Author: Kathryn Spurgeon

Christian writer and speaker Memory House Publishing

Twins Help One Another

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in My Thoughts

 I ran across a picture of my twin granddaughters when they were young. Reminded me of a lesson they taught me.

After a spring shower, the little girls  played in the wet grass in my backyard.  They laughed with joy at going barefoot in the mud and ran in circles. Suddenly, one twin came up to me. Big tears streamed down her face. She pointed to her grimy foot and said, “Boo-boo. Kiss it.”  For a child in our family, kissing a hurt always makes it feel better.

I examined the tiny toes but they did not seem injured. “No, it’s okay,” I said not wanting to kiss such a muddy foot. 

 She pleaded.  “Boo-boo. Kiss it, Grandma.”  I swallowed hard and leaned toward her foot but the top of her sister’s blond head got in my way.  The other twin knelt on the ground, kissing the dirty toe.  She had overheard her sister’s request and took immediate action. Then her dirt-covered face looked up at me. She smiled and they ran off together holding hands.

The girls taught me a lesson that day in responsiveness. When I become aware of other’s needs, I should be more like a child, not concerned about the consequences or convenience of helping someone, but eager and quick to give assistance. One small action or word may be all that’s needed to make someone feel better.

   . . .  and the one who ministered to my need. Philippians 2:25b (NKJ)

Lord, teach me to recognize others’ needs and  respond as quickly as my granddaughter – without hesitation.

Reserved for You

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in My Thoughts

A dear friend gave me a book by Charles Spurgeon, Morning by Morning.  I may be a little strange, but I started at the beginning of the book in January, even though it’s December. Some habits never die.

So January 10th, Spurgeon states: There is one crown in heaven the angel Gabriel cannot wear. It will fit no one’s head but mind. And there is one throne in heaven even the apostle Paul could not fill. It was made for me–and I will have it!

Thanksgiving Day, I decorated three tables for twenty-four family members who came to my house. What a blessing! My granddaughter made name plates for each person, designating where they would sit.  Even the babies had a place.

Heaven is like that. At the Great Banquet, I will have a chair, or throne, with my name on it. It may be far down in a distant corner  or up in the back row of  the balcony. It doesn’t matter because it will be prepared specifically for me. No one else can fill my spot.

 Jesus is preparing my place and some day, He will usher me in. I sure look forward to it. What a celebration that will be! 

Have you reserved your seat today?

Grand Lake, Oklahoma

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in Destinations

 I spent a wonderful weekend with my mom, brothers and sisters and in -laws (no children!) My gracious aunt and uncle let us use their cabin on Grand Lak, in northwest Oklahoma. Besides being quiet and peaceful and relaxing and fishing and campfires and… well, what more do you want? Thanks, family. All of you! I enjoyed the time together.

I

A Saint Gone Home

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in International

A few weeks ago, I took my twin granddaughters to their diving lessons, way down south across town to at OCCC. By the time we left, the sky had darkened and a storm headed our way. I thought about hunkering down in a fast food restaurant until it passed over us and we could drive home. But Grandma Bill, my ex-mother-in-law lives alone close to the school. We grabbed food and rushed over to her house.

Soaken  wet, we dashed into her beautiful home. She welcomed us, as always, warmly and with open arms, bringing towels as we removed our shoes.

The 11 year old girls, as if seeing the place anew, took time to examine the huge collection of  ceramic dolls , most over two feet tall, placed around the living room. What little girl wouldn’t just adore such a home? Carefully, they looked at each lace-adorned doll, asking questions, while Grandma Bill explained where she got the doll, which one she liked best, etc. They connected in a special way. Her, by sharing part of herself with children who appreciated her, and them, awed by the beauty she had inspired.  What a neat thing to watch!

I left my phone at her house, and drove back to retrieve it. However, she never answers the door unless she knows who it is, and I couldn’t call her without my phone! I banged on the door, which probably made her more suspicious. She called me to see if it was me, but the phone rang in another room in her house and she didn’t hear it. She finally took a chance and opened the door. We laughed together at the predicament and she stood at her front door and waved goodbye again.  For the last time.

She came into my life more than 30 years ago. I married her son. I’ve never met a more godly woman, who, even after our divorce, called me, let me know she cared, and prayed for me and my family every day, even though she deeply mourned her son, who died several years ago.

Grandma Bill died Tuesday night. I will miss her. When I needed special prayer, she was the one I called. When a storm brewed, she was the one who called me. (She knew I don’t keep current on weather reports.)

Her daughter found umbrellas Grandma Bill recently purchased to give away. She didn’t want anyone  to be caught in the rain again without them. What more could you ask of a godly example of caring and motherhood? We will all miss her a lot.

A spiritual giant in my eyes. An asset God gave in the midst of this crazy world. 

 

Flying Lesson #2

by Kathryn Spurgeon, posted in My Thoughts

Flying lesson #2 went much better. At least, I thought so. Glen said I looked more relaxed than last time and he never asked if I wanted to return to the airport.

I went through the pre-flight inspection myself and got most of it right, expect when I embarrassed myself by pointing to the flaps when it said fuselage. There are more parts to a plane than a person’s body.

We worked on taxiing. If you see a small Grumman wobbling like a drunk man, it’s me practicing how to go left and right on the ground. It made a big difference when I  pulled my seat up close enough to reach the top of the rudder. Still seems like a strange place to put brakes to me.

 My oratory skills are lacking – so much to learn – because instead of “Guthrie Airport, Grumman eight nine uniform,” I said, Grumman eight nine uniform Grumman.”  Oops. At least, I tried this time.

 Finally in the air, we practiced the same thing as the first lesson. Ascending, circles, and descending. Or as he wrote – climbs, glides and turns. Not smooth, and only messed up seriously a few times on the rudder. If he would have said left rudder when turning left, and right when turning right, that would have helped. Maybe he assumed any logical person would know that. Who said an accountant was logical? Or maybe he said it and I missed it during the trauma of the first lesson.

Glen added our first maneuver. “Maneuver” sounded a little scary, but we did ground tracking. Never heard that term before, but he said to circle the town of Crescent. Since he didn’t say which way, I assumed he meant a left circle since we had just circled right, so I lost sight of the darn town pretty quickly. Couldn’t see anything out the left side of the plane since I’m still sitting on the right side. I bull’s eyed city hall.

 We landed safely, and although he said to stay with him on the landing, I allowed him the privilege of being in control. As if he wasn’t all along.