HEART THOUGHTS from Helen

"Daddy's Corn"

“For in Him, all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. And you are complete in Him.” Colossians 2: 9-10

My daddy grew the best corn ever! Silver Queen and Seneca Chief, primarily, thrived in the black loamy soil of my folk’s home in northern Sumter County. I can still see him out in the corn field, checking the ears on those short stalks. He perfected the art of pulling corn at precisely the right time, when the ears matured to fullness. Then, he shucked it in the field, brought it in with a grin from ear to ear (pun intended), proud of the fullness of his corn crop. He spaced out the planting of his corn so that all didn’t come to fullness at same time. Two reasons prevailed: (1) So Mother wouldn’t be overwhelmed freezing it, either off or on the cob. (2) So we enjoyed eating fresh corn crop after crop.

Not only did Daddy grow corn, he gave away corn by the dozen of full ears, each dozen shucked and fresh from the field. I never knew him to sell his corn; he gave it away…fresh full ears, ready for enjoying. Mother had ceramic corn bowl/holders so we could keep corn off the plate and swimming in melted butter. Then there were the corn sticker things that went in each end, so as not to burn your fingers. None of this semi-warm corn on the cob. It was HOT.

My grandchildren love corn. When I don’t have fresh corn, I like to buy it frozen in those corn cob frozen shapes, because it reminds me of my daddy. I mix the creamed corn with the fried corn and they gobble it up like we did growing up and fuss because one of them got more than the other.

As I studied the second chapter of Colossians this morning and the fullness of the Deity dwelling in bodily form in Christ, the word study used the example of the corn and wine offered to Jehovah as tithe or the first fruits. (Unger’s Bible Dictionary) The word used for fullness is pleroma: total quantity, with emphasis on completeness. The whole nature and attributes of God are in Christ. In Ephesians 1:23 Paul speaks of the church, the body of believers called the fullness of Christ as it is the Church which makes a complete and perfect Head.

Seed corn put into the ground, nurtured, natured (rain/sun), and grown to completion, harvested in its fullness feeds the world. In the ‘fullness of time’ God came. In the ‘fullness of time’, Christ died and rose in completeness. His Word, the Seed, the Manna, THE CHRIST, HIMSELF, feeds us, fills us and completes us.

In the ‘fullness of time’ I died, was buried with Him in baptism, and raised in completeness with Him Who is the Head of His Body the Church. In the fullness of time, when we are exactly ripe, the Head will unite with His Body and we will dwell forever in His presence, united in Him. Until then, we rejoice knowing, “For it was the father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him.” (Col. 1:19 NAS)

“And in Him you have been made complete” (Col 2:10)
Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow.

Heart Thoughts from Helen

HEART THOUGHTS...from Helen- March 17
...that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross..." Colossians 2:14 (THE MESSAGE)

There it came, the dreaded blue flashing light; and it was RIGHT BEHIND ME. I glanced quickly at the speedometer. My speed was not over the limit. What in the world have I done now? As my brow furrowed, I took my foot off the accelerator and pulled slowly into the dirt parking lot of the roadside nursery, thoughts flashing through my mind.

Who is passing by that knows me?

What have I done?

Lord, we don't have the money for this...whatever it is.

What a morning!

Cars sped by as the young patrolman slowly approached my side of the car. I could have assured him that I wasn't going to shoot him as so many news reporters dreadfully testify. Their caution is surely understandable. These things flittered through my consciousness as I began to search for my license, watching my rear view mirror inadvertently.

"Ma'am, may I see your license, registration and insurance card?"

"Certainly", as I started digging through the glove compartment. This one...expired, that one...expired.

"I'm sure it's here somewhere." I handed him what I thought was the correct information only to find out that our tag expired in '09, the year we moved from McCormick to Greer. OH, GREAT! No up to date sticker on license plate. My heart beat faster and my face turned crimson. "Dumb old woman"...I just knew his thoughts toward me bordered on my own.

