The Way Back

With four older brothers and sisters, when I was a child I recall being a little fearful that Mom could easily forget about me when we were out and about town.   I remember one summer day when I was about four, we were at a busy shopping center, and Mom was helping my brother with a pair of shoes.   Somehow, I wandered off.   It wasn’t long before I realized I was in unfamiliar territory…without anyone I recognized!  I went to the front of the store, but when I realized Mom wasn’t there, either, I ran outside, and by that time I was really wailing.   I ran down the sidewalk toward the busy highway.

A lady in the store followed me out and ran after me.   She took me by the hand and promised we’d find my mother.   She took me back into the store to the front counter.  I stopped crying and looked around, just in time to see my mom poke her head around the display.  I ran as fast as I could back to the arms of my mom!

In this turbulent world, there are days in my life when I feel just as lost and just as scared as I did those many years ago; a small, panicked child running down a sidewalk straight toward the busy highway.  But my Heavenly Father comes after me, He takes me by the hand, promises me safety, and he leads me back to Him…and I go running back to His loving arms.

It doesn’t matter what we’ve done, where we’ve been, or how far we’ve run, our Heavenly Father has His hand extended, and His arms opened wide.

Psalm 103

⁸ The Lord is merciful and gracious,
Slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.
⁹ He will not always strive with us,
Nor will He keep His anger forever.
¹⁰ He has not dealt with us according to our sins,
Nor punished us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹² As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.
¹³ As a father pities his children,
So the Lord pities those who fear Him.
¹⁴ For He knows our frame;
He remembers that we are dust.

Guns, Wizards and Vampires

I’m aware that this is one of those posts that makes folks refuse to come back to visit me.   

All school shootings over the past years have been horrific.  The Newtown, Connecticut, shooting has been the hardest for me to deal with, I suppose, because of the ages of the children.  I have a lot of questions; I have precious few answers.   I know that God is in control, I know that it was not His will that this tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary happened, but He did allow it.  I don’t know why. 

There’s a lot being said about gun control.  If someone thinks banning guns will stop guns from getting in the hand of the bad guys, they need a reality check.   If someone is determined to kill, they will.  Would we next outlaw fertilizer (bombs) and box cutters (hijacked airplanes)?   If someone is determined to get a gun, they will; just the same as if they want cocaine, meth, or heroin.

We all know we are living in perilous times.  We’ve heard it said that we removed God from schools, and now we have these atrocious acts of violence in the classrooms, that until a few years ago were both unheard of and unimaginable.    I believe it to be a truth, that once prayer is removed, the hedge of protection that went with it is gone.   When I was in elementary school, one of the things we did every morning was say the Pledge of Allegiance, and in second grade, I remember we learned, and recited every day, Psalm 100.  I can recite it to this day.  We always said the blessing before lunch...unheard of in today’s public schools…much to the detriment of this country, and especially our children. 

We have a nation of people who happily (and blindly) elect Godless leaders, and sadly, Christians are part of those blind voters.  We have placed the Bible in a position of being an archaic piece of fiction that is no longer valid, and according to our president, obscure.   We have embraced institutions the Bible calls abominations.  We offer our children “entertainment” in the form of violent video games which we allow them to play unlimitedly, while parents spend endless hours online or in front of a television, on cell phones, and playing our own video games.  We have embraced vampires and wizards in the names of Twilight and Harry Potter, and call them innocent entertainment, forgetting that the Bible clearly states that witchcraft and divination is evil. 

America has denied the very existence of God…not always in words, often in deed.  Christians have played a big part in our demise by keeping our mouths shut and bowing to the pressures of evil instead of standing strong for what’s right, in faith and belief, and in the fear of God.   Oh yes, we’ve lost the fear of God!  

There’s change on the horizon.   It’s not a change that any of us will want to embrace, and I believe it is at that time, finally, and if the Lord tarries, America will fall on her knees because, frankly, she’ll have no place left to go.   My friends, indeed, Jesus is coming soon.    

  

Monday Musings...the Cold, Wet Edition

It’s definitely Monday.

Cold.

Wet.

Monday.

I am glad for a little winterish weather; it makes things seem just a little more Christmassy.  I wish I were in Gatlinburg right now, though.  Well, not today, they’re having severe storms, but I’d like to be there for a few days in the Christmas season.  I’m missing the mountains right now.   If ever I were to leave my beloved Shoals, I would live in the mountains.

I am in a bit of quiet mood today, remembering Who is in control and not letting the cares of this world affect my mental stability...which is questionable on even the best of days!   Ah, but He did give us a sound mind, didn’t He?  (II Timothy 1:7)  There are days when I must hold on tightly to the knowledge that He already knows my cares…and He does, indeed, have a plan.   And if you ever...if you EVER wonder if God really answers prayers, take it from me, HE DOES!   I am humbled by His grace and mercy.

