Grand Rapids

I will explain my silence yesterday. On Friday, while John and Kim were still here, the Fed Ex truck pulled into the driveway. I knew what he had but everyone else was somewhat in doubt and anticipation. The guy brought in three fairly good sized boxes. Finally, my husband said, "I think these are for you, Gayle". Hmmmm, I already knew that. THE BOOK HAD ARRIVED! Now then, I became nervous, what if I opened the boxes and found I was disappointed? I was in the process of heating a hundred different little containers of Thanksgiving dinner left overs to feed the hungry bunch for lunch. I continued my activity much to the consternation of my family. "Come on, Mom, open the boxes!" I told them when I got them at the table and eating, I would slip away and open a box and take a look and that is just what I did. I was actually quite pleased. I felt like just bawling. Five years of thought and plan and gathering. Five years or more of dreaming that this could become a reality. Here it was in my hot little hand. I was moved. And grateful.

After the kids left for home, I gathered a few books together and began my deliveries. I brought some to my uncle and aunt and also to my dad. We had decided that each first and second generation member would be given one. My father's only sister asked that I wait until Sunday (today) to deliver hers as she wants to present them at Christmas to her family and she still had family home for the Thanksgiving holiday.

After sleeping on it overnight, I woke in the morning with a committed thought. It was to be a beautiful day for travel and we should just climb in the car and head for Grand Rapids to my cousin (the one who has been so helpful this last year). I presented my thought to Ken and after a few minutes of consideration, he said he thought that would work. So without any adieu, we called Nancy and Paul to make sure they were home and then left. It WAS a beautiful day to travel. The sun poured into my side of the car and allowed me to bask in its warmth. Twas a wonderful ride.

When we arrived, Nancy poured over the book exclaiming that the pictures are sharper than they were on our computer. She was pleased that the formatting was the way we wanted it to be. It was all good. We celebrated a victory.

Paul's mother and her sister live in the same retirement center. Paul's mom's sister is my aunt on my mother's side and Paul's mom is my aunt on my father's side so we suggested that we would like to see the two of them and asked if they could direct us to their place of residency. Nan had other ideas, she decided they would take us there. Paul came up with the idea that the six of us go to Russ's for supper/dinner. It all worked out so nice. The aunts were surprised and delighted for the visit and it was special for me to see them both as well. I could just feel the love that grew in me for them over my growing up years as I sat at the table and visited. They are both in their eighties and apparantly quite healthy. They were full of good spirit and we enjoyed laughing often.

It was a very good day. We arrived home around nine thirty.

Thanksgiving in De Motte 2008

For the first time in years, I am home on a black Friday. I am usually an early morning black Friday queen but today we have John and Kim and their family still here. If I wanted to go, I would have. I'm very content to stay at home this year. I haven't seen anything in the ads that even tempts me. For some reason I can't imagine fighting the crowds this time around. Besides I have a feeling the really good sales will be ahead of this and not particularly on this day. The slow down in the economy has given me the permission to pull back. I plan to be super smart this year. Our family Christmas will be December 28 so I have time on my side.

I goofed today and didn't get my vegetables on when they should have so we had to wait for awhile before we could eat. No one seemed to mind too much. John asked if Grandma Mary had brought pickled beets. When I told him that they were going to the other side of their family, he was bummed. Then our preacher son suggested a break in. Yep , that is what he suggested. So he and Kendra left to see if they could get in Grandpa and Grandma's house. Oh my. Just so the G and G realize I am not guilty. Once they got there they checked in the two hiding places for entry keys only to disappointed. Several minutes later they came home with a quart of beets looking like cats that ate canaries. When asked how they got in, they confessed. I won't betray their secret but I know my dad would have a conniption fit. He thinks his place is so secure. If he only knew. Now the question is; do we tell them or not? I'm leaving that up to my two thieves.

The afternoon was spent in entertaining baby Emerson and playing Scrabble. John said it was the first Scrabble game he ever won. Must have been his good behavior that got him that victory. He did a lot of complaining over my use of two letter words that he wasn't familiar with. Then he used the word Zulu. Toward the end of the game we discovered that Zulu was not an acceptable word because it is a proper noun. Kind of put the kid in his place. I'm not used to my kids beating me at Scrabble. We still let him win since we didn't discover the error in time.

Kendra and Craig left for home around six o'clock. It's a big day for them to come and go all in one day but we were happy to have them and enjoyed the time together.

Give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving to each family represented by those that check in on this blog now and then.

My turkey is in the oven and the aromas are wafting throughout the entire house. Is there a better smell in all the world?

Soon we will join with our church family in a service of thanksgiving to a God that gives and gives and gives.

The out of town kids will arrive around noon.

John's family is staying the night.

We will have a great day.

To God be the praise and honor for a country in which we have lived in freedom for over 200 years.

Jesus King of Heaven

We had agreed to help each other today in preparation for the Thanksgiving meal here tomorrow. Only problem was that some man called for my man and mentioned that the senior league of golfers was going to golf today. Hmmmm....there went my help. I expected he would be home around twelve thirty. He finally sauntered in at 3:30. By that time I was about ready to call the paramedics because it doesn't take eight and a half hours to golf eighteen holes even if that included time for lunch. Upon his arrival, he agreed that he too was surprised that it took nearly all day. He is now making up for lost time and the vacuum is humming and he is shedding his layers of clothes as the temperature in his body rises. He just informed me that the kitchen floor needs mopping. I already knew that. After the vacuuming he will peel a huge pot of potatoes. I precooked the sweet potatoes, cleaned the brussel sprouts, chopped onion and celery to cook for the stuffing, made a jello salad, went to Costco to get pumpkin pies (theirs are awesome), and have an apple pie in the oven. One of us has to run to town to buy KFC cole slaw. One can't do better than theirs so that is one thing I buy premade. When I was in Costco, I saw that people buy things already made. There is too much old fashioned in me to do that. Made from scratch is still the best way to go for the most part. One lady in Stracks told me she was having the deli do her dinner. Yuk!

I looked on a can of chicken broth and the sodium content was 40%. I was shocked. Even the "low sodium" was well over 25% and I decided there had to be a better option. I finally found some organic chicken broth in the healthier food department and the sodium content was 3%. Now that was a whole lot better. I'm not sure how the majority of people eat because it is just too difficult to find prepared food that isn't full of either salt or sugar. I try. I really do.

It is four thirty and the shades of night are already falling. I do not like these short days. I remember that I was disappointed about the lack of length of day in Phoenix last winter. The temperatures are higher but the days aren't any longer. Sometimes I get a bit melancholy when the day is slipping away and I can do nothing to hold it back. Light is so much more comforting than darkness. That is when I will play Fernando Ortega's song "King of Heaven". The lyrics speak volumes of comfort to my soul.

Jesus King of angels heaven's light

Shine Your face upon this house tonight

Let no evil come into my dreams

Light of heaven keep me in Your peace

Remind me how You made dark spirits flee

And spoke Your power to the raging sea

And spoke Your mercy to a sinful man

Remind me Jesus this is what I am

CHORUS: The universe is vast beyond the stars

But You are mindful when the sparrow falls

And mindful of the anxious thoughts

That find me, surround me and bind me

With all my heart I love You Sovereign Lord

Tomorrow let me love You even more

And rise to speak the goodness of Your name

Until I close my eyes and sleep again

CHORUS Jesus King of angels heaven's light

Hold my hand and keep me through this night

Ahhhh yes......thank You for reminding me of Your precious loving and compassionate care. Hold my hand and keep me through this night.

