JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR

by: Donna Selma Lind

It was the Christmas season of 1972 when JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR came to my old hometown CHICAGO.  We were still in the middle of the great "JESUS MOVEMENT" that had swept across the United States, Canada, Europe and South America.  

I had just turned 13 and a bunch of us girls from my Youth Group decided it would be cool to go see the JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR Musical. 

Mrs. B. my friends Mom, volunteered to be our Chaperone. 
She picked us up that evening and ten of us gawky teenage girls piled, stuffed and squeezed ourselves into her 1969 Chrysler Plymouth Station Wagon. 

I sat all the way in the back by the big window where I had a perfect view of the snow flurries and colorful twinkling Christmas lights on our adventure to the city.

DONNA (ROBERTS) LIND 13 #skinnyhippiechick <3  

The theater was packed and scent of patchouli incense was wafting throughout the Lobby. 

We found our seats just before the lights blinked for the show to start.

The enormous Red Velvet curtains opened up and the show began. 

I sat spellbound as the biggest Orchestra I had every seen played the JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR OVERTURE! It was ELECTRIFYING! 
Scene after scene, Song after song I was hooked! 

I fell in Love with JESUS that day.

 A different kind of Love than when I was seven years old and I gave my heart to JESUS at an Old Church Tent Revival.

This was BIG LOVE!
This was JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR!!! 

I had just witnessed the life, death and resurrection of JESUS right before my eyes! 

Yes, I know it was actors portraying it all on stage, but to me, a thirteen year old girl with a tender loving heart, it was real! 
I was there when they nailed Him to the Cross! 
I cried and I shook and I closed my eyes. How could they do this to Him? How could I do this to Him?
I felt everything as if it really happened right then and there! 

No longer would I look at the pictures in my Bible the same.
No longer would I read a scripture and not remember the 39 lashes, the pounding of the nails, the stone that was rolled away or remember JESUS ascending to Heaven in the clouds and promising someday to come back for me!

No longer would JESUS be just a guy in a story. He was REAL! 
What He endured on the Cross at Calvary for me was REAL! 
What He endured on the Cross for you at Calvary was REAL!

Did I ever mess up after that day? 
Yes I sure did, over and over again!

Did JESUS still Love me after I messed up?
Yes He sure did over and over again! 

The Good News is that JESUS Loves you too! 

JESUS CHRIST WAS A SUPERSTAR TO ME IN 1972 AND FORTY FIVE YEARS LATER IN 2017, JESUS CHRIST IS STILL MY SUPERSTAR AND ALWAYS WILL BE!!!

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 

-JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR-

SHARE THE GOOD NEWS - MAKE JESUS FAMOUS

PRAYERS TO HEAVEN

By:Donna Selma Lind

"PRAYERS TO HEAVEN"

Something caught my eye in the big oak tree down by the stock pond. The sun was shining overhead and the old oak was lit up like Christmas tree with something shiny bright red and blue.
A quick survey with my binoculars revealed a clump of balloons caught on the branches.
My imagination drifted wildly wondering where those balloons had come from and how far they had traveled?

They sat perched in that old oak tree for a couple of days and then a strong wind picked them up and carried them across the field where they found themselves stuck between thickets and the fence line.

Like a little kid on a treasure hunt I scampered through the field of crunchy fall leaves and unraveled the ribbon tails that were holding the balloons hostage.
I walked a quarter mile back home holding tight to my new found treasure.

I set everything on the kitchen table and began my autopsy. Though the balloons were  filled with rips and tears, the little scrolls of paper that were rolled up tightly and tied to the ribbon tails had survived their journey! 

Was I being intrusive by wanting to see what was written on the scrolls?
Yes, but I felt there was some kind of a message for me in all of this!

I carefully cut the messages from the ribbons, they were all a bit damp so I set them on a towel to dry.

After a few hours I read each hand written message one by one.

They were Prayers to Heaven! They were messages of love and admiration for a Grandfather who had gone to Glory. They spoke of an undying love for a man who shared his life stories and love and laughter with his family.

"I WILL NEVER FORGET OUR TIMES TOGETHER."

"YOU WERE ALWAYS THERE FOR ME."

"YOU HELPED SHAPE ME AS A MAN."

"I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WISDOM AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO SHARE YOUR STORIES."

"I MISS YOU SO MUCH."

"YOU ALWAYS SHOWED ME LOVE."

"PLEASE WATCH OVER ME."

"I AM PRAYING FOR YOU, PLEASE PRAY FOR ME."

"I LOVE YOU SO MUCH."


  WOW! What an amazing Love story! This Grandfather loved his family so much, and his family clearly loved him!  
What a beautiful legacy. As I read through the notes I could see this man had passed down love, but also he had passed down his faith. He left a spiritual inheritance as an everlasting gift for his children and grandchildren. 

How far these Balloons with prayers traveled only God knows. In several of the notes they talked about CUBA and spoke in Spanish. Did they travel this far from CUBA?  I wish I knew that answer! Wherever they came from isn't important, it's where they were going that matters. They were Heaven bound! 

So since they got a bit delayed on a stop over at my place, I said my own prayers and I asked God to send Angels to deliver these Prayers to Heaven!
This Heavenly Heritage is God's purpose and will for us .
"I pray that your hearts may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope he has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in his holy people." Ephesians 1:18

What kind of Spiritual Legacy will you leave?
 
What Prayers to Heaven will they send you?

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord and Share the Good News!

Donna Selma Lind

DADDY'S GONE FISHING

BY: DONNA SELMA LIND

"DADDY'S GONE FISHING"

It has been a month since Daddy moved to Heaven. 

That's why I haven't written for awhile. I'm still getting used to him being gone. 

I was blessed to give Daddy's Eulogy at his memorial service and I thought I would share a bit of it with you today. 

My Grandparents were married in 1926, the doctors told them they would never be able to have children. 

BUT GOD! 

My Grandparents were great people of faith and they never stopped praying for a miracle baby. Nearly thirteen years later at the tail end of the Great Depression, in a little community called Roseland on the south side of Chicago that miracle baby was born. They named him "Thomas"after the Apostle in the Bible.

Three years later God surprised them with another miracle baby boy. 

Tommy and Jimmy grew up in an idyllic time and a place reminiscent of Mayberry and Leave it to Beaver. 

As a kid Daddy loved to go fishing. If he wasn't playing baseball or swimming, he would grab a fishing pole jump on his bicycle and ride down to the lake to go fishing. 

Grandma and Grandpa had dedicated their lives to serving the Lord and every Sunday the family went to Sunday School and Church together where they served as Teachers and Leaders.

My Grandparents were Youth Leaders and on Friday nights the Youth Group was held in their home where they studied the Bible as well as had Ice Cream Socials, Ping- Pong tournaments and Sock-Hops.

Daddy was a star athlete and had a gift in Art and Architectural Drafting.  

He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps at 18. 

He became an Ironworker in 1959 and worked his way up through the years to become a Superintendent. He also was the Union Steward for Ironworkers Local# 63. 

For almost fifty years Daddy worked on nearly every big Hi-Rise building in Chicago including, John Hancock, Sears Tower, Prudential,Water Tower just to name a few.

 Daddy really was a Superhero who climbed Skyscrapers by day and fished by night!

He loved his family, loved the USA, and our Military. He loved our Flag what it stands for and all who fought and continue to fight for our freedom.

And Fishing, Daddy loved Fishing.

My favorite memory of Daddy is from about ten years ago. We were sitting at the kitchen table and I prayed with Daddy to receive Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. 

Though Daddy grew up in a Christian home and went to church, he had never given his life over to the Lord until that day when I prayed with him. After that day Daddy had found a new peace and comfort with God.

On September 19, 2017 Daddy put his head down on his pillow and woke up in Heaven. 

He traded in his hard hat for a crown. 

His hammer for a fishing pole.

Fighting Parkinson's disease was a long hard battle but Daddy finally won the war and he will spend eternity in a glorified body. No more sickness, no more pain.

We will all miss him more than words can say, but I have the Blessed assurance that one day, we will walk the streets of gold together, fish in a river of living waters, laugh with joy unspeakable and together we will cast our crowns at the feet of Jesus.

Daddy's GONE FISHING in Heaven. 

Until that glorious day when we get to be together again, 

I'll be fishing too-right here on earth for more souls to come into the Kingdom of Heaven so they can meet my Daddy and my Heavenly Abba Father. 

"Go out into the deep water, and let down your nets for fish."Luke 5:4

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day- and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing." 2 Timothy 4:7, 8

HALLELUJAH! 

    PRAISE THE LORD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!

Donna Selma Lind 💓