Merry Christmas

Christmas week finds many friends and family finishing up their shopping, wrapping, baking, and getting fatter with each cookie and piece of chocolate! There is always ONE more gift we have to buy and keep our “testimony” as we stand in line to pay.
It has also been a very tough week for many others. One friend’s mom is recovering from a fall, two cousins have grandchildren in separate hospitals in Birmingham in serious condition, one friend’s mom has just been put back in the hospital because her cancer has returned, and one cousin’s mom will be celebrating her second Christmas in a hospital in GA. The loss of loved ones seem to leave us unsure of how to celebrate withouth them. The list goes on and on, and I haven’t even mentioned the stress on families with complicated dynamic problems who will come together and silently pray through the day that nothing will be said to hurt someone’s feelings.
During these tough times it IS hard to focus on the birth of Jesus and STAY focused on Him. When you include Jesus in your celebration, the true meaning of Christmas will shine it's light to all those you love and care about. Don't be afraid to say Merry Christmas! It is Christmas!

First Date

On this date, December 12, in 1954, (57 years ago for those of you who are mathematically challenged) two young college students from Tennessee Temple set out on their first date together. They weren’t followed by paparazzi like Prince William and Kate complete with flash bulbs going off to follow their every move. I do however understand that it was the talk of the young woman’s roommates and they hid her clothes and made her wear one of their outfits! It was a simple date to the church there on campus for an anniversary celebration of the school’s Radio Ministry.
He went into the military and was away many months at a time at sea. Letters flew back and forth from the Mediterranean to a town in GA. (Thankfully MANY of those letters still exist.) Apparently, a few bells and whistles went of for both of them because in 1959 they were married. They stayed faithful to each other until the end which included fifty two plus years of marriage.
My brother and I did not know what a privilege we had to be part of a family that stayed together. We just thought that everyone did that until we were older and saw the reality of life. Each year Mama would mention this day to Daddy and they would talk once again about that first date. This is the first year that he is not here and I thought it would just be a nice tribute to remember once again how important that first date can be.

48th Anniversary

May 12, 2007

The Piano

There is a piano in my den that I have had since I was 7. Many sweet memories of precious fingers have touched those keys. My daddy taught me to play Chopsticks; Deborah Gainey Martin gave me MANY lessons, and I still love to hear her play. My brother, Jeff and I would play “Heart and Soul” over and over again.
One day in the early ‘70s a family moved to our city and started attending our church. Mom was in need of a babysitter for the summer and one of the teenagers in that family was chosen to stay with us. I learned many facts about her in the next couple of days. Her name was Rhonda Covalt and she had two sisters and a brother. She had lost her father. I had never met anyone before whose daddy had died and it made me feel very sad for her.
When Rhonda came to stay with us for the first day, she sat down at my piano and started playing and singing a song that I hadn’t heard before. She sang,
” Because He Lives”, and knowing that she had just lost her father, I listened to the words as she sang because I knew they must have meant so much to her.

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal, and forgive.
He lived and died to buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, All fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

(site to hear this song) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVdEdIDyeaA&feature=related
Forty years have past I still remember that day. It’s funny how our minds never forget some moments in time. There have been some days that I didn’t know how I would face tomorrow and that song played and sang so long ago would replay in my mind.
Several years ago I had the opportunity to walk into the grave that is believed to be the one where Jesus rose from the dead. Once again the song played in my mind, “Because He Lives, I can face tomorrow…”

He DOES live and I CAN face tomorrow in my Risen Savior’s arms.

Who's Story is it?

I love working with Kings Kids each Sunday. At five years old, they can still teach volumes. Yesterday Tiffany gathered them all around and started to show the first flashcard about a Shepard. As she started her lesson, one hand popped up to say that they though the story was about a lost lamb. “No, not a lost lamb”, she said and continued on. Another hand went up just a minute or two more into the story to say what they thought the story would be about. Each time she would stop the story and say patiently, “No, just listen and you will find out.”
Each one wanted to come up with the ending. I chuckled, but God seemed to say to me in that moment, “Aren’t you like that?” Always wanting to know the end of the story and control how the story will go?
For those of you that know my life story, it did not go as I thought. Not because the Lord messed up things, but because I wanted to tell the story at times and made a mess of it. When I finally put my “hands down” and let Him lead the story, He was able create beauty from the ashes I had created. I’m thankful for a God of second chances.

