Month: July 2014

You Are an Original

Posted on by Wendy
This mimosa tree growing among stately old live oaks made me smile.
This mimosa tree growing among stately old live oaks made me smile.

On a recent trip to Hilton Head, my family was biking along, and this mimosa tree caught my eye. It was growing among magnificent old live oaks and a palmetto tree. (never was sure why they are palm trees in Florida, but palmettos in South Carolina). It was almost comical growing there. It reminded me of a Dr. Seuss book with its fluffy pink blooms in the middle of all of the greens and browns.

It reminded me of an illustration in a Dr. Seuss book.
It reminded me of an illustration in a Dr. Seuss book.

I have always been in awe of God’s creativity and I try to embrace the fact that He loves variety too. We are all created differently, yet in His image. Try to explain that one to teenagers.

Human beings seem to be born with the innate desire to get approval from our peers. We want to fit in and be like everyone else. We also have the inborn desire to be the best at everything. We can make just about anything into a competition. With kids it’s often sports, but it’s also who has the highest grade or who can read the most books? Who took the best summer vacation? Who can draw the best picture?

It starts with children, but it’s most often fueled by adults who are no better than our kids when it comes to competing.

But here’s the thing, God created us all to be unique with unique personalities and talents to be used to serve Him. We were created to live right now, right where we are, not twenty years ago, or fifty years from now. Each one of us was planned well in advance, by a God who does not make mistakes.

And guess what else; He sometimes creates beauty simply for His enjoyment. I was taking a walk recently and a tiny purple flower was growing in a bunch of tall grass all by itself. It caught my eye. I wondered briefly what it was doing there and then I found myself saying a prayer of thanks to God for planting it.

God seems to enjoy placing the beautiful and unique in the most unexpected places. We see this all of the time in nature. We accept it. Why would we think that humanity would be any different? What if we learned to embrace what makes us different and ask God how to use it?

My daughter has a close-knit group of friends who I adore. I am thankful everyday that she has chosen her friends wisely up to this point. While these girls are alike in many ways, they are also different, and of course, that’s what they would change about themselves. At every opportunity, I try to point out to them as well as my own children, that their differences make them special and don’t we all want to be special?

I can never stress enough to the kids that cross my path or to parents, that each child is special to God. Whether an athlete or an artist, a straight A student or a C student, funny or serious, quirky or straight-laced; each child is made with a plan that only God knows, but it’s a good plan and it will lead to an abundant life. Our job as adults is to nurture those kids and encourage them at every turn to use their unique gifts.

Come to think of it, we should do the same with the adults in our lives as well as ourselves. So, if you are a mimosa growing among graceful Spanish moss dripping oak trees, stand up a little straighter and own it. We are all different. You just have the ability to show it on the outside and when you embrace it, I think you make God smile.

Don’t we all smile when someone compliments our work? What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

It is Well With My Soul

Posted on by Wendy
The famous hymn, "It is Well with My Soul," was penned in 1873.
The famous hymn, “It is Well with My Soul,” was penned in 1873.

We had a substitute preacher last Sunday and he did a musical sermon. He would give background on some well-known old hymns and then the choir would sing them and sometimes he would call on the congregation to sing along. It was a moving experience. It kind of reminded me of the old-fashioned revivals from my childhood.

The story behind the hymn, “It is Well with My Soul,” really stuck with me, so much so, that I did a little research on it myself.

It was written by a man named Horatio Spafford in 1873. He was a wealthy man who was a lawyer. By all accounts, he was a great person. He and his wife had five children, one boy and four girls. In 1870 their only son died of Scarlet Fever. In 1871, he was ruined financially by the Great Chicago Fire. He had placed most of his investments in real estate and lost almost everything.

He and his wife were said to have worked tirelessly with the homeless after the fire. There were ninety thousand homeless at the time. In 1873, his wife, Anna’s health was failing and it was suggested that she travel to England. He was going to accompany her and their four girls, but at the last minute had to remain in Chicago for business.

