* * * * *
I suppose that one of the most memorable days of my life was the day that a little red, wrinkled, black-haired eight-pound two-ounce baby boy was placed in my arms for the first time, and I realized that I was now a mother. The long months of waiting and the anguish of child-birth was instantly forgotten "for joy that a man is born into the world." Though I was not a Christian at that time (I was saved a year later), yet my heart was filled with gratitude to God for such a precious gift. And the end was not yet! Six more times our home was blessed with a little bundle of joy, each time accompanied with the same old thrill of being a mother again. Oh, the blessedness of motherhood! Who can describe it? Whether God blesses a home with only one child, or nineteen as was the case of Susan Wesley, a true mother's heart swells with love and thankfulness each time she brings a child into the world. It matters not if it is a boy or girl (or both), whether it is ugly or pretty, long and lanky or short and chubby, it is always just what she ordered. I recall an incident that occurred when my first daughter was born. My second son, Danny, had his heart set on another boy. When it turned out to be a girl, he was brokenhearted. That is, until he saw her. When we returned home from the hospital, he climbed upon the end of the couch and stood straight and tall so as to see her. When I entered the door, I pulled the blanket back, and he got his first glimpse of his little sister. He exclaimed excitedly, "I've changed my mind. I want a girl." Isn't that exactly the way it is, mothers? After getting the first glance and cuddling the little new-born darling in our arms, we can truthfully say, "I've changed my mind (about a particular sex or appearance). I want exactly what I've got." Yes, it is a wonderful and rewarding experience to be a mother. But let's take inventory and see if we are measuring up to all God intends for us to be.
"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies," we read in Proverbs 31:10. "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her." Why? Because "She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life." She is a "keeper at home" (Titus 2:5), "working willingly with her hands," looking "well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness" (Proverbs 31:13, 27). With food and raiment, she is content (I Timothy 6:8.) She is not slothful for "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster" (Proverbs 18:9).
She is not wandering about from house to house "being a tattler and busybody and speaking things which she ought not," but is "guiding the house"--so that she will "give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully" I Timothy 5:13, 14.
She is a "joyful mother of children" (Psalm 113:9) and seeks to "train them up in the way they should go" and claims the promise "when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6). In this training, she does not rear him by Dr. Spock's book, but by the Holy Book, knowing that "a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame" (Proverbs 29:15).
"She openeth her mouth with wisdom and in her tongue is the law of kindness" (Proverbs 31:26). Her wisdom cometh from God for His promise is, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him" (James 1:5). She is not contentious, knowing that a "continual dropping in a rainy day and a contentious woman are alike" (Proverbs 27:15). She follows after "righteouness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness" (I Timothy 6:11).
"She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy" (Proverbs 31:20), for God blesses those that consider the poor and deliver him in time of trouble (Psalm 41: 1). He also repays that that is given to the poor (Proverbs 19:17).
She is "filled with all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:19). This enables her to "Rejoice evermore," "Pray without ceasing" and "In everything give thanks" (I Thessalonians 5:16, 18). It also helps her to "Do all things without murmurings and disputings," that she "may be blameless and harmless, ... without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation"--among whom she shines as a light in the world (Phil. 2:14, 15).
"Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that fearest the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates" (Proverbs 31:28-31).
G.D.M.
How God Used Dreams for His Glory
Sometimes God uses dreams to get messages across though ordinarily, dreams are of no purpose at all. But remember when God was trying to encourage Gideon that he had nought to fear in going against the Midianites, He sent him into their camp at night and let him overhear a man relating a dream unto his fellow. Judges 7:13-15. This man said, "Behold, I dreamed a dream, and lo, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the host of Midian, and came unto a tent, and smote it that it fell, and overturned it, that the tent lay along. And his fellow answered and said, This is nothing else save the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel: for into his hand hath delivered Midian, and all the host. And it was so, when Gideon heard the telling of the dream, and the interpretation thereof, that he worshipped, and returned into the host of Israel, and said, Arise; for the Lord hath delivered into your hand the host of Midian."
The telling of the dream was used to give Gideon the courage he needed to win the battle, so sometimes God allows dreams to show us His will and purpose.
One night, I dreamed I was cooking a big meal (which I often do). I had several pots on my stove. While I was in the midst of my cooking, a young couple came to visit us and came on back into my kitchen. It was a couple who were very dear to us and at this particular time, the young man was in graduate school, and their money had to be budgeted very carefully, in order for them to make it financially. Well, in my dream, as they entered my kitchen, they seemed very hungry. I was surprised to see the young lady lift the lid off one of the pots and look in wishfully, as if she wished the food would hurry and cook. It seemed as if they could hardly wait to be fed.
When I awoke, the dream was still very vivid in my mind. All I could see was two hungry young people. I couldn't get the dream out of my mind so I told it to my husband. I said, "I feel this young couple is in need. They evidently don't have money for groceries. I think we need to send them some money." He agreed, and I mailed them a check and told them about my dream and how 1 felt God was telling me their need, that they were evidently praying about. When I got a return answer, it was just as I had suspected. She wrote that they didn't have any money for groceries, and if my memory serves me right, they had only a can of rice soup in the house to eat. I can't explain this, but all I can say is that it was the faithfulness of God to supply for this young couple.
