My family

Posted on November 29, 2018 by Dana

img_0856Aunt Karlyn loved holding baby Keightley as much as any of us. Enjoying family during the holiday season is my favorite part.

img_0860 After flying home from Denver the day after Thanksgiving, Susan and I enjoyed seeing John Turner, who was in town. John moved with his mom to Foley, Alabama, this school year. We miss him terribly, but he loves it there and we pray he thrives in high school, in wrestling, and in ROTC — which he really enjoys.

I don’t think Jesus intended to belittle His earthly family, but He redefined His relatives in an interesting way: “While Jesus was talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him. Someone told Him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside wanting to speak with You.’ He replied to him, ‘Who is My mother, and who are My brothers?’ Pointing to His disciples, He said, ‘Here are My mother and My brothers. For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.’” (Matthew 12:46-50)

What is the ‘will of the Father’? What caused Jesus to call these disciples His family? I think they had come to a simple conclusion: “This Man is no ordinary teacher. He is the Chosen One, our Messiah that the prophets of old predicted would come to redeem God’s children. I am going to follow Him all my life. I am going to listen to Him and do exactly what He says because He is the Son of God.”

Jesus embraced such individuals as ‘mother’ and ‘brother’ and ‘sister’… and He still does. “My Father is your Father; My God is your God. You are part of My family.”

“Then they asked Him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.’” John 6:28-29

“To the Jews who believed in Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” John 8:31-32

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

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your Father

Posted on November 15, 2018 by Dana

As Mary Magdalene first met the risen Christ, He said to her: “Do not hold on to Me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’” (John 20:17)

He had taught it all along, but Jesus wanted to seal the truth He wants imprinted on all our hearts: “My Father is also your Father!” Jesus lives to give glory to God by bringing lost children home and by revealing who our Father really is.

“I am the Way to the Father. No one comes to Him but through Me. If you don’t know Me, you don’t know the Father.”

“You don’t need to worry about what to eat or what to wear… your Father in heaven knows what you need and He will supply.”

“If a child foolishly leaves home and squanders all his money and ruins his reputation, the Father will run to meet him when he returns in repentance. He will throw a party for the lost one who has been found! And if another child disapproves of such a celebration and acts with disrespect, the Father will reason with him and encourage him to enter His joy.”

“If you are My sheep who listens to My voice and follows Me, you are in the Father’s possession. He is greater than all! No one can snatch you out of His strong hands.”

“I and the Father are one. My teaching comes from Him. He will bring perfect judgment to anyone who rejects us.”

“My Father has placed His seal of approval on Me. I have given you and continue to give you Living Water and Bread from heaven and Life everlasting. As the Father loves Me, so He loves you. Live in that love!”

Next week I’ll be holding our new baby granddaughter in Denver so there will be no writing. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, may we be grateful for all our Father gives us and may His light shine in our lives.

“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

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community

Posted on November 8, 2018 by Dana

img_0825Susan probably worries a little about me as she enjoys our new granddaughter in Denver, but she knows I’m not alone as our friend Sherill lives with us. For the past couple of weeks, our friend Jim has needed a place to stay so he is also a welcome guest.

Sherill is an assistant women’s basketball coach at a local university. She played at our school, starred at the University of Georgia, then played five years in the WNBA and four years overseas. Jim is off the streets and doing well. God used His children to help Jim get clean and attain a full time job as a custodian at an elementary school.

The three of us make quite a diverse community. While I am sure we could find many differences to argue about, we tend rather to dwell on the things we have in common: Jesus, an enjoyment of sports, various struggles, and an appreciation for good food. Our dinner conversations are quite interesting.

When I told them I would probably write something about our little family, both Sherill and Jim said I could write anything I wanted… they both trust me. Surely the test of a healthy Christian community is not whether you can spend two or three hours together each week in a church building… but whether you can truly love each other every day… despite your differences.

Jim said, “We must live out what we say at church. If there is ever a need among us, we all need to pitch in and help.” Sherill said, “Coach Davis, with the season starting up, I’m going to be tied up most Sundays. Do you think we can take time to get together and talk about God one evening during the week?”

My friends remind us of what is most important: ‘Love the Lord’ and ‘Love one another.’ When our communities keep these two priorities front and center, ‘the kingdom of God is near.’

“Jesus replied: ’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40

“All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet in the temple courts. They broke bread together in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” Acts 2:44-45

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joy

Posted on November 1, 2018 by Dana

If a picture is worth a thousand words, I’ll post my longest writing ever to welcome Keightley Grace Stanley into the world. She was born on the morning of October 27 in Denver, Colorado. She was nineteen inches long and weighed eight pounds three ounces. Kinsey, Jordan, Owen, and Susu are doing great.

We praise God for the miracle of life!

keightley family susan_and_keightley

“A woman giving birth has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. I tell you the truth, My Father will give you whatever you ask in in My Name. Until now you have not asked for anything in My Name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.” John 16:21-24

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unknown

Posted on October 25, 2018 by Dana

With the Red Sox playing the Dodgers in the World Series this year, I am reminded of a special gift to our family in 2007.

On June 9, 2018, Jon Albert was named a CNN Hero for ‘making extraordinary contributions that make a difference in our world.’  Jon’s wife died of breast cancer in 2006.  Witnessing the impact the struggle against cancer had on their two children and experiencing the trial as a husband and caretaker, Jon started The Jack and Jill Late Stage Cancer Foundation to help families dealing with life-threatening cancer. Literally hundreds of families have been blessed by this generous organization.

image001In the summer of 2007, my family was chosen by the Foundation to visit Boston and attend a Red Sox game in Fenway Park. We were invited to go onto the field during batting practice, and Taylor hoped to get an autograph from David Ortiz (‘Big Papi’) or Manny Ramirez, the only two players he was familiar with on the American League team.

Kinsey stood near the Red Sox dugout and heard two fans yell, “Hey Mikey!” They knew the player and walked over and gave hugs and talked. Kinsey was standing an arm’s length away. She motioned me over and said, “Tell Taylor I can get this player’s autograph; I am standing right next to him.” I delivered the message and Taylor asked, “Who is he?” I answered, “I don’t know… some guy named Mikey.” Taylor said, “I don’t want his autograph if we don’t even know who he is.” So the invitation was declined.

In the first inning, a batter was introduced: “Third baseman, Mike Lowell!” The home crowd roared. Kinsey said, “That’s Mikey!”

Mike hit a home run. Taylor moaned. Karlyn laughed. The Red Sox ended up winning the World Series later that year. Guess who was named Most Valuable Player? Mike Lowell, third baseman for the Boston Red Sox…

Jesus did not say to the woman at the well: “If you knew who I was, you would ask Me for an autograph.” He did say: “If you knew the gift of God and Who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked Him and He would have given you Living Water.” (John 4:10)

We know who He is…

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of Living Water will flow from within him.’ By this He meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were later to receive.” John 7:37-39

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