The Sanctuary

What is a sanctuary? Webster defines it as "a consecrated place:  a: the ancient Hebrew temple at Jerusalem or its holy of holies b (1): the most sacred part of a religious building." When I think of a sanctuary I think of a holy place; somewhere you can go to feel the presence of the Lord. A quiet place, reverent, solemn, joyful, peaceful, calm. A place with stained glass windows, prayer alters, the Lord's Supper Table, bibles, candles, hymnals, pews, pulpit, piano, choir loft and a baptismal. I asked my fellow facebook friends what comes to mind when they hear the word "sanctuary" this is what some of them had to say: peace, safe place, worshipping, safe haven, God's word, souls saved, total mercy, a song called Sanctuary, the presence of God, a refuge ...   I think the sanctuary should be considered a holy place and treated as such. Sadly the world has changed the look and feel of the sanctuary and it makes me sad. I don't think there is anything "holy" about darkness, flashing lights or even smoke in the sanctuary (not on purpose anyway). I suppose modern churches must think that too, considering they've changed the name of the sanctuary to the "worship center". I know it doesn't change what it is, but it does change how I perceive it. I am not saying that people aren't worshipping when they go into a worship center.  That is NOT the point of my post. However, my heart longs to keep the sanctuary just as it is; a sanctuary ( a holy place of quiet reverence).  I want my sanctuary back.   I am praying that the church will rise up and be what it has ALWAYS been, a sanctuary.

Exodus 25:8 "And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them."
 

This is an old hymn my mom and I used to sing at Tucapau Baptist. My heart longs for this type of worship. Read the words:

Just as I am written by William B. Bradbury

Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidst me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

2. Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

3. Just as I am, though tossed about
with many a conflict, many a doubt,
fightings and fears within, without,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

4. Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind;
sight, riches, healing of the mind,
yea, all I need in thee to find,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

5. Just as I am, thou wilt receive,
wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
because thy promise I believe,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

6. Just as I am, thy love unknown
hath broken every barrier down;
now, to be thine, yea thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Go be a blessing . . .

The opinions expressed in this blog are those of myself, Susan Boiter Neal and not of anyone else.   I speak on behalf of myself and what is on my heart. I am open to listen to other peoples thoughts and ideas as well.  If you'd like to comment my facebook feed is open, however, if anyone says anything disrespectful I will remove it. 

In memory of dad ...

Seven years ago today I stood in an ICU room holding my dads hand as he entered into the presence of our Lord and Saviour Jesus. I am so thankful that he was a Christian and because of that I know I will see him again in heaven. So many memories flood my mind as I look back over my life with my dad. He loved me so much; I don't think I realized how much. He was very strict and at the time I didn't appreciate all of the rules. Now I realize that raising a daughter is tough and he wanted to protect me just like I want to protect my daughter. He did a great job!!

Some of my best memories were of us fishing together and drinking chocolate milkshakes. We loved to eat at the Beacon and Joe's Lake and many other dives. As a little girl I can remember going outside after a big rain and holding the flashlight while daddy picked up night crawlers.  We'd walk through the woods hunting deer tracks and then when I got older he taught me how to shoot a 38. Our country rides and the stories we shared probably meant the most to me.  He was an excellent listener and cared about ALL of my heart breaks. When I found true love he walked me down the aisle on my wedding day in spite of having a kidney stone attack.  He was in pain yet fulfilling his fatherly role of giving me away. He was my biggest cheerleader. He was not only my father, but my friend.   Memories that I will always cherish.

I've traded in my tears for smiles of great memories. I am happy knowing how much he loved my mom and our family.  He loved Chris and Olivia. Dad and Chris were buddies from the beginning and Olivia's big brown eyes melted his heart. Chris is a sweet dad to Olivia just like my dad was to me. He is so good to us and I am thankful that all of us are Christians. This earth is just part of our journey home. We will all meet up in Heaven one day.

Remembering my dad, Ray J. Boiter, Sr., today and always ...

