A few weeks ago in SS we were discussing the difference between joy and happiness. It seems Christians have a different perspective on these two emotions. We decided that happiness is dependent on happenings. If I lose two pounds I’m happy; if I gain one pound I’m not. This produces a rollercoaster effect on our emotions. Other people can make us happy or unhappy, leaving us with little control of our feelings.

Joy, on the other hand, is something very different. While Webster’s gives similar definitions for joy and happiness, using them almost interchangeably, to a Christian, there’s a huge difference. Joy is something God gives us. It isn’t dependent on people or happenings; it’s dependent on our dependence on God.

Try to explain joy to someone; it’s an almost indescribable peacefulness deep inside. True joy from God is not an up-and-down feeling. Even when I’m not on top of the world, even when I’m struggling with challenges that seem to overwhelm, even when my heart is heavy, I can feel joy. It’s not worldly giddiness; it’s peace in the midst of the storm.

Joy is knowing that our Heavenly Father is in control and that Jesus is seated at His right hand to intercede for us. Joy is waiting for the Father to heal the hurt and knowing that He will. Joy is deep inside where others can’t see, but it produces outward calmness, wisdom and peace. Joy is a fruit of the Spirit and comes directly from having a relationship with God. As Peter the Apostle says in 1 Peter 1:6–9,

In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

It’s time to start a new church year. Our class has just wrapped up a study of The Acts of the Apostles. It’s my favorite book in the Bible! (Inside joke: Every time we start studying a new book I say it’s my favorite.)

The study of Acts has given me a renewed awe regarding the power of the Holy Spirit to impact our world. The writers of our SS literature do a very good job of putting together lessons that build on each other each week. From Acts we learned that there are some things that only God can do through His power. But we also saw Him at work in individuals – Paul, Peter, Stephen, Philip – using their unique personalities in the work of Kingdom growth. We also studied different cities/towns where churches were planted and we saw that many of the challenges we face today are the same as they faced in the first century.

As I read through the first chapter of Acts last week (one more time before we closed out the study), I could just see the apostles and other Christ-followers trudging up the stairs to the place where they had been staying. After Jesus’ ascension, don’t you know they were confused, frustrated, concerned, downcast? As they sat in that upper room I can imagine that Bartholomew was asking himself, “Why did I run away that night in the garden? What’s going to happen to me now? What did He mean, ‘…the gift the Father promised?’” And wouldn’t Peter have been beating himself up over the fact that he had verbally, and very publicly, denied even knowing Jesus? Not once, but three times? The silence in that room must have been deafening.

But then, maybe in a back corner, Matthew stood up and started praying. He sat down and after a time, Philip stood up to pray. Slowly their moods began to lighten as they turned their focus to the Father and stopped thinking about their shortcomings. Maybe in painful honesty Peter admitted his sin and others began to do the same. And then there was more of peace than of a pall.

And then they heard it…the sound as of a mighty rushing wind. And it was inside, not outside; but nothing stirred. As they held their collective breaths the appearance of the fire flaming over each of them is a sight I hope to see on God’s heavenly TiVo some day.

These same people who trudged up those stairs in despondency would now trek down those same stairs in determination. The change was not of their making; it could only have been the power of the Spirit. And that power would change the world. Today I can give thanks that those 120 men and women waited in obedience for God to indwell them, then moved in obedience to the Spirit’s leading. The church was born that day and nothing can ever destroy it. How fortunate we are that they obeyed. It’s time for us to do the same. My prayer is for a fresh indwelling and working of the Spirit in my life. And may I be faithful in obedience to His leading.

Mama told me there would be days like this...

First, I didn't sleep well, possibly anticipating the harrowing day to come. When I got up about 4am there was a visitor - pleurisy. Not an horrific case, but aggravating, nonetheless. (Why do I use that word when I write, but seldom use it in conversation?) Anyway, pleurisy, sniffles and a sinus headache were my morning companions.

Right after morning break my favorite tattler came to tell me about some other employees' work habits. I told her to go back to work. I should have known it wouldn't be that simple. Another employee came to tattle on her and we went downhill from there. I've never had a problem with tattlers until this particular person came to work a little over a year ago. Makes me want to pull my hair out. None of the usual tricks stopped her. Oh, was she ever gonna get her comeuppance today, and all by her own hand.

Not one to take anything with a grain of salt, my problem child burst into my office as I was investigating a charge of harassment, demanding to know what was going on. I told her I was busy and would talk to her later. Well, who am I to put her off? She demanded more loudly to know "what you're going to do to me" and again I told her I would talk to her later. I instructed her to go back to her workstation. "I have a right to know what you're going to do to me right now," she shouted at me. I firmly told her to go back to her workstation. Out she flounced, slamming the door and screaming, "I'm going home." Oh, yeah, please don't anyone stop her. It's called job abandonment and is considered self-termination. She screamed and hollered her way right out the door and I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I won't even stress over going on vacation in October now that the troublemaker is gone. In my own defense, I went several extra miles to try to save her job; she has some deep-seated issues that I'm not equipped to deal with. Maybe there's someone out there who can help her because I certainly don't wish her ill. I just wish her on someone else. Sorry, potential employer, but she's all yours.

And so it goes in the life of a working girl...

We had a Women’s Ministry brunch at church Saturday. What a wonderful time we all had. After all the games, food & general hilarity, Dr. Leanna Hollis spoke about different women of differing gifts and talents carrying on the work of ministry. It was a very inspiring talk. There were over 60 ladies of all ages bonded together by a love for the Lord and His church and by a love for each other.

