I will make a confession

I am hooked on “blue crack”. If it is a school day, I have to talk to a police officer. I became hooked in 2006 when I started working as a campus supervisor. The school resource officer, SRO, was a great guy who helped me to have a better understanding of the cast of characters that I have to deal with on a daily basis. As his term expired, I wondered how I was going to survive. There was no need to fear however, for his replacement is also a great guy. I am able to get my daily fix.

This past Friday, we had a “situation” where additional police were needed. I had the opportunity to see my SRO do his job well in an emergency situation. He did his thing while being cool, calm and collected all the time. Never did I feel afraid. It is a comfort to know that Naperville’s finest respond quickly.

But let me be clear, I do not trust in chariots and in horses or the Naperville Police, but trust in the Name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7

ps. In case you are not sure, I am joking about the "blue crack".

Special Memories

The only nice vacations that I have experienced have been my honeymoon in 1985, the tri-city trip to NY, Atlantic City and Philadelphia in 1987 and our trip to Disney World in 2001.We have made a few trips for family reunions but we haven’t even done that in a few years. This being the case, I do not want our special memories to be focused on vacations because we would not have many special memories. Instead, I just enjoy the time when we just sit and have conversation around the dinner table and laugh. Or, going to baseball games or football games to watch our boys sit on the bench, or stand on the sideline or actually play in the game. We like playing poker with chips but not money. I like winning at Boggle or Scrabble :) As we pinch our pennies, we watch the $1 movies from Redbox together. This past weekend I experienced two memorable moments. Saturday when I came home from shopping ,the two beloveds, ages 21 and 18, were watching the Walt Disney Classic, Aladddin together. Monday when I came home from school they were watching Disney’s Toy Story together. Both times I joined them and reflected upon the seasons of my life and their ages when the movies were released. Aladdin was released in 1992 with their ages being 4 and 1. Babies in car seats. We lived in Country Club Hills. Toy Story was released in 1995 with their ages being 7 and 4. Rear seat riders only with a buster seat. Only one in school. We were in Naperville. Now they are both drivers and I am comfortable enough to sleep while they drive! The best memories are free or should I say priceless?

Ecclesiastes 3:1(NIV) 1 There is a time for everything,and a season for every activity under heaven:

I CAN DO BAD ALL BY MYSELF

I saw Tyler Perry's today, LOVED IT! I think it is the best of his movies and I will purchase it when it come on DVD. I would even go see it again in the movie theater and that is saying something for someone who lately has only gotten her movies from Redbox for a dollar.

The "church going" people are real, not "fake holy". Those who are not "church people" don't claim to be anything other than what they are. All of Tyler's movies have a moral message but admittedly sometimes I have a problem with the way that he presents the message. In this film it is clear, a relationship God is a must have for a fulfilling life. Even the self admitted non Christian Madea knows that "Peter could walk on water if he focused on Jesus but when he took his eyes off Jesus, he sank".

Go see the movie and tell me what you think.

"Bags"

but you may call it "cornhole", "cornhole toss" or "beans bags" but younger beloved calls it bags.

He loves bags and it was a must have for his graduation\18th birthday party. I bought a bean toss game at Walmart but it was not of the "Official Cornhole Association" version. Yes, there is an "Official Cornhole Association", so we borrowed one from a friend. I had not played the until this year. I had lived 50 years before experiencing this fine game. I wish I had had the experience earlier in life.

Bags is a game anyone can play. Unlike "Boggle", "Scrabble" or "Pictionary" it does not involve thought, which for some people thinking and fun are mutually exclusive activities. It is also an equalizer, an 18 year old and 82 year old can play. This was the case last month , when we had a family gathering. We made up house rules. Since we had nine players, we made up teams with three players each with one toss each per round. One team played "cheer leaders" to the other two teams as the competed. It was a lot of fun. I wished that we had obtained the game years ago for friends and family use. Why?, you may ask. It is my belief when people feel that they are "of equal value" with others they can be in a relationship with them. God made us for community, relationships. In good relationships we are challenged and grow. Growth is good.

I had the opportunity to play bags yesterday with a staff member during my lunch hour. I won, by the way :) I think our relationship grew a little. I need to get me that game!

