Have you ever felt like there was something that God had asked you to do, and you just did not want to? Did you run from Him? Did you hide in your closet, or go to (insert the name of your favorite hiding place)? My daddy tells a story, which to his children and knowing him the way we do, seems funny. When he was a young Christian and full of the zeal of the Holy Ghost he was praying one day and made God a promise.."Ask me to do ANYthing and I will do it for You! ANYTHING Lord, just ask." He said he heard God speaking to his heart saying, "Go downtown LA at noon on Friday,don't take your guitar or anyone with you, just take your Bible and at the stroke of noon begin walking north on Hollywoood Blvd. and start preaching saying 'Jesus is coming soon, prepare yourself, be saved!" Daddy seems bold when he is in the pulpit, I have seen him preach to thousands and sing until everyone would be on there feet, but that is when he is under the "anointing" not just being the man. He was scared, Friday came and he was so nervous he just couldn't bring himself to do it. He had gone to the appointed place to preview the scene and there were hundreds of people going this way and that, his hands were cold as ice and his voice was trembling..he couldn't do it. For three weeks he fought against doing it, and he couldn't feel the Spirit of God anywhere. He would cry and pray and NOTHING would happen. Finally he broke down and said "God I promised you I would do anything, and if You will forgive me for being disobedient, I will do it!" He felt the Spirit come back so sweetly and he felt so relieved that he knew nothing, nerves nor any other thing, could stop him this time. Friday came and he went to the designated corner and began to preach..he said that three stories up he saw heads popping out of windows to see what all the yelling was about. He walked the length of the street and was starting back when a policeman stopped him and told him that what he was doing was against the ordinances of the City of LA, he would have to stop. Well daddy knew the Bible said "Obey those that have the rule over you" and he (gladly) stopped, knowing that he had finally fulfilled his promise to the Father. There was a young man named Jonah that we read of in the Bible. His story was simular, God told him to go to Ninevah and tell them that judgement was coming unles they repented! He DID NOT want to do it, so he ran! He got on a ship, went down into the bottom and fell asleep, thinking that he was completely hidden from God. The ship sailed and a great storm started, it was so violent that the sailors were afraid they would lose their lives. They began to cry out to the many different gods they served and to no avail. Finally the Captain went and found Jonah and said "Wake up! Pray to YOUR God, maybe HE will do something!" Jonah knew what was wrong but didn't admit it. He went up on deck and the storm grew worse! THe sailors began to draw lots to see who the guilty party was, and Jonah got the short straw! He finally admitted what he had done and told them to throw him overboard, at first they wouldn't, but things got so much worse that at last they heaved him over the side! Immediately the storm stopped! The sailors were amazed and started to worship the God of this Hebrew man and even offered sacrifices! But God wasn't through with Jonah, He had "prepared a large fish" to swallow him and here is the key to Jonah's release back into life: Jonah 2:7 When my life was slipping away I remembered God, and my prayer got through to you, made it all the way to Your Holy Temple. 9 And I'll do what I promised I'd do! Both Jonah and Young Harry found that to have peace, they would have to keep their promise!
Be blessed, pray, keep your promises to God!

Have you ever played the game, Gossip? A person starts by telling one person something, whispering in their ear, they in turn repeat in and on until everyone in the room has had this "same thing" whispered in their ear. BY the time it gets to the end, it rarely even resembles the beginning tale. That is a game and I'm sure people may alter things on purpose, for the fun of it. How is that different than how it goes in our life? I hear a lot of things that I never repeat, then hear it from other sources and it is rarely the whole truth. It is said that if you listen to two people give their side of a story, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Psalm 15:1-3 Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.  Psalm 34:12-14 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous? Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies! Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. To gossip, is un-Godly, no matter how you look at it, and it can cause a world of trouble. The young New Testament church must have been facing this problem, because James addressed it 3:5-8 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself. People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison.

