Diane Mickler's Blog

The lot is cast unto the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:33

“Povidence is a permanent activity of God. He is never a spectator. He always directs everything toward fulfillment. Yet God’s directing creativity always creates through the freedom of man and through the spontaneity and structural wholeness of all creatures.” Paul Tillich

This Thursday is the twenty fourth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Our remembrance of that day becomes a little more muted with each passing year, and yet, most of us remember exactly where we were when we heard the news.

In the last generation, which includes ours, the assasination of President John F. Kennedy was the historical marker. Each of my peers can remember that day like it was yesterday.

To this generation, the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Virginia, and the crash in Shanksville, Pennsylvania of Flight 93 on September 11, 2001 will be our historical marker. Again, most of us can remember exactly where we were.

Providence is defined as the protective care of God, or to see in advance and propvide for. When horrific things happen, we tend to question the providencial care of God, but as a believer there are three words that should not be in our vocabulary: luck, coincidence, and fate.

On that day, we were angry, confused, and fearful. We asked questions like, “Why God, have you abandoned us? How could this happen? Will it ever happen again? ” We want peace, and yet we want vengance.

There are stories of different people who were spared that day because they stopped for coffee, were running late, or changed flights. How do we explain it? Theologian Dr. R. C. had this to say, “God’s sovereign providence stands over and above our actions. He works out His will through the actions of human wills without violating the freedom of those human wills.”

On September 11, terrorists hijacked United Airlines Flight 93 after it left Newark intending to fly to Washington, D.C. The hijackers took over the cockpit on a suicide mission to create more devastation. Once the flight crew and passengers heard of the planes which crashed into the towers, they made a decision to fight back.

Todd Beamer, a passenger and one of the leaders of the group, is said to have said, “Let’s Roll” to the 911 operator and the other passengers just before they stormed the cockpit to stop the hijackers. His words became a symbol of courage and resilience inspiring others to join the effort which prevented the plane from reaching its target in Washington, D.C.

A total of 44 people died on that flight, 33 passengers, 7 crew members, and 4 terrorists. How do we explain those who gave their lives? Was it fate? Was it coincidence? Was it bravery? Was it providence?

We have many occasions in this life to ask, “Why God have you abandoned us?” We see unnecessary suffering, pain, and hardship. We endure many things which we might consider unfair. Everything from the untimely death of someone we love, to the horrific events in this world. Many of us could point to difficult times in our families, with our friends, in our community, and in our world.

The question rightly comes, “How are we to face such difficult times?” Simply put, we have to simply trust in the providence of God. None of the tragedies that we face have caught God by surprise, neither has God abdicated control of the situation. For some reason or another, God has brought these things into our lives. We need to trust Him through all of them

Hope and trust in the Lord will come as we learn to understand that God is providentially in charge of all things! A man once wrote to his minister after ahis wife’s visit with her doctor; “Tough news from our end, but God in His providence is on the throne.”

As we remember those who lost their lives, let’s also remember all the brave men and women of the police force, the fire department, the military and the emergency personnel, the doctors, nurses, and every person who gave “the last full measure of devotion.” Abraham Lincoln

Our country tis of Thee, sweet land of liberty, to thee we sing. Long may our land be bright with freedom’s holy light, protect us by thy might, Great God our KIng. Samuel Francis Smith

Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confidant that you will get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Colossians 3: 23-24 The Message

Today we celebrate Labor Day which is thought of as the unofficial beginning of fall. It’s a bit of a strange holiday because even though we call it “Labor Day”, it’s a day where people labor as little as possible and most working folks have the day off!

Labor Day was first celebrated in New York City in 1882 to honor the nation’s workers stemming from the 19th century labor movement and The Industrial Revolution. In 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed legislation establishing the first Monday in September as a federal holiday to acknowledge the contributions of workers.

The holiday is different for different people. For example, for the person who works each day, it’s a day off, but for a Mom it’s a day with the kids and the spouse, so it can be a difficult day rather than a holiday. For the policeman, it’s a day with extra heavy traffic and more alcohol abuse, but for the farmer and the rancher, it’s just another day to feed the cattle and work in the field.

As much as we sometimes dread going to work, work is good for us. It’s actually a healthy thing to do because it exercises both the body and the brain. Most poeople don’t die from hard work or being overworked, they die from doing nothing!