EDWARD MOORE KENNEDY

I watched the services for the senator yesterday, the funeral and burial. I was shut in with the flu. The Kennedys were contemporaries with my parents. In the very late sixties and early seventies, I remember in some black folk homes there was a "picture" of Jesus (the one with dark blond hair and green eyes) and a print of the profiles of John and Bobby and King hanging in a place of honor. Many blacks felt that the Kennedys really cared about them.

When the Gospel was read at the funeral Mass, I looked at my husband and asked who did he think chose that reading. Later, one of the priest said that Teddy and his wife planned the service. (I do not think that this is odd as I have outlined my funeral as well including a slide show with pictures of me from birth to now. I update it about twice a year.) The passage was Matthew 25:31-46

The Sheep and the Goats
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'

46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

While you may not agree with how Teddy tried to live out the verses from above, I think he really believed he was doing the right thing. He was a flawed man, as we all are. I am sure that he "got out of situations" because of his position in life as most of us could not. It appears to me that he did not always know how to reconcile his faith with his position on issues. I come to that conclusion after hearing from the letter that he wrote to the Pope that was read at the grave site.

God will deal with Teddy and He will also deal with us. While I believe we should have "personal responsibility" we are also to care for the hungry or thirsty or a stranger or one needing clothes or sick or in prison. If we did this in Christian love we would not have a generation of lazy bums always wanting entitlements but people who want to give back because that is way that love is.

New shoes for my journey on the road to a size healthier

My new shoes came with an instruction booklet,a DVD and a disclaimer to consult with your doctor before use. I was almost afraid to put them on for fear of falling. Very bad things can happen to me when I fall. The shoe manufacturer says that I can get in shape without setting foot in a gym and that is music to my ears because being in a gym with skinny women does not provide me with motivation. Walking and resistance tubes will be my methods of exercise.

These shoes are designed to promote weight loss, tone muscles, improve posture, improve blood circulation, tighten abdominal muscles, strengthen the back, firm buttocks muscles, reduce cellulite and tone thighs and firm calf muscles. I bet you think that I am making all of this up. Well, I am not, Google "Skechers fitness footwear shape-ups" and you will see everything that I said above.

I will not weary in doing good.

I am getting back on the road to a size healthier.

As some of you may know, I have been fortunate to have had a couple of guys have come into my life to help me in that regard, a couple of tall dark and handsome guys in their 30’s. Well, I should not say dark because they are white. I should say brunettes that would indicate darker for white folk. But then again, one of them has no hair….. well, you get the drift. My personal trainers have been patient and non judgmental with me even when I have slipped up and not followed their good advice. But, that is behind me and I am back on the road to a size healthier.

I met with a dietitian yesterday and she helped me fine tune my eating plan for Ouie at age fifty which in not the one that may have worked for me twenty years ago. For my daily devotions I am using Living the Legacy from the First Place Series, a Bible-based weight-loss plan. Today’s study talked about

Ephesians 1:4 (New Living Translation)4 Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.

and 1 Peter 1 13-16. (New Living Translation) 13 So think clearly and exercise self-control. Look forward to the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”[c]

The thought to mediate on for the day was the act of being holy impacts our daily life which should include striving for a healthy lifestyle, looking for ways to minister to others and living so that people see Christ in us.

I am excited about being back on the road to a size healthier!

The 18 to 30 year old age group.....

is probably the least represented group in weekly church attendance. From what I know and read, if a young person is not firmly rooted in their faith by the time that they graduated high school, they will be prone to not attend church any longer and/or be open to other "spiritual things". Unfortunately, many churches do not have programs, classes, youth groups, etc. that equip young people to develop a Christian world view. Some churches that do have programs use methods that do not speak to the young person of today, so they are ineffective.

One minister, I will not tell you his denomination because some of you will close your mind just on that alone, is taking God's message to the young people since they are not coming to church. His program, "Theology on Tap" is designed to bring young adults in a social setting and allow them to connect about religious issues relative to their lives. Yes, friends they meet at a pub and discuss theology over beer and a sandwich. The target group is those who were brought up in the church but strayed away. The goal of the program, according to the coordinator, is to inspire people to want to know more about their faith, meet people and return to their church to find out more.