Long story shortened: Ticketed ...150 bucks. Show up in court next month with proof of insurance and maybe the judge will pardon. Don't show up, pay the fine.
For a month that blue ticket ticked me off. Turns out there had been a snafu in our records when we moved, resulting in us not receiving a tax notice, which led to our failure to pay taxes, blah, blah, blah. Now I had to go court. Since Dennis handles paperwork in our home, he immediately went to highway department and took care of the problem, and went with me to Summary Court in Simpsonville to appear before the magistrate to explain the situation.

We arrived on time. A lot of other people did also. I thought, "There's a lot of folks going through the same hassle we are; our taxes are at work on the highways and in the patrol cars". We waited and as the room filled up, I took my place in line to present my explanation and rectification of the problem. The kind faced judge sitting behind the elevated huge desk in his black robe listened to each case in this traffic court. As I waited with my manila envelope containing proof of paid taxes and my blue summons ticket I couldn't help but think of the ultimate judgment of my soul, taken care of long ago. I approached the man in black, smiled and handed him my ticket and explained the circumstances surrounding it. He looked at the ticket, and he glanced at my insurance, registration, proof of taxes paid and said, "I'll take care of it. Next...."

I turned around, smiled at my husband and we walked out of the traffic court room, freed of penalties, reconciled with the law of the land.
Praise God my debt has been paid. Jesus 'took care of it' on the cross. I accepted His judgment of my failure to pay the penalty for my sin. My soul is worth much more than $150 and He died for me, releasing me to live for him who died for me, not dreading the enemy of my soul riding up behind me, flashing his blue lights and accusing me of failure. "I'll take care of it", is music to my ears.

HEART THOUGHTS from Helen

Just in case you forgot to get your loved one(s) a valentine, I just happened to find one in my notes. Perhaps you can use it.

I am patient with you
because I love you and want to forgive you..

I am kind to you
because I love you and want to help you.

I do not envy your possessions or your gifts
because I love and want you to have the best.

I do not boast about my attainments
because I love you and want to hear about yours.

I am not proud
because I love you and want to esteem you before myself.

I am not rude because
I love you and care about your feelings.

I am not self seeking
because I love you and want to meet your needs.

I am not easily angered by you
because I love you and want to overlook your offenses.

I do not keep a record of your wrongs because I love you,
and "love covereth a multitude of sin".

...Jerry Bridges (a paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13

HEART THOUGHTS..... from Helen

"Birthdays"

"Luke, the beloved physician..." Colossians 4:14 AMP

Luke: Light-giving or luminous
David: Beloved

Luke Speir Lynn enlightened our lives ten years ago on January 24. His proud parents, David and Lisa, added their third son to our family on the day prior to David's own birthday. Weighing in at 8 lbs, 13 oz, 20 inches, the obstetrician delivering him dubbed him the 'linebacker', from the get-go. He still looks like a linebacker and he loves to play the game. Luke's physique and many of his characteristics bear an uncanny resemblance to his Poppy. Not only does he love to play football (and basketball) he knows statistics like his Poppy, watching ESPN and all the other sports channels he can find. He predicts Heisman Trophy winners with pretty good accuracy and Luke Spier Lynn's blood does run ORANGE. The boy wears Clemson shirts, shorts or shoes or jacket or tiger paws every day. To say he is an avid fan would be to understate the facts. During tryouts this past fall, Luke determinedly dieted. Each time he came to our house, he would run on the treadmill, then run to weigh on the scales. He made his weight goal with sheer determination. Seems like I remember his daddy doing something similar at that age. His MaMa told him he was getting fat after he'd visited my parents in the lower part of the state so David made up his mind not to be. He dieted and jumped rope every day, inside and out and lost weight, never to be called 'fat' again.

