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All scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.          2 Timothy 3:16

I know I have the right to remain silent, but I don’t always have the ability.  copied

During my college years, I took a course entitled Speech 101.  Looking for an easy elective and since I had done declamation in high school, I thought it would be an easy A.  Not so much!  I picked a topic, researched it, wrote it, and prepared to deliver it.  That’s all good, but guess what?  I was unaware that not only must you deliver that speech, but also be prepared to defend what you have said!

Let’s just say it was easy to write a speech, not so bad to deliver it,  but it proved impossible for me to defend it.  I learned a valuable lesson – if you have to defend something, you better know it inside out.  Francis Bacon once said, “Knowledge is power”, and that is so true.

I can’t remember the answers I gave when questions came for which I didn’t have concrete answers, but I do know that it would have been best if I had remained silent.  If you can’t defend something with knowledge, then it’s best to remain silent until you can.

Thankfully, there are people who don’t need to remain silent especially where our faith is concerned because they have that knowledge. It amazes me that some people can quote scripture totally from memory with such confidence and accuracy.  They have studied the Bible, and it just comes naturally to them to pull up a scripture which matches the situation.  They use scripture to defend their faith.

It also amazes me that people can listen to speeches from teachers, politicians, preachers, professors, etc., and they do not ask them to defend their position.  We don’t have to accept things just because someone says it, there should be accountability involved.  We also can’t believe everything we read, and I admire those folks who write rebuttals which hold writers, speakers, media and others accountable.

The thing about the Bible is that it doesn’t seek to prove its validity.  It simply states what is and what is not true according to God.  It provides the facts, and it is up to us to accept it or reject it.  My prayer is we will not remain silent, but that we will seek the knowledge to defend our principles and faith.

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ…it is by Grace you have been saved.  Ephesians 2:4-5

On some of our “destination unknown” trips with our grandkids, we have had the occasion to visit the Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain.  You can drive your car (I recommend a tank) through the park armed with food for the animals, and they will literally bombard you.  The problem is they want to actually be inside your car rather than outside.

The rules state that sun roofs must be closed, hands and feet inside the vehicle, and do not get out of your car. Never feed the zebra from your hand.  The windows were all down, the sunroof open (of course), and we were all feeding the animals from our hands.  While we were feeding the water buffalo, the zebra, the ostrich from the window, the giraffe shocked us all by sticking his head through the sun roof.  He wanted to be inside the truck, and he found the best way to break through.

It reminded me of how God must feel sometimes. People talk about Jesus walking with them, feeling the Holy Spirit near them, and being in the presence of God, but I think God would rather be on the inside of our hearts and minds rather on the outside looking in.  He wants to be in us rather than just with us.

We are chosen, wanted, and included in God’s family, and He has saved each of us by Grace.  His grace has made us alive to God.  When we let Him inside, we have a reason for hope, strength to endure, the power to serve and help others, and assurance of life after death.  He erased our sins by nailing them to the cross with Him while stamping Paid In Full over each one.

All we have to do is let Him inside, and He will begin his work in us.  I doubt that anyone in heaven has ever said, “Look what Jesus and I did together.”  He did it all.

Being taught to avoid talking about politics and religion has led to a lack of understanding of both.  What we should have been taught was how to have a civil conversation about a difficult topic.                                Celtic Christian Tradition

My sisters and I were fortunate enough to grow up with a set of  grandparents who loved the outdoors and loved to fish.  They had a small cabin on the point of the Chattahoochee River outside my home town, and every afternoon, weather permitting, they’d end their day out on the water fishing in their small boat.

I loved to go with them (in small increments) because PaPa would bait my hook, help me watch the cork, and then take the fish off my hook if I was lucky enough to catch one.  Almost every time I brought one in, he would smile and say, We won’t be throwing that one back, that’s a keeper.   I’m pretty sure we fried up and ate some fish that would not normally be a keeper, but it didn’t diminish my pride and joy.

