My Best Face Forward

 

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. ~Proverbs 31:30

I have worn makeup for most of my adult life.  Not heavy, mind you, but enough so that I feel, when in public, I'm putting my best face forward.  Maybe, that sounds vain to some of you, but as my foundation contains sunscreen in it, and my skin is quite fair, it does afford me that extra protection from the harmful UV rays that tend to prematurely age one's skin, and possibly lead to skin cancer.

The interruption of my daily makeup routine happens during the pandemic.  Really, when half of your face is covered by and unseemly mask, and you aren't around strangers on a day to day basis, why bother?  I realize that I would only be wasting money by continuing to use it.  And Danny?  He is more than a good sport about the whole thing.  He'll tell me, honestly, that my wearing makeup doesn't affect the way he sees me, and I look as fine as when we met over twenty years ago.  Yes, ladies, he's a keeper!

But let's face (pun intended) the facts.  With every passing year, we are all growing older.  The suppleness of youthful skin, no matter how much care we give it, will eventually betray our age.  We can angst about wrinkles and crow's feet, but I prefer to look at them as badges of honor.  A life lived joyfully, with frequent smiles that involve a full facial expression, is destined to create this phenomenon over time.  And no amount of makeup can erase those.

Our outward charm and beauty cannot last, no matter what potions and remedies and snake-oil promises the advertisers would have us believe contain the fountain of youth.  True confession:  I've fallen for lots of them in the past, and guess what?  They don't work!  Oh, there might be a temporary benefit here or there, and if you know of one that you trust, please feel free to leave your info in the comment section.  

In the grand schemes of things, though, I do NOT want to be remembered because I wore fancy makeup.  I already know that I'm beautiful in God's eyes just as I am.  When the time comes for me to return home to Him, I hope and pray that the people most dear to me will remember me as a person whose heart beat for the Lord, and they could always see Jesus in everything I said and did while I was here on earth, loving them all.  Could there be a better legacy than that?

Yes, with or without makeup, may we all strive to put our best face forward for God and His glory.

Amen!

Welcome Home

 

Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." ~Matthew 9:37-38

It's that time of the year again!  Our church's annual pumpkin patch is up and running just in time for Halloween and all things autumn.  As this is the largest fund raiser we hold all year, we are hoping that a lot of folks will purchase pumpkins, gourds and goodies during the coming weeks.  The weather has turned sunny, dry and much cooler, and is predicted to stay that way for most of October.  I do hope that puts people in the mood to stop by our church and start decorating their homes and businesses.

These are just a few photos of this year's pumpkin patch, featuring even more pumpkins than we had last year.

We were most fortunate to have an entire baseball team, to which one of our high school church members belongs, volunteer to remove all the pumpkins our of their huge boxes and display them for us last Saturday.  Many in our congregation are older folks who are no longer able to do such physical labor.  God bless those young men with strong arms and backs, and a willingness to serve!

Danny and I count ourselves as part of the baby-boomer crowd.  Because of the health strains on us this year, we can only offer to help in the selling booth when we are both available.  Danny still doesn't feel confident in driving on his own, and I don't blame him.  Last year, I could come and go freely, but that's no longer the case.

Our congregation at Shiloh Community Church isn't large in size, but they're large in love.  My prayer is that those who visit to buy pumpkins will feel God's Holy Spirit through us, and decide to visit with us for church services and/or Bible studies that we offer throughout the year.  As Jesus tells us in Matthew's gospel, the harvest of hearts and minds is plentiful, but the workers are few.  May our presence in our community at this time of year turn both heads and hearts toward our true home in the Lord.  As our service bulletin declares each Sunday:

Amen!

Old Glory

 

Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. ~Psalm 33:12

Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other. ~John Adams

I have always wanted to fly an American flag at our home.  There are so many neighbors who fly theirs proudly, day after day, here in Kennesaw, Georgia.  And when our patriotic holidays roll around?  The town, itself, displays flag after flag along main streets within the city limits.  It is a constant reminder of the precious freedoms our Founding Fathers envisioned for our nation almost 250 years ago.

We decide to order ours from a company in South Carolina.  I mean, really, does anyone want a flag that is NOT made in the USA?  I don't think so.  Since we have an outdoor camera that catches activity on our driveway and front deck, we have to be strategic about where to place it; the last thing we need is Danny's phone pinging endless alerts because a brisk breeze causes our flag to wave.  That would be counterproductive to the task the camera is supposed to reliably do.

The following photos detail the steps Danny takes to attach the flagpole below the camera's view and still be a witness to our belief in the values upon which our nation was founded.

In less than 30 minutes, Old Glory adorns our home, beckoning one and all to salute and honor her.  Long may our star-spangled banner wave over the land of the free and the home of the brave.

And may the Lord continue to bless and keep us, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Amen!

