If Nobody Told You

There will come a time in your life as there did in mine when you will need somebody bigger than Momma, Daddy, your spouse, your best friend, your big brother, your sisters, your doctor, your lawyer or your preacher. There will come a time in your life when you will need a sure friend.  I am talking about a friend who is more powerful than all of the powermongers in this world. If nobody told you, or if you didn't listen, I am talking about Jesus.

I told you Saturday that the sun rose for me several decades ago. I was fortunate enough to have a Momma who was a firm believer in Jesus. She taught me about Him until I understood how necessary He was to me. I  put my hand in His when I was a child, and as I look back over my life, I am thankful. You see, I realize that I have had a shepherd who kept me all of these years of my life.

• He kept me when I contracted pneumonia as an arm baby.


• He kept me at two years old when I fell two stories by cushioning my fall on the back of my brother.


• He kept me when I stuck a pin in a socket.


• He kept me when I lost my Momma


• He kept me when sickness visited my body


• He kept me when my faith got weak


• He kept me when my enemies shot at my back with bullets of hatred, envy, and jealousness.

Through all of my trials, He kept me, folks and He is keeping me still. I just wanted to say that today about the God I serve.

About Saturday

As you know, I was a participant in the Alex Haley Museum And Interpretive Center's Fifth Annual Author's and Writer's Day. Each of us had to go to the front and speak for about four minutes about our life and work as an author. I was the ninth one to go up. There had been several outstanding speeches from some of the authors, and I was a bit unnerved, but I needn't have been. I had prayed about my talk, and it flowed effortlessly. I was able to invoke humor, stir up memories, etc. as I engaged the audience. I had them talking back to me in response to some of the queries that I used as examples.

Yes, you are correct if you surmised that there was a line at my table of people buying my books. One lady bought two. I had a young dad to come up to me and tell me that his wife's mother had bought one. He said she read a couple of things to them out of the book and he told his wife, "Go get you one!" He told me that I had a great book. He said, "I just wanted to be sure you knew that."

Am I surprised at the response to my book? No, I can not say that I am because I know the God that I serve. As I told you earlier, He has been keeping me a long time, and He kept me Saturday, too!

I recommend Him!

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Grateful Carr-Jones

From the Rising of the Sun

Several decades ago about 47 miles to the southwest, the sun rose for a brand new baby girl. That baby was me. I don't mind telling you that I wax a bit sentimental because of an event that I will be attending today's proximity to the place where I was born.

Born a little nothing and a nobody, as far as the world was concerned, but God had plans for me and brought His plans to fruition. He had decided that I would be a mother, preacher's wife, teacher, poet and an author. There have been some great days and some difficult days as well throughout this life of mine. But as I approach the sunset years of my life, I want to tell you that through it all, God kept me. And He will keep you, too.

 

The Lord’s hand is upon me

And He is providing blessings

That I did not have the vision to see

Thank You blessed Jesus

God of eternity!

Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center 

5th Annual Author’s Day Celebration   

Apr 28, 2018 

1:00 PM Henning, TN

I’ll be there; come see me! Yes, folks, I still manage to get excited about life!!! Even now, even though!

If Rocks Could Talk

Perseverance and prayer pay off; did you know that? When you have a daily habit of prayer you become close to the Lord. You learn to take all of your cares and concerns to Him and to wait on Him. And you know what? The is a transformation that happens to us while we are waiting. We, not only get closer to Him, but we start to feel like we are one in a million. We start to feel like we actually matter to Him in this throng of humanity. We feel this when He lovingly answers our prayers, dries our tears some sleepless nights, allows us to reach some long sought-after goal, etc.

Listen

It’s a Wrap…

 

 

A tiny pebble was tossed into a dry season riverbed

As it lay there unmoving day by day

The rainy season returned with its plenteous deluge

And the headwaters of the river grew as with raindrops

Aplenty it was fed.

The headwaters became a mighty rushing torrent

And swept all on its path toward the river’s mouth

To meet the ocean’s mighty current.

The pebble had been worn smooth

 By the mighty headwater’s toss

And came forth a polished stone with a gloss

To travel with the ocean, the whole world around

Until such time as it was deposited upon a distant shore

And by a collector, at last, was found.

It was taken home and put among the finder’s rare baubles

That had been discovered of old

Well, wouldn’t you know it, that shiny pebble

Turned out to be genuine gold.

 

So let’s remember to keep our heads up, no matter what comes up in our lives.  He sees, and He knows…remember. “All things work together for good, for those that love the Lord.” Rom. 8:28

Questions for Pondering for Those of You Who like to Think a Bit Deeper:

1. What is the pebble symbolic of? The rainy season? The headwaters? Mighty Torrent? Worn smooth? The collector?  Rare baubles?


2. What does deposited upon some distant shore mean?


3. Is there a ram in the bush in this poem? Why or why not?


4. How could the phrase from a popular gospel song be utilized in the gist of this poem? "Listen, let me tell you about the God I serve, how He keeps on blessing me?"


5. How does the title of the poem apply to the poem or does it?

 

 

Target on My Back

When you do your best, you set yourself up as a target. Did you know that? Well, you should know it because that is exactly what happens. You see, when you do your best, you make a conscious effort about something. When you deliberately decide to do a thing and give it all you have you are saying, "Come what may, I am going to get this done!" Your determination and drive are so palpable that folk will gravitate toward you just to take a look. Some people will leave you to it and say or think, "Nice goal to have; good luck." Others will look at you and allow the seed of jealousy to arise within themselves. Then they will set out to sabotage the work that you are striving to do.

