The Last Day

Okay, so, how appropriate is it that I got called out for talking during the last day of class in my academic career? Oops! I knew I was destined for a career in comedy. Just add it to my material. It's even more funny that I shared with a group of women this weekend how I was working on Proverbs 10:19 in my personal life, "In an abundance of words, much sin abounds, but he who holds his tongue is wise." I want to feel bad about this and chastened and all that, but I get the giggles just thinking about the irony. ;-)

Family History

I learned much this weekend about my family history that I hope to share with you in the posts ahead. Today, I have reprinted a prayer, written by my great-grandfather's grandfather, a man not known for his godly lifestyle as much as for his temper and his wild living. Notice from where this prayer was written.

Prayer of George Richard Gautier I
(1839-1924)
Written in Rusk Penitentiary ca. 1893

Oh, our Father who art ruler of earth and heaven, and who sent the Redeemer, our Savior Jesus, here on earth to redeem men, I know that I am one that is tired of sin. Would thou listen to one who is pleading for help now while I am out here alone on my bended knees, just turned loose from prison today? Oh, God, while I can look into the prison walls and see them all at work there, wilt though spare me to be a free man once more? God it is not me. I do not wish to live such a life – am I like Paul, used for a purpose? You know my heart, you know my tempter, help me to prove myself, you know my temper, help me to prove myself. You are the only one who knows me. It is said you are a forgiver of sins – forgive me, oh, God! I am at your mercy, forgive! Away from every tie, every friend, on my knees. Mete out the fountain of grace and love – let me feel thy power! Oh, God, let me drink from the fountain of pure love, let it come down! I feel like I am lost forever. God bear me through! I want religion now – right now! Change me. I will honor and praise thee forever and ever. Put me like Paul working for you, praising your name. Save – for I am lost! I feel like flying off to realms above. God, teach me the way I should go. I ask for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

Family Night

Last night was one of my favorite nights ever with the Horton clan. Mama and Daddy and I drove into Rio Hondo just in time for the dinner gathering of all of my aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents. We are here for Easter, but we're also here to celebrate family milestones -- Nana's 70th birthday, Papa's 72nd, and we even managed to sqeeze my graduation into it, too. The first thing that struck me was just how much I love the people who were gathered in that house. We are a loud and raucous crew. I remember when there were 13 of us, and that seemed like a lot. Now, there are 19 of us, including 3 babies, and the noise and crowd just add to the sweetness of our time together. We started the evening like we always do, eating Taco Salad. Once the last bit of guacamole had been scraped from the bowl, we turned our chairs to face the easel, set up to play "Win, Lose, or Draw!" family style. My dad and Aunt Debbie had made a list of stories about Nana or Papa that we'd all heard over the years, and us grandkids were in charge of drawing them out and getting the family to guess which story we were depicting. I wasn't sure how well this seemingling cheesy plan was going to work, but we laughed so hard and each story we drew would remind us of about ten others, and even after we had used all the clues Daddy and Debbie came up with, we continued drawing our own memories. When we'd exhausted that, it was time for cards and gifts. Nana is the oldest of 9 brothers and sisters. Daddy had each of them send cards and letters for her to his office and gave them the chance to call in and leave her voice messages which he downloaded onto his computer and used to create a very special powerpoint for her with their pictures and stories. We all teared up as this 70 year old big sister listened to the loving comments of her younger siblings, one hailing all the way from Alaska! For Papa, the preacher, we'd found a solar-powered lighthouse to go in the backyard and remind him of one of his favorite analogies for the Gospel message. Then, we gathered back into the kitchen to eat cakes (one white, one chocolate) designed by our own cake-decorator, Daisy. While eating cake, we watched powerpoint Daddy put together to commemorate my graduation. I think it ocntains every picture of me ever taken. My generous family surprised me by having cards and gifts for me as well. Amazing. The grand finale of the evening was a DVD my cousin Jaclyn edited for Papa of a flying lesson he'd given her brother, Travis in his airplane a while back. Travis is a musician and the whole thing was set to some of his music. It was wonderful. My heart was already so full in anticipation of celebrating Easter itself, but to be here with this special people has been more than I can contain. Papa shared with us as we watched the footage of him and Trav flying over our home town that we couldn't begin to imagine how many times he has taken that plane up and, alone in the sky, called out our names before the Lord, petitioning for the needs he sees in our lives. Oh, how I praise the Lord for Papa's prayers.

