The Promise of Peace

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26.

I know a few people who exude peace. Most of us are giving out piece, not peace: a piece of us here, a piece of us there, as we hurry to accomplish all that we have piled on our proverbial plate.

Stress and anxiety will rob us of peace. Life’s traumas and trials will do the same. 

I have struggled since our move in 2010 to be less stressed, more at peace. Life’s circumstances have not made that very easy: concerns about those I love, underemployed, college bills to pay, and a list of other things that continue to hinder a more peaceful heart.

Peace is not something we can “work up.” A frenzy, yes; peace? Not so much.  Yet, peace is a promise, a gift, a blessing.  God desires to give us His peace and desires us to live in peace with one another. It is not God who is responsible for a lack of peace--humans are (and a devil who loves to rob us of all good gifts from God).

In my experience, true peace only comes through trusting God who is Shalom (peace). In the scripture from Numbers 6, God has told Moses that this blessing is to be spoken over the people of Israel. Israel had just suffered through 400 years of bondage in Egypt, had a miraculous though harrowing escape, and had placed their faith in God (and their leader, Moses) to lead them out to a promised land.

This blessing shows not only the character of God, but also His promise: He will bless, He will keep (protect, provide), He gives grace and care, and He gives peace (shalom) to His people. This is an unconditional blessing to those who belong to Him. This is not a promise that bad things won’t happen to His people, but a promise that He will always be present with His care, grace and peace.

He turns His face to me and sees me, loves me, even when I am struggling or even failing. Every day, He reminds me “from whence cometh my help” (Psalm 23): from Him. Shalom. 

I know my Daddy...and I love Him completely.

I'm going to ask you to suspend, for just a moment, our current cultural climate where gender equality is the norm. That was no where close to the cultural circumstances in biblical times. As a matter of fact, gender equality in certain societal aspects is a relatively new concepts on the timeline scale of history.

Now before my brilliant and lovely female Kingdom Blogger co-writers cut me off at the knees, please hear me out. I'm not saying the patriarchal dominant ways of the past are completely right or even a preference... that's just the way they were. God established the system, and in typical fashion, man has abused that system.

I say all that (reluctantly) to get to my answer on this week's topic of the title I use when addressing God on a personal level from the many names He carries.

"'Abba, Father,' he said, 'everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.'" (Mark 14:36)

When Jesus was conversing with the Father in Gethsemane, He used the Aramaic term 'Abba' that expresses best the relationship between a small child and father.  A term of endearment akin to our word daddy. Why? Wasn't Jesus in fact God too?

Of course, the answer to that is absolutely Jesus was both man and God. We see His example of prayer throughout the New Testament as a demonstrative measure of how we should picture our own relationship with God. Also keep in mind, this was completely a foreign concept to the Jews. To refer to God in such an intimate fashion would have been considered blasphemous and disrespectful for a culture that didn't even mutter His name at all out of deep respect...and religious tradition naturally.

When Jesus provides the instruction in Matthew (Lord's Prayer) and then follows up with numerous examples from His own prayers with the Father, He is given us the true picture of how God wants our relationship to be with Him. He is our provider, protector and comforter...just as our earthly father should be when we are but children. Fact of the matter is even if our relationship with our biological father goes south, we always have our Abba Father. He promises to never leave or forsake us.

I can think of no better role model to exemplify in my own role as a father. I call out to my Abba Father quite frequently...He is and always will be my Daddy.

Why Hearing Father Say, “I See You!” Can Be a Good Thing.

This week on Kingdom Bloggers, we have been asked to write on the name or characteristic of God that has been prominent in our lives, as of late.

For me, I have encountered El Roi…the God who sees.

Hagar, in Genesis 16, is actually the one who speaks out His name as such. She is said to be the only one in scripture that has named God through her experience.