Another time I dreamed I was in a religious service and the glory of the Lord was so real. It was during a time when we had been without a pastor for more than a year and there was a spiritual drought on. Anyway, as God was blessing the service during my dream, a preacher whom I was acquainted with, led out in the song, "He Never Has Failed Me Yet." I awoke about this time and felt as spiritually refreshed as if I had actually been in a real service. For days the song, "He Never Has Failed Me Yet" stayed on my mind, and I felt it was a special message from God of His never failing love and power.
About two weeks later, we went to Hobe Sound, Florida to attend a graduation for one of the children. On Sunday night, during a testimony service, God moved into the service in a wonderful way. As the saints were rejoicing, the preacher on the platform led out in the song, "He Never Has Failed Me Yet." I immediately recalled my dream and was so blessed to think that God had permitted me to enjoy that wonderful service, or one quite similar to it, in a dream a couple of weeks before this. We can never understand the ways of the Lord. They are past finding out. Praise God!
Georgia D. McCain
The following poem was written by the author and read at a special program for volunteer workers at Tioga Manor Nursing Home where I have held Bible st
udies for approximately fourteen years.
The Old Folks' Home
"The Old Folks' Home," that's what they call it, a dreaded place,
By older men and women of every kindred, every race.
As the first signs of old age begin to appear,
One thinks of the uncertain future with a fallen tear.
Here we find a widow who is living all alone,
Except for the cat that helps brighten her home.
Her children check on her as often as they can,
But it's not the same as when she had her man.
Each day with effort, she gets out of bed
To face the new day with somewhat of a dread.
She reaches for her cane as to the kitchen she starts
To brew her some coffee and toast her some tarts.
But with eyes growing dim, she could not help but ignore
The telephone cord that was stretched across the floor.
She tripped on it and fell with a mighty crash
Which caused over her eye a painful and ugly gash.
With the blood gushing, she tried to get up again
But she felt in her hip an excruciating pain.
She blacked out temporarily and lay there alone
Until a little later when she crawled to the phone.
The next thing she knew, to the hospital she went
And from there to the "Old Folks' Home" she was sent.
With a broken hip, she had to go where it would mend
But it seemed to the widow that her world had come to an end,
Her thoughts wandered back to her comfortable home
And her dear little cat that would be left all alone.
She thought of her kitchen, lots of memories there,
All the meals she had served to her family so dear,
And there was the bedroom with her comfortable bed,
She must get used to another, it filled her with dread.
Her living room had been furnished by her husband so dear,
Now her furniture would be sold by an unconcerned auctioneer.
There were other memories that brought pain to her heart,
As the little white church from which she'd have to part.
It was there at the altar that she had surrendered to God
And vowed that forever in His footsteps she would trod.
Could it be that in His footsteps she could be following here?
To an "Old Folks' Home" could God be leading? Could He possibly be near?
All at once she heard singing coming from the Manor's meeting place.
What was that they were singing? Could it be "Amazing Grace"?
As she listened her whole being began to relax once more,
Maybe God was leading for there stood an angel in the door.
An angel in white with a loving smile on her face,
"We welcome you," she said gently, "We'll love you in this place.
We'll attend to your needs so carefully and see that you don't lack
A thing to make you comfortable. Here let me turn you on your back."
The widow smiled lovingly, for beyond the nurse she saw once more
Her daughter with mixed emotions, standing in the door.
Her daughter's eyes were teary watching the reaction of her mother,
It had not been easy for her to place her in the care of another,
"Sh-h-h." A hush fell on the little trio as once again they heard
A sound coming from the Manor's meeting place, the preaching of God's Word,
It rang out clear enough that these words could be heard,
"All things work together for the good to them that love God."
Closing her eyes, the widow again committed her life to God,
She knew that she only had a short time left on earth to trod.
Her daughter saw her resignation as the lines of her face relaxed
And fresh tears swelled in her eyes as she tried to speak with tact,
"We love you," she whispered, "and want you to have good care,
That's the reason we brought you to the Manor, Mother Dear,
At home we don't have the facilities and other things that's needed,
But here you'll have the best of care, and by good personnel, you'll be treated."
The widow reached out her arms to draw her daughter close,
Now she knew she wasn't just being put away from those she loved the most.
She was just moving in to a new home, a temporary one,
Where she could be loved and cared for until her life's work was done.
Why, this was not an "Old Folks' Home" as she had always said,
This was a Manor, a cheery home, there was no longer any dread.
"I'll adjust the best I can," said she, "and try not to complain at all.
I'll enjoy all my new friends and not be as lonely as before the fall.
I won't be in the Manor very long, even though it could be years,
And after my stay here, I'll move to my Heavenly home," she smiled through her tears.
In Straight Paths Page 30
