Praise*

 Palms 148 talks about praising God. From the heavens praise God. In the Heights. His angels are to praise him. All hosts. The Sun and the Moon and all Stars of light. Heaven of heaven and waters that be above the heavens. He commanded and they were created. Are you a created being also? Praise the Lord from the earth, dragons and all deeps: Fire, Hail, Snow, Vapours, Stormy wind. Mountains and all hills, fruitful trees, cedars: Beasts, all cattle, creeping things, and flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and ALL PEOPLE; princes, and all judges of the earth. Both young men and maidens; OLD MEN and children. In another verse, it says let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. His name alone is excellent. Is there any doubt that anyone alive should praise God.  Everything God creates is able to reproduce. People, animals, birds, trees, plants, weeds. We have much knowledge in this day and age. We create ships, we create automobiles, we create airplanes. We create/build houses buildings of all sort. Yet is there anything that we create that can reproduce itself? We can send space ships/airplanes in the sky, but unless we can get them into orbit far enough out there they come back when they run out of fuel.  The earth has been rotating around the sun as are other planets, there is no fuel keeping them going after century upon century. As regular as clockwork, the sun comes up every morning. I breathe thru no effort on my own and have lived and breathed some 60 years. Is not a God who has all this knowledge worthy of our praise. Perhaps there is still more knowledge he can give to his creation, he who has the planets in orbit, the earth rotation thru the seasons year after year. I am amazed to see Airplanes fly and do not understand how it the air going over the wings that lifts the airplane into the sky. But God gave that knowledge and I just think there is more knowledge to find as God still has the planets rotating around the sun.  Sometimes we send up satellites into the atmosphere but every so often, they stop working or come crashing to the earth. God is worthy of our praise. Some people doubt the Bible, but yet others have investigated the probability of all the prophecies of Christ being fulfilled in his short span on earth and are convinced he is the Christ, the Son of God. He is worthy of all praise.  God bless, LVZ.

The woman*

Yesterday I briefly mentioned the woman caught in adultery found in John chapter 8.  I also mentioned Judah and his interaction with Tamar. I guess the thing that bothers me about this is it seems women were caught and held responsible for their actions, but where were the men. Judah and Tamar had sexual relations outside of marriage but it was only Tamar that they were going to punish.
In John chapter 8, it says "...this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act."  If she was caught in the very act, where was the man? Why was he not brought before Jesus also? I realize times were different and women were almost property at this time. But the law was meant to be for both men and women. Thou shalt not commit adultery did not say Women shall not commit adultery. It was meant for both men and women. How is it that things had gotten so far off that they brought only the women to Jesus? How is it that Judah was going to punish Tamar his daughter-in-law and he was the other part of that adultery? I really think that same wrong attitude prevails today. You hear it all the time men will be men. It's like we expect men to be unfaithful.  Young men seem to feel as long as they are not married they can screw whoever they want. That is not God's way. Young women will be called a tramp or worse if they have relations with more than one man. What do we call a man? Men will be men is about all that is said. This is wrong, this is not much different than that old attitude we found in the bible. Jesus told the woman - neither do I condemn you to go and sin no more. Jesus made it the same by letting the woman go with those words. Do we look at everyone else's sin and think that is a big deal, that is wrong and look at our own sin and think, this is normal? Many Christian will get on board when you talk about homosexuality, its wrong. It is wrong, but do we get on board the same when we talk about adultery? Both are sin, both have consequences. I do not want to sound legalistic, maybe I am, but what I really want is for us to think this thru. Do I make my sin little? Whatever it is take it to God, just as you are. I believe he will deal with you the same as the woman in John chapter 8. Confess, ask to be forgiven and move on. Don't continue in sin, bring it to God and leave it there. Don't pick it up again. If it is a problem,  continue to give it to God and he will change you. I see this gentleness in Jesus over and over again with the common people. Neither do I condemn you go and sin no more. Jesus came to heal, lift up, to change us into His image, not to condemn. You read over and over where Jesus came to help his people, it was the religious people that made the laws difficult and unfair. He was the hardest on the religious leaders of his day. They wanted to be seen, they wanted to control the people. A servants heart, like Jesus, was about helping people, raising them up. We don't want to be like the religious people of Jesus's day, we want to be like Jesus. Think it thru. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I did not look it up but repeated it from memory. We want the word of God to become a part of us, we want to be like Jesus.  God Bless, LVZ.