According to the story, she was the maidservant of Sarai, (later Sarah) the wife of Abram (later Abraham).
Abram has been promised by the Lord, that he would have so many descendents that would form many nations. This didn’t happen quickly enough in Sarai’s eyes. There was a big problem in that, his wife, Sarai was not getting pregnant.  She decided to orchestrate the answer. (Not like we would do anything like that, would we?)

She speaks to her husband and tells him to take Hagar and become intimate with her. Hagar does conceive. Soon after, Hagar starts to treat Sarai with disdain. Sarai eventually sends her packing.

While Hagar is in the desert, she encounters the angel of the Lord. After the conversation, in which the angel tells her to return and to submit to Sarai, Hagar calls God…El Roi…the God who sees.

Up until then, she may have felt very alone. Her thoughts probably went something like this. “Hey, is there anybody up there? Does anybody care what happens to me? It’s not like it’s my fault alone. Besides Sarai treat me bad,”

In this, I can relate to Hagar. Even though she was rejected and thrown out, was it all her fault?  Did she bear some blame? The Lord acknowledges her and in that encounter, she has the assurance that the Lord has knowledge of her predicament. Yet, He tells her to return to Sarai and submit to her.

Sometimes that is all we need to know, even when we don’t like the direction, is that God is with us.
He sees us…
…when we privately pour out our worship to Him
…when we sacrifice, in secret, for Him
…when we have been mistreated and misunderstood
…when we have been falsely accused
…when we think we are “hiding” our “stuff” from Him
…when we think that no one cares or takes notice

We need to know that for today, for our yesterdays and for our tomorrows.

He knows what is going on, what went on and what will go on. He hasn’t lost track of our life.
He doesn’t, one day, go “And you are______??? Your face looks familiar, but I can’t place you. You see I have so many children.”

No, He promises never to leave us or forsake us…ever.

We can take confidence that He sees us when we’re sleeping…He knows when we’re awake…He knows when we’ve been good or bad…so be good for goodness sake!”

Having Him see us when we are obeying Him, is the easy part. We don’t do that for brownie points, but rather because we want to please and honor Him.  But what about the times that we are out of His will?  If we have a foundation, of knowing that His nature is to lead us into paths of righteousness… not to catch us but to give us freedom and life, it may be hard but we’ll be OK...

I was shaken recently, by an incident in which I got a traffic summons. I was not happy with myself, that I made a dumb mistake. But I got caught and I was at fault.

It was suggested to me, to make a call to someone who could “take care of this ticket”. What saddened me is that this person and others, who were mature Christians, justified that type of action as being OK. That came along with the attitude that “everyone does it…no big deal” They almost looked like they pitied me because I said “No…I don’t feel comfortable doing that. I deserved the ticket. That’s not right.”

When did it become OK to justify this behavior in the sight of God? I am pretty sure that these same people would say a sin… is a sin …is a sin, in other circumstances. Somehow, to them, this doesn’t apply to the standard of lying. Lying, according to the Word, is something that the Lord hates.

When I thought about it further, the fault, in my opinion, would not only be laid at the feet of the person who asked for this “favor” but at the official who would grant it.

I even had someone say something like “Well, Jesus offered mercy at the Cross and we deserved punishment.”

Huh? How could someone even say this is the same?

El Roi…He is the God who sees the truth. Yes, He is the God who sees when I have been treated unfairly or wrongly. Yet, He is also the God who sees when I try to find a way to skirt around the truth.

I have to be honest, for a split second, I listened to the voice saying “Oh, come on, God didn’t REALLY say you couldn’t do this…did He? Besides, you know, this is an expensive proposition and money is tight! Think of this as a blessing!  And everyone does do things like this. It’s not like you are bribing anyone. Come on, lighten up.”

The Lord does not act like Big Brother, waiting in the shadows to catch us, but His truth ALWAYS brings Life…NO EXCEPTIONS!

And that is either true for us or not.

We decide.

 It is that mysterious gift called free will.

