A Word Study

Before we officially leave the holidays of 2015, let's do a little word study:

CHRISTMAS

Christ mass - Christian celebration of the birth of Christ

NATIVITY

Birth or origin - capitalized, it is the holy birth of Jesus

HALLELUJAH

"Praise the Lord"

FELIZ NAVIDAD

Merry Christmas - Literally: Pleasant Birth in Spanish

ADVENT

The four-week period leading up to Christmas, beginning on the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day
In Christian theology, the coming of Jesus Christ

CAROL

 A joyful religious song or hymn, especially a Christian song celebrating Christmas

EMMANUEL or IMMANUEL

God with us - the real meaning of Jesus' birth

JESUS

 A Jewish religious teacher who lived from about 4 BC to Ad 33. His life and teachings form the basis of Christianity

 MORE THAN A RELIGIOUS TEACHER:

• THE SON OF GOD
• THE SAVIOR OF THE WORLD
• THE WAY TO SALVATION & FORGIVENESS OF SIN

No Room in the Inn

It was Christmas morning, 2014, in San Diego. The day was cold and crisp. My husband and I opened the doors to our car parked in the garage of the Holiday Inn. We were eager to drive the ten minutes to our son's home because his young daughters were holding off the Christmas celebration until Grandma Sue and Grandpa Bob arrived. No time to waste!

That's when it hit us. A waft of strong, putrid smoke. Someone had been smoking in our car! How did they get in? Did we forget to lock the doors?

Immediately, I thought of the gifts--some of them cash--in the trunk. More importantly, I feared for the Dutch pastry carefully balanced on top of them. That pastry took me two days to make and it better not be eaten! I thought.

We popped the trunk. Nothing was disturbed. We checked the backseat of the car and everything there looked fine, also. "What is going on?" we asked each other.

Obviously, we had an overnight visitor in our car. It was a tidy and considerate visitor who left nothing behind. After we assured each other the car had been locked, we both became silent. Christmas morning. The night had been very cold. It was only right someone should spend Christmas Eve in the cozy back seat of our Ford Taurus, rather than under a bridge or on the cold California beach--even someone who knew how to jimmy a lock.

Christmas Eve. No room in the inn. Jesus born in a manger, "...because there was no room..." Who can be upset?

That smoky smell lingered for a long time. It served as a reminder of the tragedy of people needing warmth and shelter, especially on Christmas. I am touched and saddened. Who else needs to find a room in the inn? Who else needs to find the love of the Savior?

                                                                             Photo courtesy Lorraine Eyer

Not Busy Enough

The holidays are usually quite hectic. It seems we save up all the celebrating, re-connecting, serving, and giving projects for one season of the year. It makes it fun, though busy. Especially enjoyable are the child-centered events. Just seeing the happiness on young faces makes me smile.

There's another side of that coin, however. I've always felt a tug at my heart for the person who must spend Christmas alone. Memories are terrific but they can go only so far in assuaging the pang of loneliness. Take heart, dear Friends. There are ways to get through the holidays with joy. It takes some effort, but try this:

• Be pro-active about scheduling events with loved ones or friends. It doesn't have to be elaborate. It can be meeting someone for coffee or having them over for a simple dessert (that you buy, not bake).
• Resist the temptation to indulge in a pity-party for yourself. It happens to the best of us. Don't let that ugly monster grab you around the throat.
• Worship God who loved you enough to send his Child to save this messed up world.
• Every day, list five or more things you are grateful for. Gratitude is the basis for joy.
• Enjoy good holiday movies and specials on tv, but if they add to your sadness stick to comedy.
• If you can get out, attend a holiday performance or two. Churches and schools put on lovely programs this time of year.
• Read the Christmas story from Luke chapter two frequently during the holidays.
• Connect with people. Serve.
• If you're homebound and feel isolated, read about Kathryn Koob. She was an American hostage in Iran in the early 1980s and found herself spending two Christmases in a lonely cell. Nevertheless, she set up a place to worship God. She fashioned a tiny cross out of gum wrappers. That became part of her Christmas decorations. Read about it in my blog post from last December:  http://sueraatjes.blogspot.com/2014/12/christmas-alone.html
• There's another post about Kathryn Koob celebrating Christmas. Read here:  http://sueraatjes.blogspot.com/2014/12/easter-in-december.html

Christmas blessings to you, my Friends, whether you're too busy or not busy enough.

God knows, he understands, and he cares.

Merry Christmas!

Sue

Anticipating Christmas

 It's a busy time of year, for sure. I've let my blog posts slide and for that I apologize. Won't happen again. I intend to post a new blog every Thursday, for sure!

Just look at this mess. It really sums up a month without enough days.

This is my "usually tidy" guest room. During December it becomes a wrapping, decorating, dumping spot. I bet everyone has a room like that during the holidays.

 ***************

I was raised in the country in a suburb just outside Cleveland, Ohio. My neighborhood consisted of a lot of kids, but most of them were boys. Therefore, I loved it when a girlfriend from school would come to my house for a Friday night sleepover.

I remember watching out my bedroom window for Laurie, my very "bestest" friend. I could see the end of the street so I knew when her dad's car would turn into the neighborhood. Only then would I smile and relax, knowing the sleepover really was going to take place. I don't know why I always doubted she would show. She always did.

I never will forget the feeling of anticipation waiting for Laurie. I really liked her and I liked having a girl to play with, rather than rough-and-tumble boys. We always had a fun time together.

Advent is like that. We anticipate celebrating Jesus' birth and all the festivities surrounding this important holiday. Some even start planning for Christmas in January!

Sometimes, however, we overload ourselves with activities and anticipation turns to exhaustion. Here are some suggestions if you find yourself with too much to do, and too little December left to accomplish it:

• Spend alone time with God, every day--no matter how busy you are.
• Rest.
• Observe good nutrition. Enjoy the delicious holiday treats at gatherings, but eat healthy at home so you can indulge with no guilt.
• Exercise so you can enjoy the fun food. It will help your energy level stay high.
• Schedule family time. The holidays are a good time to do things together: decorating, baking, wrapping, playing board games, watching shmaltzy movies, etc. A once-a-week game night with no electronics will create fun memories. The kids might groan at first, but they'll enjoy it and even look forward to it. Don't forget outdoor fun, no matter what climate you live in. And then, there are Christmas lights to enjoy. The best ones are those someone else puts up.
• Try to make time for family meals. It's a lost art but one that carries value.
• Prioritize your events and scale down, if necessary. A good reminder is: "People are more important than things."
• Allow your family the chance to give to others. It can be fun and will establish valuable memories.
• Spend even more time alone with God. You will maintain your equilibrium in what can be a chaotic time of year.

