You Gotta Have Hope........

 What inspires you? What lifts you up?

In this unprecedented time, when it's hard to keep from complaining about all the things that we are missing, I find myself looking for something that will get my juices flowing and bring me up out of my valleys.

Today, while trying to perk a woman up, by telling her that we all need to "trust that everything will get better, soon", I was reminded of an old hymn. Well, I couldn't remember all of the words, so I used my trust PC and located several audio renditions, a printable copy of the lyrics and a brief bio of the writer. Now, I am a minimally qualified expert on the hymn, "Trust and Obey'.

John H. Sammis, a Presbyterian Minister, wrote the words in 1887. Throughout his lifetime, he was known for writing "songs of trust" and "songs of obedience". I'm not enough of an expert on his poetry, to judge all of his writings, but I do know that "Trust and Obey" is full of assurance and hope.

                                            "Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,

                                                     But His smile quickly drives it away.

                                              Not a doubt or a fear, not a sign or a tear,

                                                     Can abide while we trust and obey.

                                            Trust and Obey, for there's no other way

                                             To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey."

Dear Lord. Life is full of ups and down, and all of us are easily disappointed. Show us how to increase our Trust in You. Help us to live a life of Obedience and show us how to receive Your Gift of Hope.

Can I hear an AMEN???????

 Have you given any thought toward "kindness", lately? If you haven't, you're not alone. Kindness seems to have been packed away with our winter boots, and of course "out of sight, out of mind".Kindness is a Gift of the Holy Spirit and a Virtue. Hatred and anger, no matter how well you do them, are not Virtues, nor are they gifts to anyone! God wants us to be kind, to our fellow life-travelers.

Now, that does not mean that you are supposed to let folks be mean to you, walk all over you or put you down. No doubt, you have heard the phrase, "kill them with kindness". I am all over that powerful bit of philosophical wisdom! I have become an expert at listening, smiling and saying...."there you go".

Whenever I encounter a Meanie, I just listen to them rant and rave. It doesn't really matter if their anger is directed at me or at one of fellow workers, the important thing is to allow that person to "let it go". I have discovered, over my many years, that it is almost impossible to argue with someone who will not argue back. I aspire to be that passive pretender, because nine times out of ten, my protagonist will tire of ranting and raving, and move on. I'm just no fun!

I try to practice kindness, but I am not perfect. There are times, when I argue and  talk back. But, when that happens, I usually regret my actions. Saying please, thank you and I hear what you're saying, usually saves the day.

Dear Lord. We make it so hard on ourselves and others. Our trust is in You.

Vote Early, Vote Often!

I have always believed that there are no stupid questions. But, last year, in November, I recall receiving, what I thought at the time, the least intelligent questions I have ever been asked to answer. My resident friends wanted to know if I had ballots, for the general election. What, I thought?  How could I have a stack of ballots for a government election? Ballots are not distributed, en masse, to the general public. No, I told them. Ballots are secret and they are only given out at the polls by certified poll workers, or in certain cases, ballots are mailed to those folks who have sworn that they cannot go, in person, to the polls. If I had a stack of ballots to distribute, what would stop me from "stuffing" the ballot box. This is a one person, one vote country. Voting is sacred.

Well, look at me, now. Do I look stupid, or what? It appears that we are going to have a general election with millions of ballots going out, by mail, to the masses. "Mail out" ballots give a whole new meaning to vote early, vote often. How is this going to work? How can this be fair?

Every day, as un-official "postmistress" of my workplace, I must deal with 20 to 30 pieces of mail for folks who have passed on, or moved out. The truth is, people just do not inform their friends, creditors, the US Postal Service or the County Election Board, when they move on. 

Think about it. Do you want me, or people like me, voting the way I WANT, with YOUR BALLOT? I hope not. 

Past Times

Have you played a board game recently? If you haven't, you are missing great fun. As I recall, families used to enjoy a game of Monopoly, Sorry and Checkers, weekly, if not nightly. In these days of computer games, computer learning and computer nonsense, playing a board game, with at least one other human being, has become a real novelty. So, please, get your face out your phone, sit down and play a game with the kids.

Board games, from the most elementary (Candyland, Uno, etc.) to the more difficult (Scrabble, Chess, Backgammon) rely on the mind of the player....not a machine. Playing with real people, what a great idea!

Board games (bored games) are the items left on the shelves of the toy department at Target on December 24th. People aren't buying them, anymore. Most folks think that board games are old fashioned, just like homemade meals and knowing the difference between right and wrong. 

Trust me. As a grandparent, the joy of seeing a seven year reach the Rainbow Bridge, ahead of her older sister, Grandma and Grandpa, is worth experiencing. Winning and even coming in last, are life skills that benefit all of us.

Dear Lord. Thank you for fun. Thank you for being the source of our strength and salvation. We praise your Holy Name.

Something Old......Something New.

 We lived in Grandview, Missouri, from 1973-1978. Sometime during that span, I made a longish, plaid skirt. I believer they were called Maxi-Skirts, way back then. Long skirts were very popular, once, along with Polyester Leisure Suits and chunky shoes. Sewing was never high on my list of household skills, but if I do say so myself, I did a darn good job of constructing that skirt. I can date the skirt, that far back, because we moved to our current home in 1979, and I remember wearing it, before we moved here.

Well, it occurred to me today, as I donned that very skirt and made my way out the door, that I have been wearing this same skirt, every summer, for nearly 50 years. Stunning revelation. Remembering this, I then racked my brain trying to figure out what else I have, that is as old as my skirt. The only other, really, old thing I have, is my husband.

This month, Scott and I will have been married 55 years. We've had four children, two houses, umpteen cars, nine grand kids and countless blessings. Frankly, the old skirt looks better, for the wear and tear of life, than either of us. But, the three of us are still together.

Good and everlasting God. Your steadfast love endures forever.

What Happened???

Scott and I used to get quite a few laughs from a TV show featuring the host doing interviews, with young people. He would ask simple History questions. 

"Who fought in the Spanish-American War?" Answers, in all seriousness, would be "The Nazis?"or perhaps, "George Washington and the South".

Goofy answers, like the above, used to be funny, but not so much anymore. History, specifically American History, is getting a bad name.

I have a theory about this current "reign of terror" over our history, our monuments and our heroes. Young people have not been taught history. Along with cursive writing and telling time (using an analog clock), History has disappeared from the standard school curriculum. That's not funny.....its sad.

The truth is...You cannot change history. You might not like what and where we have been, as a nation. But, in order to keep from making the same mistakes, again and again, we need to understand how and why the past happened. 

To be judged a student of History, would be an honor. To me, any type of history, is important. We learn from history. Our future will be better, if we know our history.

A teacher, long ago, repeated this mantra, "History repeats itself, does it not?" It would appear that such a statement is no longer true. Whole generations of our species, have never learned what happened, in the first place!

Dear Everlasting Lord. We doubt. We question. We wonder, why us? Help us to Trust and Obey. Our answers are in You. You are our Hope and our Salvation.