Linda Maynard

My Beloved Jesus by Jenna Vick Silliman

One morning right at dawn, I prayed about a money matter. The Lord Jesus spoke to my heart, “I will provide for you, my beloved.” I was stunned. Could this be God talking to me in such an intimate way? Yes! He did provide for that need and He has continued to speak to me in this sweet, endearing way. Now I answer back, “My Beloved Jesus.”

‘My Beloved’ reveals the intimacy and close, personal, love relationship that the Lord Jesus wants us to have with Him. He desires us to be so close that we are one with Him in the perfect bond of unity—His awesome love. In John 17 we read about Jesus praying that we would be one.

Jesus also said, This IS eternal life, to KNOW ME. (See John 17:3) This word ‘know’ means to intimately know—as Adam knew Eve. Knowing Him, loving Him, and living the abundant life He freely gives us, is what LIFE is all about.

In 2 Thessalonians 2:13 and Psalm 127:2, as well as the beautiful Song of Solomon, we learn we are also the beloved of the Lord. His love for us is beyond our wildest dreams and is so tenderhearted and full of grace and mercy and lovingkindness. He longs for us to return His love. When we turn to Him with love filled hearts we are right where we are supposed to be. This is the love relationship we were created for and nothing, absolutely nothing, is sweeter!

“My Beloved” is found throughout the Song of Solomon. See Song of Solomon 2:10-12, “My beloved spoke, and said to me: ‘Rise up, my love, my fair one and come away. For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come…Come away!’” See also Song of Solomon 3:6, “I am my beloved’s and He is mine and His banner (or flag) over me is love.”

A sense of belonging is one of the strongest human needs. To be awakened to this deep, personal, love relationship with Jesus as my Lord and Savior, and to belong to Him, is the greatest gift I’ve ever been given. He is not just a person I know about—I know Him and commune with Him in an intimate love relationship. To me Jesus is not just THE Beloved, He is MY Beloved. I am not just A beloved, I am HIS beloved!

Your beloved is someone you want to always be with and you can’t live without. Your beloved is always taken into consideration and is your confidant, your soul mate, your favorite, and your lives are intertwined to the point you couldn’t imagine separation. The Lord is so much who I am and has become my everything. My life would be nothing without Him.

There is a false idea that another person can fill this place inside us, the deepest longing of the human heart. Only the Lord’s Holy Spirit can satisfy this desire. Humans turn to materialism or addictions, such as food and drink, drugs and alcohol to satisfy them. Nothing and no one truly satisfies except the presence of the Lord!

The truth is found in God’s Word. Luke 6:21, “Blessed are you who seek Him, for you shall be satisfied.” Psalm 107:9, “He satisfies the longing soul.” Psalm 24:14, “The secret of the sweet satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who revere and worship Him.” Psalm 36:8, “We are satisfied and we relish and feast on the abundance You provide us.” Isaiah 58:11 “The Lord shall guide you continually and satisfy you…you shall be like a well-watered garden and like a spring of water.” Jer. 31:14 “My people will be satisfied with My goodness says the Lord.” Is.55:2,3 “Why do you spend your money on that which is not satisfying? …Let your soul delight in My abundance…then you’ll be satisfied.” Phil.4:11 “I have learned how to be content [satisfied]…”

When we live in day to day and minute by minute intimacy with our Beloved Jesus, our lives become an overflow of His love, kindness, grace, peace, and joy. His Presence affects all of our relationships in a powerful way. When we engage in fellowship, seek a mate, or minister side by side, we will find kindred spirits with His Presence evident in their lives. A husband and wife in love with Jesus first and overflowing with His Holy Spirit, is the way God created marriage to be!

St. Francis of Assisi was known for having a life-changing love affair with Christ. He was called “the second Christ” because his life was so totally given over to the Lord Jesus. What can we learn from this man so devoted to the Lord? Love the Lord as your beloved, as your one and only, as your first love. Chesterton wrote: “He [St. Francis] did not love Christianity but Christ.” A personal, intimate love relationship with Christ is what Christianity is all about.

