September 13, 2021 – “I Remember the Day I Won!”

After entering many contests and never winning, I finally won a small gardening tool. The elation was temporary.  Is this all there is to winning?

We live in a temporary physical realm created by God. He created us…and there is an eternal spiritual realm.

From the time I was small and said this prayer with my brothers at mealtime, I was aware of the importance of the spiritual realm.  The enticing smells of the meal waited until we got to the Amen. For all we eat, for all we wear, for all we have everywhere, we thank you, Father. Amen.   

Later the prayer My Dad prayed in Plautdietch, his home language, became precious to me. (Come, Sir Jesus. Be our Guest. For what we receive, Lord, make us truly grateful.)

Then I sang, “Jesus Loves Me!”  I remember one day, standing at the window looking out the window at the pouring rain, and prayed it would stop.  It did.  Then I began to learn what faith in Jesus Christ is in the Spiritual realm.

Being born during the depression, I didn’t know we were poor. We were rich in love with our parents and the dawning of faith in Jesus provided all of us eternal riches on earth.

My parents lived with ‘make do’ philosophy. My brothers and I slept in a home-made trundle bed, stored under my parents’ bed during the day in our three-room house. I didn’t realize then, but Mother spent many hours sewing on the old treadle Singer sewing machine to make clothes for others as well as us.

When Dad became a ‘regular’ at the post office, we moved to a larger house.  There Mother built my bed, and a desk for my room.  I didn’t have any clothes purchased from the clothing store until after I was married. Mother especially loved the printed feed sacks to use for clothes.

My Dad possessed a gift of storytelling. He told us stories of growing-up with his three brothers, plus Old Testament Bible Stories.  The Bible characters, such as Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Esau, and King David became living breathing and always faithful to our Lord God.

All these happenings as a child, I count as an eternity win.  There are more blessings (wins) from God were the hours I spent, sometimes under duress, at the piano keyboard.  After I learned to play hymns and sightread, it was a way I could serve God, and bring joy to worshippers.  Countless funerals and weddings were ways I used the blessing ‘win’ from Mother. For she taught me the joy of music. Now when I read the phrase Sing a new song to the Lord in the scriptures, I praise God.

       For sixty-six years of marriage to my Ed Frank brought many more joys of learning how to love in difficult times and blessed times.  Our four children brought more lessons on learning how to love as they brought grandchildren and great grandchildren.  What a joy God has in store for all of us.

Yet another win – teaching for thirty-one years.  These children taught me more about the importance of loving, as they taught me.  All who are my brothers and sisters in Christ became my friend through the love of Jesus.  Each has been a gift from God.  Whether they live here or elsewhere in the world.

Living life with God’s Way and His Love has been more of a win than any treasure this world can offer.

When Mother encountered yet another blessing, she broke into a song:

          Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.