Charlotte

                                                   Charlotte

     I was and am a blessed man, because God gave me a great wife!

  Charlotte never lied to me, never deceived me and never said anything she did mean in the whole 32 years we were married. In short she spoiled me. How many people, mean what they say! But She did, and I never realized how precious that was and is to me.

  Charlotte made me believe nice guy don’t necessarily finish last. Now that’s she is gone I’m starting to think she may have been wrong and besides,( I never was a nice guy anyway although I tried for her)…But She made me feel strong when I was not. She gave all of herself to me and that made me want to do more for her. As it turns out, My only regret is that I didn’t do more for her than I did. Because I now know she deserved it more than I can say. Now quickly I fell back in to my old bad attitude. She changed my way of thinking and behaving.

Charlotte and I were married 33 years ago. And I miss her greatly. She is the only person in my life who ever loved me unconditionally. She was always there for me. She made me believe in me. She caused me to be a better person. She made want to press on. She showed me what love was and is. She may me who I am. I will always love her.

Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

One year ago March 31 the Lord in His sovereignty took Charlotte home. And I will not pretend to know or understand way. God used this woman mighty in my life and taught me much through her. And now I hope I have and will continue to learn what He intents to teach me through her death.

It has been said adversity reveals the character of a man to himself. And so it has and I don’t like what I see. Like I said Charlotte changed my way of thinking and behaving. And I find myself questioning every thing I believe and “asking why do I believe that.” .” And the answer are coming very slow. But they are coming.

Diversity

Racism is simply an ugly from of collectivism, the mindset that views humans strictly as members of groups rather than individuals. Racists believe that all individuals who share superficial physical characteristics are alike: as collectivists, racists think only in terms of groups. By encouraging Americans to adopt a group mentality, the advocates of so called “diversity” actually perpetuate racism.

- Dr. Ron Paul

Worship In Spirit And In Truth

Worship in spirit and in Truth

John 4:24, "God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."  We must worship God in truth.  Since His word is truth, we must worship Him according to His word.  Here the Lord is telling us that everything we do in worship, we must have God's divine approval.  Truth is not arbitrary.  Truth for one person is the same as truth for the next.  God has not spoken in unclear ways.  

      God has specified in the Bible the acceptable way He is to be worshipped.  He is not to be worshipped according to the evil and vain imaginations and devices of men.  {“Whatever that is not commanded in scripture in our worship to God is expressly forbidden” Joe Morecrart} if we are to worship God in truth.  God is not obligated to accept our worship just because we offer it to Him.  We dare not substitute what we want for what God has commanded if we want to please Him.

     There are many who think it really doesn’t matter what we believe or do in religion, just as long as we are sincere and follow our conscience.  This philosophy exalts our conscience above the word of God.  This makes our conscience our only guide and ignores what God says in the Bible.  This philosophy originated with man and not with God.  This is telling God we are going to worship Him the way we choose and we don’t really care what He has to say.  Every man then becomes his own authority thereby eliminating the authority of God, the Bible.  

struggled with the question

I have struggled with the question, “When was I saved” for many years. I have studied the subject for many years. And have been given much light on the subject.

I believe the Word of God is clear regarding the matter of salvation. Jesus said:

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”…36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him {John 3:18, 36}

This is simply telling us that there are two groups of people in the world today – those who believe on the Son and those who do not. It’s that simple. Those who believe are not condemned; they have everlasting life. Those who believe not on the Son are condemned already, and they shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on them.

If you will notice, the Word of God never says, “simply believe and be saved”; rather, it seeks always to identify the object of faith, which is the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the word, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth In Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

It is not enough just to believe; a person must believe “in Him”.

The Philippian jailer asked, “Sir, what must I do to be saved?” The Apostle Paul answered, “Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” {Act 16:30, 31}

You see, it is not enough just to believe; a person must believe “in Him”.

If a person is trusting in baptism for salvation, he cannot be trusting “in Him”. Christ is not one way to salvation; He is the ONLY way salvation.

There is no promise in the Word of God to those who believe partially in Christ. In other words we cannot trust in the Lord Jesus 90% and in baptism 10%.

We must trust Christ and what He did at Calvary 100% and nothing else.

Just because you were baptized as a baby does not save you!

You must trust Christ alone.

Conclusion;

All of this begs a question, “when is a person saved”? Let us look to the Scriptures.

Ephesians 1:4-5 “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love:

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will”.

So He chose us and before the foundation of the world and predestinated us unto the adoption of children, according to the good pleasure of His will. But we are not saved before the foundation of the word, so when were we saved?

How about  Ephesians 1:13 “In Whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation”:

What? When? “After that ye heard the word of truth”. Not before! Look at the last half of this verse.

Ephesians 1:13b “in Whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise”.

It seems very simple; ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED!  Not before. And that’s the Baptism that counts; “now repent and be water baptized as a sign of that seal and obedience to a command for new believers.” “And you are a new believer”, “AFTER THAT YE BELIEVED!” 

Our relationship moves to next level

Our relationship moves to next level

   Its funny, right now I can remember every date we ever had in detail. And for the most part our dating was just like every one else’s dating. Nothing special, but every date was special to me and every date brought us a little closer to one another. There are a lot of stories to tell, but I think I’ll just write about the ones that are the most heartfelt memories to me… the ones that mean the most to me. The story I’m about to tell is another thing I’ll never understand. I’m just glad it happened. So here we go.