The New Toothbrush

It all started with a free Oral B toothbrush my dental hygienist gave me.  I didn't put much thought into this toothbrush prior to using it, but boy as I brushed, I was singing it's praises.  I walked into the hallway and began to tell Chris and Olivia how awesome this new toothbrush felt.  It was like I was giving myself a professional cleaning.  This brush has two round sets of bristles in the middle and longer bristles on the sides AND it has a soft rubbery part on the back.  I told them if I had known it was going to be that nice I would have used it sooner.  End of story? not quite. . . By the time I took Olivia to school and came back home to have my quiet time the Lord had pressed into my heart a very strong point.  He said,  if I liked that toothbrush so much and I didn't even need it, how much more would someone who really needs one enjoy it? We have some dear friends that we've been exchanging gifts with for years.  I love and cherish this small group of friends and enjoy the gift exchange, but somehow this toothbrush issue changed my heart.  It's honestly like the Lord said, "Susan why buy your friends another scarf or book to add to their collections when you can pack a toothbrush (and many other items) for a child in need instead? So I prayed about it ... I talked to Chris and Olivia about it and then I typed a letter sharing with my friends what the Lord put on my heart.  Instead of us buying for them or them buying for us we could pack shoe boxes in honor of each other. The letters went in yesterdays mail and Olivia and I already shopped and started packing the five shoe boxes after school yesterday. Our church is one of the collection sites so we will drop them off next week. We are so blessed in this country.  We use so many things everyday (like a toothbrush) and we don't even give it a second thought.  A toothbrush or even a hairbrush will be a luxury item for the child who receives it. Maybe you will consider packing a shoebox in honor of one of your friends?  It's fun to shop for the shoebox items and just knowing that we get to be a small part of making a child's day brighter is worth it.  I am going to share pictures of some of the items that can be packed in a shoebox.  If you are interested contact me or you can go to www.samaritanspurse.org

 

We plan to add more candy like lollipops and smarties, but as you can see it's very simple to do.  AND you know what the best part is, each of the children will receive information about Jesus.  They will know that someone cares about them and that makes me smile.  It's the little things friends, the simple, little things that matter most.

Go be a blessing . . .

Trick or Treating with Jesus :)

It's that time of year again when I start thinking about Halloween. Yes, I think about Halloween and I get excited planning how I am going to celebrate it.  Some of you are thinking what is that bible breathing, Sunday school teacher talking about?  Well let me tell you.  Several years ago the Lord  put on my heart this ministry of prayers and scripture for Halloween.  I've blogged about it for years and this year will be no different. I want  to share with you so we can join forces to protect our children on Halloween. Do I think Halloween is evil? I think Halloween is as evil as the individual makes it. So instead of debating whether to acknowledge Halloween or not my thought is this … we all have opinions and ideas about it ( convictions if you will) follow your conviction. As for me and my house we are going to serve the Lord. We are going to light the pumpkins, turn on our porch light and welcome many sweet faces to our door.   We are taking something meant for evil ( and I am 100% sure evil will be lurking and maybe in more force than a “normal” day), but it is still a day the Lord has made. We are choosing to serve the Lord on Halloween. We are in a spiritual battle 365 days a year, but today we are choosing to help children by covering them with prayer and scripture. Today I am printing up a bible verse and a little saying about Pumpkins and Jesus.  Olivia and I will make treat bags and attach these sayings to them.  She and I will pray over the bowl of treats and for each child who receives them.  This has been a tradition at our house for many years.  I truly believe by sending children around with Jesus' name in their bag we will help protect them and make a difference in their lives on this “dark” day. Life is a choice. You can sit by and complain and argue opinions, you can choose to do nothing OR you can take a stand and make a difference. The choice is yours. 

Go be a blessing ...