Slow Day

Today got off to a very slow start. Just had no motivation what so ever today. I got up early, did a lesson in my Beth Moore study and went back to bed for an hour. It's nearly two thirty and I just accomplished my first real work of the day. I cleaned the fridge so it is ready for Thanksgiving dinner. When Ken gets home I'll have him bring the turkey in from the garage freezer and put it in water to thaw. I've never been successful at thawing a turkey in the refrigerator. When I go to get it out to cook, it is still frozen......not a good position to be in....so I resort to the old fashioned way. I bought a 21 pounder and hope it feeds my medium sized crowd.

Bernice stopped by to print some restaurant certificates we bought off the web. She wasn't sure she knew what she had to do so we got 'er done. Then I went hog wild and bought 100.00 gift certificates. They cost me a song but once I got them printed I realized I had just committed to buying a hundred dollar certificate good on a $200.00 purchase. Ooops. Forgot to read the small print. So I called the company and related my sorrowful saga. They were oh so gracious and refunded my money to be used on future purchases. That was just fine with me. I sure felt stupid. I know there are minimum purchases that apply to those things. Restaurant.com is such a good deal and I went and blew it by getting greedy. I will purchase some tomorrow. I'm done for today. They usually offer a super discount around a holiday but you need a code to get the deeper discount. I decided I'd just try words related to Thanksgiving. First I tried "gobble". Nope, that didn't work. Then I tried "turkey"; still no soap. I typed in "thanks" to hear Bernice say....that won't be it and as soon as she had that out of her mouth the deeper discount applied. We laughed a good one as I felt so smug that I had broken the bank.

God Moves in Mysterious Ways His Wonders to Perform

My heart sings today. Oh, it sings most days but today it sings big. I can't really share the particulars with you but I have seen God move in mighty ways the last few days. I want to publicly thank Him for His faithfulness in hearing and answering prayer and for giving His people hope when there appears to be no hope. God has answered my prayers fairly clearly lately and I wonder what it is about me that He even cocks an ear. The truth of the matter is that there is nothing about me that cocks His ear.......it is all about His compassion and love for me that He cares and acts on my behalf and on the behalf of those for whom I pray. The Spirit of the living God is alive and moving among His people. Tis awesome.

Saturday night we went to see Fireproof with some friends. Sunday we went to see Fireproof with some friends. Tonight I will see Fireproof with a friend. I hear you asking why I like the movie that much. Well, if truth were known, I don't like movies and rarely warm a theater seat. There isn't much out there that will fill a soul with anything good so I stay away. One of my newer friends from church told me I had to see it. I chuckled because the last time someone told me about a movie I "had" to see, it was the movie Titanic. I went (actually with the same friends that accompanied us on Sat night). When I got out of the theater I was emotionally spent and exhausted. I really didn't need to see Titanic. Well, something kept saying....you need to get there and view that movie. So Sat night came. I sat in utter amazement at the hand print of the Spirit of God all over that movie. It was nothing short of God ordained. As Ken and I sat there, different people came to mind whose lives could be made better if God would use this tool in their lives. That would explain my seeing the movie thrice as of today. Bringing people I love to the exposure is only planting the seed but, Oh Dear God, move in the lives of hurting people through that movie. And God bless all those involved in making such an awesome piece of media available to a hurting and broken society. I'm pumped, can you tell?

And just when I had decided there isn't much good that happens anymore in our broken society. My bad.

More Direction from God's Word

Interestingly, while I was having my quiet time yesterday, the Lord showed me some guidance on our subject of yesterday. I was not searching out this subject but one that was unrelated. I couldn't believe the directness of His word to me. Check out these words from

Jeremiah 18;
5 Then the word of the LORD came to me: 6 "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. 7 If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, 8 and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned. 9 And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, 10 and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it.

I thought, Wow, God....you are telling me we are not without hope. Then somehow I tripped over Joel 2. Read these words:

13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
14 Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing— grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.
15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.
16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.
17 Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?' "

Interesting, uh? In the piece from Joel I am struck with the responsibility God gives to the ministers of the Word. It sounds to me as if the ministers of the Word should be calling the people to humble and pray and fast and gather as an assembly. Then in 17 God calls the ministers of the Word to weep before him in repentence asking for God's mercy. Instead, I get troubled when I sense a desire to distance ourselves from the troubles of our nation as if there can be a seperation to one's relationship with God and one's relationship to their citizenship in an earthly nation. The Bible is a book that gives directives about our relationship with God regardless of the country we live in but always with a country of inhabitation in mind. Nations are God's idea. If it was approved by God that Abraham pleaded on behalf of Sodom and Gommorah, then where are the "Priests" that are pleading on behalf of this nation for the sake of God's children? I know there are some. God grant a desire on the part of all that have the call to get involved in protecting freedoms so that the people of God and their children and children's children may enjoy an uninterupted relationship with our God.

Notice how urgent the message was. Those in the middle of a wedding ceremony were told to leave it and beseech the Lord.

Two days of heavy burden....enough all right already. Time to move on but lets ponder the warnings and act in obedience.

666

This is a message I got yesterday morning and thought I would add my two cents whether or not it is worth two cents.

Good Friday Morning,
Wanted to get your opinion on something I heard and was hoping you would comment either by blog or by email.
I checked this and its true. The day after Barack Obama got elected the lottery numbers that were picked were
666 don't you find this eerily weird. Whats your take on this very, very strange happening.



This was a new one on me. I hadn't heard this story. I know that many well known Christian leaders had given many warnings and predicted doomsday regarding our president elect even before the election. Many of those things got to me before the election. After the election, I resigned myself to the following. Nothing happens without the will of our Sovereign God, including this man becoming president of our nation. If we are really quite honest with ourselves, I think we have to admit that our nation has been failing for some time. I think it can all be traced back to our sin nature which in our neck of the world seems to have been nurturing materialism and greed. In addition to those cancers we have the deterioration of morality on all sides of the issues. Our people have not gone to the Comforter and Guide but have run away from Him causing Him to lift His blessings in some areas. We still have freedoms the rest of the world envies. Are those freedoms in jeopardy? It is certainly not out of the realm of possibility.

Now the issue of the 666. Much war goes on without our notice in the spirit world. Who knows what all that is about. If I were you, I would lift it to the Father, tuck it in my memory bank and trust Him with it.....after all, He is the victor. When we have surrendered all these things to Him, we can sit back and watch God's plan unfold. I know that some Christians have questioned whether there may be an anti Christ rising. I have a very good friend who is Biblically sound as far as I can discern and I've known him for many years. I have asked him what he thinks of that notion and his answer was that the anti Christ is not going to come out of America. The anti Christ will come out of Europe. He noted that the world is on an end times course. (I guess we all know that but it comes as a shock to hear it voiced) The Word talks about there being a world recognized currency. My friend pointed to the Euro as the beginning of that trend. He says that the US is not a player in the end powers at all. He comforted me with the truth that as God's people we are tucked under the shadow of His wings so we have nothing to fear.

The denomination of my birth and life does not interpret prophecy like some other brandname churches do. I am far from any kind of know it all about that stuff. I do find it interesting to listen to those among us who take these things seriously. My friend pointed me to the book of Daniel.
I read it with different eyes this time. One of the most moving parts of Daniel is his prayer which I think we as God's people could humbly pray for our own nation. Listen to Daniel's heart and then consider your own;
Daniel 9
Daniel's Prayer 1 In the first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus [a] (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian [b] kingdom- 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the LORD given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.
4 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands, 5 we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws. 6 We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 "Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame—the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. 8 O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. 9 The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him; 10 we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets. 11 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned away, refusing to obey you. "Therefore the curses and sworn judgments written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us, because we have sinned against you. 12 You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing upon us great disaster. Under the whole heaven nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem. 13 Just as it is written in the Law of Moses, all this disaster has come upon us, yet we have not sought the favor of the LORD our God by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. 14 The LORD did not hesitate to bring the disaster upon us, for the LORD our God is righteous in everything he does; yet we have not obeyed him.
15 "Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us.
17 "Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. 19 O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your Name."

