The Gift of Grief

I’ve been trying to decide where to go with this all week.  Some of what I’m probably going to say is roughly formulated in my head, but I have a feeling the bulk will come out as I just start typing, but isn't that what blogs are for - just to get it all out there?? 

I really don’t even know where to start except to say that this week has made me think long and hard about life – again – about experiences, people God brings into our lives, their influence, the things we carry with us without always being conscious of them and the things and people who make us who we are. 

Anyone who knows me well knows that I tend to be an emotional person – easily brought to tears over children, memories, heartfelt stories, work (ugh!), relationships – pretty much anything deemed ‘meaningful’ in life. 

Last weekend, I saw a post on Facebook that one of my favorite all-time people had passed away.  I gasped when I saw it.  Without naming names or going into any detail out of respect for his family, he was one of the managers that I worked for during my years at Chick-Fil-A at Southlake Mall.  He was actually one of the two people that hired me.  I have always said those were some of the most fun and best years of my life – because of the company, the people, the sense of family, the fun, the work ethic we all learned, and the camaraderie.  I’ve never looked it up until today, but the definition of ‘camaraderie’ is ‘mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together’ – and that is definitely what we had during those years.  He was a motivator and a visionary.  He was fun, funny and a real ‘anything’s possible’ kind of guy.  As I listened to his Celebration of Life service this past week, I heard that he was that to a lot of people. 

We had a get-together about 4 years ago of the old crew that used to work at our store.  It was a wonderful time to reconnect and even in planning it and hearing from people who weren’t able to attend, that sense of camaraderie is still alive and well!  We are all MUCH older now, but we all still share the sense of family and what those years meant to all of us.  At any rate, this former boss was able to attend, and it was wonderful to see him.  Lots more I could say here, but as mentioned above, out of respect for his family, I won’t.

In thinking through this ‘gift of grief’ theme, I admit that I have a very hard time with the emotion associated with loss.  It leaves me pensive and emotional, yet so thankful for the years I have known that person, whoever it is, and that’s where I’m at now.  I’m sure most of us feel this way.  I have lost a few friends who passed away long before they should have and I have lost a number of people whom I have respected and looked up to throughout my life.  This former boss is one of those.  I’m so sad to know he’s not here anymore, but I know where he is (!!), and I am so thankful that I had the chance to know him. I have always smiled when he came to mind, and I know that will not change!

I’m learning that while grief is hard, it’s also a gift because it is a tangible reminder of the people who have shaped us and made us into who we are today.  That lesson is certainly not lost on me, and the older I get, the more clearly it comes into focus.  When I think of it that way, although I hate the way grief hits me, I can honestly say, as hard as it is, there is not one single thing I would do to change any of the circumstances that brought these people and my love for them into my life.  God had His reasons for having our paths cross, and that is a gift in and of itself. 

An Unexpected Encounter @ Walmart

I went to Walmart yesterday - wound up leaving with a couple of things I went for, but more importantly, something I didn't go there looking for - a new friend.  I had done all of my 'shopping,' added totals, put some stuff back - the usual.  Before I left, I found myself over in the grocery section, on the paper goods and cleaning items aisle to be specific.  I wasn't looking for anything in particular, just seeing what they had - or so I thought.  As I was looking, a woman passed behind me and said, 'Do you see any disinfectant wipes?'  I told her I didn't, then looked at her, smiled, and made some off the cuff comment about how crazy things are right now.  She immediately took that opportunity to start talking about the book of Revelation and how things are unfolding right before our eyes.  Without going into all of the detail, she began telling me how she has had such a restless spirit, hasn't been able to sleep lately and has been up at night praying about all of the unrest in the world right now, etc.  Of course, since the episode(s) in Minneapolis had just happened, that was what she was referring to most immediately.  I hate to have to stop and say this because in my eyes it doesn't matter, but it helps to make the point - she was a black woman and shared that she was 65 years old. She went on to tell me that she didn't know if I was old enough to remember segregation, etc. I told her that I was 58 and really don't remember any of that. She went on to say that she has such a hard time understanding things now because her mother had worked for white people who were good as gold to her family - gave them food during the year, made sure they were taken care of during the holidays, clothing, home furnishings, etc - just everything that people do when they care for each other.  Her mother passed away in 1962, the year I was born, so I guess her mom never knew any different.  This new friend went on to share her story in her battle with cancer, losing her husband, having surgery for blocked arteries and her thyroid, but what shone through all of that was her spirit and her trust in God and all He has seen her through.  We probably talked for at least 45 minutes right there on the paper goods aisle!  Before we parted ways, she asked me what church I attended.  I told her 'First Baptist Jonesboro' - and as only God could orchestrate that meeting yesterday, she shared that she also attends there as well!  That led to another 10-15 minutes of discussion, but let me know how cool it is that God can bring people together anywhere - even on the paper goods aisle in Walmart!

