The Suitcase, The Fire and the Earring!

In 1999, the Oregon Coast Lab Band was invited to play in San Diego, California in front of hundreds of Lion Club members.

The Lab Band was then run and directed by Greg and Patti Young. Awesome, caring and dedicated couple who gave their all to teach young kids music. For only 25.00 a yr., your child could belong and play in a jazz/big band every week. Many times we would travel with our kids to gigs.

The Lion's Club paid for the kids to fly down and be the main entertainment. We were so excited. As Tirzah and I were still living in the motor home, we took our rig to Medford to fly out of there. It is a two and half hour trip I believe.
When we got off our return trip, we were exhausted. We had been down there a few days, with apx 30 kids plus adults. I had all of Tirzah's and my things in one suitcase on wheels. I lot of our possessions were in that bag. We had little money, so it important to us.

As we got to the motor home, all of us, including one extra child we were driving home, piled into the rig and started driving. I got about a hour north or more to stop for the night at a camp ground. Set up the water, the electric and when I got to the point to brush my teeth,then realized ...NO Suitcase! Everything was gone. No clothes, no toothpaste, nothing. I remember what had happened. I had thought Tirzah was putting it in, and she thought I had. It was standing in the parking lot where anyone who saw that large bag standing up could easily take it. Full of some family heirloom jewelry, some cash etc. I would most likely not get it back.

It amazes me how trusting children are. My daughter when the fire was coming, trusted God. Better than I did. They take things up front. Forgive easily. Jesus told us to be as little children in faith and trust to Him.
As I grew frantic, and angry at myself. My daughter's faith spoke out again.

"Lets just pray about it mom" There was nothing to do. We went to sleep.
Most adults think God is too busy or too big to hear or answer our small prayers. I know of people and I am one, that pray for parking spots when it is needed. And God hears those prayers, and never gets bored with them. Always patient, always kind, God hears every thing we ask him. God hears every word of praise, every song we sing. Every tear is noticed by God. Nothing goes near us without His omnipotent spirit knowing. No matter how small the problem, always take it to the house of God. When we keep our eyes on God, we will have Godly peace. When we look at our circumstances, we will have anxiousness. Not peace as the world gives but Godly peace.

When Peter walked for just a moment on the water to go to Jesus, he was looking at Jesus, not the circumstances. Just as soon, as he looked down, and his mind said to him, "this is water, I cannot walk on water" he sunk.
Daily, I have to learn to keep my eyes on Jesus. Look to the house of the Lord, not at this world. Not on its advisors, or the reality of the now. I heard the greatest saying one day.

"The physical evidence is not the spiritual reality".

This is TRUTH. When you pray, pray every day for Truth. Godly truth, and not worldly truth. Pray to not be deceived for many today are deceived. Slowly, the worlds (Satan's) values and ways are seeping into our lives and becoming "normal".

Wrong is said to be right and right is being spotted as wrong. Like the frog in the pot. As long as the water was slowly turned up over the fire the frog did not jump out. It did not know it was too hot until too late, because it happened so slowly.

What we constantly put into our minds or what we allow into our children's minds become "normal". Be aware, be very aware.

The suitcase was left, standing alone in a large parking lot with hundreds of people going by every hour. Funny, if that happened today, the bomb squad would be called and they would have blown it up! But, after praying the next morning in our campground. I knew God was telling me to drive back. My reasoning said, it was fruitless it was gone and besides I had to get back to Coos Bay and take this other child home! Why drive all that way for nothing??? But, I do what God tells me, so I drove back.

As we drove off the main highway and turned onto the airport road, I could even see it from there. A lone suitcase sitting to the right of a bunch of cars. Right where we had left it. It was like no one else in the world could see it. I just bet, some very large angel was standing right there and was protecting it all that time. More lessons learned. God told me to stay at the fire, and He delivered us. Lost my luggage, and God said go back, and God delivered it to us. We can trust God with ALL things!

"Those who wait for me shall never be ashamed" Isaiah 49:21
"Fear Not, be glad now and rejoice for God has done amazing things for you" Joel 28:21 God has lead me to "go back" in more than one situation. Redoing, it seems, a lesson similar to a previous one.

Pebbles of Truth
As we walk behind Jesus,
this walk down life's path.
Gather pebbles along the
way. Each one a treasure
of truth, that when all put
together, you will have a
solid foundation upon which
to stand.
Like a century old lighthouse,
your beacon of light shall shine.
To encourage those lost in the mist,
and fog to solid ground.
We are never to old, too lost, or worn.
To begin our gathering of the stones.
Just one at a time, consistent and
steady. Then you too, shall stand
at the house of the Lamb.

