Jump for Joy!

Even though my father could have done any task quicker and easier without my little girl help, he always included me.

We did dishes together, we raked leaves together, we gathered vegetables from his large garden, we went to the post office and got the mail, went to the bank and went grocery shopping together.

But my least favorite together activity was cleaning up the cemetery. My father’s parents were buried in the graveyard of a little church way out in the country. There was no perpetual care in those days. Each family was responsible for cleaning up the gravesites.

Since many ancestors were buried there, the cleaning tasks lasted for hours. We pulled up weeds, raked, bagged, cleaned stones, and other assorted tasks.

In summer it was so outrageously hot we probably could have fried an egg on the tombstones.

There was a variety of insects, some big, some small. As sweat rolled down our faces, often gnats would stick to us.

Worst of all, there were rattlesnakes. My father grew up in the South Carolina low country, so they were no big deal to him. He got his hoe and unceremoniously dispatched them to where snakes go in their next life.

Only problem was that then we had to dispose of the dead snakes. We hiked into the nearby woods and laid them to rest there. I really did not want to be included in that part, but neither did I want to be left in the cemetery alone (especially with the thought the dead snake’s relatives might be gathering for the wake!😱).

When I confided to my father that I found the cemetery a bit spooky, he laughed. He said, “You don’t have to worry about any of these people. They won’t hurt you. They are at peace.”

When I looked doubtful, he said, “Here. I’ll show you. See that tombstone over there?”

I looked at the one he pointed to. Daddy said, “Now walk quietly over there and ask it what it wants.”

I almost jumped out of my skin at the thought of what my long dead ancestor might say. But Daddy said, “He will say, ‘Nothing at all.’ He is at peace. Go on. Try it. And be real quiet and listen.”

Still doubtful, I tip toed over and very gently knocked on the stone. I managed to squeak out, “What do you want?”

I heard nothing. My father said, “You are speaking too softly. You have to talk louder than that if anyone is going to hear you.”

I reluctantly tried again … and again … until I felt I had enough volume to raise half the dead in that cemetery. Still nothing.

My father was obviously stifling a laugh when he asked, “What did he say?”

I answered, “Nothing.”

Daddy said, “He said nothing … nothing at all?”

Suddenly it clicked. I had been taken in again by my father’s sense of humor and love of pranks.

He said, “I told you it would say nothing at all!”

My father’s pranks were never mean spirited. Almost all of them had a point about life.

Later we sat at the picnic tables near by the church and enjoyed cold water out of the thermos and ate the sandwiches my mother had packed for us.

Daddy said, “There are some things in life you should be afraid of. Those snakes will bite you and possibly kill you. And there are other things you should stay away from. They will be like snakes in your life. They will bite you. And even when you think you have killed them, they will be hard to bury.”

He continued, “But some things you do not have to fear. My mama and papa knew they were going to Heaven. They did not have to fear death. They are at peace. They need nothing at all right now.”

Daddy’s words echoed The Words of Jesus.

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Matthew 10:28

Jesus said to her, “I am The Resurrection and The Life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 11:25-26

The Teachers of The Law in Jesus’ day strongly believed they were keepers of God’s Law.  They learned it from those who went before them and they intended for those who came after them to keep The Law too.

They made the crucial mistake of looking at the created and not The Creator.  They stared too long at the letter of the law and missed its intent.  They held on to old traditions so tightly, there was not room to grow. 

Jesus never suggested they be barred from teaching God’s Word.  He simply wanted them to line up with The Word they were preaching.  And He wanted them to grow spiritually.

Jesus told them,

“You nullify The Word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.”

Mark 7:13

Meanwhile, apart from the temple leaders, Jesus was raising up men and women as future leaders.  Most of them would not make the cut as leaders of what had become a religion based on tradition alone.

Jesus broke all barriers.  He opened doors no one could close and closed doors no one could open.

With Jesus’ transition out of His Physical Body, the curtain of the temple was ripped in two.

And with Pentecost, the new order of God’s Kingdom on earth began.  Joel saw it long before.

I will pour out My Spirit on all people.

