Forgetting What Is Important

In my morning devotion, I read the following story:

"Eager patrons surrounded the music hall as the hour for the concert arrived. A married couple was observed coming through the lobby. The husband turned to his wife and said, 'Oh, darling, I do wish our piano were here!' She looke at him nonplused and asked, 'Why would you want our piano here?' He replied, 'Because our tickets are on it.'

My mind then went to Psalm 59:11: Lest my people forget...

Do you realize that we are so blessed by our precious Lord in so many ways, the main thing ofcourse is our eternal salvation. Most of us have reasonable health, jobs that provide needed income, a house, friends, adequate food, vehicles to take us here and there, a great nation with all its liberties--all benefits that millions of people have never had.

And yet we so often complain. Or we envy our neighbors who appear to have even more. Envy, spurred by present-day advertising in various media, often causes us to want more and more, such as a bigger house (or a second one), a fancier car, custom clothes, or whatever. For the most part, we have everything we want for a happy and productive life. We should get down on our knees before God everytime we utter a complaint and beg his forgiveness. The Psalmist called upon us to bless the Lord, not forgetting all the good things He has done in our lives.

I suppose forgetting concert tickets left home on the piano would be an embarrassmet or inconvenience. But nagging God because we want more is a sin. The apostle Paul wrote about being content. May we all be so savvy!

In All Kinds Of Weather

"Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

Our Lord is present with us no matter what each day brings. It may be a day of joy or of sadness, of sickness or of health, of success or of failure. No matter what happens to us today, our Lord is walking beside us, strengthening us, loving us, filling us with faith, hope and love. As He envelops us with quiet serenity and security our foes, fears, affictions, and doubts begin to recede.

My father is one of those that does not function well when it's raining and cloudy outside. For over two weeks, the sun has not shown much. I'm sure he needs to be on medication, but refuses to see a doctor regarding his depression. He believes that people who are strong in their faith should not need medication for their nerves.

Then last week, I heard someone say that they have heard that God has healed someone, but it was hard to believe when they never receive their healing.

So...my question is: Why does God heal some and then leave others to suffer with their afflictions? Why would a preacher have nerve problems when he knows that God is his Healer? Why does one person still have cancer when they have prayed for their healing? Why does a child go down the wrong road when their mother has prayed over them for years?

I am getting ready to have my 14th surgery and sometimes I wonder if God is looking down on me. But, Matthew 28:20 say "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:20

I'm so thankful that God is my best friend and He walks with me daily. Even when I am in pain, I know He is there to give me strength & courage to face tomorrow. So...when you are down and out, remember God is with you all the time!

Snake In Your House?

Last night, I was working on my computer and out of the corner of my eye I noticed our dog jumping around and acting strange. When I looked up, there was a snake lying under our recliner in the family room. My first response was to yell at the dog and then at my husband. I knew that Larry could solve the problem! Then my thoughts went to: What if I'd been home alone? What if he'd bit my dog? What if I had stepped on it? Wow! Feal immediately came over me.

Even tho the snake was escorted out the door and into the field next door. I could not keep looking over at the chair and expecting to see another snake. Fear is such a terrible thing.

How many times have we let minor things turn our emotions and thoughts into fear? Fear is a tool the devil has over us. If he can get us to fear, he has our mind turned away from God. There is a quote that goes like "wat do we have to fear, except fear itself."

Fear makes us think our sicknesses can be worse than they are. Fear makes our financial situations look worse. Fear makes us worry over situations before they even become a problem.

Does not the Bible say?

The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1)

When I am afraid, I will trust in you. (Psalm 56:3)

You of little faith, why are you so afraid? (Matthew 8:26)

Don't be afraid; just believe. (Mark 5:36)

Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. (Isaiah 12:2)

So..today I command all fear to leave. I do trust in God and I know He is in control of everything that pertains to me. I know He is watching over my husband, our business, our children & our grandchildren. I know that He is God!

