"There IS Victory in JESUS!"

"Death is swallowed up in victory." O Death where is your sting?  O Hades, where is your victory?...But thanks be to GOD, WHO gives us the victory through our LORD JESUS CHRIST." I Cor. 15:54,55,57

Dear Praying Friends and Family,

    You were so kind to pray for us and to encourage our hearts during the Homegoing of Johnny's Daddy.  Thank you so much. Truly, we have felt your prayers, as GOD has strengthened and sustained us through these days.  I miss Pop the most when i walk in at Johnny's Mom and Dad's house and Pop's bald head is not sticking out above the chair where he always sat.   It is then i get that empty lonely feeling and realize that he is gone. 

      I thought of a few more things this week that i wanted to share with you about Pop.  When i was in nursing school in Texas, Johnny was in seminary, and Johnny's Daddy helped  to pay for nursing school.  I remember when i graduated, I got some money for an award the LORD blessed me with, and i used part of it to buy Pop a new gas grill to thank him for his kindness to me.  Pop loved to grill out steaks for everyone and i wanted him to have a new grill to bless him for the blessing he was to help me through nursing school.  Pop loved to go and get the best cut of steaks at the grocery, marinate them, and cook us all steaks... serving others was the way that Pop demonstrated the most he was like JESUS and he served to the fullest to help others.  

  "We are never more like JESUS than when we are serving HIM or others.  There is no higher calling than to be a servant."  Nancy Leigh DeMoss

      

     "If I then, your LORD and TEACHER, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." John 13:14

    "A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest.  And HE said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors.  But not so with you.  Rather let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.   Is it not the one who reclines at the table?  But I am among you as the one who serves." Luke 22:24-27

    Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give HIS life as a ransom for many." Matt. 20:28

   These verses are sure characteristic of Pop  who as young man  had to quit school to help provide for his family, he a medic in Korea, funeral home worker, Coroner, Sheriff, restaurant owner, and a man who loved his family dearly...always the servant of others.  Truly, in JESUS eyes, he was a great man, and he was great in the eyes of those who knew Pop.

    Another thing that reminded me of Pop yesterday when i was cutting my beautiful roses that are blooming so very lovely, is how very much Pop loved to cut roses that either he or his next door neighbor Pat Waldrop, grew in their gardens.  Pop would take  roses to the restaurant,  or share them with us or whoever.  Pop would get up early in the morning to go down to the restaurant to wash dishes and open before anyone else got down there, and he would take time to cut a bouquet of roses before he went and put them out at the counter.  That was something about Pop, he didn't have to wash dishes when he got there, but he just did cause he was such a servant and didn't want the workers to come in and have so many dishes stacked up from the night before.  When Pop wasn't washing dishes in the back,  or seating people, he loved to walk around with magic tricks and play with the kids.  Everyone loved Pop and many of the older folks knew Pop from his sheriffing days...it meant a lot to them for Pop to come around and pay them special attention and the kids loved him picking at them.

    Another thing i remember about Pop was that he loved to cut everyone's grass.  He had a little trailer that he carried his riding mower on behind his Jimmy.  I can just see him with his pipe in his mouth, loading and unloading his mower and cutting our yard, his yard, my brother in law's yard, his sister's yard, and the yard at the rental property.  He loved cutting grass and it sure was hard for him when he had to give that up.  His wonderful neighbor Pat Waldrop started cutting Pop's yard for him several years ago when he became unable to do it himself.

Pop with my son at CHRISTmas

   And Pop was so generous...before the grandkids came along, he used to come over and just leave money on my desk for me.  After the grandkids...they got the money:).

    Pop and Jerry welcomed Johnny into the family business with open arms after i became sick and we moved back to Athens.  We were thinking it was temporary, but it's been close to 20 years now that we moved back to Athens...wow, talk about GOD having a different plan than what we pictured!  I remember it was very hard for me to humble myself, i didn't want to be in the restaurant business. Neither did Johnny but he has never complained, though he too hurts every step he takes like Pop.  I have come to very much appreciate all of my family, Pop, Baba, Jerry, Cindy, and especially my husband for the hard work they all do to provide for our family.  Pop wasn't too proud to get in the restaurant business after being sheriff for 16 years, and working in Fob James Administration when he was governor of Alabama.  GOD had to humble me and HE sure shared a great example through Pop's great example of serving whereever GOD put him.  This was something that took me a while to learn and i'm still learning...to trust GOD when everything looks a mess around me.  Believe me when we had to leave the pastorate and move back to Athens in a rental house, way outside of town with two babies, and i was so sick,  and Johnny joined the family business that he hated growing up, everything looked a total mess to me.  I tried to make sense of it all, but i felt like a failure, and we looked like failures to me...but somehow deep down, i knew that GOD had a plan and a purpose for "engineering our circumstances," the way that HE did and I thank HIM and praise HIM for the way HE has led every step of the broken road that HE has lead us down.

