November 16, 2013

Hi to All of You,
I’m back in my sunroom with Jim and Kathy. They spoiled me in all kinds of ways and now I am having to get used to being alone again and doing for myself. It’s ok though, I have my chair as a front row seat watching the squirrels and other wild life. I am attaching a picture I took yesterday of a fine fellow who came to visit my back yard. He is part of the beauty of fall.

In my backyard.

My back yard is solid gold. The leaves need to be raked but the six inches of sunny yellow are so cheery I can’t worry about raking. God has made unbelievable beauty in every season so my time with Jesus is praising Him for that. I praise Him too for the faithful help I continue to get from His people, the body of Christ. His love brings my daughter-in-law all the way from Arizona, driving to W. VA., and then driving me home. It brings folks to take me to church, to the grocery, the rec center, or to help with my yard, my housecleaning, or my laundry. If it weren’t for them, I couldn’t stay here in the home I love. These faithful people are evidence of Christ’s love in His body.

I sit here and my fertile imagination gets to work again. I imagine the body of Jesus Christ. I wish I could draw on the computer what I see in my mind. Since I don’t know how, I have to try to draw a picture with words.

On a blank sky is a huge figure of a person- kind of like a gingerbread man. My picture shows this body made up of millions of people; moving busily so that the entire body is in constant motion. The edges of the body are rough and wiggling too. There are arms and legs waving about, even whole torsos, struggling to get in or out. Some of these are people who are so down and discouraged that they are trying to escape. Holding tight to their feet and legs are the faithful who cling and hold them tight because God is not willing to lose even one. Also on these rough edges are legs and feet waving about as they are diving into the body headfirst. These are the many who come to Christ every day and can’t wait to get in there and be a working cell. Right alongside of those waving legs and feet are whole bodies tentatively dipping one foot into the whole, wavering a bit, but slowly approaching a hole that is wide open for their entry.

Inside is all the wonderful family of Christ. I picture Billy Graham. He must be high up in the head or maybe he is in the very heart. Wherever he is, he is working hard and joyously. Alongside him is one of my favorites, Joe Stowell. Mother Teresa is up there too. They are those people who have spent their lives serving God in a great way. Up and down the spine are the many pastors, elders, and other leaders who shepherd the flock and keep the body upright.

In the hands are 20% of all the cells. They are the men and women who are the care givers. They visit the elderly and the sick. They cook the meals, clean up, and serve. They run errands and drive people to the doctor. They serve the needy, clothe them, and give them shelter. They could be the backbone, but I think they are the hands because they are always working and doing.  In the feet are the missionaries, taking the steps that are unknown. They are courageous, afraid, but always going forward, keeping the body in motion.

I picture the teachers. They are at the very heart. They keep the body fed and healthy and full. Every part is necessary, wherever it is. No matter what part you are in, you are IMPORTANT. No part is less important than another even if it is part of the clean-up committee. I see myself as probably in the pancreas. I do something necessary but I am not sure what it is. I am probably in the process of moving to the appendix- expendable one of these days, but still there and somehow useful. I like to hope that maybe I am a small cell in the vocal cords. Do you suppose I could be there?

Around my whole body vision is a clear firm wrapping of saran wrap holding it all together. This wrapping is semi-permeable. It lets people in easily but no one is allowed out. This is the Holy Spirit holding us firmly in place in the body of Jesus. The Holy Spirit is wrapping us all in a cocoon of love and joy.

This is my crazy vision of the body of Christ. Where are you in there? If you are not in there, entry is easy and the door is open. Just admit that you are imperfect, and therefore not worthy to be in the presence of a perfect God. You are someone who has done wrong things in the past and continues to do so every day. You need Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross to take away your sins. Admit that you need Him every day because you can’t be good enough to do it on your own. Ask Christ to be in your life and in your heart so you can be a part of this wonderful body. Be filled with His spirit. It is fun in there. Believe me, you will find a life with purpose and full of endless love, joy and peace.

I love you all. Happy Thanksgiving
Irma Jane Fritz-Zager

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Hi Everyone,
Today it is special. Today it is Coffee with Jesus and Jim (and Kathy, too). I am down in West Virginia for a couple of weeks with Jim and Kathy. Today is special because they are both home this am while I am having my coffee with Jesus. Kathy, while I have asked her not to wait on me, does it anyway. She has brought my coffee and raisin bread toast in to me where I am sitting with Jim. She takes such wonderful care of me. I thank Jesus for her again today as I do every day. Today is Saturday and Jim has a day to stay in bed in the morning. Every other day they both get up and go off early to the school where Jim does his administrating and Kathy does her teaching. Sunday, of course, is up early and go to church to worship and do more teaching. I go to church with them but other days I stay home with the dogs until they get back. On those days, it is Jesus who is with me, as I ask Him to be even down here in West Virginia.

This morning it was even more special because as I read my Bible, I now can read it aloud and have Jim to tell me more about the culture and historical times of the Scripture that I am reading. I am reading in Isaiah and it can be tough going. I can’t be sure about the era of history to which Isaiah is referring or whether he is telling me what is happening in the world now. It is probably both. Also, it is hard to sort out in just casual reading. In a regular Bible study, I would have resources to go to, but this is my regular Scripture reading every a.m. that I like to do as a morning routine with Jesus. Maybe that is the wrong way to go about Scripture reading; but the Word says that all Scripture is profitable for edification and I really enjoy going through the Bible that way, so I continue. This morning though, I have my interpreter in Jim so I am just loving having “coffee with Jesus and Jim.” I praise the Lord every day for my Kathy and Jim.

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Today I went to church with Jim and Kathy. Their church was celebrating “Orphan’s Day.” Many of the people in their church have adopted children who have very little hope of a family to call their own. It was a very touching service as several of those families gave testimony of the blessing they have received from the little ones who have come into their homes. They spoke of their blessings from the kids; not the blessings given to the kids. I was very impressed at the sincerity and truth with which they spoke. No one talked about the hardships involved in taking on more responsibilities, no one complained about the stretching of the budget, no one said they felt their adopted children took time away from their biological children. They didn’t deny that this was true, only that the joy far outdistanced the hardships. They talked about the difficulties the adopted children had with language, discipline and psychological problems, but these challenges were turned into joy when the children reacted to the love they had never known in a family. None of these concerns seemed to compare with the joy those children brought into their lives.

Some of these people purposely chose the hard to place children who would never be adopted by others. One family deliberately asked for older children because so many of the adopters stipulated only babies or children under two or three. One family who already had a severely handicapped child, took two more brothers into their home to be part of the family. The love of Jesus and His way shone through in the lives of the people in that church and I am so glad to be able to go there and that Jim and Kathy are a part of it.

Today I will dwell on the blessings and joy that come with encouraging others and helping them in any way possible. Getting new things and possessions is fun but short lived. Real joy is in living and doing what Jesus asks us to do: love others as we would be loved. That joy lasts and never wears out.

Today I will pray to follow Jesus and be a better person.

God bless and keep all of you and I send my love to all.

Irma Jane Fritz-Zager

http://www.MyCoffeeWithJesus.com