The Byrds vs Carole King

By Lisa Robertson

What a crazy day!  It is cold like a winter day, windy like a March day and all the trees are in bloom like an April day.

The world seems confused and it is confusing to me.  I count on the weather.  I count on the seasons changing when the seasons should change.  God has set His rhythm in place and I like it.

What is Changing Seasons?  Is it the move from youth to old age?  Is it way that we tell the passing of the years?

Changing Seasons is our way to describe life.

Sometimes the events of the current seasons are fresh and expectant, like spring.   At other times, life is dry, dormant and difficult.

There is good news and bad news.  Seasons change!

If you are in a place where everything is going your way, be prepared, this season will change.  That may be bad news.

If you are in a place where you don’t know if you can survive until the next day.  Take heart, your season will change!  No season lasts forever.  Enjoy the good season and endure the hard seasons.

Many of you know that the song made famous by the Byrds is the 70’s is actually from the Bible.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

To everything there is a season,

 A time for every purpose under heaven.

A time to be born, and a time to die;

A time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill and a time to heal;

A time to break down and a time to build up

A time to weep and a time to laugh;

A time to mourn, and a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, A time to gather stones;

A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.

A time to gain and a time to lose

;A time to keep and a time to throw away;

A time to tear and a time to sew;

A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

A time to love and a time to hate;

A time of war, and a time of peace.

This depiction of seasons seems far more precise than what Carole King describes as Changing Seasons…

Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, All you have to do is just call…... 

Changing Seasons is a God given rhythm of life.  Life changes like the weather does, but it also changes significantly in the small details of living.

I have come to the conclusion that we must  hold our life, our family, our children with an open hand.  Try not to hold on too tightly or you may squeeze the life out of a situation.

Life is constantly changing and we will be successful if we remember that change is good.  It is a God given reality.  Expect it , move with it, and you will discover that you can enjoy every season. 

"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.”

To Choose Him

More thoughts today on childlike faith…

On many days, being a mom can be tiring.  It simply comes with the territory.  People see us out and comment, “You have your hands full!”  And I always respond, “Yes I do, in the best possible way!”  (Parents out there, feel free to use this line; it is TRUE and refreshing to those who hear it. Children are an incredible gift.  In fact, I imagine this line could fit anything to which the Lord has called you.)

So yes, I am tired on certain days.  And I often feel like I should/could/need to do more. 

But EVERY DAY, I get a huge self-esteem boost simply by peering into John and Daniel’s smiling faces and soaking up their essence.  At this age and in their minds, Meade and I are “it.”  We have hung the moon.  

Whether I’m busy around the kitchen, back in the bedroom, or at my little brother’s track meet, it has really hit me that Daniel chooses me.  Out of a crowd, out of a sea of legs, he picks me and chooses my legs to grasp.  My lap to burrow.  My eyes to catch his smile.  My ears to direct his laughter. 

I can be outside the kitchen door for a second, and he stands there with his little face and hands plastered to the door just smiling and looking out at me.

It’s amazing how I can feel so loved and chosen by my children.  It simply warms my heart.

It must DELIGHT the Lord when we choose to act in this manner with Him…when we truly choose Him with childlike faith and abandon. 

Just as the love of our children is truly initiated out of our love for them, so too are we enabled to love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). 

By the inherent nature of being a small child, my children know no other than to expect my love, my attention, my meeting of their basic needs… that I will bathe, clothe, and feed them.  That they will have dirty diapers changed, faces wiped, hugs freely given, and countless kisses.

When we are operating out of childlike faith, it becomes second nature to choose God.  We merely assume He will provide for us. We trust He knows best, even when doubts creep up (or, if we are honest, scream at times).

As a “responsible adult,” it is so easy and tempting to go to anything and anyone but God when life gets me down. 

Next time the trial pursues, the deadlines threaten, or the laundry and dishes stack high, I hope I will seek out God and make my way to “His legs.” 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.”