I have come to realize that segregation ended when I was a young child, and I am so thankful for that!  I was not raised to be prejudiced, and I am thankful for that as well.  I look at the world now and can't understand why people act the way they do except for sin and greed - and people of every race are guilty of that!  I don't understand, but I do know it's a huge problem the world is facing right now.  My mind keeps coming back to a song of Mandisa's that I heard a few years ago.  It was true then, and is true today - 'Bleed the Same' - I just can't get those lyrics out of my head, so I'm sharing them here:

Bleed the Same

Mandisa - 2017

Woke up today

Another headline

Another innocent life is taken

In the name of hatred

So hard to take

And if we think that it's all good

Then we're mistaken

'Cause my heart is breaking

Are you left?

Are you right?

Pointing fingers, taking sides

When are we gonna realize

We all bleed the same

We're more beautiful when we come together

We all bleed the same

So tell me why, tell me why

We're divided

If we're gonna fight

Let's fight for each other

If we're gonna shout

Let love be the cry

We all bleed the same

So tell me why, tell me why

We're divided

Tell me, who are we

To judge someone

By the kind of clothes they're wearing

Or the color of their skin?

Are you black?

Are you white?

Aren't we all the same inside?

Father, open our eyes to see!

We all bleed the same

We're more beautiful when we come together

Let's stand united!

We all bleed the same

So tell me why, tell me why

We're divided

If we're gonna fight

Let's fight for each other

If we're gonna shout

Let love be the cry

We all bleed the same

Let's stand united!

We ALL need to take Mandisa's advice and stand united!  It's the only way!  

Amazed by Grace

Sometimes I am absolutely amazed at the things that come out of Grace's mouth. More times than not, her words are hilarious, true, and directly to the point. She has a mind like a steel trap for detail...sometimes that's good, and sometimes it's bad. We've all had to look at each other at some point and say, "She's right." :)

Anyway, the story, for now though, is this:

Grace had her 11th birthday on April 13...a little over two weeks ago. Here is a picture from that night to give you a graphic:

You'll see Kate's knee and laptop on the couch behind Grace. I was on the floor taking pictures as Grace was opening some of her birthday stuff, and decided I needed a picture of Kate, since I haven't taken any of her in quite a while. With her being almost 16 now, pictures aren't so much her thing anymore, but I aimed my camera anyway and was about to shoot when she looked up and said, "Don't!" and ducked down behind her laptop.

Needless to say, I didn't try anymore, but I said, "Well, you better be thinking about it because before I leave tonight, I'm going to get Grace to take a picture of me and you!!!"

Kate's response was, "Maybe."

I looked at Grace and just sort of shrugged, knowing for sure that I'd eventually win (!!), to which Grace turned around to look at Kate. I mistakenly thought Grace was going to tell Kate she needed to do it since I'm such a fabulous aunt (!!), BUT this was Grace's response:

"Uhhh....Kate.....YOU'RE PRETTIER THAN SHE IS!!!"

I said, "GRACE....Hello!!!! I can hear you!!" Grace just started laughing and said, "Well...she is!"

I mean, how do you NOT laugh at that?? My goodness! Kate truly is a beautiful girl now. Here's a picture of her about a year ago to prove my point:

I'm not complaining because I'm very proud of BOTH of them, and I'm thrilled that Grace thinks her sister is the greatest thing since sliced bread, BUT wow.....she just cracks me up sometimes!

Total Praise

Our choir singing Total Praise....an awesome song!

The things God uses....

Hard to believe it's been almost three months since I've posted anything here! To be honest, not only have I not posted anything, but I have rarely, rarely been checking blogs either. It's funny how things can run in spurts like that. Anyway, it has been a eventful (almost) three months. But first things first...I will post more in the coming days, but this gets the ball rolling.

The last time I posted was March 29. Looking back, all I could think of or see then was the end of tax season on the horizon. Little did I know what was in store just a few short weeks later.

There is always a huge sense of relief that comes with April 16, just knowing life is returning to normal, we have one more bonus check coming on May 1 without having to work the extra hours...now THAT is what truly feels like a bonus! :-) It just feels like a huge relief.

