Yesterday was a "teacher work day/no school for students" day here in FL, at least here in the Tampa area. So late on Monday afternoon I received a phone call here at the hotel where we are staying. A little voice said, "Nana, do you have plans tomorrow?" When I replied that I didn't, the little voice (which belongs to my grandson Christopher) said, "Well, would you like to come hang out with me?"
Who could refuse an offer like that? So yesterday, that's what I did. Hung out with Christopher all day long. We watched movies. Things like "Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius" and "Rescue Bots". Stuff like that. The kinds of movies that 5-almost-6 year old boys like to watch. We had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. We played board games.
One of the games we played was called "Wiggles and Giggles". It's a lot of fun for 5-almost-6 year old boys. A little more challenging for Nanas with arthritis and orthopedic "issues"! The game involves foam balls about the size of tennis balls. These balls are placed under the chin or in the crook of the elbow or behind the knee......wherever the spinner indicates. Then a second spin indicates the action to be taken while the ball is in that particular position. Things like leaping like a frog. Or walking on your knees. Each action must be completed three times for it to count. I guess the actions count as the "wiggles". There was certainly a lot of giggling involved as well.
After all that we came over to hang out at the hotel. There's a playground next to the hotel, so we put on our jackets and went out there for a while. The jackets were really necessary since the temperature was in the (gasp!) low 60s. I'm sure that sounds ridiculous to my friends in the frozen north, but here in FL, that's pretty chilly! After Christopher decided he had played long enough and was tired, we came back inside to have a snack and hang out some more, which meant finding the Disney Channel on the hotel TV and waiting for Daddy to come pick him up.
What a great way to spend the day! And how thankful I am for all precious memories I stored up. On those days when I start feeling a little bit envious of grandparents who live near their grandchildren and get to see them often, I'll pull out these memories - and the photos I took - and remember a really fun day of wiggles and giggles!
Christopher turns 6 today. Happy Birthday, Christopher! Thanks for hanging out with me yesterday!
"Grandchildren are the crown of the aged." (Proverbs 17:6 ESV)
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Monday, January 21, 2013
A Rainy Day in the Cemetery
Yesterday, January 20, was my daddy's 92nd birthday. It's the 4th birthday since he went to heaven. Every year at about this time, I go by the cemetery where he and Mother are buried and change the flowers. I take away the "Christmas flowers" and replace them with some "birthday flowers".
This year Al and I stopped by the cemetery on our way from North Carolina down to Florida. As I write, I am enjoying beautiful sunshine and glorious views from my hotel balcony in Tampa. But just a few days ago we were experiencing some quite different weather. It was cold and wet and windy when we left home, with the forecast for heavy wet snow later that day. BRRR!!! It had been raining in our part of the world for days and days!!
When we arrived at the cemetery, it was still raining. And it continued to rain. In fact, we waited in the car for nearly an hour before the rain abated enough for us to venture out of the car. Al spent some time on the phone while we waited, and I took a trip down memory lane, as I usually do when I come to perform this love-task.
As I remember my parents, I remember their love for each other. Their love for God. The twinkle in the eyes. And I remember their love for my brother and me. I find myself hoping that they knew just how much I loved them. I find myself wondering if I told them often enough. And I find myself wishing I could say "I love you" to each of them just one more time.
Last Thursday, in the cold, wet, dreary cemetery, a conversation I once had with my mother popped into my head. She was in hospital at the time and was telling me about a new dress she had recently bought. She bought it with long sleeves so that she could be buried in it and so that when that happened she "wouldn't get cold crossing over Jordan", as she said with that famous twinkle in her eye. I told her I didn't think it would be a problem, since it would be a quick trip. (see 2 Corinthians 5:8.....absent from the body and present with the Lord.) How thankful I am that both my parents were ready to make that trip!
Daddy's leaving from this life was sudden. Mother had been in ill health for many years before her passing, but Daddy just had a massive heart attack and died on the spot. We found his Bible still open, along with his devotional book, to the passage he read on his last morning in this life.
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2 KJV)
As I walked through the cemetery on a cold and rainy day in January, struggling with flowers and umbrella and struggling to stay dry, I remembered those verses. And I remembered my daddy, whose life had been a reflection of those verses. I found myself wondering about the other people whose graves I walked past. Some of them I knew, but not all. And so I wondered what their lives were about. Where were their affections set? What was their life story?
I know about my daddy. And my mother. I know their story. I know where their affections were set. And I can answer for myself. But what about you?
That's what I'm thinking about today as I enjoy I enjoy sunshine and warm temperatures here in Tampa. Remembering a rainy day in the cemetery and reflecting on lives well lived for Jesus.
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:1-2 ESV)
This year Al and I stopped by the cemetery on our way from North Carolina down to Florida. As I write, I am enjoying beautiful sunshine and glorious views from my hotel balcony in Tampa. But just a few days ago we were experiencing some quite different weather. It was cold and wet and windy when we left home, with the forecast for heavy wet snow later that day. BRRR!!! It had been raining in our part of the world for days and days!!
When we arrived at the cemetery, it was still raining. And it continued to rain. In fact, we waited in the car for nearly an hour before the rain abated enough for us to venture out of the car. Al spent some time on the phone while we waited, and I took a trip down memory lane, as I usually do when I come to perform this love-task.
As I remember my parents, I remember their love for each other. Their love for God. The twinkle in the eyes. And I remember their love for my brother and me. I find myself hoping that they knew just how much I loved them. I find myself wondering if I told them often enough. And I find myself wishing I could say "I love you" to each of them just one more time.
Last Thursday, in the cold, wet, dreary cemetery, a conversation I once had with my mother popped into my head. She was in hospital at the time and was telling me about a new dress she had recently bought. She bought it with long sleeves so that she could be buried in it and so that when that happened she "wouldn't get cold crossing over Jordan", as she said with that famous twinkle in her eye. I told her I didn't think it would be a problem, since it would be a quick trip. (see 2 Corinthians 5:8.....absent from the body and present with the Lord.) How thankful I am that both my parents were ready to make that trip!