God was a worker! He set about creating the heavens and the earth. On the first day, He gave light. The second day, He created the sky. The third day, He labored to create the land, seas, and plants. The fourth day, He put in place the sun, moon, and stars. The fifth day was the day He created the sea creatures and the birds. The sixth day, He made the land animals and humans. The seventh day, He rested!

From the beginning, God gave the humans that he had created work to do. Adam and Eve were charged with working to tend the Garden of Eden. Shepherds labored to tend the sheep in their care. When Jesus came, He had the job of being a carpenter, and He worked with his hands in Joseph’s carpentry shop.

Andrew, Peter,James,and John labored as fishermen. Matthew worked as a tax collector. Jesus also worked at choosing His disciples, and He called the disciples from their jobs to a new job being “fishers of men.”

Paul says that we are to consider our labor as a service to God no matter what we do. Whatever we do, we are to do it to the glory of God and not just to gain status or power.

As Christians, we can labor for the Lord by serving those who need us. Last week, we witnessed yet another senseless tragedy at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis which resulted in the death of two children. No one is immune to the horrors that unfold before us, and it is our job to reach out to our fellow man with the love of Christ.

We can also labor with dignity and intelligence in our daily tasks by praying and living a life of obedience while serving in our community and church.

Ultimately, any labor that we do that is focused on God, rather than self, becomes a way to bring glory to Him and advance His kingdom.

The hymn When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder expresses our hope and belief in being present for “roll call” when the roll is called in heaven saying that our job here is done.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn to setting sun, Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care. When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore, and the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there! James M. Black

Happy Labor Day!

Be glad in God! I don’t mind repeating what I have written in earlier letters, and I hope you don’t mind hearing it again. Better safe than sorry! Phillippians 3:1

Many years ago when our kids were small, we had to drive around 10-15 miles to take them to a movie. It was sometimes difficult to get everyone “ready to roll,” and thus, we often arrived after the movie of choice had begun!

We usually missed the first ten to fifteen minutes of the movie by the time we bought snacks and got settled. Even though it wasn’t hard to ascertain the plot of the movie, the kids always wanted to stay and watch the next showing from the beginning! It is entirely possible that they just wanted an excuse to have more popcorn, but none the less, we acquiesced and waited for the movie to begin again!

Usually by the time the next movie had started again, Randy’s patience was running thin, but the kids were totally absorbed. Suddenly, Randy would stand up and announce, “All right ya’ll, this is where we came in! Let’s go!!

The expression This is where I came in originates from the practice of continuous movie screenings in early 20th century cinemas. The viewers could enter a film in progress, stay to watch the part they missed, and identify their entry point to others.

The phrase is also used to describe a situation where a discussion, argument, or project has returned to its starting point often indicating that things are going in circles or have an unresolved pattern. At this point, folks are known to say, This is where I came in!

Most teachers I know were subjected to faculty meetings every week! We were required to attend, but usually after the first ten minutes, most of us were thinking, This is where I came in!.

I’m pretty sure that God feels like This is where I came in in regard to many in the Old Testament, the New Testament, and this world of today. People in all of these had occasions where they ignored God, they disobeyed God, or they just refused to listen.

Adam and Eve are the classic case of disobedience. God only asked one thing of them, “Do not eat from the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” Satan was able to tempt them into doing just that, and God probably said, This is where I came in!

The Israelites, despite witnessing God’s power, repeatedly ignored His request to trust and obey Him. That’s when God said, This is where I came in, and decreed that they would not enter the Promised Land.

The parable in Luke of a rich man and Lazarus, tells of a rich man who refused to listen to the needs of Lazarus. After the rich man’s death, he found himself in eternal torment emphasizing the consequences of refusing to listen to God. God said, This is where I came in and punished the rich man.

The world of today has views which ignore God, disobey God, and refuse to listen to Him. For example, people may believe that science dispells the idea that miracles exist because it goes against scientific principles. God says, This is where I came in!

God says, “Thou shall not kill”, and there are people who continue to do just that in this world. God says, This is where I came in!

In the scripture above, Paul would have us to remember not to tire of hearing the scripture that tells us to obey God, to listen to God, and to never ignore His teachings. Don’t tire and think This is where I came in!. The scripture and teachings are definitely worth repeating. Never tire of telling it over and over.

