It’s Just a Number
 
I want to begin by saying happy birthday to our sweet granddaughter, Jamie and wonderful son in love, Cody.  Both, of which, were born on my birthday, February 21st.  Since this is our special day of the year, I am going to take opportunity to speak to a couple of truths that have become important to me especially as each year is quickly adding up to more candles. 
 
As a missionary, with the agency that we were connected with, birthdays were a special time.  Actually, it was the day of the year that many missionaries hosted special mission events.  The reason?  Missionary birthdays appeared in our mission publications. This encouraged people all over the world to pray specifically for us on our birthday.  What better way to have God involved with mission work than on a day when the prayers of his people are so focus on the birthday person and their events of the day. Certainly, those days on the mission field, I felt the love and prayers of so many saints.
 
There is a common phrase associated with getting older, “Age is just a number”. I think the intent is not to focus on the actual number but on one’s vitality. Certainly, some “numbers” are highly significant such as the 1st, 16th, 21st, and others.  I am sadden when I think of people throughout the world who don’t even know their number.  No concept of their beginning and certainly no knowledge of their ending time.
 
So, as I reflect on God’s watch care over me all of these years, I am reminded of some truth.
 
Scriptures says, “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalms 139:16 NIV) When I was in my mother’s womb and her appendix ruptured when she was 6 months pregnant, the doctor had to preform surgery, which was risky especially way back then. God knew me even then.
 
At about 2 years old, I swallowed a piece of a toy, which lodged in my throat and cut off my airway.  My parents and grandmother were in a panic to rescue me.  But Matthew 6:27 says “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?”  God knew my days and that the plastic was just a “bump” in my life, not changing His plan.
 
At about age 8, while riding in the rear passenger seat next to the door, my father turned a corner and the car door flew open.  The event was certainly unnerving to a child especially in an era of pre-car seats and seatbelts.  Matthew 10: 29-31 reminds us, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” God’s watch over me shielded me from harm that day.
 
One Monday afternoon, 7 years ago, I left my Houston office later than normal and began the hour-long trip home.  Not long into the freeway trip, I experienced a terrifying event.  Up high on an over pass, where the freeway split west to Sugarland and north to downtown Houston, another driver made a last seconds decision to go west.  The driver clipped the big yellow, weighted barrels and went airborne landing on my car.  In those few seconds prior to impact, I knew something was about to happen.  I pulled to the left, clipping the driver in the other lane.  I heard the metal on metal of the airborne driver going over my car, landing in front of me and driving off.  I pulled to the side of the freeway, high on the curve of the overpass and began to assess myself.  My first thought was of heaven.  I wondered if I was there; however, looking around, I knew my damaged car would not have made the trip with me. I assessed my arms and legs for damage.  I tried to look at my face in the rearview mirror only to discover that the entire roof of my car was gone except for the 18 inches above my head.  All I saw was sky, which could have been the reason I thought I was in heaven or on my way. I don’t share this to traumatize anyone but to say the truth of His Word, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11).   God was not finished with me.
 
Last year, on my 62nd birthday, my heart was in great turmoil so much so that I stayed home from church and spent hours praying, wrestling with the Lord and committing again to Him all of my days. My life verse Joshua 1:9 reminded me even in these uncharted steps of this age to follow his Word.  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
 
I have no doubt that throughout this span of 63 years, there have been many other situations and times that God guarded my life; me being totally unaware.  God has been counting my days for His purposes and giving watch that His number is the sum of my life.
 
As each of us face another birthday this year, I challenge you to find peace and comfort that God’s “got this”…our days and life are in His hands. So as some of you may face hardships, surgeries, changes in abilities, just remember, none of this surprises God.  He knows all so trust Him. Suggestion: In addition to saying “Happy Birthday”, speak a prayer over your dear friend and ask God to bless them.  Have a blessed birthday this year and eat cake!
 
Blessings,
Karen

If I could ever be of help to any of you or pray for you, FB message me. 

***Next week, the blogs will expand to another member of our family.  Our oldest daughter Tiffany will be sharing her blog.  You will be blessed! ***

Happy Valentine’s Day!  I thought it would be fitting to share about a couple of love stories.  Certainly, Hallmark has found the golden nugget - show movies in each season of the year and end the plot with a romantic love story.  Most women love to get lost in a great love story.
 