As an Icebreaker we all had cards with a question. We were to talk to as many people as possible, write down their names and their answers. Mind you, all of us had different questions. One lady approached me (who was that woman?!?) and asked, “What’s your favorite book of the Bible?” I almost fell out of my chair laughing and my Sunday school members around me thought it was too funny. You see, each quarter we start studying a different book of the Bible, and for as long as I’ve been teaching the class – 7 years – I start each quarter by telling them, “This is my very favorite book in the Bible.” Yes, I have lots of favorites; 66, as a matter of fact.

It rained off and on all weekend and we’ve been thankful for every drop. In this part of the state rain has been scarce this summer. But the rain didn’t stop us. Even when the umbrella turned wrong-side-out we just laughed and trekked on. All of us were sporting that wind-blown look.

And it’s been a calm day at work, strangely enough. I have several projects going on so I only get out of the cubbyhole a few times a day. Never have understood how I’m supposed to “supervise” when I’m tied to a computer. Oh, well. I’m glad to have a job and benefits. I’ll leave the “understanding” to my bosses.

As they gathered 'round to sing Happy Birthday, the young waitress asked, "Are you 29 again this year?" "No," I replied, "I'm 57 and proud of it." They sang anyway. I'm not sure why people are ashamed? embarrassed? to tell their age. And it's not just women; men don't like to tell, either. Of course, the older we are, the closer we are to the grave, but why not be thankful for life and all the years God has graced us with?

I've been celebrating all week. My Sunday school class went to Olive Garden Monday night - our monthly get-together. Thursday night Katey, Andy, Katelee & Tucker took me to Outback. And today I'm going to a brunch at the church. All of these were not birthday celebrations, but I'm enjoying them all nonetheless. I'll see Laurie & Molly today, so you can see that it's been a good week.

Last week I went for my yearly physical. Pami was impressed with my weight loss (at least 39 pounds since last year) and my cholesterol & triglyceride counts. (Except for this week) I'm eating a lot healthier and staying with the treadmill & cardio workouts. My tendency to start well, then backslide is something I battle all the time, but feeling better and the prospect of longer quality of life keeps me grounded.

I've always envied people who can "sleep in". It's a holiday and I didn't have to get up early, but guess who was awake at 4:30? Yep, yours truly. Part of it is my normal routine. I'm usually up by 4:15am so I can be at work by 6:15am. Being a morning person, my brain works better that time of day; it's the best time for me to have my devotions. Since Brad put the NASB on my iPod, I can listen to about 7 chapters and then spend time in prayer. As you might have surmised, getting up this early leads to going to bed really early, too. I used to think my parents were just weird for going to bed at 8pm. Company would have heard my daddy say, "Well, Sue, I think we'd better go to bed so these folks can go home." If the phone rang after 8pm, daddy answered with, "WHAT?" Now I understand why they retired early. And my family completely understands.

It will be a quiet day for me: Terry will be at work and the kids will be at in-laws' homes. It will be a good day to finish Part 2 of Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. I hadn't realized until a few weeks ago that there is a Part 2. Christian's pilgrimage makes up Part 1 and so far as I can tell from the Prologue, Part 2 is the pilgrimage of Christiana, his wife, and their four children. I read this classic when I was a teen so was surprised at how much I remembered. But I didn't know about Part 2 and I'm excited about starting it today.

I'll have to be very careful about downloading to the iPod. Pilgrim's Progress was a free download, but let me tell you, other books are not cheap. You'd think that since publishers don't have to pay for ink, paper, shipping, etc., these downloads would be less expensive. Not necessarily so. I'm trying to find some trustworthy sites with less expensive products. Cathy, if you see any downloads by some of the Christian authors you know I like - Lucado, Swindoll, Tozer, Blackaby - please let me know.

Have a happy and safe 4th.

Don’t you just love nice surprises? Monday afternoon I was working hard…smile…at my computer when I heard the front door open. I looked up (with my computer glasses on, which prevented my seeing anything except a blur) and saw a wild woman standing at the counter waving big-time. Quick! Change glasses. Oh my stars, it’s Cathy. How great is that?! She had spent a couple of days w/ her grands and was on her way back home. We only got a short visit in, but Friend Cathy, it was wonderful to see you.

This past weekend was a sweet one for our family. Katelee was baptized Sunday morning with lots of family there to share the experience. It turned into a really busy day. Some of us went to lunch after church; then L & I went to a bridal shower. At the house K & kidlettes came by twice and M dropped in for a while. WOW! How often do I get to see all my girls in one day? Not nearly often enough.

I finished my work projects that were stressing me out so much. Of course, there will probably be things to correct but it will come in smaller, more manageable increments.

I fell off the wagon last night. Yesterday was our 37th anniversary so Terry & I went out to supper. Do you know how hard it is to manage portions when you go to a place that is strictly buffet? Oh well, let’s just say it was a reward for making a drastic lifestyle change. I’m back on the healthy eating wagon again today so maybe there wasn’t too much harm. On Monday afternoon I added a cardio workout to my routine. I can tell you, about 10 minutes into the program I could feel every single one of my 57 years. Can you say “the oldies were sweating”? Oh…but I feel so much better.

It’s been an emotional week. I’ve had two large projects with a 6/20 deadline that threatened my sanity. Not one to procrastinate, the tendency on these two projects caught me completely off guard. Mine wasn’t a “drop-dead” timeline, but I was strongly encouraged to get it done. I’ll be sending off a large package Monday & finishing the rest this coming week. In my own defense, the procrastination stemmed from lack of resources – people, information, direction. Oh well, it’s almost over and I’ll find out soon enough what “they” think of my work.

