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Mama’s Soul Markers

Nov9

There are moments in life that are Markers on my soul.

December 1981, I held in my arms my first child, Melissa Anne. Allen tells me that
I was in labor for over 31 hours without any kind of help for the pain. I only remember how beautiful she is and has always been. A perfect beautiful little red head who reflected back all the adoring looks we gave her. Fiercely loyal and strong, she demands peace and will settle for nothing less. Her daddy laughingly told her once to put a 55 gallon drum in the back of his truck while he ate lunch. He was being funny but when he went back, she had done it. It never occurred to her that she could not. That remains her attitude about anything she intends to do.

March 1984, I had the shortest labor ever and I say truthfully that Holly Elizabeth has never given me any pain since the day she was born. The medical personnel forgot to come back for us so I lay in the recovery room alone with her, clutching her to my chest, amazed at this tiny and perfect little blonde baby. Faith-filled and confident of provision from the day she was born, she refuses to worry and never lets her circumstances dictate what she will do. She once travelled with a mission group across three countries without a dime in her pocket and typical Holly, she called to say she was bringing home a few friends for Thanksgiving. She brought home, fed and housed 27 people.

February 2, Allen Lynn was taken to NICU and I could only hold his tiny toes as they took blood and kept him in his special bassinet so he could breathe. Praying and believing that the LORD would heal him for two weeks before they finally placed him in my arms, a miracle and my first son. We took him home in a little white tuxedo onesie. We call him the perfect man because he controls his tongue and never wastes his words. His siblings count on what AJ says because he does what he says he will do. He expects no less of others and if he shows up at the house, things that need doing will be done. He never leaves without giving both of us a good strong bear hug, a gift from this child who does not give affection or smiles liberally or lightly.

May 22, Thomas Glynn made his premier, happy and friendly from the moment he was placed in my arms. He was named for favorite uncles on both sides of our families prophetically –he is a family man, a loving father now himself. My favorite memory with Tommy was the day he took his Daddy and I on a tour of his school. Only in Kindergarten, he knew the names of not just his teachers, but the cafeteria ladies and the people up and down the halls. He greeted them all by name with compliments and favor flowing from his lips. Every one he meets matters and family is blood.

September 17, Jackie Leon was tiny and Daddy and oldest sister had to take care of him while I recovered in the hospital from a serious infection. Named for my daddy, Leon, and his daddy’s best friend. My favorite picture of Jackie Leon is the one where he is standing in his daddy’s boots. We all made our way to South Carolina to watch him graduate from Basic Training. He serves his country and his family, following in his daddy’s footsteps. Like his daddy before him, sleep is not important if there are things to be done and it is not unusual for him to have three jobs if that is what it takes.

January 19, Sandra Denise made her debut into our family and into stardom. She was the only one born in the hospital her Dad was born in and starred in a television commercial when she was only hours old. A little girl after three boys, she was a girly girl and petted by parents and siblings alike. She is positively positive and gave me my iconic “Never Give Up” poster and attitude. Times got tough but she was my built-in personal and family cheerleader. Her naturally nurturing nature will come in handy now that she has started her own family.

September 13, Matthew Ryan was born on Friday the thirteenth. His umbilical cord had a square knot tied so tight that the doctor sent it to a lab because he could not believe this healthy bouncing baby boy could have gotten any blood through that cord. Blessed of God, Young King. He is the only boy that looks like his Mama. Matt takes the initiative to do what needs to be done and has the kind and gentle heart that befits a King.

June 8, Sarah Michelle was the only child that loved Mama more than Daddy. She was my little Princess with her Daddy’s thick curly brown hair and big beautiful eyes. She was my ego boost because she adored me for no reason at all. Quiet but not really shy, she developed her own personality and strong individuality in spite of being eighth of ten. Drop her into a crowd and she becomes the center, making everyone think she has been their friend for a long time even if she just met them. Sarah is my sidekick; she loves to work outdoors beside me and also loves to sit and read for hours at my beloved public library.

