11 Days Until Thanksgiving

 

     When I was growing up, the picture below represented the kind of churches most often found in small rural communities.  Even though they were small churches, the people had large hearts full of respect and love for each other.  

 

 

 

     When I saw this picture on Facebook, I instantly thought about the campaign President-Elect, Donald Trump ran on, "Make America Great Again."  However, what will really "Make America Great Again?"  Only by putting God back into homes, schools, and country can this be done.  And, we cannot really put God into our homes, schools, and country unless we daily worship and find fellowship with Him.   

     I go back to one of my many favorite scriptures which is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14,  "If  my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."

     I am thankful to have grown up in a family who made attending church a priority.  It set the tone for my salvation experience and my faith.  By believing that Jesus died for me, and that He is the Son of God I claim His promise of salvation.    

The Church

     What is a church?  Even though there are people who do more work in the church than others, I  believe the church is a body of believers working together with God as the Head.  In Ephesians 1:22-23 we find:  "And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,  which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
     When I think of the church I have such fond memories of the small country church I attended when I was growing up.  Although most of the people I knew are no longer there, I remember this church as the basis for my salvation, and I love to sing the song we so often sang.        

        

Church in the Wildwood  

There's a church in the valley by the wildwood
No lovelier place in the dale
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the little brown church in the vale

Chorus (Oh, come, come, come, come) Come to the church by the wildwood
Oh, come to the church in the dale
No spot is so dear to my childhood
As the little brown church in the dale

   

My poetry lyrics are as follows:               

THE CHURCH

 

There's a  church

beneath a shady birch;

A spot so dear, answering a worldly cry.

Oh, come to the church, sharing Jesus and why.

 

 

 Come and drink to your soul;

Find the Word to keep you whole.

Come, come! Sip the flavor;

Fill your cup with the love of the Savior.

 

 

Hear the call from your nearby church;

The place leading, guiding toward life's search;

A people committed, loving, caring, giving;

A people praying; forgiving.

Find peaceful rest in God's own place

Where, outside, waits a vulture in watchful space;

Inside sits, a sinner fallen from lofty ways

Seeking joy to follow his days.

 

 

Come and drink to your soul;

Find the Word to keep you whole.

Come, come! Sip the flavor;

Fill your cup with the love of the Savior.

 

 

Oh, come to the true and peaceful church;

Calming, rousing from a falling lurch;

Find it sowing seeds to sprout;

Beneath its shelter, sharing what life's about.

Oh, come to a lovely place;

Dwell in His grace.

Find the heart, with busy people,

Building a mission steeple.

A people - God's own,

Telling of His love, beginning to end, forever-shown. 

Oh, come, come, come to the melody sounds of the calling church,

Giving rest underneath its shady birch. 

                                                Mary Crisp Jameson

 

 

 

A Country Girl

         Growing up my parents gave me all the basic needs and more.  They knew I needed more than what they could provide.  I needed an eternal guiding light, so they introduced me to the One who would lead me through my current walk and into eternal life. 
     In Sarah Young's, Jesus Calling, she writes, "I am God with you, for all time and throughout eternity...  My perpetual Presence with you can be a continual source of Joy, springing up and flowing out in streams of abundant Life. Let your mind reverberate with meaning of My names: Jesus-the Lord saves, and Emmanuel-God with us... Talk with Me about whatever delights you, whatever upsets you, whatever is on your mind..."   
     I am so blessed to have been given parents who were faithful to not only take me to church but to live a Christian example.   In tribute to them, I wrote the following: 

A Country Girl

I was raised among country girls-

Given home permanents with lots of curls;

Digging ‘taters and picking peas-

Saying, “Pass the cornbread, please.”  

I had home-made clothes from flour sacks,

But given love in Godly acts.

There was Daddy’s law

And rules from Maw.

No matter, it was cold or hot,

Momma washed out back in a big black pot.

I remember scrubboards, sounds of roosters crowing,

Rising early with a knowing.

A scented smell of lye soap-

Extinguishing a play day hope.   

Clothes were a’waiting to be hung on barb-wire fences,

Milking cows, gathering eggs to avoid expenses.

Mornings woke with chickens clucking,

Momma, feather plucking.  

There were mattresses airing in the sun,

Yet, work was not at all done. 

A country girl with memories galore;

Not all about work or what I wore.

Jumping rope and playing jacks-

Life was busy but not too much for Godly facts.

We had days for hog killing,

Lard making and chicklings cooking, if Maw was willing.

There was watermelon eating under big oaks,

And home churned ice cream with our kin folks.

Momma quilted and Poppa went off to hunt;

 He loved it no matter the stormy front.   

There weren’t complaints regarding their deeds-

Only thinking to meet the family needs.   

But Poppa didn’t allow no back-talking jaw-

Maw was quick to lay down the law. 

Respect was taught;

Hugs were given if we kids fought. 

I was raised a country girl

Drinking water from community dippers,

Running barefoot with no thought of fancy slippers.   

I had outdoor toilets and tin tub baths,

Then prayers a’teaching Godly paths. 

Life didn’t take no modern-day research- 

Sundays were times for church.

Needless, to say,

On any day,      

I didn’t have the best,

But this country girl was blessed.

                                                                                           Mary Crisp Jameson  10/24/2015