I love You with all my heart and soul, Lord Jesus, my Beloved. You are my 24/7 love affair! In Your presence, my Beloved, is joy everlasting. A day in Your courts, in Your presence, is better than a thousand outside. Thank You for the gift of Your sweet, satisfying presence. Thank You for loving me, My Beloved Lord Jesus.

I'm the prize

I suppose before I start my offering on the name of God, I should say something about where I've been.  One of our daughters got married.  Okay, so mother of bride is a busy task, or at least can be... My tasks weren't that much really. But the wedding was very hectic, very busy, extremely wonderful.  There were THREE major events - not one, not two but yes, three.  Two occurred in the Washington DC area and one in New Jersey.  They occurred on two different weekends.  Remember, some of us live in Nashville TN.  So, large family - moving people around, showing them my wonderful hometown of Brooklyn NY and trips to Manhattan, etc., did make for a very busy time.  Last weekend I had a statistics test.  I don't need to say much more than that... So, if you wondered what happened to Joyce, that's a very short summary.

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When I was in Brooklyn a couple of weeks ago, I bought some raffle tickets.  I was in this wonderful little Norwegian shop to buy cookies to complete the favor boxes.  This shop is one of the last remnants in that neighborhood of what was once a very large, thriving, and wonderful Norwegian neighborhood. I tell people that the only way I would have grown up more Norwegian was if I grew up in Norway.  Everything was Norwegian in my world.  

That's all changed, and now this little shop has become Norway central for those who still live there and those that go to pay homage to the past.  As I paid for the cookies, I noticed the raffle tickets.  Syttende Mai is coming up - Norwegian Constitution Day.  It's a day that might be compared to the 4th of July but probably bigger to most Norwegians.  The parade will be this Sunday.  I'm still praying for a miracle that I can get there but so far, no miracle.  As a child I wore my bunad and marched in the heat.  The tar in the road usually stuck to my shoes.  People joked about how you could fry an egg on the street.  My cultural pride was always rewarded by ice cream.

In preparation for the festivities, there is always a raffle.  The grand prize is a trip to Norway.  I bought a bunch of tickets.  I want to win. I really, really, really want to win.  I want to go back to Norway.

If I win, I will have to redeem my prize.  It will be a glorious day.  Almost like those pictures you see when someone stands with a huge check and they won the lottery.  I will really be happy.  I'll probably have a smile a mile wide and call everyone I know.  Since I've already started dreaming about that trip, I will be ready to go when I win.

But there is another redemption that is much more exciting.  It was my redemption by God.  The Hebrew word for redemption is go'el.  It means kinsman redeemer.  It reminds us of the story in the book of Ruth.  Boaz, her kinsman redeemer lays his claim to her and together they take their place in the lineage of David, and later Jesus.  

Haggoel is also a name of God.  It means THE REDEEMER.  I have been redeemed.  I am the prize? Wait, that can't be... me a prize for the holy God.  No, it makes sense and sends me to my knees in gratitude and humility.  I am redeemed because God is love.  I am redeemed because I am His beloved child, formed in the image of God.  I am redeemed from all my past, all my sin, all my confusion, all my anguish - I am redeemed.

I guess since I started talking about Brooklyn, and end with redemption, it is fitting to add a video of a group singing a song I sang in the pews of a Norwegian church in Brooklyn.

Names of God

As a Christian, we don’t serve many gods, but one God with many names. Many Bible studies abound with devotionals about the names of God, each one unique, each one true, and each name represented in its fullness in the character of God. What I love about the presence of God is that when he is present, ALL of his names are present too. You need healing? The Healer is there. You need righteous judgement? The Ancient of Days is there. You need comfort? The Comforter is there. Do you feel invisible? The God Who Sees is there.

This week on Kingdom Bloggers we’re sharing what name of God is the one we call to in the present day. Please read along and share your own thoughts and experiences with the God who has many names.