Have You Ever Had One Of Those Moments?

Have you ever had a "If those were MY kids…” moment? The other day a child was standing up about to fling himself head first into the concrete and mom says…” You need to think about sitting down before you fall.” I can feel my blood pressure beginning to rise, as I think about all the stupidity in that statement. You need to THINK about it? Really, a two year old is going to THINK this process through…..If I don’t sit down, I will fall and crack my head open and will be rushed to the ER and might die. I don’t care HOW smart you think little Johnny is….he’s not quite there yet MOM!
Sitting in a restaurant a few months back was rather tough for me also. My hearing is very good since my eye sight is not, and I can hear four or five conversations going on at a time without trying. I find it more of a curse than a blessing at times. Two ladies at the booth behind me were discussing, rather loudly actually, one of their teen.
Parent One says: “I want to be my daughter’s best friend, and buddy up with her friends. I think it’s cool to relive my teens again.”
Parent Two says: “That sounds so cool. I think they would love us more if we were more like them!”
As I sat across from my husband and my eyes begin to get bigger and bigger. He knows me well enough to know what’s going on. It took every bit of common sense, and Christian character I had not to stand up in my booth and scream. “YOU ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE YOUR TEENS FRIEND, THEY HAVE PLENTY OF THEM! BE A PARENT WHEN THEY ARE CHILDREN AND TEENS AND WHEN THEY ARE GROWN, THEY WILL BE ONE OF YOUR BEST FRIENDS!”

Parents, please grow a backbone and be responsible parents. Your kids need to be able to respect you.

Our youngest is living with us while in college The rules have changed now that he is an adult, but some haven’t. If he choose to ignore these rules, he knows where the door is. We have had no problems as of yet with our guest ;)

The Rules For Living In Our Home Are:
1. No drinking
2. No smoking
3. No drugs
4. No sex outside of marriage.
5. Must be involved in a good local church.
6. Don’t care when you come home, but please let us know where you are out of courtesy (see rules 1-4 for what is not allowed)

I know you are wondering why I expect so much from my family, and the answer is I am just asking them to do what the Lord would ask them to do. Are these rules really followed and the answer is YES!

Was I the perfect parent? NO…, I haven’t met anyone that was perfect either, but a little sense and Biblical teaching goes a LONG way in helping.


"Each day of our lives we make deposits in the memory banks of our children." Chuck Swindoll

What a Family Can and Can't Do

I am blessed with a large extended family. We come from a variety of backgrounds and interest. Some of our careers include; realtor, Colonel, nurse, teacher, student, bankers, business owners, welders, Iraqi War Vet, writers, Dr., bakers, aircraft mechanic, construction workers, Pastors, mathematicians, homemakers, graphic artists, ultrasound technician, retired military, lawyer, professor, musician, forest ranger, chefs, bosses, secretaries, and of course every family has a few "rebels without a cause".

I know it’s hard to believe, but we also have Republicans, Democrats, and Independents sitting at the same table at dinner sometimes! Yes, it has gotten a little loud - I won’t lie, but no food fights yet. ;) Agreeing to disagree is sometimes all one can do.