The word, keeper is defined as someone responsible for guarding or taking care of something.  I like to think of Christians as keepers.  God left his Word, His world, His rules, in a bond or covenant with us.  We made a pact, a pledge, a promise, and a guarantee when we assumed our roles as  Christians that we would do all in our power to uphold His laws and follow His rules for ourselves and generations to come.

There are many “things” I see as keepers, but the right to life of unborn as well as newborn babies is the first thing on my list.  When did we decide to play God?  Life is a gift from God and should be treated with respect.  Politics has overstepped into religious values and basic human rights.

Family is a definite keeper.  One may not always be happy with members of your family, but God placed you together for a reason.  Let’s deal with the issues that divide us and move on in love.

Friends are definite keepers.  How can we survive in this world without the love and support of friends in good times as well as bad.  What would life be without friends with which to share it?

Church, faith and heritage are keepers.  I’m not sure when we as Christians decided that whatever changes in our church, faith and heritage passed down by powers other than God are acceptable.  It is not.  There’s a difference in political correctness and religious values.

Sometimes I feel we are standing at the precipice of a decision for Christ, and we are weighing His word, His laws, His love, His promises, His rules, and trying to decide if these things are keepers.  Should we fight for them, evangelize them, honor them, or should we throw them back as we would a fish which is too small?  Who is society to make these decisions about the things we hold most dear?  Let’s have the discussion!

Brevity  is defined as exact and concise use of words or speech;  shortness. 

Southerners are noted for the way we talk, the way we weave a story, the way we love and hug, our cooking, and our hospitality just to name a few characteristics.  When you are from a small town, you learn to be patient when people stop you on the street just to say a quick “hi” and thirty minutes later you leave.  I’m a talker, so I actually love that about our heritage.  I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard, “to make a long story short” in my life because when people preface the conversation with that, make yourself comfortable.

In today’s world, people don’t have time to stop and visit. They want everything presented to them in the briefest possible way whether it be a story, a presentation, a speech, or a conversation.  Texting has taken the place of an actual phone conversation because one can make it very brief.

There are times where brevity is important.  When you teach kindergarten, you learn that a child’s attention span lies somewhere between that of a gnat and a fly, so you must adapt lessons that include brevity without sacrificing content.

Meetings are another place where brevity is necessary.  I hate the ones that go on and on especially when you are told things over and over that you heard the first time.  Interestingly, studies reveal that the maximum attention span for most of us is no longer than twenty minutes, and that doesn’t take into account the persons affected with ADHD!!  After this point, people zone out and don’t retain much, if any at all, of things they just heard.

I wonder how Jesus would feel about today’s world?  As I recall, He loved to spin parables, visit with the tax collectors in their homes, stop to heal, touch those who needed reassurance, and take time to explain His kingdom.  He would never replace the human connection with other forms of communication.  It can’t be replaced.

Jesus could tell a parable in as many as fifteen verses or as few as one, yet he held His followers spellbound and following him to hear more.  He gave the truth with brevity, packed with a lesson, while delivering it in a warm, compassionate way.

Most of us Southerners have the gift of listening, asking pertinent questions while showing love and concern during a conversation.  I think Jesus loves the way we focus on building others up, trying to leave people better than when we met, and doing the right thing even when no one is looking.  Brevity has its place, but so do people who are the hands, feet, ears, lips, and voice of Christ.

What is the Kingdom of God like?  To what shall I compare it?  It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and planted in his own garden.  It grew and became a large tree, and the birds of the sky lodged in its branches.                   Luke 13:18-19

If you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you have that name.  I Peter 4:16

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I have not a single bit of talent left and can say, “I used everything you gave me.”  copied

Talent is defined as a natural ability or skill.  I’ve always heard it said that everyone has a talent, no matter how large or how small; the important thing is that you use it in a positive way.  I’ve known people who have enormous talent, but they put it on a shelf and don’t or won’t use it.  Others, share so unselfishly of everything with which God has blessed them .