    Pop and Baba were great examples to me in how to go through adversity.  After Pop suffered his second defeat for Sheriff after he had served for sixteen years, i remember going to their house to see them.  I was a senior in high school and a friend  and i checked out of school to go over there.  Bobbie, my future mother in law that i had no idea was going to be my future mother in law, was crying, and i'm sure was wondering what lay ahead for them.  Pop had come back from Montgomery after serving in the Fob James Administration and had decided to run for Sheriff again...that was the plan and i don't know if they had a plan B at the time.  The LORD knew the plans though, and HE even looked down through the years when we would come home and Johnny would join the family business and HE would use the love of Johnny's family to help care for us and provide for our needs.  My brother in law, Jerry, had just recently graduated from the University of Alabama when Pop was defeated for Sheriff, and Jerry and Pop went into the restaurant business together.  Johnny's Mom, having opened a restaurant in the early 70's while Pop was Sheriff and her boys were young, had long been out of the restaurant business which she ran very successfully and she was working full time for the Athens Electric department.  Greenbrier Barbeque,   had been in business since the 1950's at the little four way stop in the middle of cotton fields, and they had just recently decided to vacate the premises and move out to the interstate.  Pop and Jerry moved in and it became Greeenbrier Restaurant,http://www.oldgreenbrier.com/, where GOD has provided a good living for us all. GOD knew the plans HE had for our family. Somewhere along the way, Pop and Jerry acquired, "Catfish Inn," on the other side of the county, the restaurant Johnny's Mom used to run, so when Johnny moved back, it worked out great for him to run it, and his Dad and Jerry ran Greenbrier.  After several years, the decision was made to close Catfish Inn, which we sure do miss...that was really a close knit group of young folks that worked for us there, and we miss the customers. 

       It's interesting, the headlines in Sunday's newspaper is that a new Parkway, called Greenbrier Parkway is going to be developed very near where the our restaurant lies.  I asked Johnny if that would hurt or help the business, which like most businesses is off during this ailing economy.  He said he didn't know...but GOD knows the plans that HE has for us.  We don't own the land where the business is...so the owners could get a better offer and sell the land where the restaurant is.   We still have the building where Catfish Inn was, and my brother in law owns another restaurant that may eventually be the future home of Greenbrier...who knows but the LORD.  I sure hope that we will follow Pop's example and trust and  accept what GOD brings along for the future.  GOD always took care of Pop no matter where his path took him, including the time he served our country in Korea as a medic and embalmed the soldiers who were killed, and all the times his life was endangered as a Sheriff like i told about last week when he busted in a house and wrestled a man down that was armed and an dangerous.  GOD took Pop through several surgeries, hip and knee replacements on both hips and knees, eye surgeries,  prostate surgery, and eventually, GOD took Pop HOME to be with HIM and heaven. HE gave him a new body, a glorified body that will never suffer the chronic pain that Pop was in for the last 15 years of his life that slowed him down far beyond what Pop would have desired.   Pop has "Victory in JESUS,"....  a song that was appropriately sung by the congregation at Pop's Memorial Service.

  I wasn't sure how the LORD was going to lead me this week to share with you because of so many thoughts HE has given me...i'm glad i got to share more about what a special man Pop was to our family and all who knew him.

"Greater love hath no man than this that one lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13

Darlene with her family when Phillip was a baby.  He's 8 now.