An employee has been very sick – in hospital last week & then again this week. He finally got a diagnosis Wednesday and had surgery Thursday. Ramon is a lovable teddy-bear of a man and we’ve been very worried about him.

Carter & Laurie were going w/ the church group to the Creation Museum in Kentucky and to the Cincinnati Zoo Thu – Sat. Those plans changed slightly when Marlee Kupcake got very sick. She went to the doctor Tue morning and when she wasn’t doing better Wed morning (in fact, worse) doc told Mommy to bring her in and be prepared to go directly to the hospital. Yep, she was admitted. At first it was precautionary, but then tests revealed salmonella and a severe UTI in a 16-mo old. She didn’t like the IV and hated the blood pressure cuff they put on her ankle. The IV was taken out yesterday morning and she was home before lunch. She’s doing much better but still recovering.

Because of her hospital stay, we weren’t sure about Carter going on the trip, but several parents said they would be glad to take care of him as their own. He spent the night w/ us and we got him to the church early Thu morning. Laurie’s talked to him and some of the adults. He’s having a great time and will be home this afternoon.

In the middle of this I took a vacation day on Tuesday. (use it or loose it) MomaG and I went shopping. TA-DA…I’m down another clothing size. The weight is coming off 2-3 pounds per week and I feel so much better. My yearly physical in August will reveal significant weight loss and I’m hoping better cholesterol and triglyceride numbers. Never one to take vitamins, it’s a necessary part of my routine now, along with a fish oil pill.

Since I don’t usually read the Comcast Cable emails I hadn’t realized until last night that onDemand has finally plugged in Exercise TV. Now I can vary my treadmill time w/ some great cardio workouts. I’m excited. Measurable results when I step on the scale serve to keep me on the straight-and-narrow. Salads, fresh fruits and vegetables, Weight Control oatmeal (which I now swear by) and lots of water have this reformed eater living a much healthier lifestyle.

5 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW YOUR CELL PHONE COULD DO
(Print and put in yourcar glove box)

There are a few things that can be done in times of grave emergencies. Your mobile phone can actually be a life saver or an emergency tool for survival. Check out the things that you can do with it:

FIRST: Emergency
The Emergency Number worldwide for Mobile is 112. If you find yourself out of the coverage area of your mobile network and there is an emergency, dial 112 and the mobile will search any existing network to establish the emergency number for you, and interestingly this number 112 can be dialed even if the keypad is locked. Try it out.

SECOND: Have you locked your keys in the car?
Does your car have remote keyless entry? This may come in handy someday. Good reason to own a cell phone: If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are at home, call someone at home on their cell phone from your cell phone. Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the person at your home press the unlock button, holding it near the mobile phone on their end. Your car will unlock. Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away, and if you can reach someone who has the other 'remote' for your car, you can unlock the doors (or the trunk).
Editor's Note: It works fine! We tried it out and it unlocked our car over a cell phone!'

THIRD: Hidden Battery Power
Imagine your cell battery is very low. To activate, press the keys *3370# Your cell will restart with this reserve and the instrument will show a 50% increase in battery. This reserve will get charged when you charge your cell next time.

FOURTH: How to disable a STOLEN mobile phone?
To check your Mobile phone's serial number, key in the following digits on your phone: * # 0 6 #. A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe. When your phone gets stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the SIM card, your phone will be totally useless. You probably won't get your phone back, but at least you know that whoever stole it can't use/sell it either. If everybody does this, there would be no point in people
stealing mobile phones.

FIFTH: Free Directory Service for Cells
Cell phone companies are charging us $1.00 to $1.75 or more for 411 information calls when they don't have to. Most of us do not carry a telephone directory in our vehicle, which makes this situation even more of a problem. When you need to use the 411 information option, simply dial (800) FREE 411, or (800) 373-3411 without incurring any charge at all. Program this into your cell phone now.

The world of work is changing all the time; and with changes come longer hours with more work crammed into each of those hours. Sometimes it feels as if I don’t have a life outside the plant. Let me think….9 more years to retirement. (Who can retire before they're eligible for Medicare?)

But I do have a life outside work and it’s a good one. Family and friends are happy and well, which is an abundant blessing by itself. K is in N.O. with her youth for a week of ministry and clean-up. L is home w/ her young crew. She & Carter are going w/ the church group to the Creation Museum in Kentucky(?) later this month. Molly is subbing at not one, but two, middle schools this summer. All the guys are working hard and all the kidlettes are fine. Terry is busy even though the economy is in a slump. (Not a recession. By definition a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative GDP, which we haven’t had, at least not yet.)

Healthier eating habits and more consistent treadmill time leads to consistent weight loss. I've reached two goals in the last three weeks. YEA! A friend has put the NASB on my iPod so treadmill time will be time well spent, in more ways than one. Thanks Brad.

Life is on an even keel. Things can change in the blink of an eye, but I'm grateful for the moment. God is good all the time; all the time God is good.

Marlee Kupcake w/ her mom (a Chuck E. Cheese sketch)

Why would someone who is so obviously imperfect have perfectionist tendencies? I just went back in my previous post and corrected a word I'd misspelled. Now why did I do that since the 4 people who read this blog have probably already read that post, noticed the error, laughed a little and moved on to other more interesting things? Who knows. Friend Cathy, do you want a crack at psycho-analyzing me? Ha! I'll bet you've already tried after all these years.