I don't know how to approach what I want to say here without just pouring out my heart. My goal is not to be overly dramatic, but to just share what has been going on.

When you are single, as I am, there are a precious few friendships that take on true 'family' types of relationships. I am the first to admit that I have great friends and have been blessed beyond my fair share in this area. I realize these relationships are God's provision for me because it's not always easy being single in a 'married' and 'family' type of world. These people wedge themselves into my life and into my heart and when things happen with them, I am deeply affected on personal, emotional and spiritual levels.

Getting to the point: My friend Dee has been cutting my hair for probaby about 18 years. When I was looking for a new hairdresser, little did I know, when I got her name and number from another friend, what a huge part of my life Dee would become. She has her shop at her house, so when you're there, you're the only one there, unless you bring someone with you. This set-up gives a great opportunity for sharing and personal conversation and we have had many great discussions and laughs through the years. She has been a sounding board, confidante, just everything that makes a good friend a good friend. I can only hope I've been half that friend to her. I have no idea where we crossed the line of being hairdresser/customer to fabulous friends, but it's one of those things that seemed to happen quickly. We just clicked. I have often told Dee that getting my hair cut, highlighted, or both, every few weeks is like having a birthday every month because I LOVE that time with her and it's like I get to celebrate every month! I have meant that from the bottom of my heart, and she's known it! I should also add here that Dee, her sister Melanie, and their whole family....and families....are among these people that have 'taken me in' as family over the years. We all go to church together. Additionally, me, Dee, Melanie, and another friend of ours, Connie, celebrate each other's birthday every year with dinner and movie....the birthday person's choice, of course. I just really could not be any closer to any of these three girls. We are all in choir together as well.

At choir practice on May 6, during our prayer and devotion time, Melanie was given the floor to speak to us that night. She shared that Dee had been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Hard news to hear. I was stunned. Dee was there that night and after Melanie got through sharing all this, Rick, our Minister of Music, asked Dee if she wanted to come down front and let some of us come pray with/for her as she headed into all that was in store. Now, Melanie and Dee are altos, and Connie and I are sopranos, so we are on opposite sides of the room, but when Dee got up to go down front with Melanie, Connie and I quickly sprang from our seats to join them, as did many others. Rick prayed a great prayer, and we continued on with practice. Connie couldn't quit crying, I was pensive. Not emotional....yet. I am a thinker. I have to look at things from all angles and get the facts. It took about a week for the emotions to hit me, but when they hit, they really hit!

At this point, Dee has been through 2 of her 6 chemo treatments. This last one was a bit harder to bounce back from than the first one, but her only real side-effect has been fatigue. She's had touches of other things...but the fatigue has been the most prevalent. Her blood counts have been good and her outlook has been fabulous. She is just amazing in the way she has handled it and in the peace that has filled her. God is giving her an awesome testimony in the midst of all this. It is humbling to see Him at work and it is inspiring to see her move through these days.

I have long known that God uses things in our lives to drive home the fact that He is sovereign and in control. This has been another one of those things in my life. I have shared here before about the lessons I learned when my friend Tracy was killed many years ago. I learned then that I don't need to take people for granted and just assume they will always be there. I have kicked myself over and over for being in a hurry the last time I spoke to Tracy on the phone, which wound up being the last time I spoke with her. I have learned not to leave words of appreciation unspoken. People need to hear them, and we need the assurance that we've done our part in speaking them. Luckily, I had always done that with Tracy, but with her life being cut short at such an early age (33), it just proved to me that you never know and it's best to say too many words of appreciation than not enough! I am so thankful that I've done this through the years with Dee (and she has done the same with me) because it gave me a natural position to step into with this diagnosis. I didn't have to try to step in and draw close because these are hard times. We were already there! What a blessing!

While these lessons are being driven home yet again, God is dealing with me deep in my soul in very personal and spiritual ways about this stuff with Dee. I am seeing Him at work in ways I've never seen before. I am seeing her live a testimony before my eyes that touches me and humbles me in ways I've never experienced before. I am seeing, as it says in Isaiah 26:3 - "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." She has this perfect peace and a strength that leaves me envious. I just don't have it right now. I want my friend well. I am beyond confident that our prayers are being answered and that God is healing her, but I hate like everything that she has to go through all that she does. I know that God has given me the role of being a supportive, encouraging friend to her, and that, above everything else, is my goal right now. This is all SO not about me, but I can see, and feel in my heart, that God is using portions of it to 'grow me' and stretch me to places I've not been before and I am grateful for that. I am grateful that He's using Dee to take me to these places because I know once this is all over, my spiritual life will be deeper and stronger, and the closeness and friendship that Dee and I have will be even sweeter. I'm thankful for these places, and the lessons, even if they hurt.

