Monday, December 21, 2009

The gift of Love

This is a note from one of our customers ...

Jack and Carol,
A holding cross has given me and my family such joy, that I wanted to share it with you. My father was fighting a rare intestinal cancer for the past year and a half. He was always the stoic unemotional bread-winner. He had this solid steel shell that seemingly could not be penetrated. Even during his intense radiation and chemo program, he would give you the impression that “it’s just a phase, and I’ll be better soon.” Although he didn’t show it, his condition was becoming more severe, and in September my wife, kids and I started praying our “Dad’s prayer” at night to “Please Lord, be there for Dad so when he closes his eyes at night, he can hug you and be the shoulder to silently cry on. Please make him understand, even the toughest man needs a father he can go to and let it all out, and you Lord are his Father.”

A couple of days later, we were in your store to buy holding crosses for our boys baptism. Afterwards, I thought my mom would like one that she could hold while my father went through a surgery. So our boys made a “Good Luck” card, and I wrote a letter to my father. I told him for the first time, how proud I was of him, how lucky his kids were to have him as a father. Then I wrote in the letter how I sent the holding cross so Mom can hold while he is in surgery. Well, somehow my wording was not very clear, and he thought the cross was for him. He called me, with tears in his eyes, and an audible lump in his throat. He began to tell me that it was the greatest gift he had ever been given, and it touched him like nothing else ever had. These were words I never would have expected to here from my impenetrable father. I didn’t understand what happened, but I never told him I sent the cross for Mom. It wasn’t until a few days later when my wife, kids and I were saying our “Dad’s prayer”, that it hit me. Our prayer was being answered! Dad was hugging the cross, and he knew he had the Lord to turn to and open up. He had the cross blessed by his church pastor, and he carried it with him everywhere he went.

On November 23rd 2009, he passed away at the age of 62. The short time that I was able to share with him without that impenetrable shield, will last with me forever, and my mom now carries the cross with her so she can hold him. Thank you for having the vision that a small piece of wood, when lovingly worked, can have such a huge impact on the lives of others. I wish you and your family continued success, and I pray that for every person your product touches, your heart gains a little bit of that joy. Merry Christmas.

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The heavens declare the glory of God … Psalm 19:1

As a child, I was able to see history in a very real sense. My father was an Aeronautical Engineer and Project Manager for the Atlas Missile System that protected our country during the Cold War and propelled John Glenn into orbit aboard Frendship 7.


In 1962, Colonel Glenn circled the globe three times on that historic February day. Everyone watched and listened to that moment in time.


John Glenn also served our country as a United States senator for twenty-five years.


On October 29, 1998, John Glenn became the oldest human, at the age of 77, ever to venture into space. He was shuttled once more into space aboard the Discovery.


As Glenn looked out the windows of Discovery, he made this statement …


“To look out at this kind of creation out here and not believe in God is to me impossible. It just strengthens my faith. I wish there were words to describe what it’s like.”

Monday, August 17, 2009

The Great I AM

In the New Testament, Jesus declared a most profound statement. He told his disciples. He told the Pharisees. He told the crowd. He told the strangers.
He said – I AM


  • The living bread – Jn 6:51

  • From above - Jn 6:51

  • The light of the world – Jn 8:12

  • I Am – Jn 8:58

  • The door - Jn 10:9

  • The Son of God – Jn 10:36

  • The resurrection and the life – Jn 11:25

  • The way, the truth and the life – Jn 15:1

  • The King of the Jews – Jn 19:2

  • Jesus whom you are persecuting – Acts 9:5
 

Using the I AM to describe Himself was unheard of. To the Jews of that day this was blasphemous. Since the beginning, the Torah has taught the sacred and holy Name of God is I AM.

Moses was in the presence of God and asked Him a very personal question. Reading in Genesis 3:13 – 14:
“When I come to the children of Israel and say to them “the God of your fathers has sent me to you”, and they say to me “what is His Name, what shall I say to them”?
Hashem answered Moses, “ I Shall be as I Shall Be”. And He said, “so shall you say to the children of Israel, I Shall Be has sent me to you”.
 
Hashem literally means “The Name”. The Name above all names. When God answered Moses question he called Himself “I Shall Be as I Shall Be”. This Name is His Divine Nature and His Divine Description of Himself.
  
Jill Briscoe, a local pastor recently commented on a literal translation of the “I Shall Be as I Shall Be” to mean this …
I Am all that you need me to be
When you need me to be
All that I Am”.
 
I like that. The Name above all names. The great I Am. Jesus is the I Am all that you need me to be when you need me to be all that I Am!

Monday, August 3, 2009

Light'n Up!

Isn’t it funny how the world tries to distort things? Has anyone ever told you to “lighten up”? Consider it a complement or a conviction.


In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters. Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light.
Genesis 1:1-3



There was a void and there was darkness. The world continues to seek darkness and to live in darkness and to hide in darkness. God created light on that first “day” and forever separated the light from the darkness.


In the temple court, Jesus saved a woman from being stoned to death for her adulterous act. Then Jesus declares;

“I am the light of the world.
He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
John 8:12


God created the light and God is The Light. Where there is light, darkness cannot exist.

If Jesus is The Light of your life, then there cannot be darkness in your life. When you see or feel darkness, go to The Light. Lift up your voice and give thanks in prayer that Jesus is The Light of the world and His Spirit lives in you.

--------------

Praise You Father for giving us Light and taking us out of darkness by the blood of your Son.
Thank You Jesus for coming into my life to be my Savior and Redeemer.
Thank You Lord for showing me your Light as I walk this day.
Fill my path with your Light and my way with your Word.
Guide me and guard me this day as I follow You.
Encourage me throughout the day, by your Spirit, to lighten up a dark world with your Love and Grace.

Amen.

Monday, July 27, 2009

How do you know?

How do you know the will of God?


The world answers that question with the pursuit of knowledge. We must learn what the will of God is. We must search out His Word and know. We must discipline ourselves to understanding.


There is another consideration.


What if the “education” of the will of God in my life is more profound and simpler than that? What if the discernment of the will of God is to obey him!


Oswald Chambers wrote in My Utmost for His Highest, “Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey”.


The spiritual muscles of my life grow and mature as I progress through the daily application of the relationship with Jesus.

  • More than just thinking about Him.
  • Deeper than being one with Him
  • Doing His will


"If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine . . ." John 7:17

Thursday, May 14, 2009

God Is Right There With You

It is not uncommon to receive communication from HoldingCross owners sharing with us their HoldingCross stories. Here is one just received from Montana ...

"I received the 2 HoldingCrosses that I ordered. I sent the one that said "God be with you" to my alcoholic brother. When I sent it, I included a note saying "when you feel alone, this will remind you that you are never alone, God is right there with you". He called as soon as he received it and said "I don't know how you manage to find such wonderful and loving gifts that you send me but this one is the ultimate and I will treasure it always"."

We never really know what to expect when we give a gift. It is not unusual for me to spend a bit of time deciding what I would like to give, the details (color, size, shape, etc) and finally, the card ... what do I write? Trying to convey a message can be challenging at times.

The HoldingCross seems to convey its own message. Time and again we are told it was the "perfect" gift. We can never know in advance how it will be received; but, in trusting the Lord with both the giving and receiving, we can have His Peace knowing that God can reach and minister where we cannot.

Thanks be to God!Carol