Giving Thanks to and for Our Veterans

Posted on by Wendy
Today we say thanks to our veterans for their many sacrifices.
Today we say thanks to our veterans for their many sacrifices.

Today is Veteran’s Day. It was originally called Armistice Day and was first celebrated on November 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War 1. It became a national holiday in 1938. It’s a day to honor all American veterans, especially those who are living, who have served our country.

I have the utmost respect for the men and women who willingly put their own lives on the line to keep us safe. My own Daddy and Granddaddy served. It takes people of true grit to put the safety and well-being of others ahead of their own. It takes sacrifice. It takes commitment. It takes belief in something greater than themselves.

Those were the ideals of the revolutionaries who started the Great American Experiment, those ideals and their faith in God. Those ideals and faith have served us well. They seem to be somehow ingrained in our DNA and each generation since those founding fathers, has willingly stood to defend this country that they hold dear.

Today is a day that we have the opportunity to pay tribute to those who walk among us. We have the opportunity to say thanks. The school I work in is hosting a ceremony where the children of the school were encouraged to invite relatives or friends and neighbors to attend. There have been many enthusiastic responses.

There are parades in some places and many restaurants are offering free meals to our veterans. It’s not nearly enough. How do we really thank these people for all they have done for us?

Perhaps the answer is to be a better America, one that treats them with dignity and respect, one that stands for the pledge, one that respects the flag that they were willing to die for. Perhaps we need to be absolutely sure that we are teaching our children the same.

Let’s make it our business to say thanks to our veterans today and to give thanks for our veterans today, because whatever your ideology may be, if it weren’t for our veterans, and the grace of God, we would not be here today.

We have a lot to be thankful for.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Prayers for Peace and Understanding

Posted on by Wendy
Only God can lead us to peace.
Only God can lead us to peace.

Yesterday morning, I was tired. I stayed up too late waiting for election results. When I checked my Facebook feed, hoping that the brutal election language was over, I was very disappointed.

My conservative friends were gloating. My liberal friends were acting like the end of the world had arrived and both sides had to state their opinions in several posts. One was simply not enough. There were even people who had to list the reasons why they voted this way or that way, as if anyone really cares at this point.

As I took a few minutes to scroll through the noise that still populated my feed, a post from a dear Salkehatchie friend, caught my eye. He is one of the kindest men I have ever met. He’s a retired engineer and he works tirelessly in the summer heat to help Christian teens help others who are in desperate need.

I stopped scanning and read his post. He doesn’t post much, so I always take the time to read what he has to say. His message took my breath away. He asked for prayers for his family from his Facebook friends. His oldest grandson had been killed in an accident. He asked specifically for prayers for peace and understanding and ended with a simple thank you.

My eyes filled with tears as I said a prayer and my heart broke for him. I wasn’t surprised that he got many prayer replies and I wasn’t surprised to see that quite a few came from our Salkehatchie family.

This election has sucked up enough of the air waves. The division it has caused has been stunning. I don’t believe for a minute that it’s the end of the Republic, just as I don’t believe for a minute that a savior has been chosen.

In a couple of months, all of this ugliness will have died down. In twenty years, people won’t even remember the hateful words spewed from both sides. But, there’s a family who will always remember what happened to them on election night 2016, something far more important than whether a Democrat or Republican was elected.

He asked for prayers for peace and understanding which are the only things, along with the grace of Jesus, that can heal my sweet friend and his family. Come to think of it, those are the only things that can heal America too. I humbly ask you to join me in praying for both.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Heading into the Fire

Posted on by Wendy
The beautiful view gave us no clue about the dangers ahead.
The beautiful view gave us no clue about the dangers ahead.

Last weekend my family took a hike. When we finally arrived at our destination, we rested. We had a snack and drank some water and marveled at all of the other people who were there. They were sitting around and taking pictures. Some were even in Eno hammocks.

After we had rested a bit, I was ready to head back. But, my son had noticed the steady stream of people climbing further up and then back down the mountain side. It was a fairly steep climb that I really wasn’t interested in making, but my son was and there were so many people doing it, how hard could it be?