Christmas should be celebrated. The birth of Jesus is God's greatest gift to mankind. Make worship an important part of your holiday.


Next post: for those who spend the holidays alone and are not busy enough.

The Shepherd Soothes

I am a news junkie who enjoys keeping up with happenings in the world. Television broadcasts, the newspaper, and the internet offer news coverage 24/7. As a child, I thought current events were boring, something I had to report on every Friday in Social Studies. Now I find them fascinating.

A professor once said if you never read any part of the newspaper but one, make it the Editorial Page. That is where readers get varying opinions on both sides of an issue, and then make up their own minds. It's called Critical Thinking.

These past couple of weeks, I had to limit my news viewing because I was overdosing on the grim attacks around the world. The ugly threat of terrorism permeated my thoughts. So, I withdrew a little.

What really helped me was a Bible study I attended. It was a video class led by Ray VanderLaan, a Bible teacher at Holland Christian High School in Michigan. He teaches several excellent video Bible studies, filmed in the Holy Land. (Click here for more information.)

This particular video was on Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who gave his life for the sheep. The location was the Negev desert. VanderLaan taught standing in the midst of very bleak, hot, dry, dusty conditions--actually the scenery looked much like Arizona. In the background, were young children tending their families' herds of sheep.

With that as a backdrop, this excellent teacher proceeded to educate us on the characteristics of sheep:

• They're helpless without a watchful shepherd.
• If they fall over, they're unable to right themselves. The shepherd must do that. If he/she doesn't, the animal dies.
• They cannot drink from flowing water--it must be "still waters." (See where this is leading?)
• At night, the shepherd of Bible days slept in the gate to the fold (actually he was the gate) so the sheep wouldn't escape and predators could not enter.
• The desert that serves as their buffet table, is not lush green grass. Rather it is very sparse and has just enough foliage for one day. The shepherd moves the herd to other patches daily.  He gives them their "daily bread."
• A few goats will be in the herd but they will not outnumber the sheep. Sheep tend to follow the goats and we all know goats often go rogue. (Life lesson: never follow a "goat.")

Click here to learn about a good book by Phillip Keller called, A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23. If you read it, the 23rd Psalm will come alive for you.

Back to my being a newsie. When I walked out of that Bible study, I felt soothed. After a week of terrifying news of a world spinning out of control, I needed comfort. And I received it through remembering I have a Shepherd who is watching over all of us. He cares, he loves, and, he wins (I read the Book!).

Take heart. When the current evil overwhelms you, remember God loves all of us and he is in control. Jesus defeated evil on the cross. God's presence can be with us even in the midst of unspeakable atrocities.

Read the Twenty-third Psalm every morning for the next several days and be soothed.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving week. Whether you're alone or with loved ones, take time to let God's presence and love flow over you.

Sounds of the Midwest

I visited the hometown of my youth in Middleburgh Heights, Ohio, last week. Going home triggers a mix of emotions:

joy, nostalgia, longing, and weirdness

Joy because visiting family is the very reason for the trip. I enjoyed quality time with a sister, a brother-in-law, two nieces, a nephew, a nephew in-law, and five great-nieces and nephews. All that in three days!

I felt a little weird because it is strange to drive along previously empty country roads and see them filled with fast food restaurants and retail chain stores. I guess nothing stays the same.

Weird, too, because the Southwest that has been my home the past forty-five years, differs from Ohio. The climate, topography, architecture, and local color are unique--equally beautiful but different.

Another strange phenomenon was the weather. Ohio can be anything the first week of November. My visit was blessed with 70-degree weather, pretty much the whole time. In fact, one day it was cooler in Phoenix than in Ohio. I didn't even wear the light jacket I packed.

Other than visiting with loved ones, what touched my heart most were the sounds and sites of the Midwest I remember and love:

• Falling leaves - I'd forgotten how beautiful they look when they tumble to the ground in a soft breeze. The trees seems to be whispering.
• A muffled train whistle off in the distance - it made me want to write a country western song about riding the rails. A train whistle stirs up a longing in my heart for....? What, I don't know.
• Crunching through fall leaves in a woods - my sister and her husband live on wooded property and walking through the dried leaves reminded me of my childhood. Like most children, my friends and I raked the leaves into huge piles to jump through. I remember vividly the large worms hiding in those piles. Maybe that added to the adventure.
• Deer running through the back yard. Actually, it was a doe trying to get away from two eager young bucks. (I saw 23 deer in the three days of my visit!)
• Squirrels - all 4,000 of them!- crunching peanuts left on the porch. I think squirrels are going to take over the world--at least northern Ohio.
• Squawking blue jays - I saw them as beautiful, my family considers them a nuisance.

Sounds of the Midwest are really sounds of home. I suspect every place has its special noises. My husband was raised in Chicago and he fondly remembers city noises: sirens, car horns, and screeching brakes. He even likes the smell of bus fumes! I can't even imagine.

What sounds bring back your childhood?

 

Think about your youth. What sounds trigger positive memories? Share a memory or two with your family members.

Have fun!

Preserved fall leaves from my childhood neighborhood--they remind me of my roots.

 

AZ Birds

It's that time of year again. Visitors from the chilly north descend upon our sunny state in droves. Snowbirds, we affectionately call them.

Note to Snowbirds: welcome to the sunbelt. We appreciate your fondness for our state and the boost you give our economy. It's fun to meet you and hear you go on and on about the place we call home.

It's time to do a little refresher course on the unique place called Arizona

• Arizona became the 48th state and last of the contiguous states on February 14, 1912. President William Howard Taft was ready to make it official on February 12, but it was Lincoln's birthday. The 13th was considered bad luck, so they waited until the following day. That's how it became known as the Valentine State.
• Even though much of Arizona is desert, it has 3,928 mountain peaks--more mountains than any of the other mountain states in the west (Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming). Who counted them? Twenty-six of those peaks are more than 10,000 feet in elevation.
• The Sonoran Desert is the most biologically diverse desert in North America.
• If you're driving from the north, you will pass through incredible scenery. Oraibi, a Hopi village located in Navajo County, dates back to before A.D. 1200 and is the oldest continuously inhabited community in America.
• Four Corners allows you to put your hands and feet in four states all at once: New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, & Arizona. You have to bend a little to do this but it's a great photo op.
• The Petrified Forest in northeastern Arizona contains America's largest deposits of petrified wood. It is the official state fossil. (I didn't even know we had a state fossil.)
• The best-preserved meteor crater in the world is located near Winslow, Arizona. No doubt you've heard the song about Winslow. Click here to read about it.
• On the drive from Flagstaff to Phoenix, take a little detour to visit incredible Sedona with its red rock formations. I gasp every time I visit. It's as awe-inspiring at the Grand Canyon (which you won't want to miss). Then slip over to Prescott--a mile high city. It is home to the world's oldest rodeo, as well as the world's largest to-scale collection of miniature airplane models. The collection is housed in the library at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
• Speaking of rodeos, Payson, Arizona, is home to the world's oldest continuous rodeo, dating back to he 1880s.

