Seeing Through God's Eyes

Kenny, Brody and Tori

Josie and Ryley

Kim and Bunnie

AS SEEN THROUGH GOD'S EYES

by Jason Parker

If you pray, pray to see with God's eyes. To see what He sees. This has changed the way everything looks to me.I have always considered pretty people to be pretty... just like the rest of the world. I have always thought a pretty sunset was pretty....just like everyone else thinks....you see where I am going with this. God sees what He has made, through His eyes. It is a totally different world to me. Even rainy days, and cold days, seem beautiful. But the people are what is the most different. I have always been a "nature" guy. I never really was a "people" guy.

-

My sister.... lets see if I can say this without offending her. She is more beautiful now than any other time in my life. God sees an absolute gorgeous woman, beautiful eyes, glowing hair, amazing smile, wonderful mother, great wife....etc. You probably see where I am going with this too. I always saw my big sister as a mother figure, always disappointed in me for my failures. I saw an uptight, semi-boring, rule follower. I still loved her.....she just wasn't GOD BEAUTIFUL. Now she is, and it makes me smile just to

think of her.

-

My wife...... I have been married almost 10 years. I haven't been the husband I should have been. I am blessed enough to have a wife that has given me time to get my act together....not that I have it ALL together, just that I am getting there. I thought of her as pretty, smart, and somewhat funny, when I met her. I always thought she was attractive on her good days...and the bad days....well, I still loved her.. ha ha... But really, I saw a good woman to marry........Now- I can't believe I have her. God sees an absolute brilliant woman who is very strong and independent. The perfect mother to the two perfect children God gave us. God showed me how lucky I am to have her and how much true MERCY I have in my life. God cares sooooooo very much about the little things in our life. If you can see what He sees, you realize that you deserve none of it. We don't deserve the breath that is in our body, or salvation. Back to my wife for one last thing.... Kimberly Sue Parker is the most beautiful woman in the world...... I miss her every time I

close my eyes.

-

I see my nieces and nephews in a different light now. . I always thought the tall one was pretty, the short one was cute, the littlest one as KID cute, etc...you know. Just like most people think of their relatives. Just being nice in most cases....But now, I see all this potential in every one of them. Kenny Jr. is and will continue to be great.... to be around, talk to, just in general. Tori, with one of the most beautiful names there ever was, Victoria Lynette, is stunningly beautiful, and she is still young. She has years left to show everyone how beautiful she is on the inside as well as on the outside. Brody is the pinnacle of what all men want to look like and what all women want to marry. Blonde hair, pretty eyes, great smile. He will be fine in life. Anyway, they just all seem to look different to me. All beautiful in God's eyes because he took special care and time to make each one of us to His exact specifications.

-

I love my family like I have never loved them before. If I have left anyone out, it is only because the reader of this is probably getting tired of me using the same words to describe everybody. This world, the animals, the people......God made us all for us all. We are to enjoy what He has given us, enjoy His presence in our everyday lives, enjoy friends, family, movies, and motorcycles........ha.......because He loves us so very much, He gave His Son, just to be with us. That is a love I finally have begun to see..... By the way, when you see what God sees, the mirror is not as scary as it used to be. Instead of seeing an overweight, long haired, needs to shave guy.....you see a child of God who is truly loved for being just who he is. Its great for the self esteem.

-

I have found out that by writing things out it just helps me to understand more clearly some of the things God is doing in my life. Mom has invited me to use her blog and share some of my thoughts with any of you that care to read this. She says that her writing helps her more than anyone and now I am beginning

to understand that.

-

I have not forgotten my other relatives that I feel so close to it is just that space is limited and I have to write all these thoughts down as I have time. So hopefully I will be adding to this again in the future. Thanks again for any of you that are reading this. It is a great thing to share with others what God is doing for you. later..............................

The Shack

"The Shack"

I am still trying to get through this book

"The Shack". It is a modern day version of

"Pilgrim's Progress" I think. It seems like every

time I decide I have a few minutes to read,

something comes up and the book gets

put aside again. I am wondering how many

of you have read this book or even heard

of it. Anyway if any of you have an opinion

of it please email me. I know people are

very careful about putting their name

to a blog with an opinion

even though I would love for others

to hear what some of you

think about things. But I would never

post your emailwithout

asking you first. And I have no way

of knowing who leaves a message

unless they choose to give

their name. I do have the privilege of

taking your comment off if it is not nice.

It doesn't have to agree with my line

of thought or faith, just let it

be kind. ha ha

I will post more as I read.

The Shack as Jason saw it!