While on the field as missionaries in Venezuela, I read a great love story.  Reading became a favorite pastime of mine. Materials were usually in short supply; however, it was a custom to pass books onto other missionaries after reading them.  So, I read a great assortment of books.  Probably many I would not have even opened the first page.  It had the same affect on me as was portrayed in the 1978 Calgon commercial (you can look it up on youtube)…. The woman listed all of the stresses of the day and then said: “Calgon, take me away” and then seen in a deep tub of suds, relieving the stress of the day.  No better way than to read a good love story as a form of escape.  During those years on the mission field, besides reading the Word of God, I would ease into a someone else’s story that appeared perfect and uncomplicated.  One of my daughters, after becoming a mom herself said to me that “now I understood why you read so much”.  It was a way to temporally put on hold a demanding life with 5 children and living in another culture, functioning everyday in a second language.
 
Within a year of reading the book, we returned to stateside for home assignment or furlough.  We often were invited to churches to share about God’s work on the field. I had the privilege of going to a large church in Alabama.  I stayed with a wonderful family and had opportunity to talk about our work.  One evening, the wife invited me to go see a new movie.  It seemed like a great idea however about 5 minutes into the movie, I began gripping the arm rest, struggling as to discern if this was the same story as the book I had read in the past months. In another 5 minutes, I knew it was the same.  I am not one to read a book and then see the movie.  However, I settled in and the movie did not disappoint.  I would say “A Walk to Remember” has to rank in the top 10 love stories of all times.  The main character was a truly, pure hearted Christian teenage girl who deeply impacted the life of a troubled young male student.  Her life led to a total, radical transformation in him.  Of course, the love story developed, short lived as it was, but the significance of their lives together set the young man on a changed course of life. I was so moved by so many of the different elements in the story that when I returned home from the trip, I insisted all of my children watch the movie, feeling fully convinced there were messages to learn.  Heavy sigh……”A Walk to Remember”….I may need to see it again.
 
Darrell and I have our own love story.  Two kids that grew up in church, accepted Christ as Savior as children and felt God had specifically called each of us separately to serve Him in special services.  I was a woman on a mission to serve God and fully convinced that if I were to marry, it had to be to someone who equally felt called by God to serve Him.  I boarded the plane in California and landed at Oklahoma Baptist University.  I had already told God that the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia or on the reservations with the Native Americans in Arizona would fit me well, but no Spanish speaking countries.  The first two years at college I got to know some very fine Christian young men, but I had one strong criteria besides being a Christian and service call, it was that I would have to feel I could not beat him up.  Ok, maybe the more acceptable alternative thoughts would be a spiritual leader, strong minded, determined etc.  But pure and simple, I wanted a guy that I couldn’t beat up.  I played ball all my life with my brother and the guys in the neighborhood in furious competition.  I was used to having to hold my own and prove myself as an equal so no guy for me who could out “play” me.  I was a true “tomboy” in practice and heart.  After searching through all of the guys preparing to be ministers, I moved on to guys in the mission seminar that I attended once a month.  I was starting to feel a bit of hopelessness.  The beginning of my junior year, in the September meeting of the mission seminar, a longhaired, thin guy in bell-bottom jeans, wearing a flannel shirt, walked through the door.  The moment I saw him, I knew he was the one. Good thing the class met only once a month cause it took me a whole month to find someone who knew both of us.  I, at least, was trying to maintain some type of proper etiquette in having a formal introduction.  I can’t even remember the name of the guy who introduced us in the October mission seminar, but it was life changing.  I can’t say it all fell into place quickly without some bumps, disappointments. But a little less than 3 years from the time we met, we were married.  I feel fairly confident; God used those years to knock off some rough edges in my life and tame that “criteria”of someone I couldn’t beat up.  Who thinks like that?
 