They say the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree. Our beloved David, whose birthday, falls on the 25 is overshadowed by his third son's and he hasn't seemed to mind in the least. He is a proud father of his three sons. When David was around Luke's age and older he acquired orange everything. My mother made him orange curtains and bedspread for his room. He wore his orange overalls until they wore completely out. The orange sweat suit he acquired somewhere along the way went with him all the way through high school and beyond. To say our eldest loves football is quite the understatement. During the season our house is college football headquarters. There's nothing the Lynn men would rather do than gather and cheer for their teams. David involves himself in every aspect of Blue Ridge Youth Association sports where his sons participate.

Back to Luke. My daddy died when Luke was five months old and he attended the wake in his little carrier. Honestly, he smiled, charming every person coming through the line and was such a sweet and happy blessing at such a difficult time. Luke is a loving and considerate young man. Even though I know those moments of public affection will soon depart when adolescence rears its head, he still hugs his Nana in public and will sit and talk to me at games, when I'm sure he'd rather be with the guys. Luke also is observant. He noticed that I had trouble keeping my coffee hot in the mornings, so for my birthday he got me an insulated coffee cup. For Christmas this fella purchased a heating, vibrating, neck pillow to soothe the muscle spasms in my neck and shoulders. Luke is a straight "A" fourth grade student at Mt. View Elementary and a terrific kid! Whether or not he becomes a physician like the one in Scripture, I don't know; he will however, do well on whatever he sets his mind. We are his proud grandparents. And David, our oldest? He's a beloved keeper too!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR SON, DAVID, AND HIS YOUNGEST SON, LUKE.

HEART THOUGHTS... from Helen

Snow

"...wash me, and I shall (in reality) be whiter than snow." (Psalm 51:7b - AMP)

"Come now, and let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;" (Isaiah 1:18 AMP)

As a girl growing up in the lower part of the state, we seldom enjoyed a real snow. When we did, my Mother and I enjoyed walking down our country road on the outskirts of Oswego, leaving our footprints on the "unadulterated snow", as she called it.

Last week we watched it snow and snow and snow, loving every minute of it. It's mesmerizing. So is the opposite, watching the flames of a fire burn relaxes me. When you can watch it snow in front of the fire, it soon becomes paralyzing. The older I get the less I want to do anything when it snows, but sit and watch it and stay warm. I've read numbers of comments about the snow on Face book. Many are so similar to my own feelings that we should put them in a book and call it, Snow Soliloquy. Then we could sit by the fire, watch it snow and intermittently read everyone's snow sayings. In actuality a lot of us did that yesterday with the aid of technology.

But then, we walked on it, took Sadie, our Golden out in it, tromped across the 'unadulterated snow' on our patio and messed it all up. We took pictures of the beautiful 'unadulterated snow' from the road, on the road and from the front/back doors. Now it's not pure and pristine; the stunning snow is 'adulterated,' pock marked with footprints and a lot of other things. Why do you think we feel we have to mess up a perfectly beautiful snow white scene by tromping on it? And then there's the snowmen, snow ladies, snow children, snow angels, and my grandchildren dug a snow tunnel or Alaskans call that an igloo. Five children crawled in, turned around and smiled out at the camera. Definitely a Kodak moment! My other three grandchildren entertained every male child (their parents did) near and far, feeding them all pancakes. Can you imagine all that testosterone in one place? Thoughts and prayers to Lisa.

Beauty and the Beast: Snow and Sin: The beauty of the driven, 'unadulterated' snow and the beast of sin polluting us all. We loved watching it fall and cover all the ugliness: the barren tree limbs, the asphalt road, the dead grass, the un-raked leaves, everything. Now, many want it gone and want it gone NOW. Scrape the roads, shovel the walk ways, and "LET ME OUT OF HERE! I want to be about my normal business". It was fun for a few hours but let's not get carried away with this white stuff. We're southerners; we're not used to it and we've done all the snow things we can do, eaten all the snow cream we can eat, eaten everything we can get our hands on and our mouth around, had a day off from work and school, now let's get on with life as we know it". It is a temporary fix, this snow event.