Not sure why I'm here posting; it's going to be a busy two days. I need to work on the SS lesson for tomorrow and polish up a short talk I'm giving at Parkway's Mother's Day Brotherhood Breakfast in the morning. This afternoon MomaG, my brother Darrell, his wife Kay, Terry & I, all our girls, all their husbands & kids and all their husbands' families are having a cookout at K&A's house. Whoo-Hoo!! It's supposed to be stormy but Katey assures everyone their new house is not a showcase and she doesn't mind sweeping up the dirt later.

Happy Mothers' Day to all who are mothers and to all who have mothers!

We really appreciate all who called to check on us yesterday. There's a reason they call it Tornado Alley. Laurie's family got the brunt of it last weekend and yesterday was our turn. It's amazing that an F4 tornado can come through & do surprisingly little damage. Of course, the folks that are having siding & roofs repaired don't think it's so "little". But for the size and strength of the four tornadoes, we really dodged a bullet.

In our neighborhood there are lots of uprooted trees, shingles blown off, siding torn off, portable storage buildings gone and some very fortunate, uninjured people. In the hours after the storm Terry said there were two to three hundred people in our subdivion cleaning up. And that didn't count the sightsee-ers getting in the way.

It was a difficult day for me. If you read my other blog you know I have a wounded heel. The antibiotics are causing some emotional ups & downs. (What's up with that?) And I have the responsibility of keeping 40+ people safe at work with no control over what storms do. And yesterday we had corporate company. All-in-all yesterday was a traumatic day. Only our Heavenly Father could have carried me through it all. I know it wasn't my strength.

Hello, Everyone! I've taken a sabbatacal from blogging. Work? Writer's block? Who knows, but I'm here today and that's all I promise. Later there will be some thoughts about my spiritual journey, but first I'd like to start w/ a few pix. You can find more here and here.

There is life outside work. I know there is; I just can’t seem to find it. Now that Glenda is back at work maybe those hours will level out and I can actually do a few things when I get home instead of dropping into the recliner for a hour or so, then going to bed with the chickens. Nah….I’ll always go to bed with the chickens.

Glenda is doing great after her surgery. She's lost weight and STOPPED SMOKING!!

Of major import: Tucker will be baptized Sunday. glory!! The entire extended family is going to Parkway for that milestone event, then we’re all going out to eat for Molly’s & Aaron’s April birthdays. There are so many of us now that we have at least one & sometimes two or three special events to celebrate each month. Fun! Fun!

Friend Cathy has insulted me yet again ~smiles~ by generalizing that many Republicans are a dishonest lot, doing the cross-over voting thing to spoil the Dems’ chances. Come on, Sweetie. Surely you’ve said that Reps are not very smart; could we even figure that out? You can’t have it both ways.

Sorry to disappoint, but in the general election they’re going to let me vote for whomever I please. Here you'll find: “A voter who votes in the primary of one party may not "crossover" to vote in the run-off of another party…The general election ballot contains the names of the party nominees, plus any independent or third party candidates who have qualified.”

It’s our differences that I love!!

It’s been the strangest weekend. It began Thursday night with the arrest of the carpenter. Of course, we’d all heard of him. He’s stirred up some mighty powerful men to an ungodly anger. These Jewish leaders are even breaking their own laws and trying to get people to testify against him. But the witnesses don’t corroborate each other’s testimonies. It’s been a madhouse, and I’ve never seen Pilate so upset. He looks like he’s been pulled in every direction at once. He wanted to placate the Jewish leaders; but he also detests these people and resents having to deal with them. He wanted to set the carpenter free; but he also wanted to use him as a scapegoat. He began the weekend hating Herod; but ended it with a strange friendship.

Finally, Friday morning he handed the carpenter over to us soldiers for a little sport. It’s always been this way with criminals who are about to be executed, but there was something different about this one. He had already been beaten and flogged several times. Why, even his own mother wouldn’t recognize him. But all of us were tense from all the goings-on in Jerusalem this Jewish holiday season and we were ready for a little distraction.

Timnus found a discarded scarlet robe and put it over his shoulders and the others began bowing down to him in mockery of the claims we’d heard about him being the King of the Jews. Someone blindfolded him and started hitting his head, demanding that he tell who it was. Seems such a childish passtime, doesn’t it? He’s been slapped, hit, beaten, flogged and spit on. Mockery is probably the least of his concerns. Usually these guys look either angry and defiant, or they look resigned and defeated. Not the carpenter. I can hardly describe it, but in that swollen, torn and bleeding face his eyes were absolutely blazing with victory. Now why on earth would he look victorious? He was about to die, for heaven’s sake. That look kind of shook me up.

Then it was time to go. You know, we’ve only used crucifixion as a means of execution for a few years. It’s supposed to be more humiliating, and it is. It’s supposed to be more torturous, and it is. Makes you wonder if even the most heinous of criminals deserves this. We were walking up that path to Golgotha and it just amazed me that he had the strength to carry that cross on his back after all he’d already been through. His breathing was labored and he was sweating like a horse. Just to make sure he didn’t die before we got him up on the crossbeam, I grabbed a man out of the crowd to carry his cross for him. The carpenter could hardly walk even without the weight of the timber.

I’ve been involved in these executions from the first, and found out early that if you drive the nail in the wrong place on the wrist, blood just gushes out and the criminal dies in a matter of minutes. That happened the first two times. And I soon learned that you have to drive the nail in right under that strongest bone in the wrist so they’ll stay put. It’s the same with the nail in the foot. The wrong position starts that blood spurting again and it won’t hold.