There is an old hymn, I Love To Tell The Story, that expresses the need to repeat the wonders of God.

I love to tell the story of unseen things above. Of Jesus and His glory, Of Jesus and His love. I love to tell the story because I know tis true; It satisfies my longing as nothing else can do. I love to tell the story, Twill be my theme in glory; To tell the old, old, story of Jesus and His love. Words and music by Arabella Hankey and William Fischer

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything which makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. Hebrews 11:1 The Message

During the 1970’s, Heinz catsup had a commercial which aired to show the television audience just how rich and thick their catsup was compared to other brands. In the add, as the catsup slowly poured from the Heinz bottle, the song, Anticipation by Carly Simon, was playing in the background while viewers watched the catsup slowly pour from the bottle over a plate of french fries. It was the perfect illustration of anticipation!

Anticipation is defined as waiting eagerly for something you know is going to happen. At this time of year, the anticipation around our house is building every day as we await the beginning of another season of College Football and the Dawgs back in action. The prognosticators have been working feverishly to set the stage for what they say will be, the best season ever.

Randy and most of his buddies, can tell you exactly how many days, hours, and minutes are left before the players hit the field, the football is “teed up”, the whistle blows, and the game begins. We’ve anticipated this day for about seven months, and the day is almost here!!

Sometimes it’s exciting to anticipate an event, a trip, a special occasion, etc., but on the other hand, it can be nerve wracking. Anticipation is basically a meditation on the notions of time, and how we all get trapped thinking about the future instead of enjoying the present.

In the spring of 1924, Jack Sundine was a four year old kid, standing in a line with his father inside the White House, eagerly anticipating meeting President Calvin Coolidge. As they neared him, Jack noticed that the President said something to each visitor. He couldn’t wait to hear what the President would say to him. Soon the thrilling moment arrived. Jack put his small hand in the hand of the President’s. Then the President said words Jack had not anticipated, but he would never forget: “Move along.” Not the ending he had anticipated.

Sometimes anticipation doesn’t live up to our hopes, but it is a powerful thing if it is directed in the right manner toward the right thing. Anticipation can either destroy your peace and even your faith through worry and anxiety over what is, or something that may never happen, or it can spur you onward in faith and joy.

Anticipation is a core element of the Christian faith, involving not just waiting, but also actively preparing and living in a way that reflects Christ’s teachings. As Christians, we are anticipating the return of Jesus someday, and the ongoing presence of His grace in this world of today.

There is a tension we feel in this country as we try to get a grip on the senseless shootings, natural disasters, and everyday pain, frustration, and sadness. Things that we never in our wildest thoughts anticipated would happen in our country are happening right before our eyes, and we seem helpless to stop them.

On a daily basis, we see much unrest, war, and human suffering. It is frustrating as we ponder an answer to these problems, but if we look ahead with a sense of anticipation, we remember that we also have faith in Jesus to handle his world.

Anticipation is about expectation. We look ahead to what is coming and believe with certainty that it will happen. Another word for anticpation and expectation is faith. Faith is the confidence that what we believe is true, and our faith as believers is rooted in who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He will do.

Rather than anticpating the worst, try remembering that whether we experience good things right now or one day in eternity, good things are ahead because our God is faithful and everything He promises is true.

Andy Warhol said, The idea of anticipating something makes it more exciting. As we enter the fall, and all the anticipation ahead of us remember that He has made an awful lot of exciting things for us to enjoy! Go Dawgs!

Anyone who has seen me, has seen the Father. John 14:9

There was a news story this week which highlighted a seagull on the beaches in Connecticut. It appears that he terrorizes beachgoers by swooping down and stealing their food, even several sandwiches at one time. The situation has gotten so bad, that the county has put up wanted signs on the beach which show a picture of the seagull with the words, Have you seen him?

The seagull’s name is Cecil, and he is known for his persistence, biting while stealing sandwiches, and arriving just at lunchtime when the food begins to appear.

Seagulls are present on beaches everywhere, and we have always found them to be pretty even tempered animals. However, many beaches do warn against feeding them as they are nature’s ultimate opportunists when it comes to food.

I began to wonder what would happen if we placed signs with a picture of Jesus around a community with the words, Have you seen Him? In the scripture above, Jesus is telling his disciples that “If they have seen Him, they have seen God.” There are so many times and places in our daily lives where we “See God” without even noticing it!