Your sons and daughters will prophesy,your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions.  Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

Joel 2:28-29

May we never be guilty of trying to bar any door God has opened.  We need to get on with what Jesus has called us to do.  And in order to achieve The Mission, we need all of us.

Go into all the world and preach The Gospel to all creation!

Mark 16:15

Writing is a faith venture.  When I first began Christian writing, I, like many novice writers, was excited I had something to say.  I was sure the world was waiting eagerly to hear it.

After I presented what I thought was my work, I would sometimes attempt to poll people on how I did.  

Mistake number one.  I thought it was my work.  God firmly corrected me.  If I wanted to write for Him, He would let me.  But I had to be in the role of note taker and stenographer.  If it was going to carry the label of Christian writing, then it needed to come straight from God.

Any writing I would ever do would be a Gift from God.  He would be trusting me to speak clearly and accurately about Him.  But I needed to constantly realize it was about Him and not about me.

However, the process of writing did turn out to be about me in part.  It was a humbling experience to discover His Words were first meant for me.  Sometimes they were encouraging.  Sometimes they were refining.

And now back to the problem of looking for positive approval ratings.  I was a bit hurt when I discovered some people had not read what I wrote.  Not only that, some openly acknowledged they had no plans to read it.  Some said simply they were “not readers.”

Then I encountered a new hurdle.  Some had read what I wrote.  And they disagreed with it! 😱  Some took the time to vigorously argue points.  Some even edited my writing, telling me where I was supposed to add commas or quotation marks or how a sentence would sound better if I wrote it in another way.

God reminded me iron sharpens iron

As iron sharpens iron, so one person another.

Proverbs 27:17

I should never disregard or be offended by those who disagree with me.

Sometimes our dialogue helps us understand more than we thought we knew.  Sometimes our disagreement helps us firm up our beliefs.  We know for sure what we believe and what we do not believe.

Peter’s advice was a good guide.

In your hearts honor Christ The Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

1 Peter 3:15

And yes, even those unsolicited editors have value.  As they troll my words, looking for errors, they are being drawn in to look closer.  I need never question how God draws people to Him.

God also prompted me not to give up on those who are not readers.  He reminded me that He created everyone uniquely different.  Just as different roads can lead to a common destination, so can messages be sent and received in different ways.

I asked the non-readers how they liked to receive information.  I got a variety of answers.  Many reflected our modern day culture of being on the move and doing several things at one time.  

Many were listeners.  They listened while they drove, or walked in the park or folded laundry at home.

Some liked reading from their computers, tablets or phones.

So I began offering my writing in print, electronic format and audio.  I read the audio versions myself.  In that way, I can express audibly what started silently in my head and heart.  It is my personal communication with the listener.

God also taught me He will distribute His Word when He chooses.  He called my attention to how we feed the birds.  We don’t know which birds will eat or when they will eat.  We put out the food and God guides them in.

Sometimes words, music or art did not become famous until after their originators had died.  They never knew on earth the impact of their work.  But God did.  His timing is always perfect.

Writing is a way of putting out spiritual food.  God guides it to those He wants to feed when they are hungry enough to eat.  So I learned I did not need a sophisticated advertising scheme.  I just needed to listen closely to how and when God wanted me to share.

And most amazing of all has been the way God used other people to help spread the word.  He reminded me of the many books, including The Bible, that came to me because one person after another shared the words.  

Same with music and art.  All survived not because of the human originator, but because people kept sharing it.

So now we come to my special requests.  Please pray with me that I am able to continue to carry out my God given assignments in the way He chooses for me to do it.

And then pray about whether part of your mission is to share the writings, music or art of other people.  If you feel so led, please share the information about our latest book.  God knows where He wants it to go.  It may be to you or it may be through you!

And do not forget to do good and to share with others.

Hebrews 13:16

Here is the link.

Good News!

We are excited to share our latest book is now available in either print or ebook through Amazon!

Heaven on Earth, Your Mission is the second book in a trilogy.

In the first book, Sent From Heaven, Why You Are Here, I explored the great care God took in preparing you for your Mission to Earth.