If I needed ANY ONE of these people, they would come to my rescue almost immediately with little or no questions asked. That’s a pretty cool arsenal to have at one’s disposal isn’t it? In fact, the Dr., nurse, writer, student, colonel, teacher, welder, banker, aircraft mechanic, and musician were all with us the day that Daddy passed away a couple of months ago.
Although they are all talented and loving and would give anything for us, none of them can give what only Christ could give us during that time. Grace for the journey and peace that passes all understanding.
They also cannot answer the ultimate question one day when Christ asks…”Do you know Me?” We are all on our own at that time. None of my family can answer for me. I doesn’t matter who did what to whom or didn’t do, or who gave the most money, or helped the most people, or say the nicest things, or even helped with “world peace” and “global warming”! (yes, there is implied sarcasm here)

God has been good to me and even if he hadn’t I still owe Him my full loyalty for dying on a cross 2,000 years ago for my sins, being put in a grave for three days, and rising from the dead so that I can have eternal life with Him.

Romans 14:11 It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'"

Wrong Aisle At The Right Time

Each day brings new challenges when you are legally blind. Sometimes it’s nice just to be able to laugh at yourself. I was in a store the other day and asked a clerk where an item was located. She muttered “Aisle 20”. To YOU, that is all the help you need. What she didn’t know is that I could only see some of the numbers, so I found the first number and started counting up in my head to 20. Finally, I thought that I had found the aisle, but NO…it’s wine. I was definitely not looking for that. I guess at that point I rolled my eyes, or showed some type of exasperation because a sweet lady had been watching me struggle to find this item. (She could have also been security wondering why I was casing the place!) “Can I help you?” she asked. I told her what I was searching for; only to find out they didn’t carry it.
I thought, “Why in the world did I wasted all of this time for nothing?” As I walked down the aisle to leave, I heard my name. I knew the voice before I could actually see her; a friend from long ago. She seemed tired, and as we began to talk, it was clear that her life had been a rough one. She cried as she told about her children and we laughed as we remembered old times. We hugged and exchanged info and I continued walking.
I then realized that this wasn’t a “legally blind” moment, but a “God Moment”! He orchestrated my steps that day and put me in the “wrong” aisle! Our minds are finite, and we have a limited understanding of God's ways.

Proverbs 16:9
A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps

The Future

I have wondered many times through life if it would be easier if we could see the future. We could prevent accidents, go earlier to the Dr. to prevent cancer, mistakes would never be made, and on and on. After the last two months, I’ve realized how horrible it would have been to know all that would transpire in this short time.
As most of you know, Daddy went home to be with the Lord on June 3rd. I knew the night before he died that this would be his last night on this earth. I watched and held his hand as he took his steps into Glory. I would NOT have wanted to know years ago that on June 3rd, I would lose him. A week later, I watched as my second “father” on this earth pass on to Heaven also. We did not know he even HAD cancer until the week before he died. Would it have been better to know the future so we could have prevented his death? No, it was his appointed time to meet his Lord. Three days after that I lost my 48 year old cousin in GA. We had grown up together, and even though I knew she was dying, it is still hard to know she won’t be there when I go back to visit.
Even the song that was sung at Daddy’s funeral asks a question about the future, but you and I have to answer this one individually.
Face to face with Christ, my Savior,
Face to face—what will it be?
When with rapture I behold Him,
Jesus Christ who died for me.

I have a friend that I see once a week or so and they are having a hard time believing Jesus is real and sometimes I wish THEY could see the future and past so they would realize how important this decision is, but I know God is in control of it all and I continue to pray for them.
In Romans 14 it says: Every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Last weekend all of our family went to the cemetery to see the daddy’s headstone that has been placed there. It is still all a little unreal to me. Though tears are pretty close to the surface lately, I do have a peace in knowing Daddy, Papa, and Tammy are with their Heavenly Father. They are now” face to face” with Him. Two other verses of this song mean so much for to me now.

What rejoicing in His presence,
When are banished grief and pain;
When the crooked ways are straightened,
And the dark things shall be plain.

Face to face! O blissful moment!
Face to face—to see and know;
Face to face with my Redeemer,
Jesus Christ who loves me so.

