Still so Thankful...

In 2006, I wrote the following thankfulness note. When I reread it today, I realized that while I'm still thankful for these same things, I have a few to add to my list. So, here's the original with my additions in italics.

I Am Thankful...

for a personal God who knows me and loves me anyway. ~1 Cor. 8:3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him. NLT

for my security in Christ. ~Psalm 98:2 The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. ~ Phil. 4:6 Be anxious for nothing... NLT

for my husband. No, I don't understand my husband's theory of relativity, but I know my husband, and I know he can be trusted. ~ Elsa Einstein

for my daughter. Of all the haunting moments of motherhood, few rank with hearing your own words come out of your daughter's mouth. ~ Victoria Secunda

for my son-in-law. that video game playing, football watching, guitar hero of a singer who wooed my daughter and has given me (with her help) the most precious gifts imaginable--my grandchildren. "I'm just sayin'"~ STG

for Ava Grace. This infectiously contagious little bundle of energy who wins every heart that she bats her big blues at..."whoizit?" ~AGG

for Lilia Carolyn. The new kid on our block's giggles are unquestionably the harbingers of many future joy-filled delights.

for both of my grandgirls: "Grandchildren fill a space in your heart that you never knew was empty."~ anonymous

for my son, and in his honor:

King Arthur: I am your king.

Woman: Well I didn't vote for you.

King Arthur: You don't vote for kings.

Woman: Well how'd you become king then?

{Angelic music plays}

King Arthur: The Lady of the Lake, her arm clad in the purest shimmering samite held aloft Excalibur from the bosom of the water, signifying by divine providence that I, Arthur, was to carry Excalibur. THAT is why I am your king.

Dennis: Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony. ~Monthy Python and the Holy Grail.

for my daughter-in-law. Let me never forget that I, too, have been a daughter-in-law. ~ Sandy Broome

for my parents. A wise parent humors the desire for independent action, so as to become the friend and advisor when his absolute rule shall cease. ~ Elizabeth Gaskell

for my sisters. We may look old and wise to the outside world. But to each other, we are still in junior high school. ~ Charlotte Gray

for my family. Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one. ~ Jane Howard

for my true friends. But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, all losses are restored and sorrows end. ~ William Shakespeare

for my work. I long to accomplish great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker. ~Helen Keller

for life. Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death. ~Anais Nin

In general, I find myself just overwhelmingly, extremely grateful this Thanksgiving. (still)

No, things are not perfect in the sense that one would deem perfection, but were that the case, this world might seem too good or too much like home. My prayer is that I never fail to be thankful, that I stop taking these blessings for granted, and that I always live in the awareness that everything I have been given is on loan and I'm just a steward charged with loving and serving. I have such a long way to go on this journey.

God, thank you for your patience with me. Family, bless you for your tolerance of me. Friends, keep me in your prayers for I fail daily. But know this, I am grateful for each of you from the bottom of my heart--at Thanksgiving and every day.

When you thought...

a gentle reminder that I received from a friend today...
little eyes are watching...

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.

When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I saw you give of your time and money to help people who had nothing, and I learned that those who have something should give to those who don't.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.

When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.

When you thought I wasn't looking, I looked at you and wanted to say, 'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'

Question to ponder...

I just listened to a thought provoking discussion about Christless Christianity at the White Horse Inn. Like some of you, I'm a teacher, but mostly, I'm still a student. For that reason, I very much appreciate the chance to hear lively debate among scholars who are passionate about the Christian faith and their service to Jesus Christ.

For anyone who reads this blog and is also a Bible teacher or Christian communicator, Bishop William H. Willimon, Wofford, Yale and Emory graduate, and former Dean of the Chapel and Professor of Christian Ministry at Duke University poses this question:
Before you put the finishing touches on your message, ask yourself: for this sermon (talk/lesson/message) to be true, was it necessary for Christ to have been crucified?

If you enjoy lively theological debate, you can hear the White Horse Inn discussions at the oneplace.org site.

Day is done...

I'm about to end my day by asking God (again) for wisdom. I've always understood that there's a huge difference between wisdom and knowledge. It just seems that with each passing day I know all the more how much I don't know.

Funny Friday...

The soothing sound of raindrops on the metal roof of my office seems to be playing a melodic lullaby--and I'm getting sleepy. Maybe I'll go out and buy today's Craigslist find and take a nap when I get home.