In this book, I explore what you are actually on earth to do and some of the challenges you will have to overcome here.  It is a call to action!

While we hope you will read both books, you can read either or both.  

Sent From Heaven is in audio on my blog site.  Simply select the book title at the top of the home page.  It’s free!

carolynpriesterjones.org

We are in the process of recording Heaven On Earth and will let you know when it is available.

Because we do not advertise our books in the traditional ways, we depend on others to share the news.  So if you feel so led, we would appreciate your sharing the news with your friends and family!

It amazes me to look back at our lives and realize how many twists and turns were really The Hand of God positioning us to receive His Wonderful Gifts.

Sometimes God tells us which roads to take.  Sometimes He tells us which roads not to take.  Sometimes we sense His Guidance at the time.  Sometimes we only realize it after the facts … sometimes long after the facts.

In June, 1946,  a young aide-de- camp to a General asked for the day off.  He had a special mission of his own.

The General granted his request.  Both proceeded with their day.  No one would have predicted their days would begin and end at the same time.

The young aide-de-camp’s mission was to ask a girl to marry him.  She said yes.  They were celebrating their new engagement at the Officer’s Club when they saw the General’s plane approach the runway.

It crashed, killing all on board.  If the aide-de-camp had not have had the day off, he would have been on the plane.

Not only did life change for the General that day, it changed for the young soldier and his fiancé.  Without a General, the young soldier received immediate orders to go overseas.

The couple had a hastily arranged wedding in the post chapel before he left.  

When his time was over, he returned home to Kentucky.

Another life began, in more ways than one.  In June, 1952, their life changed again.  They had a son. 

Far away in South Carolina, a little girl was just beginning to grow up.   She listened to her mother read  fairy tales about handsome princes who swept the princesses off their feet. She wanted to be a princess.  She wanted to meet a prince.

It would take a lifetime to tell you how creatively God connected all the parts of this story.  

But if the soldier had not asked for the day off …

And if the General had not said yes …

And if the soldier’s girlfriend had not said yes …

And if that great event had not happened in 1952 ..

And if that girl had never come to Kentucky ..

Then this story might have gone another way.   

Thanks be to God for guiding us all on which paths to take and which ones not to take.  He had a Plan and it was a good one.  

And yes, you guessed it.  I was the Carolina girl, and Jay was  the prince who swept me off my feet.  We thank God his Dad didn’t get on that plane and that his Mom said yes!😘

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear A Voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it!”

Isaiah 30:21

When I was little, I apparently had very klutzy dolls, because I was always bandaging up their “boo boos.”

When anyone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said, without hesitation, I wanted to be a nurse.

I entered nursing school in the fall of 1966.

I had visions of floating into each injured or sick person’s life and doing something magical (that “something” I expected to learn about in nursing school) that would fix everything.

However, right away I discovered that there were some illnesses far worse than the ones I knew about. There were pains that went beyond agony and did not stop.

There were people who died, some not peacefully.

I almost quit in my first year. I was making good grades, but my heart was being broken over and over again.

I remembered giving an impassioned speech in my senior high school career class. I ended with the statement, “To be a nurse is to walk with God!” I wondered where He was.

I did stay in college for four years and graduated on June 4, 1970 with a BSN. 

This picture was taken on that day.

I had not learned anything magical about how to fix people, but I had learned a tremendous amount about God’s Presence in the midst of suffering. 

I had learned how some people were able to suffer and still be witnesses of God’s Love.

And I had seen the nurses who never quit. They never gave up. They stayed in the trenches, so some could get out.

Graduation Day was only the beginning of the nursing journey. Life after that day took me to many places as a nurse. I would have to write a book to share it all (and who knows, maybe I will!).

The one thing that sums it all up is still “to be a nurse is to walk with God.” But remember God goes all kinds of places you might not choose.

I taught nursing after a long career of working in hospitals. A student asked me if I had it to do over again, if I would still want to be a nurse.

I had to do some serious thinking before I answered.

My answer is yes. When God taps you to go on a Mission with Him, it’s an honor. Accept it with humility.

Happy Memories to the 1970 Nursing Class of Medical University of South Carolina!