Jeremiah 31:3

Perfectly Unique

By Elizabeth Robertson Williams

Have you ever really studied your fingerprint?  How amazing that throughout the entire world, there is no one who has your exact print?!  That concept completely and utterly fascinates me.

It's easy to get into the mindset that we all want or need to be the same as everyone else--same hairstyle, same fashion sense, same parenting techniques, same likes and dislikes, but the truth is, there are unique and original aspects in each one of us that we should embrace and celebrate.

A totally surfacey example for me is my red hair...for years all I wanted was to be blonde and tan like so many other girls in Virginia Beach.   I hated having a hair color that was so different and paler than pale skin, but after years of trying to fight it and convince myself I could "tan" only to utterly fry my fair skin, I now know that my red hair is part of who I am.  Plus, it allows me to join the ranks of a dying minority that include Anne of Green Gables, Madeline, Diane Lane, and Emma Stone.

For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.  

Each one of us has been uniquely shaped and designed by a Creator who knew exactly what He was doing when He knit us together.  We're perfectly original and totally unique. 

I recently had a conversation with a friend who was telling me that she's working on encouraging the uniqueness she sees in others.  Often, we're too focused on trying to figure out who we want to be, that we miss out on knowing and appreciating who we truly are.  

I was so struck by my friend's desire to celebrate the uniqueness in others and speak Truth into their original giftings and passions.  Wouldn't you just love someone to sit down and speak life into the real you...not who you want others to think you are, not who you wish you were, but the real you?  It's easy to say "your differences make your special" (sorry, I know that sounds a little Sesame Street) but to hear it from someone else, is a different story.

I have one friend who is the most perfect listener and able to acutely pinpoint the root of situations and rather than tell you what to do, she validates your feelings and offers insight and suggestions.

Another has an incredible eye for design and aesthetics and loves people so well by welcoming them into her home.

Another has an energy and zest for life that's so contagious that people are drawn to her and she's quick to bring them into the fold.

Others are incredible leaders and can shepherd flocks of all ages—whether it's by leading a Bible study, organizing group runs, or spontaneously putting on the most fabulous dance parties!

Even my fictional, red headed friend Madeline, though she drove Miss Clavel crazy, was created with courage, enthusiasm, and confidence to go on to do great things!

Many others have incredibly unique passions—a passion for highs school girls to come to know Jesus in a deep and meaningful way, a passion for serving groups of people in other countries, a passion for international public health, a passion for the poorest of the poor, a passion for victims of human trafficking, a passion for making the world a more beautiful place, a passion for cooking meals for others—the list could go on and on.  

Even our passions are designed and intended to be unique and that is such a good thing!  It's okay if you don't feel like you have the same calling or passion as others.  If we all had the same passions there would be a lot of people and places in the world that would never be served.  

So, I apologize if I'm rambling this morning but the takeaways I want to leave you with are this: 

• You are fearfully and wonderfully made—there is no one else on this earth just like you.
• You're uniqueness is part of that perfection—don't try to fight it.
• Look at the people in your own life and see how you can encourage and speak life into their original strengths and giftings.   

Going Out In Style: Hoarding

By Dee Oliver

Do you or your spouse enjoying collecting things?

I am not speaking about things of possessions of monetary  value, think old clothes, out dated books, suitcases that when they are empty already exceed the airline weight limit. Too many Christmas, Halloween, Easter decorations that never get out of the attic?

An old crib?  Dry rotted baby clothes that are just to precious to throw away?

More vases, wicker baskets, plastic bowls than you can use if you lived to be a 100?

I am going to let you in on a secret….

I watch Hoarders. For those of you that don't know, which I am sure is just about all of you, Hoarders is a reality television show, about people that never clean up or throw away anything..............ever!!!

When I watch hoarders it makes feel that I am organized in all aspects of my life.

Which......I am not.

You see I am a level 1 hoarder.

That is a hoarder where you enter their home everything appears neat and tidy, but when you start to open the drawers and closets beware!

If you ask me where something is I have a general idea of where I might be able to find it; but it can take a while to locate the thing.