Anyway, Anthony stepped forward to push him down on top of the crossbeam, but he just laid right down without a word. I can’t count how many times I’ve done this, but this is one I’ll remember forever. I positioned the nail just right and was about to drive it in when I sort of felt him move his head. Now most criminals turn their heads away. I guess they think if they can’t see the source of the pain, it won’t be so bad. But not the carpenter. He turned and looked right at his own outstretched left arm. I always try to drive the nail in exactly right the first time so they won’t have to suffer it again. It’s a small thing and I would never tell my fellow soldiers. So I drew back the hammer and hit the mark dead-on. I heard him gasp and looked over at his face. Such a look of pain in such distorted features, but at least I couldn’t see his eyes. He was holding his breath as if it would lessen the pain, but then he let his breath out. And he opened his eyes and looked right at me. There was no anger there, no accusation. Oh, sure, there was pain, but (you’re not going to believe this) there was also that look of victory. And something more – a look of...forgiveness? I could hardly tear my eyes away from his, but I finally ducked my head and quickly finished the task. I took care of the feet and the right wrist, but I surely didn’t look at him again. It made my heart hurt when I looked in his eyes, and soldiers aren’t supposed to have hearts.

It took three of us to pick the crossbeam up and drop it in the hole. Timnus and Anthony gave a kind of nervous laugh when the beam dropped and the carpenter grunted in pain. They quickly found something to occupy themselves elsewhere. The rest of the detail left to be replaced by a fresh group of soldiers. But I hung around. Well, that’s a terrible pun, but I stayed to see what would happen. It was one of those days when the ground just didn’t feel right – one of our infrequent earthquakes, I guess. And the sky turned black as pitch for hours, but it never rained. There was lots of thunder and lightning, almost as if the gods were upset about something.

I heard it all – how he said he was thirsty; how he asked his father to forgive ‘them’; how he took care of his mother’s future; and finally, that desolate cry of anguish. What was it he said? Oh, yes. “My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?” Then he whispered something else and hung his head and died. And I thought to myself, or maybe I said it out loud, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)

So, what made Him do it? For surely it was His choice. The nails didn’t hold Him there. Something else did…love, forgiveness, a willingness to follow the divine plan all the way to death. Did it end there? You know it didn’t. There was that story of Him rising from the dead. Do I believe it? You bet I do. And I’ll never be the same again.

~lp 4/13/01

He's Alive !!!

Is this the complaint department? Can you handle a whining complaint? Last night I got upset; shoot, I got mad - something I haven't done in a long while. And all over a box of tissue. Several years ago when I was working some 12-hr days, Terry lined up a friend to clean our house every two weeks. Even though my schedule is not quite that bad now, she still cleans for us. And I love her dearly. But... She forgets that I need things put back in the same place. Last night, in the dark, (lights on, lights out - not much difference to me these days) I reached for a tissue and the box wasn't in its usual place. For just a moment it flew all over me (a good ole Southern phrase).

My anger lasted less than a minute, but it shook me that it happened at all. You'd think I'd be used to this handicap by now, but occasionally my anger with the entire situation rears its ugly head. The truth is that I turned my blindness and all its attending complications over to Jesus years ago and mostly I'm able to cope (only by His grace). But {gasp!} I'm human! And here's a little secret we may all cherish deep within: Sometimes I just enjoy getting mad. How sad is that!

The tissue issue was the trigger, but, as with most manic emotions, things had been building for a while. For instance, I've had two different short Bible studies that I've been wanting to write for several weeks. In the past I could pick up my Bible any time and read/study. But now I have to go to the office, turn on the computer, load the Bible program. It's just slightly more complicated and that has stifled the creative process for me. This has been a difficult transitional time - changing reading/studying formats - and there will probably be more breakdowns.

So I'm done whining (for now). The computer is on; the program is loaded. Now's the perfect time to work on those two studies I've been thinking about. Prayers, everyone! (and thanks)

It's recuperation day. Occasionally I can get together w/ all the girls and make a day of it. Yesterday, since Laurie's birthday and Spring break coincided we made it an Event. Monday Laurie & children (w/ the help of a college student friend) went to Southaven to get Molly. Molly spent the night w/ us and we got up Tuesday prepared to roam. Voting was first on the agenda.

Laurie got sitters lined up for the four oldest children, but had to bring Pearce with her. Not a problem for this Mamaw. She picked Molly & me up and we met Katey at the mall area. There are a couple of new stores - Ross's and Maurice's - that we wanted to visit. I found an Easter suit at Dress Barn. Then we met Nanny, Katelee, Tucker & Christina at Logan's for lunch. (I need to come back to the food issue.) After a very good meal, we started shopping again. I found some skirts and tops at Kohl's, but no dark chocolate shoes, which I now need. Katey left us at Kohl's and we went on to the mall. By this time Pearce & Mamaw are beginning to get tired so it's home for us.

But our day isn't over. Terry & I took Molly home to Southaven. Of course, since Terry got Brewster gift certificates for Christmas, we had to stop there for ice cream. It was a very long day & I finally got in bed after midnight.

Now back to the food issue...My friend, Glenda, is having surgery Friday. The type of surgery required her to be on a semi-liquid diet for 2 weeks prior to surgery. As support for her, and because I need it, I joined her in the semi-liquid diet. Some soups, yogurt, jello, puddings, Carnation Instant Breakfast, V8, juices, coffee (lots of coffee), water (lots of water) are on our menu. So you might understand that when I put something solid in my system like salads, hamburgers, etc., my body goes a little haywire. Net result is that in a 1.5 weeks I've lost 5 pounds!! Yea! It will be over three months before Glenda can go back to a regular diet (sorry, modified diet) so here's hoping I can continue to lose more weight. Just so you'll know, her's isn't one of those weight loss surgeries, but it does involve her digestive system and will result in a significant weight loss. Yea for her! This has been so hard for her. For me it's been a choice to support her, but for her it's been a mandate. Naturally, when you're told you absolutely cannot do something, it's harder to do. Add to this that she plans to quit smoking when she goes into hospital, she is going to have a tough time. But she's strong and I expect great things for her.

