MudFlaps

Lori Beth · Posted: Mon Feb 13, 2012 6:36 am Post subject: Guideposts

"But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;" Matthew 20:26.

I was always different as a child, when I so badly wanted to be like everyone else in my class. Because I'm dyslexic, I didn't start to read fluently until I was ten yeas old and in the fifth grade. My third-grade teacher told my mother, "Debbie's a nice little girl, but she's never going to do well in school." And I didn't; I struggled with poor grades all the way through school. College was never an option for me.

When I entered high school, my goal was to make the honor roll just once, for one quarter. I gave it my all. Not once did I make that list. On the last report card I received as a high-school senior, I was one point away.

I was different in other ways, too. I wasn't pretty, and I struggled with my weight. I had only a few friends beside my cousins. I hated being so different.

Years later, after I started daily Bible reading, I discovered Matthew 20:26. Jesus is telling his disciples that to live the way He wants them to, they need to be servants. I read the verse another way. It was as if Jesus was telling me personally that He made me different for a reason: He had a purpose for me. Because I was different, I could encourage others to become all God intended.

None of us need allow our differences to hold us back in life. Our differences are reason to celebrate; after all, this is exactly the way God wanted us.

Thank You, Jesus, for making me different. ---- Debbie Macomber.

{"People often ask what keeps me sane," reports DEBBIE MACOMBER of Port Orchard, Washington. "The answer is easy. Whether I'm traveling or at home, I begin each day at 4:00 AM by reading the Bible and a daily devotional, writing in my gratitude journal, and swimming a half mile in the local high school pool. Starting the day with God centers me and gives me peace. As for the evening, I leave business at the office and head home to cook dinner and spend quality time with my husband Wayne. My day ends with another endeavor that enables me to relax and think over the many blessings God has bestowed on me: knitting. I always have a project for one of our nine grandchildren on my needles!"}
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:21 am Post subject:

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." 1 John 4:8.

On this day that celebrates love, I remember a dream I had. . . .

It was two weeks after I'd undergone a quadruple bypass and valve replacement on my heart. I remembered nothing of the seven-hour surgery, but my wife Tib recalled every anxious second ---- the surgeon had warned her that at eighty-seven, I might not make it.

After some time in the recovery room I was moved to an intensive care unit where, wonderfully, Tib was allowed to stay with me twenty-four hours a day, sleeping (or at least lying down) on the narrow bench against the wall. I don't know how many times a night she was up, adjusting my blanket, bringing me a glass of water, raising or lowering the head of the bed.

At the end of the second week there, I had a dream. I seemed to walking in a furiously raging stream with slippery, unstable rocks underfoot. Tib was in the stream, too, going ahead of me, feeling out the way. And in the dream she turned and called over her shoulder, "I love you."

Three little words, but as I woke they echoed in my ear. They echo still. Wasn't this what love was all about: the sleepless hours, the quiet standing by, the walking with, one partner maintaining balance for both in turbulent waters.

Isn't it an image, too, of Jesus' love ---- walking just ahead of us, guiding our steps, pointing the way.

Help me keep my eyes on You, Lord Jesus, when the water is deep. ---- John Sherrill.

For years, JOHN SHERRILL of Hingham, Massachusetts, lived by "Plan your work, and work your plan." So he wasn't sure he liked a new assignment from Guideposts: He and his wife Elizabeth were to travel back-roads America, with no destination in mind, searching for glimpses of God at work. Their second night on the trip they stopped at a restaurant whose marquee proclaimed: All Food Grown Locally! "That must take a lot of planning," John commented to the owner-manager. "No, I don't do a lot of planning," the man said. "I listen. When I spend my time listening for guidance instead of planning, I'm more relaxed, have more fun, and in the end achieve more than I could otherwise." John's trying to put the man's wisdom to work as the trip continues. "I'm discovering that excessive planning can be the enemy of peace. When I listen for what God may have in store, my whole outlook is more relaxed."
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 6:39 pm Post subject:

copied....

