28 Years, 28 Years!! Wow!

Many are the plans in a person’s heart,
    but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21

28 years ago…on another special Saturday, our lives were bustling to get ready for our Wedding. Our parents were all there as well as about 500 people there to witness our special day. Our dads, Gordon Henderson and J. Reeves Locke, (Along with Reginald Mallett) were the pastors and they “Married us in a great way”. Mark’s great aunt said, “You are going to be more married than you want to be”. Our mothers, dressed accidently alike took in every second of the day…after all they shared a lot of prayer time “on their knees” in the cleaning closet at the Somerville UMC praying that this union would take place. The team surrounding us as our wedding party were such a special part of our day! Our organist, Mr. Bill Kelly, played all the pieces beautifully with all the music that Mark, and me kind of, chose for the day. Our friends Terry Adams and Ryan Forbes each directed special pieces for the choir. And of course, our choir was made up of friends from different areas of our lives bringing our favorite music to life. Happy Anniversary to Mark! Although everything has not necessarily been what we originally dreamed, it has made us realize that God’s Dream is so much better than ours.

28 years later has shown the Hand of God Leading us through. At this point, Mark is retired from his daily ministry in the United Methodist Church and enjoying his time working around the house and loving his time with our family. He has conducted a funeral, weddings, and has had chances to direct different choirs…and of course he sings all the time.

Mark Locke, I love you! You have always been my best friend, my greatest companion, my partner in parenthood, and my shoulder to cry on. I believe that God put us together for HIS reasons and that those reasons were what Mark and I needed and in doing so HE put together the PERFECT union. Through the years, God has allowed some days that were really tough to enter our lives but as God will do He used those experiences for the good. Over this 28th year of marriage we have laughed, loved, cried, grown and have found the place we are supposed to be as well as the lives we are supposed to live.

Two of our gifts on this marriage journey have been Nathaniel and Jonathan. Even though we were older parents, we had to learn to parent these sweet little souls to be who God wants them to be. Nathaniel is in college and has been a wonderful companion for Mark and a sweet loving son for his Mama. We cherish every single second and are thankful for the friends who are living life with him. Jonathan is a high school sophomore and has kept us young as he has kept us on our toes (always) and has taught us how to “argue with love”. We are proud of both boys and are so glad we are together living this life as parents together.

So sorry but Memories have flooded my mind today and have definitely made me laugh, cry, and love because of this day. Mark and I want to celebrate this day with you as we feel your arms around us as we feel God’s arms around us each day.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Mid-Winter Break

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

– Psalms 37:4 (RSV)

Thought for the Day: Finding God in our plans for the day.

Waking up on a beautiful, sunny day is so good for the soul.  Today begins our school system’s Mid-Winter Break and the weather outside shows anything but “winter”.  God has given us a beautiful day. So, what am I going to do with this beautiful day!  I could sit in the recliner all day taking in needed rest, I could clean around the house as I normally do when I have a break, or I could spend some time with God adoring His creation.  Or I could reward myself by doing the first two things and then taking a long-awaited walk with my camera later.  That is a good plan. 

So, what will I see on my walk!  I will see the beautiful lake with its ducks, geese, and turtles swimming through the water.  I will see the great blue herons nesting high in the grove of trees across from the park entrance.  And I will see those budding plants just waiting to emerge giving us the gift soon of the beauty we look forward to each spring.  Most of all though, I will see God’s face in these sights and will come home refreshed because of God’s gift of time. 

Oh my! I need to get busy where I can have this special gift to look forward to.  Please pray for God to touch me and let me see through my camera lens today what He would have me see.  I am excited!

Prayer:   Precious Jesus, thank you for this day of rest in the midst of these teaching days that I love.  These days are special because of the refreshing moments I can have with you.  Please let me see through your eyes today where I can feel your presence.  I love you.  Amen

Precious Lord, Take My Hand

Read Matthew 14:22-32

And immediately Jesus stretched forth His hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O though of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?  And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased (KJV)

“Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me on, help me stand.  I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.  Through the storm, through the night, Lead me on to the light. Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.”  These words by Thomas Dorsey, although it is Advent and thoughts of Jesus’ birth are everywhere, are special and needed as well. 

So many people at this time of year are hurting and need to feel our Precious Jesus’ grab our hand and lead us through whatever we may be facing. Lost jobs, lost loved ones, changes that we never imagined, and some expected complications have created unknown thoughts and prayers in our hearts. 

