Out of the Mouths of Babes

A six-year-old decided to pick up a book that he found at his grandmother's house and began reading it. There were several books there, but he chose my book, "Chopping My Row." His grandmother was surprised when he did and so am I.  His grandmother was astounded enough that she videotaped him reading the book. Then she ordered two more copies. I don't know why that baby picked up my book, but I am thankful that he did. I like to think that it was the providence of God.

At Any Rate

Don't know why the six-year-old chose my book, but that action has made the fire burn hotter in my efforts to get my next books finished. I was already in full blown manuscript composing of my next couple of books, anyway, But now, there is an added drive toward the completion of the dual books that I am attempting, to clear the writing table for the children's series that has been in my mind for so long. Then, at last, I can begin my children's book(s) because of that precious little six-year-old.  Another grandmother had previously asked me to do a children's book, as well. And come to think of it, a mother had asked me to do a children's book two years ago!

I Think

With all that has been said, I believe that I need to do that children's book fairly soon. And that is exactly what I am going to do. Why? The children have spoken... Wow! My Lord and my God!

Uh...

That means that in 2018 if the Lord wills, I will publish three books. Oh wow! Y'all pray with me and for me because this lady is going to try to do just that!

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

Alma L. Stepping On Carr-Jones

Saved by an "Angel" to Help an "Angel" (cont.)

When we got to the car, my very agitated baby said, "Ah-h-h, di tar." Then I realized what he had been trying to say. He had been yelling for all he was worth, "Get in the car! Get in the car!" Bless his little heart. Well, that day, God blessed both of our hearts through my friend who had yelled for me to get off the tracks.

As I said on yesterday, that was when I was still a young wife and a college student. But now, that baby is a man, and I am a grandmother. My friend and I have remained close through the years. So, when I got a call Saturday night that she had had a stroke, I was very concerned. And what have I always told you to do when you are bothered? Yep, take it to God in prayer, and that is just what I did. I know that the Lord knew all about her, but I reminded Him that this was a special friend to me. I reminded Him that this friend kept me from being overrun by that train all those years ago. So, after worship on Sunday morning, off to the hospital, I go.

At the Hospital

When I got to the hospital to see her yesterday after worship, she was looking okay and was doing better according to her husband. But she was having some trouble accepting what had happened to her, so I used some of the words that God had placed on my mind to put in my book,  "Chopping My Row." She told me that she was really blessed by what I had said to her. I told her that God had seen the entire thing. Here are a couple of points that I made to her.

• 
  

  Job - I reminded her of the book of Job, where the adversary was allowed to touch Job's body but was admonished not to kill him. I told her that since she was God's child that He knew her situation and that the adversary could not do any more to her than God allowed.

  
  


• 
  

  Hairs Numbered - I reminded her of the scripture that says that the very hairs of our head are numbered. I told her that if the Lord knew how many hairs were on our head, He knew what was happening in the head. In fact, all over our bodies.

  
  


• 
  

  Timing - I told her that since her husband drives for a transportation company, but happened to be at home at the time of her stroke, that was no coincidence.  I said to her, "You know the doctor said that if it had been just a short delay in getting you to the hospital, the damage would have been a lot worse." I told her that it was no coincidence that she fell ill at the time that she did. I told her that God looks down the road in our lives and He makes plans for events that are coming up so that we can be taken care of. I told her that His love is not just for the here and now. It covered us before we were born and goes with us now and goes on down into the future preparing our way. She thanked me again, and tears surfaced in her eyes.

  
  

Her Response

She told me that she was just so thankful that I was her friend and had come to see her to make her feel better by the words that I said. I told her that the words that I said were put in my mind by the Lord as a care package from Him just to remind her that He is watching and still cares. I told her to hold on to her faith and trust God like she always has because He sees, He knows, and He cares.

She told me again with tears in her eyes what a blessing I was in saying the words that I had said to her and that she was so blessed to have me as a friend. Then I told her that I was the one who was blessed to have her as a friend. I told her that she was going to have me tearing up in a minute. Then she chuckled a little. Then I thought of another point to leave her with.