Searching for something online recently, I stumbled on a list of "Wacky Warning Labels." Evidently, in this era of frivolous lawsuits, manufacturers have felt it necessary to put some (you would think) unnecessary labels on their products. Some of my favourites are:

1. On a blanket: "Not to be used as protection from a tornado."
2. On a carpenter's electric drill: "Not intended for use as a dentist drill."
3. On a bottle of shampoo for dogs: "Caution: The contents of this bottle should not be fed to fish."
4. On a string of lights: "For indoor or outdoor use only."
5. On a hair dryer: "Do not use in shower."
6. On a Batman costume: "The cape does not give the wearer the ability to fly."
7. On a cartridge for a laser printer: "Do not eat toner."
8. On a novelty rock garden: "Eating rocks may lead to broken teeth."
9. On a child's car seat: "Remove child before folding."
10. On a household iron: "Never iron clothes while they are being worn."

I wonder if, when God sent the Ten Commandments down with Moses, some Hebrew grandma didn't think: These sure are wacky warnings. Who would kill another human being?

The Ten Commandments are just plain common sense, like "never iron clothes while they're being worn." And just like the Wacky Warning Labels, if you ignore them someone is going to get hurt.

Father, before I do something foolish, stop me and show me who I'm going to hurt." ---- Lucile Allen.

2 Chronicles 36:15.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Fri Feb 17, 2012 6:50 am Post subject:

*** A GRACE-FILLED JOURNEY.....

Luke 8:22, 25..."Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth."

"And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him."

SETTING SAIL

I was six years old when my father and I stood on the deck of the freighter on which we were traveling to Alaska, watching the foaming wake churning behind the ship. "How deep is the ocean?" I asked.

"Oh, it's many miles to the bottom!" he replied. I shivered as I imagined myself falling over the deck railing into those inky depths and never coming back. For what seemed like months, I often woke in terror from a dream of drowning.

I no longer have that dream, the terror that went with it or my father to comfort me. Yet standing here on the deck of the Aegean Odyssey, I sense that same little shiver running up my spine, and I reach for my husband's comforting hand. At just that moment, I see with my inner eye a man in a white robe stepping out of a boat into a stormy sea. His friends try to call him back, but His face shows peace and a solid confidence as He walks lightly on the water.

My father can longer keep me safe. But a fearless One takes what is left of my childlike terror and shows me how to stay afloat in even the wildest of storms.

My faith is in the One Who calms life's storms and shows me how to stay safe. ---- Marilyn Morgan King.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Sat Feb 18, 2012 3:29 am Post subject:

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Luke 11:9.

I've lived longer than four score and ten years, yet I'm still embarrassed to ask for help. I have no reluctance to seek assistance from our plumber, electrician or lawyer, but I feel I'm imposing if I ask loved ones, family or friends. On the other hand, when they call on me, I'm instantly available.

Recently I underwent cataract surgery. All was well until one Friday evening when the eye began to ache while I was reading. I went to bed, but the eye throbbed all night. Early the next morning I called my ophthalmologist and my eye surgeon. Both were away on vacation, I left messages on their voice mails.

At 8:30 on Saturday evening, the ophthalmologist called, "I want you to get into the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary right away. You might have an injury or an infection. Both can be serious."

I gasped. Me drive into Boston at night? Driving into the infirmary and parking during the day was a challenge. I talked with Ruby, and she said, "You're not driving into Boston on your own. Call Betty and Peter."

Peter, a retired physician, and his wife Betty are good friends. But it was Saturday evening and they lived out of town. I overcame my reluctance and called them. Betty and Peter drove me into Boston. Peter took me into the emergency room while Betty parked the car and then walked through the dark parking lot alone. It was 11:00 PM before I was examined and 1:30 Sunday morning before we reached home. I felt so guilty about inconveniencing them.

I had asked for help, and Betty and Peter responded. Why then was I still so ill at ease? I love helping others; why can't I understand that others feel the same way about helping me? Later Peter said, "Oscar, we enjoyed helping." All I had to do was accept.

Mighty Saviour, may I understand how to accept the kindness of others with quiet appreciation. --- OSCAR GREENE.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:25 am Post subject:

Psalm 37:23. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way."

It was the day before President's Day, but I wasn't thinking about that, or any other holiday for that matter. I had been in labour for more than twenty-four hours and still my baby hadn't been born. "It's just not going to happen," I said to my husband. "This baby is never coming out."

Tony's face was wrinkled with worry and exhaustion as he tightly held my hand. "We'll be okay," he said.