Out of all the things in the Bible that we could read about, have you ever read about "busybodies?" Did you know that word was even IN the Holy Script? 2 Thessalonians 3:11-13 says: For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good. Paul is talking to the Thessalonian people and gives them some wonderful teachings. 3:3 says But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one. 1 Peter 4:15 gives us a REAL shocker! But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, OR AS A BUSYBODY in other people's matters. OH MY GOODNESS! Did I just read what I THOUGHT I READ? A busybody is listed with murderers and thieves and evil doers! It must be a really bad thing to mess in other people's lives! Be blessed, seek peace!  harolene@att.net

God is good, His mercy is everlasting and His truth endures to all generations. Yesterday was my mother's birthday. She has always been a very positive person, the kind that finds the best thing that will come out of a situation. Always in a good mood and willing to help, the one everyone goes to if they have a cut or scrape that needs mending. I remember when my nephew, who lived next door to us, fell from his bicycle, he was just so wounded...first thing he said was "Go get Mimi!" Every morning before he left for school, he would come over for her to clean and re-bandage his wounds, only she could do it..nevermind he had perfectly good parents at home who could have done it just as well..but it had to be Mimi. We have little stickers on our doors that say "May all who enter here feel peace", and our hope is that they feel the peace that passes understanding that only the Lord can give! Inviting Jesus into your home will bring that sense of peace right on in. In Luke 19:1-9 we find that Jesus invites HIMSELF into a home, the home of Zacchaeus, who was the head tax man, and quite rich!He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn't see over the crowd. So he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, "Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home." Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, "What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?" Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, "Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I'm caught cheating, I pay four times the damages." Jesus said, "Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is: Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost." When people think of your home, what do they think? Is it a house of peace, love and safety, or is there fear, arguing, anger, hate, prejudice and disjointed, dysfunctional family members all going their own way? The only person that can make a difference is you, and that's the truth. I will share something personal with you. I have been divorced for 24 years, yet my children's father is welcome in this home 24/7 and comes in shares a cup of coffee and conversation when ever he comes to take the family out to dinner (twice a week). When he needs prayer for anything he calls me and asks me to pray, and then when the answer comes, as happened yesterday, he calls and gives the praise report and thanks me for praying. How can this happen? Because I wanted peace in this house. Lay down pride or revenge or whatever it is you feel and become what you claim to be, a Christian. I realize that this situation may be special and might not be possible for you, but you can at least not say angry words that make your children cringe, remember that children love BOTH parents, no matter who is right or wrong. If what I have said offends you, I am truly sorry and I am not making a judgement, just saying, invite Jesus in, He is the Prince of Peace and can say about YOUR home "Today is salvation day in this home" as he did in the home of the hated tax collector, Zacchaeus!

Be blessed, Pray, invite Jesus in to dinner and ask Him to stay, the end of the verse says "the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost", be restored starting today!

Only one life, soon will be past; only what's done for Christ will last! There is no time like the present. Exactly what does that mean? Watching old home movies, I see a young mother opening gifts with her 9 month old baby daughter. Watching young men fake fighting for the camera and doing all kinds of stunts that people only do when an 8mm camera, no sound, is running. I see tree lined streets, azaleas and dogwood trees in full bloom, so much footage spent on those Spring scenes. Beloved pets frolicking that are long gone and your parents, once so strong and vital walking without the aid of a helping hand….memories…you are looking at them and for a moment in time you are there. Your grandparents and other family members that have gone to heaven all smiling and talking and waving to the camera  seem to be saying “Remember us this way, you will see us again one day.”  I can hit rewind over and over again, I can watch myself blow out 27 candles on my birthday cake and I remember so well the lady who made it for me…but I cannot go back to that time, what’s done is done. I just want to live every day from this day forward as if I were in front of that old 8mm camera and making memories that I want my posterity to remember and make smile and be proud that they had a mother, grandmother or auntie like me. Today IS that rewind day and I want to make the best of it. Maybe there is something that you would like to do today that will make one of those landmark memory days!  I would like to be a stabilizing force in the life of those that I know, I guess that means I want to be like Jesus… Hebrews 13:7-8 (The Message) Appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself. Today was my mother's birthday. I took movies and pictures of her around the table, talking about the miraculous and romantic way she met and married my dad, blowing out her candles. I don't want to sound dramatic, and any of us could die at any time, but when your mother is turning 86, you think about the inevitable. My dad's 92nd birthday is in a few days and I will do it all over again! One thing I know is that no matter how old we get or how long time lasts, Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever! No need for a re-wind button there!

Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Be Blessed