Happy Birthday, Laurie! It's hard to believe you're 33 years old. It seems only yesterday you were hiding behind your mama when someone tried to talk to you. Those days are definitely gone; you're a people person if ever there was one. I'm looking forward to spending the day with all my daughters today to celebrate "your day".

The weekend was a mixed bag for me. The snow was refreshing and beautiful. Terry & I, Katey & Andy went to the Regional Rehabilitation Center's benefit concert at the Davis Center on the ICC campus. It was a night of bluegrass music with Connie Smith (not quite bluegrass), the Chuch Wagon Gang, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and Rhonda Vincent. Bluegrass is not my very favorite genre, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Since it was Daylight Saving Time weekend, it made for a short night's sleep before church. SS class was unusually lively. We did a little role play with Jacob, Rachel & Leah from Genesis 29. It was fun and we all learned a lot.

The blessings of a nursery worker: About every seven weeks I keep nursery during morning worship service. MomaG is not on the volunteer list, but she always works when I do. Another friend of ours was with us Sunday and it's a good thing. We had six little girls from 8 months to 18 months. Gracie & Katherine played the entire time; Rebecca fussed occasionally, but mostly played by herself; Marlee K sat in my lap a while, but eventually decided to play; Hannah talked up a storm w/ a strong vocabulary for an 18-mo old; and AJ cried and cried and cried. Some children just don't do well with strangers and she had a bad day. We changed diapers, mixed up sippy cups, crawled around on the floor, rocked and generally managed the chaos. It was fun and I took a nap as soon as I got home. ~smiles

Frustration...

I spent about 30 minutes yesterday morning writing a post, then when I tried to publish it, wouldn't you know, I got an error message. Usually I write in MS Word, but I didn't yesterday. My gripe about doing that is that when I write in Word, my codes (bold, italics, underline) don't paste over into my blog. You'd think it would be a simple thing for Blogger to do. I mean, even xanga will accept Word codes. And I don't know enough about html codes to bother with that.

Oh, well, by now you know we had the perfect snow. Blows in overnite; wake to a pristine covering; it's gone by 2pm. If there's a perfect snow, that's it. No sludge; no mess; no ice.

I'll post again when I'm not so frustrated with Blogger. (And if I've totally missed the instructions for pasting Word codes, would some kind soul let me know? Thanks.)

I’ve missed posting this week, but every time I started to write something it sounded whiny. My work life is a series of challenges and has been for over a year. I know it’s where God wants me to be – what He’s called me to – but the path is rough and my inadequacy is showing through. My boss tells me that in this last series of challenges I may feel inadequate, but the truth is that many of us haven’t been given the tools to do what is required of us. (He always knows how to make me feel better.) Ever heard of ISO9001-2000? 5S/Lean Manufacturing? Kaizan? Me neither until recently. Now I have to become an expert on the fly. It ain’t gonna happen. Oh, I’ll learn, but it’s going to take time. I dreamed about all this early this morning; alll those stacks of paperwork woke me early. That’s not a good sign.

Couple with all this the fact that I haven’t seen my kids and kidlettes in at least 2 weeks and you get a grouchy Mamaw. The sinus bug bit me and I’ve been staying away from them all, especially the tiniest, since they definitely don’t need this respiratory problem. A shot and a Z-pak have done the trick and I may actually get to see at least some of them today & tomorrow. You know I’ll feel better then.

Missing church last week also made me crankier. Being involved in Bible study and hearing God’s Word preached each week breaks the fast of the previous days. You know I do have my own worship time, but God created us to want/need corporate worship. It’s who we are in His body of believers.

For those of you who missed it, Pearce McGuire Phillips made his entrance into our world on February 1, 2008. He’s a laid-back little fellow, according to his mom. You can read more about that family right here. And I really need to see Katelee & Tucker real soon. OK, kids & kidlettes, Mamaw needs an infusion of family time.

There are many daily Bible reading plans that will take you through the entire Bible in one year. This year I’m going straight through from Genesis through The Revelation, which means that right now I’m in Leviticus. A dear lady in my SS class, who loves and faithfully studies the Bible, is reading in Leviticus and Numbers and commented on how burdensome and boring these two books can be.

Genesis is God’s way of taking us back to our beginnings to show us how He planned, created and orchestrated all of this for all of us. Here He first teaches us of the gloriousness of His plan for us; He reveals as much as we can understand of why He created us. God also shows us how He is always at work in the lives of people, especially the ones He has chosen to carry on His work. Genesis shows us that nothing ever occurs to God; He’s known all of it from forever.

Exodus is the exciting picture of God showing off His glory to a heathen people and to another people who would be His own. It’s a story of millions who would be released from bondage if they would only believe that I AM had come to save them. It would be about brave souls who stepped onto the floor of the Red Sea with a wall of water on the left and another rising on the right. (It makes me laugh to think of the fish that bumped their snouts into the invisible barrier that was God’s Breath holding that water back. ~grins) Exodus is a story of people who wanted to be free, but had trouble putting God’s commandments into practice. An exciting page-turner if ever there was one.