Of course, he was right: Just minutes after midnight, our beautiful baby entered the world.

My sister Maria was our very first visitor. She'd been in the waiting room for hours. "Let me see our little Presidents' Day baby!" she said. "He was holding out for the perfect day!"

I looked down at Solomon, bundled in my arms. How wonderful for him to arrive on this day, I thought.

Tony and I took turns holding our new little boy. As we rattled off the names of as many presidents as we could, I put my finger in Solomon's hand and wondered if some day he would join their ranks. Closing my eyes, I drifted to sleep, thinking about the miracle of life and my beautiful newborn son and how all of our presidents began their journey just this way, as a tiny baby in loving arms.

Dear God, thank You for our presidents, past, present, and future, and for the mothers and fathers who raised them. ---- SABRA CIANCANELLI.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Tue Feb 21, 2012 6:14 am Post subject:

Hebrews 13:1 "LET brotherly love continue."

I was at the doctor's office one day waiting to see the doctor. A number of other people were in the waiting room, and we began talking about various things. As we talked, an older African American gentleman said to me, "Ten years ago I heard you speak, and I began to hate you."

Obviously, he got my attention, and I asked him why.

"You were telling people that Christians are supposed to love each other, even white people." He had been involved in the civil rights movement, and he gave us a vivid description of how he had been treated by segregationists. "I thought I had a right to hate white people," he said.

What he said next surprised me. "Thank you for your work. God has changed my heart, and even though it's still not easy for me to accept it, I know your message is right for all of us."

I know how easy it is to hold on to the hurts and pains of the past. But God has something else in mind. He wants us to put the past behind us, fill our hearts with love and, like the man I met at the doctor's office, keep on loving all our brothers and sisters.

Lord, help me to be faithful to Your call to loving service. --- DOLPHUS WEARY.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:39 am Post subject:

Mark 8:34. "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

I'd long since stopped giving stuff up for Lent, or so I thought, until an acquaintance asked me what I would be denying myself this year.

"Nothing," I said. "I just use these few weeks to stay focused on the message of the New Testament."

My friend, who has a way of gently taking me by the lapels and getting me to explain myself, shook his head, so I continued.

"I go so bored with giving up sugar or a favourite TV show," I tried to explain. "It just didn't seem meaningful."

"Isn't it you who makes the sacrifice meaningful?" he asked. "Not the thing you give up?"

An image flickered in my memory, my father giving up chocolate for Lent, a big deal for Dad because he was a world-class chocoholic. And my mom, who would never tell anyone what she gave up but walked around on Good Friday with a pebble in her shoe to remind herself of her Saviour's suffering.

My friend continued, "When I give something up for Lent, no matter how trivial, it reminds me that Christ not only died for my sins, he suffered for them. Terribly. It wasn't as if he died peacefully in his sleep. I can suffer a little bit too, in rememberance of that sacrifice. I can join him in his suffering."

I felt a little flush of shame and remembered how hard it was to give up some of the little things I'd given up in the past, how daily self-denial kept me focused on the meaning of the cross.

"You know something," I told my friend, "maybe you're right." And the first thing I needed to give up was my notion of what Lent was all about. Then I could figure out which one of the small sacrifices I could make this year would have the most meaning.

Father, You sent Your Son to redeem our world through His suffering. Let me never lose sight of that sacrifice. --- EDWARD GRINNAN.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:40 am Post subject:

Mark 8:34. "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

I'd long since stopped giving stuff up for Lent, or so I thought, until an acquaintance asked me what I would be denying myself this year.

"Nothing," I said. "I just use these few weeks to stay focused on the message of the New Testament."

My friend, who has a way of gently taking me by the lapels and getting me to explain myself, shook his head, so I continued.

"I go so bored with giving up sugar or a favourite TV show," I tried to explain. "It just didn't seem meaningful."

"Isn't it you who makes the sacrifice meaningful?" he asked. "Not the thing you give up?"

An image flickered in my memory, my father giving up chocolate for Lent, a big deal for Dad because he was a world-class chocoholic. And my mom, who would never tell anyone what she gave up but walked around on Good Friday with a pebble in her shoe to remind herself of her Saviour's suffering.