Dee has a website at CaringBridge.com that her sister, Melanie, is facilitating. Dee is writing the journal entries, or most of them, and Melanie is posting the entries and adding pictures. It's a great place to go and be encouraged, so if you're interested, you can go HERE to read her story, from her perspective. (You may have to enter your e-mail address and a password to get in, but it's only a formality.) You won't be sorry!

New stuff....believe it or not! :-)

It's been SOOOOOOOOOO long since I've posted anything, but I've not done anything except work and regular life stuff...no huge goings on to report, etc, BUT, I am finally working on the new blog site I mentioned a while back posting only sermon notes. However, I've been to a couple of things this year where I've heard great 'words' as well, so I'm going to use it not only for sermon notes, but other 'insightful' things I attend or come across. Right now, I've only got a couple of new things on there and am working on getting the posts that are already on this blog moved over, but after that, I'll start with the new stuff. My intent is to have it all by date, by month, by sermon title, and by sermon series if all goes well. Hopefully I'll get it all done this week, or I will make that my intention anyway. Too bad I've let so much time slip by....I've got a LOT of posting to do in getting up to date!

Hope all is well with all of you blogger friends. I know many of us are keeping up on facebook now as well, so it's not like we're totally out of touch. Cyber-friends are a good thing, huh?

Check back later this week. I'll have the new blog title and website posted.

Have a great week!

My friend's book

Oh yeah, I meant to mention on my post last night that the friend I have had longest in life, Connie Ellis, has had a book published! It's a devotional book titled, 'Don't Eat the Chicken Livers.' I haven't gotten the lowdown on the title yet, but I intend to!

Connie is, seriously, the friend I have had, literally, ALL my life. Her dad and my dad were friends before we were even born, so it would just follow suit that we would be friends as well. We didn't always live close to each other, but when we were in Jr High, her family moved up the street and around the corner from us and we just picked back up like we'd been together all our lives. It is so rewarding to have friends like that in life. I can think of things we've experienced together so many years ago and still just get tickled. We went through Jr and Sr High together, I was the maid of honor in her wedding and if you are on facebook, one of my albums, 'My first nieces,' is of her daughters. They are a blessing just as she is...as they say, 'the apples don't fall far from the tree."

I am so proud of Connie and this endeavor. I am eager to get my hands on a copy of her book soon and hope YOU will do the same. She was posting devotionals online at one point and I had a link to get to them, but somewhere along the line, this book started coming into play, so she couldn't post them anymore. I had wondered over time what was going on, but had never asked, then the other day on facebook she used her status bar to announce that her book had been published! I was, and still am, SO happy for her and will be getting my hands on a copy of her book soon.

'Don't Eat the Chicken Livers' by Connie C Ellis.

Check it out!

Once again...

So here's my big question, yet again....'Where in the world does time go?' I can hardly believe I haven't posted anything since December 26. WOW. It looks like I started a post on December 31, one about New Year's no doubt, but didn't finish it enough to post it. So, where has time gone?

All I know is that tax season 2009 is here! Our long hours didn't start until this past Wednesday, but tax season began with a vengeance on January 5 and hasn't let up since. I've probably only had about 3 hours of non-billable time since then! As slow as it had been at times, I am glad, but boy have I been tired! It would be easy to go on here about the economy and how many of our clients, as well as our firm, are affected, but that's really something we all already know, isn't it? Here's what I know...I have a job...God is in control...and I am blessed! It is hard though to talk to clients who have small businesses that are having to lay people off or having to close altogether.

While I admit that I didn't vote for Obama, I am eager and ready to see where he takes us as a country and what is in store. There's no sense in bucking anything now, all we can do is to pray for him and his administration and support him the ways that we can. Hopefully it won't take as long as they are projecting for things to turn around....that is my prayer anyway.

With that said, I am sad to see George Bush leave office and I hate that he's taking the beating in the press that he's had to take because much of what he's inherited to deal with was started prior to his taking office...he's just been left to deal with it the best way he and his administration could. There have been days when his approval rating was very high and when the unemployment rate was very low....it's too bad he's leaving office with both of these things in such contrast to what they have been in better days. I can only hope as time passes, his presidency will be viewed differently than it is right now. He's gotten a bum rap, in my opinion. Deedra at 'Down on the Farm' has a great post about Bush.....you can go here to read it.