March 2001. Jonathan Hunter. It was hard to understand how people could think that losing this son would not matter since I had so many other children. We have no physical mementos at all to remember him except the note to my employer from my doctor saying I had lost him and a sympathy card from one close friend. My last son was the first child to go to our LORD but I look with hope to the day I will at last meet him in Heaven.

January 8, Zelma Grace. Named for Allen’s mother and for the comforting joy that she brought so soon after our loss. She has a different mother than all her siblings because the loss of Jonathan changed me completely. Zelma is proof that Grace nurtures us into our full potential and my only sadness is knowing that my other children were not reared in the same freedom that has caused her to flourish. She is creative, invincible and boldly expectant of favor as we all should be.

My children. Markers on my Soul. I cannot love you less. I cannot love you more.

You have all my love always.

Five Really Easy Ways that You can Build a Strong Relationship

Jul26

Scriptures: Use an Inspirational Verse to Remind you that Love is Eternal and to act in a loving emotional way toward your partner. Love Never Fails is a great one but My verses were Ephesians 5:33 & 1 Peter 3:2. These are the verses written into my husband book beside one of my favorite pictures of Allen.

Admire Him

My Husband Book

In the picture, he is dressed in his biker gear and I particularly admire him for how he looks in the photo and also because of what he was preparing to do, go minister with the Christian Motorcyclists Assocaiation. It reminds me of a moment when I respected him, admired him, enjoyed him. Although he is preparing to leave me at the moment the photo was taken, he was being all the things I (in the human sense) adored about him. It reminds me of other moments when I can indeed act out this verse with regards to my husband.

Time: Invest minutes to Earn years. Do something that takes a moment that will build up long term value in the relationship. When Allen left for work every day, I stood and watched him until he was completely out of sight. I watched for him when it was time for him to be home and jumped up to run and greet him when he came home every day. I really did not take it for granted that each moment would not be our last. It became something much more than just a few moments each day. It became a routine he depended on as he realised just how important he was to me. Those few moments every day became a cornerstone that represented loyalty and faithfulness over our years together.

Romance: Be what He saw and See what He can Be. Let yourself Enjoy both Planned and Spontaneous phyisical Pleasure. Share your Vision of your Relationship at Opportune Tender moments but Relish Touching and being Touched. Say Yes even when it is Inconvenient and Surprise yourself with some Exciting memories.

Now: Just like the manna, Today is the only day that this moment can Nourish your relationship. Treat REGRET as a Strength Building exercise instead of Endurance Training. Let it build Muscle in an area that needs improvement instead of spending time with it just to build up your stamina. How can you live in the NOW moment with the lesson it gave you? How will you act NOW differently than then so your relationship can be improved? Never let what you or your partner did in the Past keep you from having the day you want Today.

Grace: Give what you need; compassion, forgiveness, romance, passion. Give what you need to your partner but also Give what you need to yourself. Ask instead of assuming your Significant Other knows what you want. If you need a romantic moment and your partner really just wants to watch television, then spend a little time with your memories of other great moments instead of spending it with bitterness or regret. Instead of nursing a grudge or expanding the gap with indifference or anger, Use the time to rehearse your Victories by going through photos or meditating Successes.

Rehearsing Victories

Rehearsing Victories


[My Husband Book was created Just for these Growth Moments. More on that in another post.]

When your partner does give you what you ask; time, romance, passion: Enjoy it and Encourage it. Give up your preconceived notions of how it should go and make the effort to Just Enjoy what it is.

…and let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates, and esteems him; and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly]. | …When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him—to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband]. [Amplified Bible]

to know HIM

May13
that I may know HIM

that I may know HIM

It’s ALL about ME.

It’s ALL about YOU, TOO.

The Bible is a LOVE story, not a Rule book. It’s NOT about OBEDIENCE. Whoa! It’s about somebody I love protecting me, helping me, saving me.

When Allen was stationed in Holland, he received a LOT of letters from me. I didn’t want to tell him what to do. I wanted him to know how much I thought about him, I wanted to find out how much he loved me.