The Bible is full of people who had that kind of an attitude, both good and bad, two of which, for the bad, are Jezebel and Pharaoh, and for good, Elijah and Moses. These two people are examples of the bad. Most of us know the story, so I will not go into much detail here, just mention two key verses.  LIsten to the ultimatum that Jezebel delivers to Elijah:

Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. (1 Kings 19:2)

Now, look at the ultimatum that Pharaoh delivered in person to Moses:

And Pharaoh said unto him, Get thee from me, take heed to thyself, see my face no more; for in that day thou seest my face thou shalt die. (Exodus 10:28)

Zenith

You can go on and read the stories yourself, but I wanted to address the target that some of us wear on our backs. Moses and Elijah, both were nearing their zenith in their work for the Lord. And that is the point that I wanted to make today. You don't have to worry about the target that is on your back as long as you are doing your best for the Lord. You see, when men do all kinds of things to you, just keep working and keep believing because the God of heaven has your back. I have never seen anyone get the best of God. I have seen, through Biblical history and through the lives of my relatives and through my own life, God's "...Working things out for good." (Romans 8:28, KJV)

 

Hurt

Somebody said, "Yes, but Grammy Alma, wasn't it hard when you had to suffer some of the things that folk put you through?" Of course, it was hard! But every time I find myself in the crosshairs of a particularly aggressive enemy, I step up my prayers, ask for more faith, and I keep stepping. You see; I know that even if I am taken down like Stephen the martyr was, I know that I do so in the design of the Lord and I know what is waiting on me when I get to Paradise. Either way, I win. :)

Danger

But you know what I have discovered down through the years, it is a dangerous game that folk play when they align their crosshairs on a child of God. Because we have faith in Him and lean on Him, we step resolutely on knowing that at the end of our pain a blessed sweet reward awaits. We know that we serve at the behest of the Invisible God of the Bible who controls earth, wind, water, fire and the lives of men.

And you know what else I have determined within my soul? I have determined that I will do like those old faithful people of the Bible and keep doing my best wherever the Lord sends me. I am going to keep doing my best until I reach my zenith in my work for the Lord. And because I trust Him, I will do as cream does after the churning, I will rise to the top. God will do that, you know. Don't believe me? Look at David; look at Rahab; look at Ruth, etc. Read your Bible, folks; take a good look!

For Those Children of the Invisible God Who Are Wearing a Target on Your Backs - Step on!...

Stepping On While Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Grateful Carr-Jones

You See! I Told You

My husband is out of the hospital with a new regimen to include a new attitude about exercise, late eating, and portions. He learned a hard lesson, but he is still on this time side of life. The nurses said they did not understand how he was still coherent and functioning. One nurse said that if she had had a blood sugar as high as his was, she would have been passed out on the floor! Word got around on the floor about this man who had had the high blood sugar, and who was coherent the whole time. Some folk shook their heads with wonder and said that they didn't understand.

But

You and I know what happened, don't we? You are right. It was nothing but God. I hear preachers say all of the time, "It ain't over until God says its over." Whatever the reason for the scare, it has made a difference in my husband's attitude about life and about how precious each moment is and in his attitude about food and exercise.

And

We, too, realize that life has changes built in and that we must adapt to them. It is like our bodies send us different signals as we age than it did when we were still teenagers and young adults. You know what one of the messages is, "Take care of me now, or you will take care of me later." Or it could be phrased this way, "Take care of me now and I will take care of you later."

Yet Again

Our body may be saying, "This earthly house that you have inhabited for so many years is wearing out. I'm giving you some signs which may be

• spryness in your step leaving until it gradually becomes nothing but a shuffling push


• the windshield is not as clear as it once was (vision has become cloudy and not nearly as sharp)


• strength in arms, hands, and wrists begin to wan until you need various size wrenches to open jars


• the covering for your head thinning and becoming silver (making you think about the silver cord that holds you to this plane)


• thinking of what the other side is like occurs more frequently than it used to and more frequent thoughts about "getting your house in order so to speak."

Let us all do our best to get and keep our house in order so that when that "one day" does come we can ease into it with peace and not with trepidation.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Grateful Carr-Jones

And to my young folks, formulate good eating habits that will help to take care of your body, the house that you will live in throughout this life.

I told you when my husband first went to the hospital that I would turn it all over to God. I never stopped my blog, nor my work for the Lord. I sold several books while my husband was in the hospital because people would come by and chat and the conversation would eventually lead around to the Lord. People always gravitate toward what will make their faith stronger. Apparently, they needed the words that I said trying to make my husband, our visitors and myself feel better.

I see it all as part of God's plan. What did I tell you?

He sees, He knows and He cares!!!

Whatever you do and wherever you go; don't forget that!

 

To My God

We all have times that are tougher than other times to walk through, don't we? Sure we do! These last few days have been that kind of time for me. But, as the Lord's track record, according to the Bible has shown me, I turn to Him, my God. When everything around me is turning to sinking sand, I go to my Rock because I know that He formulated a plan for me before I was born and I know that He is mindful of me now.

Husband is still in the hospital and had some bottom lip swelling this morning. Don't know what that is about, but probably a reaction to some of the medicine that they have him on. I came home to get a change of clothes, and I am on my way back.

I have given my burden over to My God, and now I can walk with assurance that my God is handling things for me. I always know that He is, but I feel so much better when I talk with Him afresh. And then you know what I do, I step on, still doing His will for my life.