Did you ever have SO MANY things swirling around in your mind that you weren’t sure WHERE to start?
First of all, thank you for all of your inquires about Daddy. I’m sorry I have not responded to them all. He has declined rapidly over the last couple of months. He is now in his hospital bed that was set up in the master bedroom most of the day. There are times he looks at us and tries to talk, but can’t usually. He did tell me “bye” as I was leaving yesterday. He is very weak, and continues to lose weight. Feeding him his Ensures is almost a full time job, but in the last couple of days he has been refusing to drink them. Mom, of course has taken excellent care of him and each of us are there to help her around the clock. Daddy has never complained through his illness for the last six years. There is a far away look in his eyes most of the time now, but I’m praying that he is just seeing little glimpse of heaven.
Tim returned home last week from helping tornado victims in a couple of small towns in Alabama. The things he saw are hard to explain. When I walked past a tiny hole in my wall that I want to have fixed, it didn’t seem so important anymore after seeing and hearing what others have been going through.
In just a few weeks, I will be attending my 30 YEAR HIGH SCHOOL REUNION! Why did I write that in all caps? Let’s just say I’m a little shocked that the years have flown by for starters. I’m very excited to see everyone again! Some of those attending, I haven’t seen in 35 plus years. Some of us are getting “old. It seems that by the 30th my philosophy has become “it is what it is”. I’d thought about getting a spray tan so I wouldn’t glow white, and of course the right outfit to wear, and saying all of the right things, and so on and so on, but as the years go by all of that really pales in comparison to the true reason we should all look forward to see each other. Class cliques fade into the reality of life and all of the things we have in common like kids going off to college and their marriages, grandchildren, ailing parents, losing a spouse, our health or all of the other host of things . Money, houses, boats, status, looks, and popularity seem so superficial in this tough world we are all a part of now. A questionnaire was sent out to get info on our classmates. One question in particular got my attention…”What have you been up to in the last 30 years?”
Well, THAT’S A LOADED QUESTION for some of us! Lol. It made me stop and think…think….think. It took me a few weeks to answer. I then started thinking of one day when I reach Glory and the Lord asks…”What have you done with your life for the last ___ years? Hmmm…makes one think doesn’t it?

Somewhere In The World

I was asked a unique question the other day. “When do you begin to pray for your child to marry the right person?” My answer was “Yesterday”. As long as I can remember, I have prayed for the right mate for my children. We pray for their safety, their spiritual well being, their wisdom in choosing the right friends, their schooling, and their career and whatever else comes to our minds as they grow up, so why not their mate?
There is a song by Wayne Watson that came out when both Tiffany and David were very small and I pray this song for them still. I though I was the only one who had ever heard of this tune until someone mentioned it from the pulpit not to long ago.

Somewhere In The World

Somewhere in the world today
A little girl will go out to play
All dressed up in mama's clothes
At least the way that I suppose it goes

Somewhere in the world tonight
Before she reaches to turn out the light
She'll be prayin' from a tender heart
A simple prayer that's a work of art

And I don't even know her name
But I'm prayin' for her just the same
That the Lord will write His name upon her heart
Cause somewhere in the course of this life
A little boy will need a godly wife
So hold on to Jesus, baby, wherever you are

Somewhere in the world out there
That little girl's learnin' how to care
She's pickin' up her mamas charms
Or maybe, swigin' around in her daddy's arms

Somewhere in the world to be
Through the future's not real clear to me
Theirs could be a tender love
Grounded in eternal love above

