by When asked what advice she would leave to her children and grandchildren Mama Shoe gave these reminders:
Learn to forgive others. Throughout your life you will have occasion to be hurt by people—sometimes really and sometimes just perceived. Whether they are bad people who have taken advantage of you or injured you in some way, or good folks from your church that hurt you, you must learn to forgive. It may be more difficult to forgive the “good” people because you didn’t expect it from them, but you must be active and generous in forgiving as a way of life. God has said, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (Matthew 5:7). Remember, He has been very forgiving of you!
All you kids: Read your Bible and pray every day!
Never let anything come between you and your spouse for more than a few hours. Your dad and I didn’t, and that is why you’ve heard us say to people about our marriage, “Yep, thirty years and still sweethearts.” That has been totally the Lord, but He has taught us keep “short accounts” with each other.
My favorite book is “Humility, The Beauty of Holiness,” by Andrew Murray. God has used it to teach me that “more of Him and less of me” is the key to living a useful and happy life for the Lord and others. God made us like a light bulb, but unless the switch is on and the power flows we cannot shine and are useless. When I’m proud God can’t move in my life, but when I get a glimpse of how big and wonderful my Father is and how small but loved I am as His daughter, He is able to do mighty things in me and through me. “God is oppose to the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). When we humble ourselves God’s power flows to us and makes us what could never be without Him. Jesus is our example of humility as He subjected Himself to the suffering of the cruel cross in order to save us from sin’s effects. Humility is a beautiful quality—cultivate it in your own life and look for it in a possible life partner.
“Just one life; t’will soon be past. Only what’s done for Christ will last.”
I love you all. ~Gail
Gail is a dear friend from many years past who is now suffering from an inoperable stage 3 brain tumor. Perhaps you remember me asking for prayer for her and her family a couple months ago? She needs it still. Please keep them in your prayers. These days are especially precious to them, as she’s losing her ability to speak. As you can tell from her advice above, she is one genuinely lovely Christian lady.
Keeping her in my prayers.
And that is WONDERFUL advice.
BIG Hug! We’ll definitely keep her in our prayers!
Thanks guys!
Mary, you couldn’t have chosen a better time with this post.
I have been verbally attacked, again, by the same woman at my church and now her mother. They decided to hit me hard on my blog.
Forgiveness needs to come from my heart. I cannot live with this smoldering anger, it will hurt my spirt or even destroy my spirit, more than theirs.
Thank you Mary!
Dear Leticia! I feel for you…I just went and read what’s up, and am praying! Forgiveness is where it’s at, and you’re right, the bitterness can grow like wildfire and eat up all that’s good in our lives if we let it. Am praying for your friends too…
Mary,
I drove home last night listening to a CD from this family: http://www.wissmannfamily.com/store.htm It was a loaner and I got to the song “It Won’t Be Long” and it made me think of Gail and her family. I drove down the road with tears in my eyes for a family I really don’t know. I wish there was a way to get that song to them. It spoke to fitly to their situation.
Praying for them.
Thanks for sharing that, Jana, I’ll follow the link and see what I can do…
Mary
Those songs sound so great! Is that the exact CD you were listening to, I know it has the song on it, but it says all the songs on it have a message about eternity. Wow, and I’ve never heard of that family.
I went to the Shoemaker’s site and mentioned it in comments, and also your prayers. Thanks for thinking of them, Jana.