The Psalmist and the poet prophet, Isaiah, saw snow as quite another metaphor. Sin and snow. Not a thought we care to think about. "Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow". What is whiter than snow? ME! All washed and covered from the stain of sin. Abba Father says, "Come on, let's talk about this sin thing, let's reason together. I can cover your sin as the snow that covers the southeast. You become pure, pristine and 'unadulterated' when you come in repentance, confessing all the ugly, dirty, dead stuff and claiming your snow status"(my paraphrase) This may take a daily cleansing from walking and playing in the world, but my crucial cleansing, my snow is 'unadulterated' and not temporary.

Go find a spot of snow on the ground that is untouched by human or animal. Look carefully at it and thank your Abba Father for providing His Son, the ultimate in snow covering for your sin.

HEART THOUGHTS from Helen

"Let my one desire to be still before you." (Andrew Murray)

"For this reason ever since we heard about you (from Epaphras), we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual understanding." Colossians 1:9 (NIV) parenthesis is mine.

Ever wondered about Epaphras? His name means 'charming or foamy'. Not phony, but foamy.

He labored alongside Paul and in some way served as fellow prisoner. Herbert Lockyer calls him the man who was a giant in Prayer. I'd like to be known for such qualities. Do you have an Epaphras in your life? Epaphras, the Colossian, ministered to Paul in his need and to the church in her need. His prayer ministry is what is most notable about him.

Lockyer: "This giant in prayer knew how to lay all before the Lord, and laboring in secret, made the saints to be perfect and complete in their standing through his kneeling. He "strove earnestly in his prayers" for the Colossians." When is the last time you strove earnestly in your prayers for the saints?

Paul regarded his friend's perseverance as well as his prayers; he was a practical as well as a prayerful man. This man encouraged the imprisoned Paul with wonderfully charming good news of the saints in Colossae, probably resulting in the letter to the Colossians.

I've thanked God many times for persevering, powerful prayer warriors in my life. I honestly don't know what I'd do without them. I'd name them but would not want to omit any of them. Some have gone on to glory, but some still callous their knees in helping me to stand. Of course, my GREATEST INTERCESSOR is Christ, Himself. (Romans 8:34)

At the close of an old year, we succumb to some old habits, perhaps. Along with feeling much older, I've discovered that my prayer time suffers from insufficient time, insufficient listening as I should, over-sufficient distractions of everything and anything. Instead of choosing the better part like Mary, I resort to old Martha's busyness. It's been called the 'tyranny of the urgent'. I've confessed that and am determined to rename and recommit myself to being a Mary... Epaphras in this New Year. (Do you think it possible that they might have known each other?) Should I be successful, I'm thinking I'll see more of heaven in two thousand eleven.

HAPPY NEW YEAR, ALL YOU EPAPHRAS-ITES

HEART THOUGHTS from Helen

Prayer

"He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intercede;
...so His own arm worked salvation for him" Isaiah 59:16 NIV

Lessons learned at the University of the Feet extended themselves to post graduate work in the basics of breathing. It's one thing to have limited mobility because of foot surgery but quite another to pant from pneumonia. Asthma, though not alien to me, took a back seat a number of years ago and has been controlled for the most part, for which I'm most grateful. A couple of weeks ago it reared it's ugly head as a result of an upper respiratory infection resulting in pneumonia. My, how quickly we forget just what an important role breathing plays in our existence. So, lame in the foot and lacking in proper lung performance, my life in learning new lessons took me to my old journals. I like to call it HARVESTING. In the midst of it all, I am reminded of my deep desire to be an effective intercessor and the struggles and groans that go along with such.

From my journals dating back to 1981 (and there are many more prior to that date), the pleadings of my heart record prayed prayers, praise prayers, importunate prayers, intercession, supplication, and ...you name it, I prayed it. My family, my friends, my fellowship of believers, my follies, my failures, all lay at the foot of the cross. My thoughts, my devotional times, my cares, my concerns, all, turned into prayers prayed.

So, while I've been incapacitated physically, my heart as turned once again to more strenuously to intercession.

"As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right." (1 Samuel 12:23, NIV)

What can you do when your body must be still? Breathe your prayers upward and wait expectantly.