As we began the climb, I asked my hubby what exactly we were looking for. He pointed out that the water in the falls we had been enjoying, had to be coming from somewhere.

I’m not a really big fan of climbing. I don’t mind going up, but I don’t like coming down. As we got near the top, my son pointed out a beautiful view and I snapped a photo. There were less people at the top and I could hear the roar of rushing water.

I finally asked a couple coming down if it was worth the climb. The young man assured me that it was, that you could see it right around the corner, but he wouldn’t go much further. I found his response odd and asked him why. He went on to explain since it was a forest fire we were looking at, that he didn’t advise getting too close.

He told me I could hear it. What I thought was rushing water, was the forest at the top of the ridge on fire and when I looked through the trees, I could see the red glow.

Our family promptly turned around and began climbing down. We told the first few people that we met that there was a forest fire. They all knew and were hoping to see it.

We felt like we were in the Twilight Zone. Who in their right mind hikes to see a forest fire? Did these people  not know the danger of fires in the mountains during a drought?

As we hiked back down, we could start to see some smoke as people continued to walk towards the fire. When we got back down to the parking lot, there were two large trucks and crews from the National Forest Service in their fire gear.

We were grateful to be safely back at our car.

I have marveled over that experience for the past several days. Why would reasonably intelligent people walk purposely towards a fire? But, then I got a quiet nudge asking why reasonably intelligent people walk towards spiritual fire? Why would we walk towards instead of away from things that will harm our souls?

That climb reminded me that just because many people are doing it, doesn’t make it safe or advisable. That climb also reminded me that as soon as we realize that we are headed towards danger, we have the ability to turn away and go in the right direction. Jesus will take our hand and lead us out if we reach for Him.

But, we have to be willing to turn around and admit we were headed in the wrong direction and we have to reach for Him.

A recent brush with a forest fire reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Focusing on the End Zone

Posted on by Wendy
We have to keep moving forward to where we are called.
We have to keep moving forward to where we are called.

Last Friday night was our high school’s last home game. It also happened to be senior night. There was a great turn out. Unfortunately, our team lost, but they played well. There was only one touch down and boy was it a good one.

A senior player named Roques Dowdy, ran the ball for a 79 yard touchdown. It was a joy to watch. He started off in a sea of players, all trying to take him down, but he kept his eye on the goal and kept running. Those pursuing him thinned out and Roques kept running. Finally, there was one lone pursuer and I felt sure he would catch him. He was so close. But, Roques kept his eye on the end zone and kept running only occasionally looking back to see how close his opponent was.

His drive and dedication paid off. He had a beautiful run and a touch down I’m sure he will remember for the rest of his life.

I thought about that run all weekend. I thought about how focused he was on where he was going. I thought about how daunting it must have been for him when he was surrounded by the opposing team, yet he kept moving towards where he needed to go. I thought about how even when he broke out of that pack and someone continued to pursue him closely, he only glanced back for a moment.

I thought about how we could all have that kind of drive in our faith life. We all have the ability to be focused on what we seek. But, why aren’t we? We all have the capability to not focus on the pack that we find ourselves in and to keep our eyes focused on God.

That run also reminded me that it’s smart to glance back occasionally and note that there is an opponent on the field. It would be foolish to pretend otherwise, but our focus should remain on the end zone and where we are called to end up, when we finish our run. Make no mistake, God’s team is much more powerful than the opposition.

That touch down run inspired me to ask myself the questions: “What is your end zone and how do you plan to get there? Where is your focus? ” Perhaps you need to ask yourself those questions too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Staying the Course

Posted on by Wendy
Success is so often, just around the corner.
Success is so often, just around the corner.

Back in September, my family and I, took a hike at a place called Raven Cliffs Falls. We had never been there before and were looking for a new adventure.

We got one. The GPS wasn’t working very well. Cell phones and mountains do not mix. We got lost on the way and ended up in North Carolina, but we enjoyed the warm weather and when we finally got there, we were super excited to just get out of the car.

It was early afternoon and we didn’t eat lunch because we had a late, heavy breakfast. The trail was beautiful and we got some fabulous pictures of waterfalls, but as it got later, we got tired and hungry. We didn’t know how long the trail was and we didn’t bring any provisions.