Jason and Kim Parker

The Shack, just seemed to put into PLAIN ENGLISH what we have been told all our lives. God Loves US. Really. Anyone who has children should understand this principle. If your children do something wrong, you don't hate them, abandon them.....you still love them. If you have two children, can you decide which one would go to heaven and which one would go to hell? If you were the judge. NO, you couldn't. You want both of them to go to heaven...so if someone has to die to please the judge....the parent would do it for the sake of his children. This is what our Father did for us. A price needed to be paid so He could be with us. Before we were born, while we were sinners, Jesus died for us. Because of the JOY set before Him, He endured the cross. What JOY? The joy of knowing we could finally reach heaven and spend eternity with Him. He is soooo interested in our lives, He put everything on this earth and everything in this universe here just for us. He put mysteries in plants, animals, oceans, and the stars because He knew we would be a curious creature looking for adventure. How did He know that.....? Because we are made in his image....Their image. That's right...God in three Persons......The Trinity... How can you be three but one......We all are in a way...I am one man, but I am a husband, father, son, and a brother. One man- 4 persons. It is okay to pray and thank the Holy Spirit, Its okay to ask for Jesus's Love and ask God for Blessings. They are 3 in 1. So much wisdom and glory couldn't fit into one package could it......FOR NOW, ITS ALL I have GOT!

This is an email I received from my son, Jason, this morning.

I asked him if it was ok for me to share this with my friends on

my blog.

I hesitate to say too much about Jason but I can sum it

all up by saying he surely is special and I love him with all

my heart. Guys get a little embarrassed if mom's get too

carried away if you know what I mean.

I am in the process of reading the "Shack" again. I only got

half way through when I just stopped. I was so reminded

of Susanne so much and I just got bogged down in the

pain of losing her so I just closed the book. This was months

ago. Recently Jason called me and suggested I finish

the book. It had a great impact on him. So because of

Jason I am in the process of reading the book again and

I pray that I will be able to finish it. It is a different kind

of book. By Jason's recommendation I recommend it to

you. After I finish it I will write on it again. If any of

you have read the book and have something you would

like to add please send a comment. I believe Jason would

be interested in hearing others feelings after reading

the book.

HOW MUCH DO WE TRUST GOD

IN HARM'S WAY
REJECTED BY THE WORLD

ISAIAH 53

JESUS TRUSTED GOD WITH HIS LIFE

Jesus knew when He was carrying His cross on His back what was ahead

Him. He knew that in a short while He would be nailed to that cross to die.

He also knew His Father in Heaven. He trusted everything He had to the God of all, the Great "I AM" to fulfill his Word that had been prophesied for ages. He knew that God's Word was truth. He knew that He would be resurrected in three days and be in Heaven with His Father alive and well.

I don't know how many of us, even though we know the story, the beginning and the end could right now say......"Ok Lord, I truly believe that if I give my life to these crazy people and let them nail me to the cross that I will be resurrected in 3 days and be with you in heaven. Bring it on!!!!"

We speak faith and trust and belief in our Lord Jesus Christ but do we really mean it. Are we willing to accept God's Will when something happens to change our plans. Did we pray enough to know that we have given it ALL to HIM, to do with as He pleases.? Did we pray at all or did we pray OUR will and not give God permission to change our plans if He so chose to do so?

Have you ever wanted something so bad so very bad that you just couldn't say...."Ok God this is how I want it to be but if You have other plans so be it".

Have you ever truly had to face the fact that you could not truly 100 percent turn your children over to God, truly trusting their fate into HIS hands? No one can possibly love my children like I do.!

I can understand this type of thinking because at one point in my life I truly believed that. I know something inside of me knew this was wrong thinking but I could not truly with all that was within me turn my children over to God. I knew I could handle things, I would watch them closer than anyone, I would protect them from everything or I would just make them stay home where I could have total control of everything they were involved in, I had given birth to them and no one could love them as much as I did.

I had to go through a very tough lesson to become a true believer in God being a great guardian for my children, or should I dare go so far as to say "FATHER" to my children A Spiritual FATHER. Now when I look back I cannot believe I was so narrow minded and stupid. Yep, stupid. God made my children, He just used me as human instrument to let His children come into this world. He chose to BLESS me with HIS blessing. How cool is that.

When Susanne died and left this world to be with her FATHER I was devastated. But through all the pain and heartache and loneliness and guilt and all the other emotions that go with this type of sorrow God showed me how much He not only loved Susanne but me also. I learned how to truly trust,

TRUST God with everything. Every breath I take is a blessing. As I watched my sister dying with cancer I saw how precious each breath was. As I watch the beautiful world God has given us to enjoy I am so thankful for my eyesight and pray for my brother's eyes to be healed from glaucoma. I am praying for an 8 month old baby right now who will go to the doctor in the morning to see if she will have to continue chemo or if her eye will be removed due to cancer.

