Advent is the arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.

The Christian Advent season is the four Sundays preceding Christmas and either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.  The advent wreath has four or five candles.  There are three purple candles and one pink candle on the wreath and some include a white candle in the middle.

                                    -----------------------C A N D L E-----------------------

ADVENT                    COLOR           NAME                        REPRESENTS

1st Sunday                  Purple              Prophecy                     Hope

2nd Sunday                 Purple              Bethlehem                   Love

3rd Sunday                  Pink                 Shepherd’s                  Joy

4th Sunday                  Purple              Angel’s                       Peace

Christmas Eve or

  Christmas Day          White              Christ                          Purity

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD –

and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears;

but with righteousness he will judge the needy,

with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.

He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;

with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.

Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

Isaiah 11:1-5

Isaiah’s words gave his people HOPE.

I do not have to cross my fingers or daydream or wish.  Instead I have confidence!  I know the words of Isaiah are true and give me hope.  This Branch (Jesus) is my hope.  He is wise and has understanding.  He is powerful and has knowledge.  He is righteous and faithful.  And the Spirit of the LORD rests on Him.

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.

Psalm 62:5

Find rest  --  God alone  --  Hope from Him!  I don’t know about you, but I need the gift of hope, because I have no idea how today is going to end or how tomorrow is going to begin. 

I don’t know about you, but I need the gift of hope.  Without hope, I would just stay in bed and hide under the covers.

THANKSGIVING

6 DAYS TILL THANKSGIVING!  No way…it has to be more than that.  It … oh my, THANKSGIVING IS IN SIX DAYS!

THANKSGIVING – DID YOU KNOW?

No pumpkin pie – delay Thanksgiving:  In 1705, Colchester, Connecticut postponed Thanksgiving, for a week, until enough molasses could be found to make pumpkin pies.

Jingle Bells – wrong holiday:  We consider Jingle Bells a Christmas song.  Au contraire!  One Horse Open Sleigh, composed by Jame Pierpont in 1875, was originally a Thanksgiving song.

Touchdown:  Thanksgiving Day football is not a recent happening.  If you purchased your train ticket soon enough, you might have attended the game between Princeton and Yale which started this tradition in 1876.  This tradition quickly spread to high schools and colleges. 

Dinner is over, let’s shop:  The economy has long been a consideration when setting the date for Thanksgiving.  In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed Thanksgiving would be moved one week earlier to lengthen the Christmas shopping season.  Many states did not comply, so a second proclamation, in 1942, declared the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day.

Leftovers:  In 1954, an employee of Swanson & Sons made a slight miscalculation, which resulted in 260 tons of extra frozen food.  A salesman, always on the lookout for a way to increase his commission, suggested food on an aluminum tray.  An assembly line was formed and 5,000 trays were filled and marketed as TV Tray Dinners.  Are you ready?  They sold 10 million turkey TV tray dinners in their first full year of production. 

Set free:  A couple of Presidents could not resist the pleadings of their children and released the turkey presented to the White House.  George H. W. Bush was the first President to officially pardon a turkey.  In 1989, he announced, “The turkey has been granted a presidential pardon as of right now.”  Never fear.  The First Family does not go hungry.  Two turkeys are sent to the White House and the second one is invited inside to get warm.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is like all holidays.  It is a combination of history, traditions, and memories.  Above all, Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks.  Or maybe, just maybe, every day is a Thanks  Giving  day!

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.

Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the LORD is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with THANKSGIVING and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

For the LORD is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100

CUSTOMER SERVICE?  NOT!!

I have an old flip phone and it is usually in my purse – turned off.  I do not see the need to be connected 24/7.  Plus, we still have a land line.  I also have an iPad and I use it – a lot.  I have the Bible app and use that to prepare Sunday School lessons, access numerous versions quickly, and search for scriptures.  I read books on the Kindle app.  I use the map to find all those amazing back roads.  I take pictures.  I keep in touch through Facebook and Instagram.  Okay – Okay.  I play games on it.  My phone can stay in my purse, but my iPad ---

I have had two iPads.  Hubby uses my first one to send messages, check the weather, and listen to YouTube.  It will no longer update.  My current iPad, purchased in July of 2015, is developing issues so I decided to splurge and purchase a new one.

I called the Apple store – which is two hours, one way, from my home– to set up an appointment to buy a new iPad and get help to quickly set it up. 

“I am sorry we do not make appointments for purchases.”  You mean I have to drive two hours and it is first come first serve?  I thought that is why you made appointments.  “We do not make appointments for purchases.”  I told her I was going to hang up.

I contacted Apple Support and waited to be connected with the right department.  “I am sorry you were not helped and I will set you up an appointment.  They should be able to make sure it is set up correctly.”  Wait – did you say should?  “We never know how busy a store is going to be.”  Let me get this straight.  I am to drive two hours to an Apple Store, which makes appointments for repairs and even on how to use a device, to purchase a Pro iPad plus accessories and they should be able to help me.  So if they are really busy, they will sell me a device and then show me the door?  “I can make you an appointment and they should be able to help you, but we never know… and you can always call the help line.”  Honestly, I was polite through this whole conversation.  I then told the lady I was not going to drive two hours for a “should.”  I told her I was going to hang up.

I called Best Buy and they were very helpful.  As soon as I finish writing this, I will open my new iPad and, if I have any trouble, the nice man at Best Buy told me to call him. 

My husband’s dad managed a hardware store.  I wish I had met him, because I believe he was a wise man.  He said, “I am not doing the customer a favor by having the door open.  They are doing me a favor by coming in.”  That is customer service.  Apple has gotten so big they no longer care about the service part.  Best Buy has not forgotten the service part. 

This all got me to thinking?  When I need something, where do I get the best service?

EASY ANSWER:  From my God.  God is sooooo in the service business.  His store is stocked with every conceivable thing I might ever need.

“Good Morning, Mary.  What may I help you with?  Oh by the way, I was very proud of you yesterday.”

When?

“I was listening when you were talking with Apple and you actually stayed calm.  An Apple seems to cause humans to…  Back to you.  You must have remembered Proverbs 15:18.”

Oh, sure.. No I didn’t but I did stay calm.  Did you have something to do with that?

“At your service.  Calm can be found third shelf on the right.  You received calm before you even asked for it.  That was yesterday, what are you in need of today?”

I need…

“Of course you do.  I have this all ready for you.”

How did you…?  You know I often forget .. I make mistakes ..  I say …

“Now, now, my child.  My love for you, unlike your flip phone, is 24/7/365/lifetime!  Now see if I included everything you need.”

But there is so much and I only came to ask for one thing.  And you have given me mercy, grace, peace, compassion, wisdom, forgiveness, ---

“Keep digging.”

Of course.  I should have known.  This is exactly ….  Now I can ..  How can I ever …  How can I ever thank you?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME

Yesterday was my birthday!  I love birthdays!  Birthdays mean I made it another year.  Birthdays mean I am special!  I am unique!  One of a kind!

And to that last one, many people say, “AMEN!”

As a kid, I got to pick what we had for supper.  I usually picked mom’s Swiss steak, cooked in gravy, and mashed potatoes.  It also meant waiting till my dad got home to open presents.  Dad was a trucker and he did try to make it home for our birthdays.  It might be selective memory, but I think he always made it.  (If one of my sisters reads this, do not tell me any different!  This is my memory and I want to keep it!)  Birthday presents consisted of one toy, a dress mom made, and a few small gifts.  Of course, a cake!

Then along came our children.  I would buy a paper table cloth (Remember those?  They we very inexpensive, especially if you could find one in the sale cart.), cut it up, and decorate the house.  The kids never knew what to expect.  One year, we took yarn and strung it through the whole house.  At intervals, we would put a gift.  Willie thought it was fun until he realized two people could string yarn where one person had trouble winding it back up.  (Getting it under and wrapped around the bed was a challenge.)  The next year was easier:  a scavenger hunt.  Once, Terri wanted to play Let’s Make a Deal for her birthday.  Which door would she pick?  Door 1, door 2 or door 3?  Would she keep that gift or trade for another?  Then there was the year she wanted one gift for each year, which required 12 gifts.  She did not see the humor in socks wrapped individually instead of in a pair.  Willie encountered a car full of balloons one year.  Ever tried to fill a car with balloons without them blowing out?  Darn that was fun!  And all the while, my reserved hubby would shake his head and wonder exactly how my mind came up with all this stuff.

Now?  Birthdays are a bit quieter.  Even the grandkids have outgrown crazy birthdays.  No more yarn.  No more guessing which door the best gift was hidden behind.  No more balloons in cars.  Sadly, no paper tablecloths cut apart and taped everywhere.  BUT, each birthday is still special!

Why?  Each birthday is a reminder that God is not done with me yet.  He has a world for me to enjoy.  God has doors for me to open.  He has gifts for me to find.  He wants me to pop those birthday balloons.

When your birthday comes around, remember –

You are special!

You are unique!

You are one of a kind!

and

GOD IS NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!

LIFE – INVOLVED or WATCHING?

I began the book, The Little Paris Bookshop:  A Novel, by Nina George, and quickly came across this passage:

I am about half way through the book, but my mind keeps going back to this quote.  The picture in my mind is of a person, shoulders drooping, head bent down, but their eyes are watching ---the eyes are watching others live.

The main character lost his true love.  She walked out of his life and then he received her letter…a letter he refused to read.  Instead, he “stayed in the background, a small figure in a painting, while life was played out in the foreground.”

And I want to shout at the man, “LIFE SUCKS SOMETIMES!  Read the letter instead of hiding it in a drawer.  For goodness sake, that unread letter might be hidden from your eyes, but it is a ball and chain keeping you from life.”

But then, the word “fear” entered the story.  Fear? 

“…for a chance to go back to the moment he’d decided not to read the letter. ……. Shame on you, Jean Perdu.  Shame on you for choosing fear. …. Never listen to fear!  Fear makes you stupid.”

Fear makes you miss adventures, joy, the wonders around you, love --- fear makes you miss life.  Fear makes you stay in the background.

AND THEN –

“It was as if he passed through a gate of fear and had realized to his surprise that behind it lay not a gaping chasm, but other doors, bright hallways and inviting rooms. 

Ah, now I see a person standing tall, head raised, and taking a step toward the bright hallways and inviting rooms.

“I’m scared!”  “Remember the feeling….it’ll be good to know how the fear feels and to go ahead and dance all the same.”

This leads to two questions:  Are you involved in life or watching from the background?  Is fear keeping you from life? 

I WONDER

• I wonder how the first person came up with tires. 
• I wonder who looked at a marshmallow, candy bar, and graham cracker and thought, “How would this taste if I put the marshmallow on a stick, held it over a fire, toasted it, and then stacked them all together?”
• I wonder who was hungry enough to take an egg, crack it, and decide it needed to be cooked before eating.
• I wonder why items were named car or ball or telephone or marbles.
• I wonder who mixed together the right ingredients to make my life better, when they invented bubbles.

Yup, I wonder a lot.  Life fascinates me.  I look around and I think:

• “Why is that single leaf still hanging on the tree?”
• “Why does mud feel so good when it squishes between my toes?”
• “How can silence be so peaceful sometimes and so brutal at other times?”
• “Why did God…”

And when I think these things out loud, my poor hubby answers, “How am I supposed to know?”

So many questions in our lives.  Some can be answered. 

• I am sure a botanist could easily explain why the last leaf is still there and shake their head wondering why I don’t understand such a simple theory. 
• Most children would look at me, with a how-dumb-are-you-stare, and say, “Because it is mud.”  And that would be the correct answer. 
• A new mother would tell me that silence is a gift after trying to comfort a crying baby.  A prisoner would tell me that silence is torture, because then they hear their thoughts and their memories and the silence confirms their bad choices.

Some cannot be answered.  Why did God…?

I ask God that question a lot.  “God, why ????”  It is okay to ask God questions.  I have even been mad at God.  That is okay too.  He is a really big God and can handle my questions and my anger, along with all my joys and praises.  I love praising God.  I love the joys.  I am calm after God takes my anger.  But, I wonder why He doesn’t answer my questions.

Am I to figure it out?  Am I to search for the answer?  Am I to read His Word and discover the answer?  Sometimes, I do figure it out.  Sometimes, I search and find the answer.  Sometimes, I read His Word and discover the answer.  But other times, I want to shout:

“GOD, WHY WON’T YOU ANSWER MY QUESTIONS?”

And at those times, I have to trust ….As the song, Trust and Obey, written by John H. Sammis in 1887, says: 

Trust and obey, for there’s no other way

Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear, Can abide while we trust and obey.

CHOSEN

Our Sunday School class has started a new study.  The class members suggest a Bible story or Bible verses to discuss.  The object is to look at these verses, “see” the people, look at what was happening, discuss how and why the person reacted as they did, and understand the story or the verses better.

One suggestion was the chapters in Matthew and Luke which tell of the birth of Jesus.  And we began with Zechariah.  Last Sunday we talked about Mary.  Toward the end of the discussion, I pointed out that each person, we would be discussing, was chosen for a specific reason.  Their lives intertwined as they walked, with faith and obedience, on the path God chose for them.

Then my mind went, “Oh that applies to us too.  We are to walk on God’s path and our lives intertwine with and influence others.”  I drew something like this:

My goodness!  Just like Zechariah and Mary, those in class were right there on the path God had prepared for them.  Well…except for Mary (The Mary that writes this blog.).  Seems like I took a detour.  Made a path of my own.

A question was asked:  Do you get a chance to get back on the path?

Answer:  A chance?  More than that.  God gave me a second chance.  Then a third chance.  Eventually, God got out the 2 X 4 with my name on it, whacked me over the head, and I finally got it.  Now I am on God’s path.  I am where I belong.

But what about the time I was not where I belonged?  What happened during that time?  What happened?  I grieved God.  (Oh, how I hate to use that phrase.  How it broke my heart the first time I read Ephesians 4:30 and felt the words do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God.) 

During the time I was on my path – was there one person I let down?  Was there someone I was to help?  Or just listen to?  Was I supposed to pray for someone?  Was there a child I was to help?  Did I not call someone?  Did someone suffer because I was off doing my thing instead of God’s?  Was there an angel ready to give me a message – a job -- an assignment – and I missed it? 

As I look at Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, the shepherd’s, Simeon, Anna, the wise men, and John the Baptist, I realize each was chosen, each was obedient, and each faithfully followed the path God had planned for them.

NEWS FLASH

GOD HAS CHOSEN YOU TOO! ! !

ARE YOU ON HIS PATH?  OR YOURS?

GOOGLE

Say the word google.  Sounds silly doesn’t it?  Google might sound silly but it has power.

When you google, you have absolutely unending amounts of information.  Search cell phones and you can pick one of 247,000,000 results.  That is million!  What about some other searches?

Love              624,000,000

Beach            587,000,000

Family           581,000,000

Education      574,000,000

Christian       411,000,000

Football         187,000,000

God               173,000,000

Dogs              169,000,000

Jesus              153,000,000

Peace             149,000,000

Hate              130,000,000

Satan               60,700,000

I wonder how many people look at 624 million links to love.  Or 187 million links to football.  Or 60.7 million links to Satan.  It was good to see that God and Jesus ranked above Satan, but a bit scary that they ranked below the beach and football.

Where is this going?  Not sure.  It started because I was googling information on hands.  That was going to be this week’s blog.  Then I saw that there were 155 million results.  How does all that get entered?  Where do 155 million results even come from? 

The word concordance is not a silly sounding word like google, but it serves the same purpose.  The NIV concordance has 35 listings for hands.  There are 159 for various forms of the word believe.  Enough examples!

Where is this going?  Not sure.  It is just one of those blogs that starts and meanders its way across the page.  (Wow, that is quite the descriptive sentence.  Way to go Mary.)  Where it lands is up to you.

But remember – when you search for an answer by using google, you have to sort the truth from the where did you ever come up with that. 

When you search the Bible?  No sorting!  IT IS ALL TRUE!

We were getting ready to leave on a vacation and I scheduled my blog for the wrong week.  Oops.  So, one week later than planned......

Looking back is fun and while looking back, I rediscovered this one, posted November 6, 2009.   True then.   True now.   I left the ages the same, but, in 2019, two of the ages have increased to 73 and 21.

ONCE UPON A TIME

TODAY'S SCRIPTURES:

All glorious is the princess within her chamber; her gown is interwoven with gold.   Psalm 45:13

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but through the washings of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.   Titus 3:4-7

ONCE UPON A TIME

Once upon a time - That phrase just kept coming into my mind.  Once upon a time - The way fairy tales begin.  Once upon a time - The way the grandkids and I begin a story that ends up being about them.  Once upon a time -

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, a baby girl is born.  This baby had an older brother and sister.  Her father was a truck driver and her mother was a stay-at-home mom.  When she was five, she became a big sister to a little baby girl.  This fair princess loved to read, hit a baseball and go swimming.  But she did not like to iron or work in the garden.  Day by day, the princess went through life until one day a handsome stranger ordered a malt at the drive-in where she worked.  The handsome stranger said, "Let me take you away from all of this."  The princess looked at the handsome stranger, realized he was a prince in disguise, and said, "Yes."  And they are living happily today.

Once upon a time, in a land very close by, a princess, a bit past her prime, was not feeling very good.  Her stomach did not like it when she ate those greasy fries or chili that was anywhere above mild on the heat scale.  What was the princess to do?  She really did like chili.  The princess called upon the royal doctor and the doctor quickly said, "You are having gallbladder attacks.  You need surgery.  But never fear this is a simple procedure."  The prince, leaving the truck in the royal garage, drove the royal car to the hospital and made sure the princess was on time for her surgery.  All of the doctors and nurses bowed and the princess put on a designer hospital gown of gold.  As the princess was given that last bit of "go to sleep now" juice, the doctors put on their royal blue surgical gowns and surgery began.  But, alas, it seems the instructions for this to be a simple procedure had been misplaced.  The princess died on the table.  But remember, this is a fairy tale.  The princess survived and is living happily today.

Once upon a time, in a land extremely close by, a princess said, "Wow, I get to celebrate two birthdays every year.  The day I was born and the day I survived."  Then with a very big, royal smile, the princess said, "Oh, I get to celebrate three birthdays every year."

This princess knows how to count and happily celebrates three birthdays every year.

I celebrate November 7th.  That is my birthday and I will be 63.  A great age.

I celebrate September 2.  That is when I had my surgery and am glad God was not ready to have me as a full time resident in heaven.

Mainly, this princess celebrates every day.  I celebrate my rebirth as a loved child of God.

QUESTIONS OF THE DAY

When is your birthday? How do you celebrate?

LET US PRAY

Psalm 139 says God created your inmost being.  That God knit you in your mother's womb. 

You are a special, unique person.  There is no other person in the world like you.  God made you and he has a plan just for you.  Today, please take time to thank God for creating you.

Bill and I were doing a bit of fall cleanup and I got thinking about my first blog, Grass or Weed, written September 8, 2006.  Today, enjoy a shortened version of my first blog.

Friday, September 08, 2006

INTRODUCTION

Mary’s Moments started at a church committee meeting. If you just emitted a groan, I know you are a committee member.  At this particular meeting, it was brought to our attention that the weekly church paper could use some articles.  The next question was, “Who would be willing to help?”

If you are a true committee member, you know how many hands went up.  Did you guess zero? Bingo!  Everyone looked up to the ceiling or doodled on any available paper.  Would no one step up?

Someone said, “Okay. Okay. I will write a monthly article. I will write Mary’s Moments.  Will that help?”  All of a sudden I realized the someone who just spoke up was me.  Mary’s Moments was born.

My goal is to give you encouragement in your faith, help for each day and the realization that we all have shared experiences.  I also hope to give you a smile and will make you feel better about this world and the people in it.

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.        James 1:12

GRASS OR WEED?

As I stood looking out at Bill mowing off the weeds, I got to thinking about the dry brown grass and the tall green weeds.  Which would I rather be:  Grass or weeds?  The grass, when we have rain, is so green and soft under foot.  Everybody likes grass.  It is just right for wiggling toes in or laying a baby on while they nap.  Now it is dry.  And brown.  And does not feel good to bare toes.  When the rain comes, it will turn green again.  It is just waiting to be nourished.

The weeds seem to be doing just fine without the much-needed rain.  They are still growing.  They are still green.  No one likes weeds, but there they are.  In the flowerbed.  In the yard.  In the garden.  In the corn and soybeans.  Why do they do so well when everything else seems to suffer in the heat and drought?

Guess the grass and weeds are a lot like people.  Some people face hard times like the grass.  They do not have a reserve of strength or strong roots to support them.  Some people just wait for trouble to blow over.  They wait for the “rain” to come to them.

Other people are like the weeds.  They are strong in the good times, when they are well fed and watered.  BUT – they are also strong when the times are hard.  They find an inner strength to stand up to the heat and they have roots to reach down for the water.

Yes, I think I want to be a weed.  I want a faith that keeps me strong when times are good.  BUT -- more importantly, I want a faith that can stand up to the heat and a faith with roots that will draw up the help I need when my body or soul may be dry.

TRICKLE-DOWN EFFECT

TRICKLE-DOWN: 

• a situation in which something that starts in the high parts of a system spreads to the whole of the system
• relating to or being an effect caused gradually by remote or indirect influences

Oh my, mention trickle-down and you can start one really big political argument.  This is not a political post, but I want to look at a recent movie using the trickle-down effect.

I love the Kendrick brother’s movies.  It all started at the Sherwood Baptist Church, in Albany, Georgia.  Two brothers wanted to make movies.  The church said, “Sure.”  The rest is history, as they produced Flywheel, Facing the Giants, Fireproof, Courageous, War Room, and their current movie, Overcomer. 

DISCLAIMER:  If you plan on seeing Overcomer, please stop reading now.  Go to the movie and then read the rest.

Trickle-down

• Major employer closes its doors -- therefore
• People start moving to other locations for jobs -- therefore
• Students move out of the school district -- therefore
• There are less jobs and teachers take a pay cut -- therefore
• Stores close -- therefore
• The main character is a coach and no longer has a basketball team – therefore

Trickle-up

• He agrees to coach cross country -- and
• Only one girl shows up -- and
• She meets her father – she had been told he was dead -- and
• She becomes a believer -- and
• She wins the state race (of course) -- and
• Goes on to influence others with her faith

I believe there is a trickle-down effect in our lives.  Some we have no control over and the effects ripple out into the community – sometimes, even into the world.  In the movie, an employer closing their doors forced the community to redefine itself.  Friends moved away taking their children out of the school system.  A community that gathered every Friday for football or basketball, no longer had anything to cheer about.  Income drops and stores close.

I also believe there is a trickle-up effect in our lives.  One man agrees to coach one girl.  One girl learns she was lied to, but also learns she has a Heavenly Father that never leaves her and never lies to her.  She accepts being forgiven and then forgives others.  And the ripple begins.  Once more, a community gathers and they cheer as one girl crosses the finish line.  And one girl goes to college and shares her story and her faith.  The ripple spreads further.

All this made me think.  The way I live my life – Do my actions have a trickle-down effect or a trickle-up effect? 

GO

God says go.

• Noah, go take the animals and your family for a boat ride.
• Abram, go away from your homeland, because I have big plans for you.
• Moses, go take a very long walk and do not worry about the Red Sea.  I have you covered.
• Jonah, go to Nineveh and be careful or you will end up in the belly of a big fish.

Even today God is telling people to go.  Go to Haiti or Africa or China or America.  And sometimes God says, “Go to those young girls.”

Our daughter and I were standing outside Cleveland Clinic waiting for the shuttle back to our hotel.  The weather was good and it is always fun to people watch.  Then I saw them -- two young girls talking quietly, tears in their eyes, and making phone calls. 

We continued to observe people, talk about the controlled chaos of picking up/dropping off patients, and watch the fountain.  And glance at the girls.

Then, the one girl put her phone down and began to cry.  And God said, “Go.”

“Are you okay?” 

“No.  Our friend from our dorm is here and she has no family close.  Her mother called us to see if we could sit with her.”

“How is she?”

“She was found in a pond and has not regained consciousness.  We don’t know.  We are not family.  And we are missing classes, but will worry about that later.”

They continued, “There is nothing we can do but be here and pray.”

“I am sure her mother is very thankful you are here.  Her daughter is not alone.”

After they talked a bit longer, I asked, “May I pray with you?”

=   =   =   =   =   =   =   =   =

Have you ever had the thought, “I should call ___?___?”

Or, “I should pray for ___?___?”

Have you ever passed a stranger and wanted to tell them everything would be okay?

Did you do it?  If you are like me, the thought or urge passes and is quickly forgotten.  Except this time.

The thought or urge passes and is quickly forgotten -- except this time --- and, know what?  It was easy!  I was not self-conscious.  I am not the best prayer in the world, but the words came. 

We talked.  I prayed.  I went back to waiting on the shuttle.  The girls went back inside.  And I wonder what happened. 

=   =   =   =   =   =   =   =   =

What happened is up to God.  I only had to comfort and pray.  But what if I had not?

Sooooo – The next time you get a feeling you should call a friend, call them.  Or pray for them, pray.  Or tell that stranger everything will be okay, do it.  Because, what if you don’t?

MEME

No, I did not forget a space.  The word is “meme” and Merriam-Webster describes it this way:  it is an amusing or interesting item (such as a captioned picture or video) or genre of items that is spread widely online especially through social media.”

How would I describe myself in memes?

 I really, really do like my morning coffee. 

“Normal” is rarely used to describe me.

 I am a bit outspoken.

I have days when I am trapped between Do Not Enter and Do Not Exit.

When I saw this picture, I swore they were my two youngest grandsons.  They denied it, but I am not sure I believe them.  (No, I do not find this picture in bad taste.  My goodness it is funny!  God has a sense of humor.  After all, He created me.)  I put this picture in because I am a grandmother.  I must be prepared for anything.

A true friend

I hope this is my outlook on life.

I hope I will always hold this scripture in my heart.

I pray this is how Jesus reacts when I arrive and he shows me to my room in the mansion.

I am a mix of emotions.  Experiences.  Memories.  I have my good side.  Silly side.  I have parts of me that need worked on…big time!  I cannot be described in one word nor summed up in one meme. 

One thing is for sure – there is no one else quite like me!  (And for that all God’s children said Amen.)

For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Psalm 139:13

My goodness, God does good work.  He created me and know what?  He isn’t done with me yet!!!

Question:  What memes would you use to describe yourself?

Reminder:  God created you and he does good work.  He is not done with you yet.  He has plans for you – unique plans.