Nothing much has really been going on except work, so I don't have that much to post about, but I did want to at least leave a quick note to say I'm still alive and well. I have really fallen off the wagon with the sermon notes, so I need to catch up on that as well. I actually thought a little earlier today that it might not be a bad idea to start a new blog of just sermon notes....I need to decide that before I get any further behind. If I do, does anyone have any idea if I can transfer the ones I've already posted to a new blog instead of having to retype them?

Thanks for stopping by. I'm off to catch up on more blogs. Hope you have a great week.

The Promise of Christmas

This past Sunday morning (Dec 21), Pastor Mel preached what I believe was the best sermon on the Christmas story that I have ever heard. Following are the notes:

The Promise of Christmas
Matthew 1:18-25

Matthew 1:18-25 - "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Emmanuel" which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. "

***God loves the impossible - That is when He does His best work!

***Verse 22 is talking about the prophet Isaiah: "Now all this took place that the prophecy (of Isaiah) would be fulfilled."

***The prophecy and its fulfillment are both from God - God spoke through Isaiah 700 years earlier.

***God always keeps His promises.

***God had a sovereign promise to fulfill through Mary.

Isaiah 6:1-8 - Isaiah's Commission - "In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

Isaiah 7:14 - "Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel."

Isaiah 9:6-7 -

"For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David's throne

and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty

will accomplish this."

Luke 1:34-38 - ""How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said." Then the angel left her."

***And Mary was amazed - She'd studied the scriptures and now realized Isaiah was talking about HER! (W - O - W!!!)

***Mary's assignment is not so different from ours because God has chosen each of us for an assignment.

***God knows your name and had a sovereign plan for your life. He is bringing about circumstances that you may hear and obey Him.

***Security does not mean isolation from all pain, but it means confidence in God's purpose and will.

***As long as you remain in His hands, God can do anything in your life. He is the same God to you as He was to Mary!

***No matter what your circumstances, choose to remain in the hands of God and trust Him.

***There may be times you feel ill-equipped and all alone, but God shows up and tells you not to worry...He has a plan.

***What has been written in heaven regarding your life?

This really was an excellent sermon to me. I absolutely LOVE the way Pastor Mel brings new eyes to things I've known in my mind for years, like this Christmas story. They are certainly very sobering thoughts! While I knew Mary realized what a miracle Jesus' birth was, I had never thought about the fact that Mary had studied the scriptures herself and what it must have been like for her to realize in the moment that the angel spoke to her that SHE would be the one all this would be fulfilled through. Can you imagine what a sobering realization that must have been for her? That thought has been on my mind all week. I really just can't even imagine!

The 10th Commandment

Following are the notes on the 10th Commandment, from the sermon series, "Living Life to the Power of Ten."

#10 - FINDING CONTENTMENT
Exodus 20:17

Exodus 20:17 - "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."

***Everything God promised is found in putting God first. Everything God promised can be destroyed by putting 'Me' first.

***The 10th Commandment is about finding contentment.

***Self-centeredness always leads to self-pity.

*** To be content in life is not to possess good self-confidence, but to have absolute confidence in God.

***When we say we are not content, we are saying that God is not enough.

1Timothy 6:6-10 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."

Psalm 73:25 - "Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you."

***The greatness of Christianity is not simply the blessings that come, but the relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

***The 10 Commandments are given under the premise that we want to belong and that we have made a committment to God and to one another.

***When you find Jesus Christ, you will find contentment in life.

My sweet nieces

This is one of the pictures that Kate and Grace had made on one of their picture days this year at their new school. Their individual pictures turned out great as well, but I thought it was awesome that they let siblings have their pictures made together too. They both continue to love their new school and I am thrilled! They have both just grown up SO fast and I continue to be one very lucky aunt! :-)

Things I dislike:

There are a few things in life that I really just don't like:

**celery :-)
**mice
**arrogance
**inconsiderate people
**loud people
**a few other veggies (!!)

But one of the things I most dislike is this:

people coming to my door well after dark, ringing the doorbell and banging on the door when it's obvious that I am either not going to answer, or I am not home.