With all the thought of love on this particular day, February 14th, I am really drawn to my greatest love.  It started in Camilla, Georgia, the summer that I was 9 years old. Okay, it was 1968.  As with each summer, my siblings and I made the yearly pilgrimage to our little Baptist church to attend Vacation Bible School.  Not sure which day of the week, but it was later in the week like on Thursday.  During the opening session, you know after the Christian flag, US flag, and Bible was walked down the isle and we all recited the pledges to both flags and the Bible, our pastor began to speak.  I had set through this VBS format for at least 3 years of my life, this day did not seem any different except maybe that I was actually listening and not distracted by my usual occupation of people watching.   It was during that speaking time about God and Jesus that a profound life-changing event happened.  It was truly the first time that I heard the message of being separated from God because of my sins. The pastor shared that Jesus, the Son of God, came to the earth, lived a sinless life, died on a cross for our sin, was buried and rose from the dead. Oh my, I realized I was separated from God….I was a sinner and I needed a Savior. Never in my 9 years had I ever felt like that at church.  Something was wrong that needed to be fixed! The pastor asked us to bow our heads and raise our hand if we had never asked Jesus to be our Savior…yes, he asked it just that way.  Being the honest 9 year old that I was and having just had the biggest revelation in my life that I couldn’t be close to God because of my sin, I raised my hand.  Obviously, someone was looking around and taking names because it was not long after that hand-raising event, my pastor scheduled a follow up conversation at our home with my parents and me. My “dirt” was exposed.  Certainly, my parents were not surprised but elated for the opportunity of me coming to know Jesus as Lord. I actually did not pray at the home visit.  We had gone to my grandparents’ house in Alabama the next weekend and went to church with them.  I remember gripping the pew, asking God to protect our lives back home because I knew Jesus did not live in my heart as of yet. I wanted to make the decision at my home church.  That next Sunday, a hot August morning at First Baptist Church Camilla, Georgia sitting in the very back row like we always did, I walked down the aisle by myself, yielding my life to Christ.  Have you ever cried so hard that your shoulders go up and down? But, oh the relief and peace I experienced which flooded my soul and heart. I found my greatest love.
 
Have you been looking for love in all the wrong places such as Johnny Lee suggested in his 1980 big hit? 
 
John 3: 16 says For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 
You are loved and cherished by God.  He is the greatest love of our lives if we choose His Son, Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
 
I want to add a sweet note like Paul Harvey used to say “for the rest of the story”.  When Darrell and I were going through the appointment process with the International Missionary Board, we were assigned to a committee of Trustees who reviewed all of our paperwork and were charged to ask questions.  During our question time, one of the Trustees spoke up and said that her church had been praying for a long time for a missionary to be sent from their church.  This Trustee was the pastor’s wife from First Baptist Church Camilla, Georgia.  God is so faithful and good to answer prayer.  I felt honored to be chosen by God, to be sent by them.
 
I would love to hear about your favorite love story books, movies and spouses.  If you too have found the greatest love in Jesus Christ as your Savior, let me know when your new life began.
 
Blessings,
Karen
 

Names are important
 
Have you ever wondered or even asked your parents how in the world did they choose your name. I did ask my mother and she just said she liked my name at the time.  Wow, she had no idea that Karen would become so “popular” with so many memes and references connected to it, with even pictures.  My mom hit the jackpot with naming me “Karen”. I was initially oblivious to it until another “Karen” at work filled me in on all of the good stuff on line about us. A negative can become a positive and I have tried to work it to my advantage by even suggesting to people that if they want me to act like a “Karen” I would oblige. 
 
Some to be parents have a difficult time naming their children.  I have seen teachers have an extremely challenging time in selecting a name, which I suspect is because of all the names that they associate with memorable students.  Some people have an easy time because the child’s name just falls in the family line of repetitive names after their fathers, grandfather or great grandfathers. Someone shared with me that every daughter in their family had the first name of Maria followed by their individual name. 
 
During my tenure at the hospital, I serviced the Mom/Baby Unit. My services were called upon typically when a problem presented. Sad to say, there were mothers who delivered and left their baby unnamed at the hospital only to be identified as “Infant” and mom’s last name.  One baby was born in an ambulance on the way to the hospital. So that baby was named for the street the ambulance was travelling on when the baby was born. 
 
