Category: Sister Judy (Page 200 of 271)

Devotions from Judy’s heart

A few days ago I woke up early and going through my mind was my dad’s favorite song. I thought of how much he liked this one and how he trusted God’s hand to guide him Home. His earthly toil has ended

and he is now in his true home with the Lord with mom, grandma and so many others….O glad reunion!! 

Beyond the sunset, O blissful morning,
When with our Savior, heaven is begun;
Earth’s toiling ended, O glorious dawning,
Beyond the sunset when day is done.

Beyond the sunset, no clouds will gather,
No storms will threaten, no fears annoy;
O day of gladness, O day unending,
Beyond the sunset eternal joy!

Beyond the sunset, a hand will guide me
To God the Father whom I adore;
His glorious presence, His words of welcome,
Will be my portion on that fair shore.

Beyond the sunset, O glad reunion,
With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before;
In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting,
Beyond the sunset forever more!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

This morning when I was going to start the fire in the woodstove, the window of it was black with soot. I couldn’t see if there were any coals inside or rather couldn’t see inside at all. But after I cleaned the window, everything was clear and I could see the live coals. I thought of how there is a veil between our life here on earth and our eternal home. Our home above is very real but not seen because of the veil that separates us, like the blackened glass.  One day the veil will be removed and we will see clearly His glory.  II Cor 3:18 says, “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another.”  I think of my dad and how thin the veil seems between his life here on earth and heaven that awaits him. When the veil is lifted he will be at Home at last!  I wonder if he will spend Christmas with mom.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We have been given so many promises that the Lord will never leave us and is always present, waiting and listening to our cry. Heb. 13:5 says “for He has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you.”  Tuesday on our way home from seeing my dad, Al stopped for a haircut and I sat in the car. A man next to me went into a store and left his poodle dog (with red bows in her fur) in his vehicle. His dog was frantic and she barked and jumped up and down the whole time. She was so anxious and it was as if she thought her owner would never return.  She carried on until her owner returned when she finally quieted down. Are we also like that at times…so anxious and wondering where God is in our circumstances? Do we trust and believe the Lord is near even though we may not “see” him. Let us quiet ourselves and rest in Him. He is so worthy of our trust.  “In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.”  Isaiah 30:!5

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you ever prayed that God would help you to see another person through His eyes and not yours?  How God sees things is often so different from our short-sighted vision.
I just read this morning of how Jesus saw Simon ( who often put his foot in his mouth), and gave him a new name which meant, Rock. Even though Peter would deny Him, He became the leader and head of the apostles. Jesus saw in Peter what others may not have seen at the time.

