As we were driving into town yesterday morning we drove past the
intersection of 76th Street north and Peoria (between Turley and Sperry). I
looked at the NE corner and remembered that there used to be a
fruit/veggie stand on the corner. I then considered that just about
everywhere I go in Tulsa! notice the 'used to be spots'. Further, it occurred
to me that I was spending way too much time living in the past.
  God continued to roll this around in my mind. The prophets always
led the Children of Israel to the future. The Israelites had a bad habit of
living too much in the past, for example, "When we were in Egypt...", They
often lived with their patriarchs more than they did their progeny. How
many times, did they refer to themselves as the 'children' of Abraham,
Isaac, & Jacob, and look back on Moses and David.
  God was really 'talking' to me, and about me. Am I more worried
about the past than I am the future, the future of my children,
grandchildren, and beyond. Everything used to be something else, and
indeed, everyone used to be someone else, before Christ.
  Our communities, our cities, our country and our world is constantly
changing's like to tell how my Grandmother was born in 1899, before so
many of the things that we consider normal. She was born before the
Wright brothers first flew and watched the astronauts land on the moon
(and never believed it). No phones to cell phones. No electricity to
AC-which she refused to use. She struggled with the future because all
she ever knew was the past. l've often wondered how her life might have
been different if she had 'changed' with the times. l'm not talking about
changing who she was, or changing her beliefs, but enjoying some of the
conveniences of life. Ask me sometime about the battle between my
Grandmother and my Mother and my Aunt when they bought her a 'pant
suit" for her birthday. instead of "lt used to be", or "l can see in my mind what God is doing"
instead of "l remember when".
 Don't get me wrong, I still like fresh fruit and an occasional! veggie,
but I am getting excited about what God has planned for Belview and I pray
He allows me to see it.

                          Blessing, Prayers, and Love,

                                        Bro Tom & Sue