Judah*

In Genesis 38 is a story about Judah. Judah was one of Jacob / Israel's sons by Leah his first wife. Judah had at least three sons. the oldest was Er, 2nd was Onan, and then Shelah. The Bible doesn't always tell us a lot about time. In the first 5 verses of this chapter, it is telling about these three sons being born. In verse 6 it starts telling about Judah getting a wife for Er. Er's wife's name was Tamar.
The Bible says Er was wicked and God slew him. Judah then gave Tamar to his second son Onan. As was the custom in those days when a son died, his wife would be given to his brother to raise up children on behalf of the dead brother. Onan did not want to do that and God was also displeased with him and God slew him also. The third brother must have been younger and not ready for marriage. Judah promised Tamar that he would give her to Shelah when he was grown. Time past and Tamar did not have any children and it seems Judah had forgotten her. It was important to have children to support you when you got older. Judah's wife the mother of these three sons died. Judah was taking a short trip to shear sheep at a place called Timnath. Somebody told Tamar where Judah was going and Tamar put on different clothes and was waiting alongside the road to Timnath.  She realizes Shelah was grown and she had not been given to Shelah in marriage. She dressed like a prostitute and waited alongside the road to Timnath. When Judah passed by he did not realize she was his daughter-in-law and promised her a kid from the flock if she would lay with him. Until he could come back with the kid Judah left his signet, bracelets and his staff.  Tamar changed back into her widow's garments and went back home to Judah's house. Judah sent the kid from his flock as promised by a friend but the Prostitute couldn't be found. Three months later Tamar was pregnant and out of wedlock. Judah said to bring her and let her be burnt. That was the punishment for Prostitutes in that day and age.  When she went to Judah she brought his signet, bracelets, and staff, and said the child I carry belongs to the man that owns this signet, bracelets, and staff. Judah owned up to the fact he was the father of her child and she lived. He realized he had failed her by not giving her to Shelah in marriage. What I find interesting in this story and the reason I am telling it is the women were punished for having sex outside of marriage and were looked down upon. But nothing was done to the men. This also happened in Jesus day when a woman caught in the very act of adultery was brought to Jesus for stoning. This is when Jesus said let him who is without sin cast the first stone. That lady's accusers all left without throwing a stone. Here again, nothing was done to the men. I feel this same attitude prevails in a lot of men today. Men will be men, I have even heard women say that. But God's standard is the same for men and women. Men need to rise up and be Godly men and not have a different standard for women than they have for themselves. Jesus told the woman that was brought to him: " neither do I condemn you go and sin no more." Do you ever hear a man or a woman say that sermon was tailor-made for so and so? That is sort of the same thing on a smaller scale. We need to hear the word of God for what it says to us individually and not worry about if it is tailor-made for someone else. When God is talking to you it's you God wants to change, not the person next to you. We need to clean up our own life, take the beam out of our own eye. Find what the word of God is saying to me. I am reminded of the time I was riding in my little pickup with my second wife. She had a radio preacher on and this preacher was preaching about how husbands should treat their wives. My second wife was over there saying AMEN about every three minutes. The preacher was about halfway through his sermon and had just started to say something about how women should treat their husbands. Before he could finish his sentence, my wife reached over and turned the radio OFF! I realized that marriage was in trouble. She was not willing to hear what God had to say to her and only wanted to hear what God had to say to me. It doesn't work that way. I need to hear what God is saying to me and not worry about what he is saying to my partner, let God take care of her. If a woman is reading this, hear what God is saying to you and let God take care of the men. God works with each of us on an individual basis.  He loves us all and wants what is best for each of us. God Bless, LVZ.

