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August 31, 2016

Coffee Break



Back in the day, when I was going to art school, we had a fifteen-minute break each day at 10:00 in the morning, and another at 2:00 in the afternoon. Our afternoon break was usually just a time to stretch our legs and relax, or run down to the art store for a piece of illustration board. But that morning break was for coffee! While some students brought their own thermos bottles filled with hot drinks, many of us walked around the corner to the pastry shop for our morning brew. The little family-owned bakery was only open until noon each day, but they did plenty of business in the morning! Pots of freshly-brewed coffee awaited us as we walked through the door, and pastries right from the oven tempted us from the display case. I usually got a cup of coffee and two (!) chocolate-covered donuts, and then I took them back to school with me to enjoy in the lounge. The fact that I had to climb the stairs to the third floor several times each day allowed me this indulgence -- these days, it's a cup of java with a small square of dark chocolate.

Our coffee break was a time to sit and chat and get to know each other better. We talked about our boyfriends or girlfriends or spouses. A couple of us showed off our new engagement rings. One student was restoring an old '57 Chevy, and another shared her experience with bipolar disorder. We talked about the latest movies and discussed where we might go for lunch that day. It was small talk, but pleasant for the most part -- a rest from the work we were doing on tedious lettering projects and illustrations.

Now that school is back in session, it is time to get back to some kind of routine. I love having my husband home for summer vacation, but it does disrupt the order of my day. I have forgotten about my resolve to get organized, expressed in my January series, beginning with A New Year, A Fresh Start. (You can click on the "organization" label to the right, to read  my thoughts on getting my home in order.) So as I sip on my coffee and read through those old posts, I think I will give it another try. I will get back to a more structured schedule, work on achieving the goals I have set, and maybe even make some new plans. But one thing's for sure: I will include a coffee break each morning!




August 24, 2016

The Five-Day Bible Challenge


Some time ago, a challenge was started on facebook to encourage people to share their favorite Bible verses. Each day, for five days, the participant would share a verse and explain its significance. This would be followed by challenging another individual to participate. I must confess. When my sister posted her first installments of the Five-Day Bible Challenge, I refrained from "liking" her posts in order to stay under the radar. After all, with 66 books, well over 1100 chapters, and over 31,000 verses, how does one choose just 5 favorites? Then one Sunday afternoon, I got the notification: I had been invited to participate in the Five-Day Bible Challenge. So each day, for the next five days, I shared a favorite scripture and explained why it is meaningful to me. These are my posts for those five days:

Day 1. There have been so many verses and passages that have been a blessing or a challenge during different seasons of my life. So I will start with the first Bible verse I memorized: John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. My daddy taught this to me when I was about four years old. It is the gospel in a nutshell. And while it took many years for that nut to sprout and grow in my heart, it eventually did. My daddy went to Heaven during my rebellious teen years, so he didn't see in me the fruit of his efforts. But his faithfulness to teach his children about God's loving gift of salvation was rewarded, and some day I will get to thank him for teaching me about Jesus.

Day 2. Continuing with this theme of verses that were especially meaningful at different times of my life, today's verse is one that jumped out at me when I was a teenager: James 2:10. For whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all. Wait a minute! If that's the case, who can possibly be good enough to go to Heaven? The answer is no one. As Romans 3:10 says, There is none righteous, no, not one. And Romans 3:23 tells us, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Apparently, That idea of listing the good stuff you've done on one side of the page, and the bad stuff on the other, doesn't work! Romans 6:23 tell us, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. What's this about a gift? Read Ephesians 2:8-9. For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest any man should boast. The definition of faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something; belief. And that brings us back to John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Day 3. Today's verse is one that spoke to me when I was a new Christian: Galatians 2:20. I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I was no longer the same as I was before. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says, Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. As I began my life as a young wife and mother, Titus 2:3-5 became a mission statement of sorts: Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so to train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands , that the word of God may not be reviled. Back then, I was one of the "young women". Now, I guess, I am one of those "older women"! But I am still learning from many women who are older than me.