This has happened to me twice recently. The first time was the night got back from my mom's a few weeks ago. There I was, sittin' on my couch, laptop in my lap, tv on, happy as a clam when all the sudden, 'ring...,' 'ring....'. Now if it had been daylight, I would have gone to the door, no question, but the fact that I live by myself doesn't make me relish the thought of answering the door after dark. So I didn't do anything....just sat there....then, 'ring, ring, ring, ring, ring'....knock knock knock knock knock! I could tell they were persistent, but I can be just the same, so I got up to come back to another room to look out the window and there was a car in my driveway. I still decided it wasn't in my best interest to answer, so I didn't. About an hour later, I looked out to see if they had left anything or whatever and there was nothing. Kinda strange.

So here I am last night, about 9:45, it's dark, my bath water was running, when all the sudden, 'ring.' Of course, my cats run and hide, not that they could do much anyway, but it was surely an 'every man for himself' sort of deal! :-) So again, I wasn't about to go to the door. The same story followed as before, just as persistently, if not a little moreso. I peeked around the corner to be sure my alarm was set, and luckily it was. (One of the best things I did when I had my alarm system installed was to have a keypad put in my bedroom. I wasn't going to do it because it was $100 more, but my mom insisted I need to do that, and I've been SO glad I did!) Eventually, whoever it was went away, but it was a little unsettling once again, that someone would think it was okay to come to a person's door well after dark, when they aren't expecting anyone, and make such a ruckus. I looked again this morning to see if they had left anything, and nothing was there.

I can't decide exactly what to do in this situation. I obviously can't know when someone might show up like that, and I NEVER intend to answer the door after dark, but you just can't be too careful this day and time. I had totally forgotten about the first time it happened until it happened again last night and now I'm wondering what's up. Just kinda weird.

Any suggestions?

The 9th Commandment

The week away at my mom's got me behind on my sermon notes. I've got the CD for hte 8th sermon, but haven't sat down to listen to it where I can take notes. I will do that very soon, but following are the notes from November 30's sermon regarding the ninth commandment, from the sermon series, "Living Life to the Power of Ten."

#9 - THE POWER OF WORDS
Exodus 20:16

Exodus 20:16 - "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor."

Pastor Mel started out by telling a story about a man named Alexander Papaderos. The story is too long to recount here, but I found it on the internet and if you are interested, you can go HERE to read it. It is a great answer to the question, 'What is the meaning of life?'

***Are you reflecting the light of Christ into the world in which you live?

***As we walk in this world, it sees the light of God reflected in our eyes.

***Don't give evidence that would injure the reputation of another person.

***The sin of silence is as powerful as the sin of lying lips.

***We need integrity in our words. We need to be speaking truth at all times.

***When people think of your life, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

***We build integrity by the way we live our life.

***God is truth and if we are to reflect Him to a watching world, we must be truthful in the way we live.

***Because God is truth, we can stand on His word with confidence.

***Our lives will be vindicated when we trust in God's word.

***As a Christian, our integrity is a powerful tool to a watching world.

***Our words have the power to build up or tear down.

***God is watching the way we regard others...do we build them up?

Proverbs 4:24 - "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips."

Jeremiah 17:9 - "The heart is deceitful and above all things beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

***Sin has damaged our heart and we have a self-centered nature that wants to build ourselves up and tear others down.

***To obey this commandment, we need to control our tongue.

***If you are walking with God, you won't be shaken by hurtful words. We know the truth and keep silent knowing we will be vindicated.

***Knowing the power of words, are you willing to let someone else hold you accountable for them?

***Ask the Holy Spirit to help you hold your tongue.

***Obey the Holy Spirit even if this means awkward silence.

***Ask the Holy Spirit to take away your anger and fill you with joy.

***Ask the Holy Spirit to help you encourage others. Speak words they need to hear.

***If you allow the world to taint you, how in the world will God use you to be a light to others?

***Your life can be of such upstanding nature that God can use you to speak truth to set others free!

This was a great sermon and I took 2.5 pages of notes! WOW! Such wisdom.

As I mentioned earlier, I haven't had time to listen to the 8th commandment CD yet. We had our Living Christmas Tree last weekend, so we had rehearsals all week leading up to that, and this week has just been busy. I will get those notes posted soon though for anyone who may be interested.

This n' that

So I decided it was time to change to a Christmas theme. I don't decorate much for Christmas, but I saw this nativity scene a few years ago in Gatlinburg when I was there with my friend Gina and her family. I thought it was adorable, but couldn't afford it, so imagine my surprise when I got it, in parts, from Gina and another girl I work with that year at Christmas! It's been in boxes in my garage probably since I moved here and I just haven't thought about putting it out because I didn't know where I could put it that cats might not get to it (!!), but I decided this year that my mantle is a great place. It is cute as pie sitting up there and I like seeing it every day.

