He Is Risen!

Guess what, He is risen! Easter was a few weeks ago and I was thinking about what it really means. Having lived many years with out Christ, I can tell you about the before and after. What did Jesus do on the cross? He took your sins and mine. He did this for free and only asks that we accept Him. Sounds to easy to be true...that's what I used to think. I also thought I needed to clean up my act before I could ask Him in to my heart. Wrong! He's helping me clean up my act after I surrendered to Him. Before Christ I didn't know I could ask for wisdom to solve a problem and that He would give it to me without reproach. 

I have had some snags in life recently, in November I lost my dear sister. Yes God helps us with grief, however we tend to hold on to it. In this time the Lord reminds me of Philippians 4:8

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think on these things

This turns me around, knowing that sadness pulls us down. Joy picks us up, singing renews our spirit - try it, you'll like it

Keeping It Real

I want to share something that happened to me last week hoping that it will give understanding to non-christian and christians. Our flesh is always ready to manifest itself. 

There is a little lake about 100 feet from our patio, it was starting to get algae so I called the golf maintenance, they did not respond or even return my call. Later I was telling my neighbor about it, I said that I was going to call and complain and call him an SOB - only I didn't use the abbreviation. Then I said that I was going to call him a MF - again, I did not use the abbreviation. Now if you knew me, you would know how much I love the Lord and think that I would never say such a thing. I will address the christians first, just because you've surrendered your life to Jesus and strive to be like Him, you will still have to deal with flesh at time until He returns. To the non-christians, please try to understand that we are not perfect but that we are being perfected. In Christ we have been forgiven, however, that does not excuse our actions when we fail. Give us a break, just love us as we love you.

Reaching Out

I would like to share something that is heavy on my heart, and that is the gangs. For thirty-nine years I have been approaching them and telling them about the love and forgiveness Jesus has for them. In all of these years, not one time have I received rudeness from them, in fact, they thank me and call me Mam. Church and others, don't you know they are searching for love and acceptance, but in all the wrong places. Just like I was before I found the Lord. I am waiting for God to give me a platform to reach more than a handful at a time. Not one time in my life did I receive a tap on my shoulder telling me there was another way, and His name was Jesus. 

You know, God talks a lot about sin in the Bible. He also talks about habitual sin that is an abomination to Him - That is sin that we keep committing and knowing that its wrong but try to convince ourselves otherwise. We all do it, but we must repent. That means stop it! 

When He opens a door...

I started thinking one day that I would like to volunteer somewhere, I saw an add in the paper for school bus drivers wanted. I didn't need to or want to work at the time, however, I just couldn't get the add out of my head. I finally said, Ok Lord, if this is Your plan for me, I'll do it. For this job, I planned to be truthful about my education; I had always lied before about my 6th grade education and this was my fleece I put out to Him to be sure. Well it was confirmed, I was hired. I spent 13 years driving a bus, it was some of the best years of my life. I had special ed adults and children. We would all sing and talk about Jesus on my bus. I told every parent that we did and if they had any objections we wouldn't while their child was on board. There is a scripture, if He opens a door, no one can close it, in 13 years I was never told no. I got nothing but positive feed back about our songs and yodeling.

Positivity pt.2

 I have had veritgo for several years, I have been able to keep it under control with medication. However, Thursday night I awoke at about 12:30 with a full blown attack. My grand daughter came over and ended up having to call 911. I spent 7 hours in emergency. When it was under control I asked God "why did I have to go through that, in what way were You glorified?" because, boy, I sure couldn't see any reason. Maybe it was so I could share some of my favorite healing scriptures with you. 

Healing came from when they turned from their wicked ways in 2 Chronicles 7:14

if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray

 to seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and 

will forgive their sin an will heal their land

So I asked God if there was something I was doing to grieve him. No answer! Then I laid hands on my self, I was so very sick. No help! So then I though I would draw on His sympathy. I said if this was You sick, I'd help You, No answer! Ok God, I give up, Kasey (our youngest grand daughter) called 911.

