This past Sunday at church was a special day in the life of my family and several other families.... it was the Sunday dedicated to recognizing and honoring our graduating seniors. Our daughter, Alyson, was one of the honorees.
At the ceremony, each student was called up on the platform and the youth pastor shared some of their accomplishments and then some words written by the students directed to either the youth group or their parents. Then as the graduating senior stood there, like a deer frozen in the headlights, the parents stood, facing their child as the youth pastor's wife read a one page summary of all our thoughts, memories, triumphs and failures....and all our hopes and dreams yet to be fulfilled for the child that will soon embark on a new chapter in life.
What follows is our tribute to our daughter, ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN.
I’m Alyson Taylor Queen
Prettiest girl you’ve ever seen.
Ask me how I know…
Because my Daddy told me so.
Can it be that fifteen years have passed since I wrote that little poem for you to recite to strangers that we would meet at the mall? It seems like only yesterday your Mom and I brought you home from the hospital and marveled that such a tiny creature could be so perfect. Before we knew it, you were walking and talking; in fact, we still remember your first word….WATCH. Now, I thought you were talking about the gold eagle watch I wore all the time, but you meant, WATCH; WATCH ME and all that I will do with my life….and we haven’t been able to take our eyes off of you for even a second.
We watched as cancer took over your little body at age 5 and we watched as you fought it with all your might….we watched as the doctors took you into that operating room and we stood vigilant at your side in the ICU…we watched as the chemo wrecked your small frame and you lost all your hair and yet, we swelled with pride that Sunday you sang in church how much Jesus loves you…
We have watched as you sang before thousands in the Relays for Life and we have marveled at the poise that God has blessed you with; both as a small child and especially now, as a maturing, young woman. We have watched you as we left you at Camp Firefly and told the counselors to call us if the experience of being so far from home became too much…yet the phone never rang! We have watched as you played so many parts in school and church plays and we watched with tear-filled eyes as you walked the aisle at church to ask Jesus to come into your heart and make it His own.
We have watched you be a friend and become a friend to so many that we have surely lost count of all the lives that you have touched with your infectious smile, your quick and clever wit and your true enthusiasm for all things fun. We have also seen your studious and serious side as you have always excelled in your pursuit of knowledge and education with little prodding from us.
Oh yes, our dear Alyson, we have watched with eyes ….and hearts…open wide and we have spent many nights in thanksgiving for the treasure that God bestowed on us when He blessed us with you. We could never have petitioned God for such a child as you…for we were truly undeserving …but God, in His infinite wisdom, knew that we would always watch out for you ….and to that end, even though your new path will lead you away from us….we will be watching as the next chapters of your life unfold in service to the God who made you and redeemed you …for most of all, HE IS WATCHING AND EXPECTING GREAT THINGS FROM YOU AND THE LIFE HE GAVE YOU…WE LOVE YOU …ALYSON TAYLOR QUEEN!
If today, you are in the same boat as my wife and I...you have my deepest admiration and heartfelt sympathy as you say goodbye to that child and push them ever so gently toward the door to a new and exciting time of their life. We must wipe our eyes and let them know how proud we are of how far they have come and yet, remind them that we still hold great expectations for them and what lies ahead in their young lives.
Be that strong encourager of your child today ...hold out the challenge to walk in the admonition of the Lord and to know Him intimately...and in ALL THINGS...TO STAND FIRM IN THE FAITH!
BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE,
WPQ
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Empty Baskets or Filled to the Brim…
In our study of recent, we have been looking at abiding in the Savior and in our last writing; we took a quick peek at the scriptures that deal with bearing fruit. In our study today, let’s examine more closely what Jesus says about those that bear fruit and how much is enough.
In John 15, we read the following; “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Verses 2,5,8
In Dr. Wilkerson’s book, Secrets of the Vine, he tells a very poignant story of a person visiting a vineyard at harvest time. As they travel throughout the different terraces of vines, they notice the baskets set at the end of each row of vines. Peering into each one as they pass, they notice four distinctive levels of productivity from the corresponding vines….
EMPTY….barren vines produce no harvest
SOME FRUIT…..some work and some care produces some fruit
MORE FRUIT …. At last, hard work and some careful pruning produce a reasonable harvest….and lastly,
ABUNDANTLY FILLED TO OVERFLOWING….This is the harvest the vineyard keeper expected when he planted his vineyard.
These are the levels of abundance that God sees in the lives of His children and He is either very proud or greatly disappointed in the harvest….God created us to bring about abundance and to produce a great harvest, so the question that faces us all….are you an empty basket or one brimming and overflowing with the fruit you have produced for your Heavenly Father?
If you have a desire to learn more about the abundance that God expects from you and how He is prepared to help you breakthrough as His disciple, I challenge you to get Dr. Bruce Wilkerson’s book and dive in….your empty basket is waiting to be filled!