A serenading cowboy on the train from Williams to the Grand Canyon. First the cowboys "rob" you, then they sing.

There you have it--some interesting and some not-so-exciting facts about my state. We residents pay our dues each summer by enduring ridiculously hot days and very warm nights. Now is our time to enjoy our incredible climate and boast a little--or a lot!

Come and enjoy!



Joy

When I'm feeling less than happy--make that sad, very sad--a praise song from my youth just naturally comes to mind:

"The joy of the Lord is my strength"

It comes from an Old Testament Bible verse in Nehemiah. Exiled Jews returned to Jerusalem only to find their beloved city in ruins, specifically the wall that was crucial to their safety. Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, was granted permission to return to Jerusalem and re-build the wall.

Nehemiah's resume reads well: he went from cupbearer to construction manager to governor. Read the short book bearing his name. It's fascinating. Take note of the leadership skills it took to complete the complex project. It's like Business Management 101.

He was a leader of integrity who insisted the needs of the poor be met. He, himself, declined the food allotted to him as governor so it could be shared. His prayer in chapter 1 demonstrates his reliance on God.

After the wall was completed, Nehemiah gathered the people so Ezra could read them the Law of Moses. They had neglected God and were called to repentance. They were grief-stricken when they realized their sin.

Instead of admonishing them, Governor Nehemiah, Ezra the priest, and the Levites told the people to rejoice and see the day as a joyful, sacred one--the day they returned to their God. Nehemiah even told them to host a party!

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve for the joy of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10 NIV)

I love the praise song that reflects that sentiment voiced by Nehemiah. I've seen it make a difference in my days.

The next time you need joy in your life, sing the song this way:

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

 

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

 

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

 

The joy of the Lord is my strength.

 

 

Joy is sometimes present and sometimes elusive. Days are sunny and days are overcast.

 

The next time you're having a difficult day, repeat this uplifting song. It works.

 

 



Best Reaction is an Under Reaction

"Can't you think of anything new to do? I did that when I was in school." I rolled my eyes and tried to look nonchalant before the group of junior high students. I was their substitute teacher for the day. It was 11:00, the designated time for them to drop their books all at once, hoping to disrupt the teaching. My bored reaction took the wind out of their sails and we went on to complete the day's instructions, much to their dismay.

Remember your junior high years in school when a substitute teacher was in charge of a class? Remember the students trying to unnerve said substitute--trying their best to get him or her to "lose it"? If you could get them to cry, that would be the best.

Hopefully, most of us have matured beyond such childish, mean-spirited antics. Many of us have worked as underappreciated substitute teachers. It's a tough gig.

I learned early on in my teaching career that the best reaction to most (I said most) situations is an under reaction. In fact, two different principals advised me of this while helping me navigate some tough situations.

I saw this under reaction theory work in the church years ago. We were part of a small group of people struggling to keep open a dying church.   The denomination sent a representative to tell us we had one last chance to build the membership or they would shut us down. We were young, passionate, and loved our neighborhood church. After the emotional meeting, complete with angry outbursts, many of us were riled up--some crying, others just plain mad.

Up stepped an elderly gentleman--old Mr. Florian Fink. He smiled and said calmly, "I wonder how God's going to get us out of this mess."

He stopped us in our tracks and I've never forgotten that phrase. Whenever I'm in the midst of a big issue, whether it's professional, personal, or familial, I remember that statement from a very wise man steeped in the faith: "I wonder how God's going to get me out of this mess."

Personal Conviction: God truly is in the midst of our messes.

• He's in the midst of our storms
• He's in the midst of our illnesses
• He's by the hospital bed when a loved one is dying
• He's in the middle of family dissension
• He's present in times of fear

It's not a cliché, but a truth: I don't know what lies ahead for me, but I do know God will be there the whole time, holding my hand. The same is true for you. Old Mr. Fink would agree.

(By the way, the denomination didn't close down that struggling church. In fact, with renewed zeal and a new, young and talented pastor, it turned around and is still going strong today. God certainly did get us out of that mess.)

Junk Drawer or Junque Drawer?

Do you have a junk drawer? You know what I mean:

• that drawer you hope no guest ever opens
• the drawer you keep meaning to clean out but don't have the time or energy
• the drawer that is a handy place to drop in everything you don't know what to do with

I have such a drawer and here it is:

I finally bit the bullet and cleaned the thing out this week. Here is the "After" photo:

 Improvement? I should say so. I wonder how long it will stay like that? What are all those keys for? I know if I toss them, I'll come across the locks they fit. Better hang on to them.

These photos are a real metaphor for life. I can't resist working in a spiritual message here. (You just knew I was going there, right?)

My life gets junked up with a lot of useless odds and ends, worry being the biggest one for me.

• What clutters your brain and keeps you awake at night?
• What junks up your days?
• What messes up important relationships?
• Are you hanging on to useless things from the past? (Like my old keys, grudges are useless.)

In a sermon recently, I heard this comment: "God saw what a mess mankind made of things. He heard mankind crying out to him and he sent his Son to clean up our messes." 

My junk drawer is a good illustration of that concept.

The Bible gives us some beautiful words to help us clean up our acts:

"...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (Philippians 4:8) NIV

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22) NIV

Familiar verses to be sure, but oh how they can help us clean out the garbage in our lives.

Do you have a junk drawer that needs cleaning? Do you have some messes in your life that need God's loving, healing touch?

Ten Questions

A magazine reporter interviewed a business woman by asking ten simple questions. It was interesting to read her answers, but even more fun to imagine what my own would be.

Interview yourself. Answer the following questions and see what it reveals about you. It's fun to do.

