Hi Lydia,

I just found your site and wanted to say it is great. I was searching for the lyrics to a song I grew up on and sung in church as a child--He's Still Working on Me. I typed the title in and found your site. I really enjoyed the pages I have seen thus far. I am wondering if you know who wrote the song and how I can get sheet music for it.

We are a military family. My husband is in Iraq. I am going to check the military support site your graphic provider (Wendy's Backgrounds) have a link to. I had never heard of it until now.

May I ask if you are Seventh Day Adventist? I applaud your vegetarianism. I grew up totally on meat and potatoes and don't know any other way to cook. I am extremely picky as it is and would not know where to start. I cannot even bring myself to like soy milk, rice milk, etc. I have always wished I had a vegetarian upbringing. I feel like now it is too late. I know literally it is not, but I really don't know where to begin to substitute and cook differently. Being a picky eater already leaves me with little to choose from as it is.

Thanks and many blessings,

Julia

My Response:

Dear Julia,

Thank you for your email. I apologize that I do not have the sheet music to He's Still Workin' on Me  by Joel Hemphill. I know that there are sites out there that offer sheet music; the only thing is that they want you to pay for it.

Yes, I am an Adventist, member of the Seventh Day Adventist Reform Movement.

Years ago when we switched to a total vegan diet, we thought we could never make it without our cheeses, milk and eggs, but we made up our minds we wanted to go this route, and we never had any problems. We have come to realize that there are so many diseases associated even with animal by-products like milk and eggs. I tell you we live in a world that's polluted and tainted with sin, diseases, sickness, and death. I long for the day when Jesus shall return to this earth and take us home, don't you?

Hats off to your husband serving in Iraq. May God grant mercy and protection on him there. I pray most earnestly that the people of Iraq will realize that we are their friends, not their enemies. We want them to experience the freedom that is theirs, given to them as their heritage by God Almighty.

It's never too late to start changing "some" of the things you are used to. Try some of those substitute meat products you find at the supermarket. They are put out by Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger, Veggie Patch, etc. They are delicious (of course I'm prejudiced). Try substituting one meat-and-potato meal with a vegetarian meal once a week or once a month. Your heart will thank you for it. Smile, smile.

Take care and God bless you and your family. I hope you will be able to find a site that offers the sheet music for He's Still Working on Me.  Beautiful hymn, isn't it? And isn't it the solemn truth that He is still working on us?

Lydia

Hello,

Just read Sweet Simplicity  and oh, how beautiful for that time and era.........there was a time in America when life was good and simple......but no more days of helping neighbors or living life as you described on Guam........thanks for sharing.

Sue

Hi,

I searched Google for my website and found out that you are associated with it. I want to know why your name is there? And how can we get it removed. Sabbath School on the web.

Buff

My Response to Buff:

Dear Buff,

I am not associated at all with Google or any websites. I am a private, independent website owner attempting to give glory to God by putting the Third Angel's Message of Revelation 14 on the Web. I am not familiar with Google's policies and criteria for determining what sites are related or what they take into consideration when indexing. You might want to contact Google for any discrepancies that you find.

Sincerely,

Lydia

Dear Maureen,

Several months ago, I requested your permission to use one of your beautiful graphics (Pink Lily) on one of my webpages entitled Splendor of the Lily. I decided to change the midi on that page and realized that I had not given you credit at all. Shame on me. I had given credit to the people who created the layered backgrounds, but failed to include yours. I know that I had bookmarked your site, but I have a long list on My Favorites, I wouldn't be able to recognize it there.

Please be kind enough to provide me your URL and I'll give your site the credit it is due.

Hope all is well with you and may your day be a pleasant one.

Lydia

Maureen's Response:

Dear Lydia,

I never would have known! How nice of you to write and let me know you needed the link. The world needs more honest people! The web site is www.njpcug.org, it's our computer club's web site. I can certainly understand the Favorites problem....I bookmark things all the time and then have no idea what I am looking at when I go through them. I used to be more organized years ago. Not so much lately!

Have a great day. I hope all is well with you too.