John 15:12 “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”

Joshua 24 :15 “ And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

 

Golden rod

About this time every year I notice golden rods growing by the side of the road. Instantly I begin to sing a little song that my mom taught me and I taught Olivia. It goes like this; "The Golden rod is yellow, the corn is turning brown, the trees in apple orchards with fruit are bending down."  There are more words, but that is all I know. Since I decided to write about this tune I thought I would investigate this song to find out where it came from and how the rest of it goes. It turns out that it's not a song at all, but a poem called September.
I will post it below. It is very addicting to sing considering all the Goldenrod that grows in the South. It's amazing how a weed that grows by the side of the road stirs a song within me? A weed. I am writing about a weed today. A weed that caused a lady I never knew (Helen Hunt Jackson) to write a poem that my mom liked enough to teach to me and I taught to my daughter (well not all of it, but we know part of it).  Words are so powerful. We surely need to be careful how we use them. I have the following Bible verse on my refrigerator: Ephesians 4:29 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." Oh that I would do that!!! Lord please use the Goldenrod ( God's Golden Rod of correction) to remind me to watch my words. Thank you Lord for this beautiful fall day. Lord Jesus thank you for blessing me with a precious family, go with them throughout their busy day. Bless my friends Lord, I am so grateful for them. May we all humble ourselves before you and recognize the beauty you have freely put before us. May we give you the praise that you deserve. Thank you for pretty weeds by the road that stir up songs within us and bring simple joy. In your precious and holy name I pray.I love you Jesus. Amen.

September by: Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1885)

"The golden-rod is yellow;The corn is turning brown;The trees in apple orchards With fruit are bending down.The gentian's bluest fringes Are curling in the sun;In dusty pods the milkweed It's hidden silk has spun.The sedges flaunt their harvest,In every meadow nook;And asters by the brook-side Make asters in the brook,From dewy lanes at morning The grape's sweet odors rise;At noon the roads all flutter With yellow butterflies.By all these lovely tokens September days are here,With summer's best of weather,And autumn's best of cheer.But none of all this beauty Which floods the earth and air Is unto me the secret Which makes September fair. Tis a thing which I remember;To name it thrills me yet: One day of one September I never can forget."

Go be a blessing ...

How can I hear, if I'm not listening ?

September 21, 2012 I woke up with terrible ringing and static in my left ear.  I went to the doctor that morning which set into motion many other doctor appointments, tests and an MRI.  I didn't know on that day I was losing my hearing.  As the days and weeks passed the ringing turned to static which is with me now.  At the same time our church was going through some changes.  We had been praying about what to do in regards to teaching.  You see our church was starting a new schedule with traditional worship at 9:30 which is when we teach 5 yr. old Sunday school. Contemporary worship was coming to the 11:00 hour and I wasn't crazy about that type of music.  I'm old fashioned.  I like to wear a dress to church and sing hymns.  Well the good Lord has a plan and a sense of humor.  Not only did I NOT like loud music, at the time of this church change the Lord takes part of my hearing.  Well when you lose part of your hearing in one ear, the other ear likes to compensate for the loss.  So ... the first few weeks after I lost my hearing I could hardly stand to go anywhere crowded.  The noise was overwhelming.  Music which I've always enjoyed became a pain in my ear and would give me a headache.  Teaching the children was difficult as I'd have to leave the room just to collect some quiet.  I thought how in the word am I going to survive this? Then there was the new worship service (that contemporary music --- drums, guitars and did I mention loud guitars).  Each week I'd wear my ear plugs and cry out to the Lord why? Why Lord do I have to sit through this? Why Lord? I like the choir.  I like to see people in dresses not skinny jeans.  Why?  Poor pitiful me, right?  NOT.  Poor pitiful attitude.  In this past year the Lord has grown me and taught me so much about the loud music and jean wearing folks.  You know what? He loves them and they love and respect Him just as much as I do.  He's taught me so much about pride and acceptance. I am so grateful.  I remember last fall Charles Billingsley was doing a concert at a local church.   Charles is my favorite singer.  I was kind of scared to attend the concert because what if my ears couldn't take it? As wonderful as his voice is my ears were still adjusting to all the changes.  Of course Chris and I went to the concert and it was wonderful.  I was so grateful to know that yes music would still be apart of my life.   Many have asked how bad my hearing loss is ... well since a picture speaks a thousand words I thought I'd share a copy of my hearing test taken 11/15/12.  I am in the Profoundly deaf category for my left ear as you can see the line going down to the bottom of the chart.  My right ear is in the normal range.  I have an appointment Oct. 1st to test my hearing and follow-up.  I don't put the phone to my left ear and I still need time for quiet after being in the mall, grocery store, church, really any place loud and crowded.  Has this loss kept me down or stopped me? Not at all.  Some days my balance is off and I am dizzy so I take it slow, but you won't find this girl missing Charles Billingsley when he's in town :)  Speaking of which ... I get to go hear him tonight at a CEF Banquet in Taylors.  I am so excited and thankful.  When God takes something away ( like some of my hearing) He gives us something greater (like a clearer awareness of others around us).  I feel like for the first time I am not only listening to others, but I am hearing them too.  Same goes for the Lord.  He has spoken volumes to me this past year.  Praising Him today and always.