One day I decided I didn’t want to live without Charlotte. I liked our relationship but “the time had come” so to speak. My mom had asked what my intentions for Charlotte were. I said “Nothing. I like things the way they are." Mom said "Bull****” and "If you keep messing around you’ll lose her." Hummm, right after that I moved a refrigerator for her Mom. And I overheard her mom say, “If you lose him you’re a fool” …so her mom liked me. OK time to test the water. So that evening I asked her “If I were to ask you to marry me, would you?” She said “no” and then gave me a come and get me look. You would have to know Charlotte to understand that and I’m sure if her sisters read this they are laughing right now. So I knew.

Next I had to steal a ring from her without her knowing (for her ring size…I did :)

Next I had a ring made. Two Marquise Rubies and little Diamonds surrounding the center Diamond Yellow Gold Ring. It took awhile to get it and I never told her. But now that I had it, I couldn’t wait. Now comes the part I’ll never understand. Just like not understanding the time with my dad telling me she was the one.

I went over to Charlotte’s house. Ann (her mom) was there. That was not unusual, and I kind of liked it… most of the time, just not this time. Sometimes we'd talk a few minutes and we'd leave for a date and some times she would just leave and Charlotte would fix me something and we would talk and watch TV. Most of the time Ann would leave within 10 to 15 minutes. But not this night… I couldn’t get rid of her. She seemed to know, but how. 
A couple of weeks before I had asked Charlotte what she would say, but later I asked Charlotte and she said, “I never told anybody about that” and besides how could she know this was the night. That ring was burning a whole in my pocket. I got desperate. I had waited a long time for Ann to leave and she wasn’t going to leave. So right in front of Ann I took Charlotte by the hand and said I need to talk to you privately. Right in front of Ann I pulled her daughter in to her bedroom. (I promise you that wouldn’t work for a young man to pull my daughter in to any bed room)…but Ann never said anything. I took her to the end of her bed, got down on one knee and asked, “will you marry me?”… long pause… was she playing me?… then a tear came and she said yes. I stood up, we kissed and hugged and then I pulled out the ring and put it on her finger. She looked at it and lost her breath. We both teared up and kissed again. Remember Ann is still outside of the bedroom. We had to wait a minute, I couldn’t let anybody see me cry…Ann still waiting…and then we came out. When we came out Ann didn’t even look at our faces. We must have been in there for 15min. and went we came out Ann was looking right at Charlotte’s ring finger. They hugged and hugged and then she hugged me. And then she left.

Somehow she knew, and I always wondered how. I even asked, and she said, “I just knew” But how? I’ll never forget that night. But I can tell you this, Ann loved me and I loved her. And this will always be a precious memory…But I’ll never understand how she knew.

49 days, and Charlotte I still love you more than ever. I miss you so much!!!  

     I wrote this over two years ago, it is amazing to me how consistent my thought and feelings about this woman have been.

         

        Today is a day that lives in conspicuous importance, “To me anyway”. Because today is the 30^th anniversary of the day when I married Charlotte Ann Carnell, the most beautiful person I’ve ever known. She has been 100% faithful in every way. She has been faithful to her children. She has been faithful to me. But most of all she has been faithful to her God. And I suppose I love her most of all for that.

     She has always been there for me, she has never given up on me and she has never given me a reason to doubt her. Even when I was not so good to her, she was good to me. When I’ve been down she was there, when the kids have been sick she was there. When someone we know needs help she is there. I think faithful is the best word to describe Charlotte.

      It’s true I married her for her “good looks”, but God has been good to me, because she is so much more. Her faithful character is more beautiful than her “good looks” ever were. And so it’s easy for me to say, “because it true” I love her more to day, than I ever have. After 30 year I find her more exciting today than ever.

      I had the privilege of introducing her to Christ. And since that time I have watch her in amazement as she has become the most godly and God fearing woman I have ever known. And I live with her, I know. And no one will ever appreciate more than I, “never”.

      And so what can I say, except God is been good to me in giving me a faithful wife, whom I love and adore. She makes it ease. And what more can I say. 

Day 42 and I miss her more than ever. 

You were a great mother. And I will always love you.

A friend of mine's wife wrote this

after Charlotte passed.

Thank you Jennifer.

Help me Remember

(Psalm 43:5-8)

The waves you brought have stripped me bare

Torn apart by winds of life

Oh my God my soul is down

Broken, I cry to you

Help me remember

Your lovingkindness in the daytime

And in the night your song

Help me remember

Your tender mercy and faithful leading

Let me hope remain in you

Anger threatens at the door

Questions rage within my mind

Oh my God my soul is down

Sinking, I cry to you

Help me remember

Your lovingkindness in the daytime

And in the night your song

Help me remember

Your tender mercy and faithful leading

Let me hope remain in you

Loneliness—a heavy cloud

Through the fog it's hard to see

Your rainbow shining in the sky

Gently guiding me 

Help me remember

Your lovingkindness in the daytime

And in the night your song

Help me remember

Your tender mercy and faithful leading

Let me hope remain in you

Written by Jennifer Nicole Wenneker on April 31, 2013