1.11- My grandmother Wishard lost her husband at a bad time.

 1.11-

My grandmother Wishard lost her husband at a bad time. Her eight, yes eight children were not raised. One was in her womb. She made an important decision.

She would gather with people to worship Jesus as often as she could. She would lead them to pray a prayer of thanks for their food and other blessings three times a day. She would teach her children and grandchildren to forgive others and keep loving others regardless of the mess they were in.

100's of her family are followers of Jesus still trying do do the same thing decades later. Fallen, broken and imperfect people.Why?

Because It's true as Jesus said.

"My yoke is easy and my burden is light."

"I have come that they may have life and that abundantly."

Most of my extended family enjoy good friends and fellowship during Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. It is an abundant life.

Does it include grief? Yes but we do not grieve as those who have so hope. We don't say goodbye forever but so long for now.

I'm thankful for the example of both of my grandmother's, my mother and Sheila, the mother of my children. I have seen these close up. It can be done. My mind is on their finishing their work in a glorious way.

It was Jesus custom to meet with his "church" on the first day of the week and thank God, the Father for daily bread. What's on my mind this first day of the new year? It is to keep on doing what has worked amazingly for those God has put into my life.

(Sheila's graduation photo.)

Hebrews 10.

19 Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

26 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, 27 but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God. 28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”[e] 31 It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

32 Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you endured in a great conflict full of suffering. 33 Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. 34 You suffered along with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

36 You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. 37 For,

“In just a little while,
    he who is coming will come
    and will not delay.”[f]

38 And,

“But my righteous[g] one will live by faith.
    And I take no pleasure
    in the one who shrinks back.”[h]

39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved

31Daniel Wishard, Sandy Wallace and 29 others

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