Family Health Update

Family Update
The past couple of months have been a frenzy of activity. I have received several emails asking for updates. I’m hoping that this answers the majority of your questions.
Thank the Lord; I’m no longer taking chemo pills. My condition has improved greatly and I’m feeling somewhat normal again (whatever normal is for me). I so appreciate all of the prayers on my behalf. Now it’s time to start working out again and get my tan back. Oh…wait…I never HAD a tan.
My mother’s arm is healing faster than anyone expected. She still goes to physical therapy three times a week and getting stronger each day.
Daddy isn’t doing as well. He is not able to eat without his food being pureed and his liquid must be thickened due to the hazard of choking or aspirating which could cause pneumonia. Most of his time is spent sleeping, and when he is awake, it is very hard for him to keep his eyes open because of weak muscles due to the illness. He speaks only a couple of words a day and needs assistance with everything he does. His neurologist says that Dad has Parkinson’s Plus. The plus part is PSP (Progressive Supranuclear Palsy). We have been discussing a hospital bed and have a prescription for one, but haven’t been able to make that final decision.
Though this disease seems at times overwhelming to all of our family, we are so thankful that we have the Lord and each other to depend on. Mama is a WONDERFUL caretaker to Daddy. Tiffany, my daughter stays at mom and dads on the weeknights, I stay weekdays, and my brother Jeff and his wife Julie stay on the weekends. Uncle Donald comes to visit and helps us also. Jordan, Jessica and David stay busy with school, but are there as often as they can be. Mama and I have made this our favorite two verses as we travel this road.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Where Is Your Home?

Where Is Your Home?

It seems like such a simple question. Where is your home? I was born in a pretty little town in the foothills of North Georgia. I love my hometown and don’t get to go back nearly as often as I’d like to. My immediate family lives here in FL with me now but I have Aunts, Uncles, and cousins by the dozens that live in Georgia.
Once upon a time I had my “Georgia Accent”, but years of school in Florida seemed to make me lose all of that, but give me several days with my family and I’m saying “home” in two syllables!
When I go to visit I always go to the home where my grandparents lived. There were many, many hours of stories, laughter and hugs there. I can close my eyes and I’m there again with family.
On our last visit there this summer, my mother pointed out important places of our life while living there. The place they were married, their first home, Mama’s favorite spot to skate as a child, her school, and don’t ask me of what importance this is, but she had to show me the place she use to go and wash my diapers!
Each time I visit becomes more precious than the last because many of my relatives have passed away. I usually stop at the cemetery where my grandparents, aunts, and uncles are buried. On this last visit as I stood at their graves, I remembered what my Aunt Virginia said to me once. She said, “I don’t live in a very big house, but I’m so glad this isn’t my HOME. I’m headed for my home in Heaven!”
So again, I ask the question, “Where is your home?” I love my Georgia hometown and I love my Florida beach, but I’m not HOME yet.

John 14:2-3

In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

New Treatment

I’ve received many emails asking about my health. God has given me so many great family and friends. Thank you for being concerned and I’m sorry it has taken so long to respond.
Since November, my specialists have been trying a series of medications to resolve my condition. We were all praying that one of these would be the cure, but it seems I am now down to one of the lesser desired treatments to avoid surgery to remove part of the colon. I will be starting a chemo pill in the next week. I did not know you took such a thing if you didn’t have cancer, but for my type of colitis, this is one of the most powerful choices aside from surgery.
There are a few nasty side effects, but we are praying that they will be minimal. Our hope is to only be on the meds till it goes into remission. At that time I would like to try more natural ways to deal with it.
So, the next couple of months will be interesting for sure. Please also pray for my family as they are understandably a little concerned.
Any questions- just ask me. I’ve been pretty open about all of this.
My prayer is that the Lord will use me to encourage others who may have to go through this.

Jesus is no security against life's storms, but He is perfect security in them. Author Unknown

Happy Mother's Day Mama

I wanted to dedicate today’s blog to my mother or as I have always called her “Mama.” I have a hard time putting into words what she means to me, but I will try. Mama did not have an easy childhood. Though she loved her family dearly, her family would be considered “dysfunctional” in today’s standards.
She accepted the Lord as her Savior when a friend invited her to church. Her friend from Rome, Georgia puts it this way, “Shirley was as pure as the driven snow.” In other words, she stayed out of trouble.
After high school she went to Tennessee Temple University where she met my daddy. I have so enjoyed reading their “love story” in letters. She had kept all of them since 1956. She and Daddy were married in 1959 and have never even considered divorce. Murder maybe, no, just kidding .
Not long after I was born, she realized that something was wrong with my eyes and a Dr. in Atlanta told my parents I had Ocular Albinism. They were frightened and sad I’m sure. They had a baby and didn’t know if it would ever be able to see well enough to get around. Their faith must have been strong and they depended on the Lord to give them strength to endure this trial.