Chuckling

Then I launched into the story about the train and the cattails. By the time I had finished the quick story, she was chuckling, and her husband and mine, too. Then I capped my story off by saying to her, "All those years ago, God had you to save me because He knew that He would use the words that He would plant in me to bring you a tender care package from Him. She said, "That is a blessing right there, and you are a blessing." She said that she was going to bless me for that. What she meant was that she was going to help to promote my writing, more. She also said that she was going to do more for the Lord, in so many words.

Did I Know?

Did I know when I wrote my book, that I would be using it to soothe a dear friend of mine, nope.  But God did. He prepared me, folks, so that I could have the words of comfort that my friend would need to shore up her faith. You see, I know it was not a coincidence because I had been looking back over the book, Chopping My Row, as I was putting my next manuscript together for my next book. And I just happened to have been looking back over it, and it just happened to have been fresh in my mind just at the time that my friend needed me! Nunh unh!

When I Left the Hospital

So, I left a copy of my book with her daughter and asked her to read portions of it to her as she could. And you know what else I left at the hospital, folks. I left a joyful, feeling-blessed-lady instead of the downhearted one that I found when I first got there. And with me, I carried a reminder of how the Lord orchestrates the events of our lives and is always with us and will send us a care package just when we need it the most! Isn't GOD good, y'all?! Yes, He is!

Update: She continues to improve.

 

Saved by an "Angel" to Help an "Angel"

Do you have or have you ever had a friend that came as close to being an "angel" as humans can? One who kept a perpetual smile on her face all of the time? Who seemed to have as one of her purposes in life to alleviate unkindness, one who always had a sense of fair play, and who left an unconscious imprint of love wherever she was? I have one such friend. She shall remain nameless so as to protect her privacy, but an "angel," to me,  nonetheless.

How We Met

We met when we were both newlyweds and became fast friends. Lived next door to each other in university housing. Her husband was in school and so was I. Attended the same church and had several other young married ladies in our group of friends. Nevertheless, during the summer time when regular school was out, we found time to go shopping together and various other things. All of the things that we did together seemed to cement our friendship.

I never will forget one day we were going out to find some cattails. If you don't know, cattails are reedy marsh plants with brown furry fruiting spikes. We had seen an arrangement with them in a local variety store and decided to make our own arrangement because the price was too high for the one in the store. At any rate, on this particular day, we were going out to find some that grew along the railroad track not too far from our houses. We found the cattails and were on our way back to the car.

Cattails Found and...

My baby was on the tracks with us and I reached down to pick him up. He was just a toddler just barely learning to talk and had decided that he had had enough of exploring the gravel on the tracks. My baby was a good little tyke and just loved being outdoors if I were alongside him. So we were walking along the tracks, that seldom had a train on it when from around the bend behind us came a train coming full blast. We took off running for all we were worth. I knew that I was a fast runner and I laid it down, y'all! Didn't think about my friend or anything else. Was getting my baby and me off of that track. I was picking my feet up and puttin' 'em down! All I could hear was the rumble of that train behind me!

"Dit di tar!"

Then I heard my friend's voice yell, "Get off the tracks, Alma!" And that is what I did without hesitating. She had already gotten off and saw how close the train was to overrunning me. I had no clue until I got off of the track and before I could turn around, the train went zooming past me! I was horrified and my baby who had been on my shoulder the whole time facing the train started jabbering uncontrollably. Remember, he was just learning to talk, y'all. He kept yelling,  "Dit di tar, dit di tar!" over and over again. (I will continue this blog on tomorrow if the Lord wills.)

 

A Tennessee Christmas

On my last Christmas at home

My Mom said to me

"This is a Christmas to make memories, Son

So that you remember Tennessee."

I left home the following spring

After graduating

To join the navy and to

See what pleasures awaited me.

The journey has had rough spots and the

Road has been sometimes long

But I've always remembered Christmas

In my Tennessee home.

 

A memory of the season,

Alma L. Stepping On Jones

To God be the glory for the things that He has done

Beginning with the things started many Christmases ago.

Need Help?

[caption id="attachment_715" align="alignnone" width="187"] My help comes from the Lord. (Psalm 121:2)[/caption]

Most people at some point in their life need help. If you need help, try prayer. Have been utilizing prayer since I was eight years old. When my mother first told me about the Lord and how prayer works, to me, an eight-year-old, it was like the magic that I read about in my fairytale books, only better. It was better than Cinderella, Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. It was real! And it was mine!