Best regards,

Maureen

Hello,

Thank you for the recap of Typhoon Karen. I was a ten-year old Navy brat living with my family at Naval Station, Guam when the storm hit. We lived in typhoon proof Navy housing, but I watched two sets of louvered patio doors go off into the night. Later, we had the same experience of opening the kitchen door and having it blow open nearly pulling my brother out with it.

After that, we barricaded ourselves in the master bedroom and then the master bathroom (there were four of us, my mom and brother and a friend from further north on the island and myself) as we wondered how my father was faring with his ship that had gone to sea to avoid the storm.

As the storm ceased at dawn, we found a piece of tin from a quonset building that had come through the wall of my bedroom and lodged into the wooden frame of my bed.

We had prayed through the night. I don't remember a more emotional time than when my father came home. He was walking around the house looking for us, and we were walking around surveying the damage. He kept wondering where we were. Finally, we met at a corner of the house. Tears flowed.

There had been a total of six exterior doors in this concrete house and all were gone. The metal louvered windows weathered the storm. Our car was out in the street. We ate at the Navy mess hall for what seemed like weeks because of no power, water etc.

I remember the routine preparations on the Friday at school as we got ready for the possibility of a typhoon as we had so many times before. I went to Piti elementary school and my teacher was Miss Loots.

Warm regards,

Steve

My Response to Steve:

Thank you for taking the time to share your story. Tears welled up in my eyes when I read it for it sure brought back vivid memories of Typhoon Karen that happened over four decades ago. See Angels in the Storm. The Lord was good and spared our lives.

Currently I am living in north Florida. A couple of weeks ago, we were preparing for a hit by Hurricane Charley, but praise God, it turned away from us at the last moment. Now another storm (Hurricane Frances) is brewing in the Atlantic, and the prediction is that Frances might be heading our way. "Too soon to tell, but we'll know in two or three days"  said the weatherman. Oh, well, such is life in the sunshine state.

Take care,

Lydia

Hi,

I saw your website and thought I would write back. I too lived through Typhoon Karen. My father was a military chaplain stationed at the air base in Guam. I was a little boy at that time. My dad made a super 8 movie and occasionally I pull it out and look at the devastation. I too know that God spared our lives and I thank him for his grace.

Matt

My Response:

Dear Matt,

Thank you for sharing your story. God is good and continues to protect us. I live in Florida and saw God's hand during Hurricane Frances. Although downgraded to a tropical storm, its devastation was not minimal. Its outer rain bands had caused widespread flooding, and many were left without electricity and water. Another hurricane (Hurricane Ivan) is predicted to hit Florida. I tell you the weather has gone crazy. We have three major hurricanes within a month's timeframe. Is God trying to tell us something?

Take care,

Lydia

NOTE: Tropical storm Frances impacted the whole Florida peninsula; it moved north to Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, even as far north as Rhode Island. Thousands of people were left homeless, and many were without power and water. Now Hurricane Ivan devastated Granada and is heading toward Jamaica, Cuba, and possibly Florida again. If it does hit Florida, it would be a triple wammy for a lot of people. The weather indeed has gone wacky. Why do you suppose this is happening? Is a loving and merciful God causing all these mass destruction and loss of lives? Find out by clicking here: Footsteps of God.

Regarding Poems by Veronica, a visitor wrote: "This isn't the exact one I was talking about, but similar. This is very beautiful."

Dear Sister Lydia,

I just visited your website, and I was much impressed especially with your beautiful poetry... I love and adore your poetry page, My Cup Runneth Over! I did not read them all, but I read a lot of them. Yes, they are straight from the heart, and so inspiring to be with Jesus.

Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love,

Sister Veronica

Dear Lydia,

Our thoughts and prayers are with you as you go through yet another devastation (Florida hurricane). May our Father keep you and yours safe.

With Christian love,

Beatrice

Hi,

Will God forgive the worst?

Unsigned

My Response:

Yes, a loving and merciful God will forgive the worst of the worst. He looks upon the heart and hears the pitiful cry of a repentant sinner. He covers him with His white robe of righteousness and gives him peace. May praise, honor, and glory go to His Holy Name forever and ever!