Now… a part of Love and Marriage is commitment and obedience. But we do not do those things because we’re “supposed” to. We do it because we have a deep LOVE relationship and we do not want to hurt and we do not want to be hurt. We trust each other. We LOVE each other.

Remember ALWAYS that HE loved us FIRST. So, to share CHRIST with others, Let’s FIRST LOVE THEM.

[For my determined purpose is]
that I may know
 Him 
that I may
 progressively become 
more deeply and intimately
 acquainted with Him, 
perceiving 
and recognizing 
and understanding 
[the wonders of His Person] 
more strongly
 and more clearly. 
And that I may in that same way 
come to know
 the power
 outflowing from His resurrection.

-Philippians 3:10 Amp

Opportunities for JOY

May12

Never Disappointed
TRUE Story

On the way home from Work, I ran out of gas. It was after nine at night and I was already late getting off because of lingering last minute shoppers.

I had not been able to get gas at work because I work the CLOSING shift and the pumps were already turned off. I skipped the previous stations because I am a little compulsive and I like to get gas at particular places that I am used to. I could SEE the gas station just ahead so when the truck died, I coasted as far as I could and tried to re-crank it. [That sometimes works, and this part reveals that I have run out of gas more than once.]

The truck would not start so I let it coast to the side of the road and turned off the lights. I called my Son, Leon. I told him that I was on the side of the road out of gas. He sent my Son, Allen to help me. I sat in the quiet and the dark for a few minutes contemplating.

It may surprise you that I was not upset in the LEAST little bit. I was full of JOY that my sons were on the way to help me. I was proud that they did not hesitate for a moment to come. I was also excited for the OPPORTUNITY to see my Son and hear his voice.

OPPORTUNITIES for JOY come disguised as inconvenience but WAIT Expectantly. JOY will come. Continue reading →

May 9, 2014

May10

Missed work yesterday to help Matt get his paperwork together for his new job. Eskamoe’s is opening right at the end of our road. Air conditioning and Ice cream. Good first job, Matt.

Went to the library and did some work on the web. I’m a Debbie Macomber fan and so I am reading her books on writing my story but I am not getting very much actually done.

I am a Browsing Reader. I browse a LOT of books, sometimes as many as 10 or 15 at a time. Hmmm. Talk about rabbit trails, I must be a full grown bunny cause I am always hopping from one thing, thought, idea to another. Everywhere I GO is a rabbit trail.

Lord, Help me FOCUS and FINISH.

I’m reading Jeremiah and the beginning is the scary parts. I gotta keep going to get to that Everlasting Love and Plan for my Life part but I keep getting skiddish and tossing it down. I will buckle down and get there but here are a few gems I have picked up already:

Jeremiah 2: 10-13.

For cross over to the coasts of Cyprus [to the west] and see, send also to Kedar [to the east] and carefully consider; and see whether there has been such a thing as this:
11 Has a nation [ever] changed its gods, even though they are not gods? But My people have changed their Glory [God] for that which does not profit.
12 Be astonished and appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked and shrivel up with horror, says the Lord [at the behavior of the people].
13 For My people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the Fountain of living waters, and they have hewn for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns which cannot hold water.

God himself is amazed that His children would be more stupid than the devil’s children. Even people that worship FALSE gods are at LEAST LOYAL to them, even though their False gods do NOTHING.

Jeremiah 2:20

For long ago [in Egypt] I broke your yoke and burst your bonds [not that you might be free, but that you might serve Me] [a]and long ago you shattered the yoke and snapped the bonds [of My law which I put upon you]; you said, I will not serve and obey You! For upon every high hill and under every green tree you [eagerly] prostrated yourself [in idolatrous worship], playing the harlot.

God did NOT make me free. He broke my Yoke so that I could SERVE HIM. Note: I believe I WAS freed after JESUS came because then I was ADOPTED into God’s Family. This is in the OLD Testament so the Holy Spirit had not yet been given to everyone of us as after Pentecost after Jesus ascended [but that’s a different study. lol. rabbit trails.].