Recapture/Discover

If you can recapture the awe and wonder of a child's faith, if you have lost it, then you can find that closeness to the Lord like I, as an eight-year-old, had. If you have never known Him then when you find the Lord, you will understand what the continual chatter concerning Him is all about. He will become your best friend and confidante. You will discover that you can tell Him anything and you will not hear it whispered in the streets before it has barely left your lips. You will learn to tell Him all of your problems and to wait for Him to solve them. You will find that He will be fixing things for you while you are asleep. And He also will fix things for you before you get to a situation somewhere down in the future.

Sounds Incredulous?

I know, but now you know why I can have that "Pollyannaish" attitude that you have detected in my writing and that my friends and associates know me for. It is incredulous and mindblowing. This understanding of Him is why a woman who has lived to be a grandmother, who has been broken time and again in life can still have stars shining in her eyes. The realization that my help comes from the Lord through prayer is an awesome tool to have.

Everywhere I Go

I have taken that prayerful assurance everyplace that I have gone in life and every place that I will go. When you see me coming, I've got that prayerful assurance with me. If you make me cry, I am talking with prayerful assurance to my Lord. Whatever comes up in my life, I meet it with prayerful assurance that my Lord is already in attendance and is working things out for my good. (Romans 8:28 KJV)

In conclusion, if you need help, try my Lord. I did when I was eight years old and have been leaning on Him ever since. (Some of this is covered in my book, "Chopping My Row." It will inspire you to great lengths.) People are starting to talk about it and the way that it has helped them on their journey.

"My help comes from the Lord." (Psalm 121:2 KJV)

Sweet Peace

There is nothing so settling as peace. Being able to have peace in the midst of trouble and trials is a blessing. Trials come in various forms. One form that I will mention today is having trouble with the physical structure of your house.

Recently, we had to replace the heating unit and repair plumbing in the bathroom. Then there is the roof that needs redoing and the water heater that will allow only 1/4 of a tub of water before turning very cold. Yikes! Brr-rr that is cold. And having no additional heater in the bathroom is taxing, as well. But, taking it all in stride, I keep stepping. Do I like it? Nope, but I can adjust. I tell myself that this too shall pass.

I Don't Know

I don't know why this stuff had to crop up now, but it has and in the dead of winter. But, you know, that is just like the Christian life sometimes. One step forward and two backward, it seems. Somebody might ask, "How can you stand it?" I just lay it all before my God's throne, and I keep moving on.

There Are People

If I put everything in perspective, I realize that there are people who have no heat, food nor houses in this the dead of winter. So, why should I complain about it being chilly in the bathroom or about having 1/4 of a tub of tepid water to bathe in? The scriptures say that the Lord knows my needs before I even voice them, so I make my requests, and then I step on. (Matthew 6:8 KJV) So, too, must you, whether it is finance, health, illness of loved ones, etc. Put your trust in God, my friend, for He cares for you.

In conclusion, I just leave my trials and troubles at my God's throne and take a helping of peace as I sup beside the still waters of His mercy. Ah-h-h, sweet peace.

 

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because I Care

Alma Carr-Jones

Oh! Oh My! Uh, Uh...

"Oh! Oh my, uh, uh..." The previous phraseology is my way of expressing thankful awe. The "..." in the phrase represents the skipper in me taking a pause. Say what?

Well y'all know that I told you that as a child, I used to skip all of the time, in fact, skipped most places I went. I have since told you that owing to the passage of time, that I cannot skip the way I want to. So I skip in my mind. Sound strange to you? That's okay, that's me. That is just the way that I am wired.

At any rate, back to the point that I was trying to make. The phrase that I uttered at the beginning of this blog means that I am almost beginning to be astounded. In a little bit, I will be lost for words for a second or so. I am astounded enough that the skipper in my mind has had to pause and ponder some things.

Why Beginning to Be Astounded?

Well, as I told you on Monday, I was wowed by my seeing the way people had received my book and some of the comments that they made about it. Now I see the hand of GOD further in the way that people are receiving my book, "Chopping My Row." And you know what I say? I say, "Thank YOU, GOD, for your moving mountains out of my way, leveling out valleys and raising the mountain on which I stand."