We have been able to choose 5 names for our children. All the names were well thought out, purposeful with meaning. So if our children asked, I can give a clear, reasonable thought as to why we chose that name. Each name had a purpose, meaning to be explained.  When we lived in Venezuela as missionaries, we were often asked about the name of our 4thchild, Christiana Grace. People wanted to know “why” we had chosen that name for her.  It became a point of witnessing of the saving grace of Christ.
 
  In our repertoire of family names, we have added 4 more name, our children in loves plus 11 grandchildren, with one more coming in April. Shamefully, I have tried to trick Danielle into “spilling the beans or rather name” of the grandchild coming to no avail. I do have 2 granddaughters that share my middle name, which I shared with my mother.  Darrell has a grandson who has his middle name, even born on his birthday which was Darrell’s dad’s name.  See what I mean, names come from somewhere. Months, seasons, songs, celebrities, even streets. 
 
I grew up in a large family, one with 5 children also.  I use to wonder why my mom would call out at least 2-3 of our names before she landed on the right name for which she needed in the moment. I feel successful if I get the name right on the first call.  My sweet daughter in loves, who are twins, and Sonya and Tonya are so gracious toward me in this area.  They are fraternal twins and while they resemble each other, there should be no mistaking on my part of calling them correctly even after all of these years. As a result of getting names wrong, some people just move to calling people “hon” or such endearing term…. there is never a mistake with that approach.  
 
We all have additional names such mom, dad, sister, brother, aunt, uncle or grandma/grandpa.  Other endearing names have been given to grandparents such as Gigi, papa, nana, or lollie/pop.  There seems to be more unique grandmother names than grandfather names.  I think as women we think longer and more intense on what we want to be called and call our children.  Our selection of Christiana Grace survived the birth of two sons before we could bestow upon her that enormous name. To keep the idea going, we give others nicknames, sweet pea, pooh bear, Zac-a-roo, pumpkin just to name a few. We shorten names to Andy, Drew, Kris, Tiff, Trav, Dan etc. One-syllable words are quicker and easier to get out in a hurry. 
 
God was intentional on multiple occasions with names. God changed Abram to Abraham (Genesis 17:5) and Sarai to Sarah (Genesis 17:15). An angel instructed Zacharias to name the child carried by Elizabeth as John (Luke 1:60-63). Joseph was instructed by an angel that Mary was with child, conceived by the Holy Spirit and was to be named Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21).
 
So what is so special about the name of Jesus?. The name of Jesus has over 200 names and titles in the Bible. The name is the most significant name of all names that has ever been named. 
 
Isaiah 9:6 (ESV) “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 
 
John 14:6 (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Act 4:12 (ESV) And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

Philippians 2: 9-11 (ESV) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
 
There is so much more to know and believe about the name of Jesus.  In our deep and darkest hours, we can call upon the name of Jesus. There is power in the name of Jesus. His name is the one name that we can trust with our lives.  
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The name of Jesus is powerful to save. His name, who is above all names, has become a casual, slang, curse word in a person’s vernacular speech of frequent conversations. Have you ever thought why insert the name of Jesus as an adjective, descriptive, explosive word instead of using it as a noun, a person who is to be reverenced and honored. Interesting…these same people would say they don’t believe in Jesus yet His name is so frequently used.  The same can be said about the holy name of God. 
 
So I leave you with a couple of important thoughts: 
 
How valuable and trustworthy is your name?  Proverbs 22:1 says “ A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold.” Regardless of what our parents named us, we can choose for our name to be a good name. A name that someone can trust our actions and deeds. 
 
Do you call others by descriptive names such as stupid, fool, dumb and so many more of greater ugliness? In my simplistic mind, I have always thought it was dishonoring the parents of the person to ascribe another name that would defame them. 
 
What name do you call out to in the deep, darkest part of the night to save you? In whose name do you ask for salvations, healing, provision, comfort, strength and the list can go on? It is the name of Jesus. The name above all names. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10 (ESV). 
 
I call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not as an adjective but a noun, a person. Romans 10:13 (ESV) For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be save.”
 
When was the last time you called on the mighty name of the Lord Jesus Christ? Today could be the day to speak His name. 
 
It would be a pleasure to hear about any decision you make about the name of Jesus.  I would also enjoy hearing how your parents named you. 
 
 
Blessings, 
Karen