My church tradition and drinking do not go along so this program gives me concern. Then again, is it worse than having the conversation about Jesus before or after enjoying fried chicken, fried catfish, potato salad (full fat dressing), macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, Cole slaw (full fat dressing), greens cooked with fatty meat, white bread, corn bread washed down with Kool-Aid, and sweet potato pie and caramel cake for dessert, all the while knowing that fried food, white flour and sugar are very bad for "the temple"?

I said all of that to say, we need to think about what we are doing (or not doing)and why we are doing it (or not doing it). The shepherd left 99 sheep to find one lost one. Do we need to go to pub to find some sheep who have gone astray?

Tell me your thoughts.

Thoughts on MICHAEL JACKSON's Memorial Service

Yes, I watched the memorial service for Michael. Some people may have thought that it was long, 2 1/2 hours or so, but not me. It was about the same length as my father's funeral. I have attended a four hour funeral in my life so those funerals that are one hour are short to me.

I was pleasantly surprised that it was not over the top. It did give me pause that they brought his body in on the song "Soon and Very Soon We are Going to See the King" but I felt better when Lionel Richie sang a song with the name Jesus through out. I can not recall the name of the song at his moment but Richie recorded it quite a number of years ago.

Millions watched that service. I am glad that the organizers wanted/allowed/permitted a song with the name of Jesus to be sung. It is my prayer that some have heard that song and will want to know more about Christ.

I want to revisit the Spiritual Gifts discussion.

I will stick with the gifts listed in the Pauline epistles. On second thought, this one may be derived from Paul’s list. Paul lists helps and service as gifts and hospitality is a form of these gifts. The website Cyber Ministry lists hospitality as a gift as does the book I spoke of a few weeks ago, May 27 and June 4, Network.

The website Cyber Ministry defines the gift of hospitality as the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to provide open arms, open house and warm welcome for those in need of friendship, a warm welcome, food and lodging

Hubby and I don’t have this gift, but sometimes I wish I did. I know we should not covet others gifts but I am being honest. For those who I think have the gift, having people in their home is effortless, it comes naturally like breathing. It gives me stress. But I do like people and having meaningful conversation. In the last five years we have only had one person/family in our home for a meal who was not a blood relative.

The website Cyber Ministry defines the gift of service as the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to identify unmet needs involved in a task related to God’s work, and to make use of available resources to meet those needs and help accomplish the desired goals. I have a friend who I think has the gift of service.

His reputation preceded him. Three years ago, a friend called me, I could hear in her voice that she about to cry. She told me of what a great guy this football coach was and asked if younger loved one had told me about him. I told her “no”. Coach was an offensive coach and my boy played defense. By day three on my new job, I wondered if I was in over my head. His “duty post” was near my assignment. I approached him, introduced myself and told him that his reputation had preceded him and asked him to pray for me immediately. He did. My job has been easier ever since. He encourages me while at work and advises me. He has been around high schoolers a lot longer that I have. He willingly helped me when I asked for his guidance on the road to a size healthier. He is a P.E. teacher and has worked as a personal trainer. I was able to break plateaus that I previously had been unable to in decades. He reads my blogs and gives comments that are helpful. He used his truck to move a sofa for me and would not accept payment not even gas money. Last week he brought his family to my home to help with back breaking yard work in the heat and would not accept payment.

He and his family serve the body of believers because of their Christian love. They are the only non blood relatives who I spoke of above who have had dinner in our home in the last five years. My family loves this guy and his adorable family.

I want to say a word or two about MICHAEL JACKSON

I can only remember going to three concerts in my life and two of them were to see Michael Jackson. My first at age 11 at the Chicago Amphitheatre. You have to be at least a baby boomer to remember that place. There was a crowd and my mother, who took me, was pushed to the ground. She was not injured. Michael was from August to February older than me. I remember the Jackson Five cartoon show and the teen magazines with the Jackson Five on the cover every month. My first albums were Jackson Five albums. I remember ABC I can not recall what other ones I had.

The other concert was in 1984. I think it was his last tour with his brothers. I saw with my own eyes young people fainting just by seeing him. Say what you want about him, but he could put on a show.


It is my prayer that Michael's death will cause some to think about their lives and a relationship that they need to make. More people walking on the earth today may know the name Michael Jackson and his life than Jesus and his life. Believers,we need to work on changing that fact.

