As I begin to write this I have the CD of our choirs new music playing and at this moment I'm sheltered in the arms of God is playing and what a joy it is to know this. So let the storms break high, the dark clouds rise they won't worry me, for I'm sheltered in the arms of God .He walks with me and none of earth can harm me for I'm sheltered in the arms of God. Soon I shall hear the call from heaven's portals...Come home my child it's the last mile you must trod, I'll wait with the and follow thee safe withing the arms of God.
Before I turned on my computer I had been going through my unsorted mail and reread the beautiful birthday card I received from my daughter Mary. Some of the verse says, "as I understand a little more about life, and as I learn a little more about myself and as I see a little more of the world about me....My thoughts were drawn back to my own relationship with my mother who passed over January 14, 2009. For the first 9 years of my life I lived with my grandmother and then went to live with my mother when she returned from working in the atomic bomb plant in Oak Ridge Tennessee. The next five years were difficult to say the least and I've had to have a lot of healing during the years ahead. However...like the sentiments in the card, as I have had to experience life, and have learned more about Mom's struggles I have realized what incredible tenacity and determination she had to have to raise her family. At the memorial service for Mom, being the oldest, I was asked to give a tribute to Mom and this morning (as I was searching for something else in a recent journal) I found some notes I had made in advance. I share them now as a tribute to my mother.She did the best she knew how to do at the time....and bore tremendous burdens within herself that I'm certain prompted much of her frustration, anger and moments of ill advised choices. Like most of us, as Mom grew in the Lord, she learned the Word and the Lord began to free her step by step bringing her into a close relationship with her Dearest Friend. I have felt led to record my notes here as there are so many in our family that Mom prayed for regularly...every moment it seemed at times...and now a year later, I want to remind us of all she was and is at this very moment in that great cloud of witnesses. My tribute:My joy at this time is knowing that my mother has entered that great cloud of witnesses who have finished their race, kept their faith and at this very moment are realizing and enjoying the promise of eternal life provided us through our Saviour Jesus Christ. When Mom was young, she loved to dance and one of my fondest memories of her are hearing her sing all the oldies she loved to dance to. I remember her singing quite frequently. the song ONCE IN A WHILE won't you give one little thought to me.Now I think it was more a wish..than just a song. It was a desire for many of her relationships with her own parents and siblings. I think , if you're old enough, we could all join in and sing another oldie now..."Regrets, I've had a few...I did it my way." However, the songs she continued to sing in her later years were..."Through it all I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God, I've learned to depend on His Word. and
One day at a time sweet Jesus...Lord help me today ..show me the way ..one day at a time." So many gathered here today out of love and respect for Mom know how very talented she was...resourceful, artistic, great cook,seamstress and how very competitive. (now there's a thought ,maybe we can win once in while at dominoes now), energetic, determined ,inventive etc. We the family have all benefited from those genes , however I encourage my extended family to contemplate and examine all her heartaches and trials( that were many and seemingly unending),and know that the greatest gift to us is her ever growing ,strengthening faith in God and her lessons learned and shared from doing it HIS WAY. Every single day, maybe several times during the day, she lifted every single one of us by name before the throne of God and even today I believe she is still pulling for us. Her deepest desire was and is that when the last puzzle piece of our life is in place, we too may say with confidence..."I have kept the faith, I have finished the course and Iam entering into the eternal life promised to all who believe in, trust in and obey Jesus Christ the Messiah and God's Word made flesh."This is getting quite long....so I am going to continue my notes tomorrow...I don't think I said all of this, nevertheless....I wrote it and want to share it, in hopes that those who knew and loved Mom would...ONCE IN A WHILE GIVE ONE LITTLE THOUGHT TO HER. Thanks Mom....see you soon.

This is really wierd. I sit down and write my deepest thoughts knowing there aren't but two people reading this right now.......Oh well....I've got blogs everywhere.....and if Idon't know how to access the real one....how can anyone else. Computers are so SIMPLE to so many...but not this kid. I'm really hoping I can learn to function properly soon. My new computer didn't have any instructions with it as I said before.....now I have learned that I can find tutorials on the web....but not being that proficient in that area....what's a body to do? Anyway, is Monday....and somehow, someway...my granddaughter in Hawaii sent me a facebook message. All these sights...why can't it just be ONE??? I have a lot I want to accomplish these next three days....but THIS Monstrous machine challenges me to try,try again. Hope all is well and blessed for anyone , any human being that might by chance just read this.

Well, another work week has come to an end. When I embarked on this blog endeavor 4 days ago I wondered if I would ever have a decent site. Thanks to my Wonder daughter Mary, she made me look like a pro....Thanks Mary. Anyway,I thought I'd share about the names on this blog....when I had to put in a name...the notice kept coming back...sorry this name is already taken...or something like that. Needless to say I was getting a bit frustrated since it's almost impossible to know what millions of people have already captured. At any rate I thought,(which isn't always a great idea) "Let's see....Jesus was born in Nazareth, so He was a Nazarene....the Bible says we will reign with Him as kings and priests.....so since the likelyhood of my being a female king seemed unlikely..I decided on Nazarenequeen.....that must have been taken , for it came back," how about nazerenequeen? Just one little letter did the trick. Ok for that one....now Little Foxes.
This verse in the Bible has given me much thought over the years and I have experienced the little foxes in my life as well as seeing them active in others around me. The verse says, the little foxes spoil the vines. After some delving into finding the implication to our lives in that verse I learned that in Israel, there are little foxes, not much larger that a squirrel really, and they climb up in the center of the grape vines and eat the fruit....from the inside out...they are not always noticed because of their size. At any rate they ruin the vine. There's great application in the Word as to Christ being the vine and we the branches. Now it stands to reason I think, that we can apply the example of little foxes in our life to the things we allow in our life that spoil and inhibit our life in Christ. Sometimes these things cannot be seen from the outside as well. As for me I had a great big little fox in my life that took me some time to recognize and some time to be healed from. Anger...lots of it for things that happened in my childhood....Bitterness for not having any help in raising five children....the military life has a way of separating families for long stretches of time. Loneliness, thyroid problems, not a whole lot of money floating around etc.
Over the years I began to have asthma problems and other physical problems. Weight gain!!! As I got into reading my Bible regularly, I began to see how all these symptoms we experience can be little foxes that eat us up from the inside. Unattended,one day we see that the vine has been spoiled indeed. Christ the vine, who offers us love and peace, help and guidance is somehow separated from an engaging relationship with His branches because of the little foxes having free reign. But all is not lost ....all is not dismal ....all is not without hope. For when we take His word to heart, believe it, use it, trust it.. as we discover and identify our Little Foxes...and bring them to the Lord for healing He does just that. Sometimes it takes a while , we can't heal ourselves. He is the Potter....we are the clay....still on the Potter's wheel.....He is molding us after His image...all we have to do is to follow His instructions...."If we confess our sin He is faithful to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness." Our part....identifying the little foxes....taking them to our Saviour and receiving His healing touch. The Bible teaches about the branches that are not bearing fruit and how the vinedresser has to cut them off...we need not fear being cut off...when we are open to see the areas in our life that are not pleasing to God. The Bible says often says..."Let him who has ears hear what the Lord says...." May we have ears to hear and strength to obey!!! Take heart wounded soul....the Lord will finish the work He has begun in us. Oh What a Saviour!!!