LET HISTORY TEACH US WELL

As we look at the headlines and it seems we are entering a new era of a cold war….my thought turn to history and what we can learn from our ancestors…..

Let History Teach Us Well

New war it is arising

Like the days gone by

Lessons long forgotten

The pain of histories cry

 

A whole generation

Sincerely has no clue

Oh Lord we have forgotten

To teach them so much truth

 

Their focus is short-sighted

Living for the day

Can’t help but feel a pinch of guilt

As our liberty has been frayed

 

So how can we prepare them

What gift can we now give

Continue with the teaching 

That in Jesus we must live

 

He’ll get us through the hard times

Though leanness there may be

He’ll lead us through the darkness

His light is how we’ll see

 

As we look at generations

How did they survive?

They walked by all God’s promises

That’s what kept their souls alive

 

They lived through wars and famine

They have a tale to tell

No matter what affects their life

With God it will be well

 

The changes may be painful

A different lifestyle yet

But as we look at Paul’s great words

In all things he was content

 

Content in all abundance

Content in lacking too

He learned the secret of the cross

That God will be with you

 

So grab the message of the Lord

Let history teach us well

He walked our ancestors through it all

Many lived to tell the tale

 

There is hope in memories

Memories of the past

As we kneel and seek the Lord

We know our faith will last

 

Sailing through the changing tides

We know that it will be well

As we stay close by His side

In His refuge we will dwell

 

So loosen up the rigid ways

Get ready for the change

And be a light inside your world

In Christ we shall be brave

 

We were born for such a time

Such a time as this

God will take us through each day

As long as we are His

 

copyright  2014   Jean Chamblee

Sackcloth and Ashes

America, America

How we need to sit

In sack cloth and ashes

Uncovering our sin

 

Sins of us all 

From great to small

It matters to God

How our country did fall

 

Whether by silence

Or outright by sin

We’re in this together

Repentance can mend

 

Have we forgotten

What our forefathers bore

The wounds and the scars

So freedom could soar

 

And where are the churches

Calling it sin

Demanding an account

For deeds done within

 

Lawlessness reigns

Because we’ve sat back

Refusing to engage

Be on the attack

 

copyright   2014  Jean Chamblee  

Your Light My Lamp

When the world gets crazy 

And spins all around

You can’t seem to land

Or get your feet on the ground

 

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path

 

When darkness falls

No light to be seen

Evil prevailing

Justice falling in between

 

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path

 

Judgement is falling

Been jumping up and down

But it seems no one is listening

Like they can’t hear a sound

 

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path

 

Peace is always found

At the sound of your Words

Nestled in our hearts

Circumstances cannot blurr

 

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path

 

Though the rapids roar

The thunder gives it’s quake

My life is in heaven

You will not forsake

 

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path

  

 

copyright  Jean Chamblee  2014

Mary, Mary Quite Contrary

If you belong to God, never, ever think that you are useless or that your failures will stop Him from working out His purposes in your life.  Here is a true story of an unlikely candidate to become such a treasure, even in the midst of her human failures.

 

MARY, MARY QUITE CONTRARY

 Somehow, each one of us is an intricate part of a grand puzzle.  Whether we can see it or not. We are intertwined together in this journey called life.  We bump up against each other and affect in some way the other lives we cross paths with.

 

It’s funny that we can see this about other people, how they impact our lives,  but we usually can’t perceive how we are affecting others.  For better or worse, we are all a part of the molding process in the hands of the great Potter, our Creator.

 

It’s not something we consciously do most likely, it is in the being of who we each are that somehow brushes up against the other lives we around us.  I like to call it         “ soul painting”. 

 

I want to tell you about a most unlikely personality that came into my life and probably to her dying day, never knew how much she had impacted me.  Her name is Mary.  She was my former mother-in-law.

 

Mary was a colorful character, cheerful and full of life.  She was a school teacher most of her working career, but she had retired by the time I came into the picture.  By all outward appearances, Mary had become a failure.  Fallen quite far from where her life began.

 

She was born into a privileged family.  Her parents were Norwegian immigrants and her father had successfully built a tuna canning business in California.  When Mary reached college age she was wining and dining with the debutants and famous families in southern California. 