And

That is what you must do. You keep stepping for Him no matter what. When sickness comes to you or your family, keep stepping. When enemies surround you, keep stepping.  If the bottom falls out of your finances, keep stepping. No matter what happens, keep stepping. Always know that God sees; He knows, and He cares.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Looking for Me?

Have you ever had a time in your life when you felt like almost everything was just rotten and that you could not get any good luck at all? Most of us have felt like this somewhat. Look at this poem. It sums it up pretty nicely, don't you think?

Joy has forgotten my name

And peace has lost my address

I feel lost and bereft, folks

I must confess. (WCW)

As you can see, the writer of the poem above conveys the same sentiments that we were discussing in the first paragraph. The feeling of living at the intersection of two streets called, "Nowhere to Run and  Nowhere to Hide." is aptly conveyed. (Chopping My Row, 21) At times like this, we feel like trouble came looking for us with a special delivery. Hmm?

However

Remember that we talked earlier about nothing lasting forever? Well, eventually troubled times will end. And though we have been told to expect it, we are nearly always bowled over when just the opposite happens to us; you know when success comes looking for us? The first thing that we want to say is, "Who me?," or we do a double take to ascertain that the person delivering the good news is speaking to us. Ha, if our reactions could be videotaped, we would probably make it to some show dealing with comical videos.

When it is our time for special things to happen in our lives, even the misfortunes will be turned into bountiful blessings. Somebody might have to tell us to shut our mouth because it will be gaped open in surprise. Ha, Ha, that is a good feeling to have. At a time like this, we can imagine how Job felt when his captivity was turned, can't we? Uhm hmm, and we sometimes become giddy with happiness, but we never forget to thank the Lord for our blessing that came looking for us. Do we?

Actual events such as the ones mentioned above do play out in people's lives, folks. Oh, what a mighty God we serve!  One thing I need to remind you to do and it is expressed in the poem below.

Remember the tender words of comfort

That were spoken to you

Extend likewise a message of hope

To your fellowman whose trials are not yet through! (CMR)

 

Tell your fellowman that one day he will be smiling and saying, "Who me?, with incredulity.

Doing What I Can While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

One Day at a Time

Spent the night in the hospital with my husband who is a previously undiagnosed diabetic.  He got up yesterday planning to go about his business as usual, but that was not to be the case. Instead, he ended up in the hospital with a very high blood sugar. He is better now, thank you for asking.

Let us all remember to do what we can while we can because each moment we live we are making impressions in the annals of time.

 

Time

Go to worship this morning and

Somewhere along the way

Make your fellowman smile by performing

Some act that brightens their day.

 

Give a smile or just say hello

Spread kindness wherever you go

The kind deed(s) that you perform will do them good

And bless you at the judgment

Like we have been told it(they) would.

 

Serving with Gratitude & Caring as I Do What I Can, While I Can,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

This Morning

When my feet hit the floor this morning

I had a bounce in my step

There was joy in my spirit

And I was filled with pep.

Contagious joy and assurance was mine

Because I thought of Jesus

My Friend, divine!

Serving with Gratitude,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

In the End

 Trust and Let Go

What lies around the corner of tomorrow

I can tell you that I do not know

But I am not worried about it now

Because I have, at last, learned to

Trust and let go.

Serving with gratitude,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Hold On to That Dream

 

 

 

If you have a long-time dream
That the fulfillment of it might seem
To be something that was born in the mind
Of a child and not something that
In the goals of a practical and level-headed
Adult, you would find
Just remember that the God we serve deals in
The fulfillment of dreams of the impossible kind.

The picture that I have attached to this blog is only one of the dreams that I have carried with me for years. It's my harvest time now, and I am gathering a huge crop.

I attached it to say:

"If you are having a hard time holding on to  your dream

Don't give up because winning may be closer than it seems."

If you take a closer look at the picture, you will see that there is a sunburst in the top portion of the picture and there is a sunburst on the book, Chopping My Row. What that says to you is that the idea of the book is something that I held in my mind a long time. And it is the culmination of my prayerfully asking for God's permission and help in bringing the writing and the publication of it to fruition. You already know a portion of the story. The rest remains to be seen...

You did notice that I did one particular sentence in green, didn't you? That is simply to emphasize the fact that I painted the dream of the book green and I stepped on. What does the previous statement mean? Easy, it means that as long as grass grows green from season to season, God's creation is still going as He planned and He is still in control!

I cannot tell you over the years how many problems, situations, enemies, dilemmas, etc. I have turned over to Him. But I can tell you this, He has never left me alone, even when I would despair. He always and I do mean always had a ram in the bush then and now, for He does watch out for and take care of His faithful own.

Gratefully lying beside the peaceful waters of my Shepherd,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Every Now and Then

Every Now And Then

Every now and then
Assurance drops in to visit me
She says that she comes to make
Sure that my stockpiles are not empty.

She checks my larders for the product there
And tells me that she finds that stockpiles are fair
Then she smiles at me with a sly grin

And tells me when I have time to take a look within.

After she goes on to the next person on her list

I check the larder and see that she has with

Her usual flair, done things up with a twist.

I see that the bin of faith that was half used up

Has been refilled to overflowing

And the vat of hope that was nearly full has been topped off

And a new one added beside it that has rounded sides bulging

And the seeds of love have been added to and newly restrung

And are blinking and beaming with secrets they are not yet divulging.