Prayers, Prayers and More Prayers ~ Part Two

 

Pray without ceasing. ~1 Thessalonians 5:17

As most of you who follow this blog have figured out by now, Danny and I are safe at home.  But allow me to take you back to the anxious time a week ago today when we prepare to leave the Hilton Garden Inn.  We still don't know for certain what awaits us on our return home.  Will there be a branch piercing our roof?  A tree across our driveway?  Will our neighborhood look like a war zone?

We approach the city of Kennesaw, keenly observing any abnormality that might jump out at us.  So far, so good.  Our hearts become just a bit lighter.  Before we know it, the entrance to our neighborhood is in sight.  As we turn in, the sighs of relief become prayers of gratefulness.  No one, it seems, in our neck of the woods has suffered any damage from the storm.  Even the creek at the bottom of our development flows at its normal level, with no trace of storm debris on the road except the usual piles of fallen leaves.

As our car stops at the crest of our steep driveway, we can't see any violation of our roof by tree limbs.  Of course, debris is everywhere, but nothing out of the ordinary that could cause undue alarm for us.  Danny knows, too, because of an app on his phone, that our home never even lost electricity.  How miraculous is that?

We enter our home safely, our hearts are overflowing with thanksgiving.  Just the thought, at our age, of having to start all over again is enough to make the most stalwart of hearts grow faint.  It is a fall-on-your-knees-praise-the-Lord moment!

But as we watch dreadful events unfolding in other regions of the southeast, a deep sense of survivor guilt engulfs us.  Each new tragedy brings fresh tears and repurposed prayers.  We are hit particularly hard by the flooding in our beloved North Carolina mountains.  Place like Chimney Rock and Asheville are reduced to mud-slicked rubble.  The images on our television look like scenes out of a horror movie.

But this is no movie.  It is real life in real time with real people who have lost homes, businesses and, worst of all, their very lives.  As of today, there are still hundreds of thousands of people in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas without electricity, cell service and the basic essentials of clean water and food.  With so many roads washed away in the mountains, I see on the news that mules and horses are being used to bring in such supplies as can be carried to these remote areas.

I know there are hundreds of private organizations, churches and volunteers working round the clock to help in all the areas adversely affected.  But where is FEMA?  Why are they saying they don't have enough funds to last through this hurricane season?  As we say here in the South, and it is NOT a compliment, "Bless their hearts."

Please join me in praying fervently and continuously for the victims of this disaster.  The recovery will be long and arduous for so many.  Even if we can't afford to monetarily contribute, prayer is free.

And God, our one true Life Line, is listening.

Amen!

Prayers, Prayers and More Prayers ~ Part One

 

Pray without ceasing ~1 Thessalonians 5:17

The photo above is taken by Danny several years ago, and shows how heavily wooded our yard is.  In light of our environs, and the ton of rain we receive for two days straight, he decides the safe plan for us is to spend the night at a local hotel when we expect high winds from Helene to hit after midnight.  I find myself praying non-stop that God will have mercy on our home, our neighborhood, and all the folks in the path of the impending hurricane.

This is one of those situations where the only thing we can control are our actions.  Neither one of us wants to leave our home, but we feel we have no choice in that moment.  We end up packing and taking more than we would need for one night away in case something catastrophic does occur and we can't return to our house once the immediate threat has passed.

We stay at a Hilton Garden Inn, on the first floor, so that if they lose electricity, we won't have to worry about the elevator failing us.  We even take two LED lanterns with us as the hotel does NOT have a generator (I find that hard to believe, but that's what we are told).  It is already raining when we pull up under the sheltered entrance in the afternoon.  We have so much stuff with us, we have to get a luggage dolly in order to tote it all to our room.

I didn't snap any photos of the room itself, but it is a comfortable one to say the least.  Because of the rain, we choose to have dinner at the hotel.  It is delicious, much to our surprise, as Danny's marvelous cooking has truly spoiled us when it comes to eating out.

The predicted dangerous winds aren't expected to land here until after midnight when we will be sound asleep.  We watch some favorite news programs, play our usual rounds of backgammon, and listen to some country music as is our nightly routine.  Before turning in for the night, Danny wants to get a photo of the rain which is now coming down really hard and fast.

See the line of utility service vehicles?  They are staged and ready to go when it will be safe to do so while the crews catch some Z-z-z-z at the hotel.  What would we do without these hard-working, dedicated persons who are willing to help those in need the moment they get the call?

In spite of our concerns about our house's safety, we both sleep well that night.  Well, that is, until 7:00 a.m. when the fire alarm blares with ear-splitting decibels.  Talk about a rude awakening!!!  It doesn't last for long, convincing us that it must have been a false warning, but the damage is done.  When we finally go to breakfast, Danny stops at the front desk in the lobby to find out what actually happened.  Loud and unexpected sounds still upset him no end after all he has gone through since January of this year.