Daddy's leaving from this life was sudden. Mother had been in ill health for many years before her passing, but Daddy just had a massive heart attack and died on the spot. We found his Bible still open, along with his devotional book, to the passage he read on his last morning in this life.
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:1-2 KJV)
As I walked through the cemetery on a cold and rainy day in January, struggling with flowers and umbrella and struggling to stay dry, I remembered those verses. And I remembered my daddy, whose life had been a reflection of those verses. I found myself wondering about the other people whose graves I walked past. Some of them I knew, but not all. And so I wondered what their lives were about. Where were their affections set? What was their life story?
I know about my daddy. And my mother. I know their story. I know where their affections were set. And I can answer for myself. But what about you?
That's what I'm thinking about today as I enjoy I enjoy sunshine and warm temperatures here in Tampa. Remembering a rainy day in the cemetery and reflecting on lives well lived for Jesus.
"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth." (Colossians 3:1-2 ESV)
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
The Calendar in the Window
I have one of those perpetual calendars in my kitchen window, one of those calendars that has a page for every day of the year. Some of those calendars give sports trivia or movie quotes or motivational quotes. My calendar is Scripture.
,
I love that calendar! Each morning as I'm making my way to the coffee pot, I flip the page over to the new day and get a new verse to get me started.
This morning this is what I read: "Blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh." (Luke 6:21 ESV).
One of the things I love about that calendar is that it uses a variety of translations. Everything from the King James Version to The Message. The calendar actually had the KJV translation this morning ("Blessed are ye.....".) But when I went to my ESV, it read exactly the same way. Well, except for ye and you.
These are words of Jesus. Part of what we know as His "Sermon on the Mount." Matthew gives us a little different rendering. Matthew's Gospel reads this way: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
Two things have come to my mind as I have read these verses this morning. First, I have taken a journey down memory lane, back to Israel, where we visited the site where Jesus spoke these words. I am transported back to that beautiful hillside in Gallilee where just last month we sat and worshiped.
But this morning as I read this verse, my thoughts turned to my friends who just a few days ago experienced great loss. The Stilwell family is even now mourning that loss. Rick's family, and his friends as well, have shed many tears since his passing last Friday. And for Rick's family, now that public memorial services and public goodbyes are done with, the process of private grieving begins. My heart continues to ache for them.
How thankful I am that we who know the Lord, we who are part of the family of God, do not grieve as those who have no hope! "For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep......." (1 Thess. 4:13ff). And it is for that very reason.....that because of Jesus we have the assurance that this life is not all there is, that the end of our life here is not the end, that we will be forever with the Lord.....that we can have hope. And even though we weep and mourn now, one day we will laugh again!
This morning I'm praying for the Stilwells. I'm thanking God for Rick, for the legacy he left and for all the lives he impacted.
And I'm thankful for the encouragement God gave me this morning through that calendar in the window!
"Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning."
(Psalm 30:5)
,
I love that calendar! Each morning as I'm making my way to the coffee pot, I flip the page over to the new day and get a new verse to get me started.
This morning this is what I read: "Blessed are you who weep now for you shall laugh." (Luke 6:21 ESV).
One of the things I love about that calendar is that it uses a variety of translations. Everything from the King James Version to The Message. The calendar actually had the KJV translation this morning ("Blessed are ye.....".) But when I went to my ESV, it read exactly the same way. Well, except for ye and you.
These are words of Jesus. Part of what we know as His "Sermon on the Mount." Matthew gives us a little different rendering. Matthew's Gospel reads this way: "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."
Two things have come to my mind as I have read these verses this morning. First, I have taken a journey down memory lane, back to Israel, where we visited the site where Jesus spoke these words. I am transported back to that beautiful hillside in Gallilee where just last month we sat and worshiped.
But this morning as I read this verse, my thoughts turned to my friends who just a few days ago experienced great loss. The Stilwell family is even now mourning that loss. Rick's family, and his friends as well, have shed many tears since his passing last Friday. And for Rick's family, now that public memorial services and public goodbyes are done with, the process of private grieving begins. My heart continues to ache for them.
How thankful I am that we who know the Lord, we who are part of the family of God, do not grieve as those who have no hope! "For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep......." (1 Thess. 4:13ff). And it is for that very reason.....that because of Jesus we have the assurance that this life is not all there is, that the end of our life here is not the end, that we will be forever with the Lord.....that we can have hope. And even though we weep and mourn now, one day we will laugh again!
This morning I'm praying for the Stilwells. I'm thanking God for Rick, for the legacy he left and for all the lives he impacted.
And I'm thankful for the encouragement God gave me this morning through that calendar in the window!
"Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning."
(Psalm 30:5)
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
What to Wear?
In a couple of days we'll be heading down to Florida. Today my to-do list includes finishing up laundry and beginning the packing for that trip. And that leads to the "what to wear" question. That may be one of the hardest parts of getting ready for a trip......deciding what clothes to take. How many clothes to pack, wanting enough but not too many, trying to have the right clothes for whatever the weather might be. All those sorts of questions. Decisions, decisions, decisions.
My devotions this morning led me to a different "what to wear" list. Not a list about which belt or which blouse or how many pairs of shoes. This is a different sort of list.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:12-14 ESV)
That sounds like the perfect "what to wear" list. Because aren't those the qualities that matter far more than what earrings you are wearing?
Something to think about.
My devotions this morning led me to a different "what to wear" list. Not a list about which belt or which blouse or how many pairs of shoes. This is a different sort of list.
"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." (Colossians 3:12-14 ESV)
That sounds like the perfect "what to wear" list. Because aren't those the qualities that matter far more than what earrings you are wearing?
Something to think about.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Robbed!
I had the wonderful experience yesterday (she says with extreme sarcasm) of having my credit cards and debit card stolen from my wallet. A great big thank-you goes to the Fraud Departments at American Express and at my bank for catching this right away and calling to alert me. Otherwise I might not have known, since my lifestyle at this season of life doesn't include opening my wallet multiple times a day. The thief went on quite a shopping spree....or at least attempted to. But, as the representative from American Express said to me on the phone yesterday afternoon, there will be no more fun with my card!