My friend continued, "When I give something up for Lent, no matter how trivial, it reminds me that Christ not only died for my sins, he suffered for them. Terribly. It wasn't as if he died peacefully in his sleep. I can suffer a little bit too, in rememberance of that sacrifice. I can join him in his suffering."

I felt a little flush of shame and remembered how hard it was to give up some of the little things I'd given up in the past, how daily self-denial kept me focused on the meaning of the cross.

"You know something," I told my friend, "maybe you're right." And the first thing I needed to give up was my notion of what Lent was all about. Then I could figure out which one of the small sacrifices I could make this year would have the most meaning.

Father, You sent Your Son to redeem our world through His suffering. Let me never lose sight of that sacrifice. --- EDWARD GRINNAN.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Wed Feb 22, 2012 10:40 am Post subject:

Mark 8:34. "And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me."

I'd long since stopped giving stuff up for Lent, or so I thought, until an acquaintance asked me what I would be denying myself this year.

"Nothing," I said. "I just use these few weeks to stay focused on the message of the New Testament."

My friend, who has a way of gently taking me by the lapels and getting me to explain myself, shook his head, so I continued.

"I go so bored with giving up sugar or a favourite TV show," I tried to explain. "It just didn't seem meaningful."

"Isn't it you who makes the sacrifice meaningful?" he asked. "Not the thing you give up?"

An image flickered in my memory, my father giving up chocolate for Lent, a big deal for Dad because he was a world-class chocoholic. And my mom, who would never tell anyone what she gave up but walked around on Good Friday with a pebble in her shoe to remind herself of her Saviour's suffering.

My friend continued, "When I give something up for Lent, no matter how trivial, it reminds me that Christ not only died for my sins, he suffered for them. Terribly. It wasn't as if he died peacefully in his sleep. I can suffer a little bit too, in rememberance of that sacrifice. I can join him in his suffering."

I felt a little flush of shame and remembered how hard it was to give up some of the little things I'd given up in the past, how daily self-denial kept me focused on the meaning of the cross.

"You know something," I told my friend, "maybe you're right." And the first thing I needed to give up was my notion of what Lent was all about. Then I could figure out which one of the small sacrifices I could make this year would have the most meaning.

Father, You sent Your Son to redeem our world through His suffering. Let me never lose sight of that sacrifice. --- EDWARD GRINNAN.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Thu Feb 23, 2012 4:08 pm Post subject:

Psalm 22:3. "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

I'm too old to be doing this, I thought. I'd driven my son Jeremy to the Social Security office, and my resentment had tagged along with me. Getting Jeremy's life back after more than a decade of addictions and risky living due to bipolar disorder required a tremendous amount of paperwork. His driver's license had been revoked for three years, and I felt like a carpool mom again. Jeremy had seen the light, his restoration was genuine. Finally.

About twenty clients waited to be called to a small window where a clerk would help them. We sat mostly in silence, hating the wait and the dreary February day. An air of anxiety hung in the room; no one smiled.

I looked up startled as the clerk said to a large woman at the window, "Yes, you did receive a check, ma'am." The ecstatic lady jumped up, nearly knocking over a chair, and sang out, "Oh, dear, sweet Jesus, thank You. I praise You, Lord. Bless You." She sort of danced/marched around the waiting room, hands high in the air. "You are so good, God." The startled clerk leaned out the window for a better view. The woman stopped dancing momentarily in front of the clump of us and said, "People, praise God! Who wants a touch from Him?" Then she sashayed close to each of us, offering to touch our hands momentarily.

All of us in that small room stuck out our hands; Jeremy was the first.

I keep forgetting, Father, that You told us You inhabit the praises of Your people. --- MARION BOND WEST.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:49 am Post subject:

James 1:5.

Five years ago during Lent, I decided to write down my reflections about my daily reading/writing to my children and to friends who I thought would like them.

At first the project was awkward and almost painful; I was trying too hard to write the perfect thing. Then I began to write whatever came from the heart. As the days turned into weeks, I found that I couldn't wait to get my mor.ning chores done so I could escape to my computer corner. I could feel my faith growing with each passing day and I was surprised to find that my personal reflections actually taught me things about myself.

When Lent was over, I thought my project was finished and I stopped taking my daily time at the computer. Within days I received e-mails from my family and friends asking me what had happened to my daily e-mail.