Younger loved one....

the one named after the Gospel writer (you think you know which one?) is in Mexico on a mission trip. They are building a house without the use of power tools.
It has been unseasonably cool this week, in the 70's. I think that is blessing for these young men who I think may not be used to hard labor in 95 degree heat.

Younger one started attending his current church because his friends were attending and SERVING there. Their congregation meets at a high school so there is set up and tear down each week. He and his friends help with this each week. The majority of his close friends have chosen to attend a Christian college.Your peers influence you.

I'll give you a hint on the Gospel writer with the same name as my son. He went on mission trips :)

Loving Day

"It’s not a “Hallmark” holiday,but June 12 is LOVING DAY. On that day in 1967 the U.S. Supreme Court declared that laws banning marriages between the races were unconstitutional. In 1967 there were still several states that had laws against miscegenation. Relationships between the races were deemed “unnatural,” and marriage - a legal binding contract, illegal. Loving Day has a double meaning because the case (Loving vs. Virginia) that the Supreme Court heard, involved the 1958 marriage between Richard Loving, a white man, and Mildred Jetter, a black woman, in Virginia. The Lovings were arrested in their home and told to leave the state for 25 years or face imprisonment."

The above is from an article my friend wrote for the June 2009 issue of the monthly magazine Positively Naperville, I won't use her name because I do not use my name in blog. She is like me in that our knights in shining armor are white, we fell in love with white guys.

Some have felt, and some still do feel that the Bible supports miscegenation. I believe the Bible clearly states that marriage prohibitions were based on believers marrying non believers. If one married a nonbeliever it could open the door for believers to turn away from God. The Old Testament has a number marriages where the nonbeliever chose to follow the God of the believer so these marriages were fine.

Tomorrow I will toast the Lovings with some sparkling grape juice.

SCHOOL'S OUT FOR SUMMER

June 3rd was the last day of the school year. I was not looking forward to it as many were. I missed 44 school days so I do not feel that I need time away from school. More importantly, I knew that the end of the school year would mean a change in relationship for two coworkers and me.

These two listened to me, advised me and helped me to keep it real from day one. Seeing them daily was a highlight of my day. One lives in another state and the other's daily life will probably not intersect mine any longer. As I have said in an earlier blog, sometimes people are in our lives only for a season. This season is over. :(

I want to share a couple of continuing thoughts regarding last week's blog. The book Network listed "creative communication" and "craftsmanship" as Spiritual gifts. I had never heard of such before, but reserved judgement when they provided the Bible references to support the idea. The authors state "Talents can be an indicator to your giftedness but do not necessarily equate to your Spiritual Gift.""The affirmation of any Spiritual Gift must be consistent with glorifying God and edifying others." This brings to mind the constant dialogue particularly in the Black community can one\should one be a Gospel singer and one who sings secular music for pay.

Again I welcome your thoughts.

GIFT AND \OR TALENT, HOW DOES ONE USE IT?

Ten years ago, I took a class to help me discern my Spiritual Gifts. The guide book we used was Network by Bruce Bugbee, Don Cousins and Bill Hybels. Using the book’s methods of self discovery and after prayerful consideration by my husband, friends, and myself, we determined my Gift. I will not share what that Gift was because in this season of my life, I’m not feeling it. I have changed in many ways in the past ten years. Among other life changing experiences, I have become more aware of and involved in drama ministry.

Network lists Creative Communication as a Spiritual Gift. “The gift of Creative Communication is the divine enablement to communicate God’s truth through a variety of art forms.”

“People with this gift:
Use the arts to communicate God’s truth
Develop and use artistic skills such as drama, writing, art, music, etc
Use variety and creativity to captivate people and cause them to consider Christ’s message
Challenge people’s perpective of God through various forms of the arts
Demonstrate fresh ways to express the Lord’s ministry and message”

“While Spiritual Gifts are unique to the believer, talents are common to all. Both are God-given…… The affirmation of any Spiritual Gift must be consistent with glorifying God and edifying others.”

The scripture references given for Creative Communication are:

Ps 150:3-5 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals. NIV

2 Sam 6:14-15 David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the LORD with all his might, 15 while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouts and the sound of trumpets. NIV

Mark 4:2 He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said NIV

He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one NLT

Mark 4:33 Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand. NLT

It was not until this week that I really thought about the fact that Jesus always taught the crowds using parables, stories and illustrations. Isn’t that what sketches, plays, dramas can be in a worship or church service, stories and illustrations to help people to have a better understanding of Jesus’ message? So here is my question for you: If one feels he has the Spiritual Gift of Creative Communication does that mean he should not use his acting talent to sell Mr. Clean or Saturns or to star in “G” rated sitcoms?

