Seasons of Sylvia - 1983

January 1, 1983

Lord, thank you for letting me see a new day and thank You for bringing us all through the old year.  Today, a new year lies before me and mine.  We are going to possess that new year and how wonderful it is to know that.

"...the eyes of the Lord are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year." Deut. 11:12

There will be good and bad, hills and valleys - but praise God, His rod and staff comfort me. He will bring me through and I hope I can learn and grow in Him through each experience.  Oh God, don't let me stagnate. Let my light shine, and if by Your mercy and grace, I can light another candle for Your glory, to profess You, to carry on the church life of Your people here on earth, to bring them to the knowledge and hope and life in You, I shall feel much blessed. 

God, bless our new year and let us use it to Your glory, not ours, amen.


January 16, 1983

Thy Name is as ointment poured forth: Jesus.  Lord Jesus.  Kings and kingdoms will all pass away, but the name of Jesus is forever, living.  Praise Him!


January 24, 1983

Oh God, thank You for Mearidith - what a joyful baby, so fresh from You.  This was such a happy week-end.  Brent and Laurie are such sweet and loving parents, keep this spirit of love in them for each other and for their children always, in You, oh Lord.

Joe was home and got to see the baby for the first time, I was so glad.  He is charmed by her, as we all are.  Thank You for this child, too.

Thank You, God, for being so merciful to us all.

Please watch over and care for Donna and Sally and the precious lives they are carrying.  You are able, amen, praise You, Lord Jesus, and thank You from my heart for prayers sent upward and answered.


February 8, 1983

The Lord is my Shepherd!

Oh Lord, lead me in Your everlasting way.  May my words and deeds be pleasing to Thee and be a bowing down and worshipping of You, my Holy King.  My King, my Lord, my Savior, my Peace, my All in All, the One who is worthy, and I pray that I shall praise You forever here and with the chorus of angels in eternity!

Praise the Lord! Amen.


February 27, 1983

As I stood this morning, shining my pots and pans, applying the Brillo pad, steel wool, rubbing hard, and finally looking at the beautiful results, I thought about how Christ is that same kind of polishing to our souls and spirits. 

How dirty and filthy we are as the world "uses" us as we use our pots and pans, and how we need the Life of Christ, and all it entails - the chastising, the valleys of death, the "rubbing and tumbling and polishing and scraping off of the marks" left by that use, day in and day out.

And how pleased He must be to see that "shine" in us when we take Him in these situations as our polishing and cleansing.  Only to get dirty again, of course, but as I diligently polish and shine each time, praise the Lord, so does He! 

One difference - I might give up once in a while, but God doesn't - He's the same refiner of our vessels, day in and day out, until one day, we will shine as gold - a lot of worldly dirt to be erased.

As I stood there polishing away, I had to rinse that pot or pan under running water, and so it is with Christ - He is the rushing, running water that finally brings out the shining in me.

How wonderful that is and how beautiful I must look to Him when He is through with me.  Just as I look at the reflection of my face in my shining copper pan - so must God "see" Himself in me after Christ and His life and His water finishes shining me up - oh, one day to reflect this God forever and never turn dirty again.

Praise the Lord, for He will accomplish what He has set out to do in  me.  Oh Lord, I am in awe of You, I praise You, I love You, amen!


February 28, 1983

Lord Jesus, I take You for my all today, amen!


May 2, 1983

Oh, Lord Jesus - You are so wonderful, so bountiful to me of Your mercy and benefits - hallelujah, to Your holy name!

Thank You for so many things, innumerable, thank You, Lord Jesus, thank You from my grateful heart.


May 31, 1983 - Memorial Day

What a memorial day!  Lord, we thank and worship You for Your mercy to Mike and Sally and Paul Michael, my newest grandchild!  7 lbs., 9 ounces; baby and mama and daddy doing fine.  Praise the Lord.  Thank You Jesus for bringing them through safely.

Paul - so new from You.  May he love You and be Yours as the apostle Paul was, as his daddy is, as his mother is, and me, too!

I am so happy - I wish Mearida could have seen this day - is that so wrong to voice, Lord! I pray not, I don't want to offend You.  I'm so happy and thankful - please, God, keep him safe.


June 12, 1983

Why did I choose you? What did I see in you?  I saw the heart you had. I saw a quiet man. You had a gentle way. A way that caught me in its glowing spell.

Why did I want you so?  What could you offer me?  A love to last a life time through, and when I lost my heart so many years ago, I lost it so willingly to you.

If I had the chance to choose again, I would still choose you.

Lord, I thank You that in our life together, these words were spoken to each other, in our own way, in our own words, but they were spoken and pleasing to our hearts.  For that, I'm thankful, that love did not go unspoken.

(Evening)  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for my sister - one in spirit and love with me. A very special closeness shared all the days of our lives - we are a pair.  I love her, and I'm so thankful for her love for me.