 Here are my answers:

1. What is your personal style?
• Conservative traditional. Yuck. How boring. I really need to zip it up a notch.
2. What inspires you?
• Leaves. I have a collection of laminated fall leaves from my home in Ohio. My sister picked them from the woods in the neighborhood where I grew up. They're very special and remind me of a terrific childhood. 
3. What are words you live by?
• Honor God.
4. What are you currently reading?
• Anything with words. On road trips I read truck flaps. "If you can't see my mirrors, I can't see you." 
5. What is your obsession?
• Reading. See #4.
6. What is the perfect meal?
• Anything someone else cooks.
7. What is an entertaining tip?
• K-I-S-S. Do as much ahead as you can.
8. What is your favorite decorating advice?
• Every room should have something practical, something attractive, and something meaningful. 
9. What is your hidden talent?
• I have an internal GPS. Give me a map and I'll find my way anywhere. Even navigating Washington D.C. doesn't scare me. It's a family thing. My siblings are the same. Audible GPS systems annoy me.
10. What is your favorite escape?
• A little cabin surrounded by trees. My mansion in Heaven is going to be a log cabin, for sure.

It's your turn. How would you answer these questions?

Let me know in the Comments section if you learned anything new about YOU.

Harper Lee Revisited

Readers of Harper Lee's new novel, Go Set a Watchman, either love it or hate it. Devoted fans of her classic To Kill a Mockingbird, are devastated to learn Atticus Finch exhibits racism in the second novel.

Good fiction writing presents a protagonist who displays both good and bad traits. They are not all good or all bad, but a realistic combination--sort of like us. Likewise, the antagonist (the bad guy) is not all bad but also has some redeeming qualities. This makes for good writing and interesting reading.

I believe so many readers dislike Go Set a Watchman because they can't handle Atticus Finch being less than perfect. In To Kill a Mockingbird, everything he did was right. Who has a father like that? No one can match up, other than Gregory Peck in the movie. And that was acting, folks.

In this second novel, Lee reveals Atticus' humanity and it disturbs us. He's a hero with flaws.

I understand the differing reactions:

• On one hand, we're disappointed. That always happens when a person on a pedestal cracks.
• But, reality is reality. Perhaps we ordinary people can relate better to a character when we glimpse both the positive and negative traits of their personalities.

Whatever you feel about Watchman, we can agree on two things:

1. Harper Lee is a gifted writer and observer of the Southern culture.
2. The message of To Kill a Mockingbird speaks to today's race issues, just as it did in 1960.

I suspect English teachers are jumping on the opportunity to teach both of these novels in parallel. Fantastic discussions would result.

(See the July 23rd blog post for my first review of Go Set a Watchman.)

Imprint

While channel surfing during the summer lull in television choices, I came across a nature show about a woman who cares for injured wild animals. Some of the animals can be treated and released back into their natural habitats. Many of them cannot because of something called "imprint".

Imprint, she explained, means the animal becomes accustomed to human interaction and loses something of their wild nature. Because of this, they can't survive on their own. Animal lovers recognize the danger of humans interacting too much with the animal species.

Grizzly bear in the rainforest on Vancouver Island, B.C. Viewed from a safe distance to avoid stressing the bear!

The word imprint:

 

This concept got me thinking about how various people in my life left their imprint on me. I can look back at my personal history and name several key people. Most influences were beneficial, yet there was a snooty old fifth-grade teacher who made my life miserable! She actually taught me what not to do as a classroom teacher.

What about you?

 

Who imprinted your life? Were those imprints positive or negative? How do you handle the negative ones? Only God can heal the hurt that comes from a devastating past. The good news is he will walk with you as you journey to overcome. It may take professional counseling and it surely will take courageous choices. Lean on God for strength.

I pray your imprints were mostly positive. We are the sum of our personal histories and those histories are filled with people who are important to our development.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Perhaps a more important question is, "Whom do I imprint?" You might be surprised to learn your influence is wide-ranging. Our attitudes, dispositions, faith, value-systems, words--even the expressions on our faces leave their touch on others we encounter.

As I mull over this word imprint, some interesting concepts come to mind. Imprints are all around me. I'm affected by the books I read, the music I listen to, the movies I watch, and even the news commentators on television that capture my attention.

Key to happy living: Let God imprint your life

Homework:

• Take the word imprint with you today. Be aware of influences all around you. Are they valuable?
• List 5 people from your past who influenced you in positive ways.

Simbiosis

I learned a new word while on vacation in the remote forests of Vancouver Island, British Columbia: "Symbiosis." The naturalist leading our group of hikers through an old-growth forest pointed out mosses and lichen that grew around and on the trees--some of which were 1000 years old.

He explained symbiosis (simplified for us non-science people) as two different biological species relying on each other to survive. The Greek term comes from two words meaning "living" and "together." Originally, the term was used to depict people living together in community. The scientists apply it to living things in nature that are mutually beneficial.




A good example is the clown fish (think Nemo)

He feeds on small invertebrates that are harmful to the sea anemone. In turn, the waste matter from the clownfish provides nutrients to the sea anemone. The anemone also protects the clownfish from predators by it's stinging cells, to which the clownfish is immune. And...there's more! The clownfish emits a high pitched sound that deters butterfly fish, which would like to eat the anemone. They are real buddies, these two.

I'd like to skip back to the original definition of depicting people living together in community. Add the scientific use of the term where one organism helps out another and you have a powerful concept.

Isn't that what we all are called to do? Live together while helping out one another? What a beautiful image.The implications are amazing. Ponder them as you read these verses from the New Testament:

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6: 2)

"Live in harmony with one another." (Romans 12: 16)

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing." (1 Peter 3: 8-9)

AZ Resources

If you run into someone from Arizona and you want to make small talk, ask them this:

What are the five C's?

If they were educated in Arizona and paid attention in elementary school, they should be able to rattle off:

Cattle, Copper, Citrus, Cotton, and Climate

Those are the main resources of the Grand Canyon State. Here are some other bits of trivia (in case you're ever on Jeopardy):

• More copper is mined in Arizona than all the other states combined, and the Morenci Mine is the largest copper producer in all of North America.
• Bisbee, Arizona, is known as the Queen of the Copper Mines because during its mining heyday it produced nearly 25 percent of the world's copper. At one time it was the largest city in the Southwest between St. Louis and San Francisco.
• Bisbee is the nation's southernmost mile-high city.
• The amount of copper utilized to make the copper dome atop Arizona's Capitol building is equivalent to the amount used in 4.8 million pennies. (Who counts this?)
• Arizona grows enough cotton each year to make more than one pair of jeans for every person in the United States.

Can you tell I like my adopted home state in the desert southwest? I love the beauty of the Midwest--specifically Ohio and Michigan where I lived years ago--but I have come to appreciate the uniqueness of Arizona.