 

Her college room mate was Diane Disney, daughter of the famous Walt Disney.  She majored in music and could sing opera beautifully.  She married the son of a famous orchestra conductor and was living the high life. 

 

When she graduated from college, however, the youthful recreational drinking continued in an unhealthy way.  Something she never got free from and it eventually took her life.

 

She made a series of bad decisions, including an affair that cost her not only her marriage, but her place in the high society circles that her marriage had brought her. Her descent was painful and sad.

 

After having two children with her second husband, he left her.  Later marrying a woman she had once called her best friend.  All these things seemed to crush a part of her, but she always kept a cheery disposition.  

 

Mary married for the third time to a gentle Fillipino man that was also an alcoholic.  This pretty much sealed her fate in that area.  Together they drank, laughed and argued.  Mary’s voice was shrill and loud from all her years of being a school teacher, as you can imagine. Her husband, Frank, had a hobby of collecting junk from yard sales, which drove Mary crazy.  He especially collected bikes with the dream of repairing them all and sending them back to the Phillipines to help his people.  Their lovely back yard in southern California was lined with broken bike parts to her dismay.

 

Mary had retired and had some difficulty getting around on her feet.  She was home bound most of the time.  She had a 1/2 dozen cats and dogs at any given time and our kids loved to go and visit her.  She lived in a small two bedroom house in a modest neighborhood.  Far from the luxury she had once lived in.

 

How ironic it was, that at this point in her life, she became the greatest blessing in mine!  As man would look at her, Mary was a failure, but as God and I looked at her, she had become something beautiful.  Mary was in some ways, done with herself.  She had become all about other people.  She had a huge heart and life had brought her to a place of being humble.  A trait that most people don’t fully understand or appreciate.  Yet in the kingdom of God, it is highly regarded.  Mary no longer had an image to live up to.  She was free to love with her big heart.

 

When I was pregnant with my second child, I was again, extremely sick with not only morning sickness, but all day sickness.  I still had to work and take care of my three year old.  It was difficult.  Mary knew this and would call me everyday with her cheery voice, “Hi Jeannie, how are you feeling today?”  Her love and acceptance of me carried in her words.  Not all mother-in-laws appreciate their daughter-in-laws and I felt blessed.

 

I never got tired of her calls and she cracked me up so often.  She was an avid QVC Shopping channel watcher.  I would get calls asking “Do you have a spaghetti cooker, or bread maker, or foot massager?”  The list was endless.  Some I accepted and some I said “no” to because I knew she wasn’t watching her own budget.  Her heart overtook her logic most of the time.

 

She and Frank were great grandparents.  My parents lived 3000 miles away on the east coast and her other grandparents just weren’t the “grandparent” type.  Mary and Frank loved the role.  They built a tree house, tree swing, and hammock.  There were endless toys and animals at her house.  These were good years, until they had to rent out the garage apartment, which limited the kids activities there.

 

I loved Mary.  We all knew how bad her alcohol problem was, but her cheery nature and love somehow shined past all of that.  She was my greatest advocate during some very tough years.  I had many surgeries and was in lots of pain from that point on and I tried to hide it and keep my chin up.  I don’t think Mary ever knew how much she meant to me.  Her calls were so often like sunshine to me.  God used her in my life, just as she was.  

 

One night she called me pretty late, she had been drinking, but I could tell her heart was heavier than usual.  She had such a tender heart sometimes.  She cried for days after John F. Kennedy, Jr. died in a plane crash.  You would have thought she knew him personally.  That was a beauty that came from all her own pain.  She could connect with others hurting with such ease and sincerity.

 

I knew something was different this time. She asked me to pray which was something she rarely did.  God put the most beautiful prayer in my mouth.  I spoke to her as if she was a princess, beloved by God and a daughter of God.  The thing is that she truly was, but no one had acknowledged this.  She had never heard those words.  She called me back a few minutes later crying and saying, “you have no idea what that has done for me”.  I knew in my heart that although she had prayed to accept Christ many times, she finally believed it.  It somehow had sunk into her, that God accepted her and she Him.  I knew she would be safe in God’s arms at her life’s end.

 

Mary died a few months later.  Her liver shut down from all the damage the alcohol had done over the years.  I was sad, but I knew she was at peace in heaven.  Her absence left a great big hole in my heart and life.  My kids missed her dearly.  She had given them some of the best childhood memories of their life.  She had given me such a pure love and encouragement that got me through many difficult days.