Now my little Lenten project has grown into a real ministry. I print out my reflections for our morning guests here at the bed-and-breakfast, and many ask to be added to my ever-growing mailing list.

Lord, thank You for using me to touch the lives of others. All that I do is for Your glory, day in and day out. ---PATRICIA PUSEY
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Sat Feb 25, 2012 3:53 am Post subject:

Luke 15:22-24.

We all knew it would happen: Angie, my two-year-old niece Sienna's favourite doll, had gone missing.

Favourite isn't really a fair word to describe Sienna's passion for Angie. Angie is loved, celebrated, honoured, clutched, stroked and fed any treats Sienna receives. Angie is the first thing packed in the diaper bag and the only thing desired at bedtime. Sienna believes that Angie is her soul mate and general problem-solver. Sienna once gave Angie to a crying cousin to hold and then beamed prouldly as she said, "Look! Angie is helping her!"

In the evening of the day we lost Angie, we heard Sienna over the baby monitor talking to her Mom. With tears in her voice, Sienna said, "I miss Angie."

"I know, sweetie," her mom replied.

Then, amid muffled sobs, Sienna said, "I hope she comes back!"

We found Angie the next day. She'd been packed in a purse by a very busy Sienna as she prepared for another imaginary day of playing school and dress-up. When Sienna saw Angie, the joy in her eyes reminded me of the father in Jesus' parable welcoming home his lost son. Granted, Sienna didn't call for the fattened calf, but she did share her marshmallows with us, which I assure you was a sacrifice all the same.

Lord, when I feel lost and afraid, help me remember that I can always come home to You and that my homecoming will be met with rejoicing and gladness----and maybe even a marshmallow or two. ---- ASHLEY KAPPEL.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Sun Feb 26, 2012 9:44 am Post subject:

Psalm 37:11. "But the meek shall inherit the earth: and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."

A footnote in my study Bible defines the meek not as timid but as "those who humbly acknowledge their dependence on the goodness and grace of God and betray no arrogance against their fellowman." That reminds me of my friend Jim.

Jim is a church leader. "When I first came to church," he once told me, "I sat in the back, and was afraid to speak to anyone. Whatever I've become, I know it isn't my own doing; it's all God's."

Jim is a civil engineer who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. After being welcomed into the church family, he began to help with building-and-grounds maintenance. He took care of the furnace in the winter, adjusting circulators and responding to frquent breakdowns. If anything needed repair, he was Johnny-on-the-spot. In fact, he even went to the homes of church members to repair door locks or replace plumbing fixtures. No job was beneath his willingness to help.

"I love this church," he said. "I believe God put me here for a purpose, and all I want to do is carry out His will for me."

Jim was elected an elder and became a lay leader and accomplished small-group facilitator. All the while he exhibited a gentle, no-nonsense strength that earned him the respect and trust of the whole congregation,

Oh yes. He's still the go-to guy when anything needs to be fixed.

Meek? You decide. To me, the word carries a lot of strength.

Father, like Jesus, help all of us who claim to be Your children to willingly accept the role and label of the meek. --- HAROLD HOSTETLER.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Mon Feb 27, 2012 5:24 am Post subject:

Exodus 13:9. "And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thine hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the LORD's law may be in thy mouth: for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt."

My friend Stephanie, from my old Marland Heights neighbourhood in Weirton, West Virginia, was staying with me in Manhattan. She'd just had surgery at Sloan-Kettering for breast cancer and was deciding what course of treatment to pursue. Now she looked at the stuffed piglet with a saucy expression and jaunty stand-up ears sitting on my dining room table, "Who's that?"

"My sister Jeannie gave her to me," I explained. "I was nervous about leading a workshop, and the pig made me feel better. I even took it with me into the workshop. Maybe it sounds strange, but . . . the pig made me laugh and gave me courage. That's why I still always keep it close." I glanced at Stephanie a little nervously. Did she think I was crazy?

Stephanie smiled and spread her neatly manicured hands, each fingernail painted a pretty, warm red. "My painted fingernails do that for me," she said. "They're always with me, and when I see their bright colour, I feel centered and optimistic, that I'll be okay. It was great to have them with me in the hospital."