As the trail began to wind away from the creek we had been following and we kept seeing fewer people, we decided to turn back. Our cell service wasn’t working and we weren’t sure if there was anything else to see. We felt like there might be, but weren’t willing to chance it. We gave up and went searching for an early dinner.

As it turned out, we gave up too early. When we returned home and Googled it, we realized that there was something really beautiful at the end of that trail, a waterfall running between two cliffs. We vowed to return when it was a little cooler and the leaves were changing colors.

On Sunday, we went back to try it again. But, this time, we knew the way and I brought water and snacks. The Gaines Family was on a mission.

We moved easily through the first part of the trail. We passed by all of those pretty waterfalls once again. But, then, just as before, the trail began to wind, with nothing to see, but trees. There were parts that were kind of narrow as we continued to walk. We were hot and tired. My son asked me if I was sure that there was anything at all at the end of the trail. I stubbornly assured him that there was.

We trudged on and we passed someone coming back from where we were heading. We asked him if we were close. He assured us we were.

Encouraged, we walked a little further and there it was. There was a clearing and then a huge mountain stood right in front of us. And there was the waterfall we had been seeking.

It was beautiful. It was worth the hike. We sat and rested for a while. We drank some water and had a snack. We took lots of pictures and my son even wanted us to climb up the steep rock face. We did, but that’s a story for another post.

As we headed back down that trail, we met a weary couple who asked if they were close. This time, we could encourage someone and assured them they were.

Our hikes reminded me how it’s very easy to give up on whatever we are pursuing when we get tired and aren’t prepared. Whether it’s a dream we are chasing, or a relationship or even our faith. The right provisions make all of he difference.

When we pray, read the Bible, and surround ourselves with others who have been successful, we can find what we are seeking, and it’s always worth the work. But, we can’t give up. After we make it, then we are called to encourage others on their journey.  It’s a beautiful circle.

A second attempt at a hiking trail reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

 

 

 

The Power of a Preposition

Posted on by Wendy
Being thankful is a choice.
Being thankful is a choice.

In the past few days, I have come across two different bloggers who commented on the verses from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which read: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.”

It’s a very familiar verse for me and I see it quoted often. It’s meant to bring comfort. God has a plan even during the bad times.

But, this week, after two different writers pointed one that one preposition makes a huge difference in that passage, I really sat up and took notice. I don’t believe in coincidences where God is concerned.

The Holy Spirit had something to tell me. Both writers said that the Scripture says to give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances.

Those two prepositions have really swirled around in my head this week. Isn’t it amazing how one little word can change everything?

We aren’t called to be thankful for the sickness, or for the tragedy, or for the disappointing circumstances. We are called to find something to be thankful for in those dark times.

We aren’t called to be thankful for sickness, but we are called to be thankful for all of the people who reach out to help during the sickness, who would never have had the opportunity to do so otherwise. We aren’t called to be thankful for the breakup, but we are called to be thankful for renewed relationships with family and friends that may have come from it, or maybe even  renewed relationship with God, that would never have happened without the breakup.

Rejoice always because we get to go to heaven one day and live with Jesus. No matter what happens to us here on earth, we are travelers here, not permanent residents.

Pray continually. Never stop praying because prayer changes everything whether we can see it or not.

Give thanks always. There’s always a reason to give thanks and God always has a plan.

These are verses to live by and I have held them close to my heart the past few days. Perhaps you need to hold them close too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

He’s Got This

Posted on by Wendy
Be at peace. He's got this.
Be at peace. He’s got this.

A couple of days ago, we had person after person, come into the office and complain about the heat. I even heard a few grumbles about how it had never been this hot before in Georgia, in November.

After I arrived home, curiosity got the better of me and I Googled it. Turns out, November 1, 2016, was not the hottest Georgia November on record. That distinction went to November 1, 1961.

It’s not that it’s the hottest November on record; it’s simply the hottest November many of us remember. There is a difference.