Dealing With Pain

To those that follow my blog, you already know that I have not been blogging much. I think everyone that has a blog has times when they are "blogless". By that, I mean you just don't feel like telling the world what is going on in your life. Or, you just have "bloggers block".

My problem has been pain. May of 2008, I started having pain in my left leg. I went to my doctor who put me on muscle relaxers. She said to come back in a month. The muscle relaxers did not help. I went back to doctor and she referred me to a Rheumatologist. It took a month to get into the Rheumatolgist and when I did get in, he looked at me like "what are you doing here?" He decided to run blood tests and requested that I come back in a month. I waited a month, went back and he said everything looked good. Referred me to an Orthopedic doctor.

Of course, it took another month before the Orthopedic doctor had an opening. It was September, 2008. I explained all of my symptoms to the doctor. He decided to do a MRI (another two week wait). I followed up with the doctor to find out the results of MRI and he thought I have a bad knee, as well as a bad back. He gives me an injection in the knee and says to come back in a month.

A month passes, the pain was gettin worse. I see the doctor again and he refers me to another doctor in the same building. Another two week wait. It is now November, 2008.

I see a back doctor and he agrees it is my back and sets up a time for an injection. The injection was scheduled for November 22, 2008. Got the injection and pain was a little less, but still there.

I saw the doctor again in December. He sets up another injection on December 28, 2009. Pain still presisted. I saw the doctor again in January and he refers me to Physical Therapy. I do home therapy and then see the doctor again in March. I was then set up for another injection on March 20th. Absolutely no relief!

Now, I've been referred to a Chiropractor and he told me that I need to take treatments for one month and if I'm not better than we will have to schedule surgery.

Wow - It is been 9 months of pain. To those that have dealt with chronic pain you know how it can work on your nerves. Every step I talk is extreme pain. If I turn my back a certain way, the pain is more than I can bear.

On the way home from the Chiropractor today, I was driving and ran a man off the road. I heard him honk and looked in my rear view mirrow as he went off the road. I instantly pulled over and as he walked to my car I could see that he was mad. I opened my door and he saw that I was crying. I explained that I did not see him & I don't even remember looking to see if I could pull over. I told him that I was in pain and it was all my fault. I asked if his car was hurt and he said no. He asked if I was ok and then said no harm was done. He helped me back in my car and asked if I was able to drive. I said yes, and he wished me well and I left.

I really belive God's angels were with me today protecting me and the man I ran off the road. I knew I should not be driving, but what can you do when you have appointments that are supposed to make you feel better?

The whole point of this blog is to point out that if you are in pain, think twice before you get behind the wheel. Your reactions are not as good as they are when you're feeling well. I'm even sure this blog is rambling...lol Could it be the pain medication?

Hopefully, the next blog wll be more interesting. Blessings!

The Miracle of Birth

Words cannot express how proud we are of our new grandson. It is so amazing how much you love them the first time you lay eyes on them. It's an instant love & you know instantly that there is nothing you wouldn't do to protect them.

If you've seen the face of a newborn, I'm sure you are like me in the fact that I cannot figure out how anyone could not believe in God. Everything is perfect the minute the child is born. Ear lobes, eye lids, fingers, toes, etc. Just perfect! A miracle! Just to think this child totally depended on his mother while in the womb, but the minute it takes it's first breath it is able to survive without his mother. Yes, it does need an adult to take care of it...but it is living on it's own effort.

In saying all of this, we are so proud of Ryder Phillip Verspaget. Born March 26, 2009, 6 lbs 6 oz, 18 3/4" long. Thanks to everyone who prayed for a safe delivery & a healthy baby. God is so good!

Where Have You Been?

I was told a joke the other day. It goes like this.....


"Did you hear about the twenty-dollar bill and the one-dollar bill talking to one another? They were telling each other where they had been.

The twenty said he had just been on a whirlwind trip. He had been to the casinos and to the movies. He had been to a baseball game and purchased hotdogs and sodas. He had been passed on to the lottery and then to a drug dealer. His life was full of extravagant travel.