There is a song, He Is Their All The Time, and of course He was. Philippians 4:8 is one of my favorite verses

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

 whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, 

whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent 

or praiseworthy - think about such things

Be obedient to it, and your health and countenance will change. Stay focused on joy, positive things and good reports

Speaking Up

I can remember so well the first and second time I was able to speak up for our Lord. I had just left church and was in the the super market. I was holding a Bible and a young man questioned me about it. Thinking back on it, I have no idea what was said but I can tell you that is was very brief and made me feel so self-conscious. The second time I was volunteering in for our church's youth group, the leader asked that we get together and pray around a circle. When my turn came I could not speak, after a long pause the leader had the wisdom to know and moved on. Oh yes, I know recall the 3rd time. The high school youth group was at my house and Pastor Vegdahl called us to form a circle, join hands and pray in turn. I thought my heart was going to pound out of my chest. When it was my turn to pray I said to the Lord "Show me what You want me to do" I still say this daily. The Lord say "he who is faithful with a little will be given much". From that day on I was able to speak freely. 

He Lives, He Lives!

After my ocean baptism, I really had a desire to be in the word of God. Here is at least one reason, even though I read that I had been forgiven of my sins, it was so hard for me to believe. As I read, my faith grew daily, little by little I began to believe. Christ really did take my sins to the cross, and now they were out in the ocean. Friends in and out of Christ, I want to tell you, our God is awesome! There is an old hymn that is my testimony:

  He lives, He lives Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and He talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.

In my next post I'd like to share how I was unable to speak in a shared prayer the first time I was asked, and then, wow, do I have a big mouth today!

Please share your thoughts with me...

Gifts From The Lord

If you haven't read any of my previous blogs this won't make sense but I'd like to go back to my last blog when I was baptized again. I was standing in about 4 feet of water, although as I went under it seemed like more and when I came up, I came up at least 100 feet. My hands were up and I started singing, I lift my hands up to the Lord. It was overcast that day but the sun, it seemed, was shinning down brightly on me. The next day someone in my church was unkind to me for being Baptized a second time and I was crying, just then the Lord gave me a poem, it came to me so fast and it comforted me. I have not published this poem, and I don't intend to but please feel free to copy and share it. Just sign it Lois Roan-Reed

Upon the rock I firmly stand

beside the raging sea

Through grace I'm saved at his right hand

because He died for me.

The time is near when I'll go home

and then with Him I'll be

No longer will I have to cry

I'll be at peace with Thee.

As The Wind Blows

I had been feeling for several months that I wanted to be baptized again. Elders in my church had said no but my husband Bob said go for it. I feel God set it up because soon after a young man who was going to go to seminary came to be apart of our high school youth group. We went to the beach for a weekend retreat. One of the girls was going and wanted to be baptized in the ocean, I wanted to as well. Something happened the night before our trip that gave me a negative feeling about the trip. The next day as we went to the water, I laid down on the beach and started to cry. I told the Lord that I thought my desire to be baptized again was coming from him. Just then the wind blew the pages of my Bible open, when I looked down I saw the verse "behold I stand at the door and knock, if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with them and them with me" Wow, did that speak to me or what! In my next post I will share the outcome.

Trusting In The Lord

I had been asked many times to teach Sunday school, I always declined in the past but now felt that I was ready. Did I know God's word? No! But I was willing. As I walked to my class room on that first Sunday morning, I felt so much anxiety, my prayer was, Lord, I don't know your word but You do, help me. Boy did He! One of my little first graders gave me a compliment I cherish to this day. Her mother told me "Karen came home and said 'mama, Mrs. Reed sure does love Jesus"

You see the Bible says "he who is faithful with a little will be given much" Did I take a great knowledge of Gods word in that Sunday school room? No, however, I did take a love of Christ that was apparent to the little ones. I started having a desire to be baptized again. I had been sprinkled with my son Steven when he was baptized, but when I read how Christ had come up out of the water, I wanted the same. The next post, I'll share what happens next. Wow!

The Power of Positivity

There is so much more to each of my posts, so much more I could tell you, but now I want to share a real positive in my life. His name is Bob Reed, my husband who never belittled me because of my education or past; in fact he would even make excuses for me when I did make a mistake. To the readers of this blog: Please start building up the ones in your life who need encouragement. Don't criticize them, I don't care how negative they are, there is a positive in there lives that you can build on. Bob always knew who he was and didn't need to cut someone else down to feel better about himself. 

Today Bob, after multiple strokes, heart attacks and a broken hip, is handicapped and bound to a wheelchair. It is my privilege to give back the love and understanding he has given me for 60 years. I try to practice Proverbs 17:22,

 a cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones 

I hope that my joy would be an encouragement to him.

A Change is Gonna Come

There was so much more to the last entry about the second angel, take my word for it, he was angelic.

