50TH RE-BIRTHDAY! HALLELUJAH!!

                                      I'M A "HALLELUJAH" LADY!!

       A blessing how and that the Lord broke into me!
      I've shared this every year, one way or the other.  So, will share it again.   It sure hits my heart strongly every April 15th.  I rejoice for the Lord and thank Him overwhelmingly.  Because He truly is the joyfulness of my heart, soul, and spirit.
     To share it, as I often say, it ain't short, but is truthful.
     Bless you on my most blessed day.  My salvation changed my world, obviously, and the world of many others connected to me through my God-seed-planting since then.
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I was 19 and at my friend Susan's house.

     For most of us U.S. folks April 15th is IRS day, for better or worse, refund or payment. However, in my heart, it is MY day. On April 15, 1966, at 6:30 PM, I accepted Christ into my life. Four months shy of my 21st birthday, living a life of heavy-duty sin and headed towards a significant amount of trouble, the Lord broke through. I have never doubted or questioned or regretted it. He had arranged for seed to be planted in my heart off and on since I had been very young, by school teachers, neighbors, or someone who just walked past me and said "God bless you", but the seed hardly survived. And then...
     I was living in Tacoma, WA. Towards mid-March a young woman at work, Carol, 18, was suddenly without a place to live and couldn't afford to fly back to her family in the St. Louis area. Donna hollered at work, "Hey, Joanne, you have place in your apartment. Let her move in with you." I didn't know Carol very well, but knew she was a sweet person -- and I WAS NOT!!! I knew it was the right thing to do, so agreed that she could, but I also said to her: You can move in with me. BUT I go out when I want to go out, I come back when I want to come back, and if you don't like it, you can leave.
      Amazingly, even hearing that "jerky" statement, Carol moved in. What I didn't know was that she was a Born-Again Christian. I didn't know what that was, anyhow, so it wouldn't have sunk in. Over the next couple of weeks we yammered about religion for hours nearly every night. She couldn't always come up with answers for me, so she connected me to Stan, a man in her church, and he would hammer topics out with me on the phone. Very straight-forward, which is what works best with me most of the time. I decided to go to church with her -- Portland Avenue Baptist Church. My second Sunday, on April 10th, it was Easter.  At the end of the service, there was an altar call and I knew I was supposed to go forward. I could feel the pressure in my heart ... my whole body ... in a way I had never experienced before... but I held on tight to the back of the pew in front of me so I would be able to not step forward and give in. I left church feeling pleased that "I won the battle."
      The next Thursday, at work, Carol banged her head at a desk in our office and ended up in the hospital. She would there until Saturday. I was invited to dinner at Stan's house on Friday, and enjoyed dinner with him and his wife and four sons. After we finished eating, and Anita had cleared the table, and the boys had disappeared to the living room, Stan had me stay in the kitchen with him and he laid the facts of Christ's sacrifice out for me very clearly. Stan knew how sinful I was ... he had a similar history ... and he didn't look down his nose at me at all. He knew God could turn my awful life around, no question. I told him that I believed what he was telling me about Jesus and His sacrifice and the possibility of salvation, but I said I needed to straighten up first or I couldn't come to Him. Stan, of course, said it was the other way around -- come to Christ and the changes would start to take place. I knew he was right, and I made the commitment and invited Christ into my life. In my mind, because of all the abuse I had experienced from many others, mostly men, this was simply a "contract"... no emotional attachment to the Father or Son, just an agreement to follow the rules He laid down and, if I messed up, take the punishment that would hit me. After my prayer, Stan and I went to a young adult Bible study, so only an hour after I was saved I made the public statement and they rejoiced. I remember that the next morning when I woke up my first thoughts were about the new life I had before me.
     And it was then, and has always been. Even though I was far from perfect, the Lord kept moving me along; He didn't give up on me. Stan wrote an article for a Baptist teachers magazine a year later and described someone who walked with the Lord, fell on her face in the mud, and climbed back to her feet again, and went forward and... fell on her face in the mud. How often this took place. He also said it was the climbing out of the mud and back onto her feet that made the difference. And that he trusted that as she grew in the Lord the pattern would simply be the walking.  
     AND he smiled and laughed to tell me it was about me when I had come to the Lord and was adjusting my life.  He winked at me.  Well, even after all these years, most of the time I can say that is true. Occasionally, I do end up with a little mud on my face, but it wipes off thoroughly ... by the blood of Jesus.
     Where would I be if this all had not come to pass 50 years ago? Most certainly no one would know me today. I would have been continuing to be involved with much of the sinfulness, and would have died from violence, alcoholism, or suicide. No friends, no family, and, most certainly, no hope for my future.
 
    The key word every time I have during my Re-birthday is:                                       HALLELUJAH!!  

[AND I was in the NW for 3 weeks with sisters in Clatskanie, OR, and got home a week ago, and this is a "me" picture when I am 70.  Think you'll smile!!]

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    In August, 2014, when in Tacoma with a friend, and showing her the church I had been at when coming to the Lord, she wanted to take a picture of me at it.  It has had many different church groups and much of it has needed to be rebuilt.  But 50 years ago, it was my special place.  They truly put up with me and I was there for about 4 years until I was in California, and even visited there for several more years if visiting Tacoma.  The church members also were wonderful for my sisters who are younger than I am and they were cared for and loved.  Anyhow can't not show the photo again.  It's a blessing to have it with me when the picture was taken.

 

FILLED WITH BLESSINGS FROM THE ROCK!!

