to talk to Him.” He turned away from me and said, “Jesus, I can’t take this anymore.” He then turned back to me and said, “Now give me a pill.” I chuckled but had to tell him once again that, “I don’t have a pill.” His request was answered by Jesus the following afternoon, with him being called into eternity. He was in the process for the last 4 months preparing to set up to continue with his leather work. That may have been cut short but it is my prayer that his grandchildren will continue his legacy here on Earth and he has a shop and horses on the other side, more than he could have imagined and beyond his wildest dream. May our blessings live on in our memories until we gather together again. It is because of Jesus that we have this hope.

Prepared to celebrate Christ’s birth.

Greetings,

As Christmas is right around the corner, I hope this finds you and your family well and prepared to celebrate Christ’s birth.

After last year’s big events, it was nice having some down time this year. We all had an opportunity to go on some smaller trips, some as separate couples and others were some precious family trips and get togethers. These are gifts more precious than the gifts we share during Christmas. More importantly is the most precious Gift that is free to each of us, Christ our Savior.

Speaking into the lives of others

Having the privilege to speak into my first granddaughter’s life(almost 3 now, Oh my), I want to share a time of her speaking into mine.

I have always tried to make time each day to spend time with Jesus. Lately, I have been able to have that time in the morning. I like morning because I feel more alert and the idea of Christ being first seems appropriate to make that the time to spend with Him. More on that later.

With the busyness of Thanksgiving preparation starting days before, I moved my Bible to the kitchen table where I usually have my devotion. With the distractions of my husband being home(good thing), our granddaughter being with us(good thing) and lots I wanted to accomplish(good thing), I found myself later(maybe early afternoon) telling my husband, Look, “My Bible is still sitting there and I have not read it yet”. Our granddaughter speaks up, us not even knowing that she would be paying a bit of attention, and says, “Well read it now, silly.”

Don’t be to busy

Of course silly. That is what we call her when she is silly and does things for no apparent reason. So for no apparent reason, I was distracted by being busy instead of making Christ my priority. I have already realized in my life, that I can accomplish more in my day by taking time to start it with Him. He helps it go smoother and helps me be more productive. I hear people say they don’t have time. I say, “I don’t have time not to.” I notice it in my own life and I notice it in the lives of others. It is amazing to see some struggle with trying to get so much accomplished and no time for Christ and they seem to never get out from under their heavy load.

Depending on the season of life I was in determined what part of the day I did my devotions. In my younger days, it seemed I had more motivation in the evening so I never considered myself a morning person. Of course with work and children, you get up early anyway but I was only up at the last possible moment to give myself time to be ready. That being said, my devotions were not usually in the morning but I have had times that mornings worked out for me. I even at times would get up before anyone to get that time in before the hustle and bustle of those busy days began.

Make quiet time

Quiet time of any kind has become uncomfortable for most people these days. They want to fill every moment with noise and activity of some kind. I have found quiet time to be a good thing. The time of day does not make much difference, but taking quiet time to spend with Jesus makes a big difference. If you don’t already, there is no better time than this as we begin to prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Matthew 6:33(NIV)

May you and your family share memories and blessings as you celebrate Jesus’ Birthday 2019 and enter a New Year of His Blessings 2020.