Something caused us all to look up the hill.

A large tree on the east side of a home was completely engulfed in flames. Being in extreme dry conditions of summer the fire quickly became a roar. It sounded just like a locomotive and it was coming straight at us!

My daughter and I had just come to visit my dad and mom. We were there in our motor home. It was our only home at this time. Everything we owned was in there. We had all come outside to work on staining boards for a new fence dad was building for their home in Prineville, Oregon. They had bought 5 acres on a hill overlooking the city and put a manufactured home on it. Hoping to retire there. All they owned was on that property too.

My first response was to take my daughter, then about 13 years old, and run into our motor home to pray and ask God for help. I was ready to drive that motor home right out through the west acreage even though no road was there! Anything to escape. Every part of my mind told me to run, get every thing out and run.

But, God CLEARLY told me "stay and see the miracle of God. Nothing on this property will be harmed." I continued to pray for the neighbors, my mom and dad and all we owned.
After a few short minutes we came out of prayer, and mom told us they had called the fire dept., but they said the area is not covered by the city fire district. By now the flames were burning a swatch about 1/3 mile wide still heading in a straight path towards us, 1/2 mile away. Neighbors were coming out of their homes with shovels and rags. Dad had started up his back hoe and was starting to dig a path around his fence line as a fire stop.

As the fire reached each juniper tree we would hear a crackling Whoosh, and in seconds the whole tree no matter how tall was burnt to a crisp. The flames ate up the dried grass and nothing was slowing it down. Winds pushed it over a dirt road now 1/4 mile from us. Soon a wall at least 35 feet high of fire was within 75 feet of the north fence of dad's property.

I again, was ready to run! My daughter calmly said, "God said stay!"

Before we tell you how this story ends, it is important to tell how it all began. At least how my relationship began with God. The whole reason to write this, is to share, with all of you, my own experiences. My success and my failure in faith, obedience and surrender to God. It is so that those that come after me, family or friends. Can relate, to examine and say, "she was able to keep going, so can I". I am still learning. I have a promise with God. I will never quit. I will have to sit and rest sometimes, but I will not quit. God never quits on us, we need this commitment back to Him.

God started calling me in 1978. I was on my second marriage and had a little boy. We named him Richard. Richard Gene, after his dad's brother who was killed in viet-nam. Bob did not believe in God except that maybe there was one but felt that IF there was one He just left us here to fend for ourselves and when we died that was it. Bob and I were not married when Richard was born. We married when our son was one year old. Bob, was a good man, and worked hard. He had a awesome sense of humor, and was good at building anything he set out to build. However, he, like both his parents became drinkers.

I was just starting to attend church, and teach my son about God. Bob's parents grew very hostile to me doing this. They put lots of pressure on Bob to get me to give up church and religious ways! This caused some serious conflict with Bob and I. For a few months I was not allowed to attend church. I prayed and left it in God's hands. Later, Bob's dad died from heart failure and Bob did not object to me going again to church & taking my son with me.

The church God first put me in was very legalistic. Now I say, GOD PUT me there, because it was not by accident I was there.

** First lesson. Nothing that happens in our life is accidental. God who designed and created all things, who sustains all things, does not allow anything to happen to his children that He does not first of all approve or disapprove.

Look and read Job, and see how things happen in Heaven when something goes terribly wrong. We see inside the operations headquarters so to speak. Read that whole chapter of God talking to satan, and why these things happened to Job.

In that church, I learned the bible! It taught its members to read and study the bible from Genesis to Revelations. I read it all, beginning to end two complete times in that first couple years, and many times since in "here a little and there a little". We Lived the Holy days. Actually doing the festivals of the old testament. No, not the sacrifice of lambs, but the celebrations of the annual Holy Festivals. The foot washing ceremony, the Feast of Booths, Unleavened bread, last Great Day, Pentecost etc.

This all was great for me! I did not even know who the four gospels were before God called me. I was so embarrassed at church as I did not know where the chapters where to look up while a sermon was on. By the time I found it, the rest of the people were on the next one!
Oh, and my son, I had no training for him and we were always the culprits in the area making the most noise. One time he needed to be taken out for his crying and as I went to pick him up, the whole chair ( a folding metal kind) fell to the floor with a huge bang. The minister had to quit talking to see what it was. I was to learn many lessons of humility from my children too!