Check out this awesome Bargain of the Day that was just emailed to me...

round circlely bed in excellent - $300 (charlotte)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this bed is a wonder accent peice to any room it is in excellent condition comes with the mattress boxspring and rails for more imformation contact xxx-xxx-xxxx.



Happy Perfect Weather for Napping Weekend!

Home shopping

I've never been lured into home shopping on television, but oh how I love Craigslist. I discovered the free shopping website about two and a half years ago when David was looking for a piano for Nichole as a wedding gift.

Since then, I've furnished a nursery in my house for my grandchildren with Craig's help, and I've sold my share of wares there, too.

Most days, I check in just to see if there is a "gotta have it" bargain to be found and it never ceases to amuse and amaze me as I read some of the posts.

Take yesterday for instance,here are a couple of the posts as written:

Opi Nail Polish for Sale!! $25 OBOI would like to sell everything together verses seperating them out. All bottles are in perfect condition, they have been sitting around my house for the past year and I never use them. They are all clean and at least half+ full.

Cash only. Please call (704) xxx-xxxx.

and this:

I am selling a size 12 wedding gown. It is beautiful, the bodice has sequines, beading, pearls and is set on satin. The dress has sleeves that can easily be removed to make it a short sleeve gown. The photos will tell you more, the photos of the dress on the hanger are from today and it has been in a bridal chest that was sealed from the cleaners from the next week of the dress, the other photos where the dress is on my is from the day it was worn. There are 8 teardrop beads that need to be replaced but that is the only things that need to be fixed. I have more photos that I will be glad to email. Make an offer.


As often as there are posts that make you wonder, there are also wonderful posts. I have friends and family who've made fabulous purchases via the site and I'm often tempted to buy something I have no need for just because the bargain is so unbelievable.

So, if you've never ventured into the world of Craigslist shopping, maybe today's the day. And for all of my teacher friends--you might want to spend some time with your students this week on spelling. Sellers of appliances and furniture often seem to think that "Refrigerator" is spelled refriDgerator, and I won't even list all of the misspellings I've seen for "Armoire" and "Chaise"! Happy Shopping...

Small talk...

We own a small business. Actually, we "inherited" a small business from my father when he retired several years ago. He started the electrical contracting company in the mid 1960's, offering commercial, industrial and some residential installations and repairs to our customers, and headaches, heartaches and hallelujahs to us.

There are great (and frustrating) consequences of small business ownership. It has been said that when you own a small business it owns you. I hope that because we are professing Christians that will never be spoken of us, but I have seen the toll that the stresses of attempting to meet payroll each week, treat our employees fairly, keep our customers happy, pay our vendors on time, generate leads and secure jobs AND make sure that Uncle Sam receives every cent he requires of us has taken on my 12-14 hour a day working husband.

Despite the associated difficulties, I am grateful to live in a land where anyone who is willing to make the necessary sacrifices can own a business. Statistics show that most new small businesses fail, but my dad was a bulldog who was undaunted by the fiery trials familiar to those whose entrepreneurial spirit compels them to take the leap toward ownership.

My post high school educational training did not involve business management or accounting. In fact, if anyone had told me that one day I would keep the books and manage an office for our company, I would have laughed at the "ridiculous" notion. Now, I'd have it no other way. I love working with my husband. We are a team. And this job allows me to blog while the payables are printing without fear of termination. ;)

So why am I blogging about a small business today? Because I am concerned by what I'm reading related to the future for businesses like ours in the U.S. Not in terms of our personal "prosperity" because we are not among those who make enough profit to have our "wealth redistributed," but in terms of the ever increasing governmental impingement that becomes a demotivator to those of us who work so hard to provide job security for our employees and quality service to our customers. If small business owners become too frustrated to endure the hassle, then many, many jobs are in danger of disappearing.

Town Hall posted an article by John Stossel today that provides a little more insight for those who share my concern. There are many issues related to the troubles we are currently facing economically and one would be naive to ignore that corporate greed has been a tremendous contributing factor, but small businesses are our economy's backbone and it would be equally egregious to discount the importance of ensuring the ability of these entities to function without extraneous, unncessary governmental intrusion.

http://townhall.com/columnists/JohnStossel/2008/11/12/the_road_to_serfdom

Answers to Prayer

A month ago I was given the challenge and privilege of heading up a prayer team to pray specifically for an outdoor picnic/fundraiser/praise time for my precious friend Tiffany. I've blogged about her before and shared that she is one of the most inspirational people I know.