The story ends well, for me at least. I am not liable for any of the charges the person made. I will be receiving new cards with new numbers. My bank accounts weren't drained. So, all is well.
But this morning I find myself thinking back through the whole scenario. Trying to figure out when or how or why it happened. Thinking about the person who took the cards and why they would have done that. Wondering if I did something that put too much temptation in their path. None of it really makes any sense to me, and I'm glad it's all taken care of. I will definitely be very aware of my purse and my wallet and my personal possessions from this point forward. Not that I wasn't already. Or at least I thought I was. Maybe I was just naive or too trusting or careless. I don't know. But I'm glad it's over.
I have a jumble of emotions about the whole experience. On the one hand, it just makes me mad that a person would steal from another, not because they need money or food to feed their family......that doesn't appear to be the case here, based on the places the person attempted to use the cards......but for some other, far less noble, reason. There's the part of me that feels a little bit stupid for having let it happen to me. And there's the part of me that just feels violated. Knowing that some stranger went through my things is not a good feeling.
In any event, my name is Susan and I have been robbed!
It occurs to me that, in much more subtle ways, we are all being robbed. There are those in our political system who are working diligently to take away many of the freedoms we cherish as Americans. Witness the recent debate about gun control, for example, which in my view is a lot more about control than about guns.
But beyond politics, the enemy of our souls wants to steal from us everyday. To rob us of our joy. To keep us too busy, to distract us, to wear us down. And that is a far bigger deal than a stolen credit card.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10 ESV)
The story ends well, for me at least. I am not liable for any of the charges the person made. I will be receiving new cards with new numbers. My bank accounts weren't drained. So, all is well.
But this morning I find myself thinking back through the whole scenario. Trying to figure out when or how or why it happened. Thinking about the person who took the cards and why they would have done that. Wondering if I did something that put too much temptation in their path. None of it really makes any sense to me, and I'm glad it's all taken care of. I will definitely be very aware of my purse and my wallet and my personal possessions from this point forward. Not that I wasn't already. Or at least I thought I was. Maybe I was just naive or too trusting or careless. I don't know. But I'm glad it's over.
I have a jumble of emotions about the whole experience. On the one hand, it just makes me mad that a person would steal from another, not because they need money or food to feed their family......that doesn't appear to be the case here, based on the places the person attempted to use the cards......but for some other, far less noble, reason. There's the part of me that feels a little bit stupid for having let it happen to me. And there's the part of me that just feels violated. Knowing that some stranger went through my things is not a good feeling.
In any event, my name is Susan and I have been robbed!
It occurs to me that, in much more subtle ways, we are all being robbed. There are those in our political system who are working diligently to take away many of the freedoms we cherish as Americans. Witness the recent debate about gun control, for example, which in my view is a lot more about control than about guns.
But beyond politics, the enemy of our souls wants to steal from us everyday. To rob us of our joy. To keep us too busy, to distract us, to wear us down. And that is a far bigger deal than a stolen credit card.
"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." (John 10:10 ESV)
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Remembering Rick
I don't remember exactly when I first met Rick Stilwell. I remember him as part of the youth group at church. I remember him a few years later as part of the college and career ministry we were privileged to lead. And not only did we go to church together, for a time we were neighbors, when we lived across the street from the Stilwell family.
We didn't often see each other in person any more.....only occasionally....but we kept in touch through Facebook. I loved seeing his pictures, particularly those of his family. I loved how often he took pictures of the food he was about to eat. That's one thing we had in common.....a love of good food. And of coffee! I loved reading his (sometimes quirky) posts. I loved that he could disagree without being disagreeable.
So I, along with so many others, was shocked and saddened yesterday to learn that he had passed from this life into the next. It's really hard to wrap my head and heart around someone so young (44) being gone so soon.
I can't even begin to imagine what his family is going through right now. How shattered they must feel. My heart is breaking for them.
At the same time, I find myself wondering what Rick must be doing right now. What it must have been like for him when he met his Savior face to face. I can only imagine.
We didn't often see each other in person any more.....only occasionally....but we kept in touch through Facebook. I loved seeing his pictures, particularly those of his family. I loved how often he took pictures of the food he was about to eat. That's one thing we had in common.....a love of good food. And of coffee! I loved reading his (sometimes quirky) posts. I loved that he could disagree without being disagreeable.
So I, along with so many others, was shocked and saddened yesterday to learn that he had passed from this life into the next. It's really hard to wrap my head and heart around someone so young (44) being gone so soon.
I can't even begin to imagine what his family is going through right now. How shattered they must feel. My heart is breaking for them.
At the same time, I find myself wondering what Rick must be doing right now. What it must have been like for him when he met his Savior face to face. I can only imagine.
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When Your face
Is before me
I can only imagine..........
(Bart Millard)
What it will be like
When I walk
By Your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When Your face
Is before me
I can only imagine..........
(Bart Millard)
Friday, January 11, 2013
De-Cluttering
Do you have one of those places in your home that catches all the clutter? That never, ever, ever seems to be neat and tidy? I guess we all probably do. In my case, it's the breakfast bar. I'm not sure why it's called that. We never eat breakfast there. Or any other meal, for that matter. There are some stools lined up neatly under the bar. Nobody ever sits on them. They seem to be there to catch the overflow of clutter!
This bar is really a nuisance! At least that's my opinion! (And that's the one that matters around here, right???!!!) It comes in handy at Thanksgiving or Christmas and other similar occasions when there are extra people and extra food. Nobody eats there at those times, but it's a handy place to put all the extra food.
Other times of the year it's just a clutter-magnet. The place where everything gets deposited. And it's almost impossible to keep neat and tidy. I had it nicely cleaned off yesterday afternoon. And then Al came home and started depositing more "stuff" there. I said to him....."this was clean until you came home." He smiled.
This morning I cleaned it off. Again. It's a never-ending process. And as I was cleaning, it occurred to me that this cluttered bar is a good metaphor for what goes on in our minds. Keeping our minds decluttered is a never-ending process, isn't it? But such an important process. After all, "as a man [or a woman!] thinketh in his heart, so he is" says Proverbs 23:7.