He Is Risen

I'm off to spend Easter with family in the Rio Grande Valley. It's a long drive down, and a late night flight back, but it's worth it. I think, as far as holidays go, Thanksgiving is my favorite. It's got the best food, lots of family, an excuse to count your blessings, and no stress of buying presents. But, little compares with the utter joy that overwhelms me at Easter time -- He is risen! The AWE of that statement floods my heart and mind with a profound sense of joy and hope that can hardly be described, measured, and definitely not contained. My roommate said that when asked what Easter is about, one of her first grade students said, "It's about hope, Miss Horton, hope." Isn't that the truth? Because Jesus died, paying the penalty for my wretchedness (and yours!), and more importantly, because he overcame death and rose to live again -- we have hope. We have hope of victory over sin and death, hope of eternal life with Christ in heaven, hope of peace with God. Praise Him! He lives!

So That ...

This morning, I have the honor of speaking to a group of ladies at Bethany Baptist Church in Mesquite, TX. I am going to talk to them about Titus 2 and the biblical command for women to teach/train/mentor women to be loving and godly examples in their homes. I've read, read about, and heard teaching from this passage many times before, but this week, as I prepared for this talk, something different stood out to me. The "so thats" -- the parts of the passage at the end of the commands that say, "so that ..." I am reminded that God gives us reason, purpose for our obedience, and in this case, the "so that" is that his Word would not be dishonored. The way we live our lives alongside one another is a reflection of our God. Wow. That's an important "so that."
In the application portion of my talk, I plan to highlight three women who have been very instrumental in my spiritual growth and development over the years. I want the women at Bethany to understand that investing in someone else's life can be a simple decision with eternal profit.
Robyn is the first woman I will highlight. She was my Sunday School teacher in high school, and she lived on the end of our street. The first thing that I remember learning from Robyn was that the Bible was God's word and it contains all of the principles, precepts, and promises I need for godly living. She would hold her worn, tattered Bible between her hands and run the pages back and forth over her palm as she passionately entreated us to know it, believe it, and live it. Many times when I've come up against a question I was not sure how to answer, I have pictured Robyn's utter confidence in the sufficiency of Scripture for godly living and turned again to its pages for direction. Another thing about Robyn was that we had a system. Each morning, as I would pass her house on my way to school, I would honk twice, and I knew without a shadow of doubt that Robyn paused wherever she was, whatever she was doing in her home, to pray for me. Prayer, intercession, is such a precious gift, and she gave it over and over again. The final thing that Robyn did as a way of investing in my life was to open her home and her heart to my friends. We had open campus lunch my junior and senior years of high school, so Robyn instituted the Tuesday Lunch Club. Every Tuesday, we'd bring our brown bags to her kitchen table, knowing there would be brownies or Rice Kripy treats waiting for us, and we'd sit around the table and laugh, tell about our days, vent our frustrations and use those times to invite friends to join us later at church for various events. It was such a simple thing, but I can't even count how many friends joined us and were introduced to the things of God around that table.
The next woman I will talk about this morning is a lady named Mat. Mat was my mom's mentor when I was born. She's prayed for me from before I came to be. Mat gave me my first book and loves to take credit for my joy in reading. She and Bob moved to Wisconsin when I was in Kindergarden but she stayed in touch and wrote me letters and always assured me she was interested in my life and prayed for me regularly. Only eternity will reveal the impact of those prayers. A few years ago, after I got to seminary, Mat and Bob were in DFW for a visit. I was able to spend a couple of days with them at my parents' home and even bring them to a Sunday night service at Wedgwood. A week or so after they left, I received a check in the mail and a word of encouragement. She and Bob wanted me to know that they were excited about what God is doing in my life and had agreed to support me with a monthly gift through the rest of my seminary career. I wonder if she realized I'd be here 3 more years! Her letters, her prayers, and her giving have left such a mark on my life.
The final woman I want to tell about is Leslie. Leslie was a Sunday School teacher in our college ministry. Like the others, she was a prayer warrior. She was also someone who enjoyed sitting down weekly for one on one Bible study and discussion with me. I think I learned the most from her, though, when we were doing laundry together or running errands for her family. She would talk to me about them, about her job, and her life and share with me the things she was pryaing for and how she did her best to turn daily tasks into times of worship or prayer. I remember telling others, "I want to be like her when I grow up, a woman who prays as she folds the laundry!"
Who is it that has invested in your life? What are the simple ways others have given and how has it led you to be more like Christ?