Post your comments or email me and I will post the comment for you without using your name.

Our younger child graduated from high school last night.

It was a beautiful night, not too hot or too cold. The family was there of course including Grandma and the Minister of Youth. The night ended with fireworks (Thursday morning a citizen of town came to school to speak to an administrator to find out if his tax dollars were spent on fireworks for such an occasion. Both high schools in the district conclude the evening with fireworks. He felt in times like these we should be spending our money more wisely.) After the commencement, it took several minutes to find younger beloved, he was hugging friends. When we finally hugged each other I sensed he was crying. That set off the water works for me. I felt like every good thing and every thing not so good that has happened to our family in the last four years was just pressing on me. I wept so that some who witnessed it felt like crying too. I had to sit before I fainted.

God has blessed younger beloved to have the opportunity to attend Wheaton College where the motto is "For Christ and His Kingdom". My baby wants to go to a school where the motto is "For Christ and His Kingdom".

"But seek (aim at and strive after) first of all His kingdom and His righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." Matthew 6:33 Amp

Are we blessed or what?

MOTHERS

Mothers have great responsibility. Because we usually spend more time with our children than their fathers, we often have greater influence in their developing personality. We all have heard the jokes saying when someone has dysfunctional tendencies look at the relationship with the mother.

I love my mother and count it blessing that I still have her. None of my girls from the high school days still have their mothers. Mama has been a believer from a young age and always been active in her church. She has been a member of the same church for 66 years. No church hopping for her! My mother and father taught us the importance of supporting our church through giving and involvement. No one could say my family is a bunch of pew sitters and have that stement be true.

My motherly philosophy was based on my childhood experiences. I think that I turned out OK, so I thought my way would be fine for my sons. :) I take no credit for our sons turning out to be the fine young men that they are. God has chosen to show us favor in that regard. Hubby and I tried to follow Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” NIV

My father’s oldest sister and my uncle, her husband, were like minded. Some of my favorite childhood memories were being with my cousins at church. My cousins called my aunt Mother Dear, M’dear, for short. I always thought it would be great to be called Mother Dear. But do you ask someone to call you that or is that a term of endearment that is earned? Tyler Perry has tarnished the name somewhat for me with his Madea character, but maybe one day my grandchildren will call me M’dear.

Do you agree with me?

I believe true followers of Christ are of the universal church. I do not think there will be a Roman Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Assembly of God etc. sections in heaven. So I was hesitant in renting the movie Doubt because so often in movies people of the Christian faith are bashed. My husband and I watched the movie. We felt that it was well acted and that it was just a story and not the story of the Roman Catholic Church in the 1960’s.

I know many people whose church experience has brought them a true quality of life. But, I have friends whose church experience was negative, so negative in fact that they have stopped attending church. The bad thing about church is that it has people with issues and the good thing about church is that has people with issues. The Bible tells us “ And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

When a church, the body of believers, is functioning properly the attendees are
- involved in true corporate worship
- loved
- comforted
- held accountable in a non judgmental way
- growing in their relationship with Jesus and with other believers
- giving freely and cheerfully to advance God’s Kingdom

Here’s something to think about: Would anyone say “I am going to stop driving because there are drunks on the road, reckless drivers, speeders, folks you can’t see well, folks whose reflexes are too slow, and some who just don’t know how to drive”. No, you drive because it has benefits to you that are worth the risk you take when you are on the road with those other people.

Finding a church home may take effort but the potential benefits to you are very much worth it. Do you agree with me?

SELF CONTROL

The words self control or self controlled are used 17 times in the Bible. So I think being self controlled is something that God wants for us. Being self controlled is a part of holy living. Yeah holy living, that is not something the church talks about much. Let me define my terms, being holy is not being conformed to the thinking of the world. It is truly being of the mindset of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). Living holy is living by the Spirit.

So I think for believers to be self controlled means to give one’s self over to the Spirit to be controlled. It is a decision to be made each and every day, moment by moment. We need to pray without ceasing to be Spirit controlled. Since most of us do not pray without ceasing, we do not always live by the Spirit. We do not ask the Spirit to lead us because we want to do our own thing, follow our own sinful ways.

