All Heart

It was with very heavy, yet thankful, hearts that my daughter, Bethany, and I boarded a plane to Seattle, early last Friday morning.  Our life long friends' dear thirteen year old son had suddenly gone to be with the Lord.  Much too soon.  Much too young.  Jameson was born with severe heart issues, has had several surgeries since birth, and has been their little miracle boy all along.

But not many would know it.  He didn't let what he couldn't do slow him down.  He just found other ways to live and love life to the fullest.  At his memorial service on Saturday, I was overwhelmed by the stories from family and friends, his teachers, his principal, and many others who knew him so well, testifying to his kindness, his love for family and others, his funny antics, his devotion to scripture, and most importantly his love for his Lord.  One comment particularly struck a chord with me.  "He would rather be reconciled than be right."  And he was only thirteen!

This young man may have had a greater influence and testimony to others during his short life than most of us do during a full eighty plus!  God knew that day in May 2001 how many days Jameson would have, just as He knows ours.  Jameson had a vast appreciation for life, for family, for God, for baseball and fishing, and for his friends.  It showed in all he did.  It showed in his words, in his choices, in that quirky smile.

From the time Jameson fell to the last of our goodbyes, his family, though grieving, were firmly grounded by our Lord and in His Word.  Much comfort was shared through verses and passages that shined light back to the glory and majesty of God.  Even Jameson had highlighted Psalm 24 in his own Bible.

"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.  For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.  Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who shall stand in his holy place?  He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart, who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.  This is the generation of them that seek them, that seek thy face, O Jacob.  Selah.  Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of Glory shall come in...."

The Clements and Martin families will forever miss their precious Jamers.  His siblings Isaiah, Shepard, Lincoln, and Avalee will forever miss their big brother.  But God gave the good gift of Jameson for a season, and for that we are all thankful.  As we pray for the hearts of this family, may we be challenged by the life of this sweet boy...to be kind, to love God and His Word, to love family, to be a good friend, to have fun, to live life to the fullest...to have a heart like Jameson.

Hope for the New Year

I have to admit that we did not mind seeing 2014 draw to a close.  It was a difficult year for us, for our family.  But the word the Lord gave me for 2014 was JOY!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”

James 1:2-3

As we approached 2015, it was with hopeful hearts for a fresh year.  But then it began with the unexpected loss of a dear friend’s child.  A child who had already been a miraculous gift for thirteen years.  Our hearts were broken for this sweet family.  Where is the hope in this?

“But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren,

concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not,

 even as others which have no hope.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,

to them who are the called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:28

The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away;
 may the name of the Lord be praised.”

Job 1:21

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul,
a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil."
Hebrews 6:19

We also found out just before the end of 2014 that I would be entering a clinical trial to hopefully rid my body of the remnants of my cancer.  Along with that, they will be removing my parathyroid gland on January 21^st with the hope that my calcium levels will begin to regulate and I will stop spiraling downward with osteoporosis.  Quite a busy way to start the year!  And one that gives hope for the future.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

Jeremiah 29:11-13

“Yes, my soul, find rest in God;
 my hope comes from Him.”

Psalm 62:5

We, as I am sure many of you, have other challenges facing us head on this year.  Many are due to the changes incurred during 2014.  I’ve never been a big “change” person, but when push comes to shove you just keep moving forward. 

"So we do not lose heart.  Though our outer self is wasting away,

our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction

is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not

to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.  For the things that are

seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

"Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this
grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces 
endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."
Romans 5:2-5

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

Romans 12:12

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction,

that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures

we might have hope.”

Romans 15:4

“Faith is the assurance of things you have hoped for,

 the absolute conviction that there are realities you’ve never seen.”

Hebrews 11:1

"For in this hope we were saved.  Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see,
we wait for it with patience."
Romans 8:24-25

And so we begin this year full of hope, not based on anything we have yet seen, but simply because of WHO HE IS!  I refuse to let the worries of this world tarnish the truth of the grace, mercy, and hope that we have in Him.

"Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope

fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

1 Peter 1:13

This year, we also look forward to new lives in our families with two new grandchildren.  Continued hope for the future.

And finally, my verse for 2015….  I’m bringing my Joy with me.  May this encourage you, as well.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Romans 15:13

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath His covenant and blood
Support me in the 'whelming flood:
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay.

On Christ the solid rock I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
On Christ the solid rock I stand,
All other ground in sinking sand.

When the last trumpet's voice shall sound,
O may I then in him be found.
Clothed in his righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before his throne.