Friday - June 24, 1983

Lord, I thank You for the sweet angel, Paul.  Bless my family, Lord, and give them Your grace as their needs grow in bringing up their baby.

What a dear baby.  Keep him, Lord, in Your care, and bless him.  What a perfect joy it is to hold his tiny warm body; see something of my own son in his little face, enjoy him for the little while I had.

They grow so fast. I never am satisfied with my time shared with my grandbabies - I always seem to want more.  They give me hope, life, and so much joy and pleasure.  I'm so lucky - no, so blessed, mine did too.  I loved them and wanted them all.

What a magnificent road I've travelled - never let me take it all for granted.  I will praise You and rejoice in You, and thank You with my mouth forever, forever!  Praise the Lord! Thank You, Lord!


July 1983

Oh Lord, bless this new life in  my child, Laurie.  Care for her and her new baby within her - protect her, oh God, and bring it all safely to pass, thank You.


August 8, 1983

Praise the Lord for Phillip Keith - 7 lbs., 20 inches.  Thank You, Lord, for this sweet grandchild.

He is in trouble, Lord, but we are praying and trusting for Your mercy to him and his daddy and mama - Lord, heal him as only You can, as You healed the nobleman's son, and use him Lord to bring all of us closer to You, amen.

Lord Jesus, heal and bless Phillip Keith and let there be joyous praise to You for this from our mouths forever, amen.

To God be the glory, to God be the honor, amen.


August 10, 1983

Oh God, I love You and praise You for love toward us.  I thank You for caring children and family.

We are all hurting for Phil and Donna and baby Phillip, and Lord, I thank You that You are hearing and receiving our prayers.  So many are praying, Lord, for this baby and his parents. 

Oh Jesus, yes, we want You to heal Phillip Keith, but praise the Lord, I know You are healing us, too.  I know You have touched Phil - I know it and he knows it.  Lord, let him feel Your presence, enfold him and Donna and their baby, and let them know You are there. 

Oh God, let Your Spirit of love and healing and grace and strength and power from God Almighty surround our baby's hospital bed, and You heal, Lord Jesus, as only You can. 

Keith is in Your hands, Lord.  Let us give him to you, oh Lord, as Abraham did Isaac, and may we receive the blessing of our baby back to us, back to his mama and daddy to bring up in love and joy to give honor and thanks to You.  Oh God, my spirit groans, hear our prayers.


August 11, 1983

Oh Lord, we praise You and bless Your holy name.  Praise the Lord for the oneness of Your Spirit! How marvelous to find You have manifested Yourself to us in the same prayers, the same scriptures, the same words from our mouths -

Oh God, let us rest in Your written Word, it is established and set in the heavens and Your promises to us are true and trustworthy.  Thank You, merciful God, for receiving and hearing our prayers for Phillip Keith and Phil and Donna.  You've answered them, Lord Jesus, we know that, we want to give You the honor and praise for such a mercy, for such a healing process. 

Oh God, let us be still now and let You work.  Let our lips just praise You now.  Glory to You, thanks to You, honor and praise and blessing to You from our grateful hearts, amen, Lord Jesus!

Oh God, how many lives have You touched already through this precious baby, Phillip Keith.  We want this baby's healing to be a testimony to You, and a healing for all of us.


Wednesday - Sept. 14, 1983

Oh Lord God - I shout the great "shout of faith" in the walls of Jericho in little Keith's life.

It's not "You will heal him" but "You have healed him" - we just have to wait for the sound of the trumpet, and we shall shout the shout of faith and overtake the enemy in his body.

We have a "Captain of the host of the Lord" who has come to be with us in battle against the hurts in little Keith's body.

Oh Lord Jesus - "Thou art!"  You are enough.


October 20, 1983

What a great day this turned out for me...Mearida was born Oct. 20, 1919.

Thank You, Lord, for he was mine for a while, for a season, to share a sweet love.


Thanksgiving Day 1983

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.  He is gracious and merciful. 

Thank You, God, for my life, physical and eternal, amen! 

Thank You for choosing me and keeping me and also mine. 
 
Thank You for being with me through joys and sorrows - doubly thankful for Your presence through sorrow because without You, I could not have made it.

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, praise the Lord!


December 25, 1983

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace..." Isaiah 9:6

Thank You, Lord, for being all these things for me.  Thank You for being born, for having lived as an example for us all, and for dying for me.

To You be honor and glory forever and ever, amen!

Seasons of Sylvia

April 11, 1982 - Easter

 

Lord, thank You for giving us Your resurrection life. Your children know the real meaning of Easter.

 

Thanks for a nice week - Cindy and the grandchildren and Joe - so nice to have them together here with me.

 

And Lord, thank You for taking them home safely.