Render to Ceasar the things that are Ceasar,s*

Tax time. I tried to get a little of a head start because having used some of my 401 K, I knew it would be bad. Matthew 12:17 "And Jesus answering said unto them, Render to Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's, and to God the things that are God's." What is God's? We have an obligation to pay taxes to our government. Most of us think we pay too much. But I'd like to reflect on that for a moment. We conservatives, (most Conservatives) think abortion is wrong. If we don't abort unwanted babies, the government will be required in many cases to provide the finances to support those babies until they are grown. We are the source of money for the government, if we don't want abortion, we have to be willing to pay the taxes that support these people on welfare. Its the flip side of that coin. That is Ceasar's among many other things. I know my grandchildren and my daughter has benefited from various forms of government assistance over the years. Taxes have to be paid, the poor we will always have, the Bible says so. Tithing didn't seem to be that difficult for me most of the time and I believe God has blessed me because of it. This year was difficult for me. I wonder why, after all these years why was it so hard? It was because it was big amounts. The percentage is the same. The government gets theirs, be sure of that. But as I took money out of the 401 K for various things that came up it was hard. I had to go back and take more out because after the Government took theirs, I didn't have enough for the purpose I took it out and tithes. It was hard for me after all these years. But I believe I have it because God gave it. God loves a cheerful giver, I didn't feel that cheerful. Living the Christian life is not always easy, things that we think should be normal after all these years became an issue. I want God's continued blessing on my life. I pray he will help me to be more cheerful in the future. And do it his way. God has been so good to me. I really didn't pay him first like I ought, I had to go back and get more to pay God. I am thankful for God's blessing on my life. Hope I do better in the future. I can't take it with me. But what is God's? All of it, it came from God in the first place. We buy and sell land, we buy lumber to build houses and pay people for that lumber. Its God's, He created the earth, he created the trees, he created the food we eat. He gives all knowledge. It's God's in the first place anyway. He doesn't need my money. He created the universe he has all knowledge, he gave me just a portion to be able to provide for myself and my family.
But he gave me what I have. It's his anyway. I believe his purpose for tithing is to teach us to be givers. There is no one who has given more than God and he wants us to be like him. God doesn't need my money but he does want me to be like him. In giving, in forgiving, in loving. To be like Jesus more and more each day. I will be giving Ceasar his also.

J

God Bless, LVZ

Answered prayer*

When I finally got moved to Verona, I started looking for a church to belong to. I feel God has answered that prayer again. It seemed it took a long time for that prayer to be answered, but in reality, it took me a long time to finally attend Hope Church and check it out. From the first service, I felt it was the right place. I had found it online first and had listened to some of the sermons online. Here once again I found not a perfect church because if I ever did find that church, I would ruin it when I became a part of it. There are a lot of good churches in any community. I like to be challenged in my life. I like to find a place where if I became like them, I would better myself. I don't want to find a place that is going to tell me I am OK, your OK. I believe God is working in the lives of his people to bring them closer to look like Jesus. I want to do better than I did in the past. I want to be a good husband and father and grandfather. I want to be a good neighbor to those around me. It is in Church and in my own reading and having a relationship with God that I am strengthened. I believe God is constantly working on me. Like a carver with his ordinary piece of wood. The carver takes out his knife and whittled \away at the ordinary piece of wood and creates a piece of art. So I believe God works on me. Wittle a little here and there in my life until he changes me into what he desires. God has changed me, I believe he has. From a young man that was legalistic in his thinking to an older man that believes God is still working on me. From a young man that expected Christians to be perfect to an older man that sees God is still at work in their lives as he is in mine. I believe I am less selfish than I was at age 20. If it is truly so it is because I have allowed God to work on me and shape me. The standard that God puts out there for us to aspire to is not to make life difficult but to make it excellent, not just good but excellent. If you really take the time to study and understand God you find that he wants good for us, he wants the best. But he does not just give it to us hoping we'll do right. He allows us to grow into a vessel that will appreciate his goodness. It is like a child, if you just pile on them everything you think they might want, you create a selfish monster. That is not what God wants for us. He wants us to be like Jesus, who came as a servant and gave his life for us. Not selfish, I am the Son of God, do what I say. But selfless, and shows us a better way. Selfless that he even gave up his life freely to pay for our sins. You will find example after example in the Bible where Jesus was concerned about his people, not condemning, but lifting up to a better place. Not driving us as a dictator might, but freely as in whosoever will. He does allow us to suffer consequences for our disobedience. I believe that anyone who will truly try to become a Christian and follow after Jesus will not be disappointed. Yes there were hard times, yes every day was not a picnic, but when I look back those hardships were used by God to shape me into something better. I didn't like the pain, but I like the result. I look back and I can say God has been so good to me. God Bless, LVZ.