So what have I said in response to your question......not much I guess. I am more and more convinced that it is not the fault of the people of "America" that we are in the mess we are in but it is the fault of the church and God's people in America for lack of humility, holiness and purity. I, for one, am guilty. God forgive me. Just this week one of my younger church friends was lamenting that some people within our own church don't want to hear truth. They want to wallow in their human struggle and not take God at His Word. Oh Church of Christ, rise up and make the Lord known by allowing Him to show himself through you to a world of people just looking for the comfort that you have as a child of His.

I should have stopped before this but I have one more thing to say on the subject. God still gives us the promise that if we as HIS people will confess our sins and TURN from our wicked ways, He will save our land. I take Him at His word and ask you to pray that you and I will continue to confess our sins and implore Him on behalf of this nation that was at one time a God honoring country. Just ask my grandmother who wrote as an assignment, verses from the Psalms on the chalkboard, in the public school she attended. Have things changed??????

A Play Date with Lauri

It's nearly six thirty and the sky is beginning to lighten this morning. The limbs on the trees are still only silhouettes. The beginning of a new day. What a comfort to know that God's mercies are new every morning. I'm sure glad his mercy today isn't contingent on my performance yesterday. Yea, I wasn't way too nice to the man of my house yesterday for reasons explained prior. But it truly is a new day.....in my heart, too. Thank you ,God, for your forgiving grace.

Last evening we both went to choir practice. It is a temporary choir which will sing along with Larnelle Harris on December 6th in our church. It has been quite a stretching experience but one that proves to us that practice is all one needs to restore skills one has polished in the past. If we were to sing all alone, it wouldn't be good but all together with thirty five or forty others, it sounds wonderful. That's kind of interesting, isn't it? I wonder if that rule could be applied in other venues. Such as, if one person tries to accomplish a project, it is way more difficult and individual weaknesses are obvious......but when a group works the same project....one covers for the other and all the gaps of weakness are filled. Yes, I like the thought of that. I suppose thats why God made us a "people" rather than a "person".

As we drove into our yard after practice, I asked if the heat was on in Peggy Sue and my husband said that it was. So we parked the vehicle in the garage and both headed for a few sweet moments in our little antique travel trailer, Peggy Sue. She is so nice and clean. She smells good. She is warm and cozy. This project has certainly taken its good old time but it is worth it. Neither of us can wait to tie her behind the Durango and head out the driveway for Phoenix. We plan to do that just after Christmas. There are a few finishing touches that need doing yet but I have learned some patience through this experience. One step at a time.

I'm planning to have a great day. How about you? With new mercies to begin with, it is sure to be blessed. I think this day will be spent with my daughter, Lauri. We haven't had a day together for a long time so we are due. I have no forgone responsibilities today so I can play. First I have to pay though, so I'm off to Curves. Have a good one.

Men Are From Mars and Women From Venus (or is it the other way around)

How about that cold wind yesterday? It ripped across the landscape. I felt the need of a scarf to hold over my nose and mouth while out and about. I've had a viral infection in my sinuses for a couple of weeks and it was driving me nuts so I went to my G.P. last evening. He confirmed the above diagnosis and said, if I wait it out a full two weeks it should be gone. He checked my ears and said they were both plugged tight. So the process to unplug them began. The nurse worked at least a half hour irrigating them with peroxide water. NOTHING It didn't move. So finally the doctor resorted to a little vacuum. It did the job. It is amazing what difference it made in the condition of my head. I can feel my sinuses drying up. Now is it that the two weeks is nearly over or that the unplugged ears made the difference? Something I will never know.

I have this little scaly spot on my nose which the doctor burned off a couple months ago. It began to come back. He gave me a couple of choices. Go to a dermatologist or burn it one more time and the third......get a cream that will take care of it in eight weeks. I opted for the later. BUT...when Ken went to get it, our share was almost seventy dollars. The insurance paid 330.00. Ouch! The doc didn't warn me about that. Let's just hope it does the trick. I wonder what that stuff is made from...something from the rain forests I suppose. :)

I am home today. Just hearing the words sounds sweet. I'm still in my jammys and it is past ten o'clock. If you came to my door, I'd run and hide but as long as you all stay away awhile I'm comfy and cozy the way things are. I'm still nursing my first cup of hot liquid but it is almost gone. I need this day to veg and recover from what has been a very busy week so far.

I've been thinking this morning and wondering if any of the rest of the women readers notice that when something is a man's idea, he thinks it is great but when the woman comes up with something she thinks is significant, it holds no virtue. Such has been our morning here. When I was with my friends in the east early this week, they were installing plastic over their living room windows. I was truly impressed with the outcome and noticed it cut way down on the amount of cold that came in from the outside. I went to Walmart and bought a box to do our front bay which needs replacing but seems to always be on the bottom of our urgent list. I noticed when I took the box out of the bag that there was little interest on the part of my man. You know what I mean? I waited until today when I had nothing pressing and once the man was out the door to the coffee shop, I started my project. I had it complete when he came home. It was then that he shared the obvious which I should have known. "Those things trap the moisture and rot the wood". Oh sure, likely story. I guess that is a possibility if they would be left up indefinately but these will come down by the end of Feb. A few rather unattractive words were exchanged and that was that. I'm not sure why he cares if the wood rots on that old window he has refused to fix over the years because it wasn't worthy. The bay window has been one of contention between us for as long as we have lived here. Ach! Who can explain the mind of a man? The last words that came out of his mouth were, "Well, we will see." I'm not sure what there is to see. When I stand in front of those windows I feel a draft, now I don't. I already see.Oh Lord, I am not sure why you made us sooooo different....the sexes, I mean. Perhaps you didn't make us so different but sin got in the way. That must be it. Bridge the gap!

BTW, my husband does read my blog. :)

Another Busy Day

Another busy day. This morning De Motte woke up to a covering of snow. My dear friend, Bernice, who spends and has spent her winters in the south for many years called with the expected as she gushed, "Gayle, isn't it beautiful?" I honestly responded, "No, it is ugly." This little conversation is repeated each year and always invokes a chuckle from my friend. She doesn't seem to understand that I have to live with snow now for several months. I can't deny that a covering of snow is temporarily beautiful but it is only hours before it turns to yuck. Snow causes complexity to our lives. We travel less safely, we walk to our cars less safely. Our feet are always and forever wet and cold. School is delayed two hours as happened this morning. No Bernice, I see nothing beautiful about snow. Again I say, I wouldn't complain if I didn't see it again this year. So, take your pictures of the pine trees hanging with the white stuff and then say good bye to it for the rest of winter. Oh, how I wish.

My new friend, Jan and I spent an hour and a half studying the Word this morning. Oh, I can't forget that we spent some of that time sharing. She is a beautiful human being and we are so blessed to have her in our fellowship. I might say that John is mighty blessed to have her as his wife as well. It is a love story that makes one's heart warm. Both John and Jan are in their late sixties. Both lost their first spouses to cancer. Now they are enjoying a second love in their lives. It is a beautiful thing.