So I know that God has my children Bunnie and Jason, and their mates, Ken and Kim and their children, Chris, Jessica, Whitney, Chase, Kenny, Tori,Brody, Ryley and Josie in HIS HAND and that no one will snatch them from HIM. I also have an extended family now since Wayne and I have married and together we TRUST GOD to hold onto Laura, Amy, and Jennifer and their mates, Brad, Shane and Blake, and their children, Chelsea, Chloe, Gabe, Andie, Reagen, Scott, Tyler and Tanner and little Rylea. Isaiah 54:13 says, "All your children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children." AMEN

There are some really really big problems out there. Not to mention nuclear war, recession, global warming, famines, earthquakes, tornadoes, droughts, etc.........if we really , really think about it, how foolish are we to think we can change any of these things without Our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS. We have no choice than to TRUST HIM with everything. EVERYTHING...........

So, take a deep breath, give it all to GOD, throw HIM a big kiss and thank HIM for all HE has done for you and your family and loved ones and go to bed and get a good night's sleep. After all, tomorrow is another day...............to TRUST AND BELIEVE.......................

LOVE IS

I Corinthians 13

Love never fails...

Love suffers long and is kind,

Love does not envy;

Love does not parade itself;

Love is not puffed up;

Love does not behave rudely;

Love does not see its own;

Love is not provoked;

Love thinks no evil;

Love does not rejoice in iniquity;

Love rejoices in truth;

Love bears all things;

Love believes all things;

Love hopes all things;

Love endures all things;

Loves never fails;

When I was a child,I spoke as a child;

I understood as a child, I thought as a child;

but when I became a man, I put away childish things;

Abide in faith, hope, love, these three;

but the GREATEST of these is

LOVE!

I painted this on a chest for my grandson

several years ago. My intentions when

I took this picture was to write about all the

cute little things I have painted in the

last 5 years or so. This sweet lady took me

into her painting world and taught me

a little of what she knows.

It opened a whole new world up for me.

I was able topass hours of time by painting.

Then I started giving thingsto friends and family

that I had painted. Helped decorate

a few pieces of furniture etc for my

grandchildren's rooms.

This is the only picture I took of any of

my painted pieces. And as I looked

at it I was so reminded that

this scripture says it all. We must

love.......without love nothing

else matters.

Love is the GREATEST...

Thank you Tena for all the time, energy,

paint, brushes, paint books and advice

you gave to me. It opened a whole

new world up for me. I pray

that God will heal your

hands and that you will be

able to start painting again.

I am trying to teach my little

Tori and Ryley everything

I know about painting................

pass the baton thing ya know.

Love is a mighty great tool to use

when trying to reach people

in the name of the Lord.

THANKSGIVING DAY

Welcome to our world!

I am so glad that my cousin Donna Lynn and her husband decided to try and have a Family Thanksgiving Dinner on Aunt Vestelle's side of the tree. As I mentioned earlier, Aunt Vestelle is the last of the siblings in her family. There was Uncle Jack who lived in Chicago, Uncle Junior who lived in Baton Rouge, Aunt Lorene, Aunt Evelyn and my mother, Audrey , all of Baton Rouge for most of their lives. Seems as though our pictures are getting smaller and smaller. All the branches that stem from this tree have spread and gone in so many directions that we will probably never get them all together at the same time .
Sam represented Aunt Lorene's family, I represented my mother's family, Audrey, Donna and Opal represented there mom, Aunt Vestelle, and Bernita and Jackie, Aunt Evelyn. Bart my brother who lives in Arkansas was not able to come and Jerry, Sam's brother was not able to come. So we find it is getting harder and harder to have these little get-to-gethers....
We had a great day, the food was plentiful and wonderful and we got some great pictures to help with the memories when our children and grandchildren are looking trying to figure out who all these strangers are. We have so much to be thankful for. My sister, Brenda went to be with the Lord several years ago and we all miss her dearly. Sixteen children came from these 6 siblings, and from that came more than 21 grandchildren, I lost count. I am sure that my brother Bart or Sam is going to write me and correct me on this. ha ha
My point is.......we have to work at staying close to each other and keeping up with what is going on in each other's lives. Today was a good day to do some catching up and renewing friendships and being reminded how blessed we are indeed.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

My goodness I can not believe it has been a month

since I have written. Wayne and I have just

returned from the Smokey Mtns. where we go to

visit my children and grandchildren. It would be hard to try

to fill in all that has been going on so I will just take

this time to wish all of you a very Happy Thanksgiving

with your families. We will be having lunch with family

on my mother's side. Aunt Vestelle is the only sibling

left and her daughter, Donna, has invited all of

us to her home to share Thanksgiving with them. It will

be nice to see everyone again. I guess the last time

I saw everyone was when my mother died 2 years ago

this coming March.

I have so very much to be thankful for. This coming

March I will be 66 years old. When I think back as

much as I am capable of remembering I am reminded

that the good outweighs the bad every time.

So Blessings on all of you and I thank you for

being my friend.