I have a couple of friends who never have to go looking for items, in their lives everything has a place and everything is in its place.

I aspire to be like them, but I never will…….

I save everything in case one of my children will need it, or because I has sentimental value, usually only to me, and I also have this underlying fear that I might become homeless therefore I will need all this stuff to push around in a cart.

Now Johnnie was the, "this is all junk so ‘throw it out/give it away’ man".

He despised untidiness and clutter.

He was forever trying to clean out the attic, the garage, organize a closet, or a drawer. He looked upon my hodgepodge of attic treasures, cluttered, overstuffed closets, and drawers the way a man looks at a woman when he has been away at sea for months.

I protected my precious junk with a vengeance from him and his big black trash cans.

 Begging and promising him that I would set aside a day for us to do it together.

Which of course if I had my way would never come!

What’s that saying?

Be careful what you wish for, cause you just might get it!

Well, I took less that 48 hours after his death to realize what I had done to myself…..

level 1 Hoarder left alone without Mr. Cleanup Behind Her.

I was trapped in my mess and had missed out on the opportunity to have him straighten up and organize my world. 

So now I am down to two choices .....…..

Die in this house and leave behind my level 1 hoarding mess for my children to clean up.

Or sell my home including all my hoarding treasures in the sale. Which I am pretty sure will not help drive up the price.

Regardless  of which one of you has the gift of collecting…. learn from my procrastination.

Clean it up, throw it out!

Have that yard sale then spend the profits on a wonderful romantic dinner!

You can do this! 

Don't let this unnecessary  worry and stress become part of your future like I did.

 So say your prayers, say I love you, trust in God, and always try to Go Out in Style

Dee

Hearing His Voice

Our son John undoubtedly is a joyful child.  No, he isn’t always smiling as you mostly see portrayed on this blog. 

He truly is a ham and simply loves the camera.  He sees that first flash and then anticipates each snap of the camera after that first shot, smiling each and every time. 

This is the first picture.

Then all the pictures that follow look like this.  :)

We’ve even been known to pull out the camera in order to get John to stop fussing.  Comical, right?  I imagine this stage will not last forever, and he will become like most children who do not want to pose for a picture and definitely prefer not to be donned in “cute outfits”.  I expect many of you can relate with Easter right around the corner, and I wish you luck!

Typically, John only fusses when he is hungry, thirsty, or bored.  We can quickly remedy the hunger or thirst problem, but as for the boredom – well, this is another reason (in addition to John’s development) we are praying for God’s direction on when and how to best jump back into John’s home therapy program.  He loves it!

Yes, John is joyful.  But not always at night.  When we found out we were having another child, and especially when we found out the child was a boy, we dreamed of John and Daniel sharing a room.  My husband Meade is an only child, and I did not have any sisters.  Therefore, neither of us ever shared a room as children.  We do hope our boys will share a room at some point.  But this is NOT happening now!  Daniel, our 9 month old, is our good sleeper.  John, at 3 years old, is still working on this!  Our chances of getting sleep drastically improve by keeping our boys in separate sleeping quarters for now.

On the average night, Meade and I take turns with who will listen out for the boys (and by boys, I mean John, haha).  John has never been a great sleeper (possibly because his brain injury affects his sleep centers), and since Daniel’s birth, John has been known to wake up at least once every night.  When he wakes up, he screams.  And screams.  And screams.  Sometimes, he needs a diaper change, but mostly, I think he simply wants his Daddy. 

It can be my night, and for whatever reason, I cannot comfort John and help him fall back asleep. I was back in bed Saturday night after holding John, singing to him, changing his diaper, tickling him, trying everything I could, and yet I still heard incessant crying coming from his room.  So I woke up Meade, as I often do when John will not quiet down, and Meade faithfully got out of bed and entered John’s room to help out this groggy Mama. 

The very second John heard his Daddy’s voice, he calmed down.  I listened as Meade talked to John, explained (for the 1,000^th time) the importance of sleep, sang to him, and simply loved him. 