And there's also that maxim "Garbage In, Garbage Out". Doesn't sound quite so spiritual when put that way, does it? But it's the same truth.
Keeping our hearts and minds decluttered is a challenge, isn't it? We're bombarded daily with all kinds of information, all kinds of temptations, all kinds of stimuli that fill our minds almost to over-flowing. And as in the case of my breakfast bar, if we aren't diligent to declutter, to weed out and dispose of the clutter, then the clutter takes over and the task becomes much more difficult.
It's hard to find balance in our information-overload world. On the one hand, we need to be informed about news events and political events in order to make wise decisions and in order to stand for what is right. On the other hand, a steady diet of news channels and politics can really drag you down, can't it?
We're bombarded on television and in magazines and in the check-out lines at the supermarket with advertisements and celebrity "news" (there's an oxymoron for you!) and all kinds of other stuff that is mostly clutter. But if we aren't careful, that clutter can take over.
The challenge, I think, is to be diligent about the de-cluttering process. To be diligent about feeding our minds with what is good so that there isn't room for the clutter. To be careful about who and what we pay attention to. To "take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)
It's a daily, ongoing process. Otherwise the clutter takes over. And who wants that?
"Finally, brothers [and sisters!], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8 ESV)
This bar is really a nuisance! At least that's my opinion! (And that's the one that matters around here, right???!!!) It comes in handy at Thanksgiving or Christmas and other similar occasions when there are extra people and extra food. Nobody eats there at those times, but it's a handy place to put all the extra food.
Other times of the year it's just a clutter-magnet. The place where everything gets deposited. And it's almost impossible to keep neat and tidy. I had it nicely cleaned off yesterday afternoon. And then Al came home and started depositing more "stuff" there. I said to him....."this was clean until you came home." He smiled.
This morning I cleaned it off. Again. It's a never-ending process. And as I was cleaning, it occurred to me that this cluttered bar is a good metaphor for what goes on in our minds. Keeping our minds decluttered is a never-ending process, isn't it? But such an important process. After all, "as a man [or a woman!] thinketh in his heart, so he is" says Proverbs 23:7.
And there's also that maxim "Garbage In, Garbage Out". Doesn't sound quite so spiritual when put that way, does it? But it's the same truth.
Keeping our hearts and minds decluttered is a challenge, isn't it? We're bombarded daily with all kinds of information, all kinds of temptations, all kinds of stimuli that fill our minds almost to over-flowing. And as in the case of my breakfast bar, if we aren't diligent to declutter, to weed out and dispose of the clutter, then the clutter takes over and the task becomes much more difficult.
It's hard to find balance in our information-overload world. On the one hand, we need to be informed about news events and political events in order to make wise decisions and in order to stand for what is right. On the other hand, a steady diet of news channels and politics can really drag you down, can't it?
We're bombarded on television and in magazines and in the check-out lines at the supermarket with advertisements and celebrity "news" (there's an oxymoron for you!) and all kinds of other stuff that is mostly clutter. But if we aren't careful, that clutter can take over.
The challenge, I think, is to be diligent about the de-cluttering process. To be diligent about feeding our minds with what is good so that there isn't room for the clutter. To be careful about who and what we pay attention to. To "take every thought captive to obey Christ." (2 Corinthians 10:5 ESV)
It's a daily, ongoing process. Otherwise the clutter takes over. And who wants that?
"Finally, brothers [and sisters!], whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Philippians 4:8 ESV)
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Lessons from the Coffee Maker
Here's how the day usually starts around here. My husband typically wakes up before I do, and he makes the coffee. That way it's ready when I wake up. And that's how we got started this morning. Except that Al got up a little later than he normally does, so he was in something of a hurry to get the coffee made before I got up. In his rush to get the job done, he forgot to put the carafe in place and as a result, when I got up I found coffee pouring out of the coffee maker all over the cabinet and the floor, while the carafe sat rather uselessly nearby!
Now before you jump to the conclusion that this post is meant in any way to criticize Al and blame him for this mishap, let me correct that assumption right away. For starters, over the years I have done the same thing myself. More than once! But more importantly, being critical of how he made the coffee is the farthest thing from my mind. It would be impossible to overstate how much I appreciate that he makes coffee every morning. You see, he's not a coffee drinker! He doesn't make coffee every morning so that he can get a cup and get started on the day. He does it as a love gift to me. He does it so that the coffee is there for me whenever I get up. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this man?!!
But, as the Scottish poet Robert Burns once wrote, "The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry." And that definitely happened this morning!
I think we can learn a couple of things from this morning's "incident". The first is that it's never really a good idea to get in too big a hurry. More often than not, being in a rush can lead to a mishap. As in this morning's rush to get the coffee made. As another example, Al has an appointment this afternoon with an orthopedist to review results of his MRI which was necessary because in his rush to get into his seat on an airplane back in September, he hurt his knee. Or there's the day, back in March '05, when I was in a rush to get out the door and walk the dog so I could get back to whatever I was doing, but ended up falling in a heap, shattering my ankle, dislocating my foot, and doing irreparable ligament damage......all of which still cause problems to this day. Maybe if I hadn't been in such a hurry, none of that would have happened. Who knows? Anyway, my point is.....being in a hurry is never really a good idea. Accidents are more prone to happen. Bad decisions are made. Mistakes are more likely.
You may have heard the expression (I know my sons often have!)....."if you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
That's one of the lessons from the coffee maker this morning - don't get in too big a hurry - and a reminder I think we all need from time to time.
After the mess had been cleared up this morning and as the next pot of coffee was brewing, I checked the Bible app on my phone for the "verse of the day". This is what I read:
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)
I think that's the more important lesson from the coffee maker this morning, one I have been pondering as I sit here enjoying my second (or is it third?) cup of coffee. In marriages, in families, in the workplace, in the neighborhood, in the church......there are many times we might feel frustrated, we might feel we have been wronged, we might be irritated with another person. How are we to respond?