This afternoon I had my six month cardiologist appointment. Those things pretty much undo me but I am getting better about them. I really like the cardiologist I have now. He is young and nice to look at. He also has a wonderful caring manner. He laughs at me and pats me on the shoulder. I like that kind of relationship with my doctor. Today he told me he speeded me up a bit ( I have a defibrillator) and also downloaded some new program into me. Call me a bionic woman. I shared with him that I have joined Curves. (Haven't been there for three weeks now...life has been hectic) He asked me what I did there and I told him I worked on the machines. About that time he was gleaning the readings off my defib on paper with lines and graph a mile long. He asked when I started Curves. I told him it was in the spring. Then he showed me that my arythmia had been fairly constant and in May it totally ceased. That is a really good thing. I looked at him and said, "So are you saying it is helping me?" Yes, it is helping you. I said I'll be there tomorrow morning. That was one of the times he laughed and patted my shoulder.

When I got back in the area I spent some time with our young worship director at church. We made some exciting plans for the praise and worship time at the women's retreat. This year will be his first experience with the retreat. He will be our token male. He asked if he had to dress like a woman and I told him we would let him come dressed as a man. It feels so good to get all these details nailed down early.

So, tonight, I thank the Healer for my blessings. He is truly a compassionate Lord.

Gone and Home Again

Home...
I left after lunch yesterday to head to the east part of the state to bolster some friends who are going through a rough time. It was a heavy day today and I'm exhausted. I pray the spirit of the living God will fall fresh upon them and encourage them. I, as a human, can do nothing more than to point them to Him and remind them of His truths. These are very tough times for many people. Pray that children of God will be drawn closer to Him and not run from Him during the challenges these uncertain times have brought to so many. It seems to me that we as American Christians are often whimpy when it comes to suffering through tough times. We quickly point our finger at God and say, "What point is there in following you.....see what we get?" I'm not suggesting that was my friends' reaction....I simply see that weakness in myself and many others. We are so used to life in the easy lane.

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. My friends live on a lake and the snow on the lake shore and trees and shrubs was gorgeous. I'm not saying that I stood and rejoiced at the snow. Quite frankly, it would be just fine with me if I didn't experience snow all winter. Let it just be said that both my husband and I are looking forward to heading for the southwest and sunny dry skies. It can't come too soon.

My drive home along the Indiana toll road was a mixed bag. Some of the trip was on dry roads, some on wet roads and some on snow covered roads. Twice the snow came down in the form of sleet and bounced with sound effects off my windshield. Once off the toll road I followed route 2 through Valparaiso and Hebron. A car ahead of me slowed down and I saw a very large deer walk past the front of that car. It was on that road several years ago that I hit a deer and messed up my vehicle badly. I was relieved that a mate or friend didn't follow that one in front of me tonight.

Isaiah just got home from a basketball game and came up behind me sitting here at the computer desk. "What you doing, Gram?" Just writing. "Have you written anything about me recently?" I told him, I would write that he asked. At least some folks like that they get mentioned from time to time. :)

Healthy Diets

Sunday....
We went to early church as usual. Heard a couple of moving testimonies this morning from fellow church members. It is encouraging to hear of God's provision, solution and care from another human heart. Wish you all could have been there. :) Hopefully, you worshiped with your church family this morning and were fed.

I'm not used to getting home from church so early. It used to be that we didn't get home until after twelve o'clock. That was when we had only one service. Now that there are two, we find ourselves getting used to another schedule. There is something nice about getting home an hour or more earlier. It gives a few moments to come down.

Ken is making us some fried potatoes (which I will have to pass on) and then some fried eggs. I am trying very hard to eat healthy again. I am more than tired of this little malady after another little malady and recall that when I was absolutely religious about what I ate and didn't eat....I rarely got sick. I felt better all the way around. I'm finally to the point once again that I can look at something full of sugar as the enemy. Eating healthy is totally anticultural. It goes against everything we do as couples and friends. Even church meetings offer us delectible morsels that offer us empty nutrition and empty calories. I can see a spiritual side to all this. We have the same thing in our spiritual diet. We are fed junk in all our media and sometimes choose to fill ourselves with that instead of with the nutritional food we get from the Word and all activities that are based on that Word. How many books, magazines, movies, TV programs do we allow inside our temples that corrupt rather than purify? I think that is something for us to think about today.

Choose wisely. Ask for grace to eat healthy.......both physically and spiritually.

Grandparents Day Again

Yesterday morning, Ken and I spent an enjoyable time at De Motte Christian School with four of our grandchildren that attend there. Last year we had five but Alexandra has now moved on to high school. It is that one day each November that grandparents are honored with a program and an opportunity to visit their classrooms. There is no doubt that it is the children that receive the most joy. Obviously, it is always fun for us but those kids are just abuzz with excitement.

We have two in seventh grade so there was big competition for our time in that room. Their science teacher had them doing a project where they made five kinds of goop; silly putty kinds of stuff. Each had a different formula. The young and inexperienced teacher was insistent that they complete the making and analyzing of each kind. I knew from the beginning that they would disappoint him. What do you bet that next year he will plan on doing three types? Sydney got three made and Isaiah only did two as he ran into some problems after we left (likely story). Maybe it was that Sydney had two sets of grandparents to help and Isaiah had only one set.

Mackenna in fifth grade had some kind of electonic game going. There was so much activity in that room that I really never got a good handle on what that was all about. She also had a sheet of questions regarding a grandparent's favorite psalm. That took some thinking and the result probably wasn't as accurate as I would like. Psalm 91 is ONE of my favorite psalms but there are so many. Then we were supposed to come up with a song written about that song. That was a question I would have needed prior to my coming there. Before we left her room, Mac took us in the hall to proudly show us the poem on the wall that she had written for us. It was evident that she knew her grandparents. One chuckles that the characteristics they choose to write about does really reflect who we are.

Then we walked to second grade to visit Ethan. When we arrived his teacher told us he was worried that we were forgetting him. Poor little tyke. His other set of grandparents had gone to him first so I guess there was too much time lapse for comfort. I told him we had saved the best for last. He remembered that statement and made sure he quoted me to his sisters in the car on our way home. Oh dear! His teacher had prepared a dice game to play together and also had a book to read with him that was a conversation between a grandpa and his little grandson. So Grandpa and Ethan read their lines to each other and it was interesting how much the grandfather in the book was like the grandfather sitting next to him.

As I looked at the faces that walked into the assembly yesterday I was struck with how quickly life slips away. Many of those faces bore signs of aging even though I remember those same faces looking much younger. Some of those were classmates of mine fifty years ago at the same school. There were some attendees a generation older than me. They are called GREAT grandparents. I guess we aren't so great yet. I've known the lady that was seated behind me all my life. She is 95 and won the prize for being the oldest and having the most grandchildren at #68. I wonder if she could name all those grandchildren.

It is becoming "tradition" that we go out for lunch after the morning's activities. Mackenna called earlier in the week just to make sure we planned on that part of the day, too. They like Subway so we managed to get there promptly afterward so that we didn't have to wait in line so long. After Subway, it was to MacDonalds for chocolate shakes and then home.

SCREAM!

Sometimes the valve on a pressure cooker has to be lifted to free the building air pressure. That is about where I felt yesterday. I received the proof book for the book I am publishing and it looked good to me. There were a few changes that needed making so I did those, uploaded the whole book (something that has to be done for each change). My cousin's wife checked the order status and realized the book size was wrong. She couldn't get me on the phone so she called the publisher and told them to hold the presses. The gal literally had to run into the plant and grab the order out from the printing area and return it to the office. That's when I learned of the problem. I was told to upload one more time so I did that yesterday afternoon with a grrrrrr......knowing that I had changed nothing so nothing was going to be different. (the process takes at least forty minutes each time) I was right. They received my upload and the size of the book was still wrong. I thought I'd go over the edge. You all know how long this has been in process. I was stymied. I'm being told not to change the order but to send it again and again. If I accidentally reorder, I'm stuck with owing them big money. After about the fifth phone call of the day, I finally pleaded with the girl in the office and said, "I'm totally confused. I don't know how to give you the info you want." She said to call her back once my upload finished. It was another bad one so I should have just aborted it. FINALLY, she asked me to open my original document and look at the margins. I had told her twenty times that the margins were set right. Then she had me open the page sizes. Ahhhhh....the page size has been wrong from the beginning of this process. Now that makes more sense to me. I was running around the same mountain over and over and not making any progress and my stress level was RISIN'. NOW that we know the problem, I fixed the problem only to create another and that is that then the formatting was all goofed up. I had to go through 287 pages and make sure the chapters started at the beginning of the page and that all the pictures were in the places they were supposed to be. This was a huge hassle. I have to complete this thing and thought I had. I could scream but it wouldn't do me any good. I didn't know when I would get the thing complete now. If Nancy didn't live four hours away I would have been waiting at her door when she came home from work last night. Instead there was a message waiting for her on her machine.