But all it really took was for John to hear his voice. 

That is childlike faith.  If only we were so quick to calm at the sound of our Father’s voice.  Our heavenly Father… the One who does not leave us.  The One who is not subjected to the sin and failures of this world.  The One who soothes us with His Voice of Truth and Love, spoken over us in our darkness. 

Oh, to have faith like this!  Just to deeply know and trust that it is all “okay” when we hear that voice. Simply because we know our Daddy is near.

“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.”

1 John 4:16

“God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

1 John 1:5b

What Would I Like About This If I Liked Something?

by Trish Ryan

I was so excited to read Lauren Winner's latest memoir, Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis. It's a tough story - the chronicle of the months after her divorce, as she works through what her Christian faith means in that place. It's difficult to read a story where you know the happy part has yet to be lived, and I appreciated that she resisted the urge to manufacture a fake, "I'm fine now, really!" ending. This is part of the life of faith, I think: living through the entirety of the in-between times, even when it makes for awkwardness in meeting publishing deadlines.

One piece of advice Winner received in this time has stuck with me since I finished the book: She was describing to someone how she was struggling, and the friend asked, "What would you like about this if you liked something?"

It's such a great question for tough times. I used it one day when I was so overtired I couldn't remember any of my online passwords because I'd been up the entire night before with a gross cold...then again when my dog puked in the middle of the living room rug...and even (on several occasions) when God asked me to do something I didn't think I could do. Here were my answers about what I liked, once I forced myself to like something:

* I liked not having to be on top of so much online communication. It was nice to have a day that wasn't quite so public. It left way more time to hang out with God, even though I was quite punchy and had to blow my nose every 5 minutes.

* I liked feeling capable in household-ey things, having learned the secret to getting florescent yellow dog vomit stains out of the carpet. (Spill a glass of water over it. Leave for an hour or so. Then apply a little cleaner & it will come right out. No idea why this works, but it does.)

* I liked hearing from God. Even when what He says is not at all what I had planned. It's fun--and a tremendous relief--to know that my life is not defined my my best plan or effort.

Next time you're in a jam, ask yourself, "What would I like about this if I liked something?" At the very least, it's a better use of your thoughts than getting scared or frustrated. And God can use that little widow of willingness to surprise you.

By Elizabeth Robertson Williams

Does anyone else love Project Runway?  It never ceases to amaze me how they're able to make these incredible works of art using only newspaper or trash bags.  I mean, really?  How do they do that?  Talk about "making it work!" 

Yesterday on my drive to work, I was thinking about something one of the speakers said over the weekend:  "Never despise the nothing in your hand.  It's amazing what God can do with nothing."  

In a similar way, I'm sure the Project Runway designers think to themselves, "How in the world am I going to make something for the runway using only newspaper?"  But somehow, they usually do. 

Similarly, sometimes we might think, "how in the world can God use me?"  Lucky for us, it's not up to us to create the finished product, that's God's job.  He's the designer.  We just have to bring to him what we have.

Take Moses for example.  When God appears to him in a burning bush and tells Moses He is calling him to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, Moses responds with a, "Who me?  You can't be serious?"

Then God asks him, "What's that in your hand?"

All Moses had was a shepherd's rod, but God had him place it on the ground and Moses watched as it turned into a snake.  The minute Moses touched it again, it turned back into a rod.  God used this small, humble, simple, everyday rod to perform various miracles and He tells Moses to take his rod in his hand and use it to do the signs God has given to him.


God takes the ordinary and makes it extraordinary.

What did God give to David to defeat Goliath?  A big, macho, powerful weapon?  Nope!  Why not try a slingshot and some rocks?

What did Jesus do with the boy who gave him five loaves of bread and two small fish?  He used his humble sacrifice to feed 5,000.  Afterward, not only did they have leftovers, but they had 12 baskets full!

What has God placed in your hand?  Never despise your nothing or your ordinary; It's amazing what God can do with nothing!!