I just love it when assurance visits me because she

Leaves renewed faith, hope, and charity in her wake

And I am encouraged afresh to keep my story going strong

In love for my fellowman's sake.

 

Doing What I Can, While I Can by Showing My Gratitude Through Caring,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Uh, Hello?!

When you receive a phone call at 3:28 in the morning, you expect the worst kind of news, don't you? You automatically think, uh-oh, that's not good. Then you pick up the phone and answer with a tentative, "Hello?" As a writer, the last thing that you would expect to hear is someone with a very pronounced accent asking you if you are the writer of a certain book.

That happened to me this morning with regard to my 4th published book, W.O.W. created w.o.w. It seemed that the woman wanted to ascertain that I was the author of the book. When she had ascertained that information, she stuttered some and said that she would call back. She then promptly hung up. I was left with a puzzled frown that quickly erased what was left of my morning stupor. The thought that was uppermost in my mind was, "This book of mine is being sold the world over, but I have yet to receive the royalties, and I get a phone about this book at this hour of the morning!".

One thing about it, the book contains my heart and soul's stirring in relationship to the God I serve. He gave me the wisdom that I prayed for every day as a child to use in the writing and cover designing of this book, W.O.W. created w.o.w. (The very name of the book gives Him glory and thanks Him for allowing a vessel like me to house it and to be the conduit through which the world is encouraged, inspired and reintroduced to poetry again.

So

What the telephone call was about this morning at 3:28 a.m., I have no idea, but God does. He sees the work that I am doing for Him. He sees the way I poured my heart out to Him and on behalf of Him to my fellowman, and further, He knows the intent of the 3:28 a.m. caller. And I know that He will do whatever He has determined in His mighty will to do in said situation. In the meantime, I will continue to tell my story of His lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness as I go on toward the top of the mountain that He is allowing me to climb. For make no mistake about it; I will be at the top of the mountain one day, and when I do, I will share the joyful news with you, my faithful blog readers.

Furthermore

Just know that it has been and is my pleasure to sing the praises of the mighty God that we serve through verse, prose and actual song. My momma told me all of my life to reach for the stars and that I was bound to land among the treetops. But get this, she told me about three weeks before she died that I would be a very successful writer one day and that she was proud of me. When she told me that I was astounded a bit because, besides the writing I did as a child that had my fourth class in jerks wanting to know the outcome of some of my stories, I had only written three poems my entire life. Yet, once again, she is proven right, even from the other side...

To Do

I am going to keep writing to keep blessing my fellowman because I never will forget the day that a former student of mine, who was having a difficult time at work, said to me.

She said, "Mrs. Alma! We were just talking about you the other day! It is so good to see you, and it is so funny that I would see you today of all days!" To which I replied, "It is good to see you, too. But tell me, what is so special about today?" She said, "Aw, having a few issues in getting some things resolved in my life and was feeling a bit downhearted this morning. I was trying to shake myself out of defeatist mode and said to myself, 'I know what I need; I need an Alma quote. You know those quotes that you used to put on the board each morning to jumpstart our thinking and our motivation?" I said that I did remember. We laughed a bit, and I said something about the poem, "Don't Quit."  I said my goodbye to her and went on my way with my shopping, but she left me thinking hard.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

What she said stayed with me. I kept thinking that there were no coincidences in life (trite, but true) and the fact that I showed up in the store just when she needed me, that went a long way along the corridors of my mind. I could not shake off what she had said. It was like one of my babies (as I called my students) was in trouble and needed to hear from me. Then I pondered how I could get a message to her and any of the other babies of this world who might need to hear a word of encouragement without making it socially embarrassing or inconvenient for them. That is when I started my blog. I only blogged every few months at first, but now I do a posting most every day. And I know that somebody somewhere needs to hear the words that I pen. How do I know? I know by your response to my blog and my Twitter postings.

Said All of That

Penned so much this morning, but the

Gist of my message is this: I will be writing,

Blogging and speaking until the Lord says

"Enough, My child, your race has been won

Your writing, blogging and speaking days are done.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Show My Gratitude by Caring,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Side Effects

Just got back from the doctor with a friend of mine. The friend made the trip because of some possible side effects of some medicine that was being taken. The medicine was being taken for one thing, and it was helping that thing but was adversely affecting something else.
Now, y'all know I am always looking for an opportunity to talk about this Christian journey, so the trip to the doctor's office got me to thinking and here's what I came up with.

Everything that you do in this life affects something else, whether positively or negatively. Here are some simple examples:

• If a baby grows up hearing you cuss at home, he or she will eventually cuss in public. Why, because a toddler does not know that this is not something that should be done.  I have seen folk over the years get pretty embarrassed with what has come out of a toddler's mouth. Side effect of the cussing


• And if a young child hears racial slurs at home, they will use those, too. Side effect of using racial slurs


• If a child is allowed to put his feet on the couch with his shoes on at home, he will do the same thing to someone else's sofa. Side effect of not being trained in proper etiquette when visiting.


• If a child grows up sharing, he will learn to share. Side effect of sharing


• If he grows up hearing you say, please and thank you, he will use those terms as well. Side effect of polite conversation


• If a child grows up hearing you sing religious songs, he will do that. Side effect of singing songs of praise


• Going to worship, studying the Bible, etc. as prescribed, all have positive side effects.

So

If you continue to do God's will and be positive in displaying Christian values and examples, you will affect quite a few of your fellowmen as a side effect. You will also get the promised benefit of being able to go home with the Lord one day.