The one-dollar bill responded saying his life was boring. All he had done was travel from one church to another and another."

What a sad story!

I am amazed at how much we spend on luxury items, travel, clothing, etc. Then I think how much have we given God? If we truly love God and believe He is in control of our life, shouldn't our giving be something we want to do? Shouldn't it be more important than vacations? Our purpose on earth is to win the lost. If we do not support our church and missionaires we are not doing our part. My prayer today is "Lord, give me a giving heart."

Baby Verspaget

Just a note to let everyone know that our 3rd grandson will be born in 6 days. It seems like the 9 month have flown by. I know it must seem an eterity for our daughter tho.

I remember being pregnant with our children (many yeas ago) and the pregnancy seemed to last forever. But isn't it amazing how you forget all the pain and hours of lost sleeping when you see that little one's face.

We are praying for a healthy baby & a safe delivery. God you are so good!

The Journey

We are happy to announce that “The Journey: Searching for the Promised Land” is now available at Amazon.

We have all heard the story of the Exodus. But, do we really know what the Exodus story is about?

The Journey is not a story about Moses. It is not a story about a people’s journey through the wilderness to their promised land.

Read The Journey and understand it in the way God wanted you to know it: a story about you and about me; and the problems we face everyday.

The Journey is about your unpaid bills. It is about your struggling business. It is about the pay raise you’ve been wanting. It is about the difficulties you have been having with your family. After reading The Journey you may find yourself with a different viewpoint on life.

Order your copy now at: www.amazon.com/Journey-Larry-J-Tate/dp/0881443654/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236812312&sr=8-1

Blessings,
Larry & Ginger Tate

Thanks For Your Wonderful Comments

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Baby Verspaget

Great news! Our third grandson will be born on March 26th, 2009 in Frisco, Texas. Please pray with us that the baby will be healthy and our daughter, Kristy, will have a safe delivery. Pictures will be posted as soon as he (they haven't decided on a name yet) is born.

What's Love Got To Do With It

Love...What this word means to me is commitment.

Love is not a "feeling". Love is an "action". It is a "choice".

When my husband and I got married 37 years ago, we thought we were "in-love". We did not have a clue. Love came with time, trials, victories and commitment.

The same goes for our relationship with God. When I was saved at the age of 10, I thought I was "in-love" with God. That love then in no way compares to the love I have for God today. If we love someone we are willing to do whatever it takes. We must love without restrictions. I love my children and my husband and I am willing to stand by them no matter what. But my love for God is so much more....I am willing to do whatever he would ask me to do.

Love is the ultimate sacrifice. "For God so loved the world....."


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Love Is The Power Charge

My husband and I decided to take the weekend and get away. We made reservations at a hotel approximately 150 miles (Oklahoma City) from our home and hit the road. We arrived at our hotel around 3 pm yesterday, checked into our room, drove by the Asian District, and Stockyard City. We ate dinner went to a movie, and then back to our room. A perfect day!

When we got to the room, I realized we had left the chargers for our cell phones. You have to realize, I'm one of those people who has packing down to an art. Something so simple, frustrated me so much. Everytime I woke up during the night, I would think about our cell phones sitting on the cabinet and losing power. Stupid right? I agree! But it was something I could not get off my mind.

That next morning before we went down for breakfast, I was thinking about the chargers again. When all of a sudden, my mind started thinking about the relationships with our spouses, our parents, our children, our friends, etc. None of those relationships are worth anything if there is not love between you. Then I thought...wow - Love is the power charge.

I know this year, 2009, I want to see the incredible power of God released through my life. But it just doesn't 'happen'. You have to start putting the love command in action. Start loving those around you.

If you have strife in your heart and you're not living by the love commandment of Jesus, spiritual things are foolishness to you. When you're in that condition, the Name of Jesus won't work. Faith won't work, and none of the gifts of the Spirit will work because the Bible says they all work through love.

Love is the power change. God's power package just won't work without it!

John 15:12-13