What's the right way to respond when my coffee isn't ready?
How do you respond when you're irritated? When you're frustrated because your spouse never picks up his/her (whatever)? When they have lost their keys or their phone or their (whatever)? When they don't do (folding the towels, making the bed, loading the dishwasher, taking out the garbage, whatever......) they way you want it done? Are you, am I, "kind and compassionate"?
The easy thing is to snap. To bite their head off. To be sarcastic. Or cruel. And we've all had our moments, haven't we? Those times when we have been less than "kind and compassionate", less than "forgiving".
But let's look at that verse a little more closely. Paul, the author of Ephesians, was writing to Christians. To the church at Ephesus. This instruction is not given to your unbelieving neighbor. To the "pagan" in the office. It's to you, to me. To those of us who call ourselves Christians!
And it isn't a suggestion. This is an imperative sentence. In case you weren't paying attention in English class, that means, simply put, that it is a command. This is not an option. There is no qualifying clause. No "if you feel like it" or "if the other person deserves to be treated kindly" or "as long as they don't mess up the coffee or make a mess in the garage or as long as they do things exactly my way." Hmmmm.....
Maybe you aren't a big fan of the NIV, the translation I quoted from earlier.
I don't think it matters. It reads pretty much the same in every translation I looked at!
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32 NASB)
"And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another (readily and freely), as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 AMP)
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32 KJV)
"Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 MSG)
So that's my big lesson from the coffee maker.....the reminder from my daily verse on my phone. Perhaps it's a reminder that you needed today as well, and there it is! All because their was a mishap with my morning coffee.
Now before you jump to the conclusion that this post is meant in any way to criticize Al and blame him for this mishap, let me correct that assumption right away. For starters, over the years I have done the same thing myself. More than once! But more importantly, being critical of how he made the coffee is the farthest thing from my mind. It would be impossible to overstate how much I appreciate that he makes coffee every morning. You see, he's not a coffee drinker! He doesn't make coffee every morning so that he can get a cup and get started on the day. He does it as a love gift to me. He does it so that the coffee is there for me whenever I get up. Have I mentioned lately how much I love this man?!!
But, as the Scottish poet Robert Burns once wrote, "The best laid plans of mice and men go oft awry." And that definitely happened this morning!
I think we can learn a couple of things from this morning's "incident". The first is that it's never really a good idea to get in too big a hurry. More often than not, being in a rush can lead to a mishap. As in this morning's rush to get the coffee made. As another example, Al has an appointment this afternoon with an orthopedist to review results of his MRI which was necessary because in his rush to get into his seat on an airplane back in September, he hurt his knee. Or there's the day, back in March '05, when I was in a rush to get out the door and walk the dog so I could get back to whatever I was doing, but ended up falling in a heap, shattering my ankle, dislocating my foot, and doing irreparable ligament damage......all of which still cause problems to this day. Maybe if I hadn't been in such a hurry, none of that would have happened. Who knows? Anyway, my point is.....being in a hurry is never really a good idea. Accidents are more prone to happen. Bad decisions are made. Mistakes are more likely.
You may have heard the expression (I know my sons often have!)....."if you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
That's one of the lessons from the coffee maker this morning - don't get in too big a hurry - and a reminder I think we all need from time to time.
After the mess had been cleared up this morning and as the next pot of coffee was brewing, I checked the Bible app on my phone for the "verse of the day". This is what I read:
"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 NIV)
I think that's the more important lesson from the coffee maker this morning, one I have been pondering as I sit here enjoying my second (or is it third?) cup of coffee. In marriages, in families, in the workplace, in the neighborhood, in the church......there are many times we might feel frustrated, we might feel we have been wronged, we might be irritated with another person. How are we to respond?
What's the right way to respond when my coffee isn't ready?
How do you respond when you're irritated? When you're frustrated because your spouse never picks up his/her (whatever)? When they have lost their keys or their phone or their (whatever)? When they don't do (folding the towels, making the bed, loading the dishwasher, taking out the garbage, whatever......) they way you want it done? Are you, am I, "kind and compassionate"?
The easy thing is to snap. To bite their head off. To be sarcastic. Or cruel. And we've all had our moments, haven't we? Those times when we have been less than "kind and compassionate", less than "forgiving".
But let's look at that verse a little more closely. Paul, the author of Ephesians, was writing to Christians. To the church at Ephesus. This instruction is not given to your unbelieving neighbor. To the "pagan" in the office. It's to you, to me. To those of us who call ourselves Christians!
And it isn't a suggestion. This is an imperative sentence. In case you weren't paying attention in English class, that means, simply put, that it is a command. This is not an option. There is no qualifying clause. No "if you feel like it" or "if the other person deserves to be treated kindly" or "as long as they don't mess up the coffee or make a mess in the garage or as long as they do things exactly my way." Hmmmm.....
Maybe you aren't a big fan of the NIV, the translation I quoted from earlier.
I don't think it matters. It reads pretty much the same in every translation I looked at!
"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 ESV)
"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32 NASB)
"And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another (readily and freely), as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32 AMP)
"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32 KJV)
"Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:32 MSG)
So that's my big lesson from the coffee maker.....the reminder from my daily verse on my phone. Perhaps it's a reminder that you needed today as well, and there it is! All because their was a mishap with my morning coffee.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
The Beautiful People
A number of my friends from my former career as a Mary Kay Independent Sales Director are out in Los Angeles this week for a leadership conference. As I read their posts on Facebook and look at the pictures they have taken, I notice that they have seen preparations being made for the upcoming People's Choice Awards. Red carpets being prepared for all the beautiful people to show up in their fancy clothes and have their pictures taken.
Have you ever thought about what it must be like to be one of those "beautiful people"? To have a camera in your face everywhere you go. Always being followed. Always being photographed.
Did you realize that you are one of the "beautiful people"? Do you find that hard to believe? Particularly when you look in the mirror and see a few more gray hairs or a few more wrinkles or a few (maybe more than a few!) extra pounds. Or especially when you look in the mirror first thing in the morning! Yikes!