During the voyage over the Atlantic, the passenger liner was struck by an iron ship and rapidly sunk. All four daughters were killed. His wife Anna survived and sent him a telegram that simply said, “Saved alone….”

On his voyage to meet his beloved wife, the captain had him summoned to the bridge and told him that this was the spot where the ship went down. It was in those moments that the words to the hymn came to him.

Are your tears flowing yet? Can you imagine the pain this man was enduring, but still had the faith and trust in God to say, “It is well with my soul?” It’s easy to praise God when everything is going well. It’s easy to yell “hallelujah!” when we are on top. But, how do we do when we are at rock bottom.

Horatio hung onto his faith. He was blessed with three more children, one they named Grace, and he and his wife moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony. Its mission was to serve the poor.

Like Job, Horatio refused to curse God. His faith never wavered. He and his wife clung together and continued to serve and we have one of the most beautiful hymns ever written to remember him by. What a beautiful legacy.

Is it well with your soul? If not, say a prayer, seek God. No matter the circumstances, it can be well with your soul. Horatio’s story is proof.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Keys

Posted on by Wendy
Remember how excited you were to get your first set of keys?
Remember how excited you were to get your first set of keys?

We recently decided that it was time to give my son a set of keys to our house. He hasn’t really needed any before now. I pick him up from school. But, this summer there have been a few times when he was at a neighbor’s house and needed to get into our house, but couldn’t.

When I told him that we wanted to give him house keys, you should have seen the look on his face. I mean it was like Christmas had come early. He bugged me for days about getting them. At last, we made a trip to Lowe’s and they have this nifty machine where you can pick out your color and everything. He was delighted.

Next he had to get a cool key chain (or two), complete with an LED light and a Lego character. He couldn’t wait to get home and try them on both doors. When he used them the first time, he was just as pumped.

Human beings love keys. Even babies love keys. Most of them have a plastic set. When someone has done something spectacular, they are sometimes given a key to the city where they live.

What is it about keys that make us walk a little taller? Maybe it’s when someone gives you a key to something, be it a house, a car or a business, they are saying, “I trust you with something I consider precious.”  They are saying that they consider us responsible and worthy and that makes us feel good.

Jesus is our key to the Kingdom of Heaven. When we realize and accept that he is the son of God and appreciate the sacrifice he made for us, we have a key to Heaven’s Gates. Are we giddy about it? Are we excited or has that enormous truth become old news?

I use a key to get into my house everyday. It’s no big deal now; but when I was handed that key by a realtor, when the house was brand new, it was worth its weight in gold to me. It represented dreams and aspirations and my family’s future. I was as excited that day as my son was when he got his keys.

Most of us can remember when we truly, “got” Jesus. It was an overwhelming feeling to try to grasp all of that love, grace and forgiveness. It was the time we received our key. Because of our key, we can pray anytime. We can visit God anytime. We don’t have to wait for someone to open the door to the church on Sunday. We can access God 24/7.

That’s something to get excited about. That’s something that still makes me smile and stand up a little taller. It’s the most perfect, beautiful gift we will ever receive. My son’s keys were a gentle reminder not to let my key to eternity become run of the mill. Maybe it was a reminder for you too. What do you think?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Compelled to Help

Posted on by Wendy
Have you ever felt compelled to help someone?
Have you ever felt compelled to help someone?

I recently saw an amazing video on Facebook. It has apparently been floating around since March, but I just saw it for the first time. I have pasted the link below if you would like to check it out for yourself. I have been unable to get it out of my mind and I felt compelled to share it here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kImQFMzJ4w

A young woman gets on a bus in Philadelphia with her one week old baby. The baby was having some type of breathing issue and the young mother was on the way to a hospital get medical attention. A man followed her onto the bus and began harassing her. He wanted to see the baby and then to touch the baby. The young woman, afraid for her child, said no. The man became agitated.

Enter, Tameka Bates, a pastor. She stood between the mother and the assailant. Over and over again, he attempted to get around her and over and over again, she stood in his way. That’s awesome right? We all love Good Samaritan stories. But, here’s the cool part.