Pastor Mel's sermon today was on the 9th commandment, about not giving false testimony against your neighbor. I bought a CD of last Sunday's sermon since I was out of town, so I'll listen to that soon and get that one and today's sermon notes posted soon. I cannot tell you how blessed we are to have him as our pastor. The wisdom he shares every week just makes me want to sit there with my mouth hanging open, but I know that's not a good look for me, so I try not to do that! :-) These sermons have been a very interesting walk through the 10 commandments. His applications to life today are great. Next Sunday is supposed to be the 10th one, but we are having one of our Living Christmas Tree programs at 10:45 instead of the service. We are having regular church at 8:00, so I am hoping he will delay the 10th commandment until the week after the tree. I am going to try to find out this week what the deal is going to be and if I have to, I may just have to get up and go to the 8:00 service next week! I can't imagine that he won't wait a week to do it, but we'll see.

I'm sad to say that it's back to work tomorrow. I am always amazed at how quickly time off passes! I think that saying is, "I owe, I owe, so off to work I go!" :-)

Hope you had a great Thanksgiving, and thanks for stopping by!

Happy Thanksgiving

If anyone is out there still reading this blog besides my sweet two or three regulars who leave me notes, I just wanted to wish you ALL a great Thanksgiving. I've gotten away from posting as much as I did at one point for reasons that are more personal than anything else, but that's not to say it will always be this way. Despite that, I do still check in on several of you and love keeping up with your thoughts and lives. The internet is a great thing for staying connected.

Life has just been filled with regular stuff....work, church, my nieces, watching the economy (just like everyone else) and getting ready for the holidays. We have our Living Christmas Tree at church next weekend and have been racing to get ready for that. We've had so many other things that we've participated in this year that we may be a bit behind on learning the music as well as we should, but, THANK HEAVEN, we get a practice CD. That has really helped! I definitely need to still do some work on certain parts though! :-)

I have gotten two or three, maybe even four, letters from the little girl I am sponsoring. I continue to know this was the right thing for me to do and that Compassion International was the right organization for me to do this through. She often stresses how much she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. I just encourage her in that goal and love the way she shares the things she's learning at church. I still just cannot imagine what a day in her life is like. We have so much to be thankful for here, there is no doubt.

My sister, nieces and I went to my mom's for a few days for a long weekend this past weekend and had a great time. Patty and Kate slept on my mom's pullout couch, so they could watch some late TV I am sure, but that's fine with me because Grace and I got the bed! :-) Grace informed me that I snore, evidently a LOT to hear her tell it (!!), but we had a great time together. I know I have said this before, but she is SO much like I was at that age and my mom even wholeheartedly agrees. Grace just makes me laugh....a LOT. On the way down, we watched part of a movie, played travel Scrabble, sang, and goofed around all the way down. She is VERY quick witted for her age. We can simply look at each other, know what the other is thinking, and we both just start laughing. She bought a remote control whoopie cushion sometime recently (before this trip) and she had to keep using it on unsuspecting victims at every opportunity. There is never a dull moment with that girl. I can remember some of my aunts at my grandmother's laughing at me when I would say stuff when I was a kid, and I was thinking today if Grace truly is like I was at that age, I can certainly see why my aunts were laughing. Kate was just her sweet, precious self. She's 14 now and definitely coming into her own. She is a a great big sister to Grace. One good thing about me going on that trip is that it gives Patty and Kate some one-on-one mother/daughter time that they don't always get at home. I had some good talks and laughs with Kate too, so it was nice to get away. I loved the time with them both.

That's pretty much my life in a nutshell. I am trying to get rid of a sinus infection that keeps hanging on, but I'm definitely on the mend. I'm going to my dad's tomorrow afternoon for Thanksgiving and am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning. Of course, 'in' is a relative term. My internal alarm usually wakes me up about 7, but hopefully I'll be able to go back to sleep! I love knowing I have 4 days off! YEA!

Anyway, back to my original point. I hope YOU have a fabulous Thanksgiving, and thanks for stopping by...I appreciate it!

PS.....With all this being said, I haven't gotten notes from this past Sunday's sermon, but I will get those and get them posted soon. I can't wait to hear what Pastor Mel had to say!

The 7th Commandment

Following are the notes from this past Sunday morning's sermon regarding the seventh commandment, from the sermon series, "Living Life to the Power of Ten."

#7 - FIRE ALWAYS BURNS
Exodus 20:14

Exodus 20:14 - "You shall not commit adultery."