Turns out, someone burned their toast in the breakfast area!  What???  That set off a fire alarm?  To add insult to injury, our breakfast leaves much to be desired; we pay for that up front when we first check into the hotel.  Danny is neither a morning person nor one who keeps his strong opinions to himself.  Without being mean in any way, just firm, he lets the manager of the hotel know about his continuing battle with medical PTSD, that the fire alarm rattled his last nerve, and gave some cooking advice that he wants conveyed to the so-called breakfast chef.

In the spirit of true hospitality, and to our utter amazement, the hotel  manager comps our entire night's stay!  We weren't expecting such a gracious and generous gesture, nor did Danny ask for any of it.  This is such a huge blessing for us, and we thank God for his provision through these kind and courteous hosts.  We realize, too, once Danny checks the weather, that there is no need to stay another night since the wind and rain have greatly abated.  We still don't know what we'll find when we get home as our nearest neighbor is out of town, but we never stop praying.

To be continued . . .

Almost

 

Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me to become a Christian." ~Acts 26:28

Pastor Jared has been expounding upon the Book of Acts in his summer sermon series.  As someone who has read the Bible through multiple times, I find his lessons to be so insightful, edifying, and never, ever boring.  He truly has an excellent gift for preaching and teaching without pretense.

In Acts 26, we meet King Agrippa.  His grandfather is none other than Herod the Great, or the not-so-great in the eyes of the Jewish people living under his rule.  Herod, if you recall, is the tyrant who ordered all male children under the age of two, living in and around Bethlehem, to be slaughtered.  He couldn't take a chance that the wise men's announcement of a new king of the Jews was born.  After all, that was his and his family's exclusive role!

It is Herod the Great's son who approves of Jesus' crucifixion sentence.  Agrippa knows all of his family's history.  And Paul's preaching of the Way is no secret to him either.  Being raised in the Jewish traditions, Herod and his progeny are well versed in the Law and the Prophets, but never to the point that their own power and influence could be compromised.

Paul's words on this particular day seem to have moved Agrippa closer toward Christ than in any previous time.  But here's the catch:  Almost.

We use that seemingly innocuous word a lot in our daily conversations, don't we?  Our team almost won the game.  I almost got that promotion.  She almost made straight A's on her report card.

When we hear or say the word in these instances, we leave open the door to the possibilities of doing better the next time around.  You know the old adage:  If at first you don't succeed, try, try again.

But as Pastor Jared points out, there is no almost when it comes to committing our lives to Jesus.  We're either all in, or all out.  There is no almost saved, almost grace, almost belief.  When we cling to worldly accolades - power, prestige, fame - how can we be fully surrendered to God and His will for our lives?

We can't.

There are many Agrippas in our society today.  Those whom Jesus calls to be His servants who say, "Not yet."  Or, "Not now."  Or even, saddest of all, "Never!"

May we all pray for these lost souls, knowing that almost will never satisfy the Almighty.

"I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.  I could wish you were cold or hot.  So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth." ~Revelation 3:15-16

Rescue Me!

 

He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from my foes, who were too strong for me. ~Psalm 18:17

If you enjoy playing backgammon, as my husband, Danny, and I do every evening we can, this is not a formation you wish to face under any circumstances.  In a few fortuitous rolls of the dice, Danny's brown checkers have trapped my two white ones in what seems like an impossible impasse as there is, in this moment, no way out of the trap he and his dice have cleverly set.  How can two dice, with the top number of six, even have a glimmer of a hope in rescuing my unfortunate soldiers out of the mess they find themselves in?

These checkers, being side by side, are immune from further attacks at this juncture, but so are Danny's.  That is poor comfort when I have to continue to roll the dice and hope that I will have time to build a foreboding block on my home turf before Danny's team closes in.  That doesn't include rolling high numbers at this point.  For example, if I roll a six, and none of my free checkers can move a six, it's as good as losing my turn.  My block could end up looking like this -

See the stragglers?  They become fair game for Danny if, when I finally break free and can possibly hit one of his now unprotected soldiers, he has to reenter the game in my home field.  Rats!  But if I'm surrounded by my formidable foes for too long, I risk losing two games instead of one by leaving my checkers in the outfield without being able to take one off.  That's called a gammon.  If Danny gets all his checkers off of his homefield and I still have one remaining in his, that's a backgammon, hence the name of the game.

Am I finally able to free my soldiers from this mess?  Yes, but not without the onus of being gammoned.  If you think I'm happy about that, just ask Danny.  LOL!  He sure puts up with a lot of competitive spirit from me.

The more we play backgammon, the more I see the parallels to living life fully and with faith that God will rescue us when we are in danger, or are overwhelmed by the challenges we face.  If we don't take risks, we won't succeed.  If we give up hope, all is lost.  If we don't keep trying, we'll never know what might have been.

If God is with us, He will make our ways straight.  We can take risks, we can persevere, and we can have hope because His power and grace will prevail.  Some days, we may be able to take leaps and bounds.  Other days, we will only manage one step forward and two steps back.  But our loving Father knows our hearts, our goals, our dreams.

No foe can ever defeat us when the Lord stands tall and strong within us.

Amen!