Go be a blessing . . .

 

 

 

 

Changes are a coming ...

Do you ever wish things were different? Take today for instance ... I had a great time teaching, singing and worshipping at church.  I had a blast making a watermelon bassinet with Olivia ( we made it for a friends baby shower).  We went to the shower and had a great time meeting new friends and enjoying the company of old friends.  Afterward we  had a restful afternoon at home.  Chris and Olivia decided to go out on our lake fishing and I just came in from walking the dog.  All is well, yet I'm sitting here in tears wishing some things were different. Why is that?  Tonight is the last "free" Sunday night before school starts.  I've been praying for Olivia for weeks, but now the time is coming that my daughter will start high school.  Wow, I guess going to a baby shower really made me realize how much time has flown.  That coupled with the fact that several of my best friends are school teachers and they will go back to work tomorrow.  Even though I've not seen those teacher friends as much as I would have liked over the summer, knowing that they were home and available to chat has been nice.  Now all of a sudden I feel like I'm getting ready to be alone :(   I am so thankful for my teacher friends and would not trade them for the world. However, at this season in my life I feel led to pray that the Lord will lead me to a new friend.  Someone similar to me, someone I can talk to and be there for. I'm always going to be there for my best friends, but my heart has room for more.   I've been praying for Olivia as she will start a brand new school next week.  Now I'd like to ask you to join me in praying for her to meet some sweet new friends. Friendships are so important and such a valuable part of our lives.  Right now she doesn't know anyone who will be attending her new school so this is going to be a big change for her.  So on this eve of the last week of summer break, I want to ask you to join me in praying for the changes to come. Change can be good and for the best, but also unnerving. Thanks for standing with me in prayer. 

Go be a blessing . . .

I never dreamed I'd be saying some of the things I'm going to say today :)

I never dreamed I’d be saying some of the things I am going to say today. Ok so I blogged already this week, but here I go again. You already know that on July 9^th I found out I have Meniere’s disease, but I also left that doctor visit with a Freestyle blood glucose monitor.  I had to check my blood sugar after every meal for a week.  On July 19^th I found out I am Pre-diabetic. Not something this chocoholic wanted to hear.  My doctor told me I needed to lose 25lbs and cut out carbs and sweets. So in a two week time frame I was told to reduce my sodium intake to help with the Meniere’s symptoms and then to basically give up every other thing I love to eat; pasta, pasta sauce, French fries, potatoes, macaroni  and cheese, doughnuts … you get the picture.  Being one who likes to follow the guidelines I started my new food journey. I eat granola and ½ a banana with blueberries for breakfast, raisins, plum or peach for snack.  Thanks to my friend Allyson Acker who modeled “whole” eating I have an egg, tomato and cucumber with almonds for lunch. Then supper is basically a small portion of meat, a green and something orange ( like a salad or asparagus with a baked sweet potato or cantaloupe).  After 3 weeks I’ve lost 4 pounds and feet great! This week I  decided it would probably be ok to feed my family spaghetti. The bad part,  I HAD to eat some too.  Eating a little would have probably been ok, but I tend to make enough for an army, so I ended up having it as my left over for the past two days L  I also indulged in the garlic bread.  So my point to this food blog is this:  You REALLY are what you EAT.  I have felt like crud the past couple of days. I found myself feeling bloated and eating tums.  I told Chris last night I couldn’t wait to wake up fresh and get back on track to healthy eating.  Yes, those are the words I NEVER dreamed I’d say, “get back on track with healthy eating”.  When I eat the “healthy, real food” I feel satisfied and I don’t get hungry so much in between meals.  When I went back to eating the “junk”, I had a very strong craving for chips and chocolate. There was a battle in my brain last night to say no to that junk, because I knew my body was full.   I was blown away by the powerful desire my mind had,  like an addiction, to the junk food.  I’ve often heard about our body craving more sweets, after indulging in sweets,  but I didn’t realize that feeling until yesterday.  I didn’t like that feeling and I don’t want to feel that way again.  Eating healthy is what’s best for my body and mind.  It gives me more energy to do what I need to do and to take care of my family.  It’s the right choice.  Praise God for freeing me from the addition of junk food one day at a time.  Feel free to help me along this journey with healthy recipes, encouraging posts, accountability questions etc.  I go back to the doctor in October and I expect to be released with a clean bill of health.  No more checking blood sugar and at the right weight for me.  Just as Philippines 4:13 says,  "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." We got this.   God bless you friend and reader.