"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26

Going Out In Style: Pick A Team

By Dee Oliver

‘For believers this present life is the closest they come to Hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.’

Randy Alcorn

One of Johnnie's favorite sayings was, " He should have picked a team."

He wasn't talking about a gifted or talented person. Although I am sure there were a few...

The comment was always made on a "professional" note, and I am sure you are aware that funeral homes do not have teams.

 So to clarify; he was speaking about a religious team.

Yes, a religious team!

Possibly, you might already be a member of this particular team, but are you an active participant?

If you were to walk into the building would you know where to go?

Would the clergy recognize you?

Ask yourself when was the last time you played on that team? One year, two years, ten, twenty, maybe never?

Did you join early in life never to really renew the membership.

I understand that religion is a personal choice and I completely agree, but when death occurs, that is the moment when everyone is scrambling for a position on the team, realizing that the clock on the game has just run out.

Now what do they do?

So, how about a short summary on this subject.

If you don't belong to one, it is relatively easy to " pick a team".

Anyone can join at anytime, the starting seasons runs year round.

No matter what your athletic ability is, whether you are in shape, out of shape, have knowledge of the game or not, doesn't matter, you will never be turned away.

There are plenty of teams out there to join; large teams, small team, in the city, in the country, do you prefer singing, screaming, kneeling, hands waving in the air? Traditional, nontraditional?

Baptist, Lutheran, Judaism, Catholic, Episcopal, or non-denominational, the list goes on and on....and on…and on.

I am asking you to consider “picking a team” because……

The funeral home can arrange for a religious official to conduct your funeral if you don't have one, BUT wouldn't it be preferable for that person to know you and your family?  To be able to Speak about you and your life with first-hand knowledge, care, and love. Then after the funeral to have that church, or synagogue family continue to extend  the support, prayer, and comfort that your family will need in the days, months, even the years following your death?

Being surrounded with that kind of love and support is priceless.

Being a member of a church or synagogue helps to build and provide the foundation and support your family will use daily. It will also help to sustain you when a family member dies.

Not only do I have the " professional" knowledge, but I have the personal experience of also losing a spouse and mother within four months of each other. I completely appreciate the importance of the emotional and spiritual support which is so critical at this time.

Besides it is a good investment for your soul…

One afternoon Johnnie had an appointment with an important local business man.

He came to make his funeral arrangements.  As the two of them discussed the different aspects of his funeral, John asked him what was his religious affiliation. He replied that he had none, he didn't believe in God or that an afterlife existed. "Once you were gone, you were gone" was his answer. 

"Are you sure you don't want to pick a team" John asked? 

" No”, was the answer given back.

Later that night as we were discussing the days events, Johnnie said to me “You know it takes either a brave man or a fool to sit across the table from me planning your funeral and not be on a team.”

After all, if we are wrong in our belief we have lost nothing, if we are wrong in our disbelief we have lost everything.

Say your prayers, say I love you, trust in God, and always try to Go Out In Style.

Dee

Top Of The Morning To 'Ya

Ireland via Pinterest

 By Lisa Robertson

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I thought we could all use a little history lesson on this beloved saint.  You may be surprised to hear that St. Patty's day is more than wearing green, drinking Guinness, and eating corned beef & cabbage.  St. Patrick is a man who listened to God's calling on his life and helped change the world around him. 

I love the thought of a World Changer.  These are people whose lives have changed the shape and history of the world.  St. Patrick is one of my favorite world changers because he was young, passionate and committed to his faith.  1800 years after his death, much of the world celebrates his life.  

Here is a brief refresher on St. Patrick's life, gleaned from a few of the reliable internet resources on Google.

St Patrick was born in the  late 4th century, in England  to noble parents.  When he was about 16, he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland where he served  as a slave tending sheep. According to a Catholic website,  he learned to pray  to God in the fields, writing: 

 

"The love of God and his fear grew in me more and more, as did the faith, and my soul was rosed, so that, in a single day, I have said as many as a hundred prayers and in the night, nearly the same." "I prayed in the woods and on the mountain, even before dawn. I felt no hurt from the snow or ice or rain."