Nancy returned my call and listened to my saga. She said she was absolutely sure the page size was set correctly. I began to feel like I was losing my mind. The implication was that somehow I was changing the original set up and I knew I wasn't. We decided I would put my original document on a disc and send both the disc and the proof book to Nancy. I prepared a note to fax to the publisher that things were on hold for several days. While I was in the process of that, my phone rang again and I could see on the ID that it was Nancy. I answered, "Have you figured it out?"

This was her reply......"Yes, and you are going to kill me". Seems that she began to dig after our initial phone call and suddenly realized her mind had gotten confused during this whole process. What she was so sure about, wasn't true. We HAD set the page size correctly in the beginning but when we got to talking about the cover of the book, she got confused and thought we were expecting a book a half inch larger both in width and length. At this point, I could feel myself settling down. Road blocks aren't the end of everything IF you can find a way around them but when one spins their wheels for days...it does get very frustrating. I had now found my way around this road block.

Nancy was very remorseful. I asked if she would call the publisher today to explain this ridiculous mess. At this point we have text for a 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 book and a cover for a 6 x 9 book. The art department is going to have to shrink the cover. I don't know if they will charge us for that change or not. Probably. I doubt it will be more than fifty dollars if they do so I am not going to sweat it. At least the problem has been clearly identified.

My only problem now is that I have reformated my original document when it was correct in the first place. UHG somemore. I know I have to bring it all back the way it was but it will wait a few days. I don't want to look at it today.

If you can follow this nightmare.....you are quicker than me.

Overwhelmed In More Than One Area

Three months away and its already keeping me awake at night. Perhaps I'm getting too old for it. Everywhere I go, ladies talk to me about the anticipation. The pressure is on. Last night I lay awake about three hours struggling and praying about different aspects of the annual women's retreat that our church hostesses. When sleep totally slipped my grasp, I got up, wrote all the things down that were bothering me, lifted it to the Father and then went back to bed. Finally. When I awoke this morning, I could feel the lack of complete rest. Perhaps I can slip a nap in sometime today to make up for it. Why do those things plague us at night?

I got a bit overwhelmed with the cares of this world yesterday. (Maybe that had something to do with my lack of sleep, too) A dear friend called yesterday morning with desperate need. So much going on in her life that she can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. My heart ached for her and her family. I certainly don't want to be one of Job's friends so I will not speculate on what may be holding back blessing. We prayed together (a place she hasn't gone lately) and assured her of my continual prayers as well. We as people of God could be kept busy 24/7 just interceding on behalf of those we know who are needy.

In the afternoon, a young beauty shed deep tears as she shared her pain with me. I wanted to gather her up and take her home to protect and love her. I can do nothing about the concerns of either of these dear children of God. But God can. I trust that He will.

I am brought to thoughts of a counselor friend of ours who listens to the woes, disappointments and concerns of people each and every day. Most of those people are God's people. I have told our friend I don't know how he does it. He assures me that it is the grace of God. I believe it. No other way could be productive.

I'm back to feeling wealthy. You know....the kind of wealth I talked about a few days ago. When one has satisfying relationships, good health and a contented spirit....one enjoys wealth. Oh Lord, we intercede on behalf of these two daughters of yours and all others of your people that struggle. Bless them with the true wealth of knowing they belong to you and that you WILL provide them with all that is necessary for a life abundant.

P.S. I went to Merrillville yesterday.....just to go. I had a couple of things I wanted to look at. Nothing even looked tempting. With all that we are going through as a nation, my desires have certainly been adjusted. No material thing is very important to me right now. There are many other valuable issues that take preeminence.

Nothing Big But All Good

I have a niece getting married tomorrow on a cruise ship. She and her future husband have planned this cruise for months. Her mom and step dad had purchased tickets along with other close members of the couple's families. This was to be a highlight of life for my sister who has never been on a cruise and was so looking forward to it. This is the same sister (my only one) that had open heart surgery some weeks ago. Her doctor had given her clearance and all was well. Until.....her husband landed back in the hospital. This creates heartache for everyone involved. I feel so sorry for Jack as he must feel responsible for this and yet, the poor man can do nothing about his failing health. I know my sister is sad as well as my niece. They need a hefty dose of God's comforting grace today. I got a message from my sister's other daughter this morning and it sounds as if she and her mom will be able to at least attend the wedding which will happen on the ship in port. Then they will return to land while the rest of the wedding party takes off for the cruise. UGH My heart is in Stuart, Florida with them today.

It is a cloudy, rainy, cold morning....the kind when one wishes he/she could stay in bed for the day. I'm still sleeping in a different room from my husband because of his nasty cold. I got up around two o'clock and heard the television running where he was sleeping. I opened the door and walked into the room with every intention of shutting off the television. There he lay on a couple of pillows with his glasses on and his hand out with the remote pointed at me. I laughed and asked what the world he was doing awake. The story was that he had fallen asleep and just after received a call that woke him and then he couldn't get back to sleep. He said, "It's pretty late isn't it?" "Yes, Dear, it is two in the morning". I gently closed the door and went back to my place of refuge. At this writing I have been in and out of the bedroom where he is sleeping and he is zonked. I was very quiet and hope he will sleep it out. When will we learn to shut off the phone at night?

This morning is Bible study. My little Lincoln school student has early dismissal today so I will have to see her tomorrow or Friday. This afternoon, I have my last mentoring session with a young gal joining our church. It will be an easier Wednesday than normally but that will feel good. Yesterday, my time was a wash. In the morning a lady from church and I started a new mentoring session. We had a grand time sharing faith and getting to know one another. When she left, my youngest brother came to return some equipment he borrowed. He talked from just inside the door for awhile and then I finally asked him to come up and sit. Sit he did until about three o'clock. We solved the world's problems. It isn't often we get time to share in depth so we got to talk over stuff that probably needed talking. I love that man as if he were my own kid. He is twelve years younger than me and I have always felt like his second mother. That feeling intensified when our mother died when he was just twenty years old. He is a gem.

Since Ken is still asleep, it is I who must bring Isaiah to school so off we go to begin our day. Have a great one yourself. Enjoy each moment and give thanks.

Wealth or Money, Which is It

Tuesday morning.....I amused myself this morning thinking about how different my life is than most of my peers. It is not better nor worse....just different. Last evening I found myself helping a twelve year old boy make a poster about King Zedekiah of Judah. Isaiah had all the info gathered but then there was the practical stuff we had to find to complete the project. Scissors, glue stick etc. We rejoiced over finding a glue stick and then were disappointed because it had become rubber cement from non use. We tried the little sticky squares used in scrapbooking and while they worked for plain paper they seemed too weak to handle the poster board. We resorted to Elmers glue. Of course that brings with it its own challenges.....too much makes the paper and the poster board wet and then the thing ripples. We finally got it together, found some wax paper to place over the poster and laid heavy books on it. This morning the poster was dried and flat. Eureka!