This past spring she learned she would be fighting the battle of a lifetime against an aggressive metastatic type of breast cancer that had spread to her liver. After her initial diagnosis, several of us met to pray and ask our great God to intervene on her behalf-- and He has done so in amazing ways.

Yesterday, she was able to share her story with the people who attended the event and report that her latest scans showed NO cancer in her bones/body and the spots that were once prominent on her liver are almost completely gone!

When Tiffany asked me to pray about the event, her main emphasis to me was that she wanted it to be a time that glorifed God for all the ways He has blessed her through this trial. The organizers wanted that too, but they also wanted to raise some money to help Tiffany and her family. The costs associated with cancer treatment at Duke are only partially covered by insurance, so you can imagine that the weekly trips up there (especially as gas prices have escalated) have been enormous.

Excited to have the chance to organize the fundraiser's prayer effort, the team that was assembled communicated daily by email. We focused on a few main things, specifically asking each day that God would give us perfect weather for an outdoor event on November 8 in Gastonia. Wow!

Next, we prayed that the event would be one that would glorify God. Tiffany was able to share her story with many who had not heard about her journey and I'm confident that those in attendance were so inspired by her faith and the words she spoke that no person left unchallenged or unchanged. In addition, the praise through music was incredible.

Nichole was scheduled to sing but had been battling laryngitis for a couple of weeks--and even the night before when I heard her speak I didn't know if she'd be able to sing. Well...trust me when I say that not one person there would have known that she had no voice the day before...yet another answer to prayer!

The community came together for this event and I have to say that it looked a lot like I envision heaven. A men's group from an AME Zion church cooked fish and hotdogs that were sold at the event--FANTASTIC by the way--and there was delicious Kyle Fletcher's BBQ as well. Mt. Olive Pickles were everywhere (thanks Trish!) and Brewsters showed up with ice cream. There were lots of FUN items that were raffled, and sweet, sweet time for fellowship.

In summary, God answered every prayer that we prayed and I thank Him and praise Him for what He did and for allowing me to have a very small part of it!

The Joy of Worship, the blessing of church...

This quick post is just to thank the faithful people at Mecklenburg Community Church who pour their hearts and souls into every weekly service to make sure that God is glorified.

Tonight, the worship was sweet and the message was great. That's nothing unusual, it just occurs to me that I rarely say thank you to the people who make it happen--and in case any of you stumble across this blog, I wanted you to know that what you are doing matters. A lot.

Thank you Lord for your church--and thank you people who practice, plan, and pray. Soli Deo Gloria!

America...

Officially, Barack Obama has been elected President of the United States. I've haven't concealed the fact that he wasn't my choice, but my great hope now is that all people of Christian faith who did not vote for him will join me in fervently praying for him and for all of our elected leaders.

What a privilege to live in a country where every individual has the freedom to cast a vote and to have a voice in the process. Please, join me in thanking God for this blessing, asking that we never lose this precious privilege.

Also, remember these Biblical challenges and reminders:

Romans 13: 1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right...

and this: John 18: 36~ Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not an earthly kingdom. If it were, my followers would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.”

There are many scriptures that remind us that God's ways are higher ways, that He is sovereign, and that we must pray for those who lead us. As believers, that is our responsibility and our duty.

So now, we ask God to give divine wisdom to those in power AND to us as we continue to seek His face and search for His truth, remembering always to pray that His will is done on earth as in heaven.

Finally, remember these words from Proverbs 3: 21 My child, don’t lose sight of common sense and discernment. Hang on to them, 22 for they will refresh your soul. They are like jewels on a necklace. 23 They keep you safe on your way, and your feet will not stumble. 24 You can go to bed without fear; you will lie down and sleep soundly. 25 You need not be afraid of sudden disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, 26 for the Lord is your security...

We fall into the enemy's trap if we allow ourselves to be fearful about the future--for our hope is in God, not man, and as good as our country has ever been or ever will be, it is not the thing that saves us--only Jesus' blood and righteousness. Our hope is built on nothing less. And there is nothing more.

