Author Archives: Nannette

About Nannette

Wife to The Sweetheart, Mom to the Fantastic Six, Nana to six of the cutest littles on the planet, Author, The Daniel Fast, A Devotional. UPCI ministers.

Hosanna! Save now!

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So many images, memories, and scripture come to mind.

A lifetime of Palm Sundays, Good Friday’s, and Resurrection mornings! As a pastors wife, back in the day, I used to love going to the flower shops and ordering the palm leaves in bunches and then having them scattered down the aisles during Palm Sunday service.

I have even been to a few Sunrise Services over the years. Even though I might have grumbled and complained a little at the time, they were wonderful experiences. Getting up before dawn just to be at church, or an outside gathering, to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord is special. Very special.

I do love and revere the week of Easter. Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday and everything in between,  should be a time to remember, give thanks for salvation and a Savior that gave the Ultimate Sacrifice. 

Strong’s Concordance gives the original meaning of “Hosanna” as “Save now, or Save, please”, specifically in the Old Testament where it is referenced in the Psalms. “Save now, I beseech you, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech you, send now prosperity.” Psalm 118:25.

And Clarke’s commentary has this to say,

“Save now, I beseech thee – These words were sung by the Jews on the feast of tabernacles, when carrying green branches in their hands; and from the הושיעה נא hoshiah nna, we have the word hosanna.”

So when Jesus entered Jerusalem, humbly riding on a donkey, or colt, it would have been appropriate for the Jewish people to cry out,

Hosanna! Save Now!

Some assumed He had come to reign as King on this earth, to save them from their life of “serving” the Romans. They wanted a deliverer!
Jesus did not come to be an earthly king, He came to reign in the hearts of men and women. 

But to others, the  term had changed over the years to mean something a little different. Psalm 118:26, the very next verse, is followed with; “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” This cry for help, “Save now!” was immediately answered with shouts of praise that the Deliverer was coming, salvation was on its way! Whether they recognized it or not, the answer to their prayers was entering the city.

They would not only be delivered, they would truly be SAVED!

  • Saved from their sins and made new creatures! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.
  • Saved to rise again on that great, and coming, Day of the Lord! “For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52.
  • Saved to live a life full of the Spirit of God, sharing the Good News! “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
  • Saved to make a difference in the life of others! “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45.
  • And saved…to someday spend forever with the Lord. “He that overcometh , the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his nameout of the book of life…” Revelation 3:5.

He gave them more than they imagined, more than they asked for. He gave His very life so that they (and we!) would not have to.

He came as Hosanna…in the Highest…and then forever changed the world.

Kingdom2

I was almost there!

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With the passing of one of Hollywood’s famous faces recently, I was reminded of a time that I actually spent working with him. This isn’t a crazy dream after a bad meal; stick with me.

Back in the mid 80’s, living in Indianapolis, hubby was working late and my brother called and said to get Kyle ready because he had a surprise for us. Kyle was almost five at the time and adored his Uncle J.D. 

We drove to Butler University where they were shooting the final scene of the basketball mania film, Hoosiers at Hinkle Fieldhouse. We were going to be extras!. In a skirt and regular attire, I was able to bypass the wardrobe room. “You’re good to go!” Not sure what that said about me that I already looked like I was dressing for the 50’s and had not planned it. I digress.

We were hustled up to the balcony where we were told to scream and holler like crazy, on cue of course, for the final few moments of the tense game between the little farming community guys and the big city fellas. 

We could see the actors clearly and even Mr. Hackman. We were so close, so close to others that were famous, who had made it or had it made. They were well known, well liked and even idolized by some. We were almost there, but we weren’t paid, weren’t recognized or given any accolades. (Can you see us? Me either. But we are there somewhere behind the goal.)

Recently, a true story was shared that was beautifully sad and happy, all at the same time. This is not Hollywood. This gracious lady is not famous, except to those that love and adore her.

She has lived many decades on this earth and honors her God with everything that is inside of her. People are drawn to her and feast off of her love of family, church and Jesus. 

Her story, as beautiful as it is, is nearly over and it has been touch and go for several days as she lies in a hospital bed preparing to meet the Lord. 

One day this past week, her family thought the moment had arrived. Those that love her most naturally do not want to lose her and it looked as if that was imminent. But for some reason, God said, “Not quite yet” and our dear sister opened her eyes and said these words that have stuck with me: “I was almost there!” 

She didn’t mean she had missed it, she did not infer that God had turned her away, oh no, not at all. Her dilemma was that she was likely ready to walk through that portal into eternity and even if she didn’t see Jesus then, she surely felt Him and knew He was about to welcome her home. 

She Was Almost There.

Imagine her telling her family not to worry about her and maybe even to not pray for her to stay. Everything she has lived for is about to come to pass and now she is ready for that most wonderful and coveted meeting with the One who gave His life for her. 

He also did it for you. When your time comes, and it will in one way or another, will you feel as our new friend did? Will you lament that you were “almost there” or will you dread that moment because, perhaps, you do not know Jesus? 

It doesn’t have to be that way! The Bible says to “Make your calling and election SURE.” 2 Peter 1:10 (Emphasis mine). While we have time, while it is still day, while we are still under Grace. 

May we all live for that day, that glorious day, that is soon to come and is SURE to come. Let us determine that it will be the best day of our lives and strive to take as many with us as we possibly can. 

Mamaw Tava’s Christmas Sock

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Back as far as I can remember, at the Miller Christmas, my grandmother would pass around her Bible to one of the men in the family to read The Christmas Story from the book of Luke. All of the children were terribly impatient for him to finish because they knew that meant they could begin tearing into the presents. It was the longest 20 minutes of our lives.

Fast forward some 50 years plus and we still read The Christmas Story. My father now allows the grands to read. It seems a lifetime has passed while we wait on them to finish as they struggle with certain words such as Quirnius, lineage and Cyrenius. Even though the message has always been the same: Jesus came into the world to save sinners; it has greater meaning to me every year.

You can see one of the last times my dad read the story here. (I hadn’t noticed he was reading from a tablet!)

As years passed, my parents added to the anticipation of opening presents by going around the room and having each one of us tell what we were thankful for that particular year. Many families do that on Thanksgiving but we didn’t get that memo, so Christmas it is.

Tears flow as we recall the wonderful things God has either spared us from or brought us through and we rejoice with each family member as they share. It can be as simple as “I’m thankful for my parents and the ham in the oven” or “I’m thankful that God spared my life this year.” Whatever the sentiment or whoever the recipient, we all reflect and give thanks.

When I married The Sweetheart, I discovered every family had different traditions. My mother-in-law began a new one on my very first Elkins Christmas. This was after we had opened gifts and she was always trying to find a way to tame the chaos. She had a giant Christmas sock, biggest I had ever seen, and she had filled it with little gifts. It could have been a tube of Chapstick (an Elkins sibling WILL NOT be caught dead without one in their pocket) a pen and pencil set, fingernail clippers (another must-have jingle in the pocket of an Elkins) and of course candy or anything under $5. Then we would all gather around as she made a production of dumping the sock full of gifts on the floor. It was a literal free-for-all.

And you are wondering: why, in the name of all that is sacred, would grown adults scamper for fingernail clippers and Chapstick? Because Mamaw Tava had hidden money in one of the gifts, that’s why! And that first Christmas, the newbie, me, grabbed a blue change purse that said “Something good is going to happen” on the outside of it and on the inside? A five dollar bill! This was 1979 people, $5 bought a lot of gas!

Fast forward through the years and The Sock evolved. So did the monetary gifts. Mamaw Tava became more generous with this extra curricular activity on Christmas Eve. Now we gathered in the Dining Room around the table. Mamaw would draw names to see who would go first and then call those numbers only to draw again for your actual number to pick a present. I kid you not. All of the gifts were spread out on the table, wrapped of course, and you were not allowed to touch them. You chose a gift when your name was called and then waited until everyone had one and then she drew names or numbers again to see who opened their gift and when. There would be a variety of cd’s, books, alarm clocks, flashlights or new gadgets that had just made it to infomercials and As-Seen-on-TV. But inside one gift would be $20, another had $10 and one had $5. Some years she was even more generous and it was quite exciting.

Several years ago she was really feeling the Christmas spirit and she sang Jingle Bells as the family walked around the table and when she yelled stop, well, take a look for yourself at the mayhem that followed:


Times have changed, grandchildren or maybe the great grands will read the Christmas Story this year. New faces will be around the dinner table. The DIL’s are in charge of The Sock game; Mamaw Tava passed away almost five years ago. But, the bottom line is that we are family. We are children of the Most High God, gathered to celebrate His entrance into the world, His coming to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

And the older I get, the more I realize it was for me, it was for you. He loved me and He loved you, and would have died had we been the only ones that needed Him to. He loves us all that much.

You all have your own stories but for some, this Christmas is not a happy one. There is sorrow and sadness with empty chairs around the table. Jesus knows, Jesus is near. Love on those that need strength and comfort. Christmas is family with all their quirks and craziness and Christmas is Jesus.

While this might not have been your typical devotion, there are two key points I encourage you to focus on during this season. One of course is the true reason for the season. Second is that aside from reason number one, the most important thing is time we spend with family and friends. Making memories, and sharing experiences that will, like Mamaw Tava’s sock, last long after we are gone.