But that's what Scripture tells us we are. We who belong to Jesus, who have the Holy Spirit resident within us, are the beautiful people! And are becoming more and more beautiful as we continually yield our lives to Him, follow His leading, and become more like Him.
Think about that......and let that thought brighten your day!
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)
Have you ever thought about what it must be like to be one of those "beautiful people"? To have a camera in your face everywhere you go. Always being followed. Always being photographed.
Did you realize that you are one of the "beautiful people"? Do you find that hard to believe? Particularly when you look in the mirror and see a few more gray hairs or a few more wrinkles or a few (maybe more than a few!) extra pounds. Or especially when you look in the mirror first thing in the morning! Yikes!
But that's what Scripture tells us we are. We who belong to Jesus, who have the Holy Spirit resident within us, are the beautiful people! And are becoming more and more beautiful as we continually yield our lives to Him, follow His leading, and become more like Him.
Think about that......and let that thought brighten your day!
"And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV)
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
A Wee Bit Frustrated!
One of the down sides to any holiday celebration is the post-holiday clean up. The "take all the decorations down and get everything back where it belongs" that comes after the celebrating is done and everybody has gone back home. And that's where I find myself today.
The tree is down and the decorations have been returned to the storage room in the basement. Except for the occasional bits I keep finding that I forgot to put in the box. Those bits are being collected on the kitchen table to be taken all together to the basement, where all the remaining bits now are. My plan is to sort and reorganize the whole lot in the spring. Basements are warmer then! We've collected quite an assortment of decorations over the years, much of which we no longer use, so I would just like all that sorted and the unused stuff disposed of. But that will have to wait for another day.
Meanwhile, there's catching up on laundry and mail and all the other routine tasks that have been ignored for the last two weeks. Any mail received during those weeks, other than what was obviously a Christmas card or a bill that needed to be paid, was put in a pile to be dealt with later. Well, "later" is here now, so I have to deal with it. I put all that off for good reason. When there's cookie baking and game playing and giggling with grandsons to be done, who needs to deal with laundry and junk mail (well, mostly junk!)? But now it has to be dealt with.
Along with dust and changing bed linens and ......... All the stuff that is part of running a household now has to be dealt with. And I am really ready to be "caught up". Ready to be back to the point where keeping up with daily tasks for the two of us is not an all-day affair. Ready to do what I want to do rather than just what needs to be done!
Maybe I just didn't have a realistic assessment of what needed doing. Maybe I'm just not a very good time manager. Maybe it's just that I'm getting older (gasp!!) and it takes longer to get things done. Maybe it's that this arthritis is slowing me down more than I would have cared to admit.
Whatever the reason that it's taking so long, I'm finding myself just a wee bit frustrated today. There are things I want to do. There are stacks of books yet unread. And many more on the shelf just begging to be re-read.
So I guess it's time to stop typing and get busy!!
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 91:12 ESV)
The tree is down and the decorations have been returned to the storage room in the basement. Except for the occasional bits I keep finding that I forgot to put in the box. Those bits are being collected on the kitchen table to be taken all together to the basement, where all the remaining bits now are. My plan is to sort and reorganize the whole lot in the spring. Basements are warmer then! We've collected quite an assortment of decorations over the years, much of which we no longer use, so I would just like all that sorted and the unused stuff disposed of. But that will have to wait for another day.
Meanwhile, there's catching up on laundry and mail and all the other routine tasks that have been ignored for the last two weeks. Any mail received during those weeks, other than what was obviously a Christmas card or a bill that needed to be paid, was put in a pile to be dealt with later. Well, "later" is here now, so I have to deal with it. I put all that off for good reason. When there's cookie baking and game playing and giggling with grandsons to be done, who needs to deal with laundry and junk mail (well, mostly junk!)? But now it has to be dealt with.
Along with dust and changing bed linens and ......... All the stuff that is part of running a household now has to be dealt with. And I am really ready to be "caught up". Ready to be back to the point where keeping up with daily tasks for the two of us is not an all-day affair. Ready to do what I want to do rather than just what needs to be done!
Maybe I just didn't have a realistic assessment of what needed doing. Maybe I'm just not a very good time manager. Maybe it's just that I'm getting older (gasp!!) and it takes longer to get things done. Maybe it's that this arthritis is slowing me down more than I would have cared to admit.
Whatever the reason that it's taking so long, I'm finding myself just a wee bit frustrated today. There are things I want to do. There are stacks of books yet unread. And many more on the shelf just begging to be re-read.
So I guess it's time to stop typing and get busy!!
"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 91:12 ESV)
Monday, January 7, 2013
Yesterday
Yesterday was an absolutely wonderful day! After a couple of weeks off our normal schedule, it was good to get back in our regular routine. For the last couple of weeks we worshipped on Sunday mornings with our church family by way of the internet. Yesterday it was good to be back with our church family in person.
I had missed the smiles and the laughter and the hugs of our fellowship time prior to our Life Group. It was good to catch up with friends I hadn't seen for a few weeks.
We finished our study in Hosea yesterday. We probably could have spent hours discussing the last verse of Hosea's prophecy. (We didn't, but we could have!)
"Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9 ESV)
Our pastor began a new sermon series yesterday......Living to the Power of 10. It's a series on the Ten Commandments, beginning of course at the beginning......."no other gods before Me." There's a challenge for us here in 21st century America! LOTS of opportunities in our culture for us to put other "gods" ahead of the One! Dr. Wilton's message was a real challenge to test our thinking and our attitudes and activities. Are we "seeking FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33), or are we putting other "gods" out in front?
The music yesterday was amazing! We sang some of my favorite hymns....."Come, Thou Almighty King" and "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty", among others.
I had missed the smiles and the laughter and the hugs of our fellowship time prior to our Life Group. It was good to catch up with friends I hadn't seen for a few weeks.
We finished our study in Hosea yesterday. We probably could have spent hours discussing the last verse of Hosea's prophecy. (We didn't, but we could have!)
"Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them." (Hosea 14:9 ESV)
Our pastor began a new sermon series yesterday......Living to the Power of 10. It's a series on the Ten Commandments, beginning of course at the beginning......."no other gods before Me." There's a challenge for us here in 21st century America! LOTS of opportunities in our culture for us to put other "gods" ahead of the One! Dr. Wilton's message was a real challenge to test our thinking and our attitudes and activities. Are we "seeking FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness" (Matthew 6:33), or are we putting other "gods" out in front?
The music yesterday was amazing! We sang some of my favorite hymns....."Come, Thou Almighty King" and "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty", among others.
"Praise to the Lord, O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him.
Let the Amen sound from His people again.
Gladly for aye we adore Him."
-Joachim Neander (trans. Catherine Winkworth)
And as if that weren't enough, the choir sang one of my all-time favorite anthems!!! "Holy is He, and great is His glory......." Wow! I was filled up to overflowing!
We got together for lunch with some special friends, and then in the afternoon we did a little house-hunting. We're still so hopeful of selling our house here and moving there. (If for no other reason than that we wouldn't have to get up so early and drive 2 hours to get to church!!!!)
Our evening Bible study in Revelation was wonderful as always, focusing on "Seven Potential Signs of the Coming of Christ." Definitely a lot of food for thought.
We returned home last night after our very full day in Spartanburg overjoyed and rejoicing at how God had blessed us yesterday. Very tired (duh!!) after a long day, but so very grateful for our church family, for our friends, for our pastor, and for all that God is doing.
And now, here we are at Monday morning again! Laundry and decluttering and all the tasks that are typically part of Monday. But there's a spring in my step as I go about these tasks, because yesterday was a great day! Can't wait to see what today holds!
"But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33 ESV)
Friday, January 4, 2013
Un-Decorating
After two weeks of laughter, grandchildren (and their parents!), presents, lots (too many!) of goodies to eat, and all kinds of out-of-my-ordinary-routine activities, everybody has gone home and it's back to "normal". Whatever "normal" means. I think I agree with whoever said that normal is just a setting on the dryer!
I have loved having the house full of family. Loved having my grandsons around. Even loved having their dogs! It has been a glorious two weeks.
Now it's time for the clean-up. Time for the un-decorating. Which is not nearly as much fun as the decorating! Time to put away all the decorations until next year. And there's the inevitable cleaning and sorting and organizing that is part of the process. It would, of course, be much easier to just dump the whole lot into a box, put it in the storage room and close the door. Out of sight, out of mind.....right??!! The problem with that scenario is that eventually it still needs to be dealt with. To just chuck it all into a box now without some sorting and organizing is only delaying the inevitable. And likely would result in some lost or broken bits as well.
So, I'll take the time to sort it all out properly. To organize and pack away carefully. This may take a while, but it will be worth it.
As we're facing this new year with all its uncertainties, the tendency is often to just "dump" all our problems and insecurities and questions into a "box" at the back of our minds, rather than dealing with whatever our issues are. Perhaps during the decoration clean-up we might also spend a little time thinking about our "stuff"......whatever in our lives that needs some clean-up or some reorganizing.....rather than just continuing to ignore it.
One of the things that made me happiest over this Christmas season was when one of my sons went out a couple of days ago and cut down a tree for us. That tree had been driving me crazy for a while now. It was just tall enough to block the view out our front window, yet not tall enough to be useful for shading the porch. It was mostly a nuisance. And every time I sat at the table and looked out the window, I was aggravated by that tree. I am so very glad that aggravation has finally been dealt with.
As we begin this new year, here are a few questions to consider. What needs to be dealt with in your life? What are you just shoving in a box and not dealing with? What's blocking your view?
Something to think about.
"casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)
I have loved having the house full of family. Loved having my grandsons around. Even loved having their dogs! It has been a glorious two weeks.
Now it's time for the clean-up. Time for the un-decorating. Which is not nearly as much fun as the decorating! Time to put away all the decorations until next year. And there's the inevitable cleaning and sorting and organizing that is part of the process. It would, of course, be much easier to just dump the whole lot into a box, put it in the storage room and close the door. Out of sight, out of mind.....right??!! The problem with that scenario is that eventually it still needs to be dealt with. To just chuck it all into a box now without some sorting and organizing is only delaying the inevitable. And likely would result in some lost or broken bits as well.
So, I'll take the time to sort it all out properly. To organize and pack away carefully. This may take a while, but it will be worth it.
As we're facing this new year with all its uncertainties, the tendency is often to just "dump" all our problems and insecurities and questions into a "box" at the back of our minds, rather than dealing with whatever our issues are. Perhaps during the decoration clean-up we might also spend a little time thinking about our "stuff"......whatever in our lives that needs some clean-up or some reorganizing.....rather than just continuing to ignore it.
One of the things that made me happiest over this Christmas season was when one of my sons went out a couple of days ago and cut down a tree for us. That tree had been driving me crazy for a while now. It was just tall enough to block the view out our front window, yet not tall enough to be useful for shading the porch. It was mostly a nuisance. And every time I sat at the table and looked out the window, I was aggravated by that tree. I am so very glad that aggravation has finally been dealt with.
As we begin this new year, here are a few questions to consider. What needs to be dealt with in your life? What are you just shoving in a box and not dealing with? What's blocking your view?
Something to think about.
"casting all your anxieties on Him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)
Thursday, January 3, 2013
What Was Lost Is Found
We had a little excitement around here last night. Earlier in the evening we went out to dinner, celebrating our Gamecocks' victory in the Outback Bowl with dinner (including a FREE bloomin' onion!) at Outback Steakhouse. Then it was back home and time for Brian and Emily to get things packed up to return to Florida today. It was during this packing up that we realized Brian's phone was missing.
We searched everywhere. In the house. In the car. On the ground around the car. Even in the most unlikely places. We called the restaurant. No phone.
We panicked a bit. We searched some more. Emily accessed their carrier's GPS find-your-phone capability. The GPS said the phone was here in our county, about 3.5 miles away, in a part of the county where we had not been. After some thought, we realized that by air, that location was not really so far away, and that we were probably within the area where the GPS said the phone was. So, the search began again. Emily and Christopher searched inside the house. The rest of us were outside.