About the age of 20,  St. Patrick  was told by God to escape his captivity, by going to the coast and finding a boat for England.  He did just that.  Upon his return to England, he studied to become a priest.

 

After a few years in England, he had another dream, when God called him to return to Ireland and share share his faith with the Irish people.  He is thought to be the first Christian missionary to Ireland, and certainly the most effective and well-known.  His work in teaching and baptizing  the nobles, princes and pagan warrior chiefs is legendary.  Thousands of people responded to his teaching.   St Patrick's ministry was SO effective, that he is credited with the establishment the Christian faith in Ireland.

 

One of his missions was to pray about the snakes leaving Ireland.  To this day, there are no snakes in Ireland. 

 Hundreds of churches and monasteries were established as a result of his ministry.   Even today there are many churches, schools and cathedrals  named in honor of  St. Patrick.

The shamrock is associated with St. Patrick, because this is the image that he used to teach the pagans about the Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Spirit; three in one.   His use of the shamrock has morphed into an international symbol of Ireland and St. Patrick, but most people are totally unaware that it was the symbol used to communicate Christian doctrine.  

St. Patrick's Day is the largest and most popular feast day for a saint.  It is thought to be a day when Lenten disciplines about eating and drinking could be lifted.  It is also a day for spiritual reflection and renewal and for the church to pray for Christian missionaries around the world.

His ministry is believed to have lasted about 30 years.  There are several accounts of his death on March 17, 460 AD.

In one way or another, we are all called to be World Changers, probably not like St. Patrick, but we've each been given a role to play in the world that we live in.  Pay attention to what is happening in your world today and ask God what kind of difference you can make.

Psalm 34 has several verses that make me think of St. Patrick- vs. 4-5,7- are my favorites.  

 

"I prayed to the Lord and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears.  Those who look to him will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces...The angel of the Lord guards all who fear him and he rescues them." 

Transitions

I am in the middle of our move from Virginia to Georgia.  I am covered up in boxes... literally.

Therefore, today I wanted to share a great post on moving from Beth Moore, who also recently moved.  It is amazing how going through old things and making way for the new can conjure up memories, relationships, the past, hope for the future, and our journey with faith.

Enjoy:

Remember and Never Forget

Up & At 'Em!

By Elizabeth Robertson Williams

It happens every year...springing forward means the incredible gift of longer days and more sunshine to enjoy, however it also brings with it the loss of an hour, which can be a rough adjustment.  It's just one tiny hour, who knew it could be so difficult?  But today, when my alarm started beeping at what felt like 5:20, I was not a happy girl.

  "Awake, O sleeper,
      rise up from the dead,
      and Christ will give you light."

 Ephesians 5:14 (NLT)

Whether we are sleeping or awake, God is always at work.  I recently heard Priscilla Shirer  tell a story about waiting at a stop light and trying to corral her boys into behaving from the driver seat.  The minute she looked up, she had missed the light and her opportunity to go forward. "Sometimes," she said, "In being distracted, you might miss your chance to go forward."   

I might add to that, sometimes, we're so tired, and our eyes are so tightly shut, that we miss out on seeing what God is doing in our lives.  This week, even though each morning my body will dread my alarm, I want to wake up each morning, ready to see what God has in store for me.  He is always moving and I don't want to miss a minute!

"Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you.  Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul."  

Psalm 143:8

For more morning related posts click here or here.   

Going Out In Style: Because You Always Have Tomorrow

By Dee Oliver

One of the things  Johnnie and I did right in planning for our future or maybe I should rephrase that... planning for our deaths….was to  have our Wills drawn up.

One of things we did wrong.... was to have our wills drawn up and never pull it back out again to update it, review it, and really understand how it was worded, and exactly what would happen when one of us died.

You know, we did the ‘head-nod.’  I am sure you have done at one time or another.  The head-nod goes like this...everyone is gathering together, talking about something important you really are not sure if you understand the subject completely but the clock is ticking and you need to be  somewhere else. You are pretty sure everything is in order. So you nod your head in agreement.