Did I mention chilly…damp…Monday?   I will definitely need to build a fire tonight.   We woke up to our high today, and the temps are slowing dropping.   I woke up last night to the slow, lonnnng rumble of distant thunder complete with the driving rain hitting my roof and pouring off my window. 

I would insert something intelligent or funny here, but I’m blank…and I have to be honest and say I’d rather be curled up in my bed under my warm blanket watching “You’ve Got Mail” or “Home Alone”…or some other sappy movie. 

I’ll end with one “Dear …” Musing:

Dear Hardee’s:

Someone needs to teach your cook staff how to make a low carb burger.   It’s not a piece of meat thrown into a box on top of a tomato and a couple of pieces of lettuce!  By the way, if someone is ordering a low carb burger, it’s an almost guarantee they don’t want fries with that.

Have a beautiful...wet...cold...Monday...

Two Cent Tuesday

A smorgasbord of capricious and arbitrary thoughts…

I have a secret. Well…it’s only a secret to those who don’t know. But I’ll be sharing it with the bloggy world in January.  I have to admit, it doesn’t really affect anyone but me, though those who love me are happy for me.

Once upon a time, I enjoyed (for some perverse reason) Operation Repo. I lost interest when I figured out it’s just a show of reenactments!

While I’m pretty sure Facebook is not “good” for the world, I have to say I enjoy keeping up with friends and relatives with whom I would otherwise have very limited (or no) contact.

Conversation overheard on campus:

Student:             Hey, Professor, do you have a minute?

Professor:          (Hesitantly) Uhm, yeah.   What do you need?

Student:             The answers to the final?

I’m not an Obama fan, I think there’s no secret about that.  I did like, however, his response…the red line…to the chemical weapons threat in Syria. 

While reading some of the stories in Genesis, I just don’t know what to say.   Noah cursing Canaan because Canaan's dad told his uncles Noah was drunk and naked, but yet Canaan was the promised land?   Lot’s wife a pillar of salt?  Was that literal or was that a spiritual/heart thing?  Lot’s daughters?!  Oh my!   Interesting reading, for sure.

Who has the patience for Twitter?   I really can’t express anything I need to say in 40 characters or less.  Obviously.   Have you ever seen my Six WordSaturdays?   I’ve never only used six words.   I think I’ll try it just once.   NOT.

I have only heard the story, The Hundred Dresses, once in my life (in third grade) but I still remember the main character’s name:  Wanda Petronski.  I remember the gist of the story as well.  I’d like to read it again…

“Actually” is a word that is overused these days.   Awesome is, too.   But I’ve already covered that.   Don’t even get me started on “literally” when it is figuratively.   

And seriously!   Some people don’t have a clue when to use “me” instead of “I,” and think they are being all grammatically correct...never mind.   Every time I get on a grammar rant, I make some big mistake on my post.  (The good Lord knows I hate my own typos and mistakes, but don’t mind laughing at yours.)  So I won’t even mention it’s vs. its, your vs. you’re, or ending sentences in prepositions.   Nor will I mention those run on paragraphs with no capitalizations or punctuation.  

Ah, well.  I did mention them, didn’t I?

Have a good Tuesday.

Monday Musings: The Merry Edition

Dear December:

Didn’t we just say goodbye to you?   Welcome back!

Dear Christmas:

I resolve to remember each and every day this month exactly Who you represent.  I have also decided to enjoy every day of December and not stress about the “small things.”  

Dear Jesus:

Thank you for my redemption…my mind doesn’t fully comprehend the mercy You showed us on Calvary. 

Dear Complaints:

I plan to use you less and less.   In fact, you may just go away, I don’t need you anymore!

Dear Gratitude:

Welcome to my life.  I’ve needed you for quite some time.  I pledge to water you and nourish you, you and let you grow like kudzu around my heart and soul.

Dear God:

I am deeply grateful for the Baby Jesus.  I appreciate so much You giving Your son for me.  I have no words to adequately thank You…but I do…thank You. 

Dear Early New Year Resolutions:

I resolve to be thankful every day, not just for the days in December, but every day for the rest of my life.   I wish to be more like Jesus.   I promise to endeavor to be less quick to judge and make unnecessary comments about others.

Six Word Saturday

I can't believe it's 

December

already!!

Time is just whizzing by!

 What happened to the days when it seemed like 

Christmas took 3 years to come around again?!

I'm joining Cate's Six Word Saturday today, where you describe your life (or something) in a phrase using only six words.   I cheat every time and more than six words.   I guess it's good I don't play along often, yes?  

For more Six Word Saturday entries, Visit Cate HERE!