All the while, there was a lot of praying going on. Prayers of the "Lord, you know where this phone is, so would You please show us" variety! After all, He does know everything. And if even the hairs of our head are numbered, them I'm sure it's not too much to think that He also knows exactly where the phone is!
On this final search, the phone was found. It had apparently fallen out of Brian's pocket in his car when he was moving the car closer to the house for loading. However it ended up where it did, there was certainly great rejoicing when it was found!
After all the excitement had calmed a bit and we headed off to bed, I had this parable of Jesus resonating through my heart and mind:
"What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:8-10 ESV)
We didn't call all the friends and neighbors last night, but today I'm still rejoicing as I share with you that we found the phone that was lost! Of course, I'm glad the phone was found. We all feel at loose ends these days without that ever-present phone, don't we? But even more, I'm so grateful to God that He hears and answers our prayers. Even prayers for lost cell phones!
We searched everywhere. In the house. In the car. On the ground around the car. Even in the most unlikely places. We called the restaurant. No phone.
We panicked a bit. We searched some more. Emily accessed their carrier's GPS find-your-phone capability. The GPS said the phone was here in our county, about 3.5 miles away, in a part of the county where we had not been. After some thought, we realized that by air, that location was not really so far away, and that we were probably within the area where the GPS said the phone was. So, the search began again. Emily and Christopher searched inside the house. The rest of us were outside.
All the while, there was a lot of praying going on. Prayers of the "Lord, you know where this phone is, so would You please show us" variety! After all, He does know everything. And if even the hairs of our head are numbered, them I'm sure it's not too much to think that He also knows exactly where the phone is!
On this final search, the phone was found. It had apparently fallen out of Brian's pocket in his car when he was moving the car closer to the house for loading. However it ended up where it did, there was certainly great rejoicing when it was found!
After all the excitement had calmed a bit and we headed off to bed, I had this parable of Jesus resonating through my heart and mind:
"What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.' Just so, I tell you there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:8-10 ESV)
We didn't call all the friends and neighbors last night, but today I'm still rejoicing as I share with you that we found the phone that was lost! Of course, I'm glad the phone was found. We all feel at loose ends these days without that ever-present phone, don't we? But even more, I'm so grateful to God that He hears and answers our prayers. Even prayers for lost cell phones!
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Game Changer
Like many Americans, I spent some time watching football games yesterday. Perhaps you did too. The game I paid most attention to was the Outback Bowl where my favorite team, the South Carolina Gamecocks, went up against the Michigan Wolverines.
There was one play in that game that is being credited by many sports analysts and fans as a game changer. If you saw the game, you will remember the tackle by South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney. The play when the Michigan player lost his helmet, lost the football, and Clowney recovered the fumble. South Carolina went on to win the game, and Clowney's tackle is being replayed over and over as "the play" that made the difference.
However, in my opinion, it was the previous play that was the game changer. The play where Michigan was given a first down, even though the football clearly had not been advanced far enough for them to have earned a first down. South Carolina had played very well in the first half of the game, but after halftime it seemed as though they had fallen asleep. As though they weren't completely in the game. And then the call was made......first down, Michigan. That call really fired up the Gamecocks! And the very next play was when Clowney made his now-famous tackle. So, the referee's bad call was a game changer for South Carolina.
I was thinking about that this morning as I was hearing news reports and reading posts about the actions of the Congress to avert the so-called fiscal cliff. Once again, at the last minute, they made a decision. And a decision that seems to satisfy hardly anyone. It seems that, once again, they have made a decision without finding a solution, as I heard it described a few days ago. And that leaves me wondering just how much of this nonsense Americans are going to continue to tolerate. How much longer we will go through life half asleep. How much longer until elected officials, and those who elect them, will say "enough"! What will be the "game changer"? What will it take?
As we enter a new year, as we're making our resolutions and setting our goals, perhaps it's time to think about a "game changer" in our personal lives as well. As we evaluate the last year, and as we look forward to this new year, what changes need to take place?
What habits do we need to change?
What relationships need to change?
What attitudes need to change?
What needs to change in your life and in mine so that our "game" is what it needs to be? So that we can "run with endurance the race that is set before us"? (See Hebrews 12:1)
Something to think about.
"On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NASB)
There was one play in that game that is being credited by many sports analysts and fans as a game changer. If you saw the game, you will remember the tackle by South Carolina's Jadeveon Clowney. The play when the Michigan player lost his helmet, lost the football, and Clowney recovered the fumble. South Carolina went on to win the game, and Clowney's tackle is being replayed over and over as "the play" that made the difference.
However, in my opinion, it was the previous play that was the game changer. The play where Michigan was given a first down, even though the football clearly had not been advanced far enough for them to have earned a first down. South Carolina had played very well in the first half of the game, but after halftime it seemed as though they had fallen asleep. As though they weren't completely in the game. And then the call was made......first down, Michigan. That call really fired up the Gamecocks! And the very next play was when Clowney made his now-famous tackle. So, the referee's bad call was a game changer for South Carolina.
I was thinking about that this morning as I was hearing news reports and reading posts about the actions of the Congress to avert the so-called fiscal cliff. Once again, at the last minute, they made a decision. And a decision that seems to satisfy hardly anyone. It seems that, once again, they have made a decision without finding a solution, as I heard it described a few days ago. And that leaves me wondering just how much of this nonsense Americans are going to continue to tolerate. How much longer we will go through life half asleep. How much longer until elected officials, and those who elect them, will say "enough"! What will be the "game changer"? What will it take?
As we enter a new year, as we're making our resolutions and setting our goals, perhaps it's time to think about a "game changer" in our personal lives as well. As we evaluate the last year, and as we look forward to this new year, what changes need to take place?
What habits do we need to change?
What relationships need to change?
What attitudes need to change?
What needs to change in your life and in mine so that our "game" is what it needs to be? So that we can "run with endurance the race that is set before us"? (See Hebrews 12:1)
Something to think about.
"On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." (1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NASB)
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