Memories of my mother’s love and care are too many to name. Some of the most vivid though are taking time each night to tuck me into bed and say my prayers with me and getting up each morning with my brother and me to make sure we ate breakfast. She always put our needs before her free time or her career. Although she did work full time so we could go to Pensacola Christian, she never complained. She tells me stories of dropping us off at school on mornings when I didn’t want to go and got out of the car crying. She said she would then cry all the way to work because she was sad for me. She also cried all the way to work when she would have to leave us with babysitters because she wanted to stay home with us.
She was at every PTA or PTM meeting, every play, every program, and every piano recital.
When times were hard for me in school she would encourage me. From shucking corn on the back porch to our family trip to California, she taught me life lessons along the way. She invested time in my life that I could never repay.
The most important thing my mother ever did was take me to church every Sunday to worship and learn about the Lord. I don’t think I would have survived some of the things in my life if she hadn’t taught me to trust in the Lord for everything.
When I strayed away from the Lord, it was my Mama who was on her knees praying and helped bring me back to Him.
Lately I have admired her as she has become my father’s caregiver. It is a part of her life she would have never wished for, but she takes care of him with such love. Next week they will be married for 51 years! When I asked Daddy how many years this will be for them, he said 10. My Mama is going through this with a grace and dignity that inspires me.


I know there are many great mothers out there, but to me, my Mama is the GREATEST. I love you Mama! Happy Mother's Day

Deborah

What did you do most Friday nights as a child? I can tell you what I did without blinking. I spent it with my cousin Deborah. Our dads are brothers and our moms were best friends. We had the blessed opportunity of being raised in Christian families. Something I took for granted back then.
Almost every Friday evening our families would get together and the parents played Rook while the four of us kids played together. As the years passed, playtime faded and a wonderful “talk time” developed with my cousin Deborah.
She is two years older than me which I know isn’t much but when you’re in the eighth grade and your best friend is in tenth, then it’s a BIG difference in the mind of a middle school kid. I’m sure I drove her insane some nights. She was my hero! We sat together every time the church doors were open at same church and school and at Pensacola Christian back then, the middle school and the high school was together. I would try to get to school early just so I could hang out with HER and all her “cool” friends like Victor and Neva and the rest of you Class of ’79 bunch. Bless her heart; she was patient looking back now.
One of the saddest days I can remember was the day she went away to college. I think I was “in mourning” for weeks. lol I remember sitting in church for the last Sunday night together and thinking”It will never be the same after tonight”. I was right, things were never the same. We grew up and had to move on.
Through the years both of our lives have experienced extreme happiness, fear, sweet surprises, and heartache. The only “Constant” has been the Lord’s care and love.
We live twelve hours away from each other and never get to spend as much time as we would like to together.
At the moment she and her husband are going through the pain of his cancer and I just want to be there to help and talk to her, but the Lord put me in Florida and her in North Carolina. She knows how much I love and miss her. (Personally I think she is out of the will of God until she moves back down to Fl.)
Tomorrow is her birthday. Though I can’t be there with her, I just wanted to thank her for all she has meant to me through the years and pray that she and Steve can have a wonderful day together.
I love you Deborah!