May I inject here to never assume your children do not hear what is being said at church. Do not send them to " the children's play room" for the whole service. They need to spend some time with you, worshiping and praying and listening. Many times, my sister and I were astonished at what our kids remembered at service.
I taught 2 and 3 year olds for a season or two . I know how well these young minds can remember and retain. And what innocent believing minds. One young boy as we were talking about angels, looking up to the rafters, said, "Oh, I think I see one right there!" Who knows maybe he did see one up there. He was the oldest son of a woman who has become my best friend. He also died at a young age just a few years ago. Time for us all really is short. No one has a life guaranty of 90 years.

Other Fires in my life? The death of my husband by a drunk driver, (1984)was a big fire. Leaving me with two children and heavily in debt.
In 1998, it was being in a new marriage for a short time only to be told I was not loved and kicked out. That was why my daughter and I lived in a motor home. I was later to learn I had been dumped for a younger women.

In 2007 it was the death of my dad. I had been blessed with a mom and dad for many years. My dad, Roy Farrar was my stone of strength.

So, here I was living with my daughter in that motor home. We had been traveling around trying to find a place to live. That is how I ended up at my parents home at the time of this fire. The fire was just a analogy of this time. A time of trial by fire. This was a time to learn Belief and Unbelief.

After learning and accepting Christ is real, that there is a God, and a plan for mankind, we need to complete the second stage of learning and fully BELIEVE! This is a easy concept to say. And to say "oh yes, we believe, but acting on this is so much more. It's like learning from a book what "hot" means. The stove is hot. See pictures of Hot. But then actually touch Hot and you KNOW what Hot is! Belief is Acting like you believe. Unbelief will not let you grow. You can stay in the early stages of christian growth for a long long time and not fully believe. People can go to church, give tithes and offerings, even help others and not have true belief.

Just like Paul. Who, after being very well versed in Jewish law was taken out to the wilderness to learn from God, a deeper knowledge full of wisdom from above. I learned to WAIT, I really believe that is harder than the DO, that God will ask us . To wait, is to fully trust God will handle this, whatever it is. NOT to try and physically do it yourself. It is wrong to say, God wants us to always do all we can, for sometimes God says do nothing and wait. For some of us, are serious doers. We are self sufficient Note the word SELF. For others who are the opposite, may be told to DO as that is what they need to grow in character. For me, to wait is excruciating! I was learning to really Believe. I was learning to hear God speaking. To hear God, you have to be really quiet for a long time. Not with the TV or the I-pod, or in among the people. You need to seek God in a constant striving to get to Him. Day after Day until you hear Him! Seek and pursue, Knock and the door will open.

So, how did this Fire story end you say?

It was then, for no reason, that fire made a 90 degree turn to the south east and around and down past dad's land.

My mom, daughter and I sat on the outside porch area sipping tea, while a army of helicopters, fire fighters came from 11 companies. A huge airplane that dumps water came over head. A huge CAT (bulldozer) came out and dug around barns and widened roads. The fire burned 160 acres in 5 hours and yet, NO homes in the area were burned even though the fire burned all around them. No animals were lost.

We later learned that a special decree was issued for this unprotected area, and that made it possible for all fire districts to respond!!!!! Talk about the Power of God. Believe and see the Miracles of GOD.

But those that wait upon the Lord
shall renew their strength
Isaiah 40:31

What does it mean to "wait"? In a study it translated to, "those who persevere in the Lord". So, It means to Expect much from my Lord, as I patiently look to Him to provide ALL things for us. I persevere in my hope of His care.

Sometimes God will give us a promise and then it seems like every thing that happens is exactly opposite of that promise. Time will go by, no sign of any kind even hints that His promise will ever come.

It is at times like this we must not waver. When we can honestly say, that no matter what God decides to do we will believe in Him. When, we have complete peace in every day as God brings it to us. That is when the promise will come. I have found the older I get, the longer it seems to take.
Like flexing muscles to gain strength, God works my patience longer. Will I still believe? Will I rant at God, Will I try to fix it myself, like Abraham with the handmaiden?

My mother once gave me a gorgeous pair of silver earrings. Alas, one day when I had been visiting her and we had been downtown shopping I noticed one was missing. I went to all the places I had been but could not find it. I prayed, God will I get my earring back. In a dream that night I did get it back, and something about mom but I could not remember what.

A week later my mom called me to tell me that while downtown, she found that earring in the grass outside a garage that my brother ran. It had a new dent in it, from someone stepping on it, but otherwise was good, and I still have it today. God made sure I got the very small possession of a earring back. Just because He loves me and hears all our prayers.

God says if He cares and feeds all the birds, is not our lives worth so much more to Him? Of course! When God does these tiny things for us, does He not also do mighty things for us. Always. We just do not understand or see them most the time. Pray to SEE God's love in every day.