Friday, May 8, 2020

Getting Ready

I received a call from Dustin at Sadler telling me that the headstone I had ordered was in it place at the City of Lubbock Cemetery. Immediately I had to go see it. 

Like a good teacher I want my plans in place. Every Thursday I would have my plans ready for the next week. Can't take the teacher out of me. When the time comes for me to depart I don't want my nieces Amy, Sarah, and Leah to have to do this. 

I have my service planned with songs and the message which I have left in a secure place. I would like to read it myself but that might be a little too much.

My headstone says at the top "Tio Ween"! I never had children but my nieces and their children are the world to me. If I count the students I taught whom I loved like they were my own then I had hundreds. So at the bottom to remember all those students, I put educator with a set of books. At the top is a musical staff. I love to sing the old hymns and have led singing on Sunday nights since 1994. I wanted my music with me. At the bottom which is difficult to read in this picture is the scripture from Philippians 2:5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. I always tried to be like Jesus - often failed but still strove to be like him. I would do something and think that is not of Jesus.

The only thing I regret that I didn't put on it was LCC or LCU. Lubbock Christian was the best thing that ever happened to me. I love LCU and the relationships formed there. It truly blessed my life through Doug and Vickie Harriman as well as Bob and Brenda Cass. Having Cass as a roommate meant college life was never dull. We laughed all the time. So I don't know how I will adjust that but somehow I will manage to put LCU on it. Forever Blue!

Of course always being an odd ball I wanted Arrived and Departed. I am just a visitor on this land. My home is in heaven. So just as you prepare to go on a trip, I want everything ready when I depart for the room my Jesus has prepared for me. Let me say - it won't be because of anything I have done to deserve it - it is because of God's amazing grace and the fact that I believe Jesus came, lived, died, rose from the grave, and he will come again.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Be Not Afraid

I have not posted in quite awhile. It might be that today I am procrastinating my next project during this time of social distancing.

This morning the song Be Not Afraid has kept going through my head. I have heard it sung at Catholic services. It is written by Robert J. Dufford, S.J., a Jesuit priest. Should you choose to listen to it, click on the title below and I pray you are blessed.

You shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst. You shall wander far in safety though you do not know the way. You shall speak your words in foreign lands, and all will understand. You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.

Blessed are your poor, for the kingdom shall be theirs.
Blest are you that weep and mourn, for one day you shall laugh. And if wicked tongues insult and hate you all because of me, blessed, blessed are you!

Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest. 

Now, this is what the Lord says,
the one who created you, O Jacob,
and formed you, O Israel:
“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you.
I call you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I am with you;
when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;
the flames will not harm you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer. Isaiah 43:1-3

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28

I know the scriptures and the lyrics are true. I want to believe and live it. Praying for healing and peace.

Be blessed ~ tio ween