Esther Chapter 9 & 10 notes

Esther 9:1-15
God loves you. He sees every tear and every moment you hurt. He sees our efforts to be closer to Him and to be more like Him. He knows you and loves you. When satan comes against a child of God, he thinks he has much to gain but with God’s providence he actually has a whole lot more to lose. The tables have turned and the Jews have the advantage. Their day seemed to be successful. Why then did Esther request another day? Was she afraid? Did she need to be sure their future was secure? Did she abuse the power that was given her? Was she out for revenge? We don’t really know but it should tell us that when God has put us in a position of power, no matter what level that power might be, we need to cover our actions in prayer and examine our motives. Luke 12:48 tells us if we are given much then much will be required of us. We must handle whatever we have been given with diligence.
Again, we are not sure of Esther’s motives but to hang the sons on the gallows seemed to be about revenge since they were already dead. Do we ever witness those that not only want to stab someone but also want to twist the sword? Although Haman was not king, Esther’s request was most likely based on the custom that the sons of an assassinated ruler were also to be killed. Once again if Xerxes would put some thought into the advice he receives, he may have realized Esther may have perceived Haman as such thus taking a blow to his own ego. His lack of awareness had worked to Esther’s advantage.
Seems as if the Jews acted humbly. Even though the edict listed women and children, and even of the men, they seemed to focus on killing the real enemies and also did not take advantage of taking the plunder. They realized this war was not about possession. They knew their circumstance was a result of their disobedience to God back when God instructed them to destroy the Amalekites. They also knew that God did not want them to have their plunder. Check out the battle with the Amalekites in 1Samuel 15:13-23 when God says “No”, He means “No”. Saul tried justifying his actions but when God gives us specific instructions, He does not settle for partial obedience. The Jews at this point were determined to follow God’s instructions in order to be successful.
We don’t know if Esther’s second day of vengeance was to complete a task or not. We do see in the Old Testament, many wars where God used people to carry out His wrath. At the coming of Christ, we are taught to love our enemies. It is the Lord’s right to avenge. (Romans 12:19) It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are able to do this and any vengeance that is due us or others can be satisfied by Christ’s blood shed for us on the cross.
Esther 9:16-19
In these verses we realize that Esther had another reason for wanting another day since 800 were killed in Susa. It seems many of the enemies were being killed in the other provinces making it possible that a second day was needed to complete the task. When we get victory, we need to rest, reflect, celebrate. The Jews are celebrating because their day of death has come and gone and they are still standing. They are alive!
People are turning to so many worldly things to fill the emptiness in their heart. Those that are deceived by drugs live everyday with the possibility of dying of an overdose. Relieve can come when they are willing to go to rehab. It seems a shame that relief can also come when they end up in jail because that has a possibility of getting them to participate in some form of rehab. Either way peace comes to their loved ones because the threat of death is no longer there. Continued prayer is definitely still needed and a good outcome is not guaranteed but hope is revived.
The enemy is out to slaughter in any way he sees possible. It is a victory when you see where you are compared to where you would be had you allowed his schemes to come to fruition. A celebration is due when the schemes crumble. Walking in God’s way will prove to bring victory. Because Christ overcame sin and the grave, we have reason to have joy everyday and should be intentional about celebrating. The word “presents” is translated from portion and is also used in Psalm 16:5-6 where it is related to destiny. God’s providence marks our pilgrimage through our problem filled life and in the end instead of falling apart, God’s involvement has kept us in one piece. The psalmist says his lot is secure. In Esther 3:7, the lot fell as God wanted. No matter what life or satan hands us, God’s favor causes that lot and our portion to bring us to our destiny as we trust in our God instead of to destruction. God’s way is right and full of purpose. When you realize the portion God has assigned you, you will have to share it with others.
Esther 9:20-22
We can be confident in who God made us to be and not hindered by how we see our circumstance. At times we can feel we don’t have what it takes or that someone else can do a better job. We see in Esther how God’s providence can unfold in our ordinary lives. Look for turn arounds in your own life and give God the praise He deserves. He is a faithful God. Psalm 37: 3 tells us to “Trust in the Lord and do good” so keep doing that and turnarounds will become a reality, sometimes when we least expect it. Purim to us is celebrating any deliverance that God has brought about in our life. We have reason to celebrate even when we can’t recall those because Jesus provided the ultimate deliverance when He went to the cross that we can receive eternal life. A part of their celebration involved giving to the poor. We can give out of our riches but at times we can experience overwhelming humility when we receive out of someone else’s poverty because of their willingness to show gratitude.
Esther 9:23-28
This is a summary of the events in Esther and why Purim is celebrated. Esther is not remembered for her beauty or her way with people but because God remembered a people who had forgotten Him. God is faithful and good. If we are not remembered for what we do, may we be remembered for what God does through us and who we have become because of Him. Notice Esther was not given credit in these verses in the NIV. Doing the right thing is right whether we get any credit or not.
Beth explains that one of her Jewish commentaries translates the phrase “establish the custom” to “undertook and irrevocably obligated themselves.” We saw in Esther 1:19 that the Persian law is irrevocable. Persians made laws that were irrevocable and the Jews took it upon themselves to do the same. The Jews obligated themselves to “never stop observing the date of this deliverance”. As Beth put it, “You want irrevocable?, I’ll give you irrevocable!” This was a holiday that the Jews created not only to remind themselves of what God had done for them but to bless God.
God had a plan for man’s redemption and He also has laws that are irrevocable. The Jews will be delivered. God has many witnesses to the truth of the Bible. The Jew is an obvious witness who always keeps standing up and living. If people would examine and listen to the evidence, they may be drawn to realize there is a God that loves them and wants to be a purposeful part of their life. We are only sustained by God whether we acknowledge Him or not. It is to our benefit to acknowledge Him as God.
God works out everything (Ephesians 1:11) according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13) for our good. (Romans 8:28) God’s providence is able to accomplish good for the big picture because only God sees the big picture. No matter what Haman’s of life come against us, God will work it out and work it well. Ask God to help you hear from Him.
Esther 9:29-10:3
We all have a long way to go in our pursuit of God, but by studying His word and living life in that pursuit, we will be better today than where we were yesterday. The story ends with tables turned. Esther lived by decree and now writes hers. Mordecai the overlooked is now the overseer. No matter what we go through, if we allow God to finish the story, it will end well. God always has the last word. If we look around many things don’t go well in life but with God there is a crown.
God is zealous for His house, His people. In John 2:13-17 He overturns tables because of a people looking for profit instead of inviting God’s presence. We need a fresh work of God on a regular basis to keep from being led astray to legalism, our own fleshly desires, and deception. In Luke 24:14-16, 19-20, Jesus set up a new covenant. He said, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you…” He said this with no exception to Judas. He desires to sit and dine with you no matter who you are. He was fully aware that Judas was going to deceive Him but He still desired to be in the presence of all of them.
During the time of King Xerxes, you recall there were people that became Jews because the fear of the Jews came upon them. They desired to be a Jew. God met them in Susa and then drew them to Jerusalem. God wants to meet you where you are and draw you to Himself through faith in Jesus Christ His Son. We all have a story. Our story is an important scene in the large story that takes place under God’s heaven for God’s purpose.
We must believe in a God even when we don’t see Him or feel Him. We need a Deliverer and He will deliver. Sometimes it is a little later than we expect but just as the Jews in Esther and the Jews in the Holocaust would have ceased to exist if it were not for God’s providence. Deliverance always comes for God’s people. Just as Esther was in a “royal position for such a time as this”, you are also in a position at any given time to fulfill God’s purpose. When that time is the roughest is when the most will be accomplished.