A Heartfelt Prayer

Thank YOU, GOD

I do not have the words to express

The joy within nor the extent of my happiness

But before the world, to YOU, I want to confess

My love for YOU and my joy at beholding

My writing career's growing success.

I am humbled and thankful, y'all. That is all I can say right now. Me, at a loss for words? Well, yeah...

Determination

To have determination means to have the drive to accomplish something at all costs.

Stepping On

Stepping on

Until I'm stepping gone

Stepping on

Until I'm stepping done

Stepping on

Till I've stepped home.

Step, by definition, means a movement made by lifting the foot and setting it down again in a new position, accompanied by a shifting of the weight of the body in the direction of the new position, as in walking, running, ...

It means not being stationary.

Life, as we know it, is not stationary either because time is ever moving on. We are being moved toward some ultimate end.

I use the words, "stepping on," in the poem above because I want to denote an active player in this game of life. It means that since I know that things do not stay the same even if I am hurt, rich, popular, etc. I still must stay focused and keep moving toward the goal that I have set for my life of having an eternal home with the Lord. Pain, riches, popularity, etc. are all temporal and have no place in the home to which I am going.

So

A set determination is the key, folks. Don't let anything deter you from your goal of making it home to be with the Lord.

Be determined and keep stepping on  in

Your quest to spend eternity in bliss

And not in the place across the abyss.

The Best

Most of us want the best things in life, the best car, the best house, the best children, the best job, etc. Even when we settle, we tend to still aim for the best.

When God gave us Jesus

He gave us His best

And by this Gift from our Father

We can be eternally blessed.

 

However, sometimes I get tired of running

And I'm sure that you do, too

But I think back to the gift of His only Son

And I keep doing all that I can do.

********

Holiday Hope

Peace and joy to you all

This holiday season

And never forget that love

Is the ultimate reason

That God sent His only begotten Son

In a demonstration of how

To do things with a hope of getting

To live in that eternal city above.

So

He has already given us the best there is in this world.

Blown Away

[caption id="attachment_929" align="alignnone" width="185"] Did I just read what I thought I did about my book? Huh?[/caption]

"I was blown away by that..." We have heard that phrase used with regards to several things in life. And we know that the use of that phrase means that someone was really touched and impressed by whatever they are speaking of. Right?

Uhm hmm-m, well I had that phrase used about something that God had allowed me to do. That something was writing and publishing my book, Chopping My Row. I must say that using the gifts that God has given me, I have managed to make people's mouths gape open a time or two in my life. But, it was usually in reference to an oration that I was doing. If you cannot tell, I am starting to be wowed, now.

See What God Has Done

He has taken me up on my word and has allowed me to rise to a higher mountain. What do I mean by that? Well, read on, and I will tell you. Back in 2011, I told the Lord that I loved Him so much that I would stand on top of the tallest mountain in the world and tell of His love for mankind and my love for Him. Then, I told Him that since I could not get to K2, Mount Everest, or one of the other disputed tallest mountains, I would shout my love from the tallest mountain in my world, instead. So, I started writing my blog, hmm, about two to three times a month. It soon escalated to two times a week to finally culminate in my blogging daily.

But He Didn't Stop There

He allowed me to author five books, of which Chopping My Row, is the most recent. Yesterday, a lady asked me what the name of my next book was going to be. Yes, I was shocked, but over the years I have learned not to show that I have been shocked. I told her the name of the book. Then she asked me how I came to choose that particular title for my next book. I explained my choice of title just as I am doing for you. (Later that night and today it hit me that this lady had been thinking about my book that she had just finished. That was why she asked me the questions that she did. Wow, y'all!)

The title, by the way, will be "The Tallest Mountain in My World." Yes, you can surmise how I came up with that title if you look back at paragraph three. I see the hand of God all over this new book as I do in my life. And you can tell that I acknowledge Him by the title that I gave my second book of inspirational verse, "DEI sub Numine Viget," which is Latin for "Under God's Spirit She Flourishes." That is another way of saying I do what I do, not by my power, but by the power of God.