When unexpected changes and unimagined thoughts come to us, we must remember to look for Jesus’ hand though the people around us.  Could Jesus be the person at church who gives us a hug or holds our hand when they see us hurting?  Could it be the person in front of the store holding a bell to collect money for the needy?  Could it be the neighbor who calls or texts when they want to let you know they are praying for you?  Could it be the child who welcomes you back to the classroom after a vacation with a hug?  Could it be the son who gives you advice?  Could it be the husband who wants you to feel that you can do anything? Maybe, just maybe, we just need to open our eyes and see that Jesus is there in the midst of our friends and family, and Jesus holds our hands even when we do not feel it.  He is there!

“Take my hand precious Lord, lead me on, let me stand. I am tired, I am weak, I am worn.  Through the storm, through the night, lead me on to the light; Take my and, precious Lord, Lead me home.”

Prayer:  Our Jesus and Lord!  Thank you for always loving us, even through our pain and anger.  Be with those who are hurting today around the world in events that we can’t even imagine, in our country where there is so much division, in our Church where there seems to be so much confusion, and in our hearts where there is so much hurt.  Be with us please and bring us together in Your special ways.  Amen.

Thanksgiving

Read Jeremiah 29:10-14

For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11 (RSV)

Thought for the Day: Be Thankful

          Thanksgiving brings us to a special season each year.  This lady, who no longer has her mom, dad, brothers, and first husband near her joins the time with the present and the life God most graciously gave me.  As we enter the season this year, there are a lot of emotions stirring within me.  I could regret the losses of the past, the losses of the day, and all losses to this girl’s life, but I made the choice to be thankful. 

          Visiting Mark’s family in West Tennessee for Thanksgiving, I remembered how each of those family members welcomed me warmly into the family what seems a million years ago. As I listened to the “Thankful Pie” writings, I heard so much about being thankful for family and being thankful for even the hard times.  There have been a lot of losses in the family in the last year, but what I saw yesterday was thankfulness.  When God is in the situation, thankfulness is there also.  We are thankful for the lives each person lived and are thankful that God led us through.  We are thankful that a loved one is no longer in pain.  We are thankful that God took a loved one’s hand as they entered Heaven.  And we are thankful for our relationship with God as that relationship leads us through each and every hard time. 

This year, hardships continue as unknown happenstances continue surrounding us.  But, we know “God has this”…God has us in the palm of His hand.  God blesses the whole and the broken and does amazing things in both. 

So, throughout this Season of Christ’s Birth, place everything in the palm of His hand believing that He will guide you and lead you through whatever hardship you are going through.  In Him, “all things are possible.”

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, thank you for Thanksgiving as it gives us a day to be thankful for the people, things, thoughts, and prayers we have.  Be with us to never take for granted anything that You give.  We love you today and thank you!  Amen.

Prayer Focus:  THANKSGIVING

A Special Memory from the Past

My Special Memory from the Past

Galatians 5:22-23

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

“Hi Angela, I see you are heading to Rio Bravo…could you check on a couple of children we knew from twenty years ago?” When Mark and I moved to Collierville 21 years ago, we never dreamed that we would be able to go on a mission trip to Mexico. But we did and loved it.  There were two little girls at Rio Bravo who befriended us both and during the entire week we shared time with them.  When we went back a year later, they were waiting for us when we got off the bus. After our first child was born, we were unable to go back but I did make two afghans, one for each of these darling girls to be sent to them through our mission group.  Both girls shared their thanks with us.

A few years ago, I asked one of the friends traveling to Rio Bravo if they knew anything about these two sweet girls, but their reply was that they couldn’t find out any information.  Last week, I saw that a pastor friend of mine was traveling to Rio Bravo as a part of another mission trip so I asked her if she could check out the girls for me.  And you know, a couple of days later she sent me information about one of the girls.  I then asked for contact information and to my amazement, she was able to give me the Facebook contact information.  My heart leapt a bit as I wrote to this precious one on Facebook Messenger late last night.  Was she going to get the message…Was she going to remember us…Was she going to respond?  My answer came very this morning when I looked at my computer as I was drinking my morning coffee.  It was her and she did remember my husband and me fondly.  Through the last few hours, we have been sharing time back and forth with each other and I couldn’t be more excited. 

You know, this has been a special time when God has reminded me of how important it is for young ones to have teachers and adults to give them love.  That’s all I did for her, and that’s all I do for my students every day.  In the last week, I ran into two past students at a corn maze of all places.  Then a couple of days later, I ran into a little boy at the park that I spend time with at school who just needs an occasional hug. And now, oh my, I have found a child who I met and fell in love with 20 years ago in another country.  My heart is full.  Today, I am thankful to God for recently bringing these children into my heart.  I believe I have needed this and didn’t know it until my encounters happened.  I wasn’t looking for them…but I needed them.  Isn’t that how God works?  He meets our needs right where we are.  God has reminded me that I am right where I am supposed to be.     