Day 4. Raising five children is serious business, and I purposed in my heart to take the job seriously. As we considered what to do about their education, there seemed to be only one option for us -- homeschoolingDeuteronomy 6:6-7 tells us, These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. The best way to do this, we believed, was to teach our children ourselves rather than send them off to strangers. Homeschooling was not nearly as common back then as it is today, and with fear and trembling we followed our convictions. By the grace of God, we were able to give our children the education we never had. Those 23 years were such a blessing, and I think I learned even more than they did! The verse that became our precept, and which graced each student's diploma upon graduation, was Proverbs 9:10: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

Day 5. On this last day of the Five-Day Bible Challenge, I will share a verse that even Anne of Green Gables recognized as life-changing: John 8:32. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. There seems to be a serious lack of truth in the world these days. Politicians lie to us, news anchors "misremember" things, and scientists tamper with data so it supports their agenda. So what is truth? Pontius Pilate asked Jesus this question in John 18:38. Jesus told his disciple Thomas, in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me. There is no other way. There are many religions that burden their followers with rules and rituals. But the only way to be free from the burden of sin is through the Lord Jesus Christ. If you want to know the truth, go to the Word of God. As 2 Timothy 3:16 says, All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. Make some time each day to see what God has to say in His Word. Even just 15 minutes of reading the Bible will be worthwhile. Find a good Bible reading plan and set a goal to follow it. What if you miss a day or a week or more? Just pick up where you left off. It's that simple.

Today I invite you, Dear Reader, to participate in the challenge. I know you will be blessed!


August 16, 2016

Back to School


It's that time of year again. The local discount stores and office supply merchants have stocked up on pencils and notebooks, and planners are flying off the shelves. Children excitedly don their new clothes and carry their backpacks and lunch boxes onto the bus, or walk to school with their friends, ready for a new beginning. Filled with anticipation, they wonder who their new teachers might be. Will their team win this year? Who will make the cheerleading squad? And will that cute boy be in math class? Some kids may even have plans to get good grades this year!

Children will learn how to read and write and do arithmetic. They will learn about continents and countries, plants and animals. Some will learn foreign languages; others may learn to play a musical instrument. Students will learn how to manage their time and how to make friends. But learning doesn't end when one turns that tassel or earns that degree. That is only the beginning.

As adults, we should always be learning, developing new skills, asking questions, and seeking the answers to our problems. We can enroll in classes at a college or university, not necessarily to earn a degree, but simply to learn something new. Many communities have adult education classes, workshops, and seminars on a variety of topics. Museums and art centers offer classes in drawing, painting, and ceramics. Music stores and studios have teachers that give private lessons. Most of these options cost money. But learning doesn't have to be expensive. Home improvement stores give free demonstrations. Community centers have free lectures. And there is an abundance of information on the internet that is free for the asking. Many free online courses are offered by programs like Coursera and MIT OpenCourseWare. These are actual classes taught by top professors at prestigious universities. And, of course, there is always the public library!

As the kids go back to school, now is a good time to examine our own lives. Is there something you've always wanted to learn about, or a skill you have wanted to develop? Why not develop your own curriculum this year, and learn something new? Make a list of books to read. Sign up for a class. Set a goal, and get started!



August 1, 2016

Potluck Sunday


Our church has a tradition of having a potluck, or covered-dish dinner, on the fifth Sunday of the month when it occurs. About every three months, the calendar happens to have five Sundays instead of only four. And on those days, the ladies (and a few men) bring crockpots, casseroles, and baking dishes filled with delicious things to eat. After the pastor closes the morning service in prayer, we all make our way to the fellowship hall with big appetites and growling stomachs, and the aroma of hot food awaits our arrival.

One table is filled with cold drinks -- water and lemonade and iced tea. There is hot coffee to enjoy with dessert -- and there are plenty of sweet treats to choose from. But the main table is where the action is, where people fill their plates with  a little bit of everything. The selection of foods at potluck dinners varies widely, according to region. The food I was accustomed to seeing at these occasions, growing up in Pennsylvania, was entirely different from what we have here in South Florida. The variety of flavors one finds at our church dinners is incredible. Most people in our area, with the exception of a few "native Floridians", are transplants from other places. The foods at South Florida potlucks are as diverse as our people. Dishes from the Northeast and the Midwest, as well as traditional Southern foods, grace our table.  And what really makes our potlucks special is the sampling of foods from other countries. Foods from Cuba, Jamaica and other Caribbean islands are abundant at these shindigs, as are dishes from Europe and Asia. Our church has a dear lady from India who always brings us food from her Indian culture. A South Florida potluck is always an educational experience!

After we load up our plates, we make our way to the beautifully decorated tables and enjoy good food and fellowship. We are a diverse group of people. We are different colors and ethnicities. We are different ages and different genders. Some are rich and some are poor. We have experienced very different lives. But we do have one thing in common: the Lord Jesus Christ. And that is what really matters!

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 
Galatians 3:28 (ESV)