In anticipation of the Super Bowl where athletic talent seems to abound, I wanted to name some folks I know personally who in the course of their lives, have exhibited and still exhibit talents of a different kind.  Their talents may not gain acclaim or notoriety in the media, but they surely do speak of their courage, faith, peace, love, joy and service.   These are just some of the folks who recognized the source of their talents and set about using them according to His good purpose.

First, I think of Tom.  I’ve never known Tom outside of his wheelchair where polio placed him as a child, but I’ve never known him to be without a smile on his face or an encouraging word. He is so good at never complaining that I don’t even see his wheelchair when I see him.   He uses his engraving business as a mission, and he volunteers for almost everything from teaching Sunday School to serving on committees.  He is such a disciple for Christ in everything he does.  A loving man who  uses his talents while dealing with disabilities.  I can’t think of anyone he doesn’t touch in a positive way.

Secondly, I think of Will.  Imagine being a sighted teenager, having surgery, and waking up in complete darkness! At that moment, his life changed, and he had to reinvent himself to cope.  Yet, he has a ministry through jewelry, massage therapy, humor, singing, and just uplifting every person with whom he comes into contact.  You won’t leave him without a God Bless You from him.  He uses his talents for the good of others and in doing so passes on the joy of life.

Next, there was Robert, a gentle giant of a man who spewed talent from every pore in his body. His huge smile, laugh, compassion, concern, empathy, and love, bonded people to him in an unbelievable way.  Imagine a voice like his being used unselfishly to bless people and to offer praises to his God.  Whether he sang classical or a spiritual, when he began, it was as though God himself stood with him.  A man who was just at home preaching, teaching, singing, or just socializing, he was always using his talents to bless others.

Finally but never least,  there was Grace.  Tell me how a fourteen year old girl can manage to amass such courage, bravery, fortitude, faith, hope, and love without totally employing each talent she had been given and inventing others she didn’t even know she had?  So many lives were touched and God’s love exemplified through this one solitary life.  If you know of her, then there is an area of your life that will never be the same because she touched you.  A young girl who used her talents in amazing ways.

We can’t all be as remarkable as these, but all of us have something to offer to make this world a better place.  God bless us everyone.

(Love Drew Brees even though he didn’t make the Super Bowl!)

When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them.  John 10:4

Years ago, we were fortunate to have a family with a young son, Coop, who lived directly across the street.  Coop, would put on his Davy Crockett cap, dress himself in western gear, grab a stick, and ring our doorbell periodically.  When we opened the door, he would say, “Morning, I’m scouting for wild animals and strangers. Can I hunt them in your back yard?”  Of course,” we would say, “but do you need any help?”  “Nope,” he would reply, “It’s my job!”  We would run to the back window to watch him “hunting” while his Dad could be seen hiding behind a tree to keep watch on him.

During forty six years of marriage, I have been fortunate to learn so many interesting facts about Westerns.  It appears, according to my resident expert, that the basis for many stories and movies about the Old West used cattle drives to set the scene.  You always have the good guys, the bad guys, and the notorious rustlers and outlaws.

One of the most honored positions on the cattle drive was the point rider.  This guy determined the direction of the drive, controlled the speed of the drive, and basically gave the herd someone to follow.  I am told that in serious situations, he also rode ahead to scout out danger, i.e., Indian attacks.  John Wayne was the best trail boss I’ve heard.

On many occasions the point man left the herd to ride ahead or scout out the area ahead of the drive.  He would come back and report danger, water sources, terrain, and paths he thought best.  The rest of the drive waited for him to return while confident that he would be able to give them all they needed to know about what lay ahead.

In Biblical days, the shepherd always walked ahead of his sheep much like the point man.  He was always in front of the sheep to protect them from danger.  Whatever danger came, it had to take on the shepherd first.

I like to think of God as the point man in our lives.  He can help us determine the direction of our lives, determine the pace with which we attack problems and dilemmas that enter our lives, and He gives us someone to follow.

