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Pastor Larry Wade, of Urbana Yoke Parish, also writes a blog.   Although it might be fun to try, we never know what the other person is writing and we never try to write on the same subject.  Until now.  Last week Pastor Larry wrote on moving and where home is.  His October 30th blog can be found here:  http://larry-fromthepastorsdesk.blogspot.com/

I really liked the blog and sent him an email.  The following is an expanded version of the email he received.

HOME AND THE NEXT HOME AND THE NEXT HOME

I know how Pastor Larry feels.  I grew up in town.  Moved to a farm.  A FARM --with smells and strange hours and moving hogs that did not want to cooperate.  We were home.  Then we moved to another state and a few hours away from my parents and family.  We unpacked, in a small town in Michigan, where I knew no one.  This meant going to a new church and finding out which pew I could sit in.  Moving meant putting our son in a school where I did not know the teachers.  I trusted them to teach my little boy.  It was hard to find a sitter who could not only watch our kids but also my mother-in-law.  We seldom went out but we were home.

One door closed and another one opened.  Off we went to Wabash, Indiana.  We were home.

We lived one year in Wabash and then moved to North Manchester.  I love reading and being on the Friends of the Library board was a perfect fit.  I led a Brownie Troop for a few years and then turned the troop over to the next level because the next level involved actually sleeping in a tent.  Not for me!!  I found the local Methodist Church and became active.  I helped start a Kid’s Club and discovered I like to teach Sunday School.  A bowling team allowed me to join even though I was only a fair bowler.  During this time I was working for Bill, working auctions, making many trips to Purdue, and being the little lady of the house. We were home. 

An opportunity presented itself and we moved to a farm outside of North Manchester.  The move to the farm was a whole new level of learning.  I helped pull calves, put ear tags in, and helped repair a fence in the middle of the night using the lights from the tractor and flashlights.  That is one adventure that was not going to be repeated and a new fence was put in.  We were home.  Or were we? 

As much as we loved the old farm house, after 22 years I was ready for some conveniences like having my bedroom and bathroom on the same floor and an attached garage.  To be honest, the only move that I did not want to make was to where we live now.  I wanted to move!  You know, like to Cody, Wyoming or at least to the hills and hollows of southern Indiana.  I miss them.  Or to a beach.  Or to the mountains.  But that was not to be.  So I began house hunting and our lives changed again.  Bill retired and that meant I was fired.  Yup, we packed up and moved to a house in town.  We are home. 

What I have discovered through all these moves is that home is where your heart is.  Home is where you feel safe and loved.  Home is where you can pray and cry and not feel like your prayers have to be silent and your tears hidden.  Home can be a family of six (my family growing up), a family of four (our home when the kids were growing up), a family that includes adult children and grandchildren (our home now) or a family of one (a home most of us do not choose).

I am a strange person, because I like to move.  Why?  Each move came with the adventure of discovery.  Each move came with challenges.  Each move gave me the opportunity to find a new passion.

I believe the adventure of moving out of your comfort zone (See note below.) should be experienced by everyone.  Moving forces a person to reach out to strangers so they become friends.  Moving means you learn to join groups that have already been formed and finding your place within that group.  Moving means discovering life stories and learning from others.  

Moving means God will use you in a new way.  And He did.  I heard a voice say, “Is that the church you want to go to?”  And my answer was no.  Bill had been invited to give Urbana Yoke Parish a try.  We did.  And from the first time we walked in the door, I knew something.  Home is walking into a church and having people smile at you and give you hugs.  I was home!

And an email reply to Pastor Larry became this week’s blog.

Have a blessed week.

Mary

Note:  Moving out of your comfort zone does not mean you have to move around like we did.  It might mean you join a book club or start a coffee group or go to a different worship time or volunteer at the senior citizen center or help with those Brownie Scouts.  Moving out of your comfort zone simply means you try something new. 

 TAKE ME AWAY

What do Harlequin romance novels, drugs, and alcohol have in common?  They can be used to take me away. 

Do you remember the Calgon commercials and their phrase take me away?  When this was popular, we had moved to another state, with two children ages 5 weeks and 4 years, and a mother-in-law with dementia.  Life was full of challenges and I often wanted to shout, “Take me away!”  Instead of shouting, I read Harlequin romance novels.  Why?

They were like the Hallmark movies today.  From the first page, I knew what was going to happen.  The woman would hate the man.  They would fall in love.  Something would be taken out of context and they would breakup.  Just before the plane took off, the truth would be revealed, followed by a makeup kiss and all was good in paradise.  BUT for a short amount of time, I didn’t have to think.  Toys magically put themselves in the toy box.  Dementia was not part of any character.  And supper appeared out of nowhere.  

That is until I would realize how quiet it had become.  Quiet, when there are children in the house, is never a good thing.  The heroine would have to wait on the happily ever after ending.  I closed the book, took a deep breath, and came back to reality.

REALITY

Reality is what we are trying to get away from.  We want to be taken away from the stress of life.  The trials of life.  The drudgery part of life.  We want to have the toys pick themselves up.  We want loved ones to be healthy.  We want the food to magically appear on the table and to qualify for the James Beard Award. 

Take me away has many forms.  Thankfully mine came in the printed version … books … which could easily be put down.  For others, take me away comes in the form of alcohol or drugs or other addictions.  Returning to reality from addictions can take years or a lifetime.  Sadly, some never find the strength to return.

Life is real and comes with trials and stress and drudgery.  We do not like them.  We do not want them.  But there they are.

REALITY II

If anyone had the right to be worried about reality, it was Joshua.  His reality changed when he became the one to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land.  God told Joshua:

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.     Joshua 1:9

Be strong and courageous when you face reality.  Do not be terrified or discouraged.  After all, the Lord your God is right there with you.  He’s got you covered!!!

 NO SENSE OF HUMOR

Day five, of my hospital stay, began way too early when the technician came to draw blood.  As he was performing his duties, I said, “I have had so many needles stuck in me that when I drink water it squirts out the holes.”  He looked at me, with a dead-pan look, and left the room.  That poor man had no sense of humor.

How does someone function without a sense of humor?  If you have no sense of humor, how do you react when a child, with cookie crumbs all over their face, says, “I did not eat a cookie.”?  Such sweet innocence.  Such an out and out lie.  All of us with a sense of humor would be struggling not to laugh.

A no sense of humor person would be upset because a goose decided to land on the baseball field.  A person, with a sense of humor, would be laughing as a proper goose removal technique was being carried out.  How sad to be missing a sense of humor. 

That got me to thinking about how my life would be different if certain “things” were missing.  Not the obvious things like family and friends or things most of us take for take for granted like home, electricity, water.  I got to thinking about the invisible things.

Let’s start with an easy one everyone can relate to.  I cannot see the breeze blowing the leaves, but I can see the leaves moving.  A gentle breeze … invisible but it is present in our lives and can bring joy as we watch leaves swirling in the air.  That is only the beginning of invisible things.

I cannot see trust, but it impacts my life.  Have people I trusted let me down?  Of course, but I refuse to live my life based on the actions of a few.  Even when we are not there, three friends, numerous family members, and the guy who will come in an emergency to work on our furnace, water heater, or electric problem know how to get into our home.  And I trust God.

I cannot see hope, but it moves me forward through life.  I hope my family and friends will have happy, healthy lives.  I hope people will change their lives and find faith in God.  I hope our churches would be strong against the current culture and not hide.  Without hope, I would hear the news and fear tomorrow.  And I place my hope in God.

I cannot see forgiveness, but I can feel it.  It is as if a burden has been lifted from my shoulders.  It is as if my very soul shouts, “I will suffer no more from my sins.”  And I accept the forgiveness of God.

I cannot see all the ways I am protected.  I cannot see the times I did not fall or every time I was almost in a wreck.  I cannot see an angel stepping between that ole Satan and me.  I cannot see all the prayers being said for me.  And I call upon God’s protection.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1 KJV

I am so thankful for all the unseen things in my life. 

I am so thankful for a sense of humor, because I still think water squirting out all those needle holes is funny.

 MY MIND

Every so often I forget and make the comment, “Well, you know how my mind works.”  Why should I not make this comment?  The minute the words are out of my mouth anyone within ear shot replies, “No one knows how your mind works.” 

I have two pictures that might help you understand why this is a true assessment.

I will admit my mind does work in a unique way.  At my age, I still see cloud shapes.  Just this week I saw a dog!  I really tried to help hubby see the dog, but all he saw was a cloud.  He needs his imagination checked.

Going down the road, my mind wonders why someone would leave that tree in the middle of the field to farm around.  Or what are those black tarp-like things? (Found out they shade ginseng.)  Or how did they get that power line over the mountain?  Of course, all of these are directed to Bill.  He usually replies, “Do I look like the Shell Answer Man?”  (If you recognize “Shell Answer Man” you are approaching old.)  I can also see an abandoned house and picture the family that lived there.  When going through North Dakota, I saw an Indian Chief, proudly sitting on his horse, on a rock outcropping along the highway.  And, when I see a buffalo, I see how the west looked before the first stranger came over the horizon.

HYMNS AT CHURCH

Are you wondering what this has to do with church and hymns?  Well….. one Sunday, when I was Lay Leader, the congregation sang When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder, I’ll Be There.  Now that is a toe tapper.  Then, and this is where my imagination kicked in, the song during the offering was I’ll Fly Away.

I am sitting there trying not to giggle.  Or even laugh out loud.  The song ended and I said, “I have a very vivid imagination so when she started playing that, I thought, ‘Yup, when the roll is called up yonder I am going to fly away,’ so if ya all ain’t flying with me and I’m up here some Sunday, I’m just gonna disappear.”

I guess this leads to the question:  When the roll is called up yonder, will you fly away? 

 IT’S ALL ABOUT ME

You do know IT IS ALL ABOUT ME, don’t you?  When I say ALL, I mean ALL.  I am talking about the Bible.  The scriptures are all about me!  God wants me to know how to live and receive eternal life.  So you will know that IT’S ALL ABOUT ME!!, here are a few examples:

Whether I turn to the right or to the left, my ears will hear a voice behind me, saying, "This is the way; walk in it.   Isaiah 30:21

See, God is directing my path.  My path!

So then, just as I received Christ Jesus as Lord, I will continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as I was taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. 

 

See to it that no one takes me captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.   Colossians 2:6-7

I cannot help it is about me.  I received Jesus as my Lord and he strengthens my faith.  Now, I must admit that you are in this one.  The “See to it that no one takes me captive” part is where you come in.  You are responsible for me – a sister in Christ – and are to make sure I do not fall for false, misleading philosophy.  But it is still about me staying on the path.

No, in all these things I am more than a conqueror through him who loves me.  For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.   Romans 8:37-39

How amazing!  I will never be separated from the love of God.  Jesus made sure of that!

Satisfy me in the morning with your unfailing love, that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days.  Psalm 90:14

My morning will be satisfied by unfailing love (gee and I thought coffee was to be my morning go to)!  I kinda questioned the sing part, but if I have unfailing love of God, why wouldn’t little ole me, who cannot make a sound that could even come close to being described as singing, sing for joy and be glad all my days?  God wants me to have joy and be glad.  My goodness, He is so wonderful to me.

Have you figured out that this, so far, has been written tongue-in-cheek?  Yes, each verse is meant for me and each is to guide and strengthen my journey to eternal life.  The really, really, really amazing thing is that – Are you ready? – they were also written for you.

But, do you find yourself in the scriptures?  Do you know you have POWER?

For God did not give me a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.  ….. by the power of God, who has saved me and called me to a holy life -- not because of anything I have done but because of his own purpose and grace.  This grace was given me in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.    2 Timothy 1:7-9

Timothy was called.  The disciples were called.  Moses and Noah and Abraham were called.  They each were called to fulfill the plan God had for them.  God has also called you.  YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED BY GOD!!  YOU HAVE BEEN CALLED TO A HOLY LIFE.  This is all about you.

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen me with power through his Spirit in my inner being.  So that Christ may dwell in my heart through faith.  And I pray that I, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that I may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.   Ephesians 3:14-19

You might have the wrong impression that you are in your life and especially your trials all by yourself.  Au contraire (Don’t ya love to use phrases like that?) you are a Child of God.  Look again at the above scripture.  You have power through HIS Spirit.  You know…the one living inside you.  The Spirit that kicks in when you are headed down the wrong path and when you are praising God and when you make the right decision.  But that is not all!  You have HIS whole family in heaven and on earth.  It is a very large family and you are part of that family.  Besides that, you are together with all the saints.  Wow!  Saints.  Now if that doesn’t make you feel special you need to call me so we can talk.  You know how full you fill after those holiday meals?  That is nothing compared to being filled with the fullness of God. 

Yes, God so loved the world that He sent His Son.  He sent His Son for each of us.  For you.  For me.  This verse must be personalized.  Personalized so you know you shall not parish.  God created you.  It is personal. 

For God so loved me

that he gave his one and only Son,

that, because I believe in him,

I shall not perish

but I will have eternal life

John 3:16

 

 

 SO EXCITED TO MEET ---

How does it feel to meet someone really famous?  Or a very important person?  This question is how I was going to start a Sunday School lesson.  The lesson was based on how people fell at Jesus’ feet or instantly knelt, but the discussion starter was to show the difference of meeting today’s important or famous people and meeting Jesus.  The only famous person I have personally met is Matthew West and that was for a quick handshake and picture with him.  I needed some input from someone who had met an important person.

I was thinking about this as I waited for my Mary Kay representative, Marie Quick.  My mind was going one place and then another, trying to imagine being in the presence of an important person.  Besides, what makes a person important?  As my mind was meandering here and there, Marie dove in.  As she walked toward the porch, it hit me … I wonder how she felt when she was around Mary Kay, the founder of the company?  Did she meet her up close and personal?  And poor Marie, not knowing I was going to bombard her with questions, sat down, smiled, and said, “Good morning Mary.  It is so good to see you.”

I replied, “It is good to see you too.  Marie, will you answer some questions to help me prepare for a Sunday School class?”  Marie, having been in a previous class I taught, thought for a minute, scrunched her brow, and finally said a slow drown out, “Y…e…s.”  Bless her heart!

When was the first time you met Mary Kay?  How did you prepare?  How did it feel?

Marie:  I never met Mary Kay one on one.  Some representatives would make their way up to her and she always spoke to each person that approached her.  The first time I was in the same room with her was when I earned the right to attend the meeting because of sales and “moving up the Mary Kay ladder.”  I spent extra time getting ready.  Of course, I wanted my make-up to be perfect and my red jacket immaculate.

I was nervous and excited and overwhelmed and blessed.  She founded the company on the same principles I have:  God first, Family second and Country third.  I can still see it in my mind.  Although I had travelled with friends, they had not worked at sales long enough or hard enough to be invited to this special meeting.  Some did not want to take the path up the company ladder. 

It did not take long for those at the table to start sharing their stories, struggles, and hints.  What an evening and I will never forget looking across the room and seeing representatives from across the country wearing their red jackets and being very professional.

What has been the hardest part? What have you received from being a Mary Kay?

Marie:  The hardest part is reaching out to people I do not know.  I have moved numerous times and know how to talk to people, but it is still hard to try to sell something to a woman or man, now that we carry products for men.  Make-up and skin care is very personal and it can take a few visits for anyone to feel comfortable with me.

What have I received?  That is easy!  I help women feel better about themselves by learning skin care and proper make-up application. 

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People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.  Luke 13:29

Are you prepared to attend the “feast in the kingdom of God”?

Have you helped others find their way to the feast?

How will you feel as you glance back at family and friends who chose a different path?

As you arrive, will you be nervous, excited, overwhelmed, … blessed?

 EVEN THE CRICKETS ARE QUIET

It is 4:21 ..  AM..  and I am awake.  I was asleep but my Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) kicked in.  Bless its heart!  I was asleep.  Now I am awake.  And even the crickets are quiet.  That is okay because I have news.

CALL ME JOB UPDATE — June 24, 2022 blog

June

• The specialist implanted a screw in my jaw

July

• Surgery to remove the tumor
• Tests on the tumor showed clean edges
• Surgery to test the lymph nodes was scheduled

August

• Surgery to remove lymph node
• Tests on lymph node negative

September

• New air conditioner
• Garage door spring broke
• Cancer team decision was that I would not need chemo or radiation
• I started on an anti-estrogen pill and can announce:

MATILDA HAS LEFT MY BODY

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I named that little tumor Matilda.  Why Matilda? I don’t know.  The name just popped into my head.  It is great to know Matilda is gone, but the word cancer changes your life.  Matilda has left but while she was here, she created months of worry and unending waiting.  Matilda is gone, but we are changed.

We realize, once again, that life is fragile and valuable.  We know that stress is exhausting and even one day of waiting feels like an eternity.  We researched to help understand words we did not want to hear and to be an advocate for our decisions.  At each visit, surgery, and receiving test results, we hoped for the best, but were prepared for the worst.  We are thankful for doctors and nurses who are compassionate and skilled.  The most important thing we did was asking for and accepting the prayers of family, friends, and strangers.  We felt those prayers as we worked to evict Matilda.

So many hear words that change lives: Diabetes, Stroke, Diseases of the Heart, Respiratory, Kidney, Spine, and Liver, Alzheimer’s, Cancer, and way too many others to list.  Each of our journeys is different.  Some seem fairly easy and some have been long and hard.  But for each, a life was changed.  But sometimes, yes, sometimes we hear those wonderful words: Matilda has left your body.

It is now 5:36 AM and the crickets are awake.  My leg has settled down.  The alarm will go off shortly.  I should have told Matilda to take the RLS with her.  Hindsight is always perfect.

 DO YOU SEE ME?  I AM HERE!

Sometimes I think I am invisible.  I thought this was my time with my dad.  I am sitting right here, but your eyes are not looking at me.  I am here, but no words are being exchanged.  I want to shout, “DO YOU SEE ME?”

Sometimes I think I am invisible.  I wash your jeans, your shirts – your underwear for goodness sakes.  I fixed a really good meal – your favorite.  I made sure everything was ready for all of you before I left for work.  I want to shout, “DO YOU SEE ME?”

Sometimes I think I am invisible.  Do you see how hard I work?  Do you see that I fixed the swing and was there for your game?  I want to shout, “DO YOU SEE ME?”

Sometimes I think I am invisible.  Yes you came, but you did not see me _____. (Fill in the blank with get a touchdown, do my solo, or any activity your child is in.)  You asked about my day and I tried to tell you, but your phone rang.  I want to shout, “DO YOU SEE ME?

Sometimes I think I am invisible.  This was to be a date – a time of questions and answers.  Quiet conversations and a chance for love to grow.  Instead, I want to shout, “DO YOU SEE ME?”

Sometimes we think we are invisible.  We came into the restaurant together – the six of us.  Our two grandchildren immediately took out their phones.  Their parents were talking on their phones all the way here.  They are still talking or checking messages or on Snapchat.  And we quietly sit here.  We want to shout, “DO YOU SEE US?”

How sad that the people we are with are invisible.  They are present, but not important enough:

• to have an actual conversation with them.
• to share a laugh.
• to give flirty glances.
• to hold hands.
• to listen as they tell about their day.
• to hear “when I was young” stories.

I love to people watch and have watched as these stories played out over and over and over.  And I want to shout, “PUT DOWN YOUR PHONE!”

How my heart hurt for the little girl who waited for her father to see her.  She silently ate her meal and he never got off the phone.

Parents – mothers and fathers – can feel invisible.  They work at a job and at home, but it is just expected and goes unnoticed when video games and phones and social media consume the kids. 

The kids also feel invisible.  They want to be heard and feel loved, but too often fears and emotions remain private as business calls or calls about a shopping trip or an alert take priority over them.  Families ignore each other as they come and go but they never get off the phone.  There are constant notifications to check, work calls, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the winning homerun was missed because someone somewhere posted a cute dog video.

Couples -- those getting to know each other and those that are getting out of the house for a date night – make time to be together and then constantly check their phone.

Grandparents – sadly sit quietly while everyone talks to a friend they have never met or watch a video of the latest prank.  They wonder if there would be a response if they texted their kids and grandkids.

This phone addiction (Yes, addiction.) has gotten out of hand.  All ages are more concerned about what might be going on in cyberspace instead of what is going on right in front of them.  Our children hear “hold on just a minute” when they try to talk to their parents.  Parents hear “the video game is almost over” when they try to get everyone to the table.  Spouses no longer listen to how the day went and grandparents learn how to text.

People watching is fun.  Look around.  Really look.  What do you see?  Do you see people who want to shout, “DO YOU SEE ME?”

 

 ROAD TRIP

Last week I went on a road trip!!!  I met up with my sister and we spent a couple of days catching up.  Venting.  Laughing.  Eating.  Drinking wine.  Putting our feet up.  Eating.  Driving around.  Shopping.  Cemeteries.

Most things on this list worked out pretty good.  A couple of things did not.

EATING – We tried (get the tried) to eat lunch at an Olive Garden in Richmond, Indiana.  As we waited to be seated, a number of employees walked by us.  They never spoke.  Then another employee, in a very grouch tone, said, “I’ll be with you in a minute.”  My sister and I looked at each other, nodded our heads, and walked out the door.  We went to Applebee’s.

I hope you remember that I hate snakes!  We were seated, the waitress came to our table, and she asked what we would like to drink.  It was then that I saw her tattoo --- a snake.  The tattoo went from her wrist to her elbow.  I could see it as she stood there.  I could see it when she took our order and when she brought our food.  I could see it .. Yes, I am a single mom.  How old is your daughter?  I have a picture.  Ahhh.. how cute.  I am getting married soon and we are buying a big old house.  We want lots of rooms.  It sounds like you want more children.  We do, but we want to foster children.  I was a foster kid and I want to help other kids. 

And then it happened.  I no longer saw the snake.  I saw a young lady who has a dream.  A dream to raise her daughter, marry a man who shares her values and goals, and help children through difficult times.  Right in front of me stood hope for the future.

As we were leaving, I complimented a woman on her bright yellow hat.  She thanked me and then told me where she bought it and how it made her fee.  I love to hear people’s stories. 

SHOPPING – I am not a big shopper, but we had seen a couple of stores we wanted to find.  One was a book store and one was named Two Sisters.  We could not find either of them.  I had the address.  I had my iPad map that said they were right where we were parked.  But they were not!  No books!  No Two Sisters!  Richmond needs to make their stores easier to find.  We did find an antique store…in a neighboring town. 

CEMETERIES – Although not as excited as I am, Margaret does accommodate my desire to go to cemeteries.  We explored two.  One had a unique tombstone (let’s just say they were dressed exactly as they were when they came into this world) and one was so peaceful the deer were wondering around.  One stone said “Howdy folks this is your old friend Singin Sam” and one reminded us that “death is only a shadow across the path to heaven.” 

THE TRIP HOME – Sadly, our visit was over and she headed south and I headed north.  Or at least I tried to.  We are in the fifth season in Indiana:  CONSTRUCTION!  I was either trying to go around the construction area or through it.  I turned on roads that sorta headed in the right direction and quickly found out I had managed to find … drum roll … more construction.  I went through small towns and really small towns.  I enjoyed every back road I took and hubby was thrilled that not one of those back roads was gravel.

WHAT I LEARNED ON THIS ROAD TRIP –

• Family is important!  So many families are separated by a disagreement that happened 10, 20, or 30 years ago.  How sad. 
• Community is important!  I drove through Hagerstown and they were preparing to celebrate their Little League Team.  Signs, balloons, and posters were everywhere.  And their team only won one game.  It didn’t matter.  Those boys were part of their town.  They were part of the community.  They were going to be a part of a parade that afternoon.
• Time is important!  Time to enjoy family.  Time to travel backroads.  Time – a gift not to be wasted.

I love to travel!  It doesn’t matter if it is to the Rocky Mountains or a small town in my home state.  I love to travel!  I see homes and farms and towns.  I see life.  And when I go home, I have new memories.  And I get the opportunity to meet a young lady, with a snake tattoo, who shared her story with me.

 

I TALK, GOD LISTENS

“Hello Mary.”

Well, hello God.  Do you like the title of my blog?

“It is okay, but you need a second part on there.”

A second part?  Why?  I do talk.  You do listen.  What else needs to be said?

“A better title would be: I TALK, GOD LISTENS - GOD TALKS, MARY DOESN’T LISTEN”

Hey, I …

“Better stop and think about the rest of that sentence before you complete it.  Plus, if we look back at some other blogs, I think we have had this conversation before.”

I do to listen.  It is just that you do not answer me right away.  And sometimes you are very hard to hear.  Do you whisper on purpose?  

“Would you like me to shout?”

Wow.  You would do that?  I could hear you if you shouted.  Now we are getting somewhere.

“Let’s think about this a minute…

My minute or your minute?

“Have you forgotten the GOD SPEAKS, MARY IS SUPPOSED TO LISTEN part?  Sometimes I do shout, but you cannot hear me over all the noise around you.  That is why there are so many ways to hear my voice.”

(A big sigh.) I know you answer my prayers and I need to do a few things to hear the answers.

“Go on.”

I need to be patient.  Patience allows me to work through my trials and come out on the other side wiser.  Funny how that works.  Trials seem so horrible - and they are - but each one has taught me something and I know you are there to help me through them.

“Aren’t ‘we’ and ‘through’ such wonderful words?  They mean you are not alone and you will get through them.  What else do you have to do to hear my voice?”

I need to wait.  Wait ranks right up there in difficulty with patience.  I am to wait.  Waiting is hard.  I want to move forward.  Do something.  Take action.  But, sometimes what you want is for me to be still and wait. 

“Right.  If you just rush to the next thing or take action without waiting for direction, you will head down the wrong path.  I have such great plans for each of my children, but sometimes they forget to pray and wait.  And then guess who they blame when ‘their’ plan didn’t work: ME.”

How do I find the answer and the direction I am to take?

“My child — when you have patience, wait, pray, and listen, you will hear my answer.  It might come through a verse in the Bible.  It might come from a sermon.  It might come from a friend.  Or even a stranger.  But you are forgetting your secret weapon.”

I have a secret weapon?  Oh..  wait..  I know!  The Holy Spirit!

“Give that girl a prize.  When you are searching and listening and praying and waiting and having patience, the Holy Spirit will guide you.  The Holy Spirit will direct you.”

Are you sure?

“Look it up.  There are a few scriptures on the subject.”

Okay.  I will be right back.

“I will check in later.”

< <  <    >  >  >

(Jesus speaking)  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth.  But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.  John 14:16, 26

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Acts 2:38

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.  Romans 8:26

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of salvation.  When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit.  Ephesians 1:13

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.  2 Timothy 1:7

“Mary are you still looking up scriptures on the Holy Spirit?”

Yes.  The Holy Spirit is a powerful weapon against lies and sin and gives us directions, but it is not a secret weapon.  There are a whole lot of verses on the Holy Spirit!!  I did find the perfect one to close the blog.

“You certainly did.  Maybe you do listen.”

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  2 Corinthians 13:14

 FEAR

Our daughter’s family has been devastated by the sudden death of Ann, a mother, a mother-in-law and a grandmother.  It happened on a Sunday two weeks ago.  But that Sunday is where this blog on fear began.

The family business is an antique store and they were having their annual yard sale.  (This is a very big deal.) We got a call early saying Ann had been taken to the hospital.  We got another call saying her husband, Ann's son, had been called to come to the hospital and they were on the way.  The next call was to ask if I would go to the house because they didn’t want their youngest son to be there by himself.  18 year old Tim had put on his “I am okay” face and had stayed to work in the store.  He worked until 4:00 and then came into the house.  He was worried and glad I was there.

As we waited, we began to talk.  This very compassionate young man asked me about my last surgery.  I assured him that the lymph node report had come back negative for cancer.  It was then that Tim asked the question.  Looking me in the eyes, he said, “Is this the type of breast cancer that will pass to my mother?”  FEAR!!  And this fear had been inside him since June.

I quickly told him that was one of the first questions we had asked the doctor.  There is no way to guarantee that his mother would never get cancer, but my cancer is NOT a genetic cancer and would not be passed to his mother.  He asked another question and continued to ask questions as I started with the original mammogram and ended with the lymph node report.  And it was only then that the fear for his mother went away.

His fear went away because the fear came out of the dark of his worry and was brought into the light of truth and understanding.  Isn’t that the same for us — no matter how old or young we are?  Fear grows as it is kept in the dark.  Fear gets stronger when we hid it.  Fear.  Fear.

FEAR -- but the scriptures have always told us we are not to fear. 

Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.  Joshua 1:9

I sought the LORD, and He heard me,

And delivered me from all my fears.

Psalms 34:4

For I, the LORD your God, will hold your right hand,

Saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’

Isaiah 41:13

Facing our fears and bringing those fears into the light does not mean our trials just magically go away. Instead, facing our fears and bringing those fears into the light of God’s truth and wisdom means we can be strong and have courage because God is with us.  When we seek the LORD, He will hear us, hold our right hand, and deliver us from our fears. 

I like Philippians 4:6-7 from The Message:

Don’t fret or worry.  Instead of worrying, pray.  Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns.  Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down.  It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Do not hide your fear.  As a song says:  Have a Little Talk With Jesus.  And when you have this talk, His truth and wisdom will deliver you from your fear.

PS – BUT YOU HAVE TO LET THE FEAR GO WHEN YOU LEARN THE TRUTH AND GAIN WISDOM FROM THAT TRUTH.  IT DOES ABSOLUTELY NO GOOD TO HAVE THAT TALK WITH JESUS AND THEN TAKE YOUR FEAR BACK.

THEY KNOW BEST

LIFE ADVICE FROM SPAM EMAIL

Instead of just deleting the spam mail, I scanned the list and was totally surprised how many things I am missing out on.  Apparently, many people know what I need.

There must be someone looking in my windows because they believe I ---

• Am old
• Definitely need to go on a diet
• Need a whole lot of pain medication for my joints
• Have blurry vision
• Could improve my love life

Okay, I am older and … we will stop there.

When I continue to scan (NOT OPEN!!) those spam emails, I am missing out on ---

• New windows
• An absolutely astonishing drone
• A new shower
• A Stanley tool set
• A $500 gift card from Shell
• CBD gummies

Also, Jake, from State Farm, and PayPal would like to have a conversation with me.  Wow.  A conversation with Jake -- I would be so honored.  The spam from a “font no one can read” must really contain life changing advice.  They send numerous emails.  Thank goodness for a spam filter.  There are so many people willing to tell me how to improve my life and what I need to possess to enjoy my life.

I DIDN’T KNOW

The night before the cruise, we stayed at a hotel in Miami.  Sitting around the pool, we noticed a number of Iguanas going here and there.  They were fun to watch and I loved it when one stood on its back legs and ran.  The people around the pool were feeding the Iguanas pieces of fruit.  They were enjoying every bite.  All you had to do was put a piece of pineapple on the ground and one would grab it.  Now, for a girl from the land of corn and beans, Iguanas were a change from watching corn grow.

We thought about going back to the pool, oh say, around midnight.  We wondered how the Iguanas were feeling.  Why would we wonder?  The fruit they had been eating all day – was from those fancy fruit drinks made with rum, whiskey, and vodka.  We wondered if the Iguanas were drunk.  But – if they were, they could always point out, “I didn’t know there was alcohol in the fruit.  I just thought those people were being nice.”

THE TAKE-AWAY

I do have to be careful where I get advice and who I listen to.

Opening one of those emails could mean my life would change.  And it would!!  My life would become focused on canceling every credit card, changing my email address, and my computer would blow up with even more spam. 

Not being aware or blindly trusting those around me might change my life too.  Those around me can lead me in a wrong direction without me even realizing it.  Then I would be like the Iguanas and say, “I didn’t know.”

WHAT AM I TO DO?  WHAT AM I TO DO?

The first thing is to NOT open those spam emails.  I cannot let curiosity get the better of me.  No matter how fun it would be to have a really cool, new technology, easy to use drone or be tempted by a $500 gift card for gas.  I mean gas is so high… No!  I will not fall for that one either. 

The second thing is to make sure people I associate with have my back.  I need to know I can trust my friends.  My friends would not give me fruit from that rum drink without my knowledge.  Nope.  My friends would give me the whole drink.  My friends would not put me into a situation where the outcome required me to say, “I didn’t know.”

TAKE-AWAY TWO

This applies to you also.  Have wisdom when you are online and do not open those emails.  They can be a big temptation!  Learn a lesson from Eve – Do not be tempted by a sneaky Satan in the form of an apple called spam.

Enjoy your friends.  Friends are so valuable!  Definitely make our lives better.  But sneaky Satan can come disguised as a stranger sitting around the pool, being friendly, as they feed you spiked fruit or as someone you call friend who thinks you should join in their questionable activities.

THE POWER OF THE POINTED FINGER

Three weeks ago I wrote on the power of words.  This week it is the finger that has power.  Now.  Now.  NOT that finger.  This finger:

The ever present pointing finger.  A finger, in this position, has been around a very long time.  It started in a garden.

The man said, “The woman you put here with me –

she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.”

The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

The power of finger pointing continued. 

“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered.

“You know how prone these people are to evil.

They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. ……

 Then they gave me the gold and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”

Aaron not only pointed his finger at everyone else, he said the calf just came out of the gold tossed into the fire. 

But sometimes, the finger is pointed by someone and is aimed at you.

Now Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came to him.

 

“You also were with Jesus of Galilee,” she said.

With an accusing finger pointed at him, Peter answered,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Yes, finger pointing has been around since that apple was plucked from the tree.  

THE COMBINED POWER OF THE POINTED FINGER AND WORDS

 When combined with words, the pointed finger has the power to damage the soul --

It is your fault.

If you had only done a better job.

You are no good.

AND THIS DAMAGE STAYS IN THE SOUL FOREVER!

When combined with words, the pointed finger has the power to bring joy to the soul --

You have a beautiful smile.

What a great job you did.

You are so kind.

AND THIS JOY STAYS IN THE SOUL FOREVER!

THE COMBINED POWER OF THE POINTED FINGER AND WORDS

The question is:  Will your words and pointed finger be used to damage a soul or to bring joy to a soul?