Going back to an earlier entry... after the prayer meeting was over, I went home and as I laid in bed a scripture came to me, it came again and the third time I realized it was from the Lord. I got  a Bible to look it up and as I was writing, four more came. All but the last one had to do with the Holy Spirit and laying of hands. The last one was very disturbing. Later, I asked a very spiritual man what he thought it all meant. First he prayed, then he told me that I was doing something that was grieving the Holy Spirit. Well boy was I, getting drunk, swearing, going to X-rated movies etc. After this, I started to clean up my act. Did you understand that I said started? The Bible says there is "pleasure in sin for a season",  I continued trying. 

"...Look For The Light in The Sky"

On this entry I want to share about the second angel I have seen. I saw two before I surrendered my life to the Lord and have seen two since.

When Bob and I were first married, a job took us to the Dakotas, after a few months we headed for Kansas City, MO, where my grandmother lived. We were getting short on money, Bob said not to worry, he could pull money out of his bank in Iowa from anywhere if the teller would call to confirm, well it didn't happened. The little bank in Kansas refused to call leaving us unable to access any money. I started driving and when we came to the edge of town an old man, very well dressed, was standing there with a $10.00 bill in one hand and a brief case in the other. He asked if we would take him to his destination for $10. We said yes, he got in and we took off. When I came to sharp curve, the car slid as we went around, the man said "think nothing of it, there is nothing to it, look for the light in the sky" We soon arrived at his destination, he got out and said again "think nothing of it, there's nothing to it, look for the light in the sky"

Unfamiliar Voice

I was in the basement in Des Moines, Iowa and I heard a voice. It called out to me, "come" then it said "you'll have to die". Well that did it, I made up my mind, no way. Later, the voice spoke to me again, he said "you'll have to sing in the choir, you'll have to walk through waterless places and you'll ask me next time". I thought, oh my goodness, what is this all about? 

I started having health problems and then at age 29 my daughter Kimberly was born. We were still going to church then but I guess my heart was hardened because it was quite some time before I heard the gospel/good news again. We moved back to California, a job transfer for Bob. We found a new church when we moved, the pastors wife asked me if I would like to sing in the choir. Boy did I say yes fast, I wanted to hear that beautiful voice again. It didn't happen, at least not yet. A friend in our Lutheran church said they were having a prayer meeting at her home Wednesday night and asked if Bob and I would like to attend. We went, they laid hands on my and you guessed it, God spoke to me later that night. 

The Beginning of Something

Today, I'd like to take you back in time a bit...

I have said before that I did not come from a church family, however I remember going with my grandma when I was young. She passed away when I was 6. I also went once with a neighbor but we moved away soon after. When we moved to the next place, the little neighbor girl invited me to go to VBS with her. I went, I can remember being able to earn stars for memorizing verses. I was able to memorize the 23rd Psalm. Towards the end of the week the church had an alter call, the other children went up so I did as well. After that VBS, I didn't go to church again for many years. 

When Bob came home from Korea, I wanted a child, we had been married 4 years. I asked Bob if we could visit the Lutheran church down the street, we did and 9 months later steve was born. After that we started going to church more regularly. When Steve was 4, his paternal grandma wanted him to be baptized. As I contemplated this, the Lord spoke to me...

True Love

Like I mentioned before I met my husband Bob when I was 18. 11 months after we met we were married, he is the love of my life. We will celebrate our 60th anniversary this June, it has been a wonderful life together. Bob knew about my fast, his love was unconditional. During World War 2, Bob was in the Merchant Marines. After 1 year of marriage he was called into the army but was able to join the Air Force instead. I followed him to his first base in Witchita Falls, TX and worked in the Post Exchange (PX). He had to live on base so I got a sleeping room near by. When a call came saying he would be going to Korea, I moved back home to be with my family who has recently moved to Kansas City, Missouri. After a year in Korea, Bob was able to come home, he was stationed at an Air Force base in California. On August 24, 1954 he had our first child, a son named Steven. After Steve was born, Bob got out of the service to start college in Iowa. Five years later our daughter Kimberly was born (5/2/59). Soon after, Bob was offered a job in california, so we moved our family back to the west coast. It had been a good life but there always seemed to be something missing.