“So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” Galatians 5:16-17

God knows how we humans are so He provides us with the opportunity of forgiveness when we fail. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9

Living a holy life, a Spirit filled life, takes a believer a lifetime to master. It is only mastered once you meet Jesus face to face.

Seasons....

Monday, seniors received their cap, gown and graduation tickets. It was a bitter sweet time, a time of change. Sometime we welcome change and sometime we do not. There are friends we have for life and some for only a season.

There is a young person who I know will only be in my life only as long as we have a connection at Central. This person has had a great impact on me. I have had to think about some things because of this relationship and this thinking has given me the opportunity to grow as a person. I think growth is good, especially at my advanced age.

When all is said and done, I hope this person will say "She made me laugh, she made me think, she genuinely cared for me. Maybe she even loved me and she did not require me to think the way that she does before she loved me. I believe she has what she says she has, a relationship with Jesus. Maybe I'll look into what it means to have a relationship with Jesus."

GIFTS

Gary Chapman wrote a book The Five Love Languages. These "languages" are physical touch, words of affirmation, quality time, acts of service and gifts. Chapman says "The giving and receiving of gifts can be a powerful expression of love, at the time they are given and often extending into later years." Gifts is not my primary love language, quality time is, but sometimes I really enjoy gifts. I like it when the person gives the gift for no special occasion, you know birthday, Valentine's, Christmas or to say thank you but a gift just because they love me or were thinking of me.

I have a co-worker who gave me several garments among them an ensemble that I wore to a wedding, a duster that I wore to a 50th birthday bash and a classic outfit that I wore to a funeral. The items have designer labels from stores that I do not shop. She gave me these items out of the kindness of her heart. I did not do anything to deserve them and she gave them without expecting anything in return. A true gift.

My pastor's Easter, I prefer to use Resurrection but that's for another blog, sermon brought to mind again that Jesus offers us the gift of salvation. It is not something that we "earn." We can see that as we look at the thief on the cross with Jesus. He had been convicted of some bad stuff to get the penalty of death on a cross.

Yet while on the cross he cam to realize:
He should fear God. (Luke 23:40)
Fearing God shows wisdom. (Psalm 111:10)
He was guilty as charged but Jesus was not. (Luke 23:41)
He felt that Jesus could "do something" for him (Luke 23:42)

Jesus "did something" for him, He promised him that he would be with Him that day in paradise. The thief was going to heaven. He was not baptized, didn't have the opportunity to do good works or have communion. He did not do anything to earn the right to go to heaven. Jesus gave him this gift because He cared about the thief. A true gift.

I'm glad Jesus' love language is gifts.


By the way, I think that God uses the language that speaks to us. I just used gifts to fit the theme of the blog :)

44 days.....

that is the number of actual work days that I missed due to the events of January 20th. That gave me a lot of time on my hands. I thought that I would take up reading, but that King James version of "Pilgrim's Progress" is on my dresser without me reading page one. On my back is not the sleeping position of choice for me, but laying down makes me fall asleep. I did a lot of sleeping.

I did read more Scripture than I would have otherwise, and I had plenty of time to reflect upon my readings. I believe all things work together for good (Romans 8:28). Not that everything that happens is a good thing, or that it will feel good while it is happening. I do think however that our life experiences and challenges can be a time of learning lessons. Sometime we learn about ourselves, sometimes others, sometimes God. I think when we learn, we grow, we mature. If we embrace these opportunities for growth and allow the Holy Spirit to teach us we will be better for it.

There are a couple of lessons that will take me a lifetime to master. Pray before I start doing. I should not start a project and then ask God to bless it. That project may be a good one, but not for me to do. Be slow to speak and quick to listen. Sometimes all I am supposed to do is listen, not try to help solve the problem.

Oh yeah there is another lesson, watch your step! :)

ps The return to work went well. Thank you for your prayers. I will not send any more photos unless you request one.