The disciples and many of the people in the New Testament were fortunate enough to see Jesus in the flesh when He walked among them. We will need to be content with feeling His spirit and seeing His works until that day when we will see him face to face.

People experience Him in a variety of ways, from profound life altering encounters to subtle every day feelings. Some may find Jesus in moments of peace, joy, or a sense of connection to something greater than ourselves while others find Him in life altering situations. These experiences are deeply personal and vary greatly from one person to another.

Seeing Jesus in our everyday places is like seeing a reflection of God’s nature and character. If we are honest, most of us feel the reassurance of seeing God’s hand in the things and events of life.

For example, have you seen Him in the first light of day while the “dew is still on the roses”? Who else could bless us with the beauty of each new day?

Have you seen Him in the face of a newborn baby as parents and family feel that sense of unconditional love and connection?

Have you seen Him in acts of service as the joy of selfless giving of ourselves and our resources show us God’s love in action through Missions to others?

Have you seen HIm in challenging situations when He bestows peace, strength, or hope in the way that allows us to experience God’s presence?

Have you seen Him when hummingbirds come back every year to visit as a reminder of those who are no longer with us, but with the reassurance that God is there?

Have you seen Him during “rainbow days” when His promise is bright and reassuring in the heavens?

Have you seen HIm through people who remain “anonymous” even though they give so much of themselves to others?

Have you seen Him in the comforting words and actions of those around us when we lose a loved one?

Have you seen Him through the kindness of others?

Have you seen Him through prayer and meditation that allows you to develop a deeper connection with Him?

Have you seen Him in the mundane of the everyday life such as a commute, a grocery store line, or a long hold on the phone?

Have you seen Him in the faces of the young person who is leaving home for the college adventure and dealing with all the excitement and emotion that accompanies that big step in life?

Have you seen Him in the many volunteers who rush to aid victims of floods, fires, or other natural disasters?

Have you seen Him in the faces of congregations across this world as they joyfully offer praises and thanks to Him in worship?

As Christians, we know that we are supposed to see Him in our lives every day growing, strengthening, guiding , and sustaining us everyday. However, for many of us, hearing the words, “Have you seen Him?” become just a cliche’ because many of us miss seeing Him in our every day lives because of the distractions all around us.

Even with the beauty of creation, the natural wonders of the world, the cycle of life, etc., we don’t take the time to really see Him. In this world, we heavily rely on what we can see as we face the circumstances of life which captures our focus and our attention.

God is never silent in our lives, and we only need to be aware of His presence to see Him. Finally brethern, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of a good report; think on these things and you will see Him. (Phillippians 4:8)

I will probably never see Cecil, but I can say that I will see God in the everyday miracles of this life!

Words have immense power, both bringing life and causing death. Proverbs 18-21

It’s hard to believe that teachers, students, and parents are getting back to school and back to the routine that goes with it! The first day of school can be traumatic especially for the kindergarten classes because some parents have a hard time saying the word, good bye. When the teachers manage to pry the kids away from the parents, the three words or phraases most often heard from the parents are, I love you, mind your teacher, see you later, or do your best!

Words have the ability to bring both positive or negative consequences. They can impact relationships and self esteem, build up or tear down, encourage or discourage, inspire or demoralize. Words reveal the condition of our heart, and they should be those of encouragement rather than words of anger, judgment, or criticism.

Words have incredible power. The story is told of a teacher who had the same group of students when they were in the third grade, and she had them again when they were in the ninth grade. She immediately noticed the change in attitude and the condition of their heart near the beginning of the new year, so she gave them an assignment.

The teacher had the students take out a piece of paper, write the name of each person in the class, and then write the nicest thing they could think about of this person. She took the list and composed a list for each of the students of the nicest words their classmates had written about them.

Nothing was said, but in later years one of their classmates was killed in Viet Nam. At the funeral, his mother pulled out the paper of the nicest words the classmates had written about him and explained that he took this paper with him as he fought in Viet Nam. At that point, others in the class revealed that they, too, kept this paper and read the kind words frequently. Words have power.

God used words to create the world. Words like, let there be light, let the birds fly, let the earth bring forth vegetation, and let us make humankind in our image. Genesis says that He spoke these words, He didn’t just think them. The words we speak have power.