Come visit. Just don't come now because it's still over 100 degrees.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Abbreviated Wisdom

Here are several powerful statements that jumped out at me from a devotional I read recently. See if they resonate with you:

"It sounds so easy to talk about 'resting in the Lord' and 'waiting patiently for Him' until the nest is upset--..."

"Resting in the Lord does not depend on external circumstances at all, but on your relationship to God Himself."

"Fretting springs from a determination to get our own way....Fretting is wicked if you are a child of God."

"Have you been bolstering up that stupid soul of yours with the idea that your circumstances are too much for God?...All our fret and worry is caused by calculating without God."

Questions to ask yourself:

• Is your nest upset?
• How is your relationship with God?
• Can God handle whatever issue you're dealing with now?

(Quotes from My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. July 4th entry, page 134.)

Flat Stanley Comes to Arizona!

There you have it, folks. Mr. Stanley has braved the summer heat and visited the fair state of Arizona. Most visitors come in the winter when the weather is a comfortable daytime-shirt-sleeve temperature and a balmy evening-light-jacket temperature. But, no, not Flat Stanley. He wants all Arizona has to offer.

Our hats go off to this gentleman and our invitation goes out to all stalwart fans: come experience the real desert first-hand; come enjoy the lighter crowds due to a lack of tourists; enjoy phenomenal prices on exotic resorts; bring your arthritic bones to dry out in the desert heat. Bring chaptick and water, too.

Welcome, Flat Stanley!

• The saguaro cactus is the largest cactus found in the U.S. It can grow as high as a five-story building and is native to the Sonoran Desert, which stretches across southern Arizona and northern Mexico.
• A saguaro can store up to nine tons of water.
• It is a protected species and you could spend more than a year in prison for cutting one down.

• Arizona's disparate climate can yield both the highest and lowest temperatures across the nation in the same day.
• The hottest temperature recorded in Arizona was 128 at Lake Havasu City on June 29, 1994. The coldest was 40 below zero at Hawley Lake on January 7, 1971.
• Rainfall averages for Arizona range from less than three inches in the deserts to more than 30 inches per year in the mountains.

Let's hear it for Stanley!!

Photo by Jeannal Baker

Just had to share a friend's photos of a blooming cactus in their yard in Sun City Grand, AZ. The flowers are large and waxy and last only one day. Spectacular!

Jeannal Baker

Solutions

Parenting. For the toughest job on the earth, there is no required training or preparation: no diploma, certificate, degree, or license. Most anyone can become a parent, whether they are skilled or not.

In last week's blog I shared some of my outrage over child abuse. As a volunteer on a Foster Care Review Board in Arizona, I read many cases that break my heart. Fortunately, by the time a child enters foster care and I'm reading their story, they are safe physically and most often, emotionally. Foster parents (and grandparents) are angels God uses to save children. I admire them greatly.

Parents whose children are taken from their care, are offered support services to help them establish stable, loving homes. Many take advantage of these services and do get their children returned. However, too many go through the motions just to fulfill a requirement or ignore the help altogether.

Parents whose children are in foster care are offered:

• Parenting classes
• Substance abuse services
• Psychological counseling
• Daycare
• Transportation to therapy sessions
• Parent aides to teach one-on-one parenting skills
• A case manager to oversee their progress

This is great and I'm glad our state has these services available. However, why not establish some training, education, or skills BEFORE the baby comes?

Advice to young people:
Get your own life cleaned-up and strengthened before becoming a parent. Make sure the home you're establishing is stable, safe, and loving. Take classes, read books, learn about child development--not just a child's physical needs but their emotional and spiritual needs, as well.

Possible training for parenthood:

• Books

Read everything you can about the task of parenting. Check out the author for his/her credentials. Do their philosophies make sense? Do they mesh with your values? Does their plan for child-raising fit your personality? Is the plan do-able? Most importantly: are children's needs and well-being emphasized?

• Classes

Take parenting classes at churches, the YMCA, Community Centers, schools. Anywhere they're offered.

• Mentors

Seek mentors, both official and unofficial. Find a family that seems to be working--not perfectly but stable and happy. Become friends, ask them for advice, model what you like about their parenting and discard what doesn't fit you.

• Respite

Breaks from the 24/7 of parenting are almost impossible to get, but they are valuable in helping parents stay strong for the lengthy task of raising children to responsible adulthood. You're blessed if you have extended family nearby who can help. Alternatives are friends or trusted babysitters. In my own family, the more children we had, the more important it was for my husband and me to get away on dates or quick weekend trips. Think creatively. Perhaps you and a friend can swap services so everyone benefits--even the kids.

We all feel anger when we read of parents neglecting their children. We should do what we can to encourage parents to take precautions BEFORE their children need the foster care system.

* * * * * * *

If you want to serve the children of Arizona, consider becoming a CASA volunteer or a volunteer member of a Foster Care Review Board. Click here for more information on two worthwhile programs:

CASA

Foster Care Review Board

Quail Family

I was at the dining room table working on my laptop when I looked up, and there by my patio door was a family of quail--two adults and five tiny chicks. They were feasting on the colony of ants gathered near the screen door.

How exciting. I think they would have come in the house if the door had been open! Fairly quickly, the adults flew up on top of our fence and squawked their commands. The chicks followed obediently. When Mama and Papa flew into the next yard, I thought, No way can those babies get over that six-foot fence. But sure enough, they flew--awkwardly--and joined their parents in the next yard offering up juicy bugs.

Ours is a quail-friendly yard: no dogs, no kids, no huge desert tortoise (our neighborhood has one), lots of bugs, and Bermuda grass with abundant seed sprouts. We often get quail visitors and it makes me smile every time.

Why am I so enamored of quail?

• They travel in close-knit family groups, often in a long conga line
• The little ones obey Mom and Dad--one squawk and they respond
• Dad often sits atop the fence keeping an eye out for danger while his family eats
• They run funny

Protective Parents and Obedient Children: quite the formula for success.

I do some volunteer work with the Foster Care system in Arizona. It breaks my heart when I read of children abused or uncared for by their own parents. A thought that runs through my mind is, "Even animals instinctively care for their young. It's only the human animal that..."

Several years ago, Disney put out an entertaining documentary called Bears. While watching I was mesmerized at how adept Mama Bear was at teaching her cubs to hunt for food. God created that instinct. It's in humans, too, but we need to tap into it and take precautions to preserve it.

