Leaves, Leaves & More Leaves

Isaiah 64:6
"For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Our Sweet Gum Tree

Today I marveled at the amazing weather and our amazing God as I raked crusty, dry leaves that crunched under my feet.  The wind was gusty and I thought about the iniquities that God has "blown away" for Tom and me.  As we reflect on life and the circumstances we are in, we both pray that it is not in vain.  Vain would mean that souls have not been changed because of our lives.  If you are reading this blog and you haven't had the wind blown change of the Holy Spirit sweep through your heart, then our hearts are sad.  We are not sure how to communicate more clearly that Jesus wants your heart.  If you sense a tug on your heart to get your life straight with God...please don't ignore His voice speaking softly to you.  Turn to Him and recognize His love for you by admitting that you are a sinner.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Romans 3:23

Tom was just seven years old when he prayed with his mama to receive Christ into his heart.  I was a little more stubborn and it wasn't until God allowed some hard circumstances in my life and move me from Mansfield, Ohio to Colorado Springs, Colorado to get me to listen to Him and ask Him to be Lord of my life.

"The wages of sin is death; but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Romans 6:23

At age 7 and 18, both Tom and I knew that we were sinners.  There was nothing we could do to change our condition that we were born with.  With this recognition we knew that death would be real for us one day.

"And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."

Hebrews 9:27-28

Do you realize that everyone lives forever?  It is in this lifetime that God gives you the opportunity to choose Him and receive His free gift of salvation, heaven and grace for each day!  If you decide not to choose Him in this lifetime, then you've actually made a decision to reject Him and you become an eternal citizen in hell when your earthly life ends.

"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;"

II Peter 2:4

In no way do we want anyone we know or don't know to be separated from Christ for all of eternity.  It is our prayer that as many people we know and don't know, come to know Christ.  We do not want you to just come to know us through this life circumstance (& blog).  If you read this blog and you don't know us...that's okay, but if you read this blog and you don't know Christ...that's a tragedy with eternal consequences!

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit."

I Peter 3:18

As Tom and I have had the opportunity to live the past 8 months with eternity ever present on our minds we can rejoice in knowing that we both have made professions of our faith and that heaven is our real home.  We are temporary citizens here on this earth.  Has it been easy?  No.  Do we falter and flail?  Yes.  But we can testify that God has been our strength and HE IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME! 

"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name (the name of Jesus) under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

Acts 4:12

 “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved."

Acts 16:31

Wherever you are right now reading this, fall to your knees and thank Him for your salvation or ask Him through prayer to be Lord of your life like this:

"Thank you for the gift of eternal life.  I know I am a sinner and I cannot save myself no matter how I try.  I believe Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for my sins and He rose again from the dead.  I want to put my complete trust in Christ alone for my salvation.  Thank you for saving me.  Help me to walk in a manner worthy of You.  Amen"

No greater joy would Tom and I have than knowing that even just one person came to Christ through this GBM diagnosis and experience!

Our Silver Maple

As you can see from the Sweet Gum tree...I will be raking again, soon.  However, I am thankful that the Silver Maple is pretty much done dropping her beauty.  My back and arms are feeling the strain of the rake.  It made me appreciate my sister-in-love Cheryl, my daughter Sarah, my son-in-love Zac and my nephew Zac for all their help over the last week and weekend with this raking chore.

Efforts to be hauled away Tuesday and praying your sins are hauled away too!

Tom had a doctor's appointment with Dr. Zerick yesterday.  Two things we know, Tom will be weaned off the steroid by next Tuesday and a MRI is scheduled for three months, February.  We think that being off the steroid that Tom's appetite will slow down some and it may help too with getting through the night without as many trips to the bathroom! 

The highlight for today was having Occupational and Physical therapy here together to have Tom walk away from the island with only a crutch and two therapists!!  We see glimmers of the hope of walking getting closer with each therapy session!  Like I said before, "God is good, all the time".