 Hence the  ‘Head-nod!’

We know as “professionals” that a Will is one of those details that must be completed.

We did it and proudly check it off on our ‘things to do before we die list.’

And with  the Will and the  ‘Head-nod’ executed, here is where we went wrong:

Our will was drawn up after the birth of our second daughter and our family was complete, but God’s plan was to bless us with one more beautiful baby--I love a great surprise!

Now we have three girls, but only two listed in the Will.

No problem...we always have tomorrow......... to adjust the Will.

The years fly by....... we move.... acquire more things, a few pets,....more property. 

We even hand wrote a few changes to the Will and stapled it to the copy we have in a drawer at home.  After all, we are busy and we can do it tomorrow.....

The Will eventually  becomes part of our pillow talk list at night. “We really need to update our Will.”

Fortunately , there is always tomorrow……

Now keep in mind we are 'professionals' and we know better than to do this!

Well Johnnie and I used up all our tomorrow’s,

And we never got around to correcting, adjusting, and updating that Will and it is still a thorn in my side.

You see there were a few ‘well intended’, ‘for our protection’ sentences that became alive after he died.

I know we thought we fully comprehended the complexities of our Wills and how certain aspects of it would play out after one of our deaths.  And we did for the most part, but we truly did not understand the legalities and costs that can be associated with the bonds and the annual accountings in our Will at the time it was drawn up. 

While you want to protect those who are to be the beneficiaries of your estate, it is a fine line between the protection of assets and the erosion of those assets due to fees incurred to comply with the requirement of the estate documents.

It is critical you understand all the aspects of your legal documents. What they mean, costs associated with compliance, and who has what authority and responsibility.

I am sorry that we never took the time to learn exactly what we had drawn up for our future or that we never pulled it back out and had it revised.

We thought we had a few more tomorrow’s coming…..

What are you going to do tomorrow ?

“Why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” It is the Lords will we live and do this or that.”

James 4:14

So say your prayers, Say I love you, Trust in God, and always try to Go Out in Style.

-Dee

Two Little Letters, One Big Word

Image via Pinterest

By Lisa Robertson

Two little letters make one big word.

 She closed her cell phone and announced,   “It is a GIRL— Sarah and Jack are having a girl.”  (names have been changed to protect the innocent).  The happy exclamation, was my friend's  way of sharing the news about her fourth granddaughter, due in September. 

 She promptly called her son to congratulate him, but had to leave him a voice message.   A short time later, the confused son called his father.

"What is going on?  What is wrong with Mom?   We don’t know if it is a boy or a girl.  There was no announcement about a baby girl.”

My friend was quickly summoned and asked why she announced to the world that the baby was a girl.  Her cell phone was pulled out and the text message from her daughter-in-law was confidently read.  “It’s a girl!”

The phone was handed to her husband and he read the text message….”if it’s a girl"  is what the message actually read.  “It’s a girl” and "IF it’s a girl " are worlds apart.

 When we do not listen to our texts or the emails, it is too easy to miss the little words, packed with big information.

 Like my friend, I am busy and careless. This happens with emails, voice-mails or even in  conversations--I think that I already know what people are telling me and I often jump to very wrong conclusions.

This leads me to wonder, if I am so quick to assume with people, am I too busy or distracted to listen to God?  Probably.   My challenge for the next few weeks is to pay attention to the words around me--spoken, written, read or prayed.

Proverbs 8: 32 “And so, my children, listen to me, for all who follow my ways are joyful.  Listen to my instruction and be wise.   Don’t ignore it.”   

 Proverbs 15:31--"He whose ear listens to careful words spoken will live among the wise."

Proverbs 4:1-"Listen so you may get understanding."

These are the words of King Solomon.  He is reputed to be the wisest man who ever lived. 

One idea is to read one chapter of Proverbs for each day of the month and write down one insight that impressed you. On the 8th you read Chapter 8, etc.   There are 31 chapters in Proverbs.  