The next day I went with Stephanie to see her oncologist. As the doctor explained her options of chemotherapy, Stephanie calmly took notes. I looked at her smooth hand clasped around a pencil; her colourful fingernails flashed a message of vivacity and hope. My own fingers went to a small cross of turquoise-blue on a chain around my neck that my sister-in-law Jennifer gave to me last year. A prayer resounded in my heart like an echo in a deep well. Please help me to somehow help Stephanie. Bless and keep her on her journey with breast cancer.

Jaunty piglets, rosy fingernails, turquoise crosses, unceasing prayer draw us back to our sacred center, so we can face whatever life may bring.

Lord, thank You for all the seemingly small things in life that center us and draw our thoughts to You. --- MARY ANN O'ROARK.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Tue Feb 28, 2012 7:16 am Post subject:

Isaiah 45:15. "Verily thou art a God that hidest thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour."

I've written stories and poems in subways, in traffic, in checkout lines. This one is written in a cold sweat at 3:28 AM. I've awoken with a heart full of doubt. If you've ever experienced such a night, my sympathies. If you haven't, I'm envious.

This isn't the first time. What surprises me is that it doesn't happen more often. Take an unvarnished look around---war, poverty, tyranny, disease. And those are just the headlines before the first commercial. Sometimes it feels as if God works in mysterious ways and sometimes it feels as if God isn't working at all. Sometimes it feels as if God took a few days off or a few decades off, and the little pink "While You Were Out" slips are mounting up on His desk, waiting for His return.

I know I'm waiting for God's return. I don't mean the Second Coming; I mean right now, here in this drafty bedroom full of memories and dust bunnies. Any sign will do: a flickering light; a contented sigh from my ever-patient wife; even the fragile respite of a fitful sleep. Anything, just the smallest hint that I'm not forsaken.

Lord, You have brought me this far and yet You seem so distant. Show Yourself to the lonely sinner who searches but cannot find You in the dark. --- MARK COLLINS....

"I hate the cliche 'Play the cards you've been dealt,' " says Mark Collins of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I lost my sister this year, as well as a very good friend, within months of each other. I felt as if I'd been dealt jokers or was forced to play pinochle with a poker deck. Then I'm reminded of a line from the Book of Common Prayer, 'Deliver me from the presumption of coming to the Table for solace only, and not for strength.' Maybe I'll just sit out this hand, maybe take a break and come back again ready to play." Among the players around Mark's table are seminary instructor and wife Sandee; college sophomore Faith, 20; college freshman Hope, 19; and high school newbie Grace, 15. "There are times when it looks like the chips are down," Mark says, "but I'm reminded that some chips are beyond counting, and those chips I'm rich beyond belief."
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Wed Feb 29, 2012 7:57 am Post subject:

Luke 4:22.

From my childhood I have loved words. My mother tells me I was forming complete sentences before I was two. It's no surprise my all-time favourite game is Scrabble!

A few years back I discovered among the sons of Jacob, Naphtali----whose descendants comprise one of the twelve tribes of Israel. The patriarchal blessing given him is found in Genesis 49:21.

I've chosen Naphtali a my "spiritual tribe." I want to live in this promise of giving beautiful words. They might be words of greeting, as at the post office when a customer at the counter said she was new in town, and I called, "Welcome! This is a great place to live," as whe sent out the door. Or they could be encouraging words: When a grocery store employee was feeling frazzled by hectic shoppers, I gave her a greeting card that said, "Remember that when you're beside yourself, God is by your side."

I also enjoy using words creatively. The other morning I thought the gleaming sun looked like a shiny copper kettle. And one night when a star was just "underneath" the full moon, it looked to me like an egg laid by a plump, white hen.

Beautiful words are wacky and winsome and wise. They transform. What a miracle, this world of words!

Jesus, Word of God----inhabit my words and make them wonderful. ---CAROL KNAPP.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:48 am Post subject:

Proverbs 27:10. "Thine own friend, and thy father's friend, forsake not; neither go into thy brother's house in the day of thy calamity: for better is a neighbour that is near than a brother far off."

Moving to Texas last year to take a new job was not easy. After twenty years in the East, Texas was, as the ad says, "a whole other country"---browner, flatter, hotter, and farther away from our sons than we had ever lived before. Now it requires a plane flight, not just a long drive, to see our granddaughter Ella Grace in New Hampshire.