The entire time, she kept telling the man, “The blood of Jesus is against you. I rebuke you in the name of Jesus.” While looking at the young mother and saying, “I’ll protect you. I have you covered.”

The video shows others sitting idly by and doing nothing to help, but Tameka Bates never backed down and in fact, followed the young mother off of the bus as she continued to tell her she was protected. The young woman burst into tears.

The man went on to attack a security officer who worked for the bus.

When Tameka was asked if she would have intervened had she known how violent the man was, she didn’t miss a beat. She said absolutely. She said she knew he “wasn’t right,” but felt compelled to help. She said she didn’t fear him because, (Here’s the headline)…. She knew that the greater being within her could defeat whatever was in him.

She felt compelled to help and was not afraid. As Christians, we are supposed to reach out to a hurting world. That often looks like providing  food or sending aid to somewhere far away. It sometimes is inviting someone to church.

But, how often do we think about physically protecting another human being and calling on the blood of Jesus as our shield? Jesus said in Luke 10:19, “Look, I have given you authority over all power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you.”

While some churches have used this verse to engage in snake handling, (definitely not my thing), Jesus is giving his followers authority over evil. He says in red-letter words, that we are covered.

How many of us walk around with that fearless kind of faith? How many of us are that bold in the face of danger? Tameka was compelled by the Holy Spirit and she acted in faith and Jesus had her covered as well as the young mother. I wonder what that young lady’s faith looks like now, after that intervention.

Tameka is an inspiration to all Christians. I want to aspire to be more like her. I want to be compelled to help and to do so fearlessly. What about you? What do you think?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Why Settle for 20/40 When You Can Have 20/10?

Posted on by Wendy
There's an awful lot of beauty out there. Why miss any of it?
There’s a whole lot of beauty out there. Why miss any of it?

I recently made an appointment for my daughter to see an optometrist. She has headaches fairly often and is going into tenth grade. That was the year I had to get glasses. I come from a long line of visually impaired folks. My mama has worn glasses practically her entire life. My brother and sister had to get glasses in early elementary school. It was just a matter of time, I suppose, until I had to join the glasses wearing world.

I remember the doctor telling me that my vision was 20/40. It wasn’t bad. He suggested that I wear glasses in class to see the board and simply take them off when class was over. I remember vividly my fifteen-year-old reply to that. “I’m not wearing glasses.” He didn’t skip a beat and said, “Okay, we will put you in contact lenses.”

I have worn contact lenses for close to thirty years now and here’s what I’ve learned. When you wear contact lenses, your vision is super crisp. They can correct it to something like 20/10 which is better than perfect vision. Once you can see the world with that super sharp vision, you aren’t willing to settle for less. 20/20 really isn’t good enough anymore.

My daughter has been willing to settle for daily headaches. She has been comfortable with taking ibuprofen daily. But, why settle, when you don’t have to?

I think our faith walk is the same way. We can attend church fairly regularly and read the Bible and pray sporadically. We can know and accept the love of Jesus, but continue to hold him at arm’s length. We can choose to seek him during holidays and when times are tough. We can have that kind of relationship, but why would we settle for that?

God can be like those distant cousins that we see at the yearly family reunion or He can be our daily guide to life. The choice is ours. The story of the Prodigal Son is evidence that He will take us back, but why settle for less than an everyday, crisp faith walk?

Why miss out on the peace that “passeth all understanding,” that comes from close relationship with God? Why miss out on the beauty of grace that come from walking with Jesus, not just from visiting with him sporadically? Why miss out on the love and joy that comes from close relationship?

I think we are better off with the attitude of that fifteen- year- old which meant putting contacts in first thing in the morning and wearing them until bed time and totally appreciating the beauty and wonder that would have been missed without them.

Let’s go for 20/10 and see what happens. I bet we will be wonderfully surprised at the clarity we get, not to mention the fantastic scenery. What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Antioxidants for the Soul

Posted on by Wendy
Maybe our souls need antioxidants just like our bodies do.
Maybe our souls need antioxidants just like our bodies do.