 

Mary, Mary quite contrary.  From the outside looking at her life, she seemed a failure, but from God’s vantage point and from my heart,  Mary was one of the most beautiful souls I have ever known.  Everyone was always loved and accepted in her presence. She was a blessing to many other people too.  Her circumstances had left her selfless of heart and giving.  She really was a treasure and always will be in my heart and God’s.

Some Day No Tomorrow

Some day no tomorrow

It ends for us all

We don’t like to think it

But the trumpet will call

Are you sure you are ready?

Have you made your choice?

To become what you were created for

To God lift your voice?

You’ve heard Jesus loves you

But you choose to ignore

Why are you waiting?

He will soon shut the door

Like the parable of the virgins

Five wise and five fools

When it’s time for His coming

It’s too late to move

Move from your living

In lawlessness and sin

Let His truth get you ready

Let His blood cleanse within

Cleansed by the Saviour

By your choice to believe

He makes it so easy

But Satan deceives

Only believe

And He’ll lead you out

Break all the chains

That have wrapped you about

He has such great mercy

His anger He’ll lift

If you turn to Him

To His Spirit submit

Humble yourself

At His feet lowly bow

You were created for this

To come live in His house

Heaven is created

For them that believe

All that He’s done for you

Simply receive

Let Him take you in

The world’s torn your soul

Only He can heal you

Touch you deep, make you whole

It’s time to stop running

It’s time to come in

Dwell in His safety

Depart from your sin

It only destroys you

And this breaks His heart

Let Him just love you

Turn around, make a new start

copyright   2014  Jean Chamblee

Luke 15:20-24   Parable Of The Prodigal Son

 “And he (the prodigal son)  arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bringout the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet.  And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry;  for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.”

ANGELS AT WORK IN THE UNSEEN REALM (true story )

    I was so excited about learning to be led by the Holy Spirit and the things God was allowing me to do.  Still, it was a growing process. 

   One summer, between college semesters I went to Statestown to visit my parents, I had an unusual experience.  I got up early to go into town to pick up a few things, it was around 10 o’clock in the morning.  I had the thought while I was driving, “Why don’t you go to Lakeview Park.”  I reasoned in my head with what I assumed was my own thought.  “I’ll go later”, I said to myself.

   The day continued and I was enjoying visiting my hometown.  While I was driving down the road, the thought came to me again, “Why don’t you go to Lakeview Park.”  Reasoning with myself again I said, “Maybe I’ll stop by and visit Sarah who lives close to the park and then I’ll go.”

   I drove to Sarah’s house and she was not home, I drove past the park, but I really did not want to go there and continued driving across town.  Once again, the thought came quite loud in my mind, “Why don’t you go to Lakeview Park.”  I began to catch on to the fact that maybe this was not my own thought.  Maybe it was the Holy Spirit telling me to go to the park.  The thought had come to me three times during the day.

   I turned the car around and headed to the park.  There was only one way to find out if this was just in my head or if the Lord had a divine appointment for me or something.  As I drove up, my eyes fell on a car parked under a tree.  I knew in my spirit, that gut feeling,  that this was the person I was supposed to talk to.  I got out of the car and walked over to him.  I never really know what to say, but had learned that honesty is the best policy.

   I spoke to him and said, “Hello, this may seem strange to you, but I felt like the Lord wanted me to come over here and tell you that He loves you.”  As I looked at him, tears burst from his eyes.  “You have no idea, you have no idea!” he said.  He went on to explain that he had lost his job that morning and his girlfriend had broken up with him the night before.  He was at his wits end and had a loaded gun waiting for him to come home and kill himself.  He loaded the gun and laid it on the chair and decided to go to the park and smoke his last pack of cigarettes.  I glanced at the pack sitting on his dashboard and there were only two left.

   I talked to him about Jesus and the plan of salvation. He was eager to receive Him.  He knew that God had brought me to him just in time.  We prayed together and he grabbed my hand, weeping as he prayed.  I could feel the Holy Spirit come so sweetly in our midst.  This man was transformed that day, he had a whole new lease on life.