Yep, everything that you do is being recorded in the book of your life. Let's all do things that produce positive side effects, Okay? If we do, great will be our promised reward. And lastly, I like rewards, don't you?

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Am Grateful and Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

Blessed to See Another Sunday Morning

How awesome our God is, and I am grateful to be able to tell anyone who will listen about His lovingkindness, justice, and His righteousness. Earth, wind, water, and fire are the elements of my world, and He controls them! Yet, He, in all of His meticulous care, has had the number of hairs on my head numbered. In all of His great power, He has taken the time to care for me as a momma does for her children. He has actually counted the number of hairs on my head, counted then, y'all! That tells me that if He went to that length to know all about me, He cares and He has made a long-term investment in me. That means that He is in control and is going noplace. He loves me and will not abandon me. What an assurance. What a God!  What a mighty God we serve! These are the things that I had listed on yesterday's blog to be covered today on the topic of being grateful:

1. The earth – He moves it at His will. As I make my sojourn through this world, I walk upon the earth. And I serve a God who can move it at will. If He wants to move a mountain, He says so, and the mountain will move. If He wants the earth to move and shake, He tells it to, and it does His bidding. Yet, He is mindful of me. So, when the earth starts rocking and shuddering and pitching in my life, I remember that I am anchored to the God Who controls it all. And then peace stills into my soul, and I step on. That is why I am so grateful.


2. The wind – He tells it to escalate or be still at His will. You remember Jonah don't you? He told the wind, water, and lightning to rage until the raging got Jonah's attention. You can read chapter 1 in the book of Jonah for the rest of the story. The point I was making is that He can escalate storms at will. And then I think about how He stilled the storm on the sea of Galilee when He saw that the fierceness of the storm was frightening His disciples, His children. And I am grateful some more because that reminds me that all I have to do is ask, trust and obey Him and He will still my storms when I have learned whatever lesson I needed to learn from it or them. I'm grateful, y'all. He cares. That is why you might see an adult like me, do a little hop and a skip every now and then. Hopping and skipping for what, just the joy of my head hairs being numbered by the Omnipotent One! It takes me back to one of my favorite scriptures, "If God is for you, who or what can be against you?" (Romans 8:31, KJV)


3. The water – He produces it whenever He wants to and has it doing His bidding according to His great will. We all know what He did with water at the Red Sea. (Exodus 14-15, KJV) And He has set a limit on it as to how much land it can cover. (Job 38:11, KJV) He has told the sea, you come this far and no further because this land houses my children. He produced water from a rock when He saw His children's thirst. (Exodus 17, KJV)  Has a woman's body to cradle a baby in a sack of water for nine months. It's like He told the water, "You hold the baby and cushion its ride until it is time for it to be born and then you help to usher the baby forth." He changed it into wine at one point in the Bible (John2:1-11, KJV) and into blood at another point. (Exodus 7:14-25, KJV) My body is 70% water just as this earth is 70% water and both were made by Him. So, I am grateful to know that He knows every little thing that could go awry with this body of mine, after all, He is the Artisan, Who fashioned it. Dare I say it again? And He loves me, y'all, even me!


4. Fire – tells it when to burn and when not to.  When the Hebrew boys were thrown into the fire, He told the fire not to even singe the hairs on their heads, and He told the smoke not to even touch their garments. (Daniel 3, KJV) At another time, He commanded a chariot of fire to come to earth and pick up one of His servants. Elijah and the chariot of fire went on home to glory in a whirlwind. (2 Kings 2:11, KJV)  At another time, He sent fire from heaven to lap up water and the altar! (1 Kings 18:38, KJV) And this God loves me?! Yes, I am grateful!


5. The promise that if I live according to what He has had recorded in the Bible, I get to go back home to that paradise that we would have still been in if sin had not separated us from Him.  You see, when He made man, God placed him in a special place. He was placed in a jewel of a place. A garden with trees that bore all type of products. All we had to do was obey the rules that He had set forth for His garden. That' all! But, then sin entered the picture.  But get this. His love for man was so great that He took man out of the garden and set up flaming swords to guard the way (Genesis 3:24, KJV), to keep man from getting into harm's way again. I think this is like a momma putting her child in a playpen to keep him or her safe while she prepares dinner. Eden is real, y'all and I am grateful that if I live according to His will, I get to go to a placed prepared for me. It will be a place where I will not worry about the cares of this old world because all of that will be over with. Just think a place so wonderful that "It has not entered into my heart, the joys that He has prepared for me because I love Him!" (1 Cor. 2:9, KJV)  Yes, I am grateful for His promise of a home with Him forever! I'm going home one day, y'all. Don't you want to go?

I hope that this treatise on gratefulness has brightened your day and that you remember Whose child you are and that you go to worship this morning and give Him praise.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Am Grateful Enough to Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

This Too

Locked myself out of the house for five hours yesterday.  I lost several hours of writing time and so as to not be outdone, I used that time to meditate, study, and do some mental prepping for my book signing for today. The last of the session on gratitude will be finished this evening when I return home from the signing.  I will let you know how it went.

It is a rainy day here in West Tennessee but we are alive to see it and feel it. And I'm grateful, you know?

(to be continued this evening...)

Alright, I am back. Got back later than I thought and had several issues to crop up. Such is life.

At any rate, I was to finish the series on gratitude this evening, and so I shall.

Here are the things that I had decided that I wanted to include on my grateful list. As I told you on yesterday, this is by no means my entire list of things that I am grateful for. This is a list dictated by expediency.