Parents speak words in raising their children. Words like, Lord help me, Lord forgive me, Lord show me the way, and Lord thank you. Speaking the words gives us power and strength than we don’t have.

As a teacher, we learned that positive words get much greater results with students than negative ones. If you start a sentence with “DON’T”, the negative connitation is there. For example, rather than saying “don’t run” use the word, “walk”, and it gets more attention.

Lately, I’ve wondered if we could write a message to God with only three words, what would it be? I think mine would be Lord, thank you. Most of us, myself included, love to hear words of thanks and appreciation because there is a lot of power in words of gratitude. I realized that I don’t say those words enough.

Samuel Lebowitz, a lawyer who saved seventy eight people from the electric chair admited that not one of them reached out to say thank you for his help. It’s the same with many professions. The author William Steiger was asked if he could remember how he became such a master of words, and he pointed to one specific teacher. After the interview, he wrote her a letter of thanks. She wrote back these words, “I taught school for over fifty years, and yours is the first note of thanks I have ever received.” Words of gratitude and thanks can warm a cold heart.

As this new school year begins, it would be great to start it with words that are filled with inspiration, affirmation, and gratitude! “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Keep your eyes open, hold tight to your promises, give it all you’ve got, be resolute, and love without stopping. 1 Corinthians 16:14 The Message

In the early years of the 1970’s, Randy and I were both attending The University of Georgia. Although, we were friends, we had never dated at this point in our relationship. It was during this time that we watched with great interest as many of our friends gave or received a “promise ring”. The “promise ring” was very trendy, and it offered a way for those who were either too young to get engaged or those who just didn’t want to rush into marriage to continue their relationship.

A promise is defined as a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen. Some who received the promise ring went on to get married, but for some of them, the promise of the ring never came to fruition.

In essence, marriage is a promise between two people built on love, faithfulness, and a mutual commitment which mirrors the relationship between Christ and the church. In the wedding vows, the couple promises to remain faithful in love and commitment by taking these vows:”I take you to have and to hold from this day forward, for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in heath, to love and to cherish from this day forward, and forsaking all others remain faithful until death do us part.”

Fifty three years ago this week, Randy and I stood before the altar at Friendship United Methodst Church in Donalsonville, and we took these vows. These are the promises that we made to each other before God, our loved ones, and our friends. At that time, we willingly and joyfully made these promises to each other never knowing what would lie ahead.

One of our minister friends told us on that day, “You think you know today what love is and what a promise means, but you will look back years later and realize that it takes years of being partners in your marriage to truly understand. The love you feel for each other today can not compare to the love you will feel in the later years.” I can attest that there were never truer words.

We started out without a clue where life would lead us, and it has led us in some pretty interesting places, times, and situations. It has never been perfect, but God has never ceased to amaze me! As Randy said when he “proposed,” You will never be rich, but I promise you will never be bored.

If I could add to the marriage vows today, I would use the words of Rob Flood. He says: With these words, I will seek to build you up rather than tear you down. With these words, I will do all that I can do to reiterate what you mean in a way that honors and respects you. With these hands, I will touch you caringly, seeking unity even through the hardest conversations. With these eyes, I will look on you tenderly, avoiding judgment 0r scorn. With these ears, I will listen intently to understand what you are trying to say. With this heart, I will seek to love the Lord first and foremost, loving you all the while. With these words, I will share grace, mercy, and forgiveness as it has been abundantly shared with me by our Savior. And with God’s help, our communication will draw us more closely together for the good of our home and the glory of God.

Someone once said that promises are made to be broken, but God is not like that person. What He says, He does, and that is a promise.

Mark Twain wrote these words about promises entitled These I Can Promise. I cannot promise you a life of sunshine; I cannot promise riches, wealth. or gold; I cannot promise you an easy pathway, That leads away from change or growing old. But I can promise you all my heart’s devotion; A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow; A love that’s ever true and ever growing; A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.

Happy Anniversary, Randy. I love you!

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!