I Remember

Being questioned about my next book made me remember back when I was a little girl, and some of my friends would ask me when I was going to finish a certain story or write another one.  I did not know then, that the hand of God was upon me and that He was preparing me for what I would do much later in my life. Yes, preparing me to write inspirational books for Him! Now, I, am blown away! Told you back in the second paragraph that I was beginning to be wowed, well, it is now full-blown!

So, I Invite You

You, dear friend, are invited to go along with me for the inspirational journey that God has planned for me. In conclusion, it promises to be exciting and fulfilling, I think. Wow!

To GOD be the glory

Forever, as I write my books

And tell my story.

Stop Thief! (concl.)

[caption id="attachment_471" align="alignnone" width="159"] That's Mine! You Bring that Right Back![/caption]

Let me finish my story that I started on yesterday. At any rate, we had been invited to dinner at a local eating establishment by one of the members and his wife. We went, had an enjoyable meal and fellowship together and left the restaurant replete. When we got to the car I went to look in the black bag for my iPad so I could play a quick game of one of my favorite free downloads. I could not find it, so I looked a little harder. Then I realized that it just was not there! My husband, noticing my frantic searching, said to me, “You must have left it in the seat in the building.” (I let him get away with that statement, although I knew that I had not left it anywhere. He was the one that picked up my stuff and my iPad from the seat.)

Where Is It?

So there we went, heading back to the building. Because I was so concerned about getting to my iPad, it seemed to me that that man drove 20 mph all the way to the building! I know that he did not, that's just how it seemed to me. I told him at one point that maybe he ought to let me drive. He just looked at me as if I had two heads and kept on driving. My stomach was in knots by this time.

Well, we got to the building, he got out of the car and went inside to retrieve my iPad. He stayed so long that the first frisson of alarm started to creep up my spine. I unbuckled my seatbelt and was getting out of the car when he exited the building. He had a puzzled and funny look on his face and was shaking his head from side to side.

Jumped out of the car and went into the building, my body starting to become cold and methodically calm. I tend to do that when the situation has become dire, only to go to pieces when the crisis is over. (I have been told that that is the beginning of shock; I wouldn't know, as I'm not a medical professional.) But, we looked the building over, high and low, the restrooms, the basement, etc.… No iPad! I kept thinking, “Where is my iPad? It has to be here. It can't have just up and walked off!”

Drat and Double Drat!

By my being a poetess/writer, to say that I was devastated by the loss of my iPad, does not even begin to cover the situation. The first emotion I experienced was disbelief, then shock, followed by hurt/pain and lastly anger. I, who pride myself on being flexible and leveled-headed, wanted that person "caught and caught right now!"

Calmed down and then started the notification process that you have to go through when something is lost or stolen. Thankfully, I had engaged a numeric code for my iPad, so that gave me some measure of satisfaction, but not much. Not much at all, I tell you.

Proof Is in the Pudding

I had been telling someone the day before the theft, that one of my favorite scriptures is, Romans 8:28. I didn't know just how soon I was going to be thrust into a situation to show just how much I believed that scripture. Well, that Scripture got a workout that week because I kept repeating it to myself. I kept telling myself that, “All things work together for good for those that love the Lord.” So to keep from acting like I felt like acting, I started praying and here is the prayer I uttered:

Now LORD, I don't know how YOU are going to work this out, but I give over to YOUR will for my life Lord. I ask YOU to help me through this day and all subsequent days and make me be able to graciously accept and work through the adverse things that may happen. Please make my faith grow by leaps and bounds as I learn to depend on YOU. Prosper my way so that I may use all situations to your glory. In your name I pray. Amen.

That is the prayer that I prayed. I also added a prayer for forgiveness for what I thought about the thief. (Nope, can't tell you that. That is between the Lord and me. Besides, I have gotten forgiveness for that thought.) Then I stepped on.

Here's What I Learned

If you pray a similar prayer during  your adverse times, you will find that HE gradually works things out. And things won't bother you the way they used to. You will be able to find that joy, that the adversary tried to steal from you. People will start to come up to you and say things like, "How do you stay so calm in situations like this?" etc.

My Positive Reactions

Then, my friend, you will realize what it feels like to have other people watching you and have their faith grow by judging your reaction to things! You might think, “What! Don't watch me! I'm just trying to make it myself!” No, dear friend, you have become a person to emulate.  Yes, that is an awesome responsibility, isn't it? Uhm-hu-m-m, but you will get joy and added strength in knowing that your troubles and botherations have, not only helped you in your relationship with the Lord, but have helped someone else, as well.