Then we stumble up on Leviticus. There’s a strange feel to this book; it tells of customs and cultures most of us have no knowledge of. Blood sacrifices are abhorrent to our culture, and we wonder at a God Who would give so many laws governing so many different aspects of life. Lots of what God deals with has to do with the health of His people – protecting them from possible infections that could be passed around in a deadly way, teaching them which foods would be healthy for them to eat. And He wanted His people to be different; to look different and act different, to be set apart (holy).

But we do tend to get hung up on the blood sacrifice. There’s blood on the altar, on the mercy seat, and on the priests’ clothes. It’s hard for us to see what the lesson is for us in these passages. Then a verse in the middle of many takes us by surprise. Several years ago I read this verse, did a double take, read it again and ever since it has been very important to what I know about what God did for me.

‘For the life [soul] of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.’ Leviticus 17:11 (NASB) [emphasis mine}

God stopped right here in the middle of all the blood and gore and told us about Jesus Christ. You see, it wasn’t just any lifeblood; it was "the blood by reason of the life.” The blood of bulls and goats and lambs would have to be shed over and over again in a never-ending ritual. The same is true if any other human being had tried to sacrifice their lifeblood since none are perfect (spotless, unblemished). But because Jesus Christ lived a perfect, sinless life, His Blood would suffice once for all - "the blood by reason of the life." (Rom 3:25; Eph 1:7, Heb 9; 1Pe 1:19)

Jesus appears numerous times in the Old Testament – never by His earthly name. This is just one of those times that we might miss if we’re not careful. The whole of the Holy Writ is important and can speak volumes to us today. Are you reading God's Word every day? (Psalm 119:105)

The storms of Monday night came too close for my comfort since Southaven was in the storm path. Terry walked into the bedroom about the time Molly called. He was telling me there was a bad storm where she was and she was telling me the sirens were going off and she was getting Tip and going to the toilet room. Their house was built for wireless Internet so she took the laptop w/ her so she could watch the radar. Kevin was traveling between Germantown & home in the middle of all this. Terry & I talked to Molly on the cell phone the whole time this was going on just to keep her company. It was a horrendous night and my heart goes out to those who are hurt, have lost loved ones or have lost their homes/businesses. Union University got a bad hit, but they will rebuild and go on. I saw a woman on CNN this morning who had no shoes and it was 33*. (Note to Terry: Thank you for making us all put our shoes beside the bed all these years.)

In the aftermath, there was a little comic relief. Tornado Monday & Super Tuesday are vying for air time on all the cable news programs. This morning as Terry & I watched a segment on the storm damage, he mentioned a now-infamous Mississippi lawyer who probably wanted to get things settled quickly so he could sue someone over the storms. I wondered aloud who he would sue this time. Terry responded that he’d probably sue God and win, but he would definitely lose it on appeal. (Terry has a dry sense of humor that catches most people by surprise.)

Katey & Andy closed on their new house yesterday and were able to keep it within the budget they’d set. Andy was in Memphis Monday evening during all the storm trouble, but made it home safe & sound.

Laurie & Pearce are doing fine, but she can’t get all her other babies home at one time. She’s ready to have them home and settled into a routine. L&D are fortunate to have his parents living near them; they are super about keeping the kids.

Welcome to our world...

Pearce McGuire Phillips
9lb/1oz, 19"
February 1, 2008

We’ve been all over the place this week. All were anxious for Katey to get home after her 9-day ministry trip to Chile. They arrived safe and sound yesterday. She called as soon as they touched down in Atlanta – 5:25am CST. As a mom I’m always torn. It’s a great concern when your child goes to a foreign country. But it’s also a blessing that she is willing to do God’s will and that Andy supports her and is so great w/ the kids.

And Laurie thought she would have Pearce Monday or yesterday. Didn’t happen. She’s very disappointed and very uncomfortable. Dr. C will put her in Friday if nothing has happened before then. Here again, I’m torn. L&D have 5 (almost) children, with the oldest just having turned 6, so I’m concerned about her health. But I also know they have prayed about this and are following God’s plan for their life together, which is also a blessing.

Molly & I talk on the phone often, but I’d like to see them more. And she would like to be closer to be a part of what little drama we have in our lives. You need to click here for The Saga of the Phones.

Life has a way of ordering its own priorities. Work takes up a good portion of my waking hours so sometimes the daily challenges / frustrations / aggravations can leach over into my personal life. But in the last few months family has ruled.

We certainly enjoyed all the family festivities during the Christmas season. And Sunday all the extended family came over for Katey’s & Marcus’ birthday lunch. These times of fun, food and fellowship serve to warm my heart and calm my soul when the work aggravation rears its ugly head.

I told Molly that I’d surely been bending God’s ear a lot lately with family issues. Katey, Andy & kidlettes needed to sell their house and move into their new digs. Katey had to make a decision about going to Chile and when the decision was made we all started praying in that direction. Molly & Kevin, while not facing any traumatic events since their move to Southaven, have dealt with strep and a boatload of respiratory ailments. Laurie is 10.5 months pregnant with child #5 (so she thinks) and caring for four small children. Dewayne who does his fair share of caretaing will have oral surgery tomorrow. Marcus had surgery several weeks ago.

So, you see, God has been hearing from me a lot lately about all those near & dear to me. And I am persuaded that our Heavenly Father wants to hear from me regarding these matters. But this morning as I finished reading my Bible, I heard that still small Voice reminding me that I need to spend more time in prayer praising Him for Who He Is. He wants me to consult Him about every aspect of my life; and He certainly wants me to acknowledge to Him my sins so He can lead me to repentance and cleansing.