So when morning came, Isaiah asked if I would check his homework so I sat with transitive and intransitive verbs and direct objects. English is not my challenge but then it was his math work that needed checking.....Grandpa got into the act and between the two of us I think we managed to realize Isaiah had done 98 percent of the work correctly. Oh the joys of being a young mom with a bunch of school kids. If you are one of those, I for one retired person, have not forgotten the stress of homework. I live with it on a daily basis, too. I don't have to nag for him to do it, just check it to make sure he understood the process. I guess if I had to admit it, it is an honor that he comes to us.

I turned the Today show on for about five minutes this morning. That is about all I can stand of those talk shows these days BUT.....there was a guy on there that had written a fiction book about the life of Jesus from the day he was in the temple teaching the priests until the time we see him with John the Baptist. I haven't checked this guy out yet and don't know if he is a saved person or not but he talked about the difference between wealth and money. Wealth is being satisfied, having great relationships, good health, etc. Money is something one never has enough of to buy stuff to impress people one doesn't like. I kind of liked his take on that difference. If I judge our situation by the later.......we could be considered on the upside of the downside. However, if wealth is what he says it is and I believe it is........then........we are some of the most wealthy people in the world. I praise God for all our blessings in contentment and relationship. He is soooo good.

Emerson loves that thumb and draws great comfort from it It is sooooo cute.

Work day at Grandpa and Grandma Recker's was cold but very productive

My dad moving the leaf sucker for Don to continue his work sucking up the leaves

My dad and Whitney and Aidan

Dad looks so much better than a month ago PTL

Family Circus

It isn't often that I miss two days of blogging. When I look at the title of Friday's blog I chuckle. If I thought I needed to catch my breath back then........I am not sure what I would call the need for breath today. You know about the Family Circus cartoon, correct? It's one of my favorites. We have had a marathon of family circus for the last three days. The number of people that have been in and out of our lives since then is remarkable.

Sherri, Don, Whitney and Aidan just left our drive for their trip back to Indy to catch their flight home to Phoenix. And catch their breath as well. The two kids were looking pretty wrung out as they sat on the love seat just moments ago. Kids thought the weekend meant they should stay up as late as they like so now everyone is dragging. The moms are trying to deal with tired and crabby kids. Everybody thinks they are catching a cold. Grandpa Ken had a cold this weekend...an awful one and nobody wants to take it home for a souvenir. Can't blame them. I have found another room to sleep in each night to stay away from him even though there were people everywhere.

We enjoyed the visits of John and Kim and family, Jennifer and Kip, Kendra and Craig and Emerson, my dad and Mary, my brother and his wife and two daughter's families. When Don and Sherri come home to De Motte, everyone wants to be able to visit with them. I know it is an exhausting time for everyone but I doubt they would want it any different. Family love and devotion runs deep around here. I had a hard time holding things together on Sunday morning when I was in the praise team and looked out over the audience and saw so many of my kids and grand kids. We are truly blessed. It didn't help my composure that the theme of the service was Psalm 46....God is Our Refuge and Our Strength. There have been many times over the course of our parenting that that comfort was the only thing we had to hang on to. He truly has been our refuge and strength and He has never failed us. The results of the election and my concerns about the future of our nation were also partly responsible for my emotional state, especially when I think of the security of future freedoms for our grandchildren and their children and the generations that will follow. People seem to enjoy rewriting history to fit their own stance. I only have the history during my lifetime and God's word upon which to draw my conclusions.

I would like to publicly thank our daughter, Lauri, for hostessing all weekend. We had all our meals over there which became family reunion central. I know she is a tired girl today. This morning she and Elton and Don and Sherri and kids came for breakfast. The local kids are all back in school today. It was an opportunity to do what can't be done with large numbers of people so we had breakfast on china and with all that makes that special. The fruit tarts were a big hit. Breakfast and company do go together very nicely. It was a refreshing calm and quiet time to end our circus.

Catching My Breath

I needed a day off to recover....so happy Thursday (oops....its Friday). This morning we will see our daughter and husband and their two kids from Phoenix. They came into Indy Wednesday evening and spent the night with our son, Josh and his wife and family. They are coming to De Motte this morning and will stay at Lauri's house and Craig and Kendra with little Emerson will stay here. Son John and Kim and their children are coming tomorrow evening and stay the night. Jennifer and Kip will come on Saturday or Sunday as their schedules permit. Lauri called my dad, her grandpa, and asked if it would be okay if the guys would have a work morning at his house on Saturday morning. For the first time in his life, he agreed to receive some help. Reality is settling in. Lauri told him to make a list and they would get accomplished whatever they had time to do. I'm sure he is excited.......it is not fun to sit in the house and think of all that could be done but you don't have the energy to do it. My heart bleeds for him. I've been there.

Last night we had our second choir practice for the Larnelle Harris concert which will be in our church December 5. It is amazing how quickly one loses the ability to read and sing harmony when what we sing in church anymore is mostly melody. That is one of the things my dad has against putting lyrics on the screen....no one can read music to provide the richness of harmony. At any rate, both Ken and I agree that this special choir is a challenge after not singing in a choir for several years. It is fun when it comes together.

Wednesday, I had the seventh mentoring session with a young gal that is becoming a member of our church. Only one week to go and she will have completed the course. She is excited. I am excited for her. One of the suggestions this week is to pray in the morning that you would be a blessing to someone that day...then in the evening, pray for anyone God had brought across your path that day. On Wednesday, I had several people that God brought to me that I could bless but I can't think of a soul I touched on Thursday. It was a quiet day and I think I needed that. Sometimes the Lord knows we need to just veg out and recoup our energy and enthusiasm. That was Thursday for me. Oh yes, I just thought of someone.....I corrected a prisoner's Bible study yesterday and wrote him a letter so I suppose I sprinkled the love of Jesus on that piece of paper on which I tried to encourage him. Writing prisoners is a step of faith because one never gets to know that person other than through the one lesson that gets corrected. Prisoners have to be so lonely. I just pray over the words God gives me to write them and hope His spirit is touching him through the words on the page.

A New Savior?

I know there will be eagerness to see what Gayle has to say today. I had praise team practice last evening and when I returned home, I didn't turn any media on.....I went to bed and slept well. I remember feeling sort of like when I was in labor....my world began to shrink and all I was concerned with was myself and my bed. The rest of the world could go on without me. I had done my praying and the rest was up to the Father of Light.

For what ever reason, the Lord has placed into office a man not of my choosing; a man of principles in opposition to His own. Could it be that he will be America's answer? Or could it be that God allowed his win because the people of America are whining as did the Israelites when they asked for a king like the other nations and God finally relented and gave them what they wanted. It wasn't long before they realized they had asked for something that wasn't good for them. Only the future will tell the story about this new president.

I spoke to only one person so far this morning and she is a generation younger than me. I know she was a staunch Mc Cain supporter. I asked how she was this morning and she said she was fine but thought we ought to be on our knees for America. I heartily agree.

The promises I have heard from this newly elected's mouth are not possible reality, but ideology. It will take much more than today for me to throw my hat into his ring. His philosophy and mine collide on every major issue. Mc Cain may ask his supporters to get behind the newly elected.........it won't be easy. Worse than that, God asks me to pray for those in authority over me. That will be even more difficult. Lord, have mercy with your balking servant.