That little revelation got my wheels turning and I decided to do a little election research. We’ve all heard that this is the nastiest and weirdest presidential election in American history. Turns out that’s not true. One Google search turned up article after article, listing anywhere from six to ten elections that were just as bizarre.

One of the first was John Adams vs Thomas Jefferson back in 1800. Yep, the Founding Fathers were not above dirty tricks and mudslinging. There was Grant vs Greeley in 1872, where the country was very divided on women’s suffrage and Hayes vs Tilden in 1876, where the electoral votes and popular votes didn’t match. In 1920, Eugene Debs ran a campaign from prison. In 1948 not a poll existed that had Harry Truman defeating Thomas Dewey. Yet, Truman won.

The inherent narcissism of the human race, has every generation believing that this is the worst thing that has ever happened, whatever it may, be from weather to politics. A little search in history, usually proves us wrong.

I get it. Things always look the bleakest when they are happening to us, personally. But, as bad as cancer looks to us now, what did the Bubonic Plague look like to the people who lived in the 13 and 14 hundreds?

Ecclesiastes 1:9 says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” It goes on to talk about how we don’t remember men of old or in other words, the people who came before us.

This verse should not only bring us comfort during these times when the world seems so unsettled and strange, but also in our personal lives. There is nothing that we are going through that hasn’t been experienced by others before us, not sickness, or financial issues, or relationship issues, or job issues, or even spiritual issues.

Since God breathed life into Adam, He’s been willing to faithfully stay by our side through all of the uncertainty, if we keep our focus on Him. He will see us through whatever we face if we only trust and obey Him. His word gives us countless reminders if we commit to reading it.

There’s nothing in 2016, that is new to Him. He’s got this.

A hot November day reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Seeking the Beauty

Posted on by Wendy
Let's seek and give thanks for the beauty placed in our lives.
Let’s seek  the beauty placed in our lives and then give thanks for it.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything that is beautiful, for Beauty is God’s handwriting.”

When I recently came across that quote, I couldn’t help but write it down. I remembered it when my mama and I had a telephone conversation about her upcoming visit to Canada. She’s going with a friend in December, but is now regretting the timing because December is so busy.

But, as we talked a little longer, she commented that it was a part of the world she had never seen before and she was looking forward to seeing it. I assured her that she would love it once she got there. She agreed.

After we hung up, I continued to think about our conversation. I thought about the beauty that fall always brings, the brilliant yellows, reds and oranges. I thought about how creative our God is to treat us to such a vibrant show every year.

He didn’t have to. He could have just let the leaves turn brown and fall off, but instead we are treated to a colorful show that even the makers at Crayola can’t match.

There’s so much beauty in Creation, from mountain tops, to the seashore, to the desert, from rivers and lakes to countless flowers and trees, not to mention the wildlife.

God loves beauty. We only have to go outside to see the evidence. Is it possible to truly feed our souls, we need to spend time in Creation? In the Bible, people didn’t live in high rises or stay inside for days on end watching television or playing on the internet.

Many were shepherds, farmers and fishermen. People often had to go outside to bring water into their houses. They walked in the streets to purchase things, not the shopping mall.

I think that the quest to seek beauty in the world around us, is a form of worship. It’s a form of thanksgiving to our loving and creative God. I think He is pleased when we stop and notice the beauty that we so often overlook.

A quote and a conversation reminded me to stop and soak up the beauty in this season. Let’s pause and take a breath. It won’t be long before the holidays kick in and we will be in a very busy season with a beauty all it’s own.

But, for now, let’s take a look around us and give thanks for the show. Perhaps you needed reminding today.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Remembering the Saints

Posted on by Wendy
Today we remember the people who have helped light our way.
Today we remember the people who have helped light our way.

If you look on most calendars, you will see that today is All Saints’ Day. It doesn’t get nearly the hype of Halloween. There are no costumes or candy involved. Many Protestants don’t think about this day as anything special. It’s often seen as a Roman Catholic holiday.

To be a saint in the Roman Catholic church, there are many hoops to jump through, one of them being death. Another one is that they had to be involved in some type of miracle. Those things are not something that most everyday Christians give much thought to.