If I could do it over*

If I could start my life over I would like to do things differently. But I am me and I would probably do the same thing over again. If I could start life knowing what I know today, what would I do differently?  I would pray and ask God for direction in my life. I would not marry or date without seeking God. Why? The person I married and made a child with no longer serves God. She is still a mother and grandmother to my child and my grandchildren. She still has an influence on their lives.
After my first divorce, I tried to be true to God but I started listening to the counsel of the world. I went thru most of my first marriage having only been intimate with one woman. I listen to the counsel of the world. You live in the nineties. Even in Bible days, people committed adultery, King David did. Samson did, and I am sure if I keep looking I would find more. OK, they did it and God still called David a man after his heart. King David suffered for his sins, Solomon his son suffered for his sins. But there is a story of Joseph, who had the opportunity with the wife of Potiphar. He truly tried to remain true to God. He was falsely accused and thrown into prison. But everywhere Joseph went God blessed him, even in prison. God was shaping him for a future purpose. I believe God wants to do that in all our lives, if we will trust him, obey him. We live in an age where men think "why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free." We live in an age where women indeed do give the milk for free. We live in an age where it seems there are so many fatherless kids. Yes, they had a father to be created, but they do not live in the same house. Sometimes if there is a man in the house, it is not their father. If 1/3 of the people in this nation had cancer it would be considered an epidemic. But it seems recently I heard that 1/3 of households in this country are absent a father.  I believe women are damaged by the men that feel they are men and men will be men. They are not faithful to one woman. Not too long ago on one of these TV shows where they try to find the true father for a child, a woman had 13 men tested for DNA to match her child and still had not found the father. Is God punishing us by asking us to abstain from sexual relations outside of marriage? Absolutely not, he wants something good and beautiful for us, for our marriages, for our families, for our nation. But we are a nation that cannot wait for God to bring a partner into our lives. We feel we know better than our creator or are just plain selfish. Some years ago Charles Stanley gave a list of things that are different between Love and Lust. Love can wait, Lust must have it now. Love is giving, Lust is taking. I will not give the whole list here. A woman could trust a man who is willing and of Godly character to wait.  Sex outside of marriage is wrong and it does destroy. It promotes selfish attitudes in our younger generation. Waiting on God promotes selflessness, considering the other person and their well being and not just our selfish desires. I would love to go back and try this in my life. I think it would make a big difference in the lives of my children and grandchildren. I dated a woman once and really wanted to marry her but she didn't trust me. She had been used and damaged by men just like me in the past and it was hard to trust. Even then, I wish I knew as much as I do now. I believe the milk is really not free it is just a different price we pay, perhaps an emotional one and a spiritual one. If we could just trust God as Joseph did. We could change our world. We would have less dysfunction in our world, less heartache, less selfishness. Fewer fatherless children, fewer homes without a father in them. I believe we would have less drug addiction, alcoholism. Maybe I am just a dreamer but so was Joseph. I wish I could go back and start over, I really do.  God bless, LVZ.

Salt*

I want to be salt. I am hoping that my little blog is just my way of shaking out a little salt in me. I am grateful that Jesus sought me and changed my life. No man cometh to the Father except the Father draw him. Jesus went looking for me when I was still lost in my sin and I am grateful that he came looking for me. I have had no great impact on this world or any one individual. I feel I have not even passed on this great salvation to my children. But I hope I am shaking out the salt that is in me as a believer in Christ. CFAN's theme for this year is the year of influence. It is my hope that I can be the salt that helps someone come to know and develop a relationship with this Jesus. I try not to be overpowering with my salt. I had my son just this year tell me to quit shoving my religion down his throat. That is not what I want to do, I just hope I can tell how great God has been to me and convince someone to try as I did some 29 years ago. My life has not been perfect, anyone who has been divorced 4 times has made some errors. I have sinned, I have been legalistic at times, but I have also seen God change me. There are things I wish I could go back and do over, but I can't. I am grateful for the 60 years God has given me. I am grateful for the before and after pictures, I have seen not only myself but others. I am encouraged when I hear of ex-wives that are finally getting it together and serving God. I believe if someone tried this Jesus as I have, they will never be sorry. I am grateful to a Minister by the name of Mike Mathis that told me directly: "Leon, someday you will stand before God and have to give an account for your life." It was direct and to the point but I will be eternally grateful that he allowed God to use him to reach me. I have gone thru some things / some difficult times, but I do not regret meeting Jesus Christ. He changed my life, he has been with me thru thick and thin. Even when I have sinned he was there to pick me up and dust me off and send me back on my way thru life. You have to truly experience him to totally understand. He will never leave you nor forsake you. He hates divorce but he was with me thru every one of them. God Bless, LVZ.