I can hardly turn on the television anymore without hearing something about antioxidants and their importance to our health. Fruits, vegetables, tea and wine are all chock-full of magic cells to keep us healthy and new things get added to the list daily like coffee and beer. In the shower this morning, I noticed that my hair conditioner claims to contain antioxidants.

So I began to wonder, what are antioxidants exactly? I Googled it and turned up way more scientific jargon than I needed. The short version is that our bodies produce free radicals which are bad as well as antioxidants which are good. Unfortunately, we produce more bad than good especially as we age. Furthermore, things like pollution, the sun, smoking and x-rays also produce free radicals. That’s why we need to take in antioxidants to counter their effects. It’s like a constant cell war going on inside of our bodies.

So, I began thinking that if we need antioxidants for our bodies, surely we need them for our souls. Isn’t there a constant soul war going on too?  But what would they look like and where would they come from?

The free radicals are everywhere. They would be stress, anger, the media, societal pressures, the need to compete, the inability to ever be satisfied with what we have or where we are or who we are. I think I could come up with a never-ending list of free radicals for our souls.

But, what about the antioxidants? What should we do to soothe and strengthen our hearts and souls against the free radicals? First of all, we could take time to rest. We can never hear God if we don’t listen. In my experience, He’s not a yeller. We can pray as we seek peace and downtime. We can actively seek peace. We will never find it if we don’t rest and get quiet. Peace won’t chase us down and seek us. We have to seek it.

We can have a positive attitude to the people God has placed in our lives. They are here, just like we are here, for a reason. We can adopt an attitude of thankfulness. Whatever the circumstances, there is always something to be thankful for.

We can read the Bible. It’s full of examples of people who lived in trying times. It’s full of people who made mistakes. It’s full of people who turned away from God as well as those who turned towards Him. It’s full of forgiveness and grace. It’s a story that’s so much bigger than we are, yet we are part of it.

We can attend worship service. A good worship service is always medicine for weary souls.

We can get outside and enjoy this beautiful world that God has created for us. We can watch a sunrise or a sunset or a thunderstorm.

As it turns out, I was able to think of way more antioxidants for the soul than free radicals. Hmmmm, why does that not surprise me?

God is good!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Turtle Mode

Posted on by Wendy
This turtle always makes me smile.
This turtle always makes me smile.

It’s July and I feel like my summer has been a whirlwind so far. My extended family and my two teens have kept me on the run. As I was stealing a moment this morning on the porch, a moment before 7:00 AM, when the earth is still and quiet and the kids aren’t awake yet, I was thinking about a child I worked with last year when I was subbing.

He was famous for not wanting to walk from one side of the building to the other. He would want to stop and get a drink of water or sit down to rest. These were all just stalling tactics, but it drove the teachers crazy. (which was likely part of the reason he was doing them). I told him one day that he was in turtle mode, that turtle mode was slow and boring. I told him he needed to switch to rabbit mode. How fast could we get to where we were going?

He took the bait. He loved switching to rabbit mode and I would count how long it took us to get to the next class.

I feel like I am in rabbit mode most of the time. I remember thinking when I was on vacation, that one of the beautiful things about vacation, is not having to constantly be in a hurry. I am trying to make a concerted effort to switch back into turtle mode for July.

It’s hot. Our summer travels are done. Why not?

I started out this morning by piddling around in my garden, cutting things that needed to be cut, watering and taking my time. I had a second cup of coffee on the porch and read a little.

Of course, when my daughter arrived home from her sleepover, it was ninety miles a minute talking. Then my son came running downstairs with his backpack telling me that I had to run him over to his friend’s house at that very moment. Never mind that he hadn’t brushed his hair or teeth or had breakfast, and it was lunch time.

I calmly told him to make a sandwich and then, to brush his teeth. I sent my daughter upstairs to take a shower and work on her summer AP assignment. I got some watermelon out of the fridge to snack on, until my son was finished. We can still get everything done, but do we have to hurry? I delivered him to his friend’s house and all was well in his world.