America Asks for a King

A compelling piece written by Laura Hollis, attorney and professor of law and entrepreneurship, compares today's America with the nation of Israel when the children of God asked for a king.

I've read this Old Testament account many times and it always amazes me that these people who had so much freedom and so much to celebrate wanted a king to rule over them--yet the place we find our country today is staggeringly similar. This article is a must read for anyone who wants to consider the parallels. I'm posting the link so that you can access the full text:

http://townhall.com/Columnists/LauraHollis/2008/10/26/america_asks_for_a_king?page=1

but here is an excerpt:

Americans are understandably fed up with corruption, greed, and perversion of justice in our leaders. But till now, we have asked for no king, because we could take care of ourselves, and because we have always been a godly people.

But look around now – our children languish in failing, crumbling, unsafe, and undisciplined schools, many of which are merely bastions of social experimentation. Our cities are riddled with crime. Our families are devastated by divorce, abuse, illegitimacy, absent fathers, and definitions of “marriage” that fluctuate with the sexual predilections du jour. Our culture – books, films, music – is saturated with violence and perversion that even the smallest child is exposed to.

And of course, one cannot forget – the high watermark of freedom and femininity, and the litmus test of liberty for the Left is the unfettered right to kill our own children in our wombs (or leave them to die outside of them).

This is what we, as a nation, have brought ourselves to. These are problems that no amount of social spending will cure, and any promise to do so is a lie, because no amount of money will change people’s hearts. And yet, instead of reaching deep within ourselves to find the solutions, we now whine and mewl for someone to save us...

Life...

Tonight, I'm writing a very, VERY personal account of something that I am more burdened about than my words will adequately convey.

I had the privilege of bathing and then rocking my one year old angel/granddaughter to sleep a few minutes ago. Her bathtub giggles followed by her snuggly nuzzling made my day. As I held this sleeping beauty, I was thinking about the fact that tomorrow's election results will affect her future, and that this is the most critical election of my now almost half-century of life.

One of the great blessings of being American is that we enjoy many freedoms, not the least of which is entitlement to our own opinions. A close friend of mine says opinions are like belly-buttons, we all have one and most of them are stinky! Tonight, I'm going to share my opinion that about half the country apparently deems stinky, all the while risking the alienation of a few of my friends and family. So here goes. I'm asking you to vote for life tomorrow if you haven't voted already.

Why? Because God is the creator of life. And, personally--because about two years ago, an unexpected child was conceived--one who could have easily been sent to heaven early because it would have been the convenient choice for her parents who suffered immeasurable professional and emotional repercussions as a result of her conception.

It would have been legal (barely) for them to abort her when she was "discovered" and while the details of her pre-birth story are extremely personal, I do have permission and blessing to write this blog.

The thing is, I cannot find ANY issue that overshadows the issue of protection of all life (especially the pre-born) for us as Christ followers. Anything less can and likely will lead us further down that slippery slope that we're already descending as a society where "value" and "quality" of any life is called into question.

My high school term paper was on abortion and it was a "hot off the press topic" having recently been legalized as a result of Roe v. Wade. I also know a lot (as a nurse) about the process and what it involves. I personally know people who had (and now deeply regret the fact that they had) a "choice" and made what they now know was the wrong one.

Is a child a choice? Seriously? No! Every life is precious, every living human is knit together in the image of God. So, when you pull the lever or hit the button or punch the chad, please, remember that there is one candidate who believes that all abortion is okay, all the time--even partial birth abortion. In fact, to quote him, knowing when life begins is above his pay grade.

http://blogs.reuters.com/trail08/2008/08/16/obama-says-pointed-abortion-query-above-his-pay-grade/

I beg you to pray about this if you disagree. God is not Republican or Democrat, but neither is He on both sides of this issue. Some of you may feel there are other pressing issues that would prompt you to vote for the pro-abortion candidate--but please, do what I have done and beg God to show you His truth. His promises are as real today as when scripture was penned. I believe this is serious enough to be in fervent prayer about--His Word tells us that we can KNOW the truth and the truth will set us free.

Tomorrow, I will vote. I will vote not for a party, but for my belief that all life is precious in the sight of God and that we have a responsibility to defend and care about every living human, born and unborn.

I pray that God has mercy on us if we fail to defend the innocent and helpless.