Showers of Blessings

I have always loved a rainy day. A peace comes over me on a rainy day. I love to go walking in the rain. I love smelling it and feeling it on my face.

I felt I needed to get out today. I was feeling a little bit lonely, so I decided I would go the mall. I walked around a little bit, but I decided I would rather be home, watching and listening to the rain.

As I was driving home I started singing "There Shall Be Showers of Blessings." God has blessed me so much in my life and I am so thankful for all the showers of blessings that I receive each day.

 

 

There shall be showers of blessing:
This is the promise of love;
There shall be seasons refreshing,
Sent from the Savior above.

 

Refrain

Showers of blessing,
Showers of blessing we need:
Mercy drops round us are falling,
But for the showers we plead.

 

-Written by Daniel Webster Whittle

 

 





Daniel Whittle was a major in the American Civil War. During the war, he lost his right arm, and ended up in a prisoner of war camp.

While recovering from his wounds in the hospital, he was looking for something to read and found a New Testament. Even after reading it's words, he was still not ready to accept Christ as his savior.

One day an orderly woke him up and said that a dying prisoner wanted someone to pray with him. Whittle refused. The orderly said, "But I thought you were a Christian; I have seen you reading your Bible."

Whittle then agreed to pray with the dying man. He recorded what took place at the dying man's bed side:

 

I dropped on my knees and held the boy’s hand in mine. In a few brok­en words I con­fessed my sins and asked Christ to for­give me. I be­lieved right there that He did for­give me. I then prayed ear­nest­ly for the boy.

He be­came qui­et and pressed my hand as I prayed and plead­ed God’s prom­ises.

When I arose from my knees, he was dead.

A look of peace had come over his trou­bled face, and I can­not but be­lieve that God who used him to bring me to the Sav­ior, used me to lead him to trust Christ’s pre­cious blood and find par­don.

I hope to meet him in hea­ven.

 

 

Almost 10 years after the war, Whittle entered the field of evangelism. Of his decision to devote his life to the Gospel, Whittle said:

 

"…I gave my life to my Heav­en­ly Fa­ther to use as He would.This is the promise of love."

 

 

 

 

Oh How He Loves You and Me

I am so thankful for the love that Jerry and I shared through the years.

As Valentine's Day is approaching, I can't help but to feel a sadness; knowing that this Valentine's Day will be a lonely day without the person that I have loved for so many years.

A couple of weeks after Jerry had passed away I was going through some papers by his chair. I found a letter that he had started writing me. He never finished it. Ever so often I like to read it. I won't share all of the letter, because it is something very personal and special to me.

I would like to share the first two lines:

     "I am writing this so you will never doubt or forget my love and appreciation for you. You have been my best friend and I have loved you since I was 15 years old."

 

This unfinished letter will be my Valentine from Jerry this year.

As I read it, I'll be reminded of the love that we shared together.

 

As I'm reminded of how much Jerry loved me, I think about Jesus, Who had even more love for me.

He has shown His love over and over to me - through happiness and tears.

One of my favorite songs is "Oh How He Loves You and Me"

Oh, how He loves you and me,

Oh, how He loves you and me.

He gave His life, what more could He give;

Oh, how He loves you, Oh, how He loves me,

Oh, how He loves you and me.

Jesus to Calv'ry did go,

His love for mankind to show.

What He did there brought hope from despair.

Oh, how He loves you, Oh, how He loves me,

Oh how He loves you and me.

Oh, how He loves you and me,

Oh, how He loves you and me.

He gave His life, what more could He give;

Oh, how He loves you, Oh, how He loves me,

Oh, how He loves you and me.

 

-Kurt Kaiser

Happy Valentines Day

May your day be filled with happiness and love and shared with the person you love the most.

Isidor and Ida Straus

 

February 14 - Valentine's Day. The day we show how much we love someone by valentine cards, roses, a box of candy, expensive jewelry, etc.  It is a very special day of expressing our love.

 

A love story that I enjoy is the story of Isidor and Ida Straus.
 

Isidor and Ida were married in 1871. He was the co-owner of Macy's Department Store in New York.

 

Traveling back from a winter in Europe, mostly spent at Cape Martin in southern France, Isidor and his wife, Ida, were passengers on the Titanic when, on April 14, 1912, it hit an iceberg. Once it was clear that the Titanic was sinking, Ida refused to leave Isidor and would not get into a lifeboat. Although Isidor was offered a seat in a lifeboat too, he refused seating while there were still women and children aboard.

 

Ida insisted her newly hired English maid, Ellen Bird, get into lifeboat #8. She gave Ellen her fur coat stating she would not be needing it. Ida is reported to have said, "I will not be separated from my husband. As we have lived, so will we die, together." Isidor and Ida were last seen on deck arm in arm.

 

Eyewitnesses described the scene as a "most remarkable exhibition of love and devotion." Both died on April 15th when the ship sank. Isidor Straus' body was recovered.  He is buried in the Straus Mausoleum in the Bronx. His gravestone serves as a cenotaph for his wife and bears the inscription:

 

"Many waters cannot quench love - neither can the floods drown it."

 

 

 

 

What a wonderful story of love and unselfishness.

To love unselfishly is hard sometimes. I think how God loved us so unselfishly that He gave His only son, Jesus,  to die for our sins so that we could be saved and have a way to Heaven.

 



 

Psalm 19

In 1974, my husband and I had the honor of meeting Evangelist Lester Roloff and hearing him preach.

After he preached I wanted him to sign my Bible. He said he would only sign it if I promised to memorize the scripture verse he put along with his name.

I promised I would. Well it wasn't just a verse, it was the whole chapter of Psalm 19. I memorized it. I was afraid not to.

 

Psalm 19 became one of my favorite Bible chapters.

 

Psalm 19:1

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

 

All you have to do is look around you at the beautiful world God gave us to enjoy and you can't help but see God's handywork. Whenever there's a storm and I see the lightning and hear the thunder, I think that is God declaring His glory.

 

And have you ever sang Psalm 19:7-10.  When my husband attended the School of the Scriptures Bible College, Bro. Warren Jacobs would have the class to sing these verses.

 

Psalm 19:7-10

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul:

the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart:

the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever:

 the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.

 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold:

sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

And then the last verse of Psalm 19. How many times have I thought of this verse.

Psalm 19:14

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight,

O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.