In the summer of 1975, Randy and I set out to my Granddaddy’s beach cottage on Mexico Beach with two other couples, a dog, and Daddy’s boat in tow. This place was, and stil is, dear to my heart because even though it was small, it was the scene of multiple family vacations with cousins and friends. It had only two bedrooms, an attic room, two baths, no air conditioning, a screen porch, kitchen, eating area, and living room. When two families of our cousins were there, the guys had cots everywhere for sleeping, the adults played bridge on the porch til the wee hours, and they slept in the bedrooms. This left us girls to sweated it out upstairs, but it just didn’t matter because it was fun!!

On our trip in June of 1975, we spent a couple of days enjoying the sun and boating with our friends, but on the third night, we all decided to take a trip into Panama City to eat dinner and see the new movie, Jaws.

It is unbelieveable that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the movie, Jaws! The movie which told the story of a great white shark which is terrorizing the small community of Amity by attacking swimmers was a hot ticket for theater goers. The plot follows a group of fishermen, oceanographers, and the town sheriff who set off to capture or kill the great white. It doesn’t take long for them to realize, as the town sheriff remarked, “We are going to need a bigger boat.”

I’m not sure why we saw this movie while we were at the beach, but I will say that the ocean was never the same after that scene where the shark suddenly comes out of the water with his Jaws wide open! It was a jaw dropping moment, which made me jump straight up, and it made us realize that if we were going back out in the ocean on Daddy’s boat, we might need a bigger boat!

There are so many jaw dropping things in this life. Some are awesome, and some are disturbing. Last week, we had the misfortune of being scammed. As we worked to clear it all up, I couldn’t help but find my jaw dropping in disbelief of the ways in which our identities can be compromised these days! It’s pretty disturbing and jaw dropping!

The wars and civil unrest we are experiencing everywhere are jaw dropping especially when we think of the number of innocent lives lost. There is so much bad news these days; however, there are awesome moments in life as well. The wedding of a couple in love, the birth of a brand new baby, the baptism of a new Christian, or the celebration of a birthday just to name a few. These are jaw dropping events!

During the short time He was on this earth, Jesus performed many jaw dropping miracles! In his first miracle, He turned water into wine at a wedding feast revealing his glory and power over creation. In Capernaum, he healed a paralyzed man who was lowered through a roof by his friends and in that moment, He demonstrated His ability to forgive sins and restore health!

Jesus miraculously fed five thousand with just two fish and five loaves of bread highlighting his compassion and ability to provide abundantly. He walked on water, and raised Lazarus from the dead demonstrating his power and solidifying his claim as the resurrection and the life!! He rose from the dead as the final confirmation that He is the Son of God and He offers hope for eternal life for us. Jaw dropping!

Sports writers are sometimes known for their unique ways of describing things. There is one phrase that catches my attention each time I hear it. It is the expression, “Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.” The expression is usually used when a team is down, the odds are impossible, and there is no way under normal circumstances that they can win. Yet, despite the odds, somehow they manage to find something extra within themselves and fight back to claim victory.

The Christians in this world are in a position right now to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat because nothing is impossible with God. We have a Savior who loves to provide us with jaw dropping moments of love, grace, and mercy.

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live. 1 Thessalonians 5:17

In the wee early morning hours of July 4, the first reports of flash flooding began to come in from local officals in Kerr County, Texas. Around 7 am, people were being evacuated from the Guadalupe River in light of catastrophic flooding and multiple fatalities. By early afternoon, it was reported that this “devastating and deadly flood”, had far surpassed the flood of 1987 making it the highest flood on record.

The flood was even more devastating because it came at a time when most people were asleep. Camp Mystic, the “girls only” camp along the Guadalupe River lost power and wi fi capabiites. In a letter to parents, the camp told them that if they had not been personally contacted, their daughters were accounted for. What about the parents who got no such communication?

The mayor of Kerrville asked the nation for prayers during this dangerous time as he reported the death of 59 people, 21 of them children. It was heartbreaking news, but it was brought close to home when we heard that the grand daughters of two of our friends were at Camp Mystic. There were tense hours before it was confirmed that their girls had been rescued by helicopter. Finally, this family could take a breath, but there were so many others still missing or confirmed dead.

On Sunday, the news only got worse as we learned of more and more families who had still not heard the fate of their loved ones. We went to church with mixed emotions as we faced the reality of this devastating disaster. Even though we had been praying, deep down I’m sure many of us were wondering if all these families could feel the love and prayers we were sending.