I am grateful for the Bible and its stories that entail the Lord's track record to include His dominion over

1. earth - moves it at His will


2. wind - tells it to escalate or be still Jonah and storm on Sea of Galilee


3. water - produced it whenever He wants to and has it doing His bidding according to His great will


4. fire - tells it when to burn and when not to


5. the promise that if I live according to what He has had recorded in the Bible, I get to go back home to that paradise that we would have still been in if sin had not separated us from Him. Eden is real eyes have not seen has not entered into the hearts of man...

That is all I had planned to put on my Saturday's list of why I am grateful to the Lord. On tomorrow morning I will expound upon the five things mentioned above in some detail.

Be blessed and remember that God loves you and I do, too.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Concerning the book signing held at the Graves County Public Library - Had a fantastic crowd and was blessed with several sales. God is good, y'all!

 

God's Breath

"Gesundheit!" That is a German word that is usually said in response to someone who sneezes. However, some people say, "Bless you." At any rate, the intent is to wish good health on the sneezing person.

Nice enough sentiment, don't you think? Uh-hmm, but wait a minute. Let's analyze that practice of saying, "God bless you." Take a look at the following scripture:

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7, KJV)

So, that scripture means that "We are walking around in God's image with God's breath in us." (Bro. Brooks) Do you realize what that means?! It means that whatever we do in this life, we are using God's breath to do it. It means that He cherished us enough to shape us in His image and then to breathe life into us. Whoa! That is a big thing to consider! We are walking around with God's breath in us! I never quite thought about it in this manner until a preacher mentioned it this past weekend. Don't you get it, folks, we are already blessed, and it is with inexpressible gratitude that I acknowledge the fact of the blessing! I won't be so quick to complain anymore or be disgruntled with my life. I will, with humbleness, remember Whose breath I am using to complain. Wow, y'all. Just wow!

Gift of My Momma

When I think about my life and what else I am grateful for, I think about my "Momma." (I know that momma in this sentence should not be capitalized according to grammarians, that is. But we are talking about my Momma, and I will capitalize it anytime I please because no rule can compare to the blessing of a woman that the Lord God gave me to. No rule!) Her name was Lula Mae Peters Carr, and I carry the spitting image of her likeness on the outside and her morals and values on the inside. She was a blessing to me, and she still is, though she walks the other shore now.

You see, when I, as a teacher saw some children that came from homes where no values and morals were taught, I realized how blessed I had been in my upbringing. That is when I placed my Momma up on a pedestal in my mind where she belonged. She and I had become best friends and often talked about various things. I am so thankful that I got the opportunity to tell her what a blessing she was to me and to explain in detail, how.

You would have to have known her to realize how extraordinary it was that she had been rendered speechless by my profuse compliments to her. We had a good old laugh about the fact that I had rendered her speechless. She went on to tell me about a couple of other times in my life that I had rendered her speechless, but that is a story for another day. (sweet memory)

Gift of My Singing

I had always wanted to sing but couldn't; in fact, a bullfrog could out sing me. Several old people told me to keep trying and that I would be a singer one day. I laughed at that. I figured, "You either have a voice, or you don't!"

Ha, little did I know. Now, I am not the greatest singer in the world, but people seem to gravitate to my singing, and for that, I am thankful. I sing when I am bothered or unhappy and feel better after a couple of songs. It's the way the Lord has made us. (I talk about this in my current manuscript that is soon to be published, Tallest Mountain In My World.)

I also sing when I am happy. It is unusual to be around me for long and not hear me singing or humming something. I admit I sing softly to myself or hum in the grocery store, when I am window shopping, etc. It seems to make people feel nice. So, that is fine by me. I figure that is another way I can say, "I'm grateful," to the Lord.

Gift of My Speaking (Teaching Skills)

Just as when I sing, when I speak, people seem to gravitate toward me to hear what I am saying. So, I was drafted into being a public speaker. I was petrified. It might not seem so now, but when I was a child, I was very quiet and afraid to speak in front of a group. I was a mousy introvert who kept her mouth closed and her big eyes and ears open.

I have since learned that the Lord God was training me, even then. So, I do public speaking of a motivational, inspirational, devotional type. I keep being asked, so I guess that means that I do a good job. There again, I am grateful to the Lord God for giving me the gift of public speaking and teaching.

As for my teaching, I was named Who's Who Among America's Educators the last 15 years of my teaching career. (This list included colleges, as well.) But that is a story for another day.

Length of My Life

I have been blessed to live for several decades and for that I am grateful. I try to keep Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care.

This blog posting is quite lengthy today, but I hope that it blesses those that it needs to bless.

Until tomorrow, if the Lord wills.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

On tomorrow, I will finish my sessions of having an attitude of gratitude, not because this is all that I am grateful for, but because of expediency. I could write an entire book about being grateful!

 

An Attitude of Gratitude

It is so easy to become obsessed with things that do not go as we would like for them to in this life. But what the myriad of things that do? Do we take them so much for granted that we overlook being grateful for them? That is easier to do than you think.

Case in Point:

I started writing in a journal well over twelve years ago. When I started writing, I had no idea that my journaling would end up with me doing a daily blog and subsequently several books! I just had no idea. But, God did! He knew of my love to help my fellowman, so He got me ready to do a daily blog and to write several books by starting me on journaling.

So

I am thankful for my journaling and my writing. But, most of all, I am grateful to God for His love and His equipping me for this writing journey. I am grateful for the myriad of thoughts that He keeps me fed with.