Who knows, after several months of listening/reading through Proverbs  we might all become wiser, more understanding and hopefully MUCH better listeners!

Shhhhh

By Elizabeth Robertson Williams

Yesterday, I'm happy to say that I successfully checked "See The Artist" off of my to-do list and I'm so glad I did!  I now fully support its victory at the Oscars.

I walked away blown away by how much purpose and emotion can be conveyed in silence.  And then I read this:

"Here's what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won't be tempted to role-play before God.  Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage.  The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace."

Matthew 6:6 (MSG)

Much like The Artist captivated Hollywood with its silence, God can move mightily within the quiet spaces of our day.  Sometimes, more than words, we just need to steal away a few quiet moments with our God who loves us deeply.

Going Out in Stlye: Caskets

By Dee Oliver

“I don't want to be cremated; I might end up in Hell and I don't want to burn twice.”                                                                                                

 Anonymous

One of the reasons you should visit a funeral home before you need one is to familiarize  yourself with the selection room.

The selection room is the room that displays the cremation urns, caskets and a mock display of vaults.

Understandably, most people are always taken aback a bit when first entering this room.  For many people this is usually the first time seeing caskets, urns, and vaults, and it can be a bit disconcerting.

So let's give you a brief explanation on these items.

Now vaults are a concrete box that are placed into the grave, the casket  is lowered  into the vault then the top of the vault is placed on and sealed close. Most cemeteries will require the use of a vault. The reason being, for the the protection of the casket and to aid in keeping the ground level.

 When entering the selection room you will notice that the caskets are grouped together according to whether they are wood or metal.

There are several types of metal caskets:

Minimum-metal caskets  are listed by what "gauge" they are. This is the measurement of the number of sheets necessary to equal about one inch of thickness  The lower  the gauge number the thicker the casket. 

 You will also see displayed stainless steel caskets, there are probably about 40 types of these caskets. After those are caskets made in copper, and bronze.

 Depending on the model, some of the metal caskets will come in other colors than what might be displayed.

Next are the wood caskets; some of the varieties are; pine, maple, birch, poplar, walnut, cherry, pecan, and mahogany.

Caskets can be ordered in extra long or extra wide if needed.

The interiors of the caskets also come in different colors; white, cream, light blue, light pink. The interiors will have different styles too; tufted, tailored, and pleated. Embroidered in the top panel of the caskets interior you might see, flowers, praying hands, an American flag to name a few of the designs.

Or maybe you would like to have the outside of  your casket decoupaged with your favorite photos, scenes, sports team, or college emblem.

And, "Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus, and a UVA, and TECH casket!"

Some caskets have a secret drawer inside for your mementos.

There are caskets which give you the option to change the outside corners of the casket with inserts of eagles, flowers, praying hands, and  military emblems, for example.

Some caskets lock, some do not.

There is even a cremation casket.

Due to space, funeral homes are unable to display every kind of casket available, most funeral homes have additional books and can show you a larger selection  on their computer systems.

Caskets can be ordered and will arrive in plenty of time for the funeral.

Remember that the least expensive is not always the worst and most expensive is not always the best.

Whenever Johnnie showed a family into the selection room, he would start by explaining  the arrangement of the room and the two types of caskets, wood and metals. Then he would go into details of the styles and cost of each one. Starting from the least to the most expensive. Now against one of the walls was a beautiful wooden casket with a hand carved top, it was the Presidential African mahogany casket. It was stunning as only a "professional" could appreciate. The cream of the crop. And whenever anyone inquired about it, Johnnie would reply " Oh that one is not for sale, that is my casket" and then the person he was with would usually say "is that because it is the most expensive?" And Johnnie with a smile would answer " No, it is mine because when I rolled it into the room I hit it against the wall and now it has a large scratch and dent in it so I can't sell it, so I will have to be buried in it.

 And he was......

So say your prayers, say I love you, trust in God, and always try to Go Out In style.

Dee