Post Script...I, a Dutch American Calvinist found this interesting blog written by an African American Calvinist......did you know there was such a person as that??? This is long and laborious.......but says so much. I don't agree with everything he says but it does give me a good look at where the African American community is coming from. The more I read, the more I understand that this election was an election of race in addition to other things. What cripes me is that this new president is as much white as he is black. Do we ever hear him addressing that half of his genetic makeup? Weird. I don't get that part of things. Anyway....here it is.....if you are brave enough to read something long.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Eric Redmond: "Living Soli Deo Gloria Under Obama"

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A Guest Post by Eric C. Redmond

Eric C. Redmond is the author of Where Are All the Brothers? Straight Answers to Men's Questions About the Church (Crossway, 2008). He most recently served as the 2007-2008 Second Vice-President of the Southern Baptist Convention. He has previously posted other thoughts on the election at his blog, A Man from Issachar. He and his wife, Pamela, are adoptive parents who have five children in their home and two children in heaven.

Let us then continue to honor the good appointment of God, which may be easily done, provided we impute to ourselves whatever evil may accompany it. Hence he teaches us here the end for which magistrates are instituted by the Lord; the happy effects of which would always appear, were not so noble and salutary an institution marred through our fault. At the same time, princes do never so far abuse their power, by harassing the good and innocent, that they do not retain in their tyranny some kind of just government: there can then be no tyranny which does not in some respects assist in consolidating the society of men.
John Calvin, commentary on Romans 13:3.

A Note of Thanks

First, allow me to express my thanks to Justin for inviting me to contribute to his blog on the day after what might go down in history as the most significant Presidential election in the United States in our lifetime. I have found Justin to be a kind and discerning brother, for whom I give many thanks. I also am grateful for his passion for demonstrating the mercy of Christ to the unborn and the orphan—a passion we share in experience.

My Post-Obama-Election Dilemma

I am not and never have been a fan of John McCain, his proposed policies, his inconsistent record on many issues, his poor choice for a running mate, his thoughtless economic plan, or of his very negative campaigning against Barak Obama. It was hard for me to bear the thought of voting for him. It was equally hard for me to bear the thought of siding with a campaign for "change" that would passively allow each state to choose whether it would change the definition and legal institution of marriage, and that would not actively seek to change (read "work for the overturning of") Roe. v. Wade. For me, neither candidate represented change or progress for the country, except on the issue of the country's readiness to be led by a candidate of color.
How I wish that the first time there was a probable opportunity for an African American candidate to reach the White House I could have cast my vote for such a candidate without any reservation. However, I am pro-life, and President-Elect Obama is the most anti-life senator to come to power in my lifetime. I also am pro-conservative justices (who limit legislating from the bench). I am pro-marriage— that is, pro-heterosexual marriage. In the end, I could not overlook these issues as I approached Election Day. But the temptation to justify voting for Obama was strong, for I did not want to be against the side of history—of an African American finally making it to the Oval Office.

However, if I have not learned anything else from the recent happenings at my (soon to be former) church, it is these two things: First, it is not virtuous to side with the majority because one does not wish to stand out among friends, or because one is unwilling to examine all information on an issue, or because one wants to dispense dislikes toward current leadership, in spite of righteous reasons to vote against the majority—in fact, under some circumstances, it can be a horrendous evil. Second, even if one is seeking to be consistent in humility and holiness individually, to abstain from voting on any matter is to allow the majority to speak for you. That same majority, with a victory, might make trouble for the greater populous by means of the evil(s) of which you sought to distance yourself by abstaining from voting.

So I made two very difficult choices: First, I chose to vote rather than stay home. Second, I voted for lives of the unborn rather than for approval from the vast majority of my own ethnic community. The latter choice took the risk of being reproached for the name of Christ, for I only voted for life because of the fear of my Lord (cf. Ex. 1:15-2:12). I know such a choice risks invoking the ire or dismissal of the overwhelming majority of the African American community. Yet, on a most historic Election Day, I could not allow my personal pro-life stance to crumble under the weight of being perceived as a traitor to the African American cause for victory, for that goes against all godly wisdom:

If you faint in the day of adversity,
your strength is small.
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
If you say, “Behold, we did not know this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?
Prov. 24:10-12, ESVESV

I cast my vote in the hopes of rescuing those being taken to the slaughter. I could not vote in such a way that I would have ignored the blood flowing from fertility clinics, for I know that the Almighty would repay my cowardice. My hope in his word is that he will remember me and graciously and provide for my life, repaying me with mercy.

In contrast, I do not think a recession can be said to be taking people to death unjustly, especially when many in Maryland voted to throw their lots in with bringing slots to my state; (the correlation of the recession to the slots-vote should be obvious to the righteous). I think our soldiers voluntarily sign up to defend our freedom at the risk of their own lives. Lack of health insurance coverage for all makes life very hard for many, but it does not lead to a denial of all medical care for any one class of people. (N.B. I have two members in my home with medical pre-conditions, and I am about to begin paying health insurance out of pocket because we cannot afford a break in coverage when my current job ends. I understand the value of health insurance and the stress of keeping up with the rising costs of such coverage.) So the economy, the war in Iraq, and universal health insurance became secondary issues for me—albeit very important ones —because righteousness was not at stake. Even so, the righteous should not now overlook these issues while loving their fellow man.

My Duty to Christ and the King

The question for me at this time is this: Can I continue to live Soli Deo Gloria under a President whose moral judgment already is questionable before he takes the oath of office? Yes I can, for I can be obedient to Scripture, praying for the one in authority (I Tim. 2:1-8), honoring the one in authority (1 Pet. 2:13-18), submitting to the one in authority (Rom. 13:1-7; Tit. 3:1), and seeking righteousness for the entire citizenry (Prov. 14:34). These I will seek to do by grace. I will "honor the good appointment of God."

Moreover, I can follow the admonition and example of Calvin, who, in the quote above, preached that believers should impute to themselves the ills of government and recognize the common grace given to mankind through human governing authorities. For example, in our day, it is not the governmental regulation that slaughters the innocent; it is the people who chose to end the lives of their children, and the willing executioners who kill for the sake of the monetary gain afforded by the abortion industry. The government only allows this sin to receive legal permission and protection. Nevertheless, that same government provides many laws that allow me to worship in freedom, preach the Gospel freely, vote in an election, and write blog posts like this one without fear of censorship or death. I readily can recognize the retention of "some kind of just government" under President Obama's rule.

My Dilemma Resolved

My humble proposal of an attempt to be Christocentric rather than Afrocentric will not be received with approval by many African Americans that I know. I hope to live long enough to witness another African American become a candidate for President of the United States of America—a candidate who is pro-life and pro-righteousness. Yet my hope may ring hollow to many other African Americans who are celebrating a Democratic victory that happens to seem pro-African American. To the celebrants, I might be labeled as sore loser seeking to justify his reasons for siding with conservative white America rather than with Black America.
In writing elsewhere about "how I have wrestled through the Christian version of the Uncle Tom epithet" (with respect to my embracing of Reformed Theology), I have penned this thought:

If a person would allow himself to be pigeonholed into becoming a person of a nationalistic or ethno-centric thought out of the fear of being viewed as an Oreo or Uncle Tom, then Reformed Theology is not for that person. But neither is the Gospel, for the Gospel calls each of us to stand against an ethnic-centered philosophy of one's own race, for such a philosophy is naturally conformed to this present world and is in need of redemption. If you cannot stand against your own culture where it does not square with the Scriptures, you are the one who is ashamed of Christ, and such shame has nothing to with philosophical or ontological Blackness; it only has to do with your view of the majesty of the God who calls you to deny yourself in order to follow Christ. ("Sovereign in a Sweet Home, Schooling, and Solace," in Glory Road: Our Journey Into Reformed Christianity, ed. Anthony Carter [Wheaton, IL: Crossway, Wheaton, forthcoming])

I am fairly certain that if J. C. Watts had been the Republican nominee for President, and if he had been running against Hillary Clinton as the Democratic nominee, the great majority of African Americans would have found reason to vote for the wife of the "first Black President" and her liberal ideals rather than for Watts and his conservative ideals. In doing so, such a vote would indicate that the great majority of African Americans have feelings about the type of African American who would be deemed worthy their votes for the seat at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue—who would be worthy of African Americans' approval as their choice for their representative in the White House. Seemingly, for the Black Nationalist and the liberal, not every African American would qualify to wear an honor for which our ancestors were stolen, enslaved, whipped, lynched, dehumanized, and killed. Likewise, it is my opinion that my ancestors experienced such suffering and injustices so that it would be possible for any African American to reach the Oval Office, but not so that every African American, regardless of qualifications, could reach the Oval Office. Those who fought for civil rights for African Americans were doing so out of a moral impetus to see African Americans treated humanely—as human beings rather than like chattel or as 3/5ths-human. I think the best way to honor their work and lives when the office of Commander in Chief is within reach would be to continue that moral quest. That quest is continued by finding a candidate who seeks to see African Americans, even those in the womb, treated humanely—as people rather than as cattle for our labor and experimentation or as a 3/5th-human fetus.