I look forward to Heaven, but I am not sure I will enjoy the whole journey of getting there.

Some people seem to get there quickly.  While we are often surprised by their quick exit from earth, in some ways, it seems merciful.

Some people have to go through extended suffering before they get to Heaven.

Jesus said not to worry about the trip.  

“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. “

Matthew 6:25

He said God knows what we need and He will provide it.

He said, “Seek first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

Matthew 6:33

I do worry about my body, not in a vain way, but more about how well it will function on the trip Home. 

So how do I avoid the worry?  Jesus addressed that too in a statement that is widely quoted, but rarely lived.

Jesus said we needed to start over and think like a child.

He said, “Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 18:3

Gideon, our six year old Master Teacher in Childhood 101, does not seem to worry about anything.

He does not wonder how he is going to get his food or drinks.  He does not worry about where he will get his clothes.

He does not obsess about what he will have to go through to get to age seven.  He does not wonder or worry about what clothes he will wear as he grows.

He simply lives each moment as it comes.  And he knows his parents will take good care of him.  They have proven themselves trustworthy.  

He does not understand all the reasons for his parent’s decisions, but he allows himself to be guided by them.  

He knows they love him.  If he has a problem, he knows he can call them and they always respond.

I am young in God’s Kingdom.  When I truly understand that I am  a child of God (not an adult),  I will act like Gideon.

I will not worry.  

I will be content to do what my Father God says, even though I do not understand.  His ways are far more advanced than my child mind can process.

I will continue to seek God’s Kingdom on earth and expect to find it.

I know my Father God loves me and will provide everything I need.

The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need!

Psalm 23:1

It still amazes me how a song from the past can magically take us back to where we were when we first heard it.

Tonight I heard the song, Magic Moments, sung by Perry Como. There is a good chance you youngsters have never heard of him.

But in the late 1950s, when I was a child, he hosted a variety show on tv. Perry started his career as a barber, but his smooth, easy voice was soon noticed, and the rest, as they say, was history.

My memories of Perry are only a gateway to my memories of what it was like to watch tv in those days.

The tv was much smaller than our big screen of today. There was no remote. Often the youngest, most able bodied person was tapped to go to the tv and turn a knob to change the channel.

There was no streaming. Channels were limited to what you could get from the tv station located closest to where you lived.

We lived in a small town between several major tv stations. We could get two channels from Augusta, Georgia, two channels from Savannah, Georgia and two channels from Charleston, South Carolina. We were amazed at all these choices.

There was a slight hitch, however, to getting a clear picture. The antenna on top of the house had to face in the perfect direction. To accomplish this, someone had to turn a device on top of the tv to move the antenna.

Periodically, usually after the winds of the thunderstorms that frequented that area, the antenna would get stuck.

When that happened, one person would have to go out and watch what was happening with the antenna while someone inside moved the device back and forth.

It usually required a third person to stand at the window and relay messages back and forth between the person watching the roof top antenna and the person inside fiddling with the tuner.

If that did not work, someone would have to go up to the roof and pull and push on the antenna to get it moving.

Of course, by this time, we may have missed the show. Again, there was no streaming. The show came on and ended at defined times. If you were not there, you missed it.

And speaking of missing it, many people took their bathroom breaks on the commercials. If anyone took too long, there were shouts of, “Hurry up! It’s starting!”

Since the time limit of the commercials was brief, usually only one person at a time could go to the bathroom. Anyone else would have to wait for the next commercial.

TV shows were family friendly. No cussing. No sex. Even married couples slept in separate beds. No political overtones except heavy doses of patriotism.

There were mysteries, westerns, cartoons, and family shows. There was comedy and variety shows. The choices were outlined in a little book called TV guide, which arrived in the mail every week.

We all reviewed the guide and agreed on what to watch. Since there were family favorites, it was usually an easy choice. But we understood that in the case of dissension, the parents decided.

There was only once I can remember that my mother cast a vote against my father. I begged to watch a much publicized episode of the Ed Sullivan show. He was going to introduce a young boys’ band from England. They were called The Beatles.