The blessed life would be one which sees us not anxious to see far down the road of life but rather trusting the point man to take care of it.  It would be a life not overly concerned about the next step or path, not weighed down with the future, but quietly following the shepherd or point man.

God is out in front always walking ahead of us into our tomorrows.  It seems the tomorrows of our lives fill us with fear, but God is already there.  Everything that is ahead of us has to pass through Him before it can get to us.  It’s His job.

In all things you yourself must be an example of good behavior.  Be sincere and serious in your teaching.      Titus 2:7

The recent passing of Aretha Franklin brought back so many memories of years gone by.  We always loved her super hit R-E-S-P-E-C-T.  The words were memorable, the beat was catchy, and you could sing along, plus a spelling lesson was included.

Respect is defined as a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something; worthy of high regard.  People tend to respect many different things, but I have some things for which respect is absolutely essential.  These include ultimate respect for God, The Bible, His church, our country, our flag, our laws, our families, our elders, our fellow man, our teachers, our veterans, our active armed forces, our medical professionals, and many more could be added to the list.

In our household, respect  was taught on a daily basis because you can never take for granted that it will be learned by osmosis.  Children were taught the rules, and that failure to follow these rules had consequences.  We had no problem with corporal punishment and resorted to weapons such as fly swatters, switches, wooden spoons, even the infamous flip flop when all other weapons were not available.  Rules were followed and negotiation when they were broken was usually unsuccessful.

Laws are worthy of respect.  We learned that laws are there for your protection.  You break the law – you endure the punishment.  The importance of laws were brought home to me in the 1970’s when the Alday murders occurred in my small hometown.  The brutal murder of members of this sweet family inspired a new respect in our hometown and community for the laws which bring criminals to justice.

Our country, its flag, and those who have served and are serving are worthy of respect.  We were taught to honor all, and to never take the freedoms we are afforded for granted.

The Bible is worthy of respect.  It lays out God’s law, His story, and His commandments, not His suggestions.  When we try to change it to fit our own thoughts, respect is ignored.

God and His church are worthy of our utmost respect, devotion, love and obedience.  In our growing up years and in all our years since, everyone dressed for church every Sunday.  It wasn’t because we especially liked it, but we felt that God and His house of worship were worthy of our best.  There’s a reason people refer to nice clothes as your “Sunday Best.”

In this age of uncertainty in our denomination, our churches, our economy, our country, and our world, it would be wise of us to begin to use respect in every area of our lives.  The Bible makes it very clear that respect is one of the values which is necessary for life. We can learn so many things from the folks who have come before us and the ways they grew generations who know how to show honor and respect.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, this is what it means to me.

Respect is what we owe, what we give, and what we love.  Philip James Bailey

In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?  John 14:2

Home is defined as the place where one lives permanently.   For most of us these days, physical homes aren’t what they used to be.  For a girl who lived her whole growing up life in one home, the Methodist system provided me with a new perspective on the word, home, as each new parsonage provided an opportunity to create a new home.

Randy and I had the opportunity to spend time with our Purcell grandchildren in Buford for a few days last month.  We are not totally familiar with the area there, so sometimes we rely on the boys to direct us.  On the first morning as I was taking Reese to school, I said, “OK, Reese, tell me the best way to get to your school this morning.”  Reese replied, “Oh, I can’t help you there, I don’t know the way to school, but I do know the way home.”

Home can mean so many different things in our lives – hometown, homegrown, home away from home, home plate, home cookin’,  present home, future home, past home, eternal home, and dozens of other things.

Two years ago as we sold my family home, I discovered something that has changed my perspective.  I did fine with the closing until the final signature which would deliver my growing up home into someone else’s hands.  As I teared up, the buyer reached his hand across the table, patted my hand, and said,  “Don’t you worry, we will take good care of your Mama’s house.”

That’s when I realized that a house is just a building with walls and a roof.  Our Mama isn’t the occupant of that home anymore. The memories, the security, the peace, the love, and the joy within those walls are what makes it a home.  We will always have that.  Just like Reese, I can always find my way back to that place in my heart and my mind.

