My Father Charles Isom Rainer

My father was born May 22, 1897 and he died December 25, 1974. I can remember saying at his funeral, "I wish he could have lived to be 100." When he died I not only lost someone I loved very much, but more important I lost someone who loved me. From my earliest memory of my father, I never for one minute doubted that he loved me. That is a very precious blessing to me. My father was a very quiet man. He talked very little. Guess that was the Indian in him. However, after he died, it was such a surprise to me that someone who was never in the limelight and never atracted attention to himself could leave such a hole in our family with his death. Tears fill my eyes even now as I think of him. Hope all your fathers will have a wonderful Father's Day. Hope you will remember how important it is for your children to know you love them by your actions, by the time you spend with them and by the interest you show in them. Your influence is beyond measure.

Ryan and Sara's Anniversary

Congratulations to Ryan and Sara on their 9th Wedding Anniversary. May God continue to Bless you two and your wonderful family. May you always seek His will in all you do. LOVE YOU ma

Cast Your Burden Upon The Lord

Taken from Charles H. Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening" May 26 (in part)

Care even though exercised upon legitimate objects, if carried to excess, has in it the nature of Sin. The very essence of anxious care is the imagining that we are wiser than God, and the thrusting ourselves into His place to do for Him that which He has undertaken to do for us. We labour to take upon ourselves our weary burden, as if He were unable or unwilling to take it for us. Now this disobedience to His plain precept, this unbelief in His Word, this presumption in intruding upon His province, is all sinful. Yet more than this, anxious care often leads to acts of sin. He who cannot calmly leave his affairs in God's hand, but will carry his own burden, is very likely to be tempted to use wrong means to help himself. This sin leads to a forsaking of God as our counsellor, and resorting instead to human wisdom. Anxiety makes us doubt God's lovingkindness, and thus our love to Him grows cold; we feel mistrust, and thus grieve the Spirit of God, so that our prayers become hindered, our consistent example marred, and our life one of selfseeking. Thus want of confidence in God leads us to wander far from Him; but if through simple faith in His promise, we cast each burden as it comes upon Him, and are "careful for nothing" because He undertakes to care for us, it will keep us close to Him, and strengthen us against much temptation. "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee."

Probably none of us have reached this place in our lives, but hopeful we will always strive to "Cast Or Burdens Upon The Lord for He cares for us."
May we lovingly remind each other of this often.

Encouraging Words

I get mail from David Wilkerson who is the founder of “Teen Challenge.” His mail is always so encouraging. This one was especially so for me and I want to share part of it hoping it will Bless YOU and encourage you.


If you can’t give God perfect faith, give him perfect love. “Perfect love casts out all fear.” Not perfect faith, but perfect love. Perfect love is the rest God has for his people. He wants us to rest in his love, trusting that he will always come to our aid as a father to a hurting child in spite of our inadequate faith.
Stop evaluating or grading your faith. And stop trying to figure out faith. The bible says, “Now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (1 Corinthians 13:13).

If you are going to specialize in anything, specialize in love. The Bible says, “Faith works by love.” Without love, all faith is in vain.

If God does not answer certain of our prayers, we can be sure he has some great eternal reason for not doing so.

It boils down to this: God has all power and can do anything. Nothing is impossible to him. He has promised to answer every prayer in Christ’s name. So we must ask in full assurance of faith, expecting an answer. But should God delay that answer, or choose another path for us, he must have a mighty good reason for it all. And we must believe that whatever God permits in our lives, it will one day all work to our good. “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).

Our heavenly Father knows exactly where we are going and what we need. He will give us what is best, in proper Holy Ghost timing. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him” (Matthew 7:11).

God will not permit you to be overcome by your trials. You may come to what you think of as you breaking point. Yet, if you will not harden you heart but fall into his arms, trusting his everlasting love for you, you will survive and live to tell of his faithfulness.

Unbelievable News

Let me start of by saying a few things about Papa


He has kept an R72 John Deere lawn mower 20 years
He has kept an Echo weed eater for 22 years
He has kept an Echo blower for 22 years
He has kept a Coleman trailer for 28 years
He has kept his 1966 Ford truck 39 years
He has kept this house for 40 years
and then there is ME
He has kept me almost 61 years.

Something real strange happened this past week. He bought a BRAND NEW Echo blower. I do hope he is not planning to replace everything. If he does, I'm in trouble since I'm the oldest thing he has.

It was real funny this afternoon when he was showing the blower the Chris - Chris said where did you get that and Papa said at Home Depot. Chris said, "You bought it new?" He almost fainted. So you all better watch out. He may have only just begun.

Unconditional Love and Forget Not His Benefits

Blogs
I would like to combine Cheri’s blog "Forget not His benefits" and Ryan’s on "Unconditional Love"
Here’s my story
A few years ago I was nearly destroyed by the actions of someone. This person did something that totally wiped me out, embarrassed me beyond feeling and completely removed all respect I had for this person. I have always found it hard to love someone I did not respect. What this person did was not illegal or immoral, but went against something that I held so dear. My first reaction was a huge mixture of anger and hurt. I chose not to forgive this person. I chose to drop the relationship. And in making those choices, without saying so or realizing it, I chose to become bitter. My feeling was I will not let this interfer with any other part of my life. Bad mistake. I began to see that this unforgiveness and bitterness began to seep, spill and slosh into every area of my life, my relationship with others, my thought life and my ability to function normally. I was terrified of bitterness. I do not have the words to express my terror of the bitterness I knew would destroy me. I began to seek a way to forgive not because I wanted to forgive but because of the consequences . I went to Bible studies, I asked for help from some people that I knew who had forgiven people for things much worse than what I had experienced. I prayed, but the unforgiveness in my heart hindered my prayers. Nothing seemed to work. One night, after weeks of misery, in total desperation I wrote on a small piece of torn paper. "God I do not know how to forgive, submit or how to be humble. Please help me." My story from that point took a turn. I cannot explain it. I do not have the words, but a drastic change took place. Not in this person who had hurt me but in me. You would think that at 70+ I would have had all the "Turning Points" in my life I needed but not so. This became a wonderful "Turning Point." My whole attitude toward this person changed. I found words coming out of my mouth that were sweet, kind and humble. God gave me "Unconditional Love" for this person. Only God, is all I can say. And back to the "Forget not His Benefits" ….. I pray I will never ever "Forget His Benefits" of forgiveness and the change He made in my life. I shutter to think of the person I could have become – bitter and angry. I do praise Him for His benefits and His "Unconditional Love." May God be PRAISED for His goodness.

Latest from Papa and Ma

I guess if I want everyone else to blog, I'd better update my blog once in a while. It is so nice to read all of your blogs and keep up with what all of you are doing. Our lives (papa and me) are really not a whole lot to write about. But we did go play rook with the Major of Valparaiso and his wife, Marlene, Saturday night. It was fun. Papa and the Major won one game and Marlene and I won one. This is the second time we have played. So Marlene and I are two games up on them. Papa bought new tires for the van. We had a very busy week last week with Joshua, Karin, Mario and Karin's sister, Annie here. We enjoyed them so much. Mario is such a good baby and so pleasant. I can hardly stand it when they take him back to New Orleans. I'm going to try to dress up my blog a little. Hope it works.

LOVE YOU ALL.