In Conclusion

Learn the lesson that I have learned regarding spiritual thievery, which is, "Though the adversary and adverse times might try periodically to steal your joy,  choose to not allow it to happen."  Take consolation from Romans 8:31 and Romans 8:28. Maintain your joy, and solidify your example to others, through your faith in God. And you my brother and my sister, step on. Remember, even when you don't see how or understand why, you have a Father Who loves you and works all things out for your good.

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

Alma L. Carr-Jones

Stop Thief!

Let me tell you a little story. But first let me say that you never know what a day will bring, you just never know. That is why I always say BYDWP (Begin your day with prayer.)

I got up coming to worship one Sunday morning and the morning proceeded pretty much as usual, you know morning hygiene ritual, breakfast and the usual 40-minute drive to worship, with me chatting with my husbnd and playing games on my iPad, etc. We had a good worship service and after it was over I had to attend the ladies room. Well, my husband, in the meantime, picked up my stuff off of the seat where I had left it and took it to the car, trusting soul that he is...

 

Yes, you guessed it; he left the car door unlocked and came on back into the building. I exited the ladies room and started toward the exit since I had noticed that the lights had been turned off in the sanctuary. I took two steps toward the exit and remembered, “Oops, my things still upfront on the seat where I left them.” and I turned around to go get them. When I got to where I usually sat, yes I'm guilty of having a favorite seat, like most of you, (tee hee) I saw that the seat was empty, so I surmised that my husband had taken my things to the car for me. When I got to the car the front door was ajar. That surprised me, but I found my purse and my black bag that I usually keep my iPad in, thus no problem, right? Wrong! But I did not know that at the time...  Taken from page 132 of "W.O.W. created w.o.w."

Grab a copy of the book if you want to know the ending of my little story before tomorrow. At any rate, join me tomorrow for the conclusion and the inspirational life application that I learned from it.

For Pondering

Have you ever been the victim of theft? How did it make you feel? Uhm hmm...

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

Alma Carr-Jones

I Know the Lord Will Make a Way

[caption id="attachment_903" align="alignnone" width="186"] Has your world turned upside down?[/caption]

Do you ever think about the times that you have been between a rock and a hard place? If you are like me, you don't even think about the actual number that you have been there, but you do think about how you got out of certain given situations. Do you not?

Folk, I Have Learned

I have learned that whatever is going to be is going to be anyway if it is the Lord's will. Learned that no amount of worrying will change any given situation but prayer will. Have turned so many "impossible" situations over to the Lord over the years that I am not amazed that He works them out. But, I am amazed at the fact that He always works things out with such finesse. He chooses solutions that go beyond my wildest dreams. But He said that "His thoughts are not our thoughts, and neither are our ways His ways."

So

I don't fret much, anymore. Am resigned to do whatever His will is and, as I said on yesterday,  I know that He will find a way for me to get it done no matter what hindrances crop up. I wanted to say that to you today that if your life seems to have been turned upside down and you do not know what to do next, or if everything that you thought was nailed down has come loose, don't despair. Don't give up. I know what I am talking about because I have been thrown into the fire and have come out a battle-hardened and stronger soldier for God.

I remember the training that I received from my mother, from Sis. M. Manley and from Sis. SE Hampton that said, "God will fix it, it will work out, and I declare, it will be alright!" Those ladies are all gone now, but the training that they gave me lingers on, and my way of saying what all of them taught me is, "I know the Lord will make a way!"

In Conclusion

Be blessed fellowman. And if you have been trying to figure out how to get out of a particularly squirrely situation, stop figuring. Start praying and wait on God. And while you are waiting and praying, learn whatever lessons present themselves to you through this given situation. Likely, you will be called upon to use what you have learned to help somebody else. So, pay attention and learn your lesson well, after all, you don't want the lesson to continue or to be repeated, do you? Don't be like Jonah, but be like Job, instead. Okay?

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

Alma Carr-Jones

Take It with You

Contrary to what the adversary would have you believe, He did not bring you this far to abandon you, now.