Lydia

Here's another unsigned email from the same person:

Will He forgive abortion? Am I doomed?

My Response:

Hi!

God loves you. It doesn't matter what you did. He will forgive you even if you have committed an abortion. Except for the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit of God, which is not your case, there is no sin under heaven that He will not forgive. You are not doomed for He is ever ready to lift you up, wipe your tears, and whisper in your heart: "My child, I love you, I have forgiven you; go and sin no more."

He will take away the guilt, the pain and remorse and fill your heart with His love and peace that passeth all understanding.

Here are precious promises to claim:

1 John 1:9 "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (ALL includes abortion!)

Psalm 103:3-4 "Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies."

Acts 5:31 "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins."

Luke 6:37 "Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven."

Zech 3:4 "Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment."

Micah 7:18 "Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy."

Ps 34:4 "I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."

Isa 41:13 "For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee."

May God bless you as you claim these precious promises.

Sincerely,

Lydia

Here's Her Response:

What exactly is blasphemy?

Thank you so much for taking time for me. I sure needed that.

My Response:

Hi again!

It's my pleasure to respond to you. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to explain what the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is. Here it is:

The sin of blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is the persistent refusal to respond to the Spirit's invitation to repent. It is not any sudden word or deed; it is the firm, determined resistance of truth and evidence over a period of time.

"It is not that God sends out a decree that man shall not be saved. He does not throw a darkness before the eyes which cannot be penetrated. But man at first resists a motion of the Spirit of God, and, having once resisted, it is less difficult to do so the second time, less the third, and far less the fourth. Then comes the harvest to be reaped from the seed of unbelief and resistance. Oh what a harvest of sinful indulgences is preparing for the sickle!

"On the other hand, every ray of light cherished will yield a harvest of light. Temptation once resisted will give power to more firmly resist the second time; every new victory gained over self will smooth the way for higher and nobler triumphs. Every victory is a seed sown to eternal life.

"God destroys no one. The sinner destroys himself by his own impenitence. 'No one need look upon the sin against the Holy Ghost as something mysterious and indefinable. The sin against the Holy Ghost is the sin of persistent refusal to respond to the invitation to repent.'" --Faith I Live By, page 58.4 through 58.8.

"To the person who is on the verge of committing the unpardonable sin, 'the conscience becomes less and less impressible. The voice of God seems to become more and more distant, and the wrongdoer is left to his own infatuation. In stubbornness he resists every appeal, despises all counsel and advice, and turns from every provision made for his salvation, and the voice of the messenger of God makes no impression upon his mind. The Spirit of God no longer exerts a restraining power over him, and the sentence is passed, 'He is joined to idols, let him alone.'" (Hosea 4:17). --Review and Herald, June 29, 1897.

I hope this is clear. If you have any more questions or concerns, I'm an email away.

Take care and may God be with you to comfort and cheer.

Lydia

More dialogue:

I really need a friend now.. I have not been a good friend to my friends so that is why I don't have any. I feel worthless. The devil puts the idea in my head that I am no good just kill yourself. I have children so I could not do that, though I feel they would be a whole lot better off without me. Plus I know I would for sure go to hell then.

I have sinned against my husband in my mind and in my flesh. I know he deserves better than me. Sometimes I feel as though I am possessed because I sin over and over knowing it is wrong, like something takes over and I totally forget that I am doing wrong till it's over and I can hardly live with the guilt.

My husband knows I feel horrible about myself, but I feel I can never tell him the whole truth about me for fear that I would lose him or my home and family.

I grew up way too fast in my childhood and saw too much that a child shouldn't see or experience. My father was sent to prison when I was a baby, later he escaped and got killed. My mother was with other people while he was in prison. My brother did inappropiate things to me as well as two of my mother's boyfriends. I think that is why I grew up to be a whore.

Also, I have so many other problems that I could go on and on, but the fact is I feel as though God is trying to wake me up. But, the devil puts it in my head that I am no good and that God could never forgive me--that I am the lowest of the low. I was 16 when I had an abortion. At the time I was doing drugs and alcohol and didn't know who the father was. I was scared, and my mother took me. I am 38 now. I am having alot of trouble feeling God's love and forgiveness. I'm not sure what to do. Though I am really working on being a better wife, mother, daughter, less rage etc.