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I hate sickness, disease and injury. They are of the enemy. I know this because disease and sickness steals joy, kills life and destroys hope and that is what the enemy does (John 10:10) but Jesus came so we could have life but not just humdrum life. No. He came so we could have abundant life. And that is why I call often on the name of Jehovah Rapha, The Lord who heals you (Exodus 15:26). It’s not abundant life if we’re limited in any way.

There is no pain or sickness in heaven, and Jesus taught us to pray, “Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.” It’s a dangerous prayer for those who risk praying it. Jesus invited us to call heaven down on earth. Disease, sickness and injury have robbed enough in my life, and I’m fighting back. I’m calling in a great big God, one who can heal any disease, sickness or injury.

My heart breaks for anyone ravished with disease or malformation and I will pray to the Jehovah Rapha whenever I have the chance but it’s closer to home as well. My Boy has a severe skin condition that doctors, naturopaths and well read friends can’t cure. I’m done with natural knowledge because I’ve come to the end of the line. I need a supernatural solution for my Boy. So I call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

I love to dance and worship and flag but recently I’m limited because of an old knee injury that has reared its ugly head again. At times, nothing with hold me back and I’ll bring a sacrifice of praise to my Lord but my body rebukes me every time. I need a new knee, plain and simple. The best doctors can do is give me a knee replacement but at my [young] age (I’m still a few years shy of 40), I am anticipating at least 3 replacements over the next 20-30 years. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t seem like a heavenly solution. So I call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals.

Last week on my blog, I wrote that I believe a time is coming when all the sick that are prayed for, will be healed. It’s Biblical – all who came to Jesus were healed. He is the same: yesterday, today and forever. I won’t build a theology around why I don’t see it manifested yet, but I continually and faithfully call on Jehovah Rapha, the Lord who heals because he can, and he will. It’s in his nature to heal you.

Katniss I am not

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. Romans 12:6.

One of my guilty pleasures is a good old apocalyptic tale, like Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, or the films, “I am Legend,” “28 Days later” and  “The Hunger Games” (this may surprise some friends who know I love all things Austen and Masterpiece Theatre). But, I am no Katniss. If I was cast into the wilderness after a world disaster, I would be more like Peeta. I would eat the wrong berries, mistake nettles for aloe and be eaten by a wild animal right quick. But I tend not to panic in tense situations, so like Peeta, if I survived the first few days, I could give a comforting hug and encouragement to those with whom I travel, and provide a modicum of entertainment.

So, my list of five things I would bring with me are not the most practical, but necessary for my psychological and physical survival: a Bible, pack of pens, thick notebook, prescription sunglasses and a water purifier.

God’s Word is essential as a reminder of His promises, care and provision in all circumstances. Pen and paper provides an instant stress reducer as I unload fears, deep thoughts (if I have any) and plans (being future-oriented in this instance would help prevent giving up in dire times). I was going to choose pencils instead of pens, since they last longer, but then I would have to take a sharpener. The parts of a used pen may prove useful in some way, like the spigot thing Katniss drives into a tree trunk laden with water in Catching Fire.

The water purifier is an obvious choice (I don’t know much about camping, but I know safe water is critical), but the sunglasses are not. I am terribly near-sighted, so my glasses are always on, except when I read. My Raybans would be an extra thing to carry, but if I have to move about unshowered, no makeup and my hair a mess, at least allow me one cool factor. And cornea protection.

I don’t know if I would survive very long in the wilderness (unless I had my sister Lois with me, who used to talk a lot about “foraging”), but I would hope that to my last breath, I would help others, especially my family, to do so in the ways that God has enabled me. It seems like pen and paper would be fairly useless, unless the words on a page can encourage, exhort, bring direction and joy, and inspire hope. I am certain they can.

"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have." V. Lombardi

During my Cold War era days of service with the United States Marine Corps, I kept a 'ready bag' packed to grab and go on a moments notice. Inside was the absolute minimal gear I would need to get by if dropped into an Area of Responsibility (AOR) until resupply was available.

It takes a lot of training and mental fortitude to leave one's family behind unsure what their foreseeable future might hold while you rush to do your job and save the free world from godless commies...