I am outraged when I read that humans sometimes choose:

• drugs over children
• alcohol over children
• boyfriend/girlfriend over children
• own selfish desires over children
• Etc., etc., etc. (Sadly, there are many etceteras)

Even the animal kingdom will fight to the death for their offspring.

Juicy bugs and grass seeds--doesn't get much better!



Encouragement for Single Parents...

Parenting is the toughest job you'll ever have. It's 24/7, no vacation days, no sick leave, and no certification requirements or training workshops. Professional development often comes in the form of trial and error and/or commiserating with other parents who may be just as perplexed as you!

The benefits? Priceless. Nothing speaks like the smile of a child, whether it's your own or someone else's. Nothing speaks like a child holding your hand, giving you a hug, or sitting by your side reading a book to you. Nothing grabs your heart like the love of a child.

I used to tell my high school students (many who were just a few years away from having children), to learn parenting skills watch old reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. What? Yes. Once you get beyond the black and white format of the show, there are some real nuggets there.

Think of it. Andy Taylor (Griffith) was a man before his time as a single dad in the late 1950s and early 60s. Of course, he did have Aunt Bea. Wouldn't we all love to have an Aunt Bea cleaning our houses and baking cookies in our kitchens? But, look at the attributes of Andy as a dad to dear, sweet, loveable Opie:

• He's calm & never overreacts (quite a contrast to the Don Knotts' character).
• He's consistent. Opie knows even a staged temper tantrum won't get his dad to cave. (That's a great episode.)
• He's not afraid to teach Opie responsibility. (When Opie kills a mama bird, Andy makes him hand feed the babies until they can fly away.)
• Andy Taylor follows up discipline with loving interaction.
• Sheriff Taylor spends time with his son. Opie knows he's the most important person in his life.

I could go on and on, but you'd accuse me of watching too much television. I haven't seen the show in years, but it was my lunchtime entertainment when I was a stay-at-home mom eons ago.

This brings me to a special group of parents: single parents. Theirs is a tough job:

• They are stretched to the max
• They endure family stresses some of us can't imagine
• They have the same fears all parents have about their children becoming responsible adults
• Much of what they do, they do alone

A group really overlooked is single dads. Single moms have more support programs and more publicity for their struggles. Let's face it--there are more of them. However, there is a growing number of men with 100% custody of their children. The resources for these men are limited. Even in the church single moms get support not available to faithful fathers who are trying to do it all alone.

Take heart single dads: we admire you and I hope to advertise your plight so there will be more support for the tough job you are doing. When  you're at your wit's end and need encouragement, pull up some old Andy Griffith reruns.

Sadly, Andy Griffith died on July 3, 2012. Many fans miss Sheriff Andy Taylor and Matlock.
Click here to view a delightful photo gallery of the Andy Griffith Show.

Mayberry just isn't the same!

How to Read a Book!

Dear Readers,

I know, I know. You know how to read a book. But are you getting your money’s worth? Let me explain.

There are nuggets in a book you might be overlooking. E-books usually start the reader off with Chapter 1, but there is a lot of solid information before you even get to that spot. Consider this:

• The Cover – the cover of a book is responsible for grabbing the reader’s attention, making them pick the book up from a shelf or click on it electronically. Publishers and authors spend a lot of time coming up with just the right one to interest the reader. You, the reader, get a hint about the book from the cover, so don’t overlook it when starting to read.
• The Copyright Page – this is the page with tiny print of boring stuff. It is, however, quite important—more than to satisfy the publisher’s legal department. If you’re reading a non-fiction book, it’s vital to know when it was published. If it gives you information to improve your life or health, you want it to be current. If it’s fiction, it’s good to know when it was published because then you can appreciate the time period of the writing.
• Disclaimer - I love the statement about this being a piece of fiction and “names have been changed to protect...” Sounds like the old Dragnet show, doesn’t it? It got me off the hook with my novel when I used Beaver Island, Michigan, as a setting for part of the book. I fictionalized its use—keeping true to the flavor of the island and its residents but making up some things.
• The Publisher – this lets you know if it’s one of the big Five or a smaller publishing house. Not necessary but nice to know. Also, is it distributed in other countries?
• The Dedication Page – I like to read this because it hints at someone who is important in the author’s life. I had my dedication to my husband, Bob, written thirty years ago. It took me that long to come up with a novel to go with it!

I enjoy reading the Acknowledgements Page only after I’ve read the book. I don’t really care who helped the author along the way until I’ve read their work and feel a connection to them. My publisher wanted me to put that page in the front of my novel but I insisted it go at the end. Hopefully, my readers got to know me a little through my writing, and then cared a smidgen about what and who inspired me. If not, then they don’t have to read it.

Book Discussion Questions. If an author has included this, you might look at it. I was able to personalize my novel through these questions. Some readers commented they liked how I applied the book’s themes to their lives.

There are lots of ways to read a book. I want you to get the very most out of a reading experience. It can be delightful.

If you’ve read my novel, would you leave a review on Amazon or Barnes and Noble? Thank you. Also, I invite you to visit my website. Click here: website

Happy Reading!

Some Thoughts on Harper Lee's New Novel

Disclaimer: I taught To Kill a Mockingbird for many years in the high school English classroom. It is my all-time favorite thing to teach. Every time I took a group of students through this novel, I saw something new. I loved watching them read ahead in the book and then sit mesmerized during the movie. I am very biased about Harper Lee's writing. Nevertheless, I would like to share a few thoughts about her new novel, written in the late 1950s but just published last week. I will try not to spoil the story for anyone who hasn't yet read Go Set a Watchman.

Some thoughts:

• Harper Lee was a woman before her time. She was a white, southern woman who was color-blind to race, and that was an anomaly in the late 1950s.
• The book could not have been  published in its present form back then. It would have caused a firestorm. I think it needs the perspective of the Civil Rights Movement and whatever progress has been made since then. (I realize more progress needs to be made on this front.)
• Her editors wisely advised her to rewrite the novel (which she did as To Kill a Mockingbird) from the point of view of the children. Doing that naturally softened the tone, smoothed over the cynicism, and made the theme very powerful.
• The novel gave me insight in to some of the fears the southerners were facing at that time. They feared a loss of their lifestyle, comfort, and shared equality. They feared change. They felt the Federal Government was infringing on states' rights. Whether or not these fears were justified, remains debatable.
• Atticus had to help Jean Louise "cut the umbilical cord," because she had an unrealistic view of her father. He knew she needed to find her own voice, her own conscience--in essence "set her own watchman." She had placed him too high upon the pedestal, and he knew that would not serve her well throughout life.