Living in the abundance …tending the vines,
WPQ
In John 15, we read the following; “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that bears fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” Verses 2,5,8
In Dr. Wilkerson’s book, Secrets of the Vine, he tells a very poignant story of a person visiting a vineyard at harvest time. As they travel throughout the different terraces of vines, they notice the baskets set at the end of each row of vines. Peering into each one as they pass, they notice four distinctive levels of productivity from the corresponding vines….
EMPTY….barren vines produce no harvest
SOME FRUIT…..some work and some care produces some fruit
MORE FRUIT …. At last, hard work and some careful pruning produce a reasonable harvest….and lastly,
ABUNDANTLY FILLED TO OVERFLOWING….This is the harvest the vineyard keeper expected when he planted his vineyard.
These are the levels of abundance that God sees in the lives of His children and He is either very proud or greatly disappointed in the harvest….God created us to bring about abundance and to produce a great harvest, so the question that faces us all….are you an empty basket or one brimming and overflowing with the fruit you have produced for your Heavenly Father?
If you have a desire to learn more about the abundance that God expects from you and how He is prepared to help you breakthrough as His disciple, I challenge you to get Dr. Bruce Wilkerson’s book and dive in….your empty basket is waiting to be filled!
Living in the abundance …tending the vines,
WPQ
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Bearing Fruit…Tis” the Season
I love the spring season as the earth begins to re-bud and refurbish itself. The trees are once again full of leaves and blossoms… and that means delicious fruit can’t be far behind.
In Dr. Wilkerson’s book, he teaches that for us to abide in Christ and to know that we are doing so; all one must do is look at the fruit we are producing. John 15: 5, 8says the following; “I am the Vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.”
In these simple, yet profound words that came out of the mouth of our Lord, just hours before He died, we learn our true reason for being…the only reason that we still call this planet home as a follower of Jesus Christ …we have been left behind to BEAR MUCH FRUIT.
So the question becomes….What is fruit and how do I know if I am bearing much, little or none at all?
For many, the biblical understanding of fruit is the winning of souls to Jesus Christ …and that would be whole heartily correct; but, if we examine other scriptures throughout God’s word, we would find this definition of “being fruitful” too limiting. Take for instance Titus 3:14 that reads, “Let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.”
So in practical terms, fruit represents good works…a work of thought, attitude or action of ours that God values and that in our doing glorifies Him…the fruit from our lives is how God receives the honor and glory due Him here on earth.
Now, we produce inner fruit when we allow God to make us more like Jesus…to make us more Christ-like in the “fruits of the Spirit” which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22…and we bear outward fruit when our labor for the Lord brings Him glory, which would certainly include winning others to the life-saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
So, whether you are raking leaves and doing yard work for the widow down the street or planting a church as a missionary in the deepest jungles of Africa, outward fruit is a result of your inward motive to bring God glory. No matter how small your task for the Lord nor how great its intended outcome, your dreams of serving God will always be too small…so remember this…
WE ARE STILL HERE TO FULFILL GOD’S DREAMS….AND TO BRING HIM GLORY THROUGH A REMARKABLY LIVED ABUNDANT LIFE.
Just look in your fruit basket and check out how you are doing…..until next time,
Living for the Savior ….Bearing Much Fruit,
WPQ
In Dr. Wilkerson’s book, he teaches that for us to abide in Christ and to know that we are doing so; all one must do is look at the fruit we are producing. John 15: 5, 8says the following; “I am the Vine and you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.”
In these simple, yet profound words that came out of the mouth of our Lord, just hours before He died, we learn our true reason for being…the only reason that we still call this planet home as a follower of Jesus Christ …we have been left behind to BEAR MUCH FRUIT.
So the question becomes….What is fruit and how do I know if I am bearing much, little or none at all?
For many, the biblical understanding of fruit is the winning of souls to Jesus Christ …and that would be whole heartily correct; but, if we examine other scriptures throughout God’s word, we would find this definition of “being fruitful” too limiting. Take for instance Titus 3:14 that reads, “Let our people also learn to maintain good works, to meet urgent needs, that they may not be unfruitful.”
So in practical terms, fruit represents good works…a work of thought, attitude or action of ours that God values and that in our doing glorifies Him…the fruit from our lives is how God receives the honor and glory due Him here on earth.
Now, we produce inner fruit when we allow God to make us more like Jesus…to make us more Christ-like in the “fruits of the Spirit” which are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Galatians 5:22…and we bear outward fruit when our labor for the Lord brings Him glory, which would certainly include winning others to the life-saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
So, whether you are raking leaves and doing yard work for the widow down the street or planting a church as a missionary in the deepest jungles of Africa, outward fruit is a result of your inward motive to bring God glory. No matter how small your task for the Lord nor how great its intended outcome, your dreams of serving God will always be too small…so remember this…
WE ARE STILL HERE TO FULFILL GOD’S DREAMS….AND TO BRING HIM GLORY THROUGH A REMARKABLY LIVED ABUNDANT LIFE.
Just look in your fruit basket and check out how you are doing…..until next time,
Living for the Savior ….Bearing Much Fruit,
WPQ
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