I made a list of 21 things that I am grateful for. I gave you four of them in the paragraph above. Those were my number one, seven, nine, and my number 16 things to be grateful for. Yes, you are correct in guessing that God was my number One.

Now

What would your list look like? You might be surprised when you make it. You will find, too, that when you list things that you are grateful for that you will think about the reasons that you are grateful for them. When you think about those reasons that you are grateful, you will be even more grateful for them. Being even more grateful, you will dwell on your blessings that you have in hand and not on what you want, want, want. I mean; let's face it; for most of us, there is always something to want.

Gratefulness is what we should be mostly about and not what we want. Now, don't get me wrong, I am grateful. I have just decided to take it to another level because doing so gets me closer to my God.

Enjoy your day, and we will discuss being grateful some more on tomorrow's blog if it is the Lord's will.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

NOTE

Will be part of a book signing with the Ken-Ten Writers at the Graves County Library in Mayfield, Kentucky, this Saturday, April 14, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

 

Persistence Pays Off

Worked on and off all day trying to get logged in to my site, and finally made it through. That just goes to show you that persistence in most things in life does pay off.

Working things out in a Christian way pays off if you are persistent, as well. It takes prayer and patience.

 Don't Forget

Remember that sometimes you are allowed to

Struggle so that nonbelievers can see your faith and

Wonder about it and want to belong to the Lord, too

Because they see what being patient and waiting on Him has done for you.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Lessons from a Fish's Belly

Sometimes things don't go the way we want them to in life

And we have to deal with more than our share of stress and strife

In fact, the load can become so heavy that we feel it is unfair

All of the stress, strife and the network of enemies that we bear.

 

That is when we do things that often get us cast into the belly of the whale

And everything we do to get out, comes to no avail

Then we remember to Whom we are supposed to belong

And begin to make our confessions and appeal to Almighty God, Who is strong.

 

We acknowledge just like Jonah of the Bible did

That God is God and that we will do as bid

And when the whale vomits us up on dry land

We give thanks because we can breathe again.

 

We set about carrying out the will of the Lord

With the greatest fervor that we have ever displayed

Caring not what mankind says in the way of ridicule or disdain

For we are determined never to enter the whale's belly again

And through the seaweed of his innards to have to wade.

 

So, always work hard and by God's law abide

And you won't have to in the belly of a whale take a ride.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Gratitude to God Through You

Blogging most every day to show my gratitude to God by inspiring and encouraging you. You see Isaiah 50:4 lets me know to encourage my fellowman because that is something that the Lord desires. Why, because His love for you and me is that great-

1. great enough to send His son to die for us so that we could be brought back to Him


2. great enough to give us the Bible as a guidebook so that we can learn and know how to stay close to Him


3. great enough to have vessels like me pouring out His love for mankind any chance we get, hence, in my case, my blog, my speaking engagements, my singing, my listening sessions, and my books.

I am eternally grateful for His love for me, and I will work at doing my job of serving Him bu encouraging you until time meets eternity for me.

For Your Love

Bound to this earth plane, while I show my

Gratitude by doing and saying inspiring things to you

I can but send my, "Thank You," through prayer

But one day when my numbered days are o'er

I will get to say, "Thank You," to my Father up there.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Not Because I'm the Best

Not because I am the best speaker

That has ever spoken a word

And not because I am the best songbird

That you have ever heard

Not because I am the best writer

That has ever penned a book

But because He is the best and

My sins on Himself He took.

There is something that you will see

When you take a good look at me

You will see a nobody

That puzzles you a bit

Because you cannot figure out how I

Manage to do several things well

And seem never to tire and never quit.

I will tell you, folks; you see me do what I do

Because I am working for a crown

And that is why you will see and hear

Me encouraging others whenever I am around

-encouraging them right along

Either thru speech or the words of a song.

And that is why I will be singing snippets of two songs on tomorrow afternoon at the Songfest that is being held at Old Fulton Rd. Church of Christ, Martin, TN. (See flyer on yesterday's blog or my Facebook page.)

I realize that the faith that I display might help someone to embrace the Lord or another one to remain strong. So come on out and be lifted up in song as we tell our respective stories of our love for and our trust in the Lord. It promises to be a treat.

Somebody said, "What! Mrs. Alma, you mean that you sing?" To which I replied, "He didn't say that I had to be the best, He just requires my best. And that, I freely give."

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

A Song Story

Yes! It is that time again. The time for the Old Fulton Road Songfest. See the flyer below.



Come out and be spiritually inspired by these singers stories in song. It promises to be a treat.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

The HaveKnow's and the NeedyWho's

There are people who are changeable, according to your circumstances in life. Life will teach you that there are two basic types of friends,

1.) those that know you no matter what you have or don't have

2.) and those who know you when you have and forget your name and existence when you don't (fair weather friends - the haveknow's and the needywho's).

When you do find a true friend, who loves you in spite of yourself, hold on to them. They are rare but will stand the test of time for and with you,

But

What I have described above is friends according to man's standards. But I have a friend, Who sticks closer than a brother, my mother, father, cousin, etc. His name? Jesus.  He is the truest Friend that I have, and I know that He will never leave me, no matter what.

You see, time and circumstance may cause some of the others to leave you, but not Jesus. Time has no holds on Him. Remember, yesterday that I told you that He controls time, not the other way around. And as far as circumstances go, He can orchestrate them according to His will.