***The 10 commandments are like a fence God has constructed for our freedom. They protect us from things in the world that will (and can) destroy us.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God."

Matthew 5:27-28 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

***This commandment is dealing with the condition of your heart.

***Our actions start as a seed in the heart - and the seed is the same essence as the fully developed plant.

***The heart controls the life.

***God is concerned about your heart. It is either given to Him or to self.

***You are free to choose evil, but you are not free to choose the consequences.

Malachi 2:14-15 - "You ask, "Why?" It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant. Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth."

Galatians 5:7-8 - "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you."

***Fire always burns. Adultery always causes pain and brokenness.

1 Corinthians 10:12 - "So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!"

***Unguarded strength is a deceptive place to be.

1 Corinthians6:9-11 - "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God."

***There is forgiveness IF you choose to repent, but there are consequences that may never be removed.

***It is foolish to think that pre-meditated sin is not going to cause destruction.

***No matter how great our sin, God's grace is greater.

***God brings conviction so we can correct the relationship.

***God's power over sin is our only hope to find victory in life.

***God established a fence for your protection.

The 6th Commandment

Following are the notes from this past Sunday morning's excellent sermon regarding the sixth commandment, from the sermon series, "Living Life to the Power of Ten."

#6 - RESPECTING LIFE AND EXTENDING GRACE
Exodus 20:13

Exodus 20:13 - "You shall not murder."

***The commandments move forward through 3 areas: God (commandments 1-4), family (commandment 5) and relationships (commandments 6-10).

***The seed is the same essence as the plant, just in a different form. (The difference between hate and murder).

***God is saying that another person's life has value. Do not take it into your own hands.

***Every person has a soul and no matter what they have done, we need to treat them as God would have us to treat them.

***Your words, and your silence, can destroy a person.

***Does your life encourage others or cause them pain?

***Romans 13: 9-10 - "The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law."

***Light and darkness (love and hatred) cannot co-exist in the same place.

***It is always your turn to right a wrong with another. It is always your turn to obey God and make things right.

***You can easily tell those who are walking in a love relationship with God. They love others.

***No matter what happens TO you, you control what happens IN you.

***When someone puts you to the test (treats you wrong), will you pass the test of your heart?

***Matthew 5: 44-45 - "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous."

***The 6th commandment is about respecting life.

***Your actions and words reflect the condition of your heart.

***Does your heart prove that you've been born again?

***There is nothing like a clear conscience. It is priceless and worth more than money can buy.

The 5th Commandment

Following are the notes from this past Sunday morning's sermon regarding the fifth commandment, from the sermon series, "Living Life to the Power of Ten."

#5 - HONOR AND BLESSING
Exodus 20:12

Exodus 20:12- "Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you."

***The danger of losing the fear of God is that we become wise in our own eyes.

***Wisdom is a by-product of our trust in Almighty God.

***Parents are the keepers of God's covenant...children will follow behind and someday enter into the same covenant. Do your children see the commandments of God in you? Is God 1st place?

***Is your life a demonstration of the goodness of God?

***If your children were going to honor God by looking at your life, would they know what to do?

***The 5th commandment is the only one with a promise attached to it. "I will bless your life and take care of you."

***God put you in your family and your father and mother are to be honored for who they are.

***How do you honor an ungodly parent?
--forgive them
--be kind to them
--pray for them

***To honor does not mean that you approve of that which is evil.

***God's ways are not man's ways. They do not always make sense.

Matthew 5:38-48 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you. You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."

***Giving honor to your parents will bring God's blessing upon your life.

***The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

The 4th Commandment

Following are the notes from this past Sunday morning's sermon regarding the fourth commandment, from the sermon series, "Living Life to the Power of Ten."

#4 - TAKE TIME
Exodus 20:8-11

Exodus 20:8-11 - "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

***Rest is important....but HOW you rest determines how you are renewed and strengthened.

***A restless heart usually leads to a reckless life.

***The force and power of this commandment lies not in the resting, but in the sanctifying.

***The Sabbath is unique and special.

***Keeping the Sabbath holy uniquely identifies Christians as holy unto God.

***You need a day of rest. In God's eyes, a day of rest is just as important as a day of work.

***You need a day of corporate worship. It is holy unto HIM, not holy unto US.

***You need a day to give time to a personal love relationship with God.

Passin' it on...

My friend, Tonja, has something posted on her blog that needs to be read by everyone, especially with the election getting so close, so I wanted to pass it along. Go HERE to check it out. It's long, but definitely worth the read. AMAZING!