    I also wanted to share about the blessing of getting to keep Phillip, my friend Darlene's little boy, after school this past Tuesday. Darlene is my friend who just passed away with cancer and many of you have prayed for their family. I picked Phillip up at school where he was walking out of the building, and he gave me a hug and we walked to my car together.  Hannah Beth had warned me earlier when she was home to give Phillip a "good snack," so he would want to come back to our house, so i offered to take him to get an ice cream cone at the Kreme Delight here in town.  He didn't think so right then and after running a couple of errands,  and Phillip working on his homework in the car, we came home. Phillip sat on the couch and finished his homework and  I offered him more "snacks," yogurt, fruit.   He accepted the pineapple and pecans that i offered him and ate a good healthy snack.  His Mama would have been proud of him.  What is so funny, Arthur shared with me that a few nights before Phillip asked his Daddy, "Now that Mama is gone do we have to keep eating healthy?"  Phillip is still eating healthy, Darlene, and you would be so proud of him.  He and our neighbor next door are in the same class and they couldn't wait to play together.  They rode scooters , played  outside, then went upstair and played fooseball, used the sauna for a playhouse til i put a stop to that:), and played video games when John Mac came home.  We had supper together, and since Johnny was off, and John Mac was home, we had a table full.  Phillip ate a bowl of chili and some celery sticks.  I told him he was going to have to teach my guys how to eat celery.  He was  such a joy.   When his Daddy came by to get him, he said he wanted me to pick him up when his Daddy had to work again.  I told Arthur i must have offered him a "good snack."  Arthur stayed a few minutes and we all talked in the den.   Johnny and John Mac talked about the last few minutes of being with Pop when he died, and Arthur shared about Darlene when she died.  It was a sweet time of fellowship between men whose hearts were hurting together...and comforted together in CHRIST JESUS.

  

    Arthur shared with me that he had gone to Darlene's grave and sang, "Victory in JESUS," http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K7JiUEl23E over her grave.  Once again I am reminded of the verse in Zephaniah 3:17: "The LORD your GOD in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with HIS love, HE will rejoice over you with singing."  As Arthur continues to sing over Darlene's earthly body, her heavenly FATHER sings over her in HIS presence now...that is "Victory in JESUS."  Arthur singing to Darlene touched my heart so very much, as i knew that singing hymns to his wife was something that he had done to help Darlene through her suffering, not only help Darlene but  to help himself and  sing songs of praise to JESUS. Apart from the grace of GOD, there is no way that Arthur could sing these songs of praise to JESUS.  Arthur's example to me of singing praises in the dark times has been such a witness to me.  I read this devotion last night from Charles Spurgeon's Morning and Evening that spoke of GOD giving us songs in the night and wanted to share it with you to encourage us both to sing praises to our GOD, not just when things are going our way, but when things seem to be a mess.

"God, my Maker, who giveth songs in the night."
--Job 35:10

Any man can sing in the day. When the cup is full, man draws inspiration from it. When wealth rolls in abundance around him, any man can praise the God who gives a plenteous harvest or sends home a loaded argosy. It is easy enough for an Aeolian harp to whisper music when the winds blow--the difficulty is for music to swell forth when no wind is stirring. It is easy to sing when we can read the notes by daylight; but he is skilful who sings when there is not a ray of light to read by--who sings from his heart.

No man can make a song in the night of himself; he may attempt it, but he will find that a song in the night must be divinely inspired. Let all things go well, I can weave songs, fashioning them wherever I go out of the flowers that grow upon my path; but put me in a desert, where no green thing grows, and wherewith shall I frame a hymn of praise to God? How shall a mortal man make a crown for the Lord where no jewels are? Let but this voice be clear, and this body full of health, and I can sing God's praise: silence my tongue, lay me upon the bed of languishing, and how shall I then chant God's high praises, unless He Himself give me the song? No, it is not in man's power to sing when all is adverse, unless an altar-coal shall touch his lip.

It was a divine song, which Habakkuk sang, when in the night he said, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Then, since our Maker gives songs in the night, let us wait upon Him for the music. O Thou chief musician, let us not remain songless because affliction is upon us, but tune Thou our lips to the melody of thanksgiving.

   Learning to take Joy in the GOD of my salvation, when things are completely opposite of what i would choose them to be is truly "Victory in JESUS."  I confess i fall far short of praising GOD as i should when i don't like my circumstances, but HE is ever gently teaching me to thank HIM and praise HIM.   What a blessing to have these living examples before me to model and demonstrate how to do that...

    I just watched a video and the blog i saw it on really touched me...it was entitled, Because Really There is a Purpose in All of This," when things seem to be a mess and make no sense in our lives...JESUS is there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=-jeLl-mNAxY  

Because Really, There’s a Purpose in all This {video} Posted: 20 Oct 2011 05:40 AM PDT What looks a bit like a meaningless mess right now, may — if you wait surrendered — give a glimpse into who He is and how He’s making even this mess shape you into the image of Christ. :: So trust and smile and stay fluid… and lean back into all His love. :: :: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God… to become conformed to the image of His Son.” ~Romans 8:28-29 NASB

   There has been an education fund set up for Natalie and Phillip, Darlene and Arthur's two younger children.  Natalie is a senior this year, and plans to attend nursing school next year, and Phillip is in the third grade.  If anyone would like to donate the address is:

  Darlene Anderson Memorial Fund

  @ First National Bank

  1880 Hwy 72 E. Athens, Al 35613

    In our choir at church, our Minister of Music has been leading us through a study on Wednesday night called GOD's Singer's and one of the principles we are learning from Scripture is how GOD uses our praise songs to HIM to defeat the enemy.  We learned in 2 Chronicles had GOD commanded the Israelites to put the singers at the front of the army to lead in songs of praise, and GOD defeated their enemies.  I am trying to do that more myself in my life to defeat the enemy of discouragement that i have faced this summer in my own health struggles and I sure am not perfect, but I do want to give GOD the praise HE so deserves and not wait until the battle is behind me.   Indeed there is "Victory in JESUS," as we abide in HIM and come to HIM and keep our eyes on HIM to help us through our trials.  

      Our choir is singing the beautiful song of "Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" this Sunday http://www.fbcathensmusic.wpupload.com/index_232_2122733103.mp3.  I'm not sure you can get this off our church website, so i'm going to include this version too...they're both beautiful http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuI3PP3MIGA.  This morning as i was listening to it, i knew I had to use it in the Friday email also.  GOD is so worthy of our songs of praise, and there is a special supernatural power as we lift up praises to HIM in song. 

   Because of what JESUS CHRIST has done for us on the Cross, and because HE rose from the dead, HE has defeated our last enemy, death, and we do have "Victory in JESUS," no matter what may come...

"What then shall we say to these things:  If GOD is for us, who can be against us?  HE who did not spare HIS own SON, but delivered HIM up for us all, how shall HE not with HIM also freely give HIM all things?  Who shall bring a charge against GOD's elect?  It is GOD who justifies.  Who is HE who condemns?  It is CHRIST who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of GOD who also makes intercession for us.  Who shall seperate us from the love of CHRIST?  Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written "For YOUR sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through HIM who loved us.  For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created things, shall be able to separate us from the love of GOD which is in CHRIST JESUS our LORD." Romans 8:31-39

      We are more than conquerors through CHRIST JESUS WHO loves us, and gave HIMself for us."  If i am sharing these words of TRUTH and SALVATION with someone who has never trusted CHRIST as your SAVIOR and repented of your sins...i asked you to trust HIM today to take the "messes," of your life and let HIM do HIS beautiful work in you and your loved ones, and give you eternal life.  "For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only SON that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16

    I am so thankful for the example of Pop's life, and Arthur's life...two men who have and are perserving through the hard times, and experienced Victory in JESUS on earth and now Pop in heaven. Arthur continues to experience that victory as HE sings songs of praise to HIS GOD so faithfully even in the dark night of his soul. Darlene is experiencing that "Victory in JESUS," with Pop as their bodies are whole and complete and no longer suffering and in the presence of their LORD and SAVIOR.      May GOD give all of  us the grace to sing as well, in the good and the bad times ..."Oh For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, My GREAT REDEEMER'S Praise."  

     Please continue to remember Arthur and his family in your prayers...and our family too.  Hannah Beth had her first day of clinicals this week, and i am sharing a picture of her her first morning in her uniform before leaving for the hospital.

 She had a great first day, though long, they have 12 hour shifts...taking care of an older gentlemen she said that reminded her of Pop.  She got to do vital signs, assessments, assisted him to the bathroom, and even got to help start his IV.  She was excited and I am excited for her.  Please remember her, nursing school is tough...been there done that, and I can say it is really a time to lean on JESUS and HE was so faithful to help this weak vessel through nursing school.  I think i am HB's inspiration...if Mom can do it, surely GOD will be help her to get through it!     I mentioned a few weeks back about our friend's son who fell 30 feet and hit on the concrete...please remember Jordan Johnson in your prayers as he continues to recover at a rehab hospital in Atlanta. They are seeing "Victory's in JESUS," each and every day as Jordan continues to progress faster than what they thought or imagined...they are giving GOD all the glory for the answered prayers for Jordan.  Please continue to remember Elliot Malone, a friend's son who was in a car accident a few months ago and both legs had to be amputated at different locations.  Both of these young men and their families are such an example and inspiration to me of "Victory in JESUS."   Elliot's Mom shared on FB that Elliot said recently, "You have to go through the pain, to get to the good stuff."  That will preach...there is "Victory in JESUS!"

                                                                                          With all HIS love,

                                                                                              mitzi

--

"Men ought always to pray and not to faint." Luke 18:11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnNG3pJoExs

"Where Joy and Sorrow Meet"

"Pray much for others; plead for GOD's mercy upon them; give thanks for all HE is going to do for them."    -I Tim. 2:1 TLB