 

Go be a blessing. . .

The Mystery is solved :)

The mystery of my hearing loss has been solved. A year ago next month, Sept. 21st, is when I lost hearing in my left ear. After an MRI and many other tests, no conclusion was drawn until two weeks ago. I wasn't feeling well and went to my doctor with a list of symptoms. He concluded that I have Meniere's Disease. 

According to the Vestibular Disorders Association website; "Ménière’s disease is a chronic, incurable vestibular (inner ear) disorder defined in 1995 by the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium of the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery. In plain language, this means that Ménière’s disease, a form of endolymphatic hydrops, produces a recurring set of symptoms as a result of abnormally large amounts of a fluid called endolymph collecting in the inner ear. Ménière’s disease can develop at any age, but it is more likely to happen to adults between 40 and 60 years of age."

"Common symptoms of a Ménière’s disease attack do not reflect the entire picture of the disorder, because symptoms vary. Oncoming attacks are often preceded by an “aura,” or the specific set of warning symptoms, listed below. Paying attention to these warning symptoms can allow a person to move to a safe or more comfortable situation before an attack."

· balance disturbance

  dizziness, lightheadedness
· headache, increased ear pressure
· hearing loss or tinnitus increase
· sound sensitivity
· vague feeling of uneasiness
· ear fullness (aural fullness) and/or tinnitus

In addition to the above main symptoms, attacks can also include:

· anxiety, fear
· blurry vision or eye jerking
· nausea and vomiting
· cold sweat, palpitations or rapid pulse
· trembling
  concentration difficulty, distractibility, tendency to grope for words
· fatigue, malaise, sleepiness
· heavy head sensation
· neck ache or stiff neck

Following the attack, a period of extreme fatigue or exhaustion often occurs, prompting the need for hours of sleep.

Existing treatments for Ménière’s disease in the U.S. involves adhering to a reduced-sodium diet.  "Coping with Ménière’s disease is challenging because attacks are unpredictable, it is incurable, some of the symptoms are not obvious to others, and most people know virtually nothing about the disorder. Many people with Ménière’s disease are thrust into the role of educator—they must teach themselves, their family, friends, coworkers, and sometimes even health care professionals about the disorder and how it impacts them."

I know this is a long post, but I wanted to share the details of what I am dealing with. Notice all of the above paragraphs are in quotes. Those are not my words, but the words from Vestibular disorders association website. Now that you know what I am dealing with, I would ask that you pray for me as I learn how to deal with each situation. As always I trust the Lord in this and will continue to do as one of my favorite verses says; "

 

Thanks for your time and prayers.

Go be a blessing . . .