Sorry. I guess that brainwashing sticks with a person long after their time in service is done.

Yes, I have an emergency bag packed and plan in place in the event of disaster or revolution. As a loving husband and father of three, I wouldn't feel comfortable not being prepared. I've gone as far as preparing a Survival Package that contains crucial information that my family will need to know in the event..well...you know...I don't make it. Shelter, water and food plus a driving desire to survive can bring a person through circumstances that might be unimaginable to them today.

So, what would be my five 'extra' things I would grab before leaving? Actually, I've already thought this one through:

1.  My personal Bible. I wrote about this Stone of Remembrance last November. We've been through tough times together already, and I know the reassuring message contained in its pages would resonate strongly in the most dire times.

2. A family picture album. I have one in mind already. Hope is a very powerful thing especially in a survival situation. A picture is worth a thousand words is cliche for a reason.

3. My grandfather's pocketknife. Granted, it wouldn't be much of a tool and far more effective tools are already in the emergency bag, but these single inheritance from my ancestry has not only a ton of stories packed inside...but also a lifetime of wisdom and life lessons.

4.  Several classic novels from the bookcase. Without the blitz of media-laced electronic entertainment, boredom will take hold quick. A nice change of pace from daily biblical stories would be an interjection of modern culture. What better way to keep that culture alive than nightly reading aloud from Steinbeck, Faulkner or Hemingway to pass the time.

5.  My journal. While my story is by no means special, it is uniquely mine. For the several years I've documented my thoughts, prayers, hopes and dreams, those pages are a glance into who I truly am. I would not only want my girls to have those pages, but to pass them on to their children to show them that loving God with all your heart is not just a memorable passage from the Good Book, but a true way of life. A forever changing way of life. I'm pretty sure that comes across loud and clear to this point of the journal.

I don't consider myself a survivalist by any stretch of the imagination. I'm also not an alarmist, but I do realize we live in an unstable world where politics or nature itself can explode at any given moment. Here's one last cliche to chew on:

Better safe than sorry

One thing I know with absolute certainty, regardless of my circumstances, God is with me always.

Don't Leave Home Without Them

This week on Kingdom Bloggers, we have been asked to list 5 things that we would take with us if we had to leave home suddenly. This takes into account that we would already have practical things and money on our list.
1) I would definitely take my Bible. Which version might be a dilemma to me but I probably would choose my Amplified Bible. I would also take a NIV Bible, with the thought that I could tear pages out of it to give to people who didn’t have a Bible or those who had just come to faith. At least they would have a portion of the Word. That decision is based on a testimony I heard years ago about a man who was a prisoner in China for many years.He had a little piece of paper with 1 scripture on it. He said that, the Scripture sustained him all those years.
2) I would take my many pens, colored pencils, lead pencils and markers. I would also bring a huge stack of index cards to draw and write on. I presently do two things already iwith these cards, as the Lord leads.1) I am often lead to write Encouraging Prophetic message for a person. In the past, I too have been given words and then have forgotten a lo of what has been spoken to me. So I feel that by writing them down, people have a change to review and reflect on them. 2) The other thing that I have started doing recently I giving a bunch of about 30 cards to a specific person that the Lord has put on my heart. They may need an encouragement from the Lord. I draw a little picture and write something on each card. For each person, the drawings are different, as well as the messages. I put them in order, as the Holy Spirit leads and trust that each day is the words that that person needs for that day. I tell them not to peek into the next day’s message…ha-ha…not sure if they comply. Both practices have been a discipline for me to tune into the Holy Spirit so that I could bless others.
3) I would take as much Diet Coke as I could carry. I know, I know,…it’s terrible and it isn’t healthy at all but I drink it every day. (My bad). I would bring enough to at least wean off of it so that I wouldn’t get a caffeine withdrawal headache ( *grin*)
4) I would take as many craft supplies as I could to make things for other people. As my granddaughter has recently taught me how to do origami, bringing papers for that would be a light load.
5) I don’t have much memorabilia from my parents, my son and my brother and such, so I carry their memories in my heart. What I would remember to take though is “Baby”, “Tiger”, Blankie”, and “Chickie” for my grandchildren, as I believe that I would leave not leave home without my grandchildren. It would be hard for them not to have their “cuddlies”. In that vein, I would have stories for them in my heart, that I would tell them. Beacause we are talking about stories, I probably am “cheating” as I add this additional item to take, but I would bring my Library Card ( just in case there were Libraries open and functioning), so that I could borrow books for myself as well as my Grandchildren.
I trust that with all of us, what we will be carrying, is not visible with natural eyes but would be the most important thing that we could carry and that would be the Presense of the Lord.
He travels light. He would breeze through airport security. He would be lead the way on the paths long before carved out for me. He would be with me to offer Light in the nighttime and the assurance that He is looking out for me and my loved ones. He would carry me, when I tire. He would be the navigator. He would be before and behind me and on each side of be, protecting me and hedging me in. He would be THE best travelling companion and I would find comfort in that He has walked the path way before me and He knows the way.
In actuality,it would be essential to have Him go with me. He would never be an additional load to me.
As,…“He ain’t heavy, cuz He’s my Brother!
( OK, you are allowed to groan at that last line!)
Linda Maynard