Here's My Response:

Hi!

Thank you for sharing your story that brought tears to my eyes. I will pray for you and send your name to the Prayer Warriors Group that I'm a part of. The Lord wants you to be happy, and He will help you to be a better wife and mother to your children, and a better daughter as well. You are not alone with the problems you have mentioned and experienced growing up as a child. It is very sad and tragic. But God sees it all and He will make it up to you because you are His child--the apple of His eye.

I had a friend who experienced big problems in her life that she felt the Lord had forsaken her and began to doubt His love for her. I wanted so much to comfort my friend, and from that experience, I felt led to write the following article to address the issue that though our problems appear insurmountable and hopeless to us, to God, they're not. He wants us to come to Him with our problems because He is the Problem Solver and the Burden Bearer.

If you get a chance, click on the URL below and I pray that you will be encouraged. Life is good. You are not here by chance. You are here for a purpose. God has a plan for you and He will give you all the resources you need to carry out that plan. Give Him a chance to work in your life. You will be glad you did.

You can count me as your Internet friend.

Click here: Like the Sea Billows Roll.

Sincerely,

Lydia

Click here for: Still Waiting at the Well

More dialogue: This time the email was signed, but for this particular situation, I used a pseudo name:

Hello Again!

You really helped me feel alot better. I really was awed about your friend Joyce, though she isn't near the sinner I have been. I realize I need to focus my thoughts on Jesus and meditating and reading the Bible. Satan is still trying to make me feel like crap. So I'm telling him to get out of my head. Would Jesus want me to confess all my sins to my husband?

Elsie

My Response:

Dear Elsie,

You will never go wrong if you focus your heart and mind on the Lord Jesus Christ. When you draw nigh to God, He will draw nigh to you and when you resist the Devil in the name of Jesus, he will flee. The Devil and God cannot coexist in the same heart.

God forgets your past sins, and He wants you, by His strength, to get on with your life. Mary Magdalene overcame adultery through her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Jesus bore her sins, and He didn't leave her or forsake her. Likewise, Jesus bears your sins and He will never leave you or forsake you. You can count on that because He is God. He is your Burden/Sin Bearer.

Your husband, although he may love you with all his heart and support you no matter what, he is not a burden bearer and may buckle under the load. I'm not saying that that what's going to happen. I just know that we human beings are finite and weak. We are not made to carry someone elses burden of sin.

I will not tell you what to do, Elsie, but I do know that under similar situations (where the spouse knows of the other's infidelity), even when the two parties remain together, much is lost. If there are children involved, as true in your case, they complicate the matter. Should your husband decide to leave, it would affect them deeply. I think you should strive with all the power that's in you to keep your marriage intact for the children's sake. It would seem that that would require you to keep silent at least for now. Sometimes we must bear our guilty conscience alone (until we turn it over to the Lord). But there are sins in all of our lives that we would not want others to know about and this may be one of those things. Only Jesus needs to know of these sins.

Pray for much wisdom from the Lord. Spend much time in prayer and Bible study. Pray that your husband may be won to the Lord Jesus Christ because he sees a change in you. He sees the character of Jesus reflected and shining through in your life.

Take care and God bless,

Lydia

Here is Elsie's Response:

You are definitely one of God's angels. You have helped me extremely! I know suicide is not an option now. I know thirst--to be more knowledgable, to read the Bible, and to seek out a church. Thanks, Lydia, thanks for taking time for me. Hope we can remain email friends.

Elsie

More Email from Elsie:

Hello Lydia,

What can I do to feel like I have been saved? For some reason I have this anxious feeling of doom that death is around the corner for me and that I'll not have enough time to prove that I am worthy of going to heaven...I work weekends so I haven't been to church yet. I am considering taking a midnight job since I don't sleep well so I could find a church. For today I pray for hope in my life. I pray for the depression to leave my heart and head. Thank you for being there to help guide.