My broken heart

Today my heart is breaking for the lost.  Lately I don't like what I'm seeing in this world. I am a follower of Jesus Christ, a Christian, a believer.  In a nut shell it means that I believe in the Bible and I try to live my life according to those words. People are either believers or unbelievers ... there is no in between. As a christian I know I was born a sinner and needed Jesus.  He lived a perfect life, died on a cross and rose from the dead... all so you and I could have our sins forgiven. I sin every day because I'm human, but in the midst of being me,  I'm trying to be more like Him.  I seek Him every morning by reading His word.  I give my day over to Him and ask Him to show me what it is He'd have me to do with my time.  I pray that I'll be the wife, mother, friend, Sunday school teacher, caregiver, blogger etc. that He'd have me to be.  No, I am not perfect, I don't claim to be, I just try to do the best I can for Him. He commands that we love one another.  In loving others we are obeying His word.

My hearts desire is for you to know the joy and peace that I know from Jesus.  Some say the bible is just an old book, written by old men and it has no value to them.  My heart breaks for them ... if only they could read it and grasp the power of those words.  I am a person who is so in love with Jesus and His precious word that I don't want unbelievers to miss out.  I want you to give God a chance.  If you seek Him, you will find Him.  He loves you as much as He loves me. Truth is, Jesus is all you need.

My husband went on a mission trip to Thailand several years ago.  He put together a group of pictures from his trip and set it to music.  The song that he chose spoke to me so I asked him about it this morning so I could share it with you all. It will be on my facebook page hopefully linked in with this blog. :)  I hope it touches your heart like it touches mine.  If you are a follower of Jesus that is great ... will you join me in praying for several of my friends who don't believe?  Thanks.

Go be a blessing ...

Best Personality

When I was in 8th grade at D.R. Hill Middle school we had a page in our yearbook called Superlatives.  People were voted on by their classmates for Most Valuable Fans, Most Likely to Succeed, Most Athletic, Best Looking, Best Personality, Wittiest and Best all Around.  Along with Faith Meyer and Archie Irby I was voted as having the Best Personality.  Having invited Jesus into my heart a couple years prior I could only attribute it to Him living through me.  It was a nice honor for me, a shy girl from the "Mill Hill".  As a senior at Byrnes High School once again Superlatives were voted on and I was chosen for Best Personality.  I guess by now I'm thinking my looks aren't too great, but I have a good personality :-) LOL.  Anyway, thinking back on this honor has put this question in my mind today; If my peers voted on superlatives today, where would I rank?  Is my "personality" where the Lord would have it to be?  Well, since I know my heart, I have to say no it is not.  I am ashamed and repentant of some jealousy I have dealt with recently.  I am jealous of those who have good health and can run around like the energizer bunny.  I have to be quick to confess my sin and acknowledge to the Lord that I trust His plan for me. He has commanded us all to love one another.  Whew ... really???? When I was that 8th grade girl and that Senior girl I can honestly say I loved everyone.  My mom will vouch for me.  I had a heart of pure gold.  Now though as a grown woman, my heart of gold has melted some and my love for others isn't as strong as it once was.  I'm a little harder on people, BUT at least I recognize my flaw and I've confessed it to the Lord.  I am praying that He will enable me to love like I did before. I want to see the best in others.  I want to see you through His eyes.  When I look at people through the eyes of Jesus that's when I truly have the best personality toward others. Last Thursday night I went to a meeting at my daughters school.  Normally when I sit with a group of people I will speak to everyone at the table and at least make small talk.  I barely spoke unless spoken to.  When I got home and was praying at bed time the Lord brought that to my mind.  He said why didn't you speak to so n so ?  And I began to ask myself why didn't I? Well, honestly I felt terrible and couldn't wait to leave.  I had a sinus infection and the people I did speak to commented on my scratchy voice.  Regardless, I felt bad having not been more friendly to everyone.  I guess what I'm getting at is this ... He is still working on me.  It's never to late to change a poor attitude.  I am praying and asking the Lord to continue to teach me and show me so I can be the best wife, mother, friend and new acquaintance with the best personality that you'll ever meet.  :)

Be a blessing ...