A key to understanding the theme of any novel is to look to the title. Go Set a Watchman references a Bible verse from Isaiah 21:6:

"For thus hath the Lord said unto me, Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth." (KJV)

A similar verse can be found in Ezekiel 3:17:

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me." (NIV)

In ancient Israel, a watchman's job was to stand atop the city wall and report on a battle or announce the arrival of a messenger or enemy. In the spiritual realm, the prophet served as a watchman warning the people of Israel to turn from sin to God and righteous living.

Some questions to ask:

• Whom do I put on a pedestal? Whom do I admire so much I cannot see their true humanity? Is there an Atticus in my life?
• Do I set a watchman over my own conscience? Have I established a strong set of values for moral living?

Harper Lee does her best writing when looking through the eyes of children. Her scenes of Jem, Dill, and Scout playing in the backyard took me right back to my own childhood. Her descriptions of child's play are amazingly accurate.

I will read this novel again, because I believe there is more to be gleaned.

I would love to hear from those of you who have read it. Do you agree? Disagree? Have any other insights I've missed? Leave your response in the Comment section below.

Thank you.

Church and State

Concerning the separation of Church and State:

In Sweden, everyone must pay a tax to the Lutheran Church--whether Lutheran in belief or not. However, only 1 or 2% of the population attends the Lutheran Church regularly. If you want to get married or buried in the church, your taxes must be paid up.

It really hit me how fortunate we are to have separation of Church and State. I would hate for my government to tax me for a certain religious institution of their choosing. I want to select my own pathway to worship the God whom I believe is Truth. It is a freedom--freedom of worship--that is extremely important.

So, there you have it. I loved visiting the European cities and learning about their history. I was especially moved by the continual reminder of the devastation those countries endured during both World Wars. I learned a lot but I also came away appreciative of the freedoms I have as a citizen of the United States.

To see the four oil paintings done by Norman Rockwell in 1943, reflecting FDR's Four Freedoms State of the Union Address of 1941, click here: Four Freedoms. Think how important these freedoms are to our lives:

1. Freedom of Speech
2. Freedom of Worship
3. Freedom from Want
4. Freedom from Fear

Europe vs. The United States

On a recent trip to northern Europe, two interesting concepts jumped out at me:

1. The opulence of palaces contrasts greatly with the elegant simplicity of the White House.
2. Separation of Church and State is an important tenet of our constitution.

Let me elaborate:

At every European city on our itinerary, we toured elaborate palaces built hundreds of years ago by rulers of the various countries. Many of these long-dead kings or queens built, not just one but several, to accommodate their whims. Most wanted to show rulers of other countries how successful they were. Ego was behind many of the building projects.

It was fun to tour these grand palaces and it is always interesting to see opulence. I imagined fancy dinners and elegantly dressed couples swirling around on the dance floors of lavish ballrooms.

Almost immediately, however, my thoughts went to the peasants of those countries, many who were living in poverty or starvation. The contrast was sickening.

It made me proud of our White House. It is very elegant, yet rather simple and small in comparison. Early in our country's history, some people wanted to make George Washington king. He would hear nothing of it. In fact, that is precisely what our founding citizens fought so hard to avoid: rule by a king or queen.

Washington selected the site for the presidential home but he never got to live there. President John Adams was the first to occupy it. Throughout the years it's been called:

• The Presidential Palace
• The President's House
• The Executive Mansion
• The White House - named that by one of the Roosevelts

 Michelle Obama recently stated it was "The People's House." I like that name the best. She wants as many citizens as possible to be able to tour this grand old building.

A presidential home and office should be impressive. But I am proud it is not over-the-top elegance like some of the palaces I toured on my trip. The simplicity makes me proud that America is a country for all its citizens--not just the wealthy.

Next Blog Post: The Separation of Church and State.

Lemonade

My last post dealt with creating a Bucket List. I hope it got you thinking and dreaming. But let me guess: just surviving life's traumas may be an item on your list. The last thing you can do is dream beyond the day's/week's/month's/year's struggles.

Do these phrases mean anything to you?

• Life kicks me in the teeth
• Life throws curve balls
• Life gives me lemonade
• Life (1) stinks (2) is tough (3) is unfair (4) is harsh [Select one].

As I meet readers of my novel, Route to Survival, I'm amazed at how many say something like, "This could be my life story" or "Were you looking over my shoulder when you wrote this?"

It reinforces the idea that struggle is universal--we all are trying to survive various trials and stresses. They might look different for each of us, but the pain is the same.

I like to point out the main character of the book, Kate Mitchell, survives by:

• Being proactive
• Making courageous choices
• Leaning on God

  Recently I read something very wise by a writer far more skilled than I. In essence, he says we cannot find our true selves or our strength in success because we will lose our head. We cannot find our true selves in monotony, because we will complain. We find our selves in the fires of sorrow.

He then gives meaning to that:

When you survive tough times, God makes you nourishment for other people

If survival is on your Bucket List, take heart. You will survive by trusting God and tapping into his strength. Then look around to see who needs your support and nourishment.

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1: 3-4)

(I invite you to visit my website by clicking here. If you've read my novel, please feel free to leave a review at one of these booksellers. Click here:  Amazon or Barnes & Noble. I value your opinion. Thank you.)



 

Bucket List

"Take out a sheet of paper and write down 25 things you want to do before you die."

My classroom full of high school seniors looked at me quizzically. Some began to write furiously, filling the page then turning it over for more space. Others moaned, got out their pens, and reluctantly began to scribble something down--just to complete the assignment for "Old Lady Raatjes".

Then there were students, mostly boys I'm afraid, who stared at me like I was from another planet. They had no idea what to write until I prodded them with questions or ideas. I felt sad they couldn't conjure up a list to complete this simple assignment.

• Had they never dreamed?
• Had no one ever challenged them to ponder their future?

It was a ditzy little assignment meant to jump start the students into a study of the John Keats' poem, When I Have Fears that I May Cease to Live. British poetry was not their first love, and so I did everything I could think of to make it relate to them. That's where this assignment came in.

John Keats was a young poet who knew he would probably die young. He did at age 26 from tuberculosis--the disease that had taken his mother and brother. He was engaged to the girl next door. In his poem he laments not fulfilling his love for her and not being able to write down all the poems swarming in his brain. (I get that last thought: I have so many unwritten manuscripts in my head I need to live to 120 to complete them all!)

The movie, Bucket List, with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, gave credence to my own list of 25 things which I created years ago, long before the movie came out.