Pensacola Christian Friends

Last night I had the opportunity to have dinner with about half a dozen of my “old” classmates from Pensacola Christian School. Most of us have known each other since kindergarten and that is a special bond that the years just can’t take away.
We all went into different areas of work. One is a nurse, one works in radiology; two are teachers, and one golf professional. We also all have VERY different personalities! (They know which ones I put the exclamation point for J ).
Time has changed us of course; we all probably have more pounds to love and less brain cells to spare. Some of us have been through sad circumstances with the death of a spouse or father or mother. For others divorce or financial strains have stretched their faith muscles to the brink. We have lost three of our classmates just in the last year.
We do not all agree on every political or moral issue. Things even got a little “heated” in some of those areas! There were moments last night that I had to bite my tongue. Some times I should have spoke up but didn’t.
As I sat looking around the table at each one of them, I remembered what we all looked like as children and wondered if the things in their lives came to pass like they thought they would or did some of our lives take turns and twists and “triple loops” that we didn’t want or didn’t plan to take. Which situations made us bitter or angry with God? Which ones could we have avoided? Which ones can we change with the Lord’s help? For me, my life did not take the perfect path. Some things I brought on myself and some things God allowed to happen to make me stronger.
One of my classmates called me a “SAINT” at one point in our conversation! This is too funny on so many levels, but I was thankful at least that she could see I was trying to live for the Lord now.
Yep, our table was a very wide variety of people, but what occurred to me was that each one of us God created. He loved each one and placed in our DNA His blueprint. He knew before time began that we would be friends.
Thank you Lord for my friends from long ago. Please keep them close to You and Your will. Through the years I ask that you work in their children and grandchildren’s lives. May they accept Your gift of salvation early in life. Amen

Surrender

I have been through a battery of test in the last couple of months for a condition that is attacking the body and will not stop. The result show that the problem is MY OWN BODY is attacking itself! My immune system has gone haywire. It thinks that part of me is a foreign object and is trying to kill it off! Don’t worry, I’m not contagious.
The thought of that is just crazy to me. Why would it want to hurt itself? It’s like banging your head over and over again against a brick wall. Wouldn’t it want to protect its own?
Have you ever made a conscience decision in life knowing it would NOT be a good one and would probably end up hurting you and those around you in the end but did it anyway? Yep, been there and done that. It’s worse than watching a train crash, because you are not only watching it, but you’re also the driving force.
The solution to my health issue is that I am on mega doses of steroids. In order to stop the body from killing off itself, the medication has to make the body drop its defense system and this will go into remission for what we pray will be a long time.
In order for this medication to work the body will have to lay down its “guns” and surrender. The bad side of this is that I have no immunity during this time.
My body has two choices to make. Ignore the meds and continue its battle or surrender and be healed. It seems like such an easy choice doesn’t it? How many of us though, after banging our head and knowing it will hurt, still go back and do it again? What THING do we do over and over and over again and feel the pain each time. It seems it would be so much smarter to just lay it down at the Savior’s feet and say “I surrender all”.

My Papa

Yesterday in Pensacola someone quietly turned 80 years old. His name is George Watson but to his family he is our “Papa”.
Now the catch to this is that he is not my father or my father-in-law, but is my “former father-in-law” and he is also my next door neighbor. You know it’s the type of thing they like to put on Jerry Springer. I’m afraid people would be disappointed though if they want to see a fight, for I love him very much and he thinks of me as one of his own still.
I met Papa when I was 13. He owned the ‘Friendly Plumber’ here in Pensacola and on Fridays I would get the opportunity to go to their house for steak and a discussion of the week they had with business or politics. The one thing as a teen that I always remembered about him is although he DID complain about our local government, he also seemed willing to help change it and he truly cared about the people of Pensacola and for the well being for his future grandchildren.
He told me his story of coming out a rough area of Texas and although he had every opportunity to take the wrong roads in life, he had a desire to succeed and boy did he ever.
He later sold the Friendly Plumber which did very well and started a group in Pensacola called TRIM which stood for Tax Reform in Motion. He was applauded by many in Florida and other states for his role in attempting to cut wasted tax money. His grandchildren knew from toddlers that their grandfather was contributing his time to help our government.
A few years later they were able to observe how an election as they helped their Papa win a seat on the Escambia County Utility Board. He served honorable for many years.
He is now retired and though he struggles each day with lung problems he still enjoys life and spending time with each of us and the love of his life, Grams. On Saturdays, ALL of us meet at their house and have lunch. It warms my heart to hear him say the blessing. He has taught me so many things in these last thirty plus years and we are praying for many more with him.

Happy Birthday Papa!