Prayer:  Thank you from the bottom of my heart God!  You are awesome and you are good.  Thank you for bringing these children into my life and for reminding me that it is okay to just show love to those around us.  Thank you for that simple message to remind me that what I do on a daily basis is important.  God, you are good…all the time…all the time, you are good.  Amen. 

Thought for the day:  God meets us where we are with what we need. 

    

My Path was Made Straight

My Path was Made Straight

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

He did it again!  After catching some beautiful shots at Little Mulberry Park earlier in my Fall Break, I decided to try to catch the sunset.  I left out earlier than I should to be at the perfect spot for that beautiful, promised sunset so I took my time walking the main path.  My husband, Mark, had planned on meeting me at one point where the sunset would be the most beautiful.

Heading into the park on a cooler day, I didn’t expect anything amazing…I don’t know why because I always see something amazing when I am walking with God.  But around every curve and bend, there was something there.  I saw an egret and was able to take a picture of it flying.  I saw a deer in the normal swampy area where the water had receded from no rain.  I saw colors that the coming sunset set before me in the beautiful changing trees.  I reached my designated area to meet my husband early so I continued walking knowing I would turn around to meet him on time.  It was those extra steps that brought me to the most beautiful colors and the vision of two baby deer.  As I headed back to meet Mark, I became concerned that the sunset would go behind the hill before the designated sunset time for our area.  So, I just started shooting images with my camera.  I felt very secluded, although there was a crowd who had the same idea. People were sitting on the ground and in swings to take in the coming sunset. The secret was out…that was the most perfect place in our area to catch the sunset.

Mark came up and we started taking more pictures.  It was absolutely gorgeous! But that was not my “God Moment”!  My God Moment came when I heard, “Mrs. Locke!!!”.  I looked around to see one of the most precious children running toward me.  This is a child I work with at school who just needs a hug occasionally.  I yelled his name and he came running in for a hug.  And this came two days after I ran into two previous students who also need hugs from a friendly teacher.  After a few minutes of spending time with this child, his family continued down the path.  With tears in my eyes, I told my husband that running into that child was amazing.  Mark said, “I am not surprised!”  This weekend has put you in the perfect places to run into these children who need you.  My heart told me that God planned that meeting. 

So, although I went to the park to try to get the perfect sunset picture, which I did.  God’s reason for my going to the park had nothing to do with the images caught in my camera as beautiful as they were.  God’s reason for me going to the park was for that precious child.  God is good!

Prayer:  Good morning again God.  You are amazing and You have plans for us that we do not see.  At least we don’t see those plans until they happen.  Thank you for bringing those to us who need us, and to those we need.  I needed those hugs this weekend – and You knew it.  Thank you for the love you show to us each day.  Amen

Thought for the day:  Where is God’s plan leading us today.    

I Choose to Love

Matthew 19:13-14

Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 

Each morning, I walk into my second grade classroom and look around with a peace in my heart.  It is quiet with the hope of a wonderful day of learning with my students.  Each day, I set up my room…putting out morning work, turning on my lesson slides for the day, and writing skills to be learned and a schedule for what will take place.  

I decided after years of seeing this idea, to place a poster next to my door with a heart, hands, and dance.  The students choose as they come in whether they want a hug, a double high-five, or for me to copy their dance.  I have found that I can know where the students are first thing in the morning as I watch their faces as they choose their welcome.  Some will quickly choose the double high-five because they are in a great mood and want to start with something happy.  Some will look from the double high-five to the heart, will duck their heads a bit, then reach for the heart.  Then they will come toward me with their arms open wide.  They either have something emotional on their mind or they are showing their love for their teacher.  One or two will sneak in the double high five and heart to get both – and I give it.  The hardest one for me that brings up the most pressure on this teacher…the dance.  I never know what dance they will do…and I know other teachers in the hallway are watching…I try the best I can.  Some do try to sneak in on me without choosing and well, I make sure they know I am available. 

After the students choose how to be welcomed, they come in the room and put a little cut out person of themselves on a chart.  The chart indicates their emotion or feeling in the morning.  Most say they are ready to learn, but some come in tired, happy, and calm.  It makes me feel good, after my welcome, that I seldom see any negative emotions as their choices on the chart.  Throughout the day I will hear, “Mrs. Locke, can I move my person?”  Of course I say yes.

