My Hall of Fame

At the end of one of the biographies I read in Warren Wiersbe's 50 People Every Christian Should Know, he said: "Martyn Lloyd-Jones and I were discussing . . . over dinner one evening . . ." Although I'm not familiar with Martin Lloyd-Jones, my home pastor quoted him often. I was thrilled at the thought of sitting with a great person of faith!

That got me thinking about the people I have known that were great believers in God, and influenced my life for Him. Let me share about some . . .


Elaine was an older women who took notice of a young co-worker in her mid 20s who was lost and needed help. She planted the seed that took me to church where I found Christ and was saved. "I think you'll find what you're looking for at church," were her words to me. She befriended me and walked through a number of years with me, good and bad. Although I attended an Episcopal church throughout my childhood, there was no Christian influence in my home. Elaine is my hero who directed me to the one that I now live for.

Robert Crowley was the pastor at my home church, Montrose. Under his leadership and guidance I grew and was nurtured in the Christian faith, and I credit him for the understanding and strength I have in my faith. I attended his class, "The Sermon on the Mount," which focused on that great passage in Matthew. It was a nine month class that changed my life. I also saw him as a father figure, as my Dad was an alcoholic. There was no communication in our home, and it was cold in affection and love.

I seem to be drawn to older women of great faith, and friends with godly wisdom. I believe in friendship, and I strive at being a good friend. In honor of my 55th birthday a number of yeares ago, I hosted a "Celebration of Friends" party where I honored 16 ladies for their friendship, friends going back as far as grade school.


Lee, Linda B., Carol, Jeanette, Kathy, Mary, Anne, Pam, Melody, Sandy, Holly, Diana, Barbara, Rachel, Paula, and Linda A. have all contributed to the good in my life through wisdom, inspiration, encouragement, laughter, knowledge, and many other ways.

I'm now sitting under another man of God, Michael Trammell. He stands tall in the pulpit and brings forth God's word in truth and with conviction. I feel drawn to him as I was Pastor Crowley. Good preaching and teaching are so important, and I know I will hear words that will inform, teach, inspire and encourage when he preaches.

I want to mention one more individual who is in my Hall of Fame. Her name is Alice, and was only an acquaintance. During an extremely difficult time in my life, Alice wrote me a note to encourage me. That note changed my life, and my ministry of notewriting to encourage began. The gifts God gave me were destined to be used to encourage the hearts of others. Thank you, Alice.

What about you? Who would be in your Hall of Fame? To quote C. S. Lewis, "Is any pleasure on earth as great as a circle of Christian friends by a fire?"

I don't think so.

Reading Update . . .

Last fall I purchased this book by Warren Wiersbe. Over recent years I've discovered how meaningful and inspiring it is to read about those individuals that have shaped Christian history. Mr. Wiersbe said, "How much richer we would be if we would refuse the books of the hour and discover again the books of the ages." I like that.

The biographies start in the 1500s and take you up to individuals living in the 1900s. They are brief enough that you don't get bogged down with a lot of detail, yet long enough so you can appreciate the lives of each person. Mr. Wiersbe mentions books in each biography that have been written by the individual or someone who knew the individual. I've been keeping a list of the ones I thought might be interesting, but I probably won't have the time or money to read all the books, which most are out of print.


The first week of January I was in the production room at work making copies of a document. While waiting I was looking around and spotted it. Another great find! My friend, Roy Thomas, is a kindred spirit in reading, writing and photography. There lying on the desk was "The Quotable Lewis."



I'm a big fan of quotes and in my "Thoughtful" journals I record quotes I find interesting and inspiring. About the same time I purchased Wiersbe's book, I also purchased "The Soul of C. S. Lewis." I was having a hard time getting started because the depth of his writing seems to be a lot more deeper than my mind! After reading the first six pages, I stopped, went back to the beginning, grabbed a dictionary and started again, slower, much slower.

When I spotted "The Quotable Lewis" I thought it might help me as I struggled through "The Soul of C. S. Lewis." Roy walked into the room right after I'd found the book and I immediately said: "Please let me steal this for one week!" After a little grumbling, Roy agreed. It is now on my wish list.

I'm slowly getting through "The Soul of C. S. Lewis." It's causing a lot of thinking, and I'm hoping the time will be profitable for my walk with Christ. And I've returned "The Quotable Lewis" to Roy, after writing down a few quotes in my "Thoughtful" journal.

Of course, none of this reading has taken the place of God's word. How thankful I am that God opened my eyes so that I could glean His truth and find His gold nuggets in the Bible and other books inspired by Him. Yes, the stories of old provide encouragement to me along my walk in life. How thankful I am for writers!

To quote Mr. Wiersbe again, " . . . dig again the old wells and get acquainted with the godly leaders of the past who kept the light shining long before we were ever on the scene." (Genesis 26:18)

Another Year is Dawning . . .

Early New Year’s Day morning I spent some time with God, and the first song in the book “Amazing Grace” was written for the new year by Frances Ridley Havergal. “Another Year is Dawning” was a greeting Frances sent to her friends for the new year. It is a grand New Year’s prayer of consecration:

“Another year is dawning, Dear Father, let it be, in working or in waiting another year with Thee: another year of progress, another year of praise, another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

“Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace; another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face; another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast; another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

“Another year of service, of witness for Thy love; another year of training for holier work above; another year of dawning, Dear Father, let it be, on earth, or else in heaven, another year for Thee.”