Don't be stupid.....

do not be foolish, don’t act thoughtlessly. Instead, understand what the Lord's will is, understand, find out what the Lord wants you to do.
Ephesians 5:17 (combination of Contemporary English Version, New International Version and New Living Translation)

Back in the olden days when I worked as an engineer, the early eighties, the new thing was for companies, organizations and soon individuals to have a mission and\or vision statement. Everything that you considered doing was to be filtered through the mission statement. If it did not fulfill the mission you were not to do it. Hmmm, should we as Christians have a mission statement and filter our actions through it? Should we be open to do any and all good works? Should each of us adopt an orphan or take in a foster child? Should we all be involved in prison ministry? Should we all visit nursing homes and hospitals to encourage those who need encouragement? Should we all be involved in building homes for the homeless? We are being stupid, foolish and act thoughtlessly when we think we can do everything or when we think that we can not do anything. I think we should be open to any and all good works but we need to filter it through how God designed us to be. God has gifted us and equipped us differently so that when everyone does what he or she is gifted to do, all the good works are done.

If things had gone differently......

You would have been invited to my 50th birthday party. I had written a twenty minute monologue for the event. Over time I may share with you portions of it in my blog. The following is from the monologue.

Now that I am 50, considered by most to be older, I want to be a Titus 2 woman.
I want to be reverent in the way I live, to live in a way that honors God, to behave as those who love the Lord should. I do not want to be a slanderer, gossip or addicted to much wine, heavy drinker, drunk, but to teach what is proper, what is good, be a model of goodness, to give good counsel Then I can guide the younger women or By looking at me, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous self-controlled to live wisely and pure, be sensible and kind, to be ]sane and sober of mind (temperate, disciplined) be a good homemaker, be a good wife. and to be subject to their husbands, to be submissive to their husbands, one who puts her own husband first. I want to be such that no one will malign the word of God because of me, that the word of God may not be exposed to reproach (blasphemed or discredited) because of me. Then no one can say insulting things about God's message because of me. Then I will not bring shame on the word of God. I don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of my behavior.

Titus 2:3-5 NIV MSG NLT CEV AMP

I AM LOVED

I have always been loved, from the womb to now. In addition to the usual suspects of my immediate family, I have been loved by extended family and by my church family, past and present. My church family and small group look out for me, regular calls, meals, whatever I need. I text my pastor, do you? My life time partner's pastor is good too, we do the email thing and the cell number is in my cell phone. My friends from back in day, high school, are there for me too. I am especially blessed to have people at Central who love me, after all I spend a lot of time there. I know who to go to when I need loving.

You know what all these people have in common? They know Jesus and since they know Jesus they know God and God is love. The Bible tells us that we will know Christ followers because of their love.

My family needs loving right now. My oldest beloved is not well (fluid inside and outside of the right lung and a blood clot is there too), but we know that God loves him a lot more than we do and He is in control. God is good and demonstrates His love by providing Christ followers to love us on His behalf.

I do not agree with Stevie Wonder.......

In his song Superstitious he says, “When you believe in things that you don’t understand then you suffer”. I believe in prayer and honestly I really do not understand it and I do not think that I am suffering. God knows the future right? So does my pray change the future. I don’t know. Since He knows my thoughts, why do I have to pray? I don’t know. But I will say this, if Jesus prayed and He is God, for sure I need to pray.

Some people say you should ask God for exactly the thing that you want. For example: do not pray for a car, pray for a 2009 Chevy Colbalt in blue. I have found that I do not always know what is best for me, so my prayers are more like “God, this is my concern or problem. Please fix it or change my attitude about it so that I will have peace.” Last year I had a prayer answered in a way that was WAY BETTER, let me type that again, WAY BETTER than I had hoped. Even as a child of God, I would not have been so presumptuous as to ask for such a blessing.

I would like to thank all who have been standing in the gap for me (praying for me). Since January 20th I have had all sorts of emotions. Some brought on by medication perhaps, some by being perimenopausal perhaps, and some because I was just being a big baby about not being able to have my party.

I went to see the doctor today, he is very pleased with how my wound is healing. He said if healing continues at the same pace, the wound vac may come off in two weeks and for now, he thinks no skin graft will be needed. He said that I would able to return to work without restrictions if I wear some special knee high sock.

Keep up with the prayers, the prayers of a righteous one avails much.

Welcome to my blog

Just because I am fifty years old does not mean that I am not in tune to the things of the day. I will now be a blogger. Every now and then I will blog and will notify my loved ones and friends of new blog entires.