Am I the only one who tends to rush through prayer time in order to get on with my day? Martin Luther rightly said, “I have so much to do (today) that I must spend the first three hours in prayer.” The frenetic pace of our lives would be ordered properly if we spent more time in prayer and less time trying to figure things out for ourselves.

I like Joseph; he’s extremely fascinating. His life’s story, so concisely told in Genesis 30 – 50, is one of human error (sin) and divine intervention. When I start reading his story I can’t stop until I reach the end. And when I get to the end, I cry. Why does it make me sad when he dies? Everyone in the Bible died, and stayed dead, except Jesus. There are lots of folks in the Bible that I really like, but Joseph feels like a personal friend.

Joseph’s story has all the human elements imaginable: jealousy, envy, greed, sex, power, lying (not an exhaustive list). The read will keep you on the edge of your seat if you’re reading it for the first time or for the thirtieth time. His is certainly a success story, but that’s not what appeals to me. Maybe it’s that so many events in his life were beyond his control coupled with the obvious workings of God through these events that gives me hope.

He didn’t have humble beginnings; Jacob was rich and powerful. And in his younger years he seemed an obnoxious little pipsqueak – bragging about his dreams and wearing that favorite son symbol in front of his brothers. But life taught him some tough lessons and he matured through his difficulties. A tiny glimpse of the old Joseph shows through when he hides his identity from his brothers, but he can’t sustain the charade and all is forgiven on both sides.

My life is a lot like Joseph’s. Oh, I’ll never be the #2 person in Egypt, powerful beyond thought or measure. But…a) Many events in my life are beyond my control; and, b) God is working through all these events to mold me into the person He wants me to be (if I cooperate). Bro. Jim’s email message today is about “sticking our neck out” for God. That’s what Peter did, and so did Joseph. God did some extraordinary things through both of them. What extraordinary thing might God have planned for me?

Dire straits...People are concerned about the presidential election. People are concerned about peace in the Middle East. Mississippi people are concerned about the special congressional races. Me? I'm worried about a cut & color.

That's right. My sister-in-law, Betty, has taken care of these naturally curly locks since we married brothers oh so many years ago. I just don't trust anyone else to do it. She knows just how to cut this curly hair to make it manageable; and when the gray started sticking out every which way, she said, "It's time to start coloring this hair to give it some conditioning." I listen to her. If she says it needs to be done, it gets done.

The problem? On Tuesday before Thanksgiving Betty was playing outside with her grandson, stepped in a hole and suffered a spiral fracture to a major bone in her ankle. The nature of the fracture has necessitated a long recovery. In fact, she's still home, in a cast, unable to put much weight on that foot. Walking cast? It ain't gonna happen. Poor Betty. In pain, very uncomfortable, inconvenienced, confined, loss of income. But enough about her. What about me? I need a cut & color.

Call me crazy, but when the barometric pressure starts dropping, I get sleepy. I mean lie-down-on-the-floor-under-my-desk sleepy. Kids get cranky; I get sleepy. Terry watches the Weather Channel; I go to bed (with my clothes and shoes right by the bed, at his insistence). Where would we go if it “came up a cloud”? Our house is about the soundest structures within miles. Oh well, maybe he’s concerned that I should be properly dressed if the house blows away.

Laurie had a doctor’s appointment this morning and Pearce McGuire should be making his appearance Feb 1st, if not before. She is sooooo ready. Her nights are spent moving from the couch to the recliner to the bed to the couch… Katey & crew are moving into their new house this weekend. We are so proud for them; they’ve sold their other house and are ready for larger digs. And she leaves for Chile on the 21st. Pray for my baby and her family as they face all these new events. Molly & Kevin has strep and stayed home from work one day to let the antibiotics kick in. She still doesn’t feel well, but was going to work, anyway.

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Couldn’t sleep long under my desk b/c of tornado warnings. The weather’s been nasty in all parts of the state. Closing this out for the time being….

A trip to the optometrist and ophthalmologist yesterday netted no good news. The double vision I’m experiencing when trying to read is caused by the RP and will not get better. Surely no one likes all the lights they shine in your eyes; for a person w/ RP it’s a nightmare. Big, bad headache. And to make the headache worse, I had to pay $416 just for lenses for two pairs of computer glasses. Merry Christmas, LaRue.

On a happier note…we got a picture of the whole clan Christmas Day. Aren’t we a blessed bunch!

http://www.xanga.com/kingmookaThis week has gone a lot better than anticipated. When a plant has been shut down for any length of time it’s hard to get equipment to run and employees to cooperate. But things have gone smoothly and it’s been a good week.

My time off from work over the Christmas holidays was such a relaxing, fun vacation. There were a few get-togethers, which we thoroughly enjoyed, and several days of peace & quiet.

The visit w/ my mom, brother, sister-in-law & nephew went well. I was anxious for nothing. Guests started arriving at 3:30 and started leaving about 9:00. There’s no gift-giving at this gathering – we make donations to Foundation Fighting Blindness in memory of DaddyG. We ate and visited and ate and visited and ate some more. Fun!!

News on the family front: Katey is going to Chile this month to work with MKs whose parents are missionaries in South America. And K’s crew will be moving into their new house soon. Marlee K took a few steps Wednesday night and she stands for long periods of time w/o holding on to anything. Check this out for the “sock” story. Pearce McGuire will be making his appearance near the end of this month. And Tip stays in the house on these cold days. A few years ago you’d never have made me believe that Molly would let a dog stay in the house.

Oh, Terry & I didn’t buy the minivan. Too many other things have a higher priority this time of year – taxes, Sep IRA, taxes, EDU funds, taxes…..You get the picture.