The Bible tells us there is “a time for every activity under heaven.” Sometimes we need to rest and sometimes we need to simply slow down, remembering that we will get it done eventually and if not today, then tomorrow is another day.

I’m aiming for turtle mode for the remainder of July. It’s too hot to hurry in July anyway. Anyone want to join me?

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

It’s All About Perspective

Posted on by Wendy
This was my Granddaddy's sheriff's badge.
This was my Granddaddy’s sheriff’s badge.

In a recent sermon, my pastor shared a story about him and his wife being in a serious car accident. It was dark and raining. He was barely conscious himself and couldn’t tell whether or not his wife was seriously injured. As he began to panic, he heard sirens in the distance. He said he knew immediately that everything was going to be okay because help was on the way.

I have always had the same feelings towards law enforcement. My Granddaddy was the sheriff of our little Georgia county for much of my childhood. I have ridden in the back of quite a few patrol cars. The fact that the doors had no handles on the inside, never bothered me in the least. It never occurred to me that I couldn’t get out. Why would I want to?

But, for many people, sirens are a frightening sound. They do not symbolize hope or help. The represent fear. Some people have raised their children to fear the police. Some people come from countries where the police are corrupt and can’t be trusted. For some, the fear may be justified.

As I was turning this over in my mind, it came to me that there are people out there who may feel the same way about church. I was raised going to church. I find it to be a place of peace and worship, a place to lay my troubles down, a place of repentance, where I can walk away cleansed and refreshed.

But, there are people out there who see church as a place of condemnation, a place of impossible rules, a place where they will never fit in or be accepted. There are those who feel they could never possibly be good enough to sit in a church pew.

Some people who feel this way have been treated badly by church going folks in the past. Most churches have some Pharisees mixed in with the rest. You know the ones I’m talking about, the people who like to look down on others because of their social status or because they are divorced or because they have had a child out of wedlock. These are simply a few examples. The reasons why we choose to judge one another as unworthy of forgiveness is endless and wrong, whatever our motivation may be.

As Christians, perhaps we need to do a better job at welcoming in those who may be seeking something better for their lives or people who may be searching, period. We can introduce them to Jesus and the freedom that following him gives us, without judging them or hitting them over the head with a Bible.

Obedience comes through faith. When we really know Jesus, we want to read the Bible. We want to pray and follow the commandments, but we have to start somewhere. Maybe that start should be love. Isn’t that what our faith stems from? Maybe we should be more welcoming to those people who may be afraid or even angry at the church. Maybe we should demonstrate what Christian love is all about with our actions first.

Maybe we should make it our goal for others to see church as help, as safety, as a sanctuary. If we do that, perhaps the Holy Spirit will take care of the rest. What do you think? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Chance Encounter with the Gullah Man

Posted on by Wendy
The Gullah Man walked up to my family and handed me this rose.
The Gullah Man walked up to my family and handed me this rose.

On a recent trip to Savannah, my family was taking a break from the oppressive heat, in the shade of Forsyth Park. I was walking around and snapping photos of the famous fountain, while my hubby and kids found a bench. Just as I went to join them, a man approached us and asked us where we were from.

Honestly, we were a little hesitant to talk to him. I mean, who was this guy? Was he going to ask us for money or try to rob us?  He introduced himself as the “Ambassador of Love” and told us that the college kids in town had named him the Gullah-Man. He told us to check him out on You Tube. He handed me and my daughter a flower each and told us that each one was made of a single piece of grass. (like a reed) He told us to have a nice visit and walked away.

After he left, I marveled at the artistry. It truly was amazing. The delicate twists and turns made a beautiful, perfect rose. I did check him out on You Tube when I got home and I have to say I’m really embarrassed that I didn’t take the time to really visit with him.

He calls himself an edu-tainer and teaches a little bit about the Gullah culture. The Gullah people are the descendants of the freed slaves from the South Carolina Lowcountry and the Savannah area. Because they were relatively remote from the rest of the South, they have kept a lot of the African culture, from food, to crafts to story telling and language.