The United Methodist Church holds a ceremony in local congregations, to celebrate All Saints’ Day, on the first Sunday in November. A candle is lit in memory of church members who have passed away the previous year.

While these are all beautiful ways to honor the faithful in our lives who have gone home to heaven, the Bible defines saints a little differently. In the New Testament, saints are never deceased. They are living people who have dedicated themselves to the worship and service of the one true God as revealed through Jesus.

Those who were dedicated to the teachings of Christ, are referred to as saints in, Matthew, Acts and Revelation. Paul calls people saints in six of his letters addressed to the churches he ministered to or visited.

When we think of saints in those terms, living people who are dedicated to the teachings of Christ and who dedicate themselves to worship and service to the one true God, the concept of All Saints’ Day, changes tremendously.

I can probably name five saints, right off of the top of my head, who God has blessed me with. What about you?

We have all had people who have helped us along our faith journey. Some may be parents or grandparents, or other relatives. Some may be Sunday School teachers or youth group leaders. Some may be neighbors or co-workers. God sends us people from all walks of life, in many different situations, in many different seasons, to help light our way and grow our faith.

The one thing these people all have in common, is that they shine the light of Christ so brightly that we can’t miss it. They shine it so brightly that it lights our path that has sometimes become dark. They shine it so brightly, that we are drawn to it and to Jesus, who it comes from.

I am taking today to give thanks for the many saints who have helped me along my journey, whether they are still here on earth or at home with Jesus. I’m also taking today to pray that God helps me be a saint to those He places in my life.

Perhaps you would like to join me.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

He’s Always Working

Posted on by Wendy
May we never forget that God is always at work.
May we never forget that God is always at work.

Yesterday at church, a representative from Gideons International came and spoke. He’s a friend of our pastor’s and he comes every year. He always has an inspirational story to tell and this year was no different.

One evening in 1898, there were two traveling businessmen who were out on the road. He pointed out that back in that time, most business required lots of travel because there was no internet or e-mail. On this particular night, one of the men checked into a motel. Sometime later, another man came looking for a room, but was told there were none.

I’m sure he must have been frustrated and discouraged, away from home, weary from work and travel and nowhere to rest. Can you relate?

The person at the front desk asked the man if he was willing to share a room with another traveler who had checked in for the night. The man agreed.

Can you imagine a scenario like that these days? Can you imagine two perfect strangers agreeing to share a room for the evening? Can you imagine a motel employee even asking?

We got absolutely no back story on the conversation or emotions of those two men that evening. My writer’s mind races with the possibilities. Were they annoyed? Were they uncomfortable? Was the first man gracious? Was the second grateful? Were either the least bit frightened? Personally, sleeping in the room with a complete stranger would terrify me.

But, we do get some information, as it turns out, the important information. As the two men got ready for bed, they learned that they were both Christians, something that people at the time, must have been more open about. They decided to do their nightly devotion together and they both felt that God was calling them to do something more.

They prayed about it and Gideons International was eventually born from that chance meeting that evening. They felt strongly about getting God’s Word into the hands of as many people as possible and decided that hotels were a great start. They felt that once people actually read the Word, the Holy Spirit would be activated and lives would be transformed.

They spoke to different Christian groups and churches in the years to come about placing Bibles in various places. In 1908, some churches got behind funding the hotel idea. Between 1899 and 1971, a hundred million Bibles had been handed out or placed.

In 2015, they hit the two billion mark. Let’s pause a moment and let that number sink in.

Two strangers just happened to share a room together one evening. They just happened to pray together and they just happened to have a dream together of sharing God’s Word with as many people as possible.

They got to see some of that dream accomplished, but God kept on realizing that dream and in 116 years, two billion Bibles had been passed out to people on the street, to college campuses, prisons and to soldiers in the military. They were also placed in hotel rooms and hospitals, not only in this country, but around the world too.

I love this story because we get to see God at work. These men were not placed together by coincidence. It was part of God’s plan. He was at work then in the lives of those men. He is at work now in your life and in mine.

This story reminds me to not get frustrated and to keep my eyes open when life looks bleak. It reminds me to trust God. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