A Poem and a Winner!

 

He made the moon to mark the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down. ~Psalm 104:19

The Season's Sign

Cicadas fill the night

With cacophony

Of endless rhythm

Persistent call evokes

Summer's presence

Here and now

Cannot be denied

By those who hear

Those who heed

The season's sign and

Then take part in

The angels' chorus

Amen!

Congratulations, Diana Derringer!  You have won the book contest!  Please contact me at my email address -marthaorlando@gmail.com with your home address so I can mail it right out to you.  Hope you enjoy it!

Love and Grace

 

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. ~Psalm 90:12

It's hard to believe that in August, my high school class will be celebrating our 50th reunion.  How is that possible???  Where in the world has the time gone???  Am I really that old???  There are moments when it seems like only yesterday that I strolled the halls of our school as a teenager, eager to graduate and discover what new adventures life had in store for me.

Looking back to those years swamps me with memories both great and not so great.  We were all so young, yet we had no doubt that we already had the answers to all life's questions, and no one could convince us otherwise.  How naive!  How foolish!

How true . . .

My heart looks forward to seeing so many beloved friends from the Class of '73, but my mind warns me to be accepting of however the intervening years have shaped us all.  We have undoubtedly come a long, long way on our singular journeys that are unique and priceless to each of us individually.  It could be, at this point in time, that all we share in common is the school and the grade we attended.  However, there is always the chance of reconnection, for discovering new bonds we never realized were bubbling beneath the surface of our high school personas.

I always like to look on the bright side, and hope for the best.

Just one evening isn't enough to truly catch up with old friends and acquaintances, so I plan to take some Glade-related business cards (shown above) along with me to pass out liberally.  I do hope others do the same!  Since I haven't been on Facebook for ages now, I don't have any current information on anyone except a handful of people.

Speaking of the Glade series, there have been a few who have expressed interest in getting my books while there, but I've decided that it will be too time consuming and distracting for me when I'm there when I'm trying my best to meet and greet everyone I can.  My "fix" will be for folks to bring any of the novels they already own to be autographed, or order select titles from Amazon and bring them along.  I'm hopeful that this solution will work for all involved.

I am already praying for safe travels for all my classmates as they head to our reunion, and for all to have a joyful and memorable time together.

May we all be determined to show one another the love and grace each one deserves, especially on this momentous occasion.  After all, isn't that what life's truly about?

Amen!

Happy Independence Day!

 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. ~Galatians 5:1

Racer, and the whole gang at The Glade, want to wish you all a Happy and Blessed Independence Day!

May we all give thanks for our God-given rights and for all who risk their lives to protect them.

My Novels and a Give-Away!

 

God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds.  And God saw that it was good. ~Genesis 1:25

The thing I loved most about summer when I was a child was not just the much-needed break from school, but the seemingly endless hours stretching before me each day, ones where I was free to play, swim and, most importantly, read to my heart's content.  To say I'm a life-long lover of books is in the running for the understatement of the year!

And my bet is that those of you here at my blog love reading, too.  Do you have your stack of summer novels all ready to go?  Whether you do or don't, might I make a suggestion?  How about reading my novel series, The Glade Series and Adventures in The Glade?

Here, in a nutshell, is what the books are all about:

Spending the summer at Grandpa Will's farm with his family is the last thing ten-year-old Davy Murray wants.  How we survive without his friends, the pool and his beloved computer?  There isn't even a television at Grandpa's house!  Doesn't anyone see how miserable he will be?

In his frustration, Davy turns his anger on his mother, Kate, his sister, Anna, and especially his stepfather, Jim.  Davy is determined to make their summer as dismal and disappointing as he believes his will be.

But then, Davy has a most surprising and unexpected encounter . . . one that will change his heart, and his world, forever.

With so much talk these days about how children, and their parents, even, are spending an inordinate amount of time with their noses stuck in their phones, isn't it time for a breath of fresh air?  The Glade books encourage just that!  While they might sound like they are only for young folks, adults are quick to fall in love with them, too.  I like to tell people that the age range for the novels is nine to ninety-nine!

I know that many of you are long-time followers of my blog, but in the last several years, I've welcomed many new readers on board.  Because of that, I'm hosting a give-away contest!  Of course, as usual, it is too costly to mail books overseas; U. S. citizens, however, are all welcome to join in!  Just leave a comment below to be automatically entered to win a copy of the first book in the series, A Trip, a Tryst and a Terror.

And for those of you who can't enter the contest, I hope you will check out my book website to order your own copies.

Happy summer reading to all!

Amen!

Lightning Bugs

 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”  ~John 8:12

I first published this poem in June of 2021.  Enjoy!

Lightning bugs emerge

As day concedes to night

Twilight emissaries

Turn dark to light

Hope is signaled

Promise in a blink

In longing eyes

Becomes God's wink.

Amen!

We Will Not Be Shaken

 

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who brought them - bringing swift destruction on themselves. ~2 Peter 2:1

Here in the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, we were denied the ability to disaffiliate from the main body until 2024.  But a lawsuit brought succeeded in allowing that choice to be moved back to the present.  The date set for the vote of local congregations is now July 2, 2023.

For over a month now, my husband, Danny, and I have been attending Shiloh UMC (pictured above) in lieu of our former place of worship, Kennesaw UMC.  We've been nothing but impressed by the vibrant conservative congregation that gathers there each Sunday.  Yes, it is a relatively small church when compared to the weekly gathering at Kennesaw, but the Holy Spirit is palpable.  They joyfully sing the old tried and true hymns, interspersed with some contemporary Christian songs, and aren't swayed in the least by the current cultural opinions whirling around them.

Because that is exactly what they are:  Opinions.

We are currently between pastors, not a comfortable place to be as I'm ready to transfer my membership to Shiloh as soon as possible.  That will have to be put on hold for the time being.  However, we were blessed this past Sunday to host the now-retired former pastor, Bill F., to lead the service.  He is a close friend of Kennesaw's former pastor, Wallace W., and I was genuinely excited to hear him preach, thinking, "If he's half the preacher that Wallace is, he is more than worth my time in the pew.

Pastor Bill does not disappoint!  In fact, makes the best case for why Christ and His teachings should be upheld and followed completely, no matter how the cultural winds are blowing at the moment.  If we stay true to God and His Word, we cannot be shaken or persuaded to listen to the false prophets of our day and age.  The truths found in both the Old and New Testaments should always be our go-to, not just in times when the world's views would have us believe otherwise, but also should be soundly woven into the very fabric of our day-to-day lives.

This was the very breath of fresh air for which my soul is longing.  So I breathe deeply, refreshed, inspired and renewed in my spirit, to face any challenges the future may hold.

The bottom line?  If we listen intently to God's Word, and internalize it, we can never be shaken.

Amen!

A bit of history:  Shiloh was originally founded in Kennesaw in 1832, making it one of the oldest churches in the region.  It survived the Civil War, being used by Sherman as a hospital.  It burned down once, but was rebuilt on the original site.  When I'm there, I feel not as though I've gone back in time, but that history has entered the present, enriching my spiritual life with the memories of all the saints who have worshipped here.

The Little Things

 

There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number - living things both large and small. ~Psalm 104:25

June's glory comes in

A floral cluster, bold, brave

Invites hope and praise

For the wonders small

That prompt us to pray without

ceasing.  The little things.

Amen!