   Now the funny part to me came to light when we were talking after we had prayed. He said, “I have been at this stupid park three times today, trying to finish up this last pack of cigarettes.”  I almost busted up laughing as I pictured the angels trying to get me to go to the park three times that day.  There was such gravity to the situation, but it made me laugh to think what must have been taking place in the spirit realm that day. All the effort to get our paths to cross. The angels that must have been working in the unseen realm to get me to hear and obey God’s voice and to get that guy to the park. God is amazing.  God is love!  His life was changed forever and so was mine!  What an adventure it is to learn to serve the Living God.  It is so worth taking the time to seek Him and learn to recognize His leading.       

Romans 8:14  “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” 

Exerpt from the book by Jean Chamblee   “A Secret Life In The Secret Kingdom”      available on Amazon,  also kindle and Barnes and Noble

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=a+secret+life+in+the+secret+kingdom++by+jean+chamblee

Like Noah

The waves they are a’ tossing

When there’s no sea around

The ground it is a’ moving

No stability to be found

 

The skies are turning black now

Pray tell what shall we do?

How will we survive this trial

If we won’t turn to You?

 

You are the solid Rock on earth

It’s all we have to stand

What You’ve done will always be

No one can move Your hand

 

Living in another realm

And yet You’re here with us

You’ve made provision for our souls

But in you we must trust

 

Resting in this rocking boat

Like Noah years gone by

It’s really not a different thing

In You we must rely

 

A rainbow there will always be

Your promises stand true

No matter what this time may bring

Our safety is in You

 

 

copyright  2014  Jean Chamblee

Empty Little Tea Cup

Empty little tea cup

Won’t you fill her glass

She just wants a little love

But she’s afraid to ask

 

Living in a glass bowl

Created by a lie

No one lives in honest truth

That image must not die

 

Small and broken hearted

No one seems to know

Living in a grown up world

Unwatered plants won’t grow

 

Starving at the bottom

Abundance is around

It’s not the things that she desires

Just wanting to be found

 

Simply be acknowledged

And value placed upon

Never getting what she needs

Her heart just drips with blood

 

Bleeding from the inside

Unseen as it were

Only a discerning soul

Could feel the wound in her

 

Her house it had an idol

They don’t know that they serve

Hidden to the naked eye

And no one had the nerve

 

To tell them that they’re blinded

Success is not a god

Yet they keep on serving it

As if it’s all they want

 

Empty little tea cup

She doesn’t have a chance

Unless the truth comes crashing in

To change the others stance

 

Day by day is passing

Her soft soul stiffens up

She doesn’t know how to survive

She’s still an empty cup

 

Looking to the outside

Her home has failed the test

She must find another source

Somehow she must be blessed

 

Looking all around her

She sees a little light

Coming from another place

She’s hoping that she’s right

 

There she finds a neighbor

With kindness all around

They seem to have soft eyes that see

Maybe she’ll be found

 

It only takes a little

Affection given free

To fill this little tea cup

Just like she’s meant to be

 

Now there’s hope before her

Her future may be bright

Because the love a stranger gave

A candle in the night

 

Empty little tea cup

Stands empty now no more

She’s grown into a  living love

She’s ready now to pour

 

Eyes that shine with knowing

The moment that she sees

Another empty tea cup

She knows just what they need

copyright  2014  Jean Chamblee

Privileged Time

Hearts on fire

End of days

Can’t believe that we are here

Watching as His words unfold

Such things are crystal clear

 

Changes come

Winds will blow

It’s not what we expect

Hindsight’s twenty, twenty

Make sure there’s no regrets

 

Hear His voice

Catch His wave

This world will pass away

But all the time we spend with Him

Is in our hearts to stay

 

Hearts on fire

End of days

Can’t believe that we are here

Watching as His words unfold

Such things are crystal clear

 

 

copyright 2014  Jean Chamblee

Longing

I’m longing for that intimate place

In the land of shallow souls

Seems no one wants to seek Your face

Or the words from days of old

 

So few want the treasures there

Just live from day to day

Avoiding anything with depth

Deaf to what you say

 

I’m longing for that intimate place

Sweetest place I know

No one else can fill that gap

From You all love can flow

 

I’m longing for that intimate place

I lift my eyes to You

Enraptured by Your glorious face

Until this life is through

 

copyright   Jean Chamblee 2011