Yesterday as my dad was brought to the nursing home from the hospital, the Hospice nurse came ahead of him and talked with us.  She asked us many questions about my dad. We told her of how content he is with things, and so undemanding.  He accepts what is and doesn’t complain etc. etc.  Then we took her to his room so she could meet him. I wondered what others see…is he just a 100 year old man that demands a lot of care?  Perhaps that is what some of the staff may think. But I believe she saw him more as the Lord sees him as she treated him with such compassion and care. She knelt on the floor beside him and spoke into his ear and listened, as his speech was hard to understand. She made him comfortable and gave him reassurance. I pray that I may see others as the Lord sees and show His compassion and His love.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We just got home from seeing my dad in the cities after leaving yesterday morning at 5 a.m.  I had prayed in the night if we should go and it just seemed like yes, we should. Our times are truly in His hands as David  says in Ps.  32:14-15.  “But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, “You are my God’. My times are in your hands.”  When we got to the hospital, tears came to my eyes as I saw how frail and poorly dad looked.  I brought him a prayer shawl I had just crocheted and wrapped him up as he was cold. We so wanted to talk to the Dr. and everything went like clock work. The Dr. came early enough so he could give an order for blood work etc and we got to talk with everyone after that; the, social worker, two more Drs. Hospice, technician, etc etc. One after another was available. We spent a long time signing papers and getting  Hospice started. Dad was able to go back to his own room at Augustana by evening and the hospice nurse was there and got him all settled. This  morning I went to his room early and had a nice chat with him, got him to take fluids, and then to share how much I love him. He could talk enough to say he loved me too. My brother just called and dad is bleeding again and his blood pressure has dropped some so we would appreciate continued prayers. We don’t know how long he has left on this earth, but we are sooooo thankful  for the time with  him yesterday. We could feel the prayers. Our times are in His hands!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day I had just listened to Carrie Underwood’s amazing song of “How Great Thou Art” on YouTube. It just gave me goose bumps and the verse spoke to me, “When Christ shall come with shouts of acclamation and take me home what joy shall fill my heart.”  Shortly afterwards I went for a prayer walk  and it was very cold out. When I reached the half way mark and started home again I was battling a strong wind and longed to get home. Even the smell of the smoke from our chimney was drawing me. I thought of my eternal home and how I am over the ½ mark too and going homeward. I had such great joy thinking about my “real home” and asking the Lord to bless the rest of my journey here on earth.  I had just read from Ps. 31:19, “Oh how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you.”  Let us keep our eyes on things above even as we live in the now. He has so much stored up for us and whatever we have to go through on earth is nothing compared to what awaits us.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I love light and the first thing I do in the morning is to open the blinds and watch as the sun comes up. I noticed when we went to see my aunt in her new corner apt, it had lots of light. For her it is especially important as she has macular degeneration and is legally blind. But with her little peripheral vision, she needs all the light she can get. How about us? We are told in Is. 2:5 to “walk in the light of the Lord”.  The Lord is Light and He wants to shine in the darkness of our lives and bring dawn.  He wants to bring us out of the shadows and expose us to His light that we may walk in the light of His presence.  He also says we are a light in the world and not to hide our light but to put it on a stand. (Matt.5:14).  We can also pray for our loved ones that the Lord will bring them out into His light and scatter the darkness. May we  open the blinds of our hearts and be children of the Light!!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Dec. 15th was a special day for 2 of my friends who celebrated their birthdays. It is also special as it is the anniversary of my cousin’s adopted son’s “Homecoming”.  Martin’ was born with a so many things wrong with his body and he was given up by his parents. But my cousin and hubby started caring for him, which demanded around the clock time for care giving, but given with heaps of love. It was a witness to all of us of unconditional love. He lived to be 17 years old, far beyond his expected  life span because of the love he received.  They spent much time at the hospital when his body needed emergency care. Their lives changed as it was focused around Martin and all his many needs. They ended up adopting him as he had won over their hearts. They in return, received so much love from him.  He went to glory where he has a new perfect body and can run and laugh and sing for the first time.  Today they are going to Children’s hospital and giving out gifts in Martin’s name. They sacrificed so much for Martin and it caused me to think of all that it cost my Heavenly Father for the sacrifice of His Son for us. We are broken too and we need someone to care for us, save us, and love us unconditionally. Let us make room in our hearts for Him whose birthday we are celebrating at this Christmas time.

Devotions from Judy’s heart,

We have a new pastor coming Jan. 1^st and she expressed that her call is to make God’s grace known to all people. Written up in the paper is an article that says, “Grace is the cornerstone of both her theology and her life.”  Grace is something we sing about, talk about, but may not always be easy to extend to others. One of our grandkids bought his brother a rather expensive gift for Christmas.  But recently that brother was “mean” to him several days in a row. He called me and wanted my advice as he was intent on bringing the gift back and buying him a cheaper gift, since he was “undeserving”. We talked about grace and how it is undeserved favor etc. But he was still hurting from his brother’s actions and said he was going to return the gift that day. So far he hasn’t exchanged it but will have to wait and see if grace wins out!
I have been reading in Timothy lately and in II Tim. 1:9 it says, “God saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to his own purpose and Grace. This Grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.”  How blessed we are that God does not give us what we deserve but rather pours out His grace freely. Let us extend that grace to others for we are recipients of that same wondrous grace.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Do we live on the surface or do we experience abundant life that Jesus promised us in John 10:10?  We have a choice to live superficially or live deeply and abundantly. When we had the farewell coffee time for our interim pastor, our council president knitted him a beautiful prayer shawl. At first glance you may think it was just an ordinary prayer shawl but a closer look gave special significance.  Marlys had done it in several patterns of 3 stitches signifying the Trinity. It was bordered by 6 stitches called a seed stitch, which was significant of all the seeds pastor had sown in our midst. She also used a diamond pattern that reminds us that in God’s eyes we are His most valuable creation, a jewel.  The center and the largest panel was a cross which reminds us of what God has done for us through Jesus sacrifice on the cross. Sometimes used is a cable pattern that looks like 2 vines twisted together. This can remind us that Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. I put the prayer shawl on Pastor’s shoulders as Marlys read about the patterns in it. But we all took a closer look after these things were pointed out. Do we take time to look deeper into what is happening around us, to see what God is up to, to listen more intently to a friend’s story, to live below the surface?  Let us not be surface dwellers but ones that dwell deeply into Him!