Carolyn

It was fall of 1976 I was in the eighth grade and minding my own business in the gym for PE. (if you are legally blind like me – that also meant trying to stay alive and avoid being hit in the face by stray objects) On that particular day- I was NOT successful. I don’t remember the sport we were playing but I had been hit enough times that the teacher though it might do me some good to rest a few minutes on the side.

The girls in my PE class were always kind to me and since I didn’t talk much about my sight or lack thereof they didn’t really know how to treat me at times, but they were never mean to me. Most of them had been in school with me since kindergarten.

My life was happy and made sense - UNTIL that moment when I was helped to the sidelines and the NEW girl walked over and sat next to me. I had seen her earlier that morning on my bus. She looked over at me and so I did the decent thing and looked back at her and she screamed, “WHAT?” NO ONE had EVER screamed at ME at school before. Everyone else took care of me and the infidel had waltzed in and screamed, “WHAT!” at me for NO reason! I was offended at the least and on the verge of tears. I was wearing a mood ring which was ‘the thing’ in the mid ‘70s. My cousin Deborah had let me borrow it for the day and this NEW girl wanted to see it. I did not know her and had already decided I DID NOT much like her so why would I take my cousin’s ring off and hand it to HER?
At that moment the teacher left the gym and the mean girl was ticked off that I hadn’t handed over the ring so she punched me in the arm! I stood there in shock! I could have her suspended for that and DID want to just start bawling my eyes out but I knew she would never let me live it down so after standing there for a minute I said, “What is YOUR problem?” I had never said that to anybody before… and couldn’t believe it came out of my mouth! I was the mousy little quiet one who had never stood up to ANYBODY!
She answered, “My problem is YOU- everyone treats you like a little angel and acts like you’re going to break. She then asked, “What’s your deal anyway?” Hum, that was the first person who had ever asked me what my ‘deal’ was. I said “Do you mean my sight?”, and she looked at me as if to say, “Duh”, so I began to explain the condition to her. “You are still a regular person silly”, she said to me and then walked away. After I told her everything I was still in fear because I though she might use it against me when I least expected it! Lol
The next morning I dreaded riding the bus because I knew SHE would be there. When the bus door opened I gingerly stepped in and when the sun is out I can’t see people, just their form so you had to call out my name for me to sit with you or I just sat wherever I could make out an empty space. That morning someone said, “Come sit here.” I recognized the voice at once. It was HER but she sounded nice this time. I sat down and she said, “My name is Carolyn James” She went on to explain she had just moved here from Puerto Rico.
Thirty plus years later, I still remember that as a turning point in my life and will forever be grateful to my ‘sis’ Carolyn for showing me that I’m just like anyone else. She toughened me up a little that day and through these many years she has made me step outside my “comfort zone” when I needed it.
We have been to each others’ weddings and births of children and sadly, deaths of family members. We have helped each other through horrific circumstances that are still hard to talk about.
The Lord knew all those years ago that I needed a punch in the arm and a friend for life. I love you Carolyn!
Happy Birthday

I had the opportunity of taking a night flight out of Raleigh this last week. It is always interesting to see the city view from up above it all. As we left the runway clusters of lights from area homes began to come into view and I began to think. In each one of those homes represents lives in the process of going on with their daily routine and duties. In some cases there was joy over a new job found. In some there may be sadness due to divorce. In the family of the home I had just said goodbye to lives a Colonel and his dear wife, who also happens to be my lifelong friend and cousin, Deborah. They are struggling with the news of cancer right now. Please pray for Steve as he begins chemo treatments next Wednesday. Another sweet cousin Dana and her husband Troy live close by and are dealing with the loss of Troy’s dad last week.
As we lifted higher and higher into the sky there were so MANY dots of lights from homes that they could not be counted. It made me smile to think that God sees each one of those lights but even more importantly He sees each soul in each of those homes and He loves and cares for them all. He hears each prayer and sees each tear that falls.
Soon clouds overtook the view and though those homes could no longer be seen , the Lord never lost sight of them and He protects each one of His own under the shelter of His wings.