       I took this picture about 8 years ago when in a special place. It's truly truthful that I could have been slammed and grabbed and never got back onto the road since I was in a different location when heading around the rivers and mountains.  It was a miracle that this strange man, when I had stopped my car on the road, so I could take a photo of the Mount Rainier, which was near his place, he grabbed me into his large yard area and closed the wide yard door.  Then, after I took pictures of the mountain, he came out of his home, opened the yard door, and let me go out and get in my car.  Anyhow, God had protected me.  It was an amazing driving stretch in a different portion of Tacoma.  I got to my Mom's and to my sisters.  AND I've always thought of this as the Word re: the Rock!!  Always makes me smile when I see this.

       BTW, friends, since I'm heading to the NW on a plane on early Saturday morning, March 19th, I don't know when or how I can see the mountains I love, b/c the rain and cloudiness cover them much of the time.  I look forward to seeing sisters, family and friends out there.  I hope my computer will work and I'll blog on here when I can in Clatskanie, Tacoma, or Klickitat when with dear sisters and strong friends... or Portland, Vancouver, or Seattle when I can be with friends that will drop into my life and take me around.  THEN I'll be in Omaha very, very late on April 8th.  Leaving Portland airport about 7 at night, which dealing with the timing here, means it would be 9 here since our timing is 2 hours later than the ones in the west, so being home nearly at midnight.  A blessing to have my dear husband picking me up at the airport, holding my hand and giving me a hug and a kiss.  AND when he's taking me to the airport on Saturday morning about 5:30, he'll give me a hug and kiss when I'm into that going-away situation.  He's been a HUGE blessing for me for about 30-1/2 years.  Now, I'll shut up.  Bless you and yours!

UGANDAN TAXIS WERE AMAZING IN MANY WAYS!

     This was an unusual portion that Dave and I were going into the taxi stretches in Kampala.  We were put into the taxis and taken around and about to other places.  Wasn't easy, but sometimes God put me in the place alone to get on a taxi; sometimes Dave was in other locations to work or do whatever for people, and I was put in other places.    Sometimes it went well, and sometimes it was spiritually dangerous.  BUT, it was a HUGE blessing to be there and do whatever. OH, and sometimes the people had their goats or sheep or lots of other stuff tied in the back of the taxi and the chickens or piles of food and clothes were on the floor between all the seats.  Lots of people ... more than officially OK at about 12 to 15 people, and then, NOT officially, often 20 or 30 were added in.  Hard to sit gently.  Very dangerous in some ways.   Anyhow, have never forgotten much of it, and we've LOVED much of it, and Dave and I have loved the people! 

       AND would love to be there again, BUT haven't been there since early '04 and haven't been able to go again.  SO heading to Heaven is all that counts. 

 

LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAVEN!!

      During that time in Uganda... heading to Uganda in mid-November '03 and heading home to Omaha mid-February '04... this special time to be at Kabujagera, Uganda, was about the end of November where I'd never been in the past years in Uganda and it was a huge blessing for me.  Took photos when stepping out of my room when I woke up.  It was a wonderful pile of the clouds and trees and other things that were beautiful, even though the town was struggling with the roads and the homes, etc.  But I was filled with much rejoicing during those couple days.  AND I was a preacher/teacher a few times, too, and that was a huge blessing for me.  THEN, when leaving the town and on the beginning of the road saw this:

 Made me smile!! 

 

UGANDA GRABBED OUR HEARTS!!

    Twenty-five years ago, when Dave and I were at our first time in Uganda, we saw so many little kids in a lot of places back then and were able to give little hugs.  And I was a preacher and a teacher at churches immediately way back then.    Since it was 25 years ago, now the little ones we met are about 30, and they have lots of kids, too.  Sure would love to see them again.  Even when we were in Uganda a few more times -- a bit from '94 to '04 --  and were around towns, villages, and BIG cities,  we sure loved many then, and still love many now.  On email, fb, and some phone situations, we are blessed to be in touch with our "sons, daughters, grandkids, brothers, sisters, moms, and dads".    Still filled with love to us and from us to them.  BTW, sure would love to see this girl again, but I have no idea where and when she stayed and remained.   

I always think that when I'm in Heaven, we might be put together to smile and worship the Lord and appreciate how He dropped us together. So when I'm there, I can hardly wait to see and meet many again ... in and around our world, of course!!! 

AND these photos were during our first time.  Dave and I were walking very suddenly up a hill to a home we were staying at.  I took that picture.  Then, with another girl we really loved, were able to have a picture of the us with her.  And I was holding a little boy and he was giving me a hug.  Have known a little bit of his family since then, but have never seen him again.  Anyway, here they are...

BLESSING, HONOR, AND WISDOM... FOREVER AND EVER!!

      That is what is on my heart consistently for the past stretch of years.  Every day I say and sing in our house or in a car or when I can walk outside with my canes and I use strongly the words of glory, worship, honor, and thankfulness.  Since my body and brain don't work as well... even to read and write re: the Bible... all I can do is sing to and for Him.  Sure loved to see this photo this evening and it grabbed my attention and my heart.  So, sending it out again to share. 

[I have another verse from Psalms that has grabbed me, too, so I hope I can find a good photo with that one in a day or so.  Do what I can, when I can, how I can.]

TRUTHFULISM RE: MY LIGHT!

        This is an everyday thinking and worshiping piece.  I've read it yesterday and saw this today when looking through a pile of Ugandan photos, and this grabbed me and my attention.  All I  do, moment-by-moment, day-by-day, night-by-night, is to worship and focus on the Lord.  That's all that counts for me any more.