And

This being, this God has decided to love you and me. I am never going to give Him up, are you? No, we are not. We are sticking to Him like glue and will be stuck when our living is through because that's what it is all about folks. Living for the Lord and being His witness no matter what life throws at us is what we are called to do. And one day, one day, storms will cease. And we will sing hallelujah by and by. And you know, folks it will have all been worth it. Every tear, every heartache, every soul-wrenching inconvenience, every everything will have brought us closer to our Lord, and we will dwell with Him in our new home in the sky.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

 

 

 

A Man for All Times

I know a man Who transcends time, in fact, created it and keeps it on a leash, tells it when to come, when to go, when to pause and when to stop. Because He created it, He is the Master of it and as Such can always appear in the fullness of it! (at just the right time)

If there are troubling times in your life, be comforted. They will not always last, for we are told in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 that there are times for various happenings in our lives.In James 1:12 we are told to "Remain steadfast under trial because we will receive a crown of life if we faint not."

Don't ever give up

Even when you oft have to

Drink from the bitter cup.

The greater the suffering the

Greater the blessing

So, from these wise words

Take a lesson.

Surround yourself with saints

And know that in the fullness of time

Jesus will be right there

Because He does care

And has shown us that by taking the

Time to count our every head hair.

Today's blog is my testimony about how sweet it is to be loved and rescued by the loving Jesus Who moves in His own good time, just at the right time. Be blessed, positive, and walk with a lighter step today. (There are more of my testimonies in Choppin My Row, pp. 15-22 and 78-84, and 91-96.) In fact, the entire book is a testimony about God's love for us. There are also testimonies in W.O.W. created w.o.w., pp. 15-17, 34-39, 72-78, 94-96.  Actually, W.O.W. created w.o.w. led me to write Chopping My Row and Chopping My Row has led me to write The Tallest Mountain in My World (to be published this summer) and that one has led me to write My Shepherd to be published in the late fall.

The books mentioned above are on Amazon or perhaps you can get your local library to get them so that you can check them out. Both books will be a blessing to you; of that, I can assure you.

 

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Doing My Job

I have a job to do, and periodically it behooves me to share with others why I do what I do, why I feel driven to persist in talking to you. I never know why I write what I write on a given day; I just write what my muse places on my heart, and I know that there is someone out there in this vast world who is helped by the words of inspiration that I pen. Everything that I do in this life of mine is geared toward, "Chopping My Row" for the Lord. Having said that, here is a poem that I penned for you today. Enjoy!

No matter what you see when you look at me

I am what God made me to be

I do what He sent me to do

As I live my life here below

And I will leave a legacy of inspirational words for you

When I am called back to my home above

-A legacy of words reminding you of God's love.

I shared His love with you as a teacher

Shared His love with you as the wife of a preacher

Shared His love as a speaker of ladies' day events

Shared His love wherever I was sent

Will be active in sharing until my sharing days are spent.

(So You)

Share to make a difference in somebody's down hour

Because you never know when one well-placed word

Can make the difference between despair and persistence

Causing someone to shine for Jesus by opening up like a flower

And show the world the awesome results of God's caring power

By not folding in upon himself/herself, but remaining dejection resistant.

(Say Again)

Tell your story, sweetie, and tell it loud and long

For the telling of your story may be the catalyst (tool) that

Causes someone to persevere and be strong!

 

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Can't Keep a Good Man Down

Who is Jesus? Do you know? He is God's Son Who gave His life for you. Did you know that He could never have been taken down but for it having been God's will in the first place? And He could not be kept down! Boulders could not hold Him, and guards could not stop Him. And get this; the name that the magistrates wanted to be spoken no more has become a household word, having traveled throughout the then known world and on down through the annals of time to you and me. But it won't stop there! The Bible says that "At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow!"  Where, at the judgment, that's where! What a Savior; what a mighty God!

Why was Jesus allowed to be put down? It was done for the love of you and me. He became a willing sacrifice just so that He could bring us back to God!

So, get up this Easter morning and go back to what your mother and grandmother taught you and give God some praise in worship this Sunday morning!

And allow me to make this point to you. If you are in the midst of a fall or have fallen, don't despair! Say what?! Yes, I said, Don't despair!" If you are God's child, He saw you about to fall, saw you when you fell and sees you and your reaction to your fall. But hear me, my friend this Sunday morning, just as He got Jesus back up, He will do the same for you. BUT, you must keep your faith in Him. All it takes is a mustard seed amount, sweetie, that's all.

When you keep that faith intact, your blessings will start to flow again, and you will be proud and glad to lighten someone's burden by sharing your story! How do I know? I know because I share the message of His faithful love each time I pick up my pen to do my blog.

Have I been down? Yes, I have, but  I kept believing, and I kept praying, and you are looking at the result now! I have published five books successfully and am working on the sixth now, which is the second book of the Chopping My Row Series and will be entitled, From the Tallest Mountain in My World.

And You

So whatever has happened to upset your world or has orchestrated your fall, don't worry. It could not have happened without the Lord knowing about it, and just like He did His other Son, Jesus, He will lift you up again in His time. Other Son? That got your attention, did it? Well, yes, you are His son just like Jesus is. Yep! Read Romans 8:14-17, 29 KJV and rejoice in the love that the Lord God and Jesus have for you. Oh, so you feel special, huh? Good! That was my intent. See you in worship. It does not matter if you are broken and battered; be there in all of your brokenness. He's waiting. God loves you, and I do, too. Be blessed!

Rise up and stand tall in your faith and your work for the Lord, for God will see you through!

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones