How I spent my morning!

It is so hard to conduct business by phone any more! Customer service is a forgotten concept, it seems.

I found out (not through the manufacturer, distributer or prescriber) through my Facebook support group for CPAP users that my machine was probably being recalled due to an issue that can POSSIBLY CAUSE CANCER. So I went to the manufacturer's website to try to find out what to do and finally found a way to check to see if my machine is affected by entering its serial number. It told me that it was NOT included in the recall, so I didn’t do anything else.

About a week ago, I responded to a question in my support group about the recall. Another member informed me that if my machine was built before a certain date (which it was), then it WAS affected. So I decided this morning to take care of it. I called my doctor. They told me to call the medical supply company through which I purchased the machine. I called the office in Weatherford (I thought) and got stuck in an automated circle. I finally chose the option to be called back when it was my turn, which the automated service said would be less than 5 minutes. About 45 minutes later, I did receive a call back. I was told that I needed to call the manufacturer or go on their website. Since I’d already done the website thing, I decided to call. The automated service told me that due to a large call volume, to go to the website. SO, I did. After looking around the website for several minutes, trying to find SOME information about the recall, I finally found the right page. I entered a different serial number (there were 2 different serial numbers on my machine!) and learned that my machine was indeed affected. I continued on to the page to register my device for the recall and couldn’t get it to work. After multiple attempts, I FINALLY was able to enter my info and get my CPAP registered for the recall. (My machine was already registered with the company, but that doesn’t do anything as far as the recall is concerned!) The site said that due to high volume, it may be a while before they contact me about my machine. The instruction given is to discontinue use of your machine until it can be replaced. For someone like me, who had over 60 episodes per hour when I was tested, that just isn’t feasible! (With my CPAP, I usually have less than 2 episodes per hour.) So I will continue to use my machine until they finally get around to doing something about it, and hope there is no long term problem that develops! (I have read that as long as you aren’t seeing black specks in your hose, it is probably ok.)

It is really sad when a corporation has such little concern for the wellbeing of their customers that they make it so difficult to resolve an issue like this. If any of you use a Philips CPAP or BiPAP machine, please begin the arduous process to register your machine for the recall…and good luck! 

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu!

This will be my last post for a while. In the past, when people “demonized” facebook and other social media, I contended that it wasn’t evil…it was how you used it. I have tried to use it for sharing positive things, as well as staying in touch with those that I don’t see often. My belief has been that if the people who try to use it for good leave, then it will be what others have said it was.

I’m admitting defeat. I don’t know if I’ll be back or not. I will miss the ability to know how folks are doing and who is having babies and such like. But the ugliness is just more than I can take right now. I find myself getting angry and bitterly disappointed in my fellow man. That’s one reason that I avoid the news. It is depressing, and I feel helpless to change anything, so why subject myself to it? I felt like facebook was different…that I could make a difference. Rather than feeling like I’ve done anything positive with my efforts, I just feel more frustrated and vexed (as my dear Granny would say).

So, if you need to communicate with me, please feel free to call, text or even (dare I say it?) write me. There are still a few “old souls” that use that archaic form of communication. If someone dies or gives birth or gets married, etc., I would appreciate it if you could let me know via one of the aforementioned modes. Who knows? After I have had some time to calm down, I may be back. Or I may decide life is just much nicer without social media.

Stay safe, be kind, and keep in touch!

"Keeping on keeping on"

Life is pretty much getting back to normal for Dennis and myself…our new normal, anyway. It looks like with the huge spikes in COVID cases, this may go on for a while. Wearing a mask in public is no big deal…certainly something that we can do to help contain the spread! I do miss eating out at restaurants, but we are eating healthier at home anyway. We are having “regular” sleepovers with Nam now, and we’ve been able to visit with all of our kiddos in the past few weeks. So I really have no complaints! Dennis and I keep talking about how blessed we are during all of the craziness going on.

My CASA work is really gearing up! I have three cases now. I hadn’t planned to do more than just the one, but the need is so great, it’s hard to ignore. This week has been pretty busy. I visited 3 of my 4 kids this week and observed a visit between a couple of my kiddos and their mom. Then we had (Zoom) court this morning. I have another hearing next week (on my newest case, so it doesn’t require a court report). I really enjoy being back in the work, but it does stress me out to a certain degree. You get so involved in people’s lives at one of the worst times in their life, so it can be heartbreaking. I also really get stressed out when I have to appear in court! Even though I may not seem to be the type to get nervous about speaking in front of people, I am! Any time I have to speak in a “formal” setting, I get very anxious…a type of stage-fright, I suppose…especially when it has to do with important matters and my voice is weighed heavily in the decision-making process. I’ve never had a lot of self-confidence. I’m more of a self-blamer. I constantly second guess myself and doubt myself. Anytime ANYTHING goes wrong, I automatically wonder what I did to cause it! So I guess I’m not really cut out for this type of work. But it is something that desperately needs to be done, and I have the time and desire to do it, so here I am.

Dennis is doing great! He has currently lost 25 pounds. He is now off of his blood pressure medication and has his blood sugar well-controlled. He is still working on the drywall in the living room and hallway. He’s new at this type of work and is a perfectionist, so it is taking a LONG time! It shouldn’t be too much longer before we can do the texturing and painting though. I’m ready to have my living room back!

I went to see my cardiologist for the first time in 3 years. I was concerned about some little issues that I was having. He was very happy with my checkup and couldn’t see any problems. He did schedule me for a stress test and a Doppler of my carotid arteries, just to be on the safe side. The stress test is in a couple of weeks and the Doppler, a couple of weeks after that. I also go for my regular checkup around the same time to get my bloodwork done. I always try to do my routine medical stuff around my birthday, so I can keep up with it. I am also having to return to my orthopedic doctor in a couple of weeks. My shoulders are continuing to get worse, and some days I can barely lift my arms. So I think it time for another steroid shot. I’ve been trying to put it off, because I really don’t like the idea of going to doctor’s offices and testing places right now. But the number of COVID cases is only getting worse, and I am concerned about developing nerve damage if I put it off too long.

Dennis took a quick trip to the hill country this week. He found a good opportunity for a hunting lease for a few of the guys that have been looking for one. Dennis has lost access to a couple of places that he has been hunting locally, so he is needing other options, too. He had talked to the landowner on the phone and wanted to check out the place in person. He was very impressed, so he booked a 4-day hunt for himself and a few other guys. While he was “in the neighborhood” he dropped by our favorite pecan place in San Saba and brought home 10 pounds of Nocona pecans. I had run out of my good pecans and have been having to resort to “store-bought”. There is really no comparison between the two! So I’m really happy to have some quality nuts on hand. I still have to crack and shell them, which I’ll probably try to get done this weekend. They are a large paper-shelled nut, so they are pretty easy to shell out.

Well, that’s pretty much what is going on in our world! I hope all of you are staying safe and healthy and seizing the opportunities that present themselves for doing good! This world is in a pretty sorry state right now, and we all need to do what we can to make things kinder and better. God bless!

I can't believe we are halfway through June already!

Well, we are two weeks into Texas’ Phase 3 plan of reopening the state, and, as expected, the numbers of infected and hospitalized are up. It hasn’t gone up as dramatically as it could have, so I’m hoping the warmer weather is helping mitigate the spread of the virus. Dennis and I have eased up somewhat, but we are still wearing masks in public and avoiding going anywhere (public) that isn’t necessary. I’ve started doing real visits on my CASA cases again, rather than virtual visits. I hadn’t really planned to, but I took on a new case, and it is very difficult to really get to know someone (especially children) by phone. Social distancing is pretty much impossible with littles, so I just do my best at maintaining distance and then use wipes and hand sanitizer afterwards. I am NOT going to refuse to allow a small child to take my hand or give me a hug! My main concern, now, is just making sure that I don’t inadvertently pass along anything to someone else who is high risk. So Dennis and I wear masks to church and refuse hugs and handshakes. We are now attending services at Eastside, and pretty much everyone there is at risk. It would kill me to think that I might cause anyone there to suffer.

We have had visits with all of our littles! We went to Paris a week ago yesterday. We just drove over for the day. We had a great visit with Stephen’s family! The kids are growing up so fast…especially little Gracie. I wish we’d had longer, but we were so happy for the time that we had with them. Stephen and Dennis did some work out in the barn, and I visited with Mandy and played with the kiddos. We hadn't seen them since the end of January, so we soaked up all the loving we could. Hopefully we won't have to go that long again between visits!

Sheila allowed Nam to come for a sleepover Thursday. We met up that morning, so we had him for most of two days. It was just like old times! I baked a batch of snickerdoodles before he came, and  sent what he didn't eat home with him yesterday to share with his family. I really love cooking for that kid! He’s such a good eater and loves his Granny’s cooking. He and Grandad played all of their old games. We read from some of Nam's favorite books before bedtime. The littles never get tired of reading "OOH and AAH" (and I never get tired of reading it to them!). Grandad made him a wooden dagger while he was here (he is always making something from wood for one of the grandsons). Nam took it with him to Sutherlands when he went with Grandad to pick up some supplies. Dennis noticed he stuck it under his shirt while they were in the store. As soon as they left, he pulled it back out. Dennis asked him about it, and he told him he didn’t want to scare anyone!

I took Nam home yesterday and then went for a CASA visit. I was concerned about the drive home afterwards, through FW during rush hour, but I really didn’t have any trouble. I actually enjoyed the drive. I had my music playing and was singing along and enjoying being out and about. It really has helped my emotional volatility to be able to spend time with my family and others again. I didn’t even cry when I took Nam home! (When his family came to visit a couple of weeks ago, I lost it when they were leaving!) I guess social isolation had more of an effect on me than I realized.

Dennis is doing great on his diabetic diet! He has lost 15 pounds and his blood sugar is doing much better. He plans to start bicycling again, which will help even more. He has had to avoid bike riding for the past year, since it was a possible contributing factor to his elevated PSA. We discussed it with his oncologist when we were there for his biopsy results, and he told him he could start riding again…just stop about a month before his next test. He has also lowered his blood pressure and has been able to get off his medication for that.

Dennis has been getting supplies together for jug fishing out at PK. We love eating bream (which is what he mainly catches using a rod and reel), but they are so messy to eat and we aren’t comfortable serving them to the rest of the family (especially the littles) because of the bones. So he is concentrating on trying to catch catfish. He went out for the first time Wednesday. He caught a couple of catfish and quite a few perch, which he plans to use as future bait. We had enough catfish fillets (with what he caught, plus a package from the freezer) that we fried up some on Thursday, when Nam was here. That kid loves fish as much as his Grandad does! Dennis hopes to take him out with him on his next visit. He showed him all of the floats and hooks and lines and explained the process to him. He is looking forward to trying it out!

I’m taking a lazy day today. The past couple of days were pretty busy, and I usually need some time to rest up after having grandkids. Sheila loaned me the book “Just Mercy”. I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago. She was reading the book at the time. She said it was even better the movie. It breaks my heart to think about the injustices that still go on in society. People can be so cruel and ugly. No matter what “side” you are on in the whole upheaval that is going on right now, I hope most people can see that kindness and mercy and justice are the answers to societal ills. How to achieve that in this old sinful world is up for debate. As long as hatred and bigotry and violence prevail, things will continue to degrade. In my opinion (for what it is worth) people need to do a lot less talking and a lot more loving!

Stay safe and be kind!

Re 22:20 He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming quickly." Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

What an evil world we live in! I don’t know why this surprises us, because we are told in the Bible that Satan is the prince of this world. (Eph. 2:2) We have a tendency to forget about the many times throughout history when evil prevailed and think that our time is the worst. Satan is cunning and relentless. Evil will continue until Jesus returns and Satan is cast into the lake of fire. Until then, it is our responsibility to have faith that God will keep His promises and live the life that He has directed for us to live.

Joh 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

When Satan sees good emerging, he redoubles his efforts. Abortion rates were on the decline, so we were hit with a pandemic that hits the elderly and those with underlying health issues the hardest. People’s reaction? “No big deal…it just kills the old and sickly!” The devaluation of life continues.

The pandemic also ushered in an overwhelming season of compassion and altruism in our society. Then came the killing of George Floyd and the riots that ensued from that event. Now anger and unrest is dividing our nation again.

Where are Christians in all of this? I’m afraid we are caught up in the midst of it all.

What should we, as Christians, be doing? What we’ve always supposed to have been doing. Loving ALL people as ourselves.

Mt 5:43-44 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Mt 22:37-40 Jesus said to him," 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' "This is the first and great commandment. "And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

The second chapter of James also tells us that our love must be an active one…and an unprejudicial one. Read it for yourself.

We have to rise above the standards of society and shine the truth of the gospel of Jesus to those around us.

Joh 17:14-17 "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. "They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. "Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Mt 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

 We need to do better!

Reassuring our Youth

I read on Facebook this morning about a boy who took his own life because of the stresses of our current situation. That breaks my heart! We need to really be mindful of our young folks and help them understand and cope with the realities that we live in.

I’ve been really focused on how all of this is affecting our elderly (which, I’m sorry to say, includes myself and Dennis), families impacted by not being able to work, and those who are immunocompromised. Not having kiddos in my household, I really haven’t been that aware of how it is affecting our youth. Sure, I talk to my kids and ask how their kiddos are doing. But I haven’t realized how much of an impact that the “weirdness” of our times is having on kids.

I guess what I’m wanting to get across is for parents, especially, and all of us to make the effort to talk to our young people. Find out how they are dealing with the uncertainties and social distancing. Let them know that they can talk to us if they are afraid or depressed. My first reaction, after reading about this tragedy, was to think about my teenaged grandkids and reach out to them. Open a line of communication with them. Check in on them on a regular basis to let them know that they aren’t alone and they have people who love them. I have confidence that their parents are already doing that, but it never hurts to reinforce those things.

So, if you have kids, make a special effort to discuss their feelings with them and reassure them. If you don’t have young’uns, reach out to those you know. Adults are having a hard time dealing with all of this. It shouldn’t surprise us that our youth are struggling, too. Be there for them!

How are YOU doing?

This is probably the most asked question of our day. With social distancing, and sheltering at home, we are relying on social media and texting and phone calls to stay in touch. The stress of the times is having it's toll on everyone. So naturally, we all want to check in on our loved ones to see how they are doing.

I am enjoying this new sense of community and concern for one another. It's ironic that being restricted to electronic communication (which many of us have chafed at for years) has made us so much more in tune with others and desirous of face-to-face time. I hope that when this is all over that we hang on to this newfound concern and connectedness!

Now to answer the question...how am I doing? I'm fine! Being retired, this isn't a huge change for Dennis and me. We miss assembling with our normal group on Sundays and being able to eat out...plus a few inconveniences of having to do business under these restrictive circumstances. But we pretty much stayed home most of the time anyway, other than running errands and visiting our kiddos occasionally. The biggest change for me is not going to the nursing home every day to see about Daddy, which has nothing to do with COVID-19. The first few days after his burial, I felt a bit lost with no one to take care of anymore. I still need to find a new "purpose" once I'm able to get out and around again. I'm a caregiver. I don't really know how to be anything else.

I've received so many cards and messages from people who are wanting to know how I'm doing after losing Daddy. Honestly, I feel fine. Those last two weeks of his life, I grieved terribly...crying every day, my heart breaking from watching him die. After he died, until we buried him, my emotions were still raw. But I haven't cried in over a week. I understand, from times past after losing a loved one, that grief can get put on hold. It takes weeks or months, sometimes, for it to really hit you. Then it can wash over you and feel overwhelming at the most incongruous time. So I realize that I may still have some grieving to do. I honestly feel like most of my grieving took place over the past 3 years, as I watched my dad fade away and become someone that I didn't recognize anymore.

As far as how I'm holding up under the pandemic "scare", I'm really not having any problems. I'm thankful that I'm facing this at a time in my life when I've already weathered my share of storms. My faith has been reassured so many times throughout my life that I am really not worried about how I'm going to get through this. I don't want to get the virus, and I'm using reasonable caution to avoid it, but if I do get it, I'm not afraid to die. I don't particularly want to go through the suffering, but I know that God would see me through that, too. Our finances have taken a big hit because of all of this, but we are still better off than we were for many years when we were younger. I'm hoping that none of my family or friends will get the virus, and I pray for them daily, but I am assured that God will take care of His children...whatever may come.

That's not to say that I'm totally unaffected by the stress of the times. I'm hyperaware of everything that I feel in my body. I regularly check my temperature, so that I can take measures if I should get sick. Since this is allergy season, and I always have a chronic cough and chest tightness, I want to make sure that it is just my regular stuff. I also find myself getting a bit short-tempered and irritated from time to time. Whether that is from grief, stress or just being cooped up at home, or a combination of all three, is anybody's guess. But I'm trying to focus on good things every day...reading heartwarming stories about everyday heroes on social media; doing my daily Bible study and journaling; staying in contact with friends and family though texts, phone calls, Zoom, cards, etc.; and doing a little knitting to feel like I'm being somewhat productive.

So that's how I'm doing in all of this craziness that's going on. How are YOU doing?

"Do you love me?"

Joh 21:15-17 So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Feed My lambs." He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love You." He said to him, "Tend My sheep." He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Feed My sheep. (NKJV)

I’ve always been intrigued by this exchange between Jesus and Peter. Why Jesus asked him three times? Why specific words were chosen (agapao twice, then phileo)? How Peter felt? But I want to use this account for a different purpose today…as an example of how we show our love for God, for His Son, and most of all for one another. Jesus wanted proof of Peter’s love; he wanted him to do something for Him.

One of Dennis’ favorite stories that he likes to use in a lesson is when a group of men were trying to define love. Dennis asked how we know someone loves us, and the answer was offered, “When they sacrifice for us.” Since Jesus is the greatest example of love that we have, he bears this out throughout His whole life, but specifically in his crucifixion. He sacrificed everything for us! He also asks that we follow Him…so what does that mean?

Jesus told His disciples in John 14:15 that if they loved Him, they would keep His commandments. The apostle John says the same thing in his epistles. We demonstrate our love through our actions. So if the actions are not present, is the love?

In “The Five Love Languages”, the idea is put forth that we each feel loved in different ways: in receiving gifts, through quality time, through words of affirmation, through physical touch, and/or through acts of service. I feel and show love, mostly, through acts of service. As a mom and grandmother, we demonstrate our love by nurturing and caring for and sacrificing ourselves for our kids and grandkids. As a spouse, we show how much we love our other half by putting their needs above our own and taking care of them. The same is true as the adult children of aging parents, we put our lives on hold to serve their needs.

Now, how do we treat one another as friends and brothers and sisters in Christ? I hear a lot of words of affirmation. I see a lot of physical hugs and kisses. Occasionally we even see the giving of gifts for significant events. But when it comes to “quality time” and “acts of service”, I’m afraid that we tend to fall short. How often do we sacrifice our time and efforts to help or just “be there” for one another? People used to be much better at this…before the world provided SO much entertainment and distractions. Now people can just send a quick text and feel good that they’ve “touched base”. They “like” or “love” a post on Facebook and feel like they’ve “been there” for someone who is going through a rough time.

I’m not saying that sending a text or interacting on social media isn’t a good thing! It is wonderful that we have the ability to reach out so easily to people far and near. But it isn’t a replacement for REAL “face time”. It should never be said that a Christian brother or sister spent several days in the hospital and didn’t have a single visitor from someone outside of their immediate family, but it happens all of the time. When someone is suffering from grief or depression, they NEED the people who they love to step up and be there for them. Is it enjoyable? No, not usually. Is it necessary? Yes, absolutely! We need to stop determining how we spend our time by what is the most pleasant pastime for ME? We need to sacrifice ourselves (our time, our effort, our ENJOYMENT) for others. THAT is what real love is!

I have seen friends who will drive all night long to be with someone who is going through cancer surgery…then turn around and drive all day to get back home. That’s love. I’ve seen friends drop what they are doing (and some who would drive for hours) to help locate one who has gone missing and might be in danger. That’s love. I’ve seen friends who opened their homes and their hearts to those who needed a place to stay…sometimes for months, or even years. That’s love. I’ve seen people give away cars, give (not loan) hundreds or even thousands of dollars, donate furniture and household goods, and do whatever was necessary for those who were in need. That’s love. I’ve seen people show up on a doorstep just to say, “I’m here for you. What do you need?” That’s love.

Let’s all be more aware of how we can SHOW our love for another…not just say the words.

Mt 25:31-46 "When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. "All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. "And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 'I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.' "Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' "Then He will answer them, saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." (NKJV)

Sincere Prayer

I read a line in a book yesterday that has stayed with me. The book is a novel, not Christian fiction, but it deals with brutal realities in some families and how people deal with them. The line that caught my attention is:  “If he’d gone for a genuine heartfelt, please-bless-Maisey sort of prayer, I might have stayed. It is quiet and peaceful here in the chapel. But I’m not going to hang around and listen to this fledgling boy–man use prayer as an opportunity to tell God what he already knows.” (King, Kerry Anne. Whisper Me This)

How often do we hear this kind of prayer being spoken? I have to admit that this has always been a pet peeve of mine, even though I can be as guilty as anyone of doing it. Even though the scriptures tell us not to use vain repetitions, but to be sincere and humble in our prayers, we too often fall back on the same prayers that we’ve always heard uttered. I remember going to church in California one summer and being amazed (not in a good way) to hear the same words being spoken there that I always heard in my home congregation.

"And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. "And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. (Matthew 6:5-7 NKJV)

The first time I ever remember hearing a person praying like they were really talking to God was when I was in high school. That is really sad, because I have attended church 2-3 times a week since I was BORN! Then when Dennis and I moved to Nacogdoches, I was blown away by a brother there who uttered some of the most REAL and sincere prayers I’ve ever heard:  no pat phrases, no fancy language, just simply pouring out his heart to God.

I imagine (at least I hope) that most people pray this way in private, but then allow something (pride, fear of letting others see their hearts, etc.) to get in the way when leading a public prayer. I really don’t think this is what God wants to hear! Quoting scripture in prayer is just showing out…He already knows it all…He spoke it! One of my personal pet peeves is saying things in triplicate. It happens all the time. Someone will be praying and use two or three words that mean the same thing in a sentence. But rarely do you hear someone just speaking simply from their heart…which is what prayer really is.

I hope that some day people will move away from using prayer as an opportunity to make a speech or give a sermonette or try to impress people. That’s never what God intended and doesn’t serve any good purpose. The only person that I know of in the Bible that was praised for their prayer was the publican who prayed thusly: "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' "I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:13-14 NKJV)

Pardon my soapbox

“It’s harder to be a liberal than a conservative.  Why?  Because it is easier to give someone the finger than a helping hand.”   – Mike Royko

I saw this quote on a friend’s Facebook page the other day.  Since I don’t believe getting into political debates on social media is a good thing, I just let it pass.  But it really stuck in my craw!  I am sick to death of this divisive attitude in our nation right now.  People making hateful and prejudicial statements against a whole segment of society, which most of the time, is blatantly false…but by saying it so often, they have convinced themselves that it is true.

I admit that I am a conservative.  Most of my closest friends are also conservative, but not all of them.  I happen to believe that there are many good, decent people on “both sides of the aisle”…as well as many corrupt and indecent ones.  Just because people might share some of the same social or political views does not mean they are all alike…good or bad.  Just because someone is a liberal, it doesn’t change my feelings for them.  People should be seen for their own actions, not for their political ideas.

Since most of the people that I know best are conservative, I know that the statement above is misleading and false.  I want to describe some of the “conservatives” that I am familiar with.

I know conservatives who have adopted, or are in the process of adopting…both foreign and domestic.  (That’s not really lending a hand, it is dedicating a LIFE.)

I know conservatives who have opened their homes and hearts to take in foster children…making tremendous sacrifices for the good of some of our most vulnerable.

I know conservatives who may work a full-time job, or work as fulltime wives and/or mothers, or are retired, but spend their “spare time” volunteering:  advocating for children in the foster care system, delivering meals to the elderly and shut-in, building houses for the underprivileged, being mentors for children from impoverished or single-parent homes, serving in local shelters, working in local agencies that are dedicated to helping those who are economically challenged, working in hospitals, sitting with hospice patients…and the list goes on.

I know conservatives who always carry $100 bills in their wallets, so they can have them handy when they come across someone in need.

I know a conservative who buys and fixes up houses to “rent or sale” to those who can’t otherwise afford housing…sometimes getting little or nothing in payment.  (This same individual also has shelled out thousands of dollars paying the utility bills for these as well.)

I know conservatives who go into their chosen profession as firefighters, police officers, health care workers, social workers, etc. because they want to devote their lives to “lending a helping hand”.

I know conservatives who have given hundreds or thousands of dollars to sponsor children in third world nations or other agencies that are dedicated to helping the neediest.

I know conservatives who have left their homes, sold their possessions, and moved to a foreign country to share the gospel, as well as help provide healthcare to those with little or no access to it previously.

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea.  Some of these people are wealthy, but most are just regular middle class folks who care.  And I have never seen any of these “give someone the finger.”  I’ve seen them open their wallets, their homes, and their hearts to help those in need.

I also know there are many liberals who do these same things.  Why?  Because compassion doesn’t belong to one political party.  In fact, I think it is safe to say that it doesn’t belong to ANY political party or ideology.  Compassion is a personal choice.  It comes from a loving heart, and loving hearts are NOT formed by political alliances. 

So please, people of all persuasions and beliefs, please keep the hateful, misleading, prejudicial “pithy remarks” to yourselves.  Let us work towards peace and understanding, rather than continuing in polarizing political satire.  Our society and our nation depend on it.  (Steps down off soapbox.)

Small town living

I love living in Mineral Wells...even though it has a terrible reputation for being a loser town, with a bad drug problem and depressed economy.  I admit, when I meet someone who moved here (without ties to the community), I'm always surprised and ask them WHY?  What brought them HERE?  Because it is a town that has seen better days, has a bad drug problem and a depressed economy.  So why do I love it?

I've always known Mineral Wells.  My mom grew up here.  I spent almost all of my childhood holidays here.  As soon as I turned 18 and was ready to be independent, I moved here.  I could be "on my own", but still have the safety net of my grandparents and several aunts and uncles and cousins.  At that time, it was VERY cheap to live here.  The Baker Hotel had died and the air force base had been shut down, so there was nothing to bring people here.  Housing was dirt cheap.  Even though the employment opportunities weren't great, I was able to find a job in a relatively short time.  I lived with Granny and Granddaddy until I had saved up enough to get my own apartment; and then I lived here until just before Dennis and I married...about a year.  However, when my family tried to talk us into settling down here, I told them, "No way will we ever live in Mineral Wells!"  Dennis was a forester and there were no forests in this part of Texas!

Skip ahead 28 years.  Dennis had been starved out of the forestry profession and was working for the post office.  Our kids were about grown.  We were tired of living in East Texas.  Mom's health was failing rapidly, and I really needed to be closer to help out.  So guess what...we moved to Mineral Wells.  (Never say never!)  It was no longer cheap to live here (because of the Barnett Shale boom), but it was cheaper than any other place this side of Ft. Worth.  Weatherford was growing TOO fast and becoming just a suburb of FW.  We wanted to find a place in the country, but real estate prices were prohibitive.  So we opted for this small town.  We can be anywhere in town in 10 minutes or less...our most visited locations in 5 minutes.  We don't have traffic jams or long lines at Walmart.  It is quiet.  People are friendly and polite.  And in spite of its problems, there is a lot of HEART in this town.  People in this community are quick to give of their time and resources to help one another.

What brought this up today?  I was out on my morning walk.  The weather was perfect...in the 50's with a beautiful blue sky accented with some puffy white clouds.  We have a great neighborhood for walking!  The streets aren't very busy and there are a lot of shade trees lining the roads.  Two separate gentlemen, who were out in their front yards enjoying the gorgeous morning, spoke to me as I walked past.  I'm not talking about just a "hello", but actually addressed me.  ("Hi!  How are you?  Beautiful day we're having!  I'm ____, what's your name?")  Where does that happen other than small towns?  And these weren't isolated incidents.  People here are "comfortable".  It is easy to engage in casual conversation with folks that you run into going about your day.  We had some great conversations with folks when we had our yard sale!  People were excited to hear about Sheila's adoption plans and wished her well.  There is a strong sense of "community". 

Yes, we have our problems.  Yes, there are things that I'd love to see improved.  But at the end of the day, I've very thankful to be living in this small town.  And I hope to live out the rest of my life here.

To Have or To Be?

I was watching a tv episode the other night that had a story line that centered around a hoarder.  One of the characters made a reference about the book written by Erich Fromm in the 70’s, To Have or To Be?  He then gave some interesting trivia about self-storage in this country which got me to doing a little more research…and a lot more thinking.

The concept of the book (from synopses that I’ve read…I haven’t read the book) is that there are two types of people.  There are those who live “to have”, who spend their lives trying to acquire more and more things and are never satisfied (materialistic).  Then there are those who live “to be”, who live life for others and appreciates life as it unfolds (altruistic).  It shows that the “to have” mindset leads to greed and violence, whereas the “to be” mindset shows love.  It is no mystery as to which mindset our world has chosen to embrace!

The trivia about self-storage was that prior to the 1960’s, self-storage units were almost unheard of.  However since then, it has become a multi-billion dollar industry.  From my limited research, they have been around a lot longer than that, but prior to that time were mostly used by people in transition and military personnel.  The industry has expanded due to the accumulation of stuff that people have and the extra space needed in which to store it.

Since watching that show, my mind has come back to those points many times.  I’ve found myself sharing the information with most of the people that I’ve visited with since then.  I decided that I needed to go one step further and share it in this format.

The concept isn’t new…the bible has always taught about the two.  King Solomon talked about the vanity of the “to have” mentality in Ecclesiastes 5:10-13  He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.  When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?  The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.  There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

Jesus also dealt with the subject in the story of the rich young ruler:  Luke 18:18-25  And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?  And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.  Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.  And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.  Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.  And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich. [24] And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!  For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

King David tells us in Psalms 37:16   A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.

The Apostle Paul writes to the young man Timothy: 1 Timothy 6:6 -8  But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.  And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Of course, this is just the tip of the ice burg of teachings that demonstrate the superiority of the “to be” way of life over the “to have”.  But for some odd reason (human nature, methinks), we seem to be very good at either forgetting it or ignoring it.  I am constantly amazed at how materialistic we have become as a society…even in the body of Christ!  As I begin this new year, I want to remind myself, again, that my direction needs to be that of contentment and service and love…not “having”. 

Our Topsy-Turvy World

I was reading a little bit about Tennessee Ernie Ford on Wikipedia.  He hosted "Ford Theatre" in 1955-56.  One fact stood out to me:  "Ford's program was notable for the inclusion of a religious song at the end of every show; Ford insisted on this despite objections from network officials who feared it might provoke controversy. This became the most popular segment of his show."

This battle that the entertainment and news professions have had against anything relating to Christianity has been going on for DECADES!  Movies and TV shows have become increasingly vulgar and immoral (all in the name of freedom of speech/press).  Yet anyone standing up for Christian principals are mocked, castigated, or worse.  Right is wrong and wrong is right.  Reminds me of a few scriptures:

Psalms 31:17-19  Let me not be ashamed, O LORD; for I have called upon thee: let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave. Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous. Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

Proverbs 17:15  He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, even they both are abomination to the LORD.

Isaiah 5:20-24  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!  Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!  Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:  Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!  Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

Go Set a Watchman - a book review

I was so excited to read this newly released book by Harper Lee.  I have always loved "To Kill a Mockingbird"!  It is a literary classic and one of the most socially significant books of its time.  I HAD to read this sequel...one that was actually written before TKAM, and never published.

This book turned out to be one of the most difficult I have ever read.  I hated it for about 3/4 of the way through.  The style is somewhat laborious at times.  But the main thing that I disliked is that it destroyed the reputation of one of my most beloved literary characters, Atticus Finch.  Before finishing the book, I read one review that argued that this book should never have been published, and I agreed.  It purposed that the book was only published to take advantage of the problems our society is facing right now, and benefit financially from it.

Then I read the last few chapters...and changed my mind.  I do believe that this is also a socially significant book.  It still hurts to see my beloved Atticus with feet of clay, but it makes some extremely good points in doing so.  I am now glad that I read this book, as gut-wrenching as it was.  It was written in the 1950's, but it is written for today.  (Note:  there IS some language to deal with.)

I don't want to give away the story, but I do want to share a few lines that I believe are important:

"What does a bigot do when he meets someone who challenges his opinions?  He doesn't give.  He stays rigid.  Doesn't even try to listen, just lashes out." 

"You said, in effect, 'I don't like the way these people do, so I have no time for them.'  You'd better take time for 'em, honey, otherwise you'll never grow."

How about we turn off the news, open our Bibles, and get busy doing good?

I have never liked to watch or keep up with the news.  Of course, that causes me to be ignorant on a number of current topics, but it creates a much happier, more peaceful state of mind.  If I watch, or read, the news, I just get all agitated and upset.  Why put myself through that, when (for the most part) there is nothing that I can do to change whatever it is that I’m reading about?

Over the last few weeks and months, it is worse than ever.  It is impossible to avoid the news.  Besides popping up on my internet homepage every time I log on, everyone on facebook is weighing in on one side or the other of current events.  I’m sure the media moguls are deliriously happy, because they are the ones who have created and/or fed the frenzy.

I’m not saying that the issues are unimportant.  Racism, hatred, bigotry, murder, assault, homosexuality, and marriage are serious subjects…and need to be dealt with in a proper manner.  However, the media isn’t interested in that.  They just want to fan the flames of unrest and dissention!  As much as I try to be optimistic, I fear for our nation because of this current frenzy.

Every once in a great while, a GOOD article will pop up.  One that looks logically at what is happening in our society and tries to maintain some balance and perspective.  They are far too few and not publicized enough to make much of a difference.  After all, ranting about the issues makes for much better press.  Who cares if the facts aren’t straight?

What I would love to see are people who ignore the frenzy.  People who go about their everyday lives, doing the best they can, and helping others along the way.  If more would focus on doing that, then our nation could heal.  But aside from what is best for our nation, it would definitely help our lives and that of others around us to be better.  If enough people focused on being positive and helpful in their communities, then it WOULD make a difference on a national level.

What should we be doing?  As with problems, the answers are found in God’s word.

·        Fear God.  Proverbs 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. 

Hebrews 12:28-29  Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:  For our God is a consuming fire.

·        Love God and trust in Him.  Psalms 145:20  The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

Romans 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

·        Obey God.  Proverbs 29:18  Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

 1 John 2:3  And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

·        Love each other.  Proverbs 10:12  Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.
1 Thessalonians 3:12  And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

·        Help others, whenever and however you can.  1 John 3:17  But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

I know this is very simplistic.  There are so many details that are important that I haven’t discussed.  However, if we truly follow each of these, I think we’ll be ok.  Because, after all, if we really love and fear and obey God, we will search to understand Him and what He wants from us…and then DO it!  And if we sincerely love and help one another, then we will share God’s love with them and be the example that we are meant to be.  After all, Jesus summed it all up in this one statement:  Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

So let’s quit feeding the frenzy and get busy doing good.

1 Timothy 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

 

 

"I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an Honest Man. ~George Washington

Wednesday, Day 217:  Last night we watched (again) “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.”  I love Frank Capra movies!  We live in such a corrupt and cynical world, and it is so refreshing to watch a movie full of idealism and decency.  Current movies and TV shows try to portray life “as it really is” with all its violence and immorality and dishonesty.  We are constantly bombarded with images of corruption and greed and selfishness that make up our political system.  How nice it is to go back to the optimistic and compassionate views of Mr. Capra.  (I realize that the movie was controversial in its time and was thought to portray a pessimistic view of our government.  However, I believe it simply contrasts the corruption that is a real part of the system with the idealism that one honest man can make a difference for the better.) 

I love the speech that Jefferson Smith gives during his filibuster…especially the following:  “There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties. And if that's what the grown-ups have done with this world that was given to them, then we'd better get those boys' camps started fast and see what the kids can do…Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!"

So today I am thankful for idealism and for those who have chosen to portray the beauty and goodness in life.  Would to God that more people would stand up for truth and virtue!  We need a good many “Mr. Smiths” in our nation!

Day 84

 I’ve been reading the book, “Twelve Years a Slave.”  I’m ashamed to admit that I never made it through to the end.  I struggle with reading certain styles of writing, and it was one of those.  So I gave in last night and watched the movie.  (WARNING:  This movie is NOT for everyone.  I had to fast-forward through several parts.  I understand the desire for realism, but is it REALLY necessary to include EVERYTHING?!  The book was written with dignity and decorum...I wish the movie had been made in the same context!) 

 This was a VERY difficult story to watch!  I think I had a look of anguish on my face throughout the whole movie and had to look away at times out of sheer horror (and I do not have a weak stomach).  This portion of our nation’s history is such a shameful time.  I've always tried to learn more  about it through literature and cinema.  I made my kids watch "Roots" when they were still young, so they would have some understanding of the evils of that period.  I had read that this movie was one of the most historically accurate renderings ever produced. While we were watching it, Ricky asked if I thought there were really very many people who treated their slaves so cruelly.    Yes, I sincerely believe there were.  (This WAS a true story, written by the man who experienced it.  I don't believe he embellished it at all.  His integrity shone throughout his writing.)  You look around at the world today and see so much “meanness” and selfishness.  Imagine how that would be amplified if people were given that kind of power over others…in a society that taught that certain people didn’t even have souls.  Even the “good” master selfishly turned his eye from the truth and allowed a free man to be bought and sold as chattel. 

 
So today, I am so very thankful that our society has outlawed this terrible evil.  I realize that some of the prejudices still exist.  I also realize that there is another brand of slavery that is present in this country, even though it is outlawed.  Cruelty and selfishness are alive and well, but at least it isn’t sanctioned by our government (in this context, anyway).

Deuteronomy 24:7 If a man be found who hath stolen one of his brethren of the children of Israel, and who hath treated him as a slave and sold him, that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from thy midst.