Afraid To Get Dirty

The problem is not always that we are unwilling to help someone in pain. We are simply blind to the fact that they exist. We overlook hurting people because we are in a hurry or because we don’t want to deal with the mess of a broken life.

Jesus Christ willingly gave up Heaven and came to Earth as a man … and went straight for the messiest lives, those in the greatest pain … the losers and the misfits.

Jesus felt every pain we have ever felt or ever will feel.

Jesus was misunderstood and slandered.

Jesus was beaten, tortured, and then crucified to pay for our sin.

It must break the heart of God when we so easily toss aside what cost Him so very much … the chance to help one of His broken lambs.

Look around you, friend. Someone needs you to see them – to really feel their pain and then be willing to do something about it.

The Great Commission

Use Your Talents To Reach Others For Christ

A video worth watching. Jeff Allen has a testimony that has something for everyone. God takes anyone, no matter how low they have fallen. He uses their past no matter what is in it. Don’t look on people as if there is no hope for He can reach those that seem too far gone.

God gives us talents. Our talents can be used in ways that don’t glorify God. If we give the talents that God gave us to be used for God’s glory, He uses them to reach others for Him and we are blessed because of our obedience. Jeff has a talent for making people laugh. His testimony lets us know that we serve a God that will use anything we go through to bring glory to God. When you know what God has done with your issues, you want to share with others what God can do in their life. God can change the direction of our life. What plans do we have for our life? What is God’s plan for our life? Who has the better plan? If you aren’t already following God, give His plan a try. He may have more to offer you than you ever imagined.