Bottom line:

• What's on your Bucket List?
• Do you have one?
• Writing down dreams/goals makes it more likely you will accomplish them.

Assignment (you knew this was coming):

Before the day is over, create a list of 25 things you'd like to do in your future.

One of the items on my list was to write a novel. Happily, this past year I published Route to Survival. (For more info on the book, click here to go to my website.)

So you see, dreams/goals can be realized. Do it and have fun!



Connections

Facebook, with all its downsides and foibles, really does connect people. I've established communication with friends from my days of kindergarten back in Berea, Ohio. One friend is in Turkey, for goodness sake! It's amazing what technology is doing--both good and bad--for modern life.

Last week, someone's post blew me away. Laurie is the daughter of a good friend, and she and I are Facebook Friends. She posted an amazing photo taken from the front of a ferry boat leaving Charlevoix, Michigan, heading towards Beaver Island. If you've read my novel, Route to Survival, you know Beaver Island is a remote island in the middle of northern Lake Michigan.

I thought very few people knew about this lovely spot but here was Laurie, heading off for a visit with three family members who are year-round residents of the place. Can you imagine my excitement? Wow, is all I could say.

What a small world, what a coincidence, what a Godwink!

I began thinking about how Laurie and I are connected and what a convoluted Friend Tree (not Family Tree) illustrates our connection:

• My husband and I know her dad, Jack, through three friend groups: one from Chicago, one from Ohio and now Arizona (Munds Park, to be exact), and one from Minnesota.
• Years ago, my husband, Bob, golfed with Jack and a mutual friend who knew Bob when he was a little kid in Chicago.
• Friends from my childhood (Ohio then AZ) met Jack in northern AZ and became good friends.
• The Minnesota people knew him from attending the same church in AZ many years ago.
• Jack's children grew up as close friends to the Chicago family, who relocated to AZ, whose children babysat our children. They became lifelong friends of our family as well as Jack's.

Where does Laurie come in? I've met her in person a few times at family celebrations for her dad, who is in his nineties. I've remotely followed her family through the years in visits with her dad. Are you confused?

If I were to draw this out it wouldn't be a tree but rather a large vine with many shoots going off in different directions. And then at the top, would be Beaver Island.

I have another friend from Michigan who summers on the island and even pastored a church there for a few years. I bet he knows Laurie's relatives who live there. Small world, coincidence? No, it's a Godwink and I'm grateful. It makes me smile.

Thanks for the photo, Laurie. To see her post on my FB Timeline, click here: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008150919932

What is Real?

You see a photograph accompanying a recipe for Eggs Benedict. You think, I can do that! It shows an artful presentation of egg, Canadian bacon, English muffin, and, of course, a rich-looking Hollandaise dripping over it all. Makes you want to jump right up and buy the ingredients, mess up your kitchen, and try the 42-step recipe, right? Maybe not. But the photo is enticing.

A commercial photographer friend once told me, for every "perfect" photo you see in a magazine, there are about fifty that didn't make the cut. If it's a fried egg, it usually means someone has fried up a gazillion eggs in order to get the one that looks just right for the photo shoot.

When decorating magazines show a blanket casually strewn across the arm of a sofa, if means a photographer's assistant has tossed it many times to get the right feel of "messiness". My favorite is the wind-blown look of gorgeous models with their shiny, silky hair blowing seductively. You know it's achieved by fans blowing in their faces.

What is real? Even today's Reality Television is, if not staged, then surely edited to present the scene or feeling the director wants. There's even a new reality show that shows the unreality of reality shows! Can you follow that?

As I look around, I see a lot of pretending going on--in my own life. When guests come to my home, I make sure it looks as tidy as possible; when I'm feeling unfriendly, I mask it with a smile and a cheery greeting; I usually don't leave the house without makeup (concealer being my best friend). And those Christmas letters or Facebook posts? Do we share the uglies of life? No way.

I guess deep down I am searching for a time and place where I can let it all hang out and be real, true to myself. This is one thing that makes my daily time of devotions (meditation, quiet time, appointment with God--whatever you want to call it) so special.

I can be real when:

• I read God's love letter to me (the Bible)
• when I talk with God (prayer)
• when I listen (meditate)

I can breathe in his love, I can be my true self.

Sarah Young, devotional writer of Jesus Calling, says it beautifully in her June 8 entry:

[God speaking] "Bring your most secret thoughts into the Light of My Love....Anything you bring to me I transform and cleanse from darkness. I know everything about you, far more than you know of yourself....I have all Power in heaven and on earth. Seek my face with a teachable spirit....be transformed."

Isn't it great he loves and accepts each of us, just as we are? Let's develop teachable spirits so God can transform us with his power.

More on Russia

(Note to Readers: the past year I've been writing new posts twice a week. I enjoy writing them and I like feeling connected to readers who carve out time each week to visit my blog. However, I have decided to pare that down to only one new post a week.

I started writing a sequel to my recently published novel, Route to Survival, and I'm finding it hard to find time to devote to it. The plot ideas are swirling around in my head and I must get them down before they flutter away.

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the blog posts. New ones will come every THURSDAY. As always, I appreciate your reading.)

Nice to see religious art at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg

Second Uplifting Event in Russia

The second, and more important redeeming event from our recent visit to Russia, was an impromptu speech given by our local tour guide at the end of our two-day visit. She acknowledged sadness about the animosity between Russia and the United States.

She assured us, however, the Russian people don't necessarily share those feelings. She said the people of St. Petersburg welcome Americans to come visit their beautiful city. And indeed, St. Petersburg is the cultural center of Russia with its extensive art collection, beautiful dance and music venues, and exquisite architecture. I realize tourism pays the guide's salary so she has an agenda, but her sentiments urging us to enjoy Russia seemed real.

She went on for three or four minutes emphasizing that the differences and animosity between our countries come from the political leaders at the top, not the citizens. It was very touching and something I took away from my visit to a very exotic, fascinating, sad, mysterious country.

Perhaps the lesson for all of us is that peace will come about only when common, ordinary people reach out to others, bridging the gap between cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles. Don't we all want the same thing--just to raise our families in freedom and comfort?

I enjoyed my short time in Russia though there were parts of it that were very somber, almost sad. I believe we all would benefit from interacting with ordinary Russian citizens. Many live a difficult existence but I feel their wants, needs, and desires are similar to ours.

Feel free to share this post with friends who might enjoy reading about the Russian people. Just click on one of the social icons below to share it on social media.

Madonna & Child

Sports Arena for Future World Cup

Opulence of the old palaces