Jeremiah 4:10

Then I [Jeremiah] said, [a]Alas, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived and misled this people and Jerusalem, [for the prophets represented You as] saying [to Your people], You shall have peace, whereas the sword has reached to [their very] life.

I have to admit how excited I was to find Jeremiah talking like this to God. Allen is always telling me things like this… so I felt like God revealed a little of his character/nature to me here. I’ve always considered him to be prophetic–the first thing he EVER said to me was “I’m gonna marry you.” so… this glimpse of Jeremiah challenging God just like Allen does was more than a little reassuring to this overly reverent Southern gal.

This entry was posted on May 10, 2014, in Journal.

Thinking Lessons: Being Patient

Apr28

Patient ≠ Suffering | Patient = Rest

We want to be patient because patient is in the definition of LOVE and it is listed first. How many of us have cried out to our Lord, “Please make me patient and do it now!”

We just do not think we can change or we think we do not want to be patient because we associate it with suffering.

So let’s think about our thinking.

We do not have to become patient. It is called “BEING” patient.

We actually can be patient right now. How?

Patience is NOT changing or suffering, as we might think. To be patient means to remain the same in whatever circumstances.

Let me repeat that. It means to remain the same in whatever circumstances.

So first, spend time with the LORD.

Decide to act according to the TRUTH as it is revealed to you in God’s Word and then….

Then, Remain the SAME. Under whatever the circumstances. Remain the SAME. REST in the LORD.

And there you have it. You are patient.

Sounds easy, right? Just remember that you will have to make the CHOICE at the moment of the Stimulus to Respond according to the decision you already made.

Newton’s Law says, “An object that is at rest will stay at rest unless an external force acts upon it.”

Since an object at rest remains at rest, the work of being patient is just remembering what you already decided to do under the circumstance you happen to be in and then REMAIN at REST. The effort is only in re-focusing off our present circumstance and back onto our Redeemer being PRESENT.

APPLICATION:
If I am stuck in line and there is only one register open, even at the self-check, I just CHOOSE to remain the SAME- I remember that I have decided ahead of time that my Savior is called the WAY so I choose to spend the moments waiting meditating a scripture about loving my neighbor INSTEAD of grumbling at the employee who probably cannot do anything about HER circumstance except CHOOSE how she will act.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. [Colossians 3:15]

A [true] Sibling Story

Apr11
Julie, Jeff, Albert Mama, Shannon, Daddy

Julie, Jeff, Albert
Mama, Shannon, Daddy

A story about a brother who took the blame.

We were four. My oldest brother, Albert, was born on my Daddy’s birthday. Then came Jeffery, then Julie (me), and finally, Shannon, the baby, was born. In those days, four was a big family. We lived on three acres in Watson, Louisiana, surrounded by trees, canals, hunting dogs and love.

In those days, Mama hollered out the back door for dinner time and we kids walked together to the store to get our Popsicle. Neighbors spanked naughty children if they needed it. Real disobedience was dealt with by the closest adult and again by Mama and Daddy.

My father lined us all up, belt in hand, to find out who committed an offense. I do not remember what the misdeed was. I just remember that there was a guilty party. It was me.

Daddy was determined. Someone had to be punished. Someone was going to admit it and get it or everyone was going to get it. The guilty child was commanded to step forward and get the belt.

Long scary wait.

Then an amazing thing happened. My oldest brother, Albert, stepped forward. My mouth dropped open. I was guilty but I never spoke. I was too afraid of the punishment. My brother never said a word but he took the whipping.

He never said a word but we both knew he was not guilty. He never said a word during or after about the offense or the whipping. He did not try to get out of that punishment. Instead he took it for me without ever rebuking me though he and I both knew I was guilty.

Wow. Is it any wonder I accepted Jesus as my Savior when they explained to me what he did? I understood what they were saying. He took my punishment and he never said a word.

Thanks, Albert. You were a good big brother then, You are a good big brother now. Love, Julie

Now all[a] these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 1 Corinthians 10:11

Willing to BE Willing

Mar19

Many times and in many ways, I have thought about how my CHOICES make my life happy or sad. In my post in the forum at Koinonia Institute, I was asked “When did Jesus “choose” you? Tell us something about your experience and walk with God.” This is what I said:

Jesus did indeed CHOOSE me before He created the world. My family is filled with generations of godly men and women serving Christ by making good CHOICES. For that, I myself am richly blessed. My mother was especially instrumental in bringing me to a place in my life that I began to CHOOSE to “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:36)

In 1984, pregnant with my second child, I reached the end of my struggle to live without allowing Jesus into EVERY aspect of my life. I was hopeless and helpless but God was faithful. My mom led me in a prayer to ask Jesus to give me her faith and her hope and, most important to me, a willingness to serve Him with my whole life. I had been unwilling up to this point to trust Jesus completely, although intellectually I had acknowledged Him as my Lord and Savior. On that day, I CHOSE Him.

Like David, I heard the Lord say to me, “CHOOSE for yourself,…” (1 Chronicles 21:11 NKJV) And like David, I said,  “I am in great distress. Please let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for His mercies are very great…” (1 Chronicles 21:13 NKJV) [emphasis added]

My journey to joy began with my CHOICE to pray for Jesus to make me Willing to BE Willing to let Him live through me. There have been many milestones, many rocks, piled on my altar to Him so that I could come back to that place and remember the things I learned. But by FAR the BIGGEST ROCK is the one where I laid down FIRST- that Willing to BE Willing rock so that Jesus could then be my ROCK.

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. (Joshua 24:15 NKJV) [emphasis added]

Sincerely, Julie Ashley

Neither do I condemn thee

Mar19

When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more. [emphasis added]
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

One of the things I learned from The GRACE REVOLUTION (Joseph Prince) is that once you receive His gift of no condemnation, you will have the power to break out of the cycle of defeat and experience the abundant life that Jesus died to give you!

In a forum post at Koinonia Institue, I talk about my struggles with living a life pleasing to God:
As Paul said in Romans 7:

“Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?”

Romans continues: “So then, I of myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.”

WHOA! I do not want to serve the law of sin. I am in the very same predicament as Paul. Thankfully, I am not left here. “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!” Because Romans 8 follows Romans 7. And Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

I love this commentary by Chuck Missler that I found at the Blue Letter Bible: http://www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/missler_chuck/Rom/Romans_Vintage.cfm#No_Condemnation_in_Christ

Chuck explains that Romans 8:1 says we have no condemnation in Christ Jesus. PERIOD. Chuck tells us to put a period here and explains that Jesus Christ died for ALL my sins, from the point when I accepted him AND also ALL my sins subsequent to my commitment to Jesus Christ. ALL of my sins were FUTURE when Christ died on the cross and said, It is finished!!

Like Chuck, I will put a LARGE period at this point and remember that I have been made FREE of the Law of Sin and Death. Chuck says to strike the phrase “who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit” (He explains why in the commentary.) Also I will add a reference here to Galatians 2:20-21: “For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

So I have learned from GRACE* that we must do things in God’s order: In order to “go and sin no more” I must first remember that
“Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.”

So by letting Christ live in me, I am able to love God with ALL my heart! So I say again: Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Sincerely, Julie Ashley

* See Joseph Prince devotional: The Gift of No Condemnatoin

Debbie Macomber Novels

Jun18

Recently I finished reading Debbie Macomber’s novel, A Turn in the Road.

Bethanne Hamlin, her ex-mother-in-law, Ruth, and her daughter, Annie go on a road trip together.. and end up learning more about each other, a certain burly biker and themselves– than they ever expected.

A great book that introduced me to Macomber’s genius. My plan is to read ALL her books by June 1, 2014!

PRINTABLE BOOK LIST

Debbi Macomber Website