God led me to teaching my junior year in college as I never thought I would become a teacher.  It was never anything I dreamed of doing.  I was not a good student when I was young so why was God leading me to teaching.  Now, I have figured it out after close to 40 years. He led me to teaching because I understand these students who have difficulty learning or that may have learning disabilities, and I try to give them the love and support they need.  I may not be the best spokesman in the world, I may not be the teacher who can rattle off the AKS skills, and I may not be the teacher to remembers ALL she has to do in the midst of the day.  But I am the teacher who can give a hug, I am the teacher who can feel from a child when they are not “getting” a skill, and I am the teacher that can love each child right where they are. 

Isn’t that Jesus taught us?  Jesus found people right where they were and brought himself to them.  I am not perfect and goodness knows there are days I lose my patience with some of these sweet students, but I try.  Everyday when I walk in that classroom and turn on the lights, I believe it will be a good day for the students and me.  Everyday I can know that I will get that welcome from the children as I welcome them.  Everyday, I welcome them where they are.  Jesus taught me that…and this new routine helps me to remember.   

Prayer:  Good morning, God!  Thank you for sending Jesus to this world to teach us to welcome everyone, and to try to understand where someone is in the moment.  Help us each day to be present for those around us and to reach out with a hug when it is needed.  We love you!  Amen.

Thought for the day:  How is God asking us to welcome someone today. 

My precious son and me

It Brought a Tear to My Eye

It Brought a Tear to My Eye

Job, the righteous man who trusted God in suffering, wrote: “But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:7-10)

This morning, I decided to go on a walk in the park.  I did so last week and it was beautiful, but this morning I felt the need to go back.  Walking today was special and was very well needed.  Today began our Fall Break at school and my heart was ready for a rest.

As I begin my walk each time, I have no idea where the road will take me.  I have no idea which direction I will go.  And I have no idea what I will be able to see through my camera lens. Today was no different.  My walk always starts the same way as I normally enter the park at the same place.  I have to walk a mile or so before the path takes me in different directions.  Today, as I rounded a certain area of the walk, my feet just decided to walk off the path a bit.  On my time off the path, I saw many…MANY…squirrels.  Every minute I heard the scampering of squirrels running through the leaves making their definite sound.  My eyes turned each time and sometimes I caught the squirrel in my camera lens looking straight back at me.  Perfect.  Today, after a bit of time, I decided to go back to the normal path for a shorter walk.  However, I ran into a gentleman who noticed my camera.  “If you go up there a bit, you will find several deer”.  I asked him how far and he said a couple of hundred yards.  So, I decided to go a different way.  It was more like a half a mile, but the deer were there ready for their pictures to be taken.  After taking those pictures, I traveled on until I decided to get back on a paved path.  As I entered the pavement, I found myself at the area of the park that is more of a grassland with occasional trees. After taking several pictures, I went back into the woods.  This time, my camera’s eyes caught squirrel after squirrel looking right at the camera. At one point, two squirrels chased each other and ran within a couple of feet of me.  I couldn’t help but giggle out loud.  Then it happened, I felt my eyes tearing up with emotions as I realized the gift God had given me this morning.  God knew I needed to be out there in nature and He definitely knew I needed to see all the animals and plants that graced my camera.  I shook my head in awe and continued the walk knowing that I was right where God put me to see His love for me through nature. 

Today, God gave me the most special gift in the beauty around me.  As you go about your day, look around to see what God is trying to show you, and then remember to thank Him for His gift.  Is it a deer, a squirrel, a chipmunk?  Is it a beautiful changing leaf?  Those are some of my favorites.  Is it a student who gives a special note to you as a teacher?  Is it the hug you get from someone you love?  Those are some of my favorites as well.  I believe God puts things in our midst to remind us of His love for us and He wants us to see his beauty around us.

Prayer:  Precious God, thank you for showing us each day how much you love us through the beauty around us.  You created every thing just for us and we are thankful.  Your love abounds.  Amen. 

Happy Birthday, My Red-Headed Brother!

Happy Birthday, My Red-headed Brother

These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

– John 16:33

“Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday dear Coble, Happy Birthday to you!” Today, I celebrate the memories of my brother, Gordon Coble Henderson, who would have been 62 today.  Coble was the red head that would keep my red-headed Daddy on his toes as he began arguments just to keep my Daddy thinking.  And Daddy did the same thing to Coble.  Daddy would listen to Coble, and even if he agreed with him, would take the opposite stance, just where they could debate a point.  Unfortunately, I did not know this when Coble was alive, and Daddy didn’t tell me until years later, that their arguments were just a game.  I just thought they were always mad at each other.    

Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, as most know Coble and Ricky had, was a terrible disease, but it did not take the mind.  Coble and Ricky were both brilliant with many intellectual talents.  They might have been in wheelchairs, but God gave Coble the gift of art and obviously of debate.  He might not have been able to have a physical fight, but he could outwit and outargue anyone who challenged him.  Now, I do remember that one time, that one time when Coble asked his sister (me), in not the nicest of voices, to bring him something.  We got mad at each other and my Daddy heard the argument.  Daddy took my side, as he heard the argument, and put Coble on the floor to “pick it up himself.”  Lesson was learned by Coble, and although I felt badly for him, I saw his respect for me change.  Maybe Coble and Ricky were not the only intelligent ones….Daddy was pretty smart too.

Why have I shared all of this today? I have special memories of my parents and my brothers, and some of those memories are beginning to fade away.  So, I have to get my thoughts down on “paper” to make sure they do not fade any further.  Coble was a special guy who I loved dearly.  He was red-headed, just like my Daddy, and that gave him something special, it gave him the spunk that everyone loved.  It gave him the spunk to draw cartoons that depicted perfectly what was going on in his mind.  It gave him the courage to draw caricatures of all of the high school teachers at Camden Central High School, even though some took the pictures the wrong way.  “They were really good.” 

God gives us different personalities that make each of us special.  And, although I do not believe God causes hardships, he allows handicaps and hardships to happen.  Coble and Ricky were tremendous gifts from God.  Through their hardships, special things happened to the Henderson family, and for them personally.  I learned the value of hard work from my brothers, and especially from my parents who took care of them.  I learned the value of love from my mother, and daddy, as they took care of my brothers and me.  God has been obviously in the midst of all the hardships, and it is obvious to me that He got us through the hard times.  He gets us through as we have hardships today.   

Prayer:   Father God, help us see You in all of the gifts we receive each day, And help us lean on you through the struggles.  Be with us as we go through the coming days, and help us lean on you for all understanding.  Amen

Prayer Focus:  Hardships

We have to have Good Friday

Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.  Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud, and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb, where no one had ever yet been laid.  It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.  The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid; then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. 

– Luke 23:52-56

Easter without Maundy Thursday and Good Friday isn’t complete.  As our church presented two identical worship services on Thursday and Friday, we went through the experiences of Jesus in the room with His disciples including sharing His body and blood through communion and washing His Disciples’ feet.  I can only imagine what it would be like to be one of the twelve as Jesus shared Himself with them.   They did not know, they did not understand, what the next twelve hours would be like.  But Jesus did, and he willingly entered the time because He knew that was God’s plan for Him and for us.  As we sang, “In Remembrance”, after our pastor’s words, it meant something different, it meant something stronger.  I felt that I was indeed sharing the body and blood of Christ and it was more special.  Then we went into the Tenebrae section of the service.  We heard readings from the scripture of the final hours of the life of Jesus Christ.  Each of the readers read beautifully and brought the story to life as people in the congregation took it all in.  We then sang “Ah, Holy Jesus” which was harder to sing than in rehearsal – the song meant more – the song was our words to Jesus.  What would we have said to Jesus if we had been there on that day, if we had been there to see him on the cross? 

          The end of the service was the most powerful.  As each reading took place, candles were extinguished to darken the room.  Then, the altar was stripped of the candles and the altar cross was taken away as a voice sang “Were You There?”  The service did not end there, however.  The service continued when the red lighting came up to see Jesus lying in the tomb.  The beautiful altar with the cross and the candles led us into the celebration the Disciples experienced with Jesus at the Last Supper, but left Jesus lying in the tomb after the altar was stripped. 

          Our Nathaniel was one of the readers on Thursday night, and he was touched.  He said that this service was always one of his favorites, but that this one was very touching.  It felt so real, almost as if we were visiting a family in a funeral home after a death.  It felt as if Jesus was there.  When most everyone left, several stayed around sitting in the chairs and just looking at “Jesus in the Tomb”.  Beautiful.

          Now we wait in great anticipation for Easter Morning, that day when the body of Christ will no longer be in the grave.  And, because of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services, it will be more exciting.  It will be “complete”.    

          If you are on Facebook, and you would like to see the Maundy Thursday/Good Friday Service from this week, please click this link.

https://fb.watch/4E4KqOZXH-/

Prayer:   Jesus Christ, You went through so much pain and agony for us.  Thank you for setting us free by dying on the cross for us.  On this day between Good Friday and Easter, we take it all in and we relive those hours between the time you were laid in the tomb, and the time of Celebration on Easter.  Help us all, Lord, remember Good Friday as we celebrate Easter.  Amen