Month: September 2017

“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”  Proverbs 16:24

There are few things I like better than honey, and I especially love Bit-O-Honey candy chews! This year as Randy and I have visited churches in the area, I was fortunate to attend a service where the minister passed out Bit-O- Honey chews as a “take away”.  YUM – I will never forget that message!!

The scripture above equates gracious words to honey for the soul, and it is so true!  As a teacher, the golden rule of parent conferences was, “Say three positive things about the child before you mention any of the negative things you might be dying to say.”  Keeping this rule in mind, most teachers always try to speak graciously of children in their class which usually leads the parents to be more open to any suggestions. This is not always easy – I know, I’ve been on both sides of the table as a parent and a teacher.

This same rule should go for coaches, parents, friends, enemies, and everyone in between.  It’s just as easy to speak gracious words as it is to speak hurtful ones or words spoken in anger. There is a huge power in words and the way they are spoken.  John Maxwell said, “People may hear your words, but they feel your attitude.”

I don’t know a single person who can’t benefit from hearing gracious words about themselves, their career, or their children.  “Have you lost weight?” is one of my favorites!  I also love, “Your grandchildren are so handsome!” – “Retirement is agreeing with you!” – “We miss you so much!” – “Good job!” – “It was great to see you!”  – “We love you!” -just to name a few!  The old saying is so true, “You can catch more flies with honey.”  Bit-O-Honeys” are a great way to remember!!

The Bible says that Jesus will recognize us for our love for each other.  I would think He would also recognize gracious words spoken to each other!

“Look beneath the surface so you can judge correctly.”  John 7:24

I take an aqua fit class almost every day, and the people in that class have become friends as well as acquaintances.  We tend to habitually group ourselves into our own end of the pool, and although, we welcome new people, sometimes we scrutinize them as well.

Enter “Don”, a strange gentleman who kept to himself, never spoke to others, and chewed gum like crazy!  We began to wonder if there was something wrong with him mentally – maybe the effects of a stroke, or a social disorder of some kind.  He was a loner in a “sea” of conversation and activity.  In the beginning I said “hello” everyday, but he only nodded his head in reply, so I quit speaking.

Slowly, he began to smile at us, say good morning, and eventually say a few words.  He must have talked to someone because he knew my name, Randy’s name, and our church background.  He began to ask me to ask Randy for his opinion on some Biblical questions.  I reported the answers during class, he nodded his head, and gave me the next question.

Last week during class, I watched as “Don” got out of the water, sat on the steps for a few minutes, then left to go to the dressing room.  No one went to see about him, and in a few minutes I saw him leave the club.  I couldn’t get the incident out of my mind.

He came back two days later, and while he was sitting on the steps of the pool, I went over and sat down beside him.  I asked, “When you left the other day, were you sick?”  He thought for minute, and then said, “I have cancer.  I take a shot every three months as treatment, but the side effects are brutal.  I have hot flashes, dizzy spells, and deep depression.  The other day, I was having a dizzy spell and needed to sit until it passed.” Then, he said, “Thank you for asking.”

In that moment, I knew that I had horribly misjudged another person.  I labeled him “strange” and “weird”, but he was really just a person dealing with his own problems in his own way.  Many of the “strange” days were depression days.  I did exactly what we as Christians are taught not to do. I had formed an opinion without bothering to know the person.  This was a Godly reminder for me!

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”             Harper Lee

“It is in the pauses – the rests, the spaces in between – that meaning is made and that holiness is felt.”  Rabbi Evan Moffic

Nowadays we keep so busy there’s hardly a pause or space in our day. Moffic says that “that’s not the way God created us or the world.  God worked, then rested.  God created, then paused…thus our Sabbath is the day when we can marvel at the beauty of the world God created.  It is the day we enjoy what the ancient sages called ‘a taste of heaven’.  It is a day when we stop thinking about the what of life and remind ourselves of the why of life.”

In years past, Sunday or the Sabbath, was set aside for worship, rest, and family time.  It was a day when stores were closed, people dressed up for church, and the atmosphere was restful and relaxed – a chance to pause and reflect.  It was a little “taste of heaven”.

Now, I see little league teams practicing first thing on Sunday morning, sports take center stage, stores are open every day, and people drop into church on their way somewhere else.  Sunday or the Sabbath is just another day.  We are missing that “taste of heaven.”

This year is the 16th anniversary of 911.  I remember exactly where I was when that tragedy occurred, and the sense of helplessness I felt.  As Americans, we paused that day and in the days immediately following to honor those who lost their lives in the towers, in the plane crash, and those brave emergency respondents.  We, as a church and people everywhere came together to pause and pray to ask God’s blessings and intervention in this tragedy. We needed a little “taste of heaven.”

These past two weeks, we have paused and waited  helplessly to see the damage Harvey and Irma would invoke on the country.  We’ve taken a pause from our political differences and drawn together to pray for and support those who have lost so much in these natural disasters.  When we pause to come to the aid of another, we experience that “taste of heaven.”

As we pause to remember 911 and continue to pray for the victims of the storm, God is working in His world.  Sometimes God does His greatest work during the pauses of our life.

Isaiah 29:9  “Pause and wonder.”

“The game of life is a lot like football.  You have to tackle your problems, block your fears, and score your points when you get the opportunity.” Lewis Grizzard

Football season is now upon us, and I must say it’s welcomed with great anticipation here! Georgia has a win under their belt, and we have many more weeks of excitement to come!

This year, two of our grandsons are also on the gridiron, but they are in different places and they play different positions.  While watching them play, I realized Lewis Grizzard is right, football is a lot like life.

Cooper, our ten year old, plays center for the Buford Wolves.  His position makes me think of the anchor that we need in our lives.  He is a big boy, smart, and nobody gets past him!  I also love that until he hikes that ball, nothing else can happen in that game!

Mason, our eight year old, plays anywhere on the field for his team!  His positions make me think of a sparkplug or motivator that we need in our life.  He is a live wire, and even if he is not in the game, he is out there motivating others just being there!

In our lives, we also need encouragers, and I love how both boys encourage their teammates before, during and after games.  Friends are there when the game is over, so it’s a great idea to be there for them all the time.

As Christians, I look at the Bible as our anchor.  We have so much conflict, tragedy, and upheaval in our world today.  If you are anchored, you are held firmly in place.  The world is changing, but God’s truth as stated in the Bible has not changed.

I look at disciples of Christ as the motivators.  We motivate people around us each day by living a life that exemplifies our faith by our actions as well as our words.

We are all supposed to be encouragers of each other.  We are not to be critical of our fellow Christians, but rather, we should be there to encourage and not judge. We might not always agree, but it is up to us to be there for each other to support and encourage.

“The Lord your God is in your midst; a warrior who gives victory.”  Zephania 3:7

Coop is #44 and Mason is the blonde scoring the TD!