The service proceeded, then the beautiful ladies of the choir’s ensemble took the microphones to sing the anthem. The name of the song was Somebody’s Praying, and from the first verse, we felt as though we had the answer to our questions.

The song was written by John Elliott, but it was Ricky Scaggs who made it popular when he included it on his 1991 album. The following words tell the story.

Somebody’s praying, I can feel it; Somebody’s praying for me. Mighty hands are guiding me, to protect me from what I can’t see. Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe, Somebody’s praying for me.

Angels are watching, I can feel it; Angels are watching over me. There’s many miles ahead ’til I get home, Still I’m safely kept before your throne. ‘Cause, Lord, I believe; Lord, I believe, Your angels are watching over me.

Well, I’ve walked the barren wilderness, where my pillow was a stone; And I’ve been through the darkest caverns where no light ever shone. Still I went on ’cause there was someone who was down on their kness. Lord, I thank you for these people praying all this time for me.

Somebody’s praying, I can feel it; Somebody’s praying for me. MIghty hands are guiding me, to protect me from what I can’t see. Lord, I believe. Lord, I believe; Somebody’s praying for me!

As of this writing, over 170 souls are still missing and 120 deaths have been recorded. As the numbers of the missing increases and rescue missions become recover missions, we will probably never know the number of folks in Texas who are being touched and strengthened by the prayers of so many. However, we can be assured that God is seeing to it that they feel those prayers and the strength they bring to them.

In times of crisis such as this, prayers can be our source of comfort, strength, and guidance. This week as we continue to pray, remember to petition God for His intervention and trust His power to handle it. As we move forward, remember to trust His promises and find peace through faith.

Let me tell you why you are here. You are here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. Matthew 5:13 from The Message

The dining table at most dinner parties which I have attended, and habitually at my own, are always equipped with salt and pepper on the table. We do it because different people have different tastes, and it is just common sense to provide seasonings. It never occurs to most of us that the hostess might be insulted if those at the table needed extra salt because the conversation around the table usually includes the phrase, “Please, pass the salt.“

Lately, I’ve noticed that restaurants have taken away the salt because of concerns about hygiene and the desire to maintain a cleaner aesthetic look on the table. In order to solve that problem, we have learned to ask for it immediately when our food arrives.

We add salt to food because it adds flavor. I have to say that there are certain foods that I wouldn’t eat without it. Things like fresh homegrown tomatoes, french fries, corn, eggs, and the list goes on just require salt. It is said that as people get older, and their tastes change, the two things they require most in their diet is salt and sweets! I am in favor of both!!

As Christians, it is imperative that we pass the salt to those in this world of today who need to hear about the goodness of God. When we exemplify Christ in our daily lives, the flavor the salt of His word adds to lives can make a miraculous change in those lives.

I think we can pass the salt in several ways. The first is through our words. Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.”

John Grisham is one of my favorite authors, but he has been called, “a straight arrow making his way along a very crooked path.” His novels often depict sleazy lawyers, corrupt politicans, and trigger happy cops, but his heroes are generally the innocent around us or children, such as the 11 year old boy in The Client. He refuses to write anything that would offend his mother or his children. He passes the salt as is instructed in the scriptures. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6

Next, we can pass the salt by being preservers in the world of today. One of the most important characteristics of salt is that it is a preservative. Just as salt was used to preserve meat, fish, and other items in years past, we are called to preserve the faith as Jesus taught it. We are here to pass it on, pure and unaltered to those who come after us.

Finally, we can pass the salt by being influencers to others. In most bars and some restaurants, the owners make a habit of providing peanuts, chex mix, or something salty upon which customers can nibble. The reasoning behind that is simple, salt makes us thirsty. The more salt one eats, the more one drinks! Just like the people in a bar or restaurant, once someone has tasted salt, they develop a thirst, and I think that’s what God is doing through Christians. Once others see the reality of Jesus in our lives, they develop a thirst to know more.

The most important thing about salt is that it does nothing if we don’t pass it. If we only share the salt with other Christians, then the flavor will be wasted. If the french fries are already salted, we don’t need to add more; however, if we pass the salt to those who have never had it, what a difference it can make!

Pope Francis said to Christians, “You must be salt and light but never self serving. Salt must add flavor and light must illuminate the other.”

When we pass the salt, we are deliberately seeking to influence the people in our lives by showing them the unconditional love of Christ through our words, and our deeds.