Ask and it shall be given*

Today in church during what they call alter call, I heard Gilbert and Kay Vilhauer's name called out. I had asked for prayer a couple of weeks ago for them. This is something I have never had to face myself and I am not sure I really understand what they may be going thru. But I asked for prayer for them a couple of weeks ago knowing they need God's help during this time. As I was standing there listening to the names being called out, a relative of one family down in Hattiesburg was affected by the recent tornado and other requests being made known, I heard Gilbert and Kay Vilhauer called out in prayer. I thought here in Nettleton, Mississippi their names are still being raised to Father God, and I wonder if there are churches still praying for them in Washington State, California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Tennessee South Dakota, North Dakota and other places where family members attend church and their names are still being lifted up.  It touched me, I knew CFAN in Tacoma prayed for prayer requests for 30 or 31 days, but I didn't know how long this church would keep lifting up these prayer requests. Also in watching Joel Osteen as we were getting ready for church, Joel told something about a young girl that had prayed for a calf. I didn't hear the whole story, but I saw the picture flashed on the screen of this black calf with a white spot on its forehead that resembled the letter J. The girl's name was Jamie.  Matthew 7:8 "For everyone that asketh recieveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."  In recent days in talking to different individuals, I mentioned various prayers that God answered for me. God is still listening for us to call on him. I remember a prayer God answered when I was but 5 or 6 years old. I remember a prayer that I prayed when I was 11 years old and God said NO, or perhaps it was waiting awhile its not time yet. 49 years and waiting, now I am hoping God is still waiting to answer that prayer for a few more years. I believe God is the answer today for whatever the need is. I believe he can change every addict, abuser, sinner into something beautiful. They just need to ask. Ezekiel 18:4 "Behold all souls are mine; as the soul of the father , so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die."
My soul belongs to God, so does the souls of my children. they belong to God. I just keep praying. I believe I have seen evidence of Papa Johns prayers for his children and grandchildren being answered even though he has gone to be with Jesus. Perhaps his prayers are as memorials up in heaven and God is still bumping into them. God Bless, LVZ.

Run Away*

I wish I'd been a better example in years past. I remember thinking about King David and the story about King David and Bethsheba. There are many stories in the Bible given for our learning. I remember a time when I thought about this story and thought I am only human, it's true, I am. But there is another story about a young man faced with the same temptation as King David. His name was Joseph. that story is somewhere in Genesis prior to chapter 50. Joseph fled. He literally ran away and left his cloak in the hands of the temptress. What causes me to think about these stories is a conversation with a young man recently. This young man seems to think because he is unmarried he can do whatever he wants. The trouble is there will be consequences. Believe me, I know, you reap what you sow.  We need to sow good seed. I had a Christian woman tell me this is the 90's. Of course, that conversation was in 1993 when I went thru my first divorce. She thought I was legalistic, and sometimes I probably am. David brought trouble into his life and family with his promiscuity. His child with Bethsheba died. God came to King David thru a Prophet and told him about himself. King David repented but he still suffered consequences for his sin. Joseph also suffered for doing the right thing but was later made second in command in Egypt, only Pharoh was above Joseph.  Joseph because of his faithfulness to his God saved many people thru a famine. His is an example we want to follow. We also want to follow King David in repenting for our sins. When God brings things to our attention, please listen and repent. God also called David a man after God's heart. The Bible tells us: we all have sinned, every last one of us. These stories were given for our learning. The best thing to do when faced with a difficult temptation is to run away.  God bless, LVZ.