My wife Joy had a difficult time adjusting: I had an office with work colleagues and travel to distract me; she needed a map to find groceries. Only Flag, our golden retriever, seemed happier. Our new house has a large backyard with a field beyond and plenty of new critter life to fill his nose with exotic scents.

Meeting neighbours and making friends was a special challenge. No longer did we have children to enroll in school or church activities where we'd meet other parents. Often Joy was the only one home on our street as couples went off to work. Our nearest neighbours were the age of our children, one a lawyer and one a government agent. There was no way they would relate to us, or so we thought.

Not long after we moved in, the doorbell rang and there stood neighbour Chris, all six-feet-four, tanned and fit. With a sheepish grin, he asked, "Can Flag come out and play?" It turns out that Chris and his wife Maria have three small dogs who couldn't wait to met their big new pal. A chorus of barks broke the ice and awkwardness melted as Texas delivered up its first treasure to us: a pair of wonderful new friends.

Lord, thank You for adding friends to my life at every place in my journey. ---ERIC FELLMAN.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Fri Mar 02, 2012 6:49 am Post subject:

Isaiah 46:4. "And even to yourold age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Our grandson Lil' Reggie is six years old, but occasionally he'll still say to me, "Pops, pick me up."

I explain to him that he's getting so big my back won't allow me to pick him up. His response is usually "Pops, you're getting old."

The first few times he said that, I simply shrugged it off, but lately I've had to say to him, "Reggie, you're absolutely right: Pops is getting old."

Lil' Reggie enjoys playing tag with me in our backyard. When he tags me and runs away, I run after him and try to catch him and tag him before he gets to home base again. These days, that's not so easy. But it gives Lil' Reggie the pleasures of telling his grandma that I can't catch him even when he slows down.

At this time in my life, some things I once did I can't do so well anymore, but a lot of things----important things----I can. My back may not let me pick up Lil' Reggie and carry him in my arms, but I can carry him always in my heart.

Lord, help me walk daily knowing that no matter how old I get, You are always carrying me in Your arms. --- DOLPHUS WEARY {of Richland, Mississippi, writes, "Our daughter Danita continues to practice medicine as a pediatrician in Natchez. Our son Ryan is working, using his marketing and communication skills, but really wants to become a sound engineer. Our grandson Lil' Reggie is almost 8 and continues to be the centerpiece of our lives." Dolphus and his wife Rosie are focused on REAL Christian Foundation, which connects resources and provides mentoring and training for rural ministry leaders. Rosie has finished her book Stepping Out from the Shadows, proceeds from which go to support REAL. Dolphus' second book, I Can't (Never) Leave, came out in May 2011.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.

Lori Beth · Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

THIS I KNOW

Matthew 10:31. "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows."

SHINY PEOPLE

"That nice couple was at church again this morning," I was saying to my husband David. "Shouldn't we----"

"I'd better take care of it," the woman standing next to us interrupted. "I know them well, and we've shared some things . . ."

Every church has what I call "shiny people," and this woman was one of them. She seemed to know everyone and to have all the right answers. But somehow she always managed to leave me feeling bad about myself.

At lunch, my daughter Keri guessed that I was feeling sorry for myself. Soon I was telling her how, near our friend, I always felt that whatever I had to offer was irrelevant.

"Oh, Mama," Keri answered. "If she makes you feel less than you are, it's because you've given her permission. Step back, take a look at what's happening and refuse to let her make you feel bad about yourself."

In the weeks ahead, I tried to follow my wise daughter's advice. I looked, I listened, and I learned that the problem wasn't mine after all. I saw that our friend seldom listened when anyone else was talking. She almost never made eye contact and habitually finished other people's sentences without regard for what they were trying to say.

"Wow," I said to Keri the next time we had a chance to talk. "You were right about that permission thing. We all need to learn to say no when others make us feel bad about ourselves."

This I know: None of us is perfect, but we're all precious in God's sight. That's a truth that trumps any hard word ever spoken, no matter how shiny the speaker might be!

Father, let me hold on to the best part of who I am. --- PAM KIDD.
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We don't have much, what we have, we share.