My mother thought we should see what all the fuss was about. My father tried to keep an open mind. But after a couple of lines, he folded his arms and said, “That’s disgusting. Turn that noise off.”

My mother suggested he go get a snack from the kitchen. He did. We watched it!

My father was a mailman and also an avid gardener. This meant weather forecasts were important to him. The world stopped when the weatherman came on (And yes, for some reason they were all men.)

Living between Augusta, Savannah and Charleston, he watched them all and tried to “average” them to figure out the weather for our location. I was amazed at how many times he got it right!

And remember, watching the different locations required a quick tune of the channel dial and turning the antenna.

Anyone watching the turning antenna on our roof every night between 6 and 7 probably shook their heads and said, “Don’t worry about it. It’s just Horace getting the weather!” (And sometimes people would call to see what he had calculated our weather to be.)

Those times were family times. We smiled, laughed and sometimes cried together. We watched the news and were amazed that we could find out what was happening outside our little town.

My parents would be amazed at the television of today. The big screen tv with surround sound and endless choices of what to watch is far more than they could have imagined back then.

Being able to watch when you decide to watch and just putting it on pause when you want to go to the bathroom would wow them.

But even more, having a remote where you can change the channel from the comfort of your chair, all without messing with an antenna, would be truly amazing to them.

I enjoy the way things are now, but I also enjoy the memories of that time from long ago when we shared magic moments.

If you would like to remember (or if you are younger, just imagine), close your eyes and listen to Perry. Here is the link.

We are excited to share we are close to publication of our next book!

Sent From Heaven, Why You Are Here was the first book of a projected Heaven trilogy.  

Now comes the second book, Heaven On Earth, Your Mission!  The first book explored how carefully God prepared us to come to earth.  This book explores what we do while we are here.

As with so many other projects, what someone said of us long ago is true.  I dream it up, but Jay makes it happen!  I just write.  Jay does all the rest.  And “all the rest” is most of it.

However, all the credit goes to God, Who has allowed us to come along with Him while He continues to create.

Please pray for us as we enter the home stretch of another publishing adventure!

Whatever you do, do all to The Glory of God!

1 Corinthians 10:31

Dedicated to my courageous daughter.

There are many moments that give previews of the adults children will become.  Today I am thinking of one of them.

Our daughter was single digits in years.  She attended a summer camp.  Part of the activities was to compete in a swim meet at a local pool.

As the eager participants got ready to swim, they discovered the camp had made a mistake and somehow our daughter’s name was left off the list.  Everyone felt bad, but since all lanes were filled, at first it appeared she would not be able to swim.

However, finally a decision was made she would swim … alone … after all the others had vacated the pool.  One might have thought pity for the poor kid who got left out.  But true to the woman she would become, she took that moment and made it her own.

She swam purposely and beautifully and all eyes were on her with awe and approval.  When the moment of applause and cheers came, she knew they were all for her.  And I was one proud Mama.

Various other times in life, it appeared the deck was stacked against her, but she did not give up.  She has a courage and drive within her that is surely God given.  

Sometimes the outcome was what she wanted.  Sometimes it was not.  But in every case, people remembered the courageous child/teen/young woman who gave it her all.

And many times on subsequent picks, she was selected because of the courage and skills she demonstrated earlier.

I think of her when I hear the song, The Impossible Dream, because it describes her so well.  But I also smile to realize how many dreams were not impossible.  Because she gave it all she had and trusted the rest to God, the impossible happened.

I can hardly wait to see what’s next.

“The Impossible Dream”

To dream the impossible dream

To fight the unbeatable foe

To bear with unbearable sorrow

To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong

To love pure and chaste from afar

To try when your arms are too weary

To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest

To follow that star!

No matter how hopeless

No matter how far!

To fight for the right

Without question or pause

To be willing to march into Hell

For a heavenly cause

And I know if I’ll only be true

To this glorious quest

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm

When I’m laid to my rest

And the world will be better for this

That one man, scorned and covered with scars

Still strove with his last ounce of courage

To reach the unreachable star!

music by Mitch Leigh

lyrics by Joe Darion

With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible!

Matthew 19:26