Thankful*

I am just thankful for all God has done for me. I look back and see God's hand over and over in my life and I can't help but feel 10 years down the road I'll look back and see God's hand in my life today. The many times I prayed about church attendance, where I should attend. I look back and see how he has shaped me, taken me out of legalism, changed my view of race. I would actually be ashamed of the things I said when I was young. My views on divorce and remarriage have changed. My views on so many things have changed. I look back and see how he used my children to get me to attend Sisco Heights Church. What a blessing that was to my life. Northshore Christian Church had a big impact on my views of what we hear from large churches. I thought you couldn't hear the truth in a large church, they were large because they only told people what they wanted to hear. I have been challenged by the messages in and out of the pulpit of some larger churches. Northshore Christian Church and Church for all Nations being two of the biggest churches I ever attended. I have been blessed and challenged by some of the black congregations I have attended and been a part of. Second Baptist, Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Baptist Church. Eastside Baptist Church. MLK JR Baptist Church moved me into my house when my Dad died the same weekend I needed to move. I have never been moved so easily or quickly any other time in my life. I met my first wife at a church of God of Prophecy. I met Jean at Northshore Christian Church. I met Penny at MLK.  Linda's parents were very involved at Eastside. I met Barbara because I attended the same church as her sister at Eastside. I know we are only supposed to be married once and this is an area of great failure on my part. God hates divorce, but he also forgives. I learned God can forgive and help me to forgive. Matthew 6:12 "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive  our debtors." This is probably one of the most important lessons of life, to be able to forgive and move on. Don't hold grudges, let it go. I may have to walk around heaven with people from my past and I hope I can get along here below. Yes, I have been hurt by some of these past relationships. AND I am sure I also hurt them in various ways. If I meet any of them in this lifetime, I pray all is forgiven and I can hug them honestly with no ill will. But I also learned and I hope I am a better person having gone thru these hard times. Matthew 6:14 and 15 continue "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."   I certainly can say God has been good to me thru it all. I have been hurt by many things in my journey thru life, and I know I hurt others. I cannot go back and take back that action or that word. I can only forgive and ask to be forgiven. I think this is so important to good health. I heard one time a person describes forgiveness as: just as if I'd never done it in the first place, never mention it again. How come I had to go thru this so many times to learn? I believe it is important to go to a church where I can be challenged, I can learn something that will change my life. Then I need to continue living as salt to the world around me. God bless, LVZ.

I feel selfish*

I feel selfish, that must sound funny, but I do. I look at my children and grandchildren coming up and know that I failed to pass on the most important thing in life. Somehow I got it, I needed that relationship with God. I see extended family that also got it,  and their children and their  grandchildren. Its wonderful to see that being passed off to the following generation. I think there are so many things we want to pass on. Perhaps a good work ethic, family values, being a good citizen of our country, being a good neighbor and friend. I am sure the list could go on and on. But out of anything I could pass on to the next generation, wouldn't that relationship with God be the most important thing I could pass on. Who else can fix anything, any situation? I saw God protect my job at Boeing twice when many with my experience and knowledge were gone. I saw God move on a neighbor when times were tough and he built me a house that I really needed. I saw God help me thru divorce and other very difficult situations in life that all of us go thru. This relationship with God has just plain helped me thru life. Now I am in my senior years, I hate to admit it but I am. I am retired, maybe a little early but I can become a member of AARP, I can apply for social security in a short time. I have been blessed by God, I really have. So when I look at my children following thru life behind me, I realize I failed to pass on the most important thing in life, that relationship with God that has seen me thru so much. I do feel selfish to know what I know and not have passed it on. I do realize it is a whosoever will program, it is not something that can be forced. I have witnessed the passing of two precious relatives in the last few months and know they are OK.  One 89 and one 27 but they both had that all-important relationship with God. They chose to follow God and those behind can be comforted they are in the arms of God.  Papa Johns said something that has stuck with me: the Bible says there is no sorrow, no tears in heaven but Papa Johns said "how can I not have tears or sorrow when I get there if I know I have family members that have unfinished business, that do not know God as their Lord and Saviour?" He said "I believe God must have to erase some of our memory in order for that to happen." I don't know about all that I just feel selfish that somehow I failed to pass on something so important to my children and grandchildren. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only  begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." I can only continue to pray the rest of my days, and hope God doesn't have to  erase any of my memory of my family when I get there. "for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." II Timothy 1:12B. His word will not return unto him void but will accomplish the purpose for which it was sent.  God Bless, LVZ.