 

 

April 24, 1982

 

Surprise, surprise! Joe came home on the spur of the moment and brought joy to my heart - an answered prayer on Friday - PTL - You are interested in even the smallest prayer.  I'm grateful. I pray that you might find some joy in me, Lord, as I am your child; as I find joy in Joe, my child.

 

Keep them safe, Lord, protected on their way back to school, amen.

 

I love You, Lord Jesus.

 

 

May 26, 1982

 

Lord Jesus, I love you.  I thank You for Your mercy and love everlasting.  You are such a good and high God, and yet so near to us, ever present, ever knowing our needs.  Lord, I praise You with my heart and spirit and with my lips.  Thou Art!

 

 

Summer 1982

 

Summer is going so fast - time stand still! Everyone is  growing up on me!

 

Vacation time - wish I could spend it at home and share more time with my children and grandchildren.  I need them for my "physical life and strength" in a way, and I hope in some way, they need me, too, and what I can bring into their lives...

 

Don't let me be a hindrance, ever, Lord, in their lives or a stumbling block to You. Pour more of Yourself into me so that I can reflect You when I touch the lives of others and also see You in them, so necessary.

 

The flesh is strong when we deal with others, we need to just be Christ when we deal with the world.  Let me see this with unveiled eyes.

 

 

July 31, 1982

 

Christ in me brings me a calm sea, makes my waves of sadness subside.  Thank You, Lord.  Sometimes You are so strong with me, I know I can walk upon the stormy waters; and other times, I too, like Peter, sink!  Ever increase my faith in You.  I love You, Lord, in my own unworthy way.

 

 

September 1982

 

Whew! Where did August go?  With Joe -

 

It's been a quiet, lonely house without him, but he's grown and I thank You, Lord, for keeping him in all his ways and in Your way.  But I do miss him, as I miss them all.

 

Praise the Lord for His mercy - He brings us to the wall and hallelujah, He make a way.  Brent got a job and they are so happy; I am too.  I've prayed and so have they and trusted. 

 

Laurie - keep Laurie and the baby in perfect health and be merciful in her delivery - be with her at that time, one to one, amen!

 

Happy news - Phil and Donna are getting married!  Lord, get into their lives, choose them for Yourself, and give them a heart for You.  Renew a right spirit with them and me, too... always, everyday!

 

October 2, 1982

 

Dallas heard from... "Brother son" Mike, and "Sister daughter" Sally! Oh Lord, they are so precious and love You so...

 

Well, something's doing with them, come May, but it's a secret right now, just between us and You - it was so funny and so sweet a time - God, bless them!

 

I praise You, Lord, for my Christian children - oh hallelujah, amen!  Lord we are standing as one, for our "household" -

 

 

October 3, 1982

 

Praise the Lord!  A new baby girl - Laurie and Brent's baby - Thank You, Lord!

 

7 lbs. - dear Lord Jesus, I thank You for bringing her through safely and a normal baby - please, God, continue to watch over them and keep them well.  I will sing of Your mercies forever - Thank You!

 

 

October 26, 1982

 

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort...

 

Lord, I have known Your mercies and I'm so thankful.  Thank You for these past days, a lovely wedding, a new daughter, a new grandbaby, joyful visits with new found friends and family, and safety through all my traveling. 

 

For these worldly blessings, Lord, I thank You and praise You for Your mercy to me and mine.  And I thank You for Your mercy and love to me and mine for saving us and keeping us and wanting us for Your children, Your spiritual family!

 

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord, forever!  Thank You, Jesus!

 

 

Thanksgiving Day 1982

 

Blessings and joys - a baby in the forming I Sally , and praise the Lord, a new life in Donna.

 

Phil and Donna - Lord, touch their lives with Your mercy, spiritually and physically.

 

Keep these two new lives protected under Your wings, secure in Your love.  Lord, I pray for normal, healthy babies for my two daughters-in-law and my two sons.  Life goes on and I pray that life will always be in You.

 

It's so nice to have the children home, I love it - we are a family, praise the Lord, we care about each other, and that is such a blessing.  Thank You Lord for everything in my life.  All things work for my good.

 

 

Sunday, Nov. 28, 1982

 

Oh God, I get so angry at myself - I love too much, I talk too much, I trust too little!  Why can't I be like the birds of the air?

 

But, it was a great week - I'm grateful for the safety of my travelers.  The house is so still and I sure miss them all. The children were so good to have about, from the mama and daddy and oldest, down to the smallest!

 

An afterthought, Lord.  I love Cynthia's  honesty.  She's so unpretentious.  You know, they all are and that sure is nice. Bless them, Lord and help them all to be wise, more so than I ever was or am.  Oh God, I love them so. I love You, too.

 

(oh Lord, did I say something that hurt Momma's feelings? I have been known to speak without thought....I know she forgave me, because we had such a wonderful relationship over the years, but I am saddened to think I might have been the cause of her distress at this time, CR)

 

 

December 16, 1982

 

Joe is home, for almost a month, wonderful!