This year we have sent several friends and family members home.  The good news here is that they are now in their permanent, eternal home.  There is no more moving, readjusting, or stress.  They are in the home that Jesus prepared for them.

It’s so comforting to know that Jesus provides a way for us to always find our way home.  C.S. Lewis says there are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.

Now we look inside and what  we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new.  2 Corinthians 5:17 the Message 

What is it about a new year that makes us innately want to start over or begin again?  We want that fresh start, so we set unrealistic goals, and in doing so, we set ourselves up for imminent failure and disappointment.

Morning television news programs seem to have made it their mission to improve the lives of their audience by constantly suggesting new ways to live life to the fullest.  One morning lately, they suggested ways to maximize your morning.  The ways began with “List six things you want to accomplish today”.  It went on to suggest that we should then rank these six things in order of importance, and as we accomplish them, they should be checked off the list.  Making a list takes effort each day, and who has time to check it off?

I decided that the first thing on my list of six things to accomplish would be to make my own list of ways to maximize my morning, my day, my week, my month, and my year.  I’m probably falling into the same trap of failure that I promised I wouldn’t do; but nothing ventured, nothing gained!

The first thing on my list is be positive.  I can’t listen to those cynics who weigh us down with negative thoughts; instead, I will remember that  with God all things are possible.

The second thing on my list is to find a purpose for each day.  This purpose should involve doing something for someone every day, whether it be in thought, word, prayer or deed.  Ask the question, “What can I do for you today?”

The third thing on my list is to be enthusiastic, empathetic and energetic.  No one needs another person being fatalistic, tired, and judgmental all the time.

The fourth thing on my list is trusting God in all things.  It is my mission to trust that when bad things happen, God is still in control.

The fifth thing on my list is to love unconditionally.  It’s easy to play the blame game, but that’s not what God expects.

The last thing on my list is to start each day in prayer and bible study.  God has set the example that we should follow, and it should be a mission each day to challenge ourselves to meet His criteria.

Good Luck with all the new resolutions for the new year.  I wish you a very Happy New Year filled with joy, peace and love!

How many Kings stepped down from their throne; How many Lords have abandoned their home; how many greats have become the least for me? Yes, and how many fathers gave up their sons for me? Only one did that for me.  All for me, all for you.    How Many Kings  by Downhere

The recent hurricane, Michael, came through my hometown of Donalsonville with terrific force, and left devastation in his wake.  The meteorologists designated this small town as “ground zero”.  There was no electricity for over a week, little help for the victims, and limited places which provided shelter and showers.

Lineman and workers came from all over this state and others to a small town that was ill equipped to handle them in the best of circumstances yet alone this one. The power company set up a command center right outside of town to provide food, water, and shelter for the linemen and volunteers.  These workers spent day after day sleeping when they could, working until they were physically exhausted, and they did it all for a town in desperate need.  They left their own families to help others they didn’t even know.

This reminds me of Bethlehem and the Savior’s birth.  God sent his only son into a devastated world to be born and die to help those He didn’t even know.  Jesus came into a world that didn’t know that He’d come to save them and take their sins away.

When He was born, He brought hope to us of everlasting life.  God came down in the form of a baby because we can never climb up to Him on our own.  We get to heaven because of Jesus.

He showed us self sacrificing love.  A baby who grew into a man who suffered and died to save us and take away our sins.  A sinless man who died for the sins of the whole world.

He replaced darkness with light.  You never know how dark it can be at night until you have no light.

If there’s no way to thank the army of volunteers and dedicated servants who came to a small town to save it, there certainly is no way we can ever embrace the love that was there when God sent Jesus to save us.  All we can do is say thank you.  The best way to do that is to accept God’s love and to spread His light throughout a needy world.

As we light candles this Christmas Eve, remember how fortunate we are to have the light of the world in our lives. Let His light shine!  He did it all for me, all for you!

Merry Christmas!

jesus coming into a devastated world