In his story, he tells of a boy who wants to become a master at making flowers. His family tells him to become a master, you have to use your hands, ears and mind. They tell him he can dream, but he must practice too and pray because all gifts come from God. As he tells the story, his eyes are closed the entire time and when he is done, he produces the perfect rose.

What amazing advice. Notice, he doesn’t say to use your mouth. We tend to talk way too much; when we really should be listening. He says to dream, but we have to practice. Isn’t that the truth? How can we ever make our dreams come true if we don’t work towards accomplishing them?

Then he says to pray because all gifts come from God. I mean, this guy gives the most beautiful sermon in four minutes flat.

He ends by saying that he is the Gullah Man and he is fighting the War on Terrorism by showing that we are living, laughing and loving in America. We are not living in terror.

There is another clip where he says that he is spreading love and showing that God exists and he goes out everyday and receives blessings from all of the people he meets.

I kept the two roses that he gave me. I placed them on my desk where I can see them when I sit down to write. I feel blessed to have them. They are a reminder to me that God gives us many dreams. They remind me that every single person has the opportunity to make a difference every single day, in their own unique way, and that is a beautiful thing. What will you do today to make a small difference in the world around you? I’d love to hear from you.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Happy Independence Day

Posted on by Wendy
The original American flag was stitched together in 1776.
The original American flag was stitched together in 1776 by a struggling widow named Betsy Ross.

Today is July 4th, American Independence Day. Americans have been a patriotic people from the very beginning. In May of 1776, three secret delegates from the Second Continental Congress, paid a widow named Betsy Ross a visit. The men were George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross. They were interested in creating an official flag for the new country of the United States of America. Betsy worshiped at the same church with George and Martha Washington and her pew was right next to theirs. She had also done some seamstress work for General Washington. He produced a rough sketch of what they had in mind. Betsy, who was a gifted seamstress, reportedly, “demonstrated how to make a five point star in a single snip.” She was hired on the spot and in late May or early June, the flag was finished.

Meanwhile, the Declaration of Independence was being written, mostly by Thomas Jefferson. There seems to be debate about the date it was signed by everyone, but Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and John Adams signed it on July 4th, 1776. Franklin was seventy years old at the time.

It was read aloud for he first time on July 8,1776 in Independence Hall. The Liberty Bell rang, summoning everyone to come and hear it. It was printed in newspapers all across the thirteen colonies very soon after it was written. Freedom of the press has always been very important to this country. It was also translated into German by July 9th. Immigrants have always played a huge role in our country.

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed a flag resolution which stated, “Resolved, that the flag of the 13 United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.” Americans have always been serious about our flag.

On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia celebrated the first commemoration with the reading of the Declaration and fireworks. Early fireworks were re-purposed military munitions. Other cities followed suit. In 1781, Massachusetts was the first state to officially recognize Independence Day. Congress made it a federal holiday in 1870.

In 1778, George Washington gave his soldiers extra rations of rum to celebrate the day. Now you know where the 4th of July cocktails come from.

While the Revolutionary War officially lasted from 1775-1783, there were many tensions that remained with Britain and unresolved issues, which resulted in the War of 1812 which lasted for two-and-a-half years. After that, our relations with Britain headed to where they are today. It was during that war that Francis Scott Key penned the “Star Spangled Banner.” He was captive on a ship in the Baltimore Harbor all night long with the constant sights and sounds of gun and cannon fire. The fight lasted for 25 hours. He thought the fort was doomed for sure. But, he was wrong. “Oh say can you see, by the dawn’s early light.”

That flag was still proudly flying, representing a fierce American spirit that simply refused to give up. There really isn’t a reason in the world that the rag-tag Americans should have beaten the powerful British, twice. Yet, they did. It’s a feat we are still proud of to this day and that’s why on this day, some 238 years later, we still celebrate the 4th of July and all of those who made it possible.

We fly flags and have barbecues and picnics. We watch fireworks and sing the “Star Spangled Banner,” which by the way, always gives me goose bumps. We spend time with family and friends and celebrate all of our freedoms and what it means to live in this great country and we pray for God’s continued blessings on us. Happy 4th of July!

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