Billy Graham's Prayer for this Election

'Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek
your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call
evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual
equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it
the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed
our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it
justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it
building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have
coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the
air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have
ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it
enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from
every sin and Set us free. Amen!'


The prayer above was written (prayed) by Billy Graham for this year's election. Billy Graham has been very politically involved over the years but not party involved. He has managed to minister to men and women of both sides of the aisle in Congress and the White House. Billy is going to be 90 years old this week. He is a man that has proven his integrity and that it is based on the Word of God. The Lord has bestowed him with wisdom beyond that of most men. I bless him for coming out with this prayer of confession and stating in words what we all know in our hearts is truth.

Today, America decides. Well, not really. Psalm 47 and Psalm 97 tell us that God is the one that rules the nations. All rulers, whether or not they are aware of it, bow their knee to His judgment. Will the history books go on record regarding our next president, "and he did what was good in the sight of the Lord" or will it say, "he did not do what was good in the sight of the Lord"? Those were the two options the Lord used to judge the kings of Judah and Israel. They are the same options he uses to judge rulers today.

May God bless this nation through the people He calls His own.

Because my blog entry was a bit heavy today, I decided we needed some bright cheer. The fall colors this year are beyond anything I remember. I'm not sure the north east would have anything on us this year. These were pictures I snapped as I pulled off the road here and there on my way to the Roselawn CVS just moments ago. The sun is low in the west which makes the colors brilliant. God is a great artist, eh?

Take Me As You Find Me

While scrolling through some random blogs, I ran across this quote;
"I've found in the past that making blogs that are read by people I actually know has caused a lot of censure and frustration as I can't say everything the way I want to say it. So I made this as a sanctuary for myself; take me as you find me, comment at will!"

I have lately been experiencing a bit of what this author must have felt. This blog exists as a way to connect with friends, new and old. It is also an outlet for my thoughts, reactions, beliefs, philosophies and testimony. They are mine and mine alone. What is written here is not up for scrutiny or critique. If what I write sparks a response from you, comment to me freely. I'm always open to listening to what you are thinking or experiencing.

I try to say things in a way that Christ would approve. I truly believe that I am up to His scrutiny and I don't want to disappoint Him. I think for the most part, I say things the way I want to say them. They are to be read and interpreted by what is said, not by what "may be meant". So please.....take me as you find me and leave it at that. I love readers that simply wish to share this journey called life along with me. Life is so exciting and sharing is so necessary. I love human beings and wish to be an encourager for them. If you can learn anything from the events in my life.......from my successes and/or my failures....then this blog will be beneficial. I have not done anything wonderful or out of the ordinary....but.....my story is my story and that is the only thing I have to share. The one thing that comes through loud and clear as my life journey continues is God's faithfulness in EVERYTHING. I praise Him and ask you to join me in that. Thanks a bunch for joining me on the journey.

Spirit Trained Eyes is Finished!

Isaiah got up and flew into the kitchen to view the clock. The time change had confused him (and many others, I'm sure). When we flushed out the present time and what his responsibilities were this morning, panic set in and he rushed to get a shower and be at church at seven thirty for praise team practice. No breakfast this morning for him. It thrills my soul to see my grandchildren taking their place in assisting God's people's worship of the one true God. I know of at least four of our grands that are members of praise teams presently. It is God's grace in his covenant from one generation to the next. When I think of how important worship and praise was to my grandfather.....my father......me and now my kin....I kneel in thanksgiving. Having worked on "The Book" yesterday, I was reminded again of the kind of man my grandfather was. I so wish he had lived to be an old man but the Lord took him home at fifty nine years young.

"The Book" now has a real name. God did bring us a good one, I think. Nancy and I were reading the last paragraph of his story...he talks about having Spirit trained eyes to see the frontiers God offers to us. "Spirit Trained Eyes; A Western Adventure". That was it. I had written at least a dozen possible titles and nothing seemed to ring like the one we finally settled upon. I think it is one my grandfather would approve and also one that God approves.

Spirit Trained Eyes is FINISHED! We are in process of uploading it to the publisher. Paul and Nan stayed until nine o'clock last evening ) (even though they had a three and a half hour drive home) as we attempted to hurry up the computer by watching it. You know a pot never boils when watched and a computer doesn't finish uploading while being watched, either. The book is long and has many pictures so the upload took longer than expected. Nan's father has published a few books with the same company we are using so she took all my info with her in the event that she will need to finish the process from her end with her father's help. We will see. At any rate, I would expect that our responsibilities will be totally complete by the end of tomorrow and then we will wait for a proof copy. It is truly exciting at this point. Twenty years ago, publishing a book would have been a blur on my radar screen and now it is happening. Could be the beginning of more to come. Who knows what God has in store. I'm grateful to all those that prodded me on. When the task got too heavy and the mountain seemed too large to cross, God always had someone there to spur me on.

Stopping to Do the Mundane

The quote of the week for me came from a man I consider very wise. In answer to my question, "What is your take on why our society is so taken with the likes of Obama?" His answer was.......are you ready for this???? "Because he speaks to man's greed!" Hmmmm. I had to chew on that one for awhile. It seems that in this difficult economic time, the majority of the population would recognize that the power of money has paled. However, it seems to have intensified it for a great many. This coming week will tell a lot about us. If the political campaign has done anything for me, it would be that it has convinced me of the foreboding path on which we are treading. Frightening......perhaps not for me but certainly for my children and grand children. God have mercy.

The weather has been glorious. Perfect for cleaning the yard and washing windows. No, that isn't what I have been doing. Going out with friends is where I have spent the last couple beautiful days. There is something wonderful about that and the time spent is so worthwhile. However, it doesn't get the mundane accomplished and there is a need here for that right now. I only have a few hours to work on that because.......

Today, one of my Grand Rapids cousins and his wife are coming to help complete the book we are publishing which I have referred to many times in this blog. This is the culmination of over five years of work. Obviously, it wasn't work I did every day but it was on my mind every day and I am so eager to get it off to the publisher and out of my mind. The only thing I still need is a title. No big deal, right? Ugh. I've thought of so many possibilities but nothing has really tripped my trigger yet. One of my friends and I stopped at Barnes and Nobles last evening to simply look at titles. That was in hopes of sparking something wonderful. Not yet. One of my tasks this morning is to sit at this machine and bring up a Word document and write as many titles as possible and see what happens. I know God will spring a grand idea to me soonnnnnnn.......

Have a wonderful Saturday and enjoy the beauty of fall. BTW, my daughter's family from Phoenix is coming next weekend....they would like to see some fall color so could you all hold your breath so things don't change between now and then??