Fall outing

Scott had Monday off after working a lot of long hours last week. The weather was beautiful, so we decided to take Alyssa out after school and take a drive out to Jordan's plant farm and Christmas village. It doesn't take much to thrill her. A drive, a few candy sticks, and a meal and she was in hog heaven!

"Proud of our Christian Heritage"

Photo 1 - Ernest and Emma Simmons, 1970
Photo 2 - Simmons family on the farm, 1934 (Joe Simmons, age 4, in front)

Photo 3 - Harold and Mary Petticoffer, 1997

Photo 4 - Victoria Costa, Jessica, Alyssa, Jennifer Petticoffer, Kimie Simmons

With our nation's morals and common sense in the state of decline and with many second or third generation Christians dropping by the wayside as "victims" of their parents' religious beliefs, I just feel like saying - "I'm proud of being a Christian, a native Texan, an American, and a Baptist!"   I wholeheartedly believe that the Christian values my grandparents and parents taught us by example have been a major cause of the happiness and contentment in my family.

Were all of our forefathers Christians? I don't know, that is between them and the Lord.  Were they all church goers?  Probably not.  The generations that influenced us were both.  Were they perfect? No.  Did they try their best? Yes. Do I honor their memory? Yes.

I just read an article written by the daughter of a Baptist preacher.  She called her childhood and young adulthood unhappy, her father a cult leader, and she is no longer a professing Christian. She makes her living by telling her story of being a victim of Bible truth and then becoming a free spirit to healing powers of positive attitudes.  I thought, "What a bunch of sad hogwash".   The Bible is still true, God is still alive, the Holy Spirit is still powerful, and Jesus still is the Son of God.  Unhappiness is not a reason to turn your back on these truths.  

If you are unhappy, move to a happy place or take Zoloft, but love God.  Start a new career path, but love God.  The Lord never deserves to be abandoned because of the misbehavior of men on the earth.  Men may misbehave, mistreat, or disappoint, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and to day, and forever.

The Petticoffer home owes whatever success we have experienced to the Lord and to the Simmons, Chapman, Gerhart, and Petticoffer values taught to us by loving examples.

1. The Bible is true.

2. God is a trinity: God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

3. Salvation is by grace, through faith, in the Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

5. Be faithful - to church, to your spouse, to your job

6. Work hard.  Play hard.  Have fun.

7. Keep a clean and neat home.

8. Eat meals together as a family.

9. Welcome guests into your home.  Be hospitable, generous, and friendly.

10. Dad is the authority in the home.  Mom backs up Dad.  The children sit at the kids' table during holidays. lol

11. Live by principle, not personality.

12. Love unconditionally.

Alyssa's Salvation

Our youngest daughter, Alyssa, was saved this past week during our Homecoming Revival.  Evangelist Rob Hicks preached a message on Wednesday night that really spoke to her heart.   I usually remember everything about a sermon, but I don't about this one.  Right in the middle of the message Bro. Hicks talked about Jesus' return to this earth, how that the word "rapture" was not in the Bible but that the truth is taught and that it will happen.  I do remember him describing the mess this world will be in when saved airplane pilots, train engineers, drivers, etc. are taken off of this planet.  Airplanes will be crashing everywhere, cars crashing, all because God's trumpet blows and we're taken off out of here.  I was enjoying the sermon.  I did think that it had been awhile since I have heard the rapture described like that.  No worry, I'm saved and my immediate family will not be here.  We'll all be in Heaven together...
Just at that point, I noticed Alyssa writing notes in her journal.  We weren't given a point to write so I was interested in what she was writing.  "I'm only 95% sure".  I didn't hear another word of the sermon.  She and I began a note writing session.
Notes:
1. Salvation is a look to Jesus Christ.  Isaiah 45:22
2. It is faith in Christ alone.  Eph. 2:8,9
3. It is nothing we can do or feel. Romans 3:10, 23 - we are all condemned sinners.
4. It is faith in Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection.  I Corinthians 15:3b, 4
5. If you trusted Jesus, and Him alone, to save you, you will go to Heaven when you die.  Romans 10:9, 10, 13
6. God is not the author of fear, but of love and of a sound mind.

Well, the invitation was starting so I made my way to the piano.  I thought that she had it settled after our note writing session.  As I was playing, I looked over my shoulder to see how she was doing.  She was as pale and panic-stricken as I had ever seen anyone.  She did not appear to have the peace and security of the believer.  I made my way down to her and called her to the altar.
Alyssa has led many souls to Christ and I knew that she knew the Scriptures.  Still, I wanted her to get this nailed down from Scripture, not words I said.  We went through the Romans road verses and after making sure she understood that salvation is not her behavior, or words, or a feeling but faith alone in Jesus Christ, she asked the Lord to save her in her own words and prayer.
As a mother, I was glad she came to this time on her own.  Our pastor was kind to speak to the congregation about children who grow up in church and how difficult it is sometimes for them to know 100% for sure that they're saved, since they have no sinful past with which to compare their new life.
Alyssa was baptized by her pastor tonight.  We sort of joked with her, but she has a greater faith and understanding of salvation and the work of Jesus Christ in her life.
Our devotionals since then have been about salvation.  The more we learn, the more we are amazed.  There is nothing we can feel, accomplish, or work for in this world to deserve our own salvation.  Salvation is all about God's grace, love, compassion, and mercy on undeserving souls like us!  Praise the Lord!