Five Possessions by Jenna Vick Silliman

The question to answer this week for Kingdom Bloggers is, "If all your basic needs are provided for, what additional five items would you want to keep? I would keep the old family Bible that my grandma, Lois Geraldine Squires Vick, left me in her will. It was handed down to her by her parents. It is a beautiful, antique Bible, dated 1883, with lots black and white illustrations. In the front Grandma wrote, “Family Bible which belonged to Earl & Minerva Squires. This Bible should be given to Jennifer (Vick) Silliman. The Bible belonged to her great grandparents. My Grandma prayed for me every day of my life and probably still prays for me in heaven. She left the Bible to me because she knew (knows?) I love the Word and I love God.

My Amplified Bible is another item on my list. I read two pages or more every morning and ask God to speak to me. He always does! It is full of notes, dates next to verses, and underlining. I love my old New American Standard Bible too. It is my first one that I bought after I decided to follow Jesus, on March 23, 1974. However, I can only choose five items, according to the theme for Kingdom Bloggers this week, so it has to be left behind.

I also have two photo albums I would keep. One is my wedding pictures from May 24, 1980. I covered the album with blue fabric left from my bridesmaid’s dresses and also lace leftover from when my wedding dress was made. (I would like to keep my wedding dress, but the Kingdom Bloggers will not let me. Hahaha!) The other photo album is of my childhood that I titled, “The Vickids’ Childhood Photo Album”.  It is a photo history of the Vick family—or at least my branch as far as it reaches. This album also contains my side of the family’s stories and also genealogy, from both my father’s and mother’s sides of the family. At age five my real mother left us, so it was quite a bit of work gathering everything from the Pearson family. I have very old photographs in here and chose the best to represent each of us to express who we are and who we were growing up. I gave the album to my father, James Allan Vick, for Father’s Day in 2008. After my brother, Joshua James Allan Vick, died of heart failure, September 24, 2007, my sisters and parents and myself, sent any and all photographs of him to each other. We had to see every one!  I gathered them all together and lovingly dedicated the album in memory of him. I also gave the album to my sisters, Reine Vick Bullard, who lives in Michigan, and Judy Vick, who lives near San Luis Obispo, California.

Last, but not least, I would keep my computer. It has my writings on it and lots of photos of my children and events from my life. Writing this has made me realize that I have to get to work on a photo history album of my children. I do not want to trust my computer to keep photographs safe! I also have boxes and boxes of pictures, so this project is daunting! Also I would like to gather my stories and writings into an album, so they are all together and can be read and enjoyed for generations. Someday I will re-do this writing and title it, “Seven Possessions, Bibles and Albums”.