End of A Chapter

...2 years later my husband returned from overseas, he was stationed in Louisiana. He was living on base, wanting to be near him I rented a room and got a job at a 5 and 10 cent store near by. Soon I was able to get a better job as a waitress. One of the waitress at the restaurant had a husband stationed at the same base, she told me that my husband was having an affair with another officer on base and having an affair with her. Hearing this I returned home to Iowa, he was discharged a year later. Trying to work it out, we  moved to a little town in Iowa, shortly after, we moved again to New Mexico and then Colorado. After some time of this I finally said "no more", this little girl had grown up. I got a divorce (now I know that wasn't necessary, I could have had the marriage annulled) and moved back to Iowa to be near my family. There I rented a sleeping room and got another job as a waitress.

When I was 18 I met my husband, Bob, we have been married 59 almost 60 years (6/19/49). You'll hear more about him tomorrow. 

Solved Mysteries

He was a hired man, and I was a hired girl. His family decided that we needed to be married so it was arranged. Lying about my age, this made me a 13 year old bride. Within a few months he was called in to the service and I returned home. 

My oldest sister's husband was overseas and she worked in a bar in Topeka, Kansas. There were two government bases there and the employees just served pitchers of beer. She called home saying that my second sister was needed. A couple months later she called again and at 15, I was on my way. 

I didn't realize at the time but I was about to encounter something I couldn't explain until much later.  

After closing, the bar employees would sit, chat and drink beer. One night at about 12:30, I was walking home and a car passed by me, it went around the block and as it came by the second time, the man pulled around as I stepped off the curb. He threw his door open and reached for me. I heard footsteps from behind me and when I looked up there stood a tall,  well dressed man, who looked to be about 70. He said "I'll walk you home" in a voice that shook the heavens, the man in the car sped away. The old man walked me all the way home.

Later, as I would share this story, I would say how lucky I was. In 1970, when I surrendered my life to the lord and started pouring through the Bible I realized, WOW, that was an angel.

Adventures

I'll continue where I left off yesterday...

although we were not a church family, we were not allowed to swear, I was sure the bad words I had heard would be in the dictionary.

I felt for years that I was not smart enough to be in the twins class, hindsight shows me how ashamed and angry this made me. When school was out I went home to my folks for one year. At age 12, I had a friend who's cousin was a personal manager at American Packing Co. in a town 8 miles away. The war had started taking the boys out of the workplace. My friend lied to her telling her I was 16 even though I had to be 18, never mind, I got the job. I lived in a rooming house by myself, after work I found friends to hang out with. Most of the time we would hang out in the huge train station. I met a boy who was 7 years older than me and soon we became an item. His family lived in North Iowa and when he got in SOS to come home, he went back and I went with him. He worked on the farm and I did house work...

Talk to you tomorrow.

Aspiring Author?

Hello again, I'm back for my 2nd post.

In the past I have been encouraged to write a book about my life, I want to see what your opinions might be...

I was born in 1930 in Iowa. We were poor people but managed to survive.  I was the 5th child with 5 younger. We moved around a lot, wherever my dad could find work is where we would go. I went to eight schools through the 6th grade, 3 of those years at one school. All but one where one room schoolhouses. When I was 10 my Aunt asked my mom if I could move in with her and clean her house. and she would see that I would go to school. Sometimes I would walk a mile and a half to go to school, sometimes I would get to ride a horse. When I started my 6th grade year, my teacher was only 19 year old. She didn't know how to include me with the twin girls in my class so I would leave to find my own entertainment. Many trips to the outdoor toilet or laying in the grass looking at the sky. I spent a lot of time in the dictionary, I can remember trying to find all the bad words.

This is just a little bit for now, talk to you soon.

It's Up To Us

Hi, my name is Lois, but my grand daughters call me G-Lo, and this is my very first blog. I had a thought one day that I wanted to share, I didn't know what the best way to get it out there would be? I asked my family and they said to blog it...so here we are.

As all of you are aware I'm sure,  our national debt is HUGE. Rather than talking about it, let's contribute to it! So here's my idea...If the billionaires would contribute a billion dollars, and if the millionaires would give a million dollars, and if the thousandaires would give a thousand dollar and if those on welfare would give just $25.00, and if the youngsters that don't have access to funds would start fundraisers to be apart of the rescue mission, we could turn this around. We can do it together.

Some of you might ask how I know about welfare? Well, in 1953, my dad died, he was just 50 yrs old, leaving my mother with four young children. My older brother was in the service and the two older girls and me were all married to servicemen. Because of this, us older kids were unable to help our mom, my mom had no other choice than to go on welfare. Even while mom was struggling she was always able to share with the "down and outers" 

Our USA is down and out right now - Let's help!

I look forward to sharing more with you soon.