Jerry and I were preparing our favorite New Year’s morning breakfast of sausage and gravy over biscuits. As Jerry was stirring the mixture, he said: “There is Christmas music; there should be New Year’s music.” I quietly stopped what I was doing, waltzed into the living room, picked up my book, and began singing . . . "Another year is dawning . . ." Oh, may my new years be dedicated to living for and serving God.

There's HOPE in the new year--God's hope . . . Jesus.

Celebrating My Saviour . . .

My posts for 2010 are now coming to an end. My last post this year celebrates Jesus . . . the Saviour of the world . . . the Everlasting King, and the Almighty God. How blessed we are!

Is this your hearts desire? If not, don’t go away before I can share a thought I heard a long time ago about believing God and accepting Jesus as the Saviour of the world. "If I’m wrong, and there is no God, and His Word doesn’t matter–it’s all just lies, well, I guess it won’t make any difference for me when I die. I’ve lived my life in what I believed to be true and how I believe God would have me to live it. But if I’m right, and there is a God, and His Word is true, and Jesus is the Saviour of the world . . . and you don’t believe it or live by His Word, it matters greatly, because you will live an eternity without God."

I plead with anyone who doesn't believe or live by God's word to search for Jesus and let Him fill your heart and mind with the truth. His will for your life is far better than what you choose.

We celebrate Christmas because of Jesus, that He was born, that He lived, He died, and He lives again. There isn’t any other reason to celebrate Christmas other than Jesus.

May your Christmas be blessed and your heart full because of the Saviour of the world . . . Jesus.

Me and my friend, Abby, above, wish you a very blessed Christmas!

A Tribute to Jerry . . .

A milestone has been reached in the Mc Giffin household. Twenty-five years of married life. Now that’s something to be excited about!

I certainly take little credit for reaching this milestone. I know how difficult it is to live with me! I am thankful that God saw fit to bring Jerry and me together and equip Jerry with everlasting qualities that would keep us together and in good partnership.

I created a card just for the occasion (below) so Jerry would know how much I appreciate and love him. I’m thankful for all we’ve been through together, and that we’re still together.



Twenty-six years ago we met in an alley . . . a bowling alley that is, and I fell in love with Jerry's truck. At least, that's what he says. Jerry tells the story that his truck is what attracted me to him. (And I must confess, it didn't hurt any!) I wrote a story about that truck titled, Dream Ride. (And it was published in Ford Times, October 1990. They even paid me $100!) I think you’ll enjoy reading it below:

"A woman met her husband in a Ford pickup, and now they're two for the road."

"I grew up in the city, and my dad and all of our family friends drove cars. But I always wanted to ride in a truck. Trucks represented the country to me, and I yearned for wide-open spaces away from the confusion of the city.

One day, I got my wish. I had a date with a gentleman named Jerry, who drove a green 1977 Ford F-150 pickup. When he came to pick me up, I don't know which one I was more excited to see--Jerry or the truck.

What a date! Riding in the truck was everything I'd dreamed it would be. Being higher off the road gave a new dimension to riding around, and I discovered scenery I never knew existed. As for Jerry, we fell in love and married, so the green pickup became mine, too. I left the city behind and moved to the country, where Jerry lived.

His pickup was only the beginning. We replaced his several years ago with a blue 1985 Ford F-150 (which I helped select), but in my heart, I always will fondly remember the green pickup that changed my life.

During the week, I drive a 1989 Tempo to work, but whenever I get the chance, I sit high in the seat of our truck. Whether it's on my way to church on Sunday mornings or on a trip to my mother's, our pickup is the way to go."

And that's the truth!

One of the nicest things Jerry did for me was nickname me ""NOTE"worthy." And that, of course, is because of my passion to write notes to encourage others. Jerry is the one who encouraged me to write my first book, and he was 100% behind me when I started speaking to groups about note writing. He saw the benefit one receives when they get a note of encouragement. And God is the one who put that desire in my heart and gave me the gift to write.

I love you, honey. You’re number 2 in my heart, after our Saviour. I think we'll celebrate our next 25 years in heaven.

A Lady's Efforts . . .

Thanksgiving Day is almost here . . . a time to thank God for His blessings upon us. In this month's issue of Home Life, Nancy Lee tells us about the lady behind the holiday.

Sarah J. Hale wrote "hundreds of letters to presidents, governors, and other influential persons, urging them to establish Thanksgiving to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. During the bitter fighting of the Civil War, President Lincoln issued the National Thanksgiving Proclamation: 'I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our Beneficent Father.'"

Wherever you are . . . whenever you do it . . . whoever you are with, we have much to be thankful for. Our God has provided a way of salvation and given His Son, Jesus, to fulfill it. Now that's something to be thankful for!

Let's sing this wonderful song: "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing"

"Come, Thou Fount of ev'ry blessing, tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above; praise the mount--I'm fixed upon it--mount of Thy redeeming love." Robert Robinson, 1735-1790

The above picture is a beautiful tree. I had been waiting to snap it in all it's fall colors, but alas, I missed it. It just started to turn a week ago Wednesday. Then the weekend came, and being away at the annual meeting two days, and then the rain, and -- I missed it! On the way in Wednesday morning, I took a snap from a different perspective to see what it would look like. The cows decided to be a prop, and a good one I think! This was God's snap for me! I'll have to wait until next year to try again!

The Word . . .

I don’t remember now where I found this, but it thrills my heart at all the Bible is, and can be, for each one of us.

“Priscilla Howe once described the Word of God as the Book that contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Therefore, how can it ever fade from the grasp of man? Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.

“It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you. It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s charter. Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

“Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

“It is given you in life, will be opened in judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred content.”

It is this and more, if you let it be.

The picture above was taken one cold February morning on the way to work.Below is another sunrise early one morning.