Elsie

My Response:

I understand how you feel as I felt that way once before many years ago. But if you kneel down and genuinely ask the Lord Jesus to come into your heart, He WILL come into your heart and He WILL save you regardless of whether you feel it or not.

Here are some thoughts that are very encouraging. I don't think there's any human being alive who has not at one time or another entertained feelings of doubts about their salvation. We know who places these thoughts and feelings in our minds, don't we? The enemy of souls, but listen to these statements:

Never give up your faith and hope in God. Cling to the promises. Do not trust in your feelings, but in the Word of God. Believe the assurances of the Lord. Take your stand upon the plain "Thus saith the Lord," and rest there, feeling or no feeling. Faith is not always followed by feelings of ecstasy, but "hope thou in God."

Elsie, hang on because all heaven is interested in saving you. It's up to you. You can entertain thoughts of doubts and despair all you want, but you would only reap doubts and despair. Remember that when we come to the hardest places in life, we may know that all heaven will bear us up, if we will not fail or be discouraged. Cling to the mighty One. Do not talk unbelief at all, because the more you talk unbelief the more unbelief you will have; and the more you talk darkness, the more darkness you will have; and the more you talk light, the more light you will have; and the more you talk faith, you will have faith.

Depression is a medical problem that, if I'm not mistaken, is caused by lack of or imbalance of chemicals in the brain that can affect moods. You might want to check with your doctor. But never forget, too, that the Great Physician is our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! Go to Him in sincere prayer for healing of bodily infirmities. Be persistent as was the case with the Canaanite Woman petitioning Jesus to heal her daughter. Jesus healed her daughter, and we know that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He can heal us today!

Take care, Elsie, and remember to read your Bible everyday because it's the Living Word of God and pray always because prayer is the breath of the soul.

Christian Love,

Lydia

More Dialogue:

Hi Lydia,

I really enjoyed hearing about Vegetarianism--did you just quit eating meat or was it a gradual thing and did you feel like it helped your mind and body?

Elsie

My Response:

Hi Elsie,

I've been a vegetarian thirty years ago, it's almost hard to remember whether I personally felt better healthwise. But statistics do show that vegetarians are less likely to suffer from debilitating diseases such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, etc. They also have more strength and endurance than their counterpart as the article Why I Am a Vegetarian? indicates. I became a vegetarian not on a gradual basis. I made the decision and that was that. My family thought I was going crazy.

Lydia

Later, Elsie sent me another email to the effect that she is doing much better but gets discouraged at times because she finds it difficult to live a perfect life. Here's my response:

Dear Elsie,

Good Morning! I received this poem just this morning and I thought, my, this is just a perfect response to your email. It's hard to try to be perfect on our own, but if we contemplate on Christ's perfection, it would be easy indeed. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. " --Matthew 11:28-30.

Do not look to self, because if we do, we find nothing there that would be perfect or that would uplift us and bring us to a higher level of spiritual growth. The more we look to self, the more discouraged we will get. But look to Christ instead. He alone is perfect. And when we behold Him daily, we will become changed into His likeness. Be patient with yourself. Give God a chance to work in you. He will do according to His good pleasure. When He is finished, you will indeed be a great Masterpiece. Here's the poem:

Today I saw a butterfly,
as it floated in the air;
Its wings were spread in splendor,
Unaware that I was there.
It was such a thing of beauty,
It was a sight to see;
It was the perfect masterpiece,
Full of grace and majesty.

I found myself thinking,
to what can this compare?
And then, of course, I thought of you,
And I wished that you were there.

God sure was extra careful,
When He formed and fashioned you;
You too, became a masterpiece,
Yet God is still not through.

He's daily making changes,
that other folks can't see;
You're already true perfection,
At least you are to me.

Author Unknown

Hello,

I don't find things on the internet and get very frustrated. Your music tonight was so soothing and gave my spirit a lift. God bless you for this wonderful site.

I had earlier requested Touch of the Master's Hand and recited it at my childhood church in May (memorized